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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Android Apps For Literacy

I love my tablets. I carry 2 pretty much where ever I go, especially when I travel. Now, I love my iPad. I can get lots of work done on it, but mostly play some great games. However, I recently got a 10.1 Galaxy Tab and it is quickly becoming my go-to tablet for everything. From writing this blog post to checking my tweets to watching Netflix, I use it more than my laptop some days. 

But I am finding more and more that I pick it up before I pick up my Kindle. Normally I am reading 4-5 books at a time and carrying those books around took up a great deal of space in my bag. Then I got a Kindle and that helped a bunch. Then I got a tablet and discovered the Kindle app and I honestly can't remember the last time I even charged my Kindle. 

There are lots of apps for books and reference for the Android user, some of which you might not find for you iPad. Here are my favorites. 

Kindle-Like I mentioned, this is my primary app for reading books. I can usually get a good deal on eBooks from Amazon and the app is great for reading. I have all my tools to highlight and share excerpts and the app syncs my location in all my books on all my devices. So if it is easier for me to use my phone to catch up on a chapter, I know I will be in the right place. 

Google Books-This is another app I use for reading a lot. I will price compare when I am looking for books and sometimes I can get a better deal with Google books. This app is similar to the Kindle app and has a lot of the same features. Highlighting and sharing is included and the syncing too. 

Audible-Sometimes I just like to be read too. Especially when I am traveling for some reason I like to listen to books rather than read them. Thank goodness for Audible. I can do a quick search of the database and buy a book that I can then have read by the author or someone associated with the book. And they always have a good deal on audio books too. 

Wikipedia- While I can get to Wikipedia from my tablet browser, I find the app much more friendly and easier to navigate. And you can save articles for offline viewing (handy for those times you have work to do but no connection) and can share articles with ease with the Android sharing menu. 

Wattpad-This is a unique reading app. With over 100,000 stories and books it would be tough not to find something to like. The collection is full of independent authors and storytellers. The app is very social because you can see the comments from other readers and join book clubs to talk about books or genres. 

Marriam-Webster Dictionary-Because sometimes you just need a definition. 

Goodreads-This is another social/sharing book site. You can create your own bookshelf to share what you are reading and what you want to read, jump into discussions and discover new content. 

Those are my favorite apps for reading and reference on my Android tablet. What are some of yours? 


photo credit: Photo Giddy via photo pin cc
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