Assignment: an example web app

Hey folks,

During and after your first html assignment, you should be working on finding and posting an example web app. Details here!

The assignment is due by end of day September 3.

The assignment asks you to turn in using our Google Community.

Prof. Watson

Example: Dropbox, The Invisible File Sharing Solution

Remember the days of copying files from your computer to a flash drive, and then back on to another computer? Or perhaps you worked on a file at home, emailed it to yourself, downloaded and revised it in the library, emailed it to yourself, went back home, redownloaded it, and then emailed it to yourself once more for safe keeping.

Those dark days are behind us thanks to the onset of cloud-based storage.

Dropbox is a company leading the revolution since 2008. With Dropbox, you can browse a familiar file system through a web interface. Users can sign up to the website for free with 2 GB provided. Additional storage is available as a reward for friend referrals to the website or through a paid, subscription-based model.

A user's uploaded files are available from any web browser or through a cross-platform application. Uploading new files is as simple as dragging and dropping into a supported web browser, and downloading is as simple as right clicking and choosing from a context menu. Better still, folders and files can be shared based on multiple levels of privacy by email, username, or simply a unique URL.

Dropbox has a simple API that allows developers to interface with it. This has led to a further adoption of the services by users. Many applications allow for saving directly into Dropbox for simplification of file storage, an idea that companies like Apple and Google have adopted with iCloud and Google Drive respectively.

The idea of Dropbox is completely simple, and the most remarkable part of the web application is that it just works. It has changed my workflow as a student by enabling me to forget about how to move files around. Instead, I can work with the confidence that a file will be there when I need it.

Voicethread

Example: Flamingtext.com

Flamingtext.com is an online web application that enables the user to create free personalized logos from hundreds of various designs and animations. 

This web application addresses the issue of creating professional quality logos utilizing rich graphics for websites, presentations, and any other documents or files.  A person who has zero graphic design experience can employ this application to turn their personalized message into a styled logo or banner.  With hundreds of different templates & designs to choose from, the application allows a user to create something that suits their particular needs.  Flamingtext can produce company logos, animated titles for websites & presentations, names or messages for documents, and many more!  Instead of paying for expensive graphic design software or hiring a graphic designer, this free application creates your dream logo/animated text within seconds.

I am impressed with this app because of its ease of use, as well as practicality in a variety of situations.  The UI of the application lets the user customize a variety of features pertaining to the specific template chosen.  There is also a preview box, which allows you to preview how the resulting .gif image will look like before you actually produce the image to save.  The most impressive logo on the application is the signature “Flaming text”, which animates your text by “setting it on fire”.  The “Flaming text” produces such a superior quality of graphics, which you would never believe is possible by a free online application.  By selecting the size, font, font color, background color, animation speed, number of frames, etc., you can create a logo or banner for any documents.  I have used Flamingtext logos for personal webpages, presentations for work & school, and professional documents.

Flamingtext does face competition with other similar free online logo/animation generator applications.  Flamingtext’s biggest competitor would probably be cooltext.com, offering an online application to generate animated text and styled logos from various templates.  Other competitors would be gifninja.com or picasion.com, which generate .gif animations from user-defined images.  I believe this application beats its competition due to the amount of customization and control the user has.  For each template you choose, Flamingtext has ten-fold more features and aspects you can specify to make the image exactly how you envisioned.  Also, the quality of animation and graphics are significantly better when compared against cooltext.com.  With Flamingtext, the logos and banners created look very professional and as if they were created with design software. 

http://www.flamingtext.com

Voicethread link: http://voicethread.com/share/3419859/

Example: Grand Theft Auto 4 Interactive Map

What it is and what it's for:

The interactive map is design for the game Grand Theft Auto 4 and it allows you to find different types of items located in the city. The game GTA4 is set in a city in which you have to navigate, just like a real city. It's quite large and finding your way around can be a challenge. The map is most useful to people who are trying to achieve 100% completion in the game. In addition to the main storyline and missions, there are several additional types of missions or activities to complete. One example of this is the car the car theft missions. The map can help you locate the cars you need to steal to complete these missions.

How it works:

The map looks like a standard Google Map, which it actually is. There a zoom and scrolling feature, but it's all based on a fictional city. They have even incorporated street view capabilities on the map. There is a legend on the side so you can toggle which types of elements are displayed on the map.

