IC3 Lesson 8: Apps and Applications

What is a "spreadsheet program" used for? What are the names of some of them and who produces each one? What is a "macro"?

A SPREADSHEET PROGRAM is used for mathematical calculations, to analyze data, and produce graphs, charts and diagrams. You can sort, find or filter large amounts of data. Examples of spreadsheet programs are: Microsoft Excel (Microsoft) and Quattro Pro (Corel). A macro programming language ("MACRO") allow programmers to save sections of programs that are repeated and use them again.

What can you use a "word processing program" for? What are the names of some word processing applications and who produces each one?

A WORD PROCESSING PROGRAM enables you to create, edit, save, format and print documents. Most word processing programs allow you to insert pictures or other objects. You can use a word processing program to create letters, memos, invoices, articles, newsletters, forms, brochures, and flyers. Example of word processing programs are: Microsoft Word (Microsoft), Word Perfect (Corel) and Pages for Mac (Apple).

What do Audio Apps allow you to do?

AUDIO APPS allow you to stream and play audio content. Some apps play stored content and others stream content. STREAMING sends a constant flow of data to your device from the server and you can play the content almost immediately. A copy of the data is not stored on your device. DOWNLOADING content creates and stores a copy of the data on your device.

What is an app store? What are the names of some of them and who operates each one?

An APP STORE is a digital platform for distributing software. A user can access the app store, select an app and then download it. Each platform has its own app store.

If you create files with web apps, where are they stored?

Any files you create or modify with web apps are stored in the cloud in an account that you create.

Which app stores offer apps for Android devices and who operates them?

App Stores offering Android apps are: Google Play Store (or Play Store), operated by Google, and Appstore for Android, operated by Amazon.

How can you find apps at app stores? How are the apps in apps stores organized/ displayed?

App stores allow you to browse by top picks or within categories, or search by characteristics, name, and other features.

Which app stores offer apps for iOS devices and who operates them?

App stores offering iOS apps are: The App Store and iTunes on desktops, both operated by Apple.

There are some limitations when using an app. What are they? How can you get around some of the limitations?

Apps and applications may be designed for specific hardware and operating systems. If an app is not compatible with your device, you may be able to find a similar one that is compatible. When an app is designed for a specific version of an operating system, you may be able to upgrade to that version. Sometimes apps have hardware requirements which, if missing, will limit the functionality of the app.

What are the names of some Content Apps and what do they do?

CONTENT APPS "aggregate" (group together) news and information in one place. Examples are: CNN, Fox News, Google, New York Times (paid service), WikiPedia Mobile, and iTunesU.

What are the names of some Creativity Apps and what do they allow you to do?

CREATIVITY APPS allow you to be creative in various ways. Examples include: Afterlight (image editing), Draw Something (a game), and Smart Tools (which includes a flashlight, a ruler, etc.) There are many creativity apps that allow you to do many different activities.

What are the names of some Audio Apps?

Examples of audio apps are: Audible (content is not free), iTunes Music (the app is free, some music is not), Pandora (free and paid versions), and Spotify (free and paid versions).

What are the names of some of these graphic design and image editing programs and who produces each one?

Examples of graphic design and image editing programs are: Adobe Illustrator (Adobe) which creates vector images, Adobe Photoshop (Adobe) which creates raster graphics and bitmap images, and Microsoft Paint and Fresh Paint (Microsoft) which create bitmap images.

What are the names of some Video Apps?

Examples of video apps are: Hulu, (free and paid plans), Netflix (3 paid plans), UStream.tv (free and paid plans), Watch ESPN (app is free but requires provider subscription), and YouTube (free and paid plans). The content on each service varies and may be exclusive to that service.

What are the names of some web development programs and who produces each one?

Examples of web development programs are: Adobe Dreamweaver (Adobe Systems), Microsoft Visual Studio (Microsoft), and Microsoft Web Matrix (Microsoft).

What can you do with "graphic design and image editing software"?

GRAPHIC DESIGN PROGRAMS use various methods to create and combine words, symbols and images to create a visual representation of a message. They are used to create page layouts, logos, brand images, posters, billboards, web site graphics, etc. IMAGE EDITING SOFTWARE is used to edit and manipulate digital images.

We read about Google Drive in Lesson 6. What apps are included in Google Drive? How do you access these apps?

Google Drive includes GOOGLE DOCS (a word processor), GOOGLE SHEETS (a spreadsheet app) and GOOGLE SLIDES (a presentation app). To access them, go to your Google account, click on the Google Drive icon (9 dots in a square, the "waffle"), then click "Drive". Click "New" and a drop-down menu will show links to Google Docs, Sheets and Slides and other options.

What are local apps? How are they different from Web apps?

Local apps are installed on a local drive, run there, and are written for specific operating systems. Most users use local apps on smart phones and tablets and they are designed to run on small devices with touch screens.

Some apps you download at app stores require certain information before you can use them. What kind of information do they ask for?

Many apps are tied to accounts you have created for particular services. After you install an app, you may be asked to create an account or enter your account information.

Some apps you download at app stores require certain access before you can use them. What kind of access could they ask for?

Many apps ask for access to various settings and services on your device to provide full performance, such as your contacts list, location, camera and photo files, etc. You do not have to grant access to all, but the functionality of the app may be limited as a result.

Sometimes when you are using a free app, it asks you to pay for things. What kind of things might it ask you to pay for? Do you have to pay for them?

Many free apps include options for in-app purchases. You can buy (or ignore) access to special content, unlock certain features, or turn off ads. The purchasing process is completed from within the app.

