App Reviews - iPhone, iPad and Android Apps

Skandy is an app for detecting cheating, whether by plagiarism or using generative AI. Teachers can use the app to see evidence of plagiarism and the probability of the text using AI-generated content. Skandy is available on the web or through free downloadable apps on iOS and Android. New users have complimentary credits that they spend to analyse each document and can add to them by buying various bundles. On the web app, users purchase credits, while on the iOS and Android apps, subscription options are also available.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

RainbowSmart is a an app aimed at young children to help them to develop their emotional intelligence and emotional literacy skills. Aimed at children around the 3-7 year old range, the app has a range of cartoons, stories and videos that focus on areas such as problem-solving, routines like bedtimes, mindfulness and developing resilience. Users must set up an account and are given 1 week free trial of the app, after this the cost of the app is £0.99 and this gives full access for 1 week.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

AI Lesson Planner helps teachers spend more time teaching and less time lesson planning. This app is compatible with iPhone iOS 13.0 or later, iPod touch iOS 13.0 or later, Mac macOS 11.0 or later and Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. The age of typical users is 17+. Although there is not a free trial, this app has a very low cost of $1.99 for full access and has no ads.

Devices: iPad, iPhone

Achievable teaches adults and teens to study in a streamlined manner by increasing memory retention. Achievable does this by tracking your pace of learning and providing reviews of previously learned content to avoid forgetting information or remembering information incorrectly by utilizing AI. Device compatibility includes iOS and Android web browsers. The age of typical users is 13+ and is a great tool for studying for many academic and professional exams. There is a free trial to view the first few chapters of any test prep course that allows one to get a better idea of their content and how to navigate the site before a subscription is purchased.

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Kahoot! is a tool for using technology to administer quizzes, discussions or surveys. It is a game based classroom response system played by the whole class in real time. Multiple-choice questions are projected on the screen. Students answer the questions with their smartphone, tablet or computer. The Kahoot app download is available for iOS (iPad and iPhone) and for Android devices as well as on desktop (PCs, laptops and Mac computers). Kahoot is free to download with in-app purchases available.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Sir Linkalot Spelling is for kids who have moved beyond learning phonics and are now expanding their vocabulary and learning to spell new words.  It teaches them methods to remember the order of letters using imaginative ideas expressed using animations.  It also includes practice exercises. Available on iOS, Android, Kindle Fire and as a web app, Sir Linkalot Spelling is easy to access.  After a seven-day trial, the app is available through a monthly or yearly subscription.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Q-files is a web-based collection of 2000+ articles written for kids between 7 and 13. The articles cover many subjects, including math, history, science, and general interest. It forms an engaging, accurate, and good-value web-based encyclopaedia with all of its content verified by experts in the field. The web app works on any device. Unusually, it looks at its best when viewed on a portrait-oriented screen but is usable on any. You can use Q-files for free for thirty days just by visiting the site—no login or account creation.

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GoodGeometry is an add-on to GoodNotes, the popular notetaking app for iOS devices. When you install GoodGeometry, you can transfer detailed geometry tools to GoodNotes, allowing you to construct geometric diagrams easily. Your diagrams won't be sketches but have precise angles and consistently scaled dimensions. GoodGeometry is a single purchase with no ongoing costs or in-app purchases. The app is most suitable for high school and secondary school-aged math students and above.

Devices: iPad, iPhone

Kaspersky Safe Kids is a parent control app to help you safeguard your kids’ online activity. It can hide inappropriate content with web filtering and Safe Search, prevent specific apps and websites from being opened and monitor your child’s activity with app, web, and YouTube reports. It also provides real-time updates of kids' locations. The app's ease of use and supporting content are standout features. Kaspersky Safe Kids can control devices on the following platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, and Mac. Its features are free for seven days before subscribing, monthly or yearly. You only need to pay for one user account to protect all your kids and all of their devices.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Teachers typically spend more time preparing and planning than engaging with their students. The recent advances in artificial technology can help switch this around, and CourseBox.AI is one of the earliest to offer an AI-driven solution to reducing teachers' workloads. Coursebox is an AI-driven learning management system (LMS) that will design courses from your typed-in prompts, documents or videos in a few seconds and reflect your requirements. Design new courses to support your classroom teaching, offer professional development to colleagues, and provide responsive material to meet kid's needs.