Why I like it and the competition:

Having this map saves a lot of time and hassle. In the game you are constantly having to find different things in the city and this is a huge help. I like that it works like a typical Google Map so it is easy to use. I also like that you can control what elements are displayed on the map. I have not seen other maps as interactive as this one. I have only seen maps that display the locations of certain items and have limited zoom functionality. I haven't seen any that show element images on the maps or ones that support a street view feature.

The map can be found here:

http://www.gta4.net/map/

My voice thread can be found here:

http://voicethread.com/share/3421548/

Example: ZoomRadar

What is ZoomRadar?
ZoomRadar is an interactive Doppler radar on wcti12.com The user can move the screen to view at different parts of the US and see the current weather. It has many funcitons you can use. It allows oyu to see the radar or cloud cover of a certain area. You can also quickly jump to different parts of the US using the quick zoom. It can also show different weather overlays such as storm tracks, severe warnings, legends and many other things. We can also use it to see the radar or current cloud cover. We can even click to see the current 7 Day Forecasts. One last thing it can do is give a short play through the the movement of storms in the previous few minutes.

Pros:
- It is extremely helpful to get quick and helpful information of the current weather in an area.
- You can get an estimated time to when a storm will reach a certain area by just turning on storm tracks and clicking in the cone of uncertainty of its path.
- Includes a search engine to quickly jump to any location.
- Rather simpe to use and learn.
Cons:
- The application is a little clunky.
Competition:
- Almost any news station that does weather has some type of interactive radar avaliable to the public. Some are better than others.
Voicethread:here
Forum post: here
Direct linke: here

Example: Google Sites

Create and manage web content with a simple WYSIWGY editor.

The web has rapidly changed from a pile of static html files into an interdependent network of standards, multimedia files, and web technologies. However the fact remains that most of what the general public sees on the internet is web pages. Many individuals and organizations would like to have a presence on the internet but have little or no knowledge of HTML and the other technologies required to make a webpage. Google Sites is a simple web based What You See Is What You Get webpage editor. This online application allows users with very little experience create professional looking websites in just minutes.

Google Sites is very intuitive and simple to use. It provides simple features such as embedding YouTube videos and images as well as more advanced features such as page-level permissions. Google Sites also has tight integration with Google’s other products such as search, maps, calendar, YouTube, and more. Since all editing is done online, it can also be done collaboratively. Website owners can grant permission to rights such as page editing and administration to any number of users. Websites can also be viewable by only members of an organization, and require a login, or be public to the entire world.

There are dozens of competing website builder applications on the internet such as wix and doodlekit, however they are not able to match Google’s feature set while keeping the product free. Google Sites offers very competitive features for free in order to advertise other services and promote website creation. Google Sites features, ease of use, and price make it in my opinion a very beneficial and useful web app.

https://voicethread.com/share/3420062/

Example: EXFM

EXFM is a website and a mobile application that allows its users to access music from anywhere. The application is accessible from the user’s web browser, mobile device (iOS App Store and Google Play Store), and it can be integrated in an actual website.

The computer application is based in the browser. The application has a few options depending on the browser the user is using. Like most web applications EXFM is accessible by going to the website. If the user is running Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari there are custom built extensions that provide controls on any website the user is using. 

If the user doesn’t wish to install the browser extension they can still play music while surfing the web. The EXFM user just needs to keep the website open in a tab or window and choose the music they want. 

According to the EXFM it was founded in March 2010. EXFM entered a market that has competition like RDIO, Spotify, and Last.fm. These services allow their users to select their favorite music, show trending songs, and access to music under copyright in a legal manner.  All of the services have a way to favorite music, buy music, and create a queue. 

EXFM’s competitors are better known, especially Spotify and Last.fm. This leads to their ability to have a larger user base lending to a larger social network that gives better information on trending music. Having the larger user base allows these services to provide more playlist information on the user’s friends. When I joined EXFM there was only one facebook friend using the service.

I like EXFM over these other services because of how the music is presented to the user. The interface is clean and it doesn’t get in the way of the music. If I am surfing the web I can access the music I’m playing by using the built in extension. I also like the ability to see trending music. The trending music is presented as album art in a top 20 list. And the music can be played directly from the top 20 list. And like most of its competitors playing music from the top 20 list will play all of the music in the list.

