Writers iPhone4

<This was originally posted in January 2012 - when I added labels it updated the date.  I plan on writing a more current post regarding the apps I use now and most often>

I've had an iPhone now for just over a year. Before that my previous mobile allowed me to make and take calls and send and recieve text messages. The iPhone was a long over due upgrade. I always said I couldn't see point of buying an expensive mobile that didn't do everything I wanted but the iPhone4 sounded like the handheld PC that I'd always dreams of. My passion is my writing so I really hoped I could get an app on my phone for writing and this brief list are some of my favourites: Dictionary.com This app comes with word of the day. Today's word in Profluent (flowing smoothly or abundently forth). You can email, twitter of facebook the word if you like or star it to add to your favourites. There are other daily news articles about the English language. Then there is the whole point I downloaded this app in the first place - the dictonary (gives the meaning of the word and how to pronouce it). It also has a Theasauraus that suggest more words for you. Wikipedia Basically, exactly the same as the website. The app has a daily featured article. Today's article is The Battle of Barrosa. This app is handy for research or inspiration. My Writing Allows you to colour code writing projects and edit chapters. The work is backed up online so you can work from your PC or your mobile. It has a very plain enterface, however, it is free. SkyDrive If you have a hotmail or live account, then you can upload documents to your skydrive to work on at another PC. Having the app on your iPhone only allows you to read and email the document as an attachment - you cannot edit on your phone. Maybe if I bought the Microsft Word for iPhone package I would be able to but its quite pricey and I worried it would take up to much room on my phone.

Opuss - Featured Authors

Wow! Just found a new page on Opuss. It lists the featured authors and the Top Author Pic - and it... http://opuss.com/s/1qq1

Download the Opuss app FREE on the App Store
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/opuss/id473948939?ls=1&mt=8

Dictionary App

This is one the applications on my mobile that I frequently use.  Every writer should have a dictionary app on their phone and there is no excuse not to as there are loads of free options to download.  The version I have is by Dictionary.com.  This was the website I generally used before when working at my PC but now I have the site with me when I am on the go. My app is on the iPhone but I just checked their website and it is now available for iPad and Android mobiles too.

Word Search

On my bookshelf I do have a dictionary and a thesaurus but I must admit I lazily enjoy just tapping my phone and typing a search word in to find what I'm looking for, rather than going upstairs to retrieve a large book and flicking through pages.  I like that the app remembers all the words I've previously looked up in the past where as with a manual book, I'd have to fold down a page and I hate doing that.  

In addition, you can save your Favourite words and you can retrieve your list at the click of a button (profluent, pachyderm, paramour) and if you want to check the meaning of a word on your list just tap it.  

You can check "Trends" to see what words other people are searching on today (meta, diocese, postpone), the overall most popular words searched for (decorum, egregious, austerity).  You should be able to see what people nearby are searching on.  For some reason the app thinks I'm in Oakland, USA which I'm sure is a lovely place but I'm nowhere near there - I feel like a ninja that's dropped off their radar, he he.  

Articles

Every day, I get an alert for 'Word of the Day'.  The little prompt helps increase your vocabulary and consider words you've forgotten on never knew about.  The words can prompt your imagination, for example, today's word is Matrilineal (inheriting or determining descent through the female line) which has got me thinking about a world where procreation has became a problem and wars break out to protect fertile women, treated like goddesses, caused by the break out of a matrilineal virus.  I'm not sure why but there is always a 'Spanish Word of the Day' too. 

The app has a sporadic article (appears roughly every other day).  Today's article is about the meanings behind flowers.  The articles are varied, informative and always well written.  You can read back past articles too.  There is a daily questions "What is the origin of grinder, as in sandwich?" and then the answer.   The daily questions are usually about where words or phrases have originated from.

Thesaurus

At the top of each page, you can switch to thesaurus and get a choice of other words and then you can switch back to dictionary to check their meaning is what you want.

