October 1, 2013 (Vol. 33, No. 17)

URL:
http://bit.ly/1aWbFZ1

Rating:
Strong Points: Includes a lot of information, good visual aid
Weak Points: Flawed zoom mechanics, too expensive

Platform:
iPad

Cost:
$1.99

Summary:

We are all taught sometime during our early education to use flowcharts or other brainstorming diagrams to organize our thoughts. The iMicrobiology HD app employs this chart-making strategy to provide study guides for microbiology students trying to remember, say, which viruses are single-stranded versus double-stranded RNA viruses. From the “maps” button on the home screen, users can explore the relationships among different types of viruses, bacteria, or parasites. In general, users can select a given node of the map to either display or hide the subsequent nodes (although the more general “summary” maps don’t offer this option). While a useful visual study aid, the maps are too large to be viewed in their entirety on the iPad screen and the zoom mechanics are a bit flawed.

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