December 1, 2012 (Vol. 32, No. 21)
URL:
http://bit.ly/XWJ53a
Rating:
Strong Points: Can customize which journals to follow
Weak Points: Poor interface for reading news blurbs
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
Calling all chemists! If you find yourself yearning for the latest chemistry abstracts or news when you’re on the go, check out the free mobile app by the American Chemical Society. ACS mobile allows users to “follow” up to 40 of the Society’s research journals such as ACS Chemical Biology, Biochemistry, and Nano Letters (I hear you need special reading glasses for that last one). For the journals that one chooses to follow, the newest abstracts (complete with a representative illustration, which really makes for pleasant viewing) are displayed on the “ACS ASAPs” page. The full text of the articles is restricted to subscribers (unless you want to pay an arm and a leg), but if app users are connected to a subscribing institution’s network via wi-fi or VPN, they will receive access to complete articles. The app also features links to the latest news blurbs published in Chemical and Engineering News, the Society’s own news magazine.