EXFM is not perfect. Music cannot be searched directly in the extension. Whenever the user searches for music they are redirected to the website. From there the user selects what they want to hear. Another issue in the extension is when the user clicks the name of the song, it will send the user to the website instead of playing music. It is possible these may be ways to send the user back to the website or it may have been overlooked when the extensions were created.

Example: Google Drive

Google DRIVE

• Google Drive (formerly Google Docs) is an online application that let's you crate and modify or upload existing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms and drawings while providing file storage and sharing service.

• This app solves many problems as mobility is the key in today's world. Being able to work anywhere solves half of the problem and being able modify and access without any physical storage device (such as flash memory drive) solves rest of the problems. Users get 5GB of free space and can upgrade for a little price.

• The platform friendly and mobile accessibility features along with simple soothing design makes me love it. I like it very much.

• Competing apps such as iCloud, Dropbox and ADrive (free 50GB) offer online storage and sharing options at the similar or lower level. However, Google Drive excels by offering a free online Office Suite.

• After logging in with Google ID, this app allows users to create or upload file(s) for further editing. It's built-in online storage service saves the file securely or allows to be accessed by a link over the internet. Users may download a syncing service that allows them to have a virtual drive on their PCs or portable devices.

     VoiceThread Link: https://voicethread.com/share/3420551/

Example: Do It (Tomorrow)

Do It (Tomorrow) is the self-proclaimed to-do list for procrastinators that allows users to move today’s to-do item to tomorrow’s list.

As a busy college student, you may find yourself making a to-do list for a day only to accomplish about half of items on your list. Do It (Tomorrow) assumes that you will always have items to move to the next day, so it provides a quick and easy way to move uncompleted items to tomorrow.

While providing a task manager, Do It (Tomorrow) also keeps life simple. Only two lists are provided: today’s list and tomorrow’s list. This simple interface encourages using less time to plan and more accomplishing the tasks. This web app also has corresponding apps for Android, iPhone, and iPad devices in order for users to access their list anywhere—which is essential. Why make a to-do list if you can’t refer to it?

Example: Prezi

Prezi allows users to create powerpoints that can zoom in and out, rotate and move around. The presentation is viewable by the public and can by presented inside a browser.

Prezi allows people to make presentations more interesting and therefore, more memorable. The user interface is quite easy to figure out. Although there are not as many options using Prezi as there would be using other software, it is still possible to unique presentations.

This application is quite fun to use. Since the presentations can always be viewed on a browser, there is no need to worry about whether or not other people's software is compatible with it or not. It also has gives a unique feel to the presentation that other applications do not.

Other websites also help users create presentations such as Google Docs, PreZenit, and Slideshare. However, they do not have the same feeling as Prezi and the interface is easier to figure out.
To use it, you need to sign in or create an accounting. Your user name is the same as your email address. Then there is a link labeled "New Prezi". You can click that to get started. You are prompted to create a Title and Description. You can use a blank template or use one of the pre-made ones. Then you can click on the side to the number slide you want. In each section is a place to add text. Once you are done, you can preview it by clicking on the "Show" button in the bottom right corner. Prezi automatically saves for you. Once you are done you can share your work by clicking on the "Edit Together" button and sharing the URL with whoever you wish.

Voicethread here.

Forum here.

Example: Evernote

Evernote is a simple note taking application that can organize every part of you life.

Evernote is an application that allows you to take notes and organize them to simulate normal notebooks. The application is available on all platforms and has both desktop and mobile versions that allow you to access and edit your notes anywhere. Once you create an account with Evernote, all your notebooks and notes are available across all versions and are kept up to date when you sync the application. The notebook-like organization method keeps your notes in order, and tags allow you to create search terms for your notes to find them easier. Evernote can be used for anything: lists, class notes, quick notes, even journals. Evernote puts all your life’s notes in one place and cuts down on the paper trail.

For me, Evernote was the easiest way to turn my laptop into a notebook for all my classes. I could create a notebook for all my classes and simply make a new note for each day when I got into class. The availability on my iPhone made my class notes available to me if I didn't want to open up my laptop, and the desktop version helps if I am offline. I also use it any time I just want to just jot down a quick note for later or keep a list of shopping needs. It helps me stay organized by creating an easy to maintain system and a simple user interface.

