Technology Edu

iReadWrite is an iPad writing app that is designed to benefit struggling readers and writers. iReadWrite includes a number of writing features that makes writing easier. One such feature is contextual word prediction that suggests the word you were looking for. Word prediction is great for poor spellers because much of the time you only need to type a few letters before the word is suggested. Other extremely helpful feature is phonetic spell checking. The spell checker will highlight any misspelled word in red; just as you would expect any word processor to do. But it will highlight words that sound the same or are commonly confused in blue. If you are still unsure of which word to use you can press on the word to hear the pronunciation and definition. The app even has a talking dictionary with associated images. All text can be read aloud with text-to-speech to help caught mistakes. For dyslexic users the app includes the OpenDyslexic font which maybe easier for dyslexics to read. Once you are done writing your document there are many sharing options. Click here to download iReadWrite for $19.99 in the App Store.

Click read more below to view screenshots of iReadWrite in action.

An iOS app called TapTapSee can recognize almost anything that you can take a picture of. TapTapSee is designed for the blind or visually impaired so it requires VoiceOver to be enabled. Click here to download the app for free. With the app open simply point the devices camera at an object and double tap to take a picture. Then TapTapSee recognizes the image with amazing speed and accuracy. In my tests the app was able to distinguish a salt shaker from and nearly identical pepper grinder. The app took an average of 10-15 seconds for each image. Keep in mind that you will need an internet connection for the app to work. With a few exceptions TapTapSee recognized everything that I took a picture of. The app is truly amazing because of its accuracy and detail it is able to provide in a short time. Visually impaired users could use the app to distinguish between two similar feeling objects. The app can also recognize all denominations of US currency but unlike the LookTel Money Reader TapTapSee cannot recognize foreign currencies. TapTapSee is also much faster than competing apps such as VizWiz. TapTapSee is a perfect addition to any iOS device for vissually impaired users.

Click read more below to view the app in action.

Google's popular Google Now feature may be coming to Apple devices if a leaked video is to be believed. Google Now is currently an Android exclusive feature but Google has brought flagship Android features to Apple devices in the past. One example is Google's advanced voice search that came to iOS last year. Google Now has predictive cards that provide information to users automatically. The cards gather information about a users search history and provide useful information automatically. Engadget.com was sent the video which was later taken off YouTube. The leaked video is visually similar to other Google promotional videos with lends credence to its authenticity. If the video is legitimate Google Now would be a great addition to Apple's mobile devices.