March 1, 2015 (Vol. 35, No. 5)
Rating:
Strong Points: Interesting descriptions, updated weekly
Weak Points: Clues are vague, difficult to actually guess the molecules
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
We’ve grown accustomed to receiving topical and regularly updated content on our mobile devices, whether in the form of newsfeeds or emailed tables of contents, for example. The American Chemical Society Molecule Of The Week (ACS MOTW) app plays to this desire for newly delivered information by providing—you guessed it—a new molecule each week for the viewer’s delight. Beneath the ball-and-stick representation of the selected molecule is a clue as to its identity. Thus, the app provides the reader with an opportunity to guess the identity of the molecule before tapping the screen to reveal the answer. Revealing the answer gives not just the name of the molecule but also a bit about it, including a link to the corresponding CAS website for those readers curious to learn even more. Each week the app is updated to deliver the latest selected molecule.