While I haven’t explored other note taking applications, I knew Evernote was the right one for me when it organized my notes the way I wanted them and made them available everywhere I go. They do have a size limit on uploads per month, but I have never even come close that limit and I have been using the application for almost two years. For the casual user, the free account is most likely more than enough. If you need more space, you might consider other options before paying for Evernote, but I couldn’t imagine a better application.

Example: Endomondo

Endomondo is a sports tracker application that can be installed on ones' smartphone. It can be used to track the progress of any workout involving distance via gps such as running, kayaking, cycling, hiking, etc.

The application's graphic user interface is quite open and easy to navigated, with distance traveled and the amount of time since you started are displayed near the top of the screen and you speed (average and current) is displayed bellow. You also have the option to re-arrange where things are displayed on the screen, and can create personal audio alerts for various things. Some of which include; having traveled a certain distance or time and meeting a personal goal. The creation of all routes and workouts happens in your account at endomondo.com which the application can access after you provide it with your login information.

However, what really makes this application special is its "PepTalk" feature. This allows the user to receive messages from friends while on the go from endomondo.com, and can be taken either further if the user integrates their endomondo account with their Twitter and Facebook accounts, which allows them to receive messages from both of those services in addition to endomondo.

The only real downside to the application is the fact that, while you can listen to music on some phones (like the iphone), you have no control over your playlist without first exiting the application.
And its main competition is RunKeeper and Runmeter GPS.

Example: Pandora Radio

Pandorda

Tagline: 

Listen to an assortment of music where ever you are.

The problem the app solves: 

Music has always been a huge part of people's lives. The cost of music is unaffordable for the average American because most people like to listen to such a wide variety of music.  Also if you want to listen to a bunch of similar music you have to make a playlist in iTunes or what other music player you use which takes a lot of time.  Pandora Radio solves this issue.  It is a free web app that lets you listen to similar music from playlists it creates for you and you have access to this on your computer, mobile device, or tablet.  

Why you like this app:

Music is a huge part of my life and I enjoy a very wide variety of music.  I don't own every song I want to listen to and I also love discovering new music.  Pandora Radio opens these doors for me.  When I put in an artist I enjoy listening to, I get music from that artist mixed in with other similar artists. This lets me listen to a bunch of music where ever I am.  I have also found a lot of new music to listen to from using this app.

Similar apps:

Some similar apps to Pandora Radio are Spotify and Grooveshark.  With spottily you have to search for a particular artist or album and it just pulls up what you are looking for. There are some playlists but either you have to create them or search for them and they are created by the user.  They have a "radio" feature which is the same as Pandora but in order to use that on a mobile device you have to pay for it where as Pandora is free.  With Grooveshark you have to search for particular artists and songs and create your own playlists.  There is also no mobile feature for Grooveshark. Pandora is free and much simpler and can be accessed on any device.

How this app works:

When Pandora is opened, a search bar is displayed.  You can either type in a particular artist, genre, era of music, etc and it generates a playlist for you.  When the songs start streaming you can hit the thumbs up button if you like the song and want more similar to that, the thumbs down button if you don't like the song and don't want similar songs to that, pause the song, or skip it.  As you "thumbs up", "thumbs down", or skip songs the program keeps picking more songs to fit what you like and adjust to what you are wanting to listen to.  The playlists are saved if you create an account and those playlists can be accessed anywhere on any device as long as you log in.

Check out the voicethread

Example: Imgur

Imgur is a well built, image hosting site specifically built for high traffic. The developer mainly built Imgur in response to so many existing image hosting sites going down because that image link was posted to Reddit and also other hosting sites compressing content. He described his invention as "an image hosting service that doesn't suck". Because it excelled at providing links in high traffic, it soon became the number one image hosting site on Reddit and soon spread to other sites as well. 

Backend:

Most other image hosting sites are very basic and don't have very high tolerance to high bandwidth requests. Because of this, the hosts either get taken down or the image gets removed because of the high traffic. Imgur solved this problem by running through a series of steps:

1. The request first goes through a load balancer to try and find a cached version of the page
2. If no cached page is available it then heads over to an haproxy for cluster sorting (www, uploading, api, image serving, mysql, etc), in the case of an image view, it goes straight to the CDN servers. 
3. The clusters then bounce around and gather all the information that is needed for the page and caches it. If the CDN server doesn't have the image cached, it is then cached on the CDN for later requests.
4. The request is then bounced back to the load balancer to then find that recently cached page and then is served to the user. In the case of image views however, the CDN serves the user directly instead of going back through the load balancer

This setup has worked well for Imgur to provide near constant uptime for all images while serving high traffic. They also have an api which allows developers to interface with Imgur directly to develop browser extensions, etc.

