GoodReader

Price:  $4.99

Purpose/Capabilities:  

GoodReader is an app that allows its users to annotate PDFs.  Users can add typewriter text boxes, sticky notes, lines, arrows, freehand drawings, highlight important text, and more to their document.  There are a large variety of colors to use for all of these mark-ups, and they can each be deleted or edited if you make a mistake or want to change something.

GoodReader also makes it possible for its users to manage their files.  All annotated (or not annotated) text files can be saved in GoodReader.  The user can then create folders and subfolders to organize their work. 

In addition, GoodReader allows users to transfer files by syncing with different remote servers such as Dropbox, SkyDrive, SugarSync, and any WebDAV, AFP, SMB, FTP, or SFTP server.

GoodReader is primarily known for annotating PDF and text files, but it can also be used with MS Office, iWork (’08, ’09), HTML and Safari web archives, high-resolution images, and audio and video files.

Positive Aspects: 

GoodReader is a great app to assist in the workflow from teacher to student and back to the teacher in a paperless (or less paper) classroom.  Teachers can post assignments as PDF files on their wiki.  Students can go to the wiki, get the file, save it in GoodReader, complete their assignment directly on the document, and send it back to the teacher. 

GoodReader has so many options to mark-up text and is very easy to use!  After reading many reviews about GoodReader, I have found that many people refer to it as the “Swiss army knife” of apps.

Negative Aspects: 

GoodReader is $4.99, one of the more expensive apps that I am reviewing.  From what I can see, however, there is no comparable app that does everything that GoodReader does for less money.  IAnnotate and GoodNotes, are comparable apps that have free versions but with limited capabilities.  If you/your school can not afford $4.99/iPad, these free versions might be worth checking out.