Show Me

Price: Free!
Grade Recommendation: All
Subject: All
Specific Skill: N/A
Levels: N/A
Players: N/A
For iPad, iPod, or Both: iPad

I love this app! It's quite similar to Screen Chomp. Simply put, it's a recordable whiteboard app (sometimes called a slate).

It only comes with a choice of 7 colors of ink. But I actually find that sometimes less is more when it comes to customizing something like that. Users can choose to use the eraser tool or clear the entire slate. An 'undo' option is also present. The background can either be white or a picture you either take on the spot or import from your photo album.

You don't have to use the recording (audio and visual) option, but the button to start/stop recording is conveniently located on the bottom right corner of the app. Recorded work can then be uploaded to www.showme.com. At this point you have two options.

1. "Personal - Can be shared with anyone who you give a link to."
2. "Public - Share your ShowMe with the community and teach the world!"

It's quite easy to create an account on www.showme.com; a step you'll need to do no matter what option above you choose.

This app comes highly recommended. Grab it today from the App Store, you have nothing to lose and everything to show!

Media Slate Pro

Price: $1.99
Grade Recommendation: All
Subject: All
Specific Skill: N/A
Levels: N/A
Players: N/A
For iPad, iPod, or Both: iPad

This app's developers tout it as a way to turn an iPad into an interactive whiteboard. This is true ONLY if you are the type of educator who views the expensive interactive whiteboard as simply a glorified dry erase board.

Simply put, this app is just a slate.

Users can choose between a regular, dotted, or straight line to draw and/or write. They can change the line's thickness and color. I am impressed with the color choices; the entire palette is available, not just a few select colors. They can also change the background color or even use a saved photo as the background.

The final product can be saved to the photo album or the iPad's clipboard (for pasting later elsewhere). It can also be shared via email (or Facebook and Twitter).

If money is a factor, skip this slate app. I'm aware of two others - Show Me and Screen Chomp - that not only work as a slate, but are recordable too! I can't believe a paid app claiming to be an interactive whiteboard substitute does not have that option.

Bord

Price: 99 cents
Grade Recommendation: K - 3rd
Subject: All
Specific Skill: N/A
Levels: N/A
Players: N/A
For iPad, iPod, or Both: Both

This simple app turns your device into a chalkboard. It's kind of nostalgic for those of us who miss the days of chalkboards in the classroom.

Users have a choice of 3 chalk thicknesses in 6 different colors. To erase, choose the tool or simply shake the device.

Work can be saved to the photos folder or emailed out.

Overall, this app is way too simple to be a paid one. Yes it gives students one more way to do work; I envision this being useful during math class. However, there are other apps out there (such as Screen Chomp) that do more for less. Download it if you find it for free one day or if money is no object. Otherwise, skip it.