More information on the servers and hardware here.

The good:

Imgur stays very basic in terms of user interface which in my opinion goes over very well. When you first open the site, it is very clear where you can go to upload a picture or to browse the most recent pictures uploaded to the site. Imgur makes full use of scripting and supports multiple file upload as well as drag and drop and clipboard upload. You can also upload pictures directly from other websites by just using a URL. As I said above, Imgur's success came from its ability to handle high traffic. Most other websites, imageshack, tinypic, photobucket, were not suitable for Reddit and were quite unreliable with their content being lost after a given amount of time. Imgur has also interfaced with Reddit and allows you to browse images pertaining to that specific subreddit all inside Imgur. This allows for quick viewing of similar images without having to go back to the specific subreddit each time. 

Imgur also allows you to edit and arrange your images when you upload them. It has many great tools to touch up and crop your photos in the website and then publish them for a link. The album feature also allows you to group your vast amounts of photos into albums with the ability to provide titles and comments to each picture.

The bad:

While all sites, Imgur is not perfect. It can handle traffic much better than other websites however it is still prone to being taken down. There are a few times that imgur can become slow due to maintenance and other high volumes of traffic and also goes down a few times. Other than that, there isn't anything else wrong with Imgur.

Example: Pandora Radio

Pandora Radio

A tagline: summarize the app in one sentence

Listen to all your favorite music wherever you are as this app mixes musical selections based on your preferences from one of the world’s largest music databases.

The problem the app solves

People enjoy music. This is a fact of life. What people don’t always like is having to pay for it. Further, some people don’t like having to constantly pick the next song to play. This app allows the user to select an artist/song/genre and then plays music similar to that selection. Once one song ends, another follows, and this continues for as long as the user wishes to listen. The user doesn’t have to constantly add to a playlist or anything like that to keep the music playing.

Why I like this app

When I first started using this app, it was a little work “teaching” Pandora what I liked. Once it got the hang of it though, I could listen at work all day without having to skip a song. I like that it’s free and I don’t have to tie it to a social media account or anything like that. I can simply log in and listen at my convenience. I also like having access to Pandora on all my devices. I can even stream music from the app to my car’s speakers through Bluetooth.

Competing apps, and why this app is better

Pandora’s main competition is probably iTunes and similar music library programs. These programs charge you either by the song or monthly. Other free apps like Spotify exist, but it’s only free for the computer (have to pay for mobile access). Pandora also picks song for you instead of forcing the user to manually select what should be played next. This is probably the most important distinction for me when it comes to this app, along with it being available at no cost.

A little bit about how this apps works

The user experience in Pandora is quite simple. Pick an artist, song or genre to create a station. You can have as many stations as you like and can switch between stations at any point. From there, you can indicate whether or not you enjoy the song that plays (thumbs up/down). You can also skip the song (allowed certain number of skips per hour). As you continue to provide feedback regarding preferences, Pandora notes this information and uses it to compare with its music database (each song/artist has some defined characteristics) to help determine songs to play that you may be enjoy.

For more information about this app:

http://www.pandora.com/

Access my VoiceThread critique here:

http://voicethread.com/share/3418719/

Example: WEB APP: GOOGLE DOCS

This is the time for web apps. People are working on the internet, playing on the internet, and doing many thing on the internet. Web app is a good solution. There are many web apps out there, but I think the good web application should be easy to access, easy to interact, easy to navigate, giving people exactly what they need, and having the features that differentiate itself to other similar apps. Web app should be a convenient tool.

My favourite web app is Google docs. I’m using Google docs to write this report. What made Google docs a good web app, at least for me?

First of all, Google docs is one of Google products, and many people have Google accounts. Therefore, it should be easy for people to log in to their Google accounts and use Google docs. My Google email is always on my web browser, so I can open Google docs quickly when I need it.

The web interface of Google docs is very simple with few but enough options for users. I hate when I go to a web app and have to spend time to learn how to use it. I want it to be simple and easy to use. That is what Google docs got.

As a student, I need Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Google docs gives us the similar tools, and more importantly, those tools are compatible to MS Offices. That means you can create files on Google docs and open them by MS Offices or the other way around.

Google docs has a feature that makes me like to use it even more than MS Office on my computer. That is the ability to share the file to other users. Not that simply, when I mentioned, I meant all users can be able to edit the shared file at the same time. Moreover, the users can see each other activities on the shared file, and they can chat with each other while editing the file. This is a great option for team-work.

From what I listed, I feel that Google docs is obviously a great and convenient web app. It does a great job on replacing the traditional Office tools. Google docs is a good web app that I would recommend everyone.

It is free: https://docs.google.com.
This is my post: http://webclass.ning.com/forum/topics/web-app-google-docs

And here is my VOICETHREAD: https://voicethread.com/share/3414494/

Example: Lucidchart

A tagline: summarize the app in one sentence

Lucidchart is a diagramming web application, which allows users to actively collaborate and work together in real-time.

The problem the app solves

Lucidchart is a diagramming web application—meaning, that users can diagram UMLs, flowcharts, and other diagram types. Unlike Microsoft Viso, Lucidchart allows for collaboration in real-time.  So, no more sending a document back and forth trying to complete a diagram—the user, and team members, can log into Lucidchart start chatting on how the diagram should be and start dragging-and-dropping objects to create their diagram.
 

Why you like this app

I like this application because, first, it is easy-to-use.  I have first-hand experience using this application at least a couple times a week at work, and the learning curve wasn’t steep at all.  It is easy to add members of a team to a document to allow them to view or edit the diagram.  Also, it is easily merged into other applications—such as, Confluence, Google Apps, etc.  Also, it has a slick looking interface—better than most diagramming web applications.

Competing apps, and why this app is better

Competitors of Lucidchart are other online diagramming software; such as, Gliffy, Flowchart.com, and Daigramly.  Though, most of these have real-time collaboration, there aesthetics lacks.  Also, Lucidchart has hundreds of shapes, allowing for a diverse platform of diagrams across the board.  The final edge that Lucidchart has, is that this web application can import document from Microsoft Visio—so document conversion to the cloud is simplistic.   

A little bit about how this app works

The user experience of Lucidchart, as stated above, is very simple.  You login to the website, and click on the “Create” button.  A dropdown list is presented with two options: 1) New Document or 2) New Folder.  When selecting the “New Document”, a Visio like screen appears and one is ready to begin creating their diagram.  After, a user has create their document she can share the document with the team—either allowing permissions of only viewing or allow the shared users to edit the document.  After sharing the document, the other members are able to login and beginning working together on the document.

Sources:

https://www.lucidchart.com/

Voicethread:

https://voicethread.com/share/3414985/

Example: Cargo Bridge

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Cargo Bridge

A tagline: summarize the app in one sentence

Cargo Bride is a bridge building game in which the objective is get your workers to collect items located on the other side of the valley.

The problem the app solves

Cargo Bridge acts like a bridge building simulator.  Players who play this app must use concepts of physics and architecture to successfully construct a bridge.  Building a successful bridge will allow workers to transport items across the bridge to their home base.  Other than a bridge simulator, Cargo Bridge serves as a game in which players can have fun.

Why I like this app

I like this app because not only is it fun to play but also challenges players to think strategically.  Cargo Bridge provides many levels for players to try out.  The makers of Cargo Bridge, Limex Games, have continued to update and innovate the game.  Based of the original Cargo Bridge, Limex has released multiple variations of the game.  For example there is a medieval and Christmas pack.  Limex has also recently released Cargo Bridge 2.  I like that there is variety in the game and there are plenty of levels to choose from each providing its own challenges.  What I also like about the app is that it is free!

Competing apps, and why this app is better

Competitors to Cargo Bridge are other bridge building simulators like BridgeCraft and Build the Bridge.  While these apps are similar to each other, Cargo Bridge is better than its competitors.  With some of the bridge building simulator like BridgeCraft and Build the Bridge, they have are not updated as often as Cargo Bridge.  As mentioned before, there are multiple versions of Cargo Bridge.  More versions means more levels which lead to more longevity and fun.

A little bit about how this app works

The objective of the game is to build a bridge that workers can walk back and forth on in order to collect items and bring it back to the home base.  The player has to use concepts of physics and architecture to build a successful bridge.  Given a budget, a player must build a bridge without breaking the bank.  Players can choose from two different materials: steel and wood.  There are also two different bridge elements players can use.  Elements can either be walked on or just used as connectors.  Steel is more expensive than wood and walk-able beams are more expensive than support beams.  Given these constraints, a player must be wary of the materials he/she uses when constructing a bridge.  What happens if a bridge is constructed poorly?  The bridge will likely break and the player will fail the level.

