Ling Apps has been working hard on this first version of their PDF reader in their AppWriter App (US, 29.99) for iPad. Most PDF files can be read aloud, and each word will be highlighted directly in the PDF file as it is being read. We are working on optimizing the feature now, and you can expect another update with enhancements and bug fixes very soon.

There are two ways of opening a PDF file in AppWriter:

1. Import from Google Docs – using the built-in import feature in AppWriter
2. Use the built-in “open in” feature on the iPad directly from the browser, Dropbox or any other app supporting this feature.

File Types

We added icons for the two files types currently supported in AppWriter, i.e. txt and PDF files. You will notice that txt files are displayed with a blue icon, and PDF files are displayed with the typical red PDF icon next to the file name in the document list. This way you can easily find the file and file type you are looking for. Just tap on a PDF file to open it directly in the AppWriter PDF Reader.

PDF Reader

In the PDF reader you have the following options:

• Navigate the PDF file by sliding between the pages or by choosing one of the thumbnails at the bottom of the screen
• Tap the play button to read aloud your document. The read aloud feature will highlight each word as they are being read.
• Tap the globe and switch between your currently installed voices
• Tap the “open in”-button to extract the entire text of the current PDF page into the AppWriter editor for further processing.

With the newly added PDF reader, AppWriter is one step further to become the ultimate all-in-one tool for anyone struggling with reading and/or writing.

If you haven’t tried AppWriter lately the upgraded features are stable and easy to use. The ability to scan and convert text from hard copy to electronic format using their scan tool allows easy access to print using their text to speech tools. I found the AppWriter scanning feature accurate and easy to use with the camera on my iPad3.  For individuals who may have difficulty managing the work flow needed when using several different apps to convert hard copy to electronic, AppWriter’s ease of use makes it a great choice.

If you have students or adults that need to access print, give AppWriter a whirl.

Appropriate for your OT mTool Kit?

Carol