Search Results for 'oxford dictionary'

Eight apps for a broken arm

After breaking my arm a couple of months ago, I learned a bit of biology. Bones are serious buggers, you know; they don’t just Lego into place after snapping. But even at 31 and five fingers down, I applied myself very fastidiously to apps that I could use one-handed. At first, they may seem eclectic, but I assure you that they were the best medicine. If you’re intent on joining my club, send in your resumes, apply something heavy/swift to your long bones, and then follow the gap!

Gay Cure app pulled from App Store – expect precedential backlash

Not that it’s my strong suit or anything, but I certainly take issue with Apple’s wording of Exodus International’s Gay Cure rejection letter, which went something like this:

“We removed the Exodus International app from the App Store because it violates our developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people.” (Cult of Mac emphasis kept).

Presumably, the ‘large groups of people’ Apple reference is – in this instance – the gay community. The problem, of course, is that the wording is otiose and could be construed to fit anyone’s purposes. Imagine Canon camera fans taking issue with Nikon Learn & Explore app. Or, Oxford dictionary devs taking issue with (admittedly inferior) Webster dev counterparts. Without even touching the political/religious debate, Apple have opened a can of worms by failing to properly copy edit their marketing literature. They aren’t some two-bit blog, they’re the most iconic tech company in the world, and their moves (no matter how small) vibrate around the world.

On the other hand, Exodus International’s rebuttals are hardly convincing, either. Exodus’ next editions: The Mormon Cure, the Jewish Cure, the Liberal Cure, the Evolutionist Cure, to be followed by: the Mormon Solution, the Jewish Solution, etc.. Both sides adroitly prove just how flawed a system of checks and balances can be.

Thanks Cult of Mac.

White Park Bay’s Oxford Reference Series in Review – The devil is in the details

White Park Bay recently released a handful of new Oxford Reference Dictionaries to add to its already strong suite. The new dictionaries feature a few upgrades to the Oxford Reference series I reviewed before. These include: better mail integration and indexing as well as a structured note-taking system. For 14.99$, they remain a little pricey, but are great titles for the would-be know-it-all.

10 New Oxford titles from White Park Bay

White Park Bay’s collaborative efforts with Oxford have already brought a slew of Oxford reference titles to the iDevice platform which were reviewed at TMA. This week, they are bolstering their current offerings with 10 more titles, 7 of which were launched this week. In addition, White Park Bay have also upgraded their older app suite with email and note-taking features from the new apps. White Park Bay’s newest releases are below:

Oxford Guide to Countries of the World – $14.99

Oxford Dictonary of Modern & Contemporary Art – $14.99

Oxford Dictionary of Islam – $14.99

Oxford Dictionary of Food and Nutrition – $14.99

Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable – $14.99

Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable – $14.99

Oxford Dictionary of Hinduism

Oxford Dictionary of Hinduism- $14.99

For more information, follow the gap:

IdeaPod in Review – Bright Idea

Kayac, the legendary developer of GravSynth, have a unique app up their sleeves called IdeaPod which attempts to separate your thoughts into organised problem-solving methods. IdeaPod stands upon the ideas of TRIZ and attacks problems systematically and is a great enhancement tool for brainstorming.

Japanese students to get iPod touch for school

Not surprising. I mean, on what other platform are you going to enjoy those back to school apps? Japan’s Ministry of Education reckons that the iPod touch will aid study by allowing access to videos and other online materials via school WiFi.

White Park Bay Software’s Oxford Reference Dictionaries in Review

Oxford is not only a strong name in language dictionaries; its influence extends heavily into reference titles that can be found online or at your local book shoppe in both hard and paper back editions. UK-based White Park Bay Software (WPB), have brought 11 pivotal references to the App Store. The set includes: Music, Law, Philosophy, Politics, Finance and Banking, Concise Medical, Computing, Chemistry, Business Management, Biology and Accounting. Each shares a similar GUI, navigation and content display system and work consistently with the iPhone design ethic, but at the high price of 14.99$ per app, is the content worth the cost?

WordBook English Dictionary & Thesaurus in Review – A Perfect Dictionary for a Heavenly Price

I am very particular about my reference materials. Perhaps it was hammered into me in university when every course’s materials list was replete with nothing less than the Oxford Dictionary of English. Thus, when our Dictionary review section was finally launched, I was shocked at the proliferation of non-Oxford references in the App Store of which WordBook is one. At first, I took little notice of it as I was more anxious to complete reviews of THE Dictionary.

Looking back, my decision was not unfounded. WordBook, though not mated to Oxford’s content, is perhaps the most impressive cost-effective reference at the App Store. My tongue-wagging review won’t do greater justice than simply saying: ‘Kiss It’. Had I completed this review first, it would be much harder to recommend even the Enfour masterpieces.

Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus in Review – What was that word again?

A thesaurus is an indispensable tool for writers of any level. Verbose people (yours truly) need them and even more eloquent writers like Crom and Young can benefit from their use. The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus is an excellent reference tool for anyone who is looking for that … word. In previous reviews, we looked at the Roget’s Thesaurus, AHD4 Deluxe and a couple of Oxford dictionaries that also feature thesaurus fuctions.

American Writer’s Thesaurus has a unique take on thesaurus in that it is tailored to writers. Just so you know, if you are writing anything: blogs, letters, papers, books, articles – anything at all – you are a writer. You don’t have to be published or famous or elegant. This thesaurus product is helpful for anyone who puts their words and thoughts down onto some form of media.

QuickOffice – A Brief Look and a Quick, “Finally”

Dictionaries? Covered. Wikipedia? Getting there. The App Store even has Bibles now and entire Bible libraries, but its list of productivity and reference apps is far from complete. QuickOffice have brought forth an iPhone iteration of their popular mobile software which is specifically tweaked for the iPhone and iPod Touch. My wife and I tend to spend a goodly amount of time pouring over excel files both for her work and for our finances and I am a slowly doctoring myself into a Word junkie. I have been fortunate enough to use it now for about two weeks and feel that my experience with it is enough to finish an in-depth review. Look for that on Monday.