MagicReader is a book reader from developer GimmiQ with one very unique feature. MagicReader labels itself as a touch-free book reader meaning you do not need to tap or swipe the screen to move through each page. Instead, MagicReader can track the movements of your head and turn the page according to which direction you turn. It’s a very interesting concept that promises to free your hands for other duties. The question is, does it work and does this unique feature make MagicReader worth using?
I’ll start this off by saying yes, MagicReader does work. Sort of. Once you turn on the motion activated controls, you’ll be turning the pages with your head in no time. However, this type of control doesn’t always work and is very dependent on how good the lighting is around you and whether or not the app can detect your head movements. There were time using the app when the pages either would not turn or would turn in the wrong direction. Also Magic reader isn’t entirely touch-free as it does require you to tap on the screen to go back to the main library if you’re done reading what you’re reading.
Aside from the head turning feature, MagicReader is very basic PDF reader compared to others I’ve tried. Once the novelty of head turning wears off, you’ll find that there are quite a few things you can not do with this app. You can’t search specific text within each book, you can’t print or export pages to email, and there is no way to really organize any of your books into folders. Importing files rely on either connecting your iPad to iTunes or when you come across a PDF file in your email or web pages, you can click on them and import into MagicReader. All-in-all, MagicReader is a bit too basic for my tastes.
MagicReader however does show that head tracking can be possible with the iPad and can be a bit useful, although I think I still prefer the traditional way of tapping or swiping to flip pages as it just seems more natural than having to turn my head all the time to change pages. On the upside, the app is free and it’s not a bad app to try out if all you want to do is test out the whole head turning thing. MagicReader does have potential, but it needs a lot more features before I’ll be replacing my usual book reader for this one.
MagicReader is available now in the App Store for Free. It is compatible with iPad.Requires iOS 5.0 or later.
Description
MagicReader is a Touch-Free book reader. You can flip through pages just by turning your head!
Turn your face sideways to move pages, just as if you were touching the screen.
For example, you can
* Read while eating with both hands,
* Read a recipe while cooking, and never have to touch the screen,
* Read a musical score while playing an instrument,
* Read a book while holding a baby in your arms,
* Go through documents while typing on a keyboard.
We believe there are countless more useful ways to use MagicReader to help the way you read things!MagicReader is also a very FAST book reader. Depending on how fast you move your fingers, you can scroll through pages with no time-lag. Also, by pressing down the side of the screen, you can flip through pages just like a real book.
Compatible Formats:
* PDF and Zip files.
* Compatible image file formats are: .jpg .png .gif .tiff and .bmp
More formats will be supported in near future!We plan to continue improving the accuracy of the system, so stay tuned for updates!
Some features we plan to add very soon:
*Landscape mode
*Book selection without touching.
*Other methods for a touch-free reading experience.
*And more!For support and comments, contact us at GimmiQ@gmail.com or through Twitter @GimmiQ
Watch the Video on YouTube:
http://gimmiq.bo.lt/videoNOTE: MagicReader runs on the 1st generation iPad, but the “touch-free” mode is only compatible with devices with a front-camera.
WARNING: Try not to turn your head too fast to avoid straining your neck. If you suffer neck-pain or headaches, minimize the use of the touch-free function.
[via App Store]
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