May 1, 2013 (Vol. 33, No. 9)
URL:
http://bit.ly/ZE6ULF
Rating:
Strong Points: Many features, nice organization
Weak Points: None
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
$3.99
Summary:
The Wolfram Genomics Reference App provides the opportunity to explore the genome—not just the human genome, but also 13 additional ones—from a slightly more mathematical perspective (as one would expect from a Wolfram app). For instance, one can “compute the basic genome information” of a given species, the output for which includes the total number of base pairs in the genome, as well as the numbers of chromosomes, known genes, known RNAs, and known proteins. As a second example of the numerical bent of the app, users can calculate allele frequencies using the Hardy-Weinberg Law. Of course, there are also nonmath features of the app, such as the dictionary feature and a genome browser (the latter of which allows users to gather information about a particular gene from one of the 14 genomes included in the app).
