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Shakespeare in Bits

Shakespeare in Bits will have older users wishing they had an iOS device during English class. With two versions — one for “Romeo and Juliet” and one for “MacBeth” — the app presents the plays, word for word, in a more visual, hand-holding way.

For starters, there are nearly three hours of animation that let users see and hear the play while they read along. In the text on the right, words or phrases that may be most confusing are highlighted. Touch them and a modern translation, so to speak, replaces that section.

In addition to that, there are blue markers in the left margin that give further explanation to entire lines or groups of lines. For those who need more help, there's a notes tab on the top to give yet even more hints. There’s also a synopsis tab next to that which sums it all up.

Shakespeare in Bits is an iOS app for $7.99. There is a free, two chapter “lite” version for “Romeo and Juliet.”

SimplePhysics

Another in the category of fun ways to learn difficult subjects is SimplePhysics, a game that lets users test out all those principles they learn in class. It may also help them understand why
the teacher is firing so many formulas off.

In the game, users take on the role of an architect with a task, from building a simple tree house all the way up to a submarine, Ferris wheel and skyscraper. Users drag beams left, right, up, down; whatever they need to do to properly support the structure for the ultimate test at the end. The tree house must hold four 50-pound kids for 10 seconds, while the skyscraper has to withstand wind gusts up to 300 miles per hour.

The big “but” here, though, is that each project also has a budget, so users have
to use supports wisely and know their physics.

SimplePhysics is, at the moment, free, in order to help launch it on Androids. It is
also available on iOS devices.