July 1, 2014 (Vol. 34, No. 13)
Rating:
Strong Points: Mock server with sample data
Weak Points: No descriptions of analysis metrics
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
We are officially in the age of large genetic sequencing projects—whole transcriptomes, even whole genomes, are now routinely sequenced for various research studies. Illumina’s sequencers are commonly employed for such studies, and now researchers who use Illumina machines (specifically the HiSeq 2000 sequencing system) can remotely monitor their sequencing runs in real-time via the SeqMonitor iPhone/iPad app (when used in conjunction with the freely available SeqMonitor Web Service). Even if you are not yet using a HiSeq 2000 system—and therefore do not have any of your own data to analyze—the app includes a “mock server” with sample data for users to visualize. Here, users can visualize metrics such as alignment and error rates, quality scores, and data densities and intensities. There is no description of these different metrics in the app; as such, one must be familiar with the basics of sequencing data analysis.
