Sunday 14 July 2013

Free Science Apps - Part 3 of 3

I'm pretty sure any list I enter here will be immediately insufficient for apps and gadgets, widgets and
 software are created basically every day, but bear in mind this is merely a list out of curiosity. I got my Samsung Galaxy III this February and I'm so happy with some stuff I installed that I felt compelled to share it with you. Please feel free to let me know about some more apps related to science that can be of interest to our community. My top 5 list includes:

The clinical  toxicology database of the UK National Poisons Information Service. Offers advice on over 14000 different  products and substances and more than 1000 monographs. You don't need internet connection to consult the database. The app sends alarms regarding your geographical location. The minus factor is that even though it is free for UK NHS users, it is only commercially available for those overseas. Another negative point is the fact that the registration process is not as easy as they advertise.

A very simple periodic table though a handy one. You pick an element and the app will offer you loads of useful info, say, general properties, physical properties, thermal properties, atomic properties, and other properties like crystal structure, magnetic ordering and discovery year. The down side is the fact that the interface is not only bad, it is horrible. Half the table is missing the moment you try to browse some distant elements and it needed a little bit more dynamic options. It is not a 4 stars app, it deserves a clear 3 minus, but it is useful if you only need part of the elements. LOL!

I am an organic chemistry fiend but one that was put off organic chemistry by my university teacher who was really bad at teaching. Slowly, I've been trying to get back to this amazing field and in order to understand its nature one has to try and test and exercise your mind towards a very complicated area. So this app helps but does not make the initial way. You need to be prepared for this one offers you complicated exercises that only the best can achieve. Apart from that there is a bunch load of useful information on a catastrophically big number of compounds that will really get your attention. This interactive virtual flashcard can be extremely funny when testing your skills, but like my former Russian teacher it can really demoralize you for it does not really explain why such and such happens.



Scholar Droid: This is my favourite one from this short list. When I was in the middle of nowhere, all uptight with some articles to be read, no opportunity to browse my favourite databases, it was this little app that saved my bacon. This free application lets you browse search results  returned by Google scholar, Amazon,  view pdfs, work bookmarks, and all of this with NO ADS! NO PUBLICITY AT ALL! There are a few limitations that don't really limit its usefulness, but I'll let you find it out yourself. All in all a very useful science app, entirely free and easy to use. OK, only results with summaries will be shown, but who uses it for patents  anyway?!

Google Sky Map: It is really funny to use, especially outdoors at night when you hug your loved one, back laid on a fresh grass bed and starts shining strong up there... aaaaaaannnnnnnd that's it!

All right friends, I'm really sorry for being so absent lately, but I had my poster presentation, my second year report to submit and also the postgraduate research day in CBS. Am I excused??? Nice! I promise something really hot in a few weeks. I am talking about my new project, the first table game totally created and produced by myself, The Toxicologist Today.

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