What paid apps are worth the buy?

 

“Star Walk; it’s amazing. Especially since the weather is getting warmer. Lots of camping and star gazing. I love it!” — Twitter user SleepyJeans

 

This app was developed by Vito Technology and it is the official mobile astronomy guide for the International year of Astronomy. Depending on where you are, the app tells you where in the sky the constellations are and where to look to see them. It also lets you zoom in and see the stars and planets, plus gives detailed information about their names and histories. It has fun cosmic sound effects when you move the screen around, tells you about eclipses or shooting stars coming up, and allows you to bookmark favorite constellations. It is a must for any stargazing fan and pretty fun for anyone who wonders about the rest of the universe. It’s $5 in the iTunes’ App Store. It is not available on the Android right now but there are alternatives like Star Chart.

 

 

“TomTom.” — Facebook follower Susan Bayley

 

TomTom is a manufacturer of navigational systems in Europe, but they’ve quickly become an excellent navigation for mobile devices like tablets and mobile phones. It’s always up to date which helps because roads are constantly being renovated or changed. It can give maps, driving directions, estimated times of arrival and suggestions during road blocks or traffic. For fans of the service they also have a special Car Kit for the iPhone or iPod where they sell you a docking station to hold the phone and charge at the same time. A fun new addition too is the voice of Homer Simpson can be the GPS guide. It’s expensive at $49.99 through the iTunes’ App Store, but if you travel a great deal it will be useful for a long time.

 

“Chimani: Acadia.” — Facebook follower Anne Patterson

 

This is another travel app which can be partnered to TomTom, but it is specifically designed for outdoorsy types and park fans. Anne mentioned Acadia precisely, but Chimani has apps for Cape Cod’s seashore, the Cuyahoga Valley park, the Grand Canyon, and Yosemite National Park. It helps navigate all these parks with maps, suggested routes and pathways, and information about where to stop, weather changes, and everything really a hiker might need to know when visiting. It’s $4.99 and available for both iTunes and the Android Store.

 

 

“TideGraph.” — Facebook follower Tor de Vries

 

This is a fairly straightforward app made by Brainware and again, it’s great for travelers. Beach users, sailors, and anyone just interested in the weather and tides will find great use for this app. It maps your location and tells you when the tide is expected. Special graphs can be saved and popped up using the app even without an internet connection. It automatically connects to where you are and gives specific details to your area. People can look up old dates to see where the tide was then and chart how it’s changed, or look in the future. Sunrise, sunset, and moon changes are listed. It is $1.99 for iTunes and the Android.