December 1, 2012 (Vol. 32, No. 21)
URL:
http://bit.ly/QH1JJg
Rating:
Strong Points: Great user interface and molecule viewer
Weak Points: None
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
The RCSB Protein Data Bank (PDB) is a dear friend to many researchers, as it is a treasure trove of structural information for your favorite proteins. The accompanying app for the iPad/iPhone is equally enlightening, as it gives users access to the entire PDB database (with a wi-fi or cellular data connection required). The app includes all of the features of the website, such as the molecule of the month and the latest structures newsfeed, but certainly the most iPad/iPhone-friendly feature is the molecule viewer. While one can view the structures on the website, it is only with the app that users can freely rotate the molecule and zoom in and out with their fingers. Even if you are not in pursuit of information about a specific protein for your research, it is easy to lose yourself exploring the beautiful structures of the database.