Use your phone in class for more than texting.
School has started up once again which means that hours of studying are being pushed back for more enjoyable activities.
When crunch time does happen to arrive, you can now use your smart phone to help in your studies.
There are currently thousands of apps in both the iPhone and Android marketplaces. Many of the apps can assist in productivity, to create flash cards and be used for quick reference.
The apps below for the iPhone and Android devices can be considered equivalents to some degree.
HandyCalc
(Free)
This is a free graphing calculator, in the same vain as PI83 above, for Android phones. The HandyCalc also has a unit converter built in.
There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to navigation and use, but HandyCalc does provide tutorials in apps and on its blog.
There are other graphing calculators in the Android Market but this one will probably run the smoothest on the majority Android devices.
PI83
Graphing Calculator
($0.99)
This is a virtual graphing calculator that the creators claim was designed to replace the Texas Instruments TI83 graphing calculator.
It is a scientific calculator beneficial in just about every math based course. It is also a fraction of the price of a physical graphing calculator.
The PI83’s features include touchscreen panning and zooming, multi-colored graphs, and identifies zeros, minimums, and maximums and captures screenshots.
Evernote
(Free)
Evernote is a free note taking service that allows you to store text, video, pictures or anything else on the Internet.
The app is available on most smart phone and there are also companion apps for PCs, Macs, and a web clipper to be used with an Internet browser.
The only requirements to use the service is the creation of a free user account and the application on any of the above mentioned platforms.
All notes stored on Evernote belong to the user, and can even be completely privatized by encryption.
Dictionary.com
(Free)
A dictionary is one of those things you will always need, and this app lets you never be without one. The Dictionary.com app gives access to over 325,000 definitions and 300,000 synonyms. Included is also phonetic and audio pronunciations. It is a rather simple but still useful app.
StudyDroid
(Free)
StudyDroid is the Android equivalent to the iPhone’s Notecards. The largest differences are that StudyDroid is free and is community based.
The latter will allow you to upload your cards and download other users’ cards off of the StudyDroid’s website.
Notecards
($1.99)
This application will let you create virtual flash cards on your iPhone or iPod Touch. The software allows you to organize the cards by group, and study by different methods.
Notecards also follows your progress while studying, so you know which cards you are having difficulties with. You can share cards with others through Wi-Fi.
Groupon
(Free)
Everyone likes to save money on things that they like, especially college students, and Groupon allows you to do just that. Everyday Groupon offers a coupon for a local business.
Each coupon has a minimum requirement in order for the coupon to be activated.
That means that if you like the deal for a particular day you sign up for it. If enough people sign up the coupon will be activated and available to all, if not enough people sign up the coupon is not available to anyone. If “the deal is on” you can purchase and print the coupon to use at your convenience.
