04.Education
Education
SmartGardenWatering
Price: Free
Platform: iPhone
If you’re looking to keep your plants and veggies happy this summer, this app will help you water them just the right amount for optimum results. It tells you how often to water and for how long, for your particular location and garden type.
It also shows local rainfall history to help with programming sprinkler systems – great for when water restrictions hit. CC issue Jan/Feb 2012.
Learner Driver Recorder
Price: $2.99
Platform: iPhone
Every kilometre counts to a learner driver trying to get up the 120 hours needed (in Victoria and NSW) to gain a full licence, but keeping a manual logbook that takes into account all those extra little trips can be a pain. The LDR app helps track and record every driving second and even maps where you’ve been. It’s not an official replacement for the written logbook yet, but it’s a step down that road. An Android version is in the works, too. CC issue Jan/Feb 2012.
Reference
PickAQuote
Price: Free
Platform: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Need to get some work done around the home? Don't reach for the Yellow Pages, grab your iPhone and download the free PickAQuote app. It lets you post the details of your job for tradesman and business, to help you find competitive quotes to do the work. The clever built-in PhotoMeasure tool uses the iPhone's camera help you measure up for any building work. If, on the other hand, you're a tradesman or business you can use PickAQuote to bid for jobs listed once you've registered with the site and been checked out as qualified. CC issue Sept/Oct 2011.
Navigation
NavFree Live Australia and New Zealand
Price: Free
Platform: iPhone 3G/3GS/4 and iPad/2
If you’ve been waiting for a free iPhone GPS app, NavFree Live Australia & New Zealand now offers totally free turnby-turn navigation, though you will have to pay for in-app extras such as $5 for the ad-free version. Other promised in-app purchases include speed camera locations, local petrol prices and traffic information. The app includes full maps stored on the phone, so you don’t have to rely on mobile network coverage. A Social Location feature lets users navigate to each other and share their position via SMS, Email, Twitter and Facebook. Community-based map updates are also free. More info at www.navmii.com. CC issue May/June 2011.
Utilities
DisplayPad
Price: $2.99
Platform: iPad
Based on the ideal that you can never have too much screen space, DisplayPad lets you turn your iPad into an extra screen for your desktop or laptop computer, using your Wi-Fi connection. DisplayPad extends your computer desktop area so you can simply drag windows from your main screen to the iPad. It works in portrait or landscape mode and also lets you use the iPad's touch display for selection and data entry. DisplayPad is a cheaper alternative to other display-extension apps such as Air Display and MaxiVista (both about $10) but all require a small program to run on your Mac or Windows computer. CC issue Nov/Dec 2011.