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Mindgrasp uses the power of AI to generate notes, summaries, and flashcards of uploaded text or video, with access to over 19 different languages. Mindgrasp can also play a role in supporting broader comprehension of many subjects by searching the “Mindgrasp Knowledge Base”.  Just type any question or phrase into the search bar and Mindgrasp will present a succinct statement of your query, making information easy to find and understand.  Mindgrasp is compatible with iOS, Android, and PC Windows. The typical age of users is 13 and up. Subscription prices start at $9.99-$14.99 per month and includes a free trial of 4 days.

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Merlin AI plugin is an AI-driven plug-in extension for Chrome web browser. The extension works as a tool that allows you access to an online assistant which uses the internet. This could be through summarising videos on YouTube for your work or personal life, writing or replying to comments on social media or just generally saving you time with any online task you have. The plug-in extension is powered by AI models such as ChatGPT, GPT-4, Claude 2 by Anthropic, LLama 2 by Meta and users can select which model they would like to work with. All advanced and premium features of Merlin are free to use. Their free account gives 51 queries per day. They work on a model which says Free forever, pay only when you scale. In terms of pricing, they have three different pro plans that you can subscribe to monthly or annually as per your requirements. Depending on which AI model you are using on Merlin, it charges you some queries. For example, GPT-4 is more costlier than ChatGPT, so Merlin charges you 10 queries for GPT-4 and 1 query for using ChatGPT. Related: 10 Ways to use Merlin AI

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Anatomy is an education app that allows users to delve into the world of science and explore the wonders of the human body, examining the skeletal system and discovering how different muscle groups function. The app is aimed at college students and above with the information provided having clear educational links within scientific, medical and sporting fields.  There is a basic free trial where sample videos can be accessed, and then there is a variety of different subscriptions to choose from to best suit the user’s needs. The ease of navigation and the ability to view realistic muscular and skeletal systems within the body, from all angles, is an awe-inspiring experience.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

WordScapes is a free crossword game for iOS and Android devices with a mix of crossword and word search puzzles. WordScapes is free to download on your iPhone or iPad or Android devices and play via the App Store and Google Play.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

PianoTrax is an app available for download on iOs and Android. PianoTrax provides thousands of high quality piano accompaniments for singers allowing them to practice independent of a pianist. Individual MP3 tracks for chosen songs can be downloaded from the app or the whole catalogue can be streamed with a subscription. Users can change the key and tempo when accessing PianoTrax via iPhone or iPad.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Dynamilis is a handwriting development app designed to help children between 5-12 improve their handwriting skills. In-built handwriting analysis allows parents and educators to see the starting point of a child's abilities and the app to modify the ongoing learning experience to support improvement. Dynamilis is is free to download and has a free trial period. It is an exclusive iOS app which works best when used with an Apple Pencil on the iPad.

Devices: iPad, iPhone

RevisePal is an app to help motivate students to revise and study more thoroughly through games, rewards, and competition. The app specifically supports students studying Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English, and Religion for GCSE exams. You can download RevisePal for free on Android and iOS devices. The app has an ad-free seven-day trial for new users, after which a subscription will maintain the service. Some features remain usable alongside ads even if you do not subscribe.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Spelling Bee Games & Tests is a homework support tool for helping kids to manage and practice the spelling lists given to them by their teachers. It includes built-in word lists to practice and makes it easy to import custom word lists. The app also has helpful arithmetic practice tools. This app is suitable for kids of any age who receive lists of words to practice spelling for homework or for parents to help kids who struggle with spelling. The app is free to download on iOS and Android devices, with extra features activated by in-app purchases. This Spelling Bee Games & Tests review uses the fully expanded app on iOS with all in-app purchases activated.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Learnt.AI is an AI-driven collection of tools to help teachers and educators create learning content quickly and effectively. The app works as an assistant and collaborator to spark creativity and assist with time-consuming content-creation tasks. Learnt.AI's tools (well over 50) are available through its web app. You can take advantage of 10 very effective tools for free and access the rest through a subscription.

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ScoreWind’s Classical Strings is an app available for download on iOS. ScoreWind’s Classical Strings delivers step-by-step video lessons, teaching the learner how to play and read music at the same time. Detailed, structured lessons are provided through the interactive VideoScore feature, delivered by experienced specialist teachers. When entering the app the user is guided to the relevant learning path for them by answering a few questions about their current playing ability. They are then provided with a personalised learning path based on this feedback. The learning path courses are broken down into short individual lessons to help the student master particular techniques, explore songs, advance their sight-reading and develop music reading skills.

Devices: iPad, iPhone