This past summer Wybron released an iPad version of their popular iPhone swatchbook app “Gel Swatch Library” (or iSwatch for short), appropriately named “Gel Swatch Library HD” or “Swatch” on the icon. My first thought was, would it cost more? Apps “upsized” for the iPad often do. Thankfully, they retained the $9.99 price tag, but it is important to note that it is not a universal app so if you have both an iPad and an iPhone or an iTouch, you might purchase both. If you are wondering why you would want both, here is a brief rundown of why one user finds value in the pair of apps.
Both programs have the transmission, CMY, RGB and SED curve (Spectral Energy Distribution) for each gel from Apollo, Gam, Lee, and Rosco. Both programs also show similar colors and complementary colors to a chosen color, can compare two gels side by side, have a list of recently viewed colors, and employ a search feature. On the iPhone or iTouch this is all valuable information in a quick-access-ultra-portable mode, so why bother with two versions?
First, the “iSwatch” app on the iPad is small, so it will either be literally the size of the phone screen centered in the middle of the iPad screen, or it can be magnified to fill the screen, which makes the fonts a little pixellated. Not bad for functionality, but not great for eyes. Second, “Swatch” makes great use of the screen real estate, allowing the list of gels and the similar/complementary colors to be viewed all at once in landscape mode.
Selecting the icon that looks like a ‘winding road ahead’ sign takes you to the full screen blowup of the SED curves. (Tapping on the mini version yields the same result).In this larger view, selecting any point along the color distribution curve gives you more detail about that particular point.
There is also an “eyedropper” tool, which enables the user to select what visually looks interesting and then see the RGB in both percentage and DMX value (switch between them by tapping on it) as well as Hex and HSL. The tool also finds the closest gels to the color selected.
The biggest and most notably different feature in “Swatch” is the “projects” feature. Unfortunately the Wybron website offers little instruction on how to begin a project. Happily, it is written for the same intuitive nature as the iOS, so merely holding down a color for a few seconds pops up a menu that asks which project the user wants to assign it to, if they have a project already started.
Starting a project is easy; the folder icon at the bottom opens the projects list. Select “edit” then “+” to add a new project and give it a name. If you have multiple projects they can be easily re-ordered by being selected on the far right where the triple linesare and dragging it up or down. Choosing the blue dot will allow you to change a project’s name, or add general notes to it. The red dot will delete a project (as will swiping over it to the right when in the previous screen). Select “done” and then “list” to go back to selecting gels.
The “projects” folder is where users will view their lists of gels. Here gels can be re-ordered and deleted in the same fashion as when editing the list of project names, and notes can be added to a particular color. And when finished with, the list can be emailed; it will send the color and note information, as well as a small representative color swatch.
Both apps are well laid out and have been thoroughly thought through for the strengths of each device. Recommendation: buy it!
This note can be text, voice, picture or pdf and once you create that note it is synced to the cloud and then is accessible from all devices that support Evernote. So if I have a pdf of a moving light manual I need in the field, I create a note on my desktop, then insert the pdf. I can then get access to that manual from my iPod touch through the Evernote App. For teaching I upload my syllabi and now have access to them on my iPod touch. You can create notes on the go as well, if I find I need to order lamps and want a quick reminder I can create a note on the iPod or create a voice note that I can check when I am back in the office. 
You can divide the notes that go together into notebooks for easy access or add a tag to the note. Common tags I use are to-do, manual or syllabi. Ever come across a