iTunes U: the Future of "Free" Education

I have never been more grateful for an app. You can now get actual, full-length university courses right on your iPad or iPhone. You can choose from more than 500,000 free lectures, videos, books, and other resources on thousands of subjects from Algebra to Zoology.

This app would be particularly useful for those poor, self-taught students - except that, you know, they'll need to at least own an iTouch. Apple tells it best: No matter how poor you are or how underdeveloped your country may be, Apple is all you need.

Regardless of marketing ploys, tactics or hidden incentives, I am truly grateful for any form of free education and would like to share many thanks to the universities, writers, lecturers, instructors, developers, etc. Keep them coming.

Flash Drives for Scientists

A good flash drive is all about functionality and usability - but why not take the creative route and go for something that speaks to your personality? There are so many unique drives on the market nowadays that you can most certainly find one that represents you.  Some of my favorite science flash drives for the lab include:

Einstein USB Flash Drive MIMOBOT from Mimico

My personal piece is this Einstein Flash Drive from Mimico. Pop off the Einstein MIMOBOT cap and reveal a playful, lighter side of the Nobel Prize winning scientist - the "Albert" side.

IMM Ruler USB 2GB Flash Drive from AudioCubes.com

This ruler flash drive can store 2GB of data and measure up to 5 inches of anything. What more could anyone ask for?

Leather Thermometer USB Flash Drive

The leather isn't real, but the thermometer might be. You won't be able to dunk this thermometer into solution, but it's always nice to know the temperature.

Spinacz Wooden Clamp Drive

What can I say? It clips. Stick it on your shirt or use it to clamp some wires.

G-Whizz! Google Apps Browser Review

G-Whizz Google Apps is one of the best free apps to organize all of your Google products. It's one convenient tool that puts together your email, calendar, tasks, etc. It even includes Facebook, Twitter and some other fun products. The ads are somewhat annoying so if you are an avid Google user, throw in the $2.99 for the ad-free version.

I originally looked into this app because I couldn't get my iPhone's Calendar to sync all my Google calendars and to-do lists. I was hoping that this app would do the trick, but it doesn't sync with any of the other apps. It's pretty much a standalone product. My quest for the ultimate Google-iPhone syncing app continues.

Temple Run blows Angry Birds out of the air - A Favorite App Review

I know I may stand alone here, but I never really got into Angry Birds. It's just tossing birds at things, isn't it?

Anyway, I've been addicted to Temple Run for quite some time now. I didn't want to write about it while I was in my obsessive phase. Now that I've stopped playing so often, I thought I could throw in my two cents. There isn't much to the game: You are continuously running away from ape monsters in what I assume is a never-ending ancient temple. You can only turn, jump and slide to avoid obstacles and sometimes you get little power-ups like a boost or temporary invincibility. You can buy a few avatars like an explorer or footballer once you collect enough coins. There are also some objectives that you can complete in order to gain multipliers, which increase your score. I lost interest after passing 4 million points - but that took me longer than it should have.

Now that I'm actually sitting down to write this, I realize I've lost nearly all interest in this game. I'm really selling this app, aren't I? Oops. Temple Run would have captivated me longer than two weeks had Imangi Studios added more items to the shop or more objectives and goals. I don't know. Maybe they just need a less fickle audience.