We have a diverse array of apps for you this week. Fans of classic Mac OS will be entertained by our iPhone app. On the iPad we have an app to assist with that early summer star gazing. For the Mac we have a clipboard utility, and on the web we have a robot editor for your writing. Our game of the week is a look back to the classics.
Table of Contents
iPhone/iPod Touch: Classic Note
Considering how many note taking apps that are out there, I am surprised it took this long for someone to think this up. Classic Note is a simple note taking app that recreates the look and feel of the Classic Mac OS.
If you’re looking for a serious app to manage your meeting notes, this likely isn’t for you. This app is pretty solidly in the novelty category, but it also boasts a simple calculator. The app also features a fortune generator and a game to wrangle the class Mac mascot the Dogcow.
Classic Note is $0.99 on the App Store
iPad: Sky Guide
Summer is coming in the Northern Hemisphere, which means some nice clear nights to hang out in the backyard and do some star gazing. Sky Guide is a handy app the maps the various constellations, planets, and other celestial objects.
If you live in the city, this app’s great graphics are far better than anything you’ll see in the sky. You can at least rotate around and let the app show you what you’re missing. The informational portion of the app is really in-depth. There are a lot of apps in this category, but this is among the best looking. The only drawback is that it has a soundtrack of New Age music, disable it right away.
Sky Guide is $0.99 in the App Store.
Mac: TextScrub
This might be one of those tech writer first world problems, but sometimes you just want the text you’re copying, not the array of formatting and other data that comes along for the ride. TextScrub removes that cruft with a quick keyboard shortcut, allowing you to past the plain text.
You create the custom keyboard shortcut, but if you’re more the mousing type, you can simply use the menu bar icon for TextScrub. For more common tasks you can also set it to automatically replace words in your copied text. This is a specialized but useful app.
You can grab TextScrub for $2.99 from the App Store.
Web: Slick Write
Writing is a solitary task, and often you don’t notice the small problems that can creep into your writing. Slick Write is an online editor that can help you dig into your writing. It will give you concrete statistics on your grammar, style, and complexity.
You simply go to the site, enter your text into an editor and you get back the text highlighted with your problem areas. You can than dig right into your problems, or click over and look at the raw statistics of your writing.
Slick Web is free, check it our here.
Game: B&W Dungeon
If you played games back when your only UI was a blinking cursor, B&W Dungeon should transport you instantly to the past. You name your character and venture into the dungeon with a wood stick. Repeat until you level up.
That’s really the extent of it, like that D&D campaign when the DM forgot his Ritalin, all combat. You can buy new weapons as you play through the dungeon, and you can rest at the inn. This might be the world’s most “minimal” game. For nostalgia’s sake this is a lot of fun.
B&W Dungeon is free on the App Store
