March 1, 2017 (Vol. 37, No. 5)
URL:
Rating:
Strong Points: Good tutorial, good text recognition
Weak Points: Can’t resize writing area
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free (in-app purchases)
Summary:
Scientists whose notes regularly include math equations will rejoice at the convenience of the MyScript MathPad app, a simple app that converts hand-written equations into digital text. The app includes a tutorial that illustrates how to write, edit, and export equations and also gives a complete list of characters, symbols, and units of measurement that are recognized by the app. To edit equations, users can quickly erase portions of text using scratch-out and strike-through gestures. Final equations can be exported as an image or as a LaTeX or MathML string for added flexibility and integration with other programs. Although users may be frustrated by the inability to use pinch-and-zoom mechanics on the screen to resize the writing area, the app is simple to use and the text recognition is quite good.