OS X Apps for Students

[RolandNights]

Hey guys,

Sorry if this is a repeat thread, but I just wanted to spinoff the best mac apps thread for discussion about apps suited for student use. I only ask for a few general guidelines for people when they suggest apps:

1) Specify if the app is free or paid. If you're like me, you're a college student living on financial aid and top ramen!

2) If you feel if the app is subject specific--i.e., for math students, researchers, etc.--then note so.

3) I want this thread to be more geared towards OS X apps, but if there are any companion iOS apps that you recommend, then feel free to suggest. I know there's some really creative ways that people use their iPhones/iPads for. The same goes for internet browser (i.e., Chrome/Safari/Firefox) extensions.

4) If you know if the app is incompatible with Lion, Snow Leopard, etc., please note so.

5) Try to list if the app is available on the App Store or elsewhere. If you don't know the original site you downloaded from or if you just don't know at all, then don't stress it.

Final note, don't just limit your suggestions to just apps that are specifically used for productivity. Think of your lifestyle as a student and the apps that you use that help you keep up and do the things you need to do. Happy studying and good luck with the new school year, guys!

 

[RolandNights]

Here's some of my usual suspects:

- Preview - Free, native app - I use this mainly for reading and annotating PDFs.

- Caffeine - Free, App Store - Works great for when I'm watching movies for class on my MBP or reading long PDFs. I hate it when it goes dim on me when I'm trying to concentrate.

- Dimmer Than Dim - Free, App Store - I use this during class when the lecture room goes dark for movies, ppt presentations, etc. You can make your screen's brightness setting the the lowest default setting--makes the screen easier on the eyes and less distracting for everyone around you.

- Mindnode - Free, App Store, Pro version is $19.99 - I use this for brainstorming. Basically, it's an empty canvas you can branch ideas off a basic concept. The Pro version adds the ability to add pictures to your idea map. There's also a companion iOS app that you can create idea maps on and send to your Mac and vice versa.

- Think - Free - Helps with concentrating. You select which running program you want to concentrate on and then it blurs or blacks out all the surrounding apps.

- Evernote - Free, App Store - Another well-known app that doesn't need much description from me. I use it to take notes, organize them into notebooks, and sync it across all of my Apple and Android devices. I also use it for general reminders, and sharing things like photos and voice/video memos.

- iOS Study Blue - Alongside Evernote, I use Study Blue. On your desktop, Study Blue is a website that syncs with your Evernote notes. You can bring up your notes and create flash cards manually (also supports adding pictures to flash cards). You can also share your notes/flash cards to a specific school, subject, and even course number or find older notes under those headings. As an iOS app, Study Blue syncs with all the notes and flash cards you made online for online/offline studying. The flash cards have some nice filters (i.e., study only flash cards you got incorrectly, correctly, easiest to hardest, etc.). The paid version is $0.99 and unlocks more filters.

- Skitch - Free, App Store - I use this in conjunction with Evernote. I can draw quick sketches for notes I have in class. There's a "Drag Me" button beneath the sketch, which makes it easy to drag the sketch directly onto Evernote.

- BetterSnapTool - Free, App Store - Snap programs into specific sides of the screen for easy organization. Great for when I'm comparing to notes, papers, writing alongside a PDF or website, or simply just multi-tasking.

- Dropbox - Free, App Store - Cloud-based sharefolder. 2 GB of storage is free. Great for sharing documents across multiple devices (computers, IOS, Android), sending myself copies of things, or working as just a plain backup.

- iAlertU - Free, not sure about original download link - A security app. I study at coffee shops a lot, but when I go alone, I like to at least go to the bathroom without packing up my things every time. With iAlertU, you set an alarm on your computer. Using the camera/motion sensor, if someone moves your laptop, a loud alarm goes off. Once the alarm goes off, your iSight camera will immediately take a picture, then send you an e-mail notification of the alarm trigger including the time, WiFi location (with a google maps estimate), the photo, and any subsequent photos. The only way to de-alarm it is by entering the password. It also leaves the same notification in your Dropbox if you like.