Sources

www.limexgames.com/games/cargo_bridge/

Voicethread

http://voicethread.com/share/3404733/

Example: iPlotz Web App

Voicethread: https://voicethread.com/share/3408076/

iPlotz

Allows anyone to quickly and easily sketch out a design for a webpage. They can then download the sketch as an HTML file and then work on functionality.

This app eliminates the necessity of reloading a webpage everytime you edit the HTML to see how the UI is changed. You simply drag and drop what you want into the box, and then download the result as an HTML file. Then the only thing left is to create the backend code.

This app is great because it visualizes what you're doing, instead of coding and trying to figure out the exact measurements to get the page to look the way you want it. All you have to do is drag and drop, and then the app codes your UI for you. Then you just add the backend funtionality, which is the important part anyways.

This app is especially great because it is more than just a drag and drop box. It allows a team of people to have access to the UI so that they can collaborate on it. You can have multiple wireframe sketches saved in your profile, and you can make them public to the world, or private to your team or just you.

There is a list of various UI items on the left of the screen. Simply drag and drop the desired items to the sandbox. Arrange the items as desired. You can create multiple pages for each project, and link the pages by linking specific objects to the desired page. Once you are done, you can preview the page to test it before downloading. Then you click export and select HTMl, or your desired file type, and VOILA!

https://iplotz.com/

Example: Apple's Messages App

With Apple's latest release of OS X, Mountain Lion, they pulled the Messages Application out of beta and provide it by default on the new system. 'Messages' replaces the old and outdated iChat app, which was far from useful. The idea behind the application is that you can communicate with anyone on any iDevice from any other iDevice. I use a MacBook, an iPhone, and just bought an iPad over summer. The default messages app on the iPhone and iPad are the same as they have always been (i.e. sends and receives text messages). 

Functionality

The great thing about the new iMessages app on these iDevices is that you do not need cell service to communicate with another iDevice. iMessages can communicate simply over a Wi-Fi connection. This is what allows the iPad to talk to other devices via a "text message" since the iPad cannot technically send a text message like a normal phone, even if it uses 4G LTE. This is also applicable to the iPod Touch as well. Now, with the addition of Messages to OS X, the MacBook is now included in the family of iMessage-capable device. The interface of Messages looks similar to iChat (it still allows you to include accounts from AIM, Yahoo, Google Chat, etc.), but it also allows iMessages to be sent from the client. Messages is much more reliable and useful than the old iChat.

Keeping Things Organized

When I was using the Messages Beta before Mountain Lion was released, I had to deal with a lot of bugs. I had included my Facebook account within the application too, so I could send and receive Facebook Chat messages through the application as well (which is a lot less distracting than having to log on to Facebook in order to send a chat). The most irritating thing about the Beta was the lack of communication between devices. When a message was read on my phone, it was not marked as read on my computer. This drives people like myself, who are particularly anal about having notification icons sitting around on my screen, crazy enough to make sure all of my messages were marked as read all the time. The sad thing was that I continued using it just because of its convenience. Now with the full release, all devices using Messages now speak to one another and make sure that all of the new messages have been marked as read. This even clears any notifications on the lock screen on my phone (which I was pleasantly surprised by). If I receive an iMessage from another iDevice and I read it on my laptop first, then the notification on my phone and iPad are marked as 'read' and do not appear on the lock screen as another annoying notification. Each of the individual applications also update upon being opened so that they contain all of the recent conversation that may have been sent from a different device. This was you can easily continue conversation from one device to another. 

"Enjoy the Little Things"

Messages has a few additional Easter Eggs that make it even more pleasant to use. Read Receipts are similar to something that chat clients used to use back when AIM and Yahoo Chat were popular. iMessages allows the user to see when the recipient has Read the message and then shows an animation that lets you know when they are writing back. This can be useful for something like a text message, so that you know whatever you were trying to tell the person on the other end, has reached them. Read Receipts are something that can be somewhat bitter-sweet (i.e.your naggy girlfriend knows when you're not replying to her text messages), but despite the lack of privacy, it makes life in the world of electronic messaging much easier and much more usable.