What are "apps" and "applications"? How are they different?

Many people use "apps" and "applications" very loosely and the terms overlap. In this class, APPLICATIONS (or APPLICATION SOFTWARE) are complex programs designed to be used with a mouse and a keyboard. They require a large amount of system resources and they perform a wide range of functions. APPS are small, light-weight programs designed to be used on touch screen devices and their functionality is more focused; it does one, or a small number of things, well.

What are other names for web apps?

Microsoft calls their web apps ONLINE APPS and they can also be referred to as SaaS (SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE) because you are able to use the program via your web browser as a (paid) service.

What can you do with "presentation programs"? What are the names of some of these programs and who produces each one?

PRESENTATION PROGRAMS allow you to create slide shows. You can add text to slides, insert and manipulate graphic images, and add charts, diagrams, tables, sound and video clips. There is a slide show viewer for displaying the content. Some examples are: Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft) which is part of Microsoft Office, and Keynote for Mac (Apple).

What are the names of some Productivity/Communication Apps and what do they allow you to do?

PRODUCTIVITY/COMMUNICATIONS APPS allow you to get work done. Examples are: Gmail, Google Hangouts, LINE, Skype, Pages, Office Mobile, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

What are the names of some Social Media Apps and what do they allow you to do?

SOCIAL MEDIA APPS allow you to connect with people and share video, pictures and text. Examples are: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Which app stores offer apps for Windows and BlackBerry devices and who operates them?

The Windows Store is operated by Microsoft, and BlackBerry World is operated by BlackBerry.

The lesson discusses six categories of apps that you can find in app stores. What are the six categories?

The six categories are: Productivity/Communication Apps, Content Apps, Creativity Apps, Social Media Apps, Audio Apps, and Video Apps.

How do you delete an app from an Android phone? from an iPhone?

To delete an app on Android: Go to Google Play Store. Touch the "Menu" icon, then tap "My apps and games". On the "Installed" tab, locate the app, click "Uninstall", and confirm. To delete an app on iPhone: Find the icon for the app you want to delete. Press and hold the icon until all of the icons begin to jiggle. Click on the "x" in the upper-left corner of the app you want to delete and then confirm.

How do you recover an app from an Android phone? from an iPhone?

To recover an app on Android: Open Play Store, click the "Menu" icon, tap "My apps and games". Click the "All" tab and find the app you want to recover. Tap it and click "Install". To recover an app on iPhone: Open the App Store and tap "Updates" from the menu at the bottom. Tap "Purchased", then "Not on This iPhone". Find the app you want to recover and tap on the cloud icon to reinstall it.

What are the different kinds of image files and how are they different?

VECTOR IMAGES are generated mathematically and are scalable (can be made bigger or smaller) and will still be of high quality. RASTER GRAPHICS are pixel-based images. When raster images are resized, they can become distorted. Raster formats have these extensions: .bmp, .gif, .jpeg, .png, and .tiff. BITMAP IMAGES are saved as uncompressed images.

What do Video Apps allow you to do?

VIDEO APPS allow you to stream video content on your device. Streaming videos involves the transmission of large amounts of data.

What can you do with "video editing software"? What are the names of some of these programs and who produces each one?

VIDEO EDITING PROGRAMS allow you to manipulate video images. You can cut segments, re-sequence clips, add transitions, special effects, or captions. Examples of video editing applications are: Adobe Premier Pro (Adobe Systems) which runs on Mac and Windows, Sony Vegas Pro (Sony Creative Software) which runs on Windows, and iMovie (Apple) which runs on OS X.

What are "web apps",? Are they installed on your local computer?

WEB APPS are applications (both lightweight and more complex) that run on the Web. They do not run directly on your computer and are not installed there. They are accessed over the internet and provide some (usually not all) of the functionality of the installed versions. They are platform independent, so they will run on any operating system.

What do "web development programs" do? What does WYSIWIG (pronounced WISSY-wig) mean?

WEB DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS automate much of the process of creating web pages and keep images, pages and other elements organized and accessible. Most provide WYSIWIG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) convenience and write the code automatically as users choose formats and styles from toolbars.

What can you do with a web development program?

Web development programs allow you to layout pages, insert text and images, add hyperlinks, use styles in CASCADING STYLE SHEETS (CSS), link to databases, and add audio and video clips.

The app store tells you if an app is free or if you have to pay for it, but the process of downloading the app is the same. How do you download an app?

When you find the app you want to download, click on it to open its detail page. Click "Install". When the installation is complete, click "Open" to launch the app.

When you pay for an app or additional options, the software may ask you to "authenticate" your purchase. Why? Is it a good idea to do it?

You can choose settings on your device that require you to enter a password before making an in-app purchase, which is called AUTHENTICATION. Authentication prevents accidental or unwanted purchases.

What is a "desktop publishing program" (DTP) used for? What are the names of some DTPs and who produces each one?

A DESKTOP PUBLISHING PROGRAM enables you to manipulate large amounts of text and graphics that require a specialized page layout or structure, and then send the finished product to a professional printing service. You can use a DTP program to create a booklet, a magazine, or newspaper. Examples of DTP programs are: Microsoft Publisher (Microsoft), Adobe inDesign (Adobe), QuarkXPress (Quark), and Scribus (public license, free).

What is a "productivity" program?

A PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAM is a software program that is designed to produce information, such as documents, presentations, worksheets, databases, charts, graphs, digital images, web sites, electronic music or digital video.