ION Piano Apprentice

App = 4/5 app - large range of content a genuine attempt at putting basics of learning piano in an app.

Accessory = 4/5 - well designed device cradle and bonus points for working with other music apps also.

WHAT

The Piano Apprentice from ION is a one-octave keyboard with red lights in the keys that highlight which key from the corresponding tutorial app you need to press. The app features videos and sheet music as part of a series of lessons.

HOW

By plugging your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch in and placing it where the sheet music would go on a traditional piano, the video and animated sheet music tutorials can guide you through learning to play. The keys also light up in sync with the lessons to provide an extra visual aide.

VERDICT

Like any self-teaching tool, (as noted by the music teacher resident in my household) the Piano Apprentice will work best if you already have the motivation to learn. If you do, the key ability of the app to allow unlimited replays of tutorials at your own pace should prove very useful. The ‘Piano Guy’ who appears in the videos is enthusiastic, and the extra touch of light up keys shows some extra thought was put into the product. Also impressive is the fact that the keyboard works just as well with other music apps like Garageband, which broadens its appeal to those wanting to create, not just learn music.

My only requests would be for the app to allow you to slow down all of its lessons, not just the sheet music ones, for it to add a big pause button as trying to tap the small one on screen can be tricky to get just right. 

The resident music teachers request was for the keyboard to light up with actual notes (A, E, F# etc) rather than just lights.

(EDUCATION VERDICT)

Part of the appeal of iOS devices for learning is that they allow kids to teach themselves, and the Piano Apprentice certainly fits in very well with that, while also allowing them to graduate to other music apps to play their own tracks.

This product has been provided by iWorld Australia and will be given away at the Learning@hand mobile learning forum, April 29-30.

iHealth Scale

App = 3/5 for doing its basic job well, although it could aspire to more.

Accessory = 4/5 for solid build quality and ease of operation

»Please note - this product will be given away at to one lucky attendee at the Learning@hand mobile learning forum, April 29-30 in Cairns

WHAT

The iHealth Scale is minimalist, low-profile glass set of scales that interacts with an iPhone or iPad app to allow you to keep a record of and track your weight over time.

HOW

Once paired over bluetooth, the iHealth Scale communicates its readings directly to the app, showing up almost instantly and allowing you to view the data via a calendar, list or graph view. By storing this data over time, the user can track their progress. You can also manually add calorie data, and have multiple accounts setup so more than one person can track their data.

VERDICT

In an era where we still have ‘unconnected’ appliances, a product like the iHealth Scale may seem a bit of a luxury. However given that ubiquitous wireless coverage means that more and more household objects will gain connectivity options over the next couple of years means that it is actually getting to market early. So is it a compelling buy for early adopters? The scales themselves are well designed and would be a great stand-alone option (although I haven’t figured out how to change the display to show kilograms not pounds yet). The question really is does the expense make the extra functionality of the app interaction worth the higher price? 

I found the pairing over bluetooth to be easy to setup and the results from the scale transmitted to the app quickly. Over time, for those aiming to lose weight or who need to keep regular track of their weight, the iHealth Scale could prove invaluable. My one criticism is that while the app does also display your data as a graph and a list, there is probably more that it could do in terms of motivating the user and also allowing you to share your data with other iPad and iPhone users.

(EDUCATION VERDICT)

For schools studying health and for physical education teachers, the data recorded using the iHealth Scale could be an invaluable extra tool to engage students and allow them to extend their learning to a new level.

This product has been provided by iWorld Australia as part of their support for Learning@hand.

Owle iPhone Camera Rig

Accessory: 4/5 for very good quality build and excellent lenses. Only let down a slightly by a lack of access to the power button, and a relatively high cost. 

Suggested app is Filmic Pro which is a video recording app with a whole host of a features that go beyond the iPhone’s standard ones.

What 

The Owle is a camera rig designed to turn the iPhone 4/4S into a more professional video capturing device. Features are strong aluminum shell, handgrips on both sides (with four tripod mount holes) as well as a directional microphone and screw-on high-quality lenses - a wide angle and a macro lens. 

How 

By putting an iPhone into the protective rubber case and then squeezing out into the Owle so the high-quality lenses align with the phone’s camera, you can capture video thats much closer to broadcast quality. The two-handed groups on either side also allow you to hold your phone in a much more stable fashion, thus also improving the quality of the video you record.

Verdict

The Owle is a very well designed product for the niche that it is seeking to fill. That good-quality lenses and stable grip make it ideal for mobile journalism type activities, if the improvement in your recorded video (say of 20% for handheld shooting) is sufficient to justify the cost. It does provide excellent protection for your phone if you are out and about and it gets dropped or your tripod is knocked over. It also provides a good deal of flexibility regarding accessories as you can add different microphones, different lenses and even flash accessories into a provided slot on top. 

It does have one problem which is exacerbated by the very tight fit of the rubber case in the Owle. Fitting your phone requires quite a bit of effort to push it in, and once it is in, there is no access to the iPhone’s power button. This means that even for something as basic as turning off the device to save power in between filming shots, you need to squeeze the phone out of its case and then push it back in again when you’re ready to film.

Education and Parent verdict

Owle would be great for students, especially older students who could benefit from having a more stable camera rig, and who are looking to extend their video recording skills beyond just the standard iPhone capabilities. (See ntmojo.com.au for an inspiring example of student use).

See http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/owle-iphone-video-rig/ for more.

GoPano Micro 360° Lens

Accessory = 4/5 for an amazing solution to the problem of how to capture 360° video. The results even at a slightly low resolution are outstanding. Only some small limitations keep it from being a 5 (see below).

App = 3/5 for working some real magic to turn the fisheye input of the lens into pan-able video. Could use some interface polish and allow anyone iOS device to use the app to open and view GoPano files. 

WHAT

The GoPano is a lens attachment designed to capture 360° scenes with an iPhone 4/4S. The GoPano app then takes this non-standard footage from the lens and converts it into video which can be panned around in 360° while the video is playing live. Footage can be viewed within the app, on the GoPano website, or as a wide panoramic video in your camera roll.

HOW

The GoPano lens attaches vertically into a special case. By then holding the iPhone vertically, the curved lens and mirrors capture a 360° view and channel this down into the iPhone 4/4S’s normal camera lens. From there the app does its magical stitching of the fisheye results into a pan-able usable 360° video. Visit the GoPano blog HERE for a technical explanation.

VERDICT

The results of the GoPano micro have to be seen to be believed. It becomes obvious this is a real game changer the first time that you realise you can use your finger to look around the scene while it’s still playing live. You can download the free app or visit GoPano.com and see for yourself. There will be a host of applications for such a feature and at only $80, it adds alot of value for anyone who is already an iPhone4/4S user. 

On the slightly negative front, the lens does sit a bit precariously on the iPhone and at the moment the GoPano micro case has no tripod attachment which means you can only be used basically by holding it out in front of you, which is not the best position for getting a stable recording. (I would suggest getting a stick-on tripod attachment such as the Capta that’s been funded through Kickstarter.com  and will be available for sale shortly). I do prefer it to the similar Kogeto 360 lens however because the Kogeto can only be used if its lying flat, a position thats even harder to hold comfortably. 

In addition, the brand new unit I have on loan from a friend seems to have already collected dust in the lens unit, which, due to its design, is a little hard to clean.

A note on sharing - some organisations that have limitations on sharing information online may struggle to distribute their GoPano recordings in the true pan-able format. You can email them to another iPhone 4/4S user, but for others, the only option is that they view it is a more traditional, albeit still impressive wide-screen panorama.

UPDATED - the GoPano app has been updated with native iPad support for playing back GoPano recordings.

(EDUCATION VERDICT)

One education application might be for busy teachers who can’t have eyes in the back of their heads. Using a GoPano would mean that anything that happened in the room, whether it was at the front or back or left or right would all be simultaneously recorded meaning that after the lesson, the teacher could pan around to view what was happening for the purposes of behaviour management or for assessing the impact of their own teaching. 

Belkin Camera Grip and Live Action app (iPhone)

App = 3/5 for unique features like dual photo & video buttons, and being able to snap pictures while filming. Is let down by the App gallery, a work in progress. 

Accessory = 5/5 Feels great in the hand and gives easy access to both buttons without adding significant bulk. Adjusts to fit even if iPhone is in a case. 

WHAT

The Belkin Camera Grip slides onto an iPhone providing a better and more stable grip when you need to hold the phone for extended shooting sessions. It has photo and video buttons just like a regular digital camera, as well as a tripod socket. At the moment, you need to also use the Belkin Live Action app. Belkin also has a camera remote control (to be reviewed here soon).

HOW

The Camera Grip interacts directly with the app and phone by plugging into the dock connector as it slides on. It has flexible grips so will even fit over many iPhone cases. 

VERDICT

The Camera Grip has fast become something thats in my bag at all times. I’ve used it extensively over the Christmas period and found I can still put my phone with the grip attached into my pockets without problems. I especially rate not having to flick the photo/video switch every time I need to change what I’m shooting - the Camera Grip and Live Action app are a first I believe in this respect, as is being able to snap photos while video is shooting. Finally, the tripod attachment and the fact that the grip fits over most cases (unlike other iPhone tripod accessories like the Glyph) are big pluses.

Unfortunately the app lets things down as all shots go into the apps own gallery - and getting them into the iPhones proper camera roll is a tedious and repetitive process for now. Also if you are in video mode the first photo you snap is at a reduced size. Hopefully both of these issues can be addressed by updates.

You might also check out the Popa from an independent company if you want something more stylish (though only with one button).

(EDUCATION & PARENT VERDICT)

If you hesitated in handing iPhones to students and children before in case they were dropped, or just need a tripod fitting that will work with most cases, this is a great choice.