"TouchPad" Application for iPAD & iPHONE: Use your device as a wireless trackpad for your desktop or laptop computer. The most useful app I've purchased so far!

Like many Americans, I spend a decent amount of time in front of my computer browsing the web, typing emails, and executing a variety of tasks for work.  After spending a great deal of time on my laptop & desktop, I've found that using my laptop's "trackpad" (that flat square area at the bottom of most keyboards) to navigate versus using a standard mouse.

"TouchPad" by Edovia, Inc is a multi-function application for the iPad & iPhone (meaning, it's compatible with both - so if your an owner of multiple devices, it should work on all of them) that transforms them into a trackpad, keyboard, and remote control for Apple Mac, Windows based, and Linux based computers.

Here's a few screen shots from my iPAD:

Track Pad

Keyboard

Command Pad

Remote Control For Media

In terms of using it with different operating systems:

• osX - No additional software required, operates through screen-sharing.
• Windows - Requires VNC server applications so it can talk over the wifi network.
• Linux - Works with most major distributions with remote desktop enabled.

AS FAR AS USABILITY, IT'S AWESOME!  My major concern about paying $4.99 for the application without a demo was that there would be a delay (lag time) while using it as a mouse curser because it functions through the wifi network.   Well, there is ZERO lag time - it feels perfectly integrated.

A rundown of the features:

• Primarily, functions as a trackpad (to replace your mouse)
• Includes a virtual keyboard which you can turn off & on.
• Includes a remote control for multi-media functions (such as controlling iTunes, or Front Row)
• In addition to the keyboard, it also includes a command pad with the following commands:
• Minimize
• Close
• Quit
• Copy
• Paste
• Cut
• Undo
• Redo
• Find
• Home
• End
• Select All
• Page Up
• Page Down
• Return

One useful feature is that, the track pad consumes the whole iPad screen with a menu bar along the top.  To access the keyboard, control pad, or remote pad, there are "off/on" buttons on the menu.  The selected options appear at the bottom of the screen, while the top of the screen still serves as a trackpad.

I love this application for sitting back in my computer chair, with my feet on my desk, and holding my iPad in my lap.

For $4.99 it definitely increased the functionality of my iPad & iPhone and is definitely one of my most favored applications.

"USE YOUR HANDWRITING" by Gee Whiz Stuff: Application for the iPhone & iPad is AWESOME for taking notes!

Today, a friend turned me on to an awesome application for the iPad & iPhone called "Use Your Handwriting" (UYW for short).

While I'm used to typing on an actual keyboard, or typewriter - I always found typing on a "touch screen" to be discouraging.  This discouragement stems from my quick typing ability (on physical keyboards), and I feel that it takes too much effort and time to write on a touch-screen.  There have been many times when I wanted to jot down a quick note on my phone, and found myself preferring the use of a napkin and a pen.  I'm always trying to remember telephone numbers, directions, movies that have been suggested to me, as well as performing artists people recommend I witness.

"USE YOUR HANDWRITING" is an application that interfaces with the touch screen of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.  You simply hand-write with your finger-tip:

After you hit the "done" button, what you have hand-written is transferred to the first line of a "virtual notepad".  

After it's transferred to the first line, you can continue to write your entries.  Every time you hit the "done" button, it transfers your "writings" to the next line on the "virtual notepad".

I think this is a simple yet brilliant concept for an application that helps integrate technology into our lives, in a fashion which is extremely efficient and useable.

There is a free edition, as well as a paid edition.  The free edition is fully functional, and the paid edition which is called "Use Your Handwriting Gold".

After I use the free edition, I'll be purchasing the gold edition - and will be writing another review about the additional features that are offered by the upgrade.

Awesome product!  *****