Links
http://dictionary.reference.com/

Top Today - Opuss

I've never been competitive as I always want to see everyone do well but I can't help but feel rewarded when people like my posts on Opuss.  Yesterday night, I checked the Top list and to my surprise and joy, I was number 1.  The next morning I checked my News Feed and found the alert confirming that I had really made it.

I've also been amazed that I've made it to Rank 12 on the top authors list (currently #19).  It's really encouraging to have people not only want to read my writing but also like it.  Currently I have three posts in the top 20 for the week and month chart (but we are only in week 1).  My highest rated posts is "Words" which is currently at position 5 (but did make it to #3).

I'll give an update at the end of the month as to whether I made any more #1s and where my posts sit in the chart.

Opuss

1. Send out a query letter for Drift. Just cause the last agent wasn't interested doesn't mean nob... http://opuss.com/s/1grv

Download the Opuss app FREE on the App Store
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/opuss/id473948939?ls=1&mt=8

Opuss

"READ, WRITE & SHARE BEAUTIFUL WORDs" by opuss

This week I discovered Opuss in the App store and already (despite a few connection problems), I would say it is the best writing app ever!  It is currently App of the Week in the UK.

What is it?

It's a bit like how Instagram is the Twitter for photos, except this is for writers.  Initially, you think, how is that different to Twitter?  Well, Twitter is for short status updates and often full of links to external sites.  Opuss allows you to write more and  everything is contained in one place - no external links.  Also, it's got a quirky cat and wood themed design that looks really smart.

 

Write it

To write a post is easy; you just click on the paw print in the middle of the icons list.  This the large one labelled 'Compose' at the bottom of the screen.  Then you title you piece and write away, add some tags, post and your done.  Alternatively, when you signed up, you will have received an email address to send your posts too and these will be uploaded but tends to be slightly slower.  Therefore, you can easily post to Opuss from your mobile or PC.

Read it

The left hand icon 'Feed' with a picture on a dinner bowl is where all the posts submitted by yourself and people you are following will appear.  This feed will become more active as you start subscribing to others.

The 'Top' icon with a picture of a collar on takes you to the screen picture on the left.  This lists all the most highly rated posts for the day, week, month and year.  This is handy for discovering what others are enjoying on Opuss and you may discover somebody new to follow.

The 'Find' button with a little mouse on it is where you can run searches to find things that will interest you.  Click in the search bar to type your criteria (i.e. 'Holidays') and decide if you want it to find Opusses (posts), Authors or Tags.  Then you can search to read something choosing from Everything to something more specific like a poem or a quote.  These categories are then broken down into even more specific criteria (i.e. Joke that is Adult, Animal, Food, Geek, etc).

Account it

The 'Profile' button is all about you.  On this page you can see an overview of your Opuss posts count to date, number of people following you and number you're following.  If you are competitive, there is also a rank number.  Beneath this you can see a News feed, which is worth checking to see if anyone has commented on your work or chosen to follow you (good etiquette is to follow back).  Then there is a Liked feed so you can find posts that you enjoyed reading to read again.  Then there is a Friends page where you can link your Opuss to Facebook, Twitter or your email account to find your friends and get them to join the fun too.  

When you get a notification the app makes a cute 'Meow' noise.  I didn't realise this and spent some time looking for my cat only discover I had a number of notifications on my Opuss.  

The app has also got some entertaining 404 error messages for when connections are lost.  It's not often that an app gets praised for not working but these do make me chuckle and I know the app is fairly new so I just take a break and come back later.  Other members have logged in and out (standard IT reboot) which also seems to fix this.  

The Future

Currently, Opuss is only available on the iphone and ipad (and maybe the iTouch).  There is talk about it being rolled out onto other platforms for everyone to enjoy.  The poll currently is in favour of it being developed for PC use but plans are that it will be available for all mobiles in the future.

Find out more at:

Opuss Website

Opuss Facebook

Opuss Twitter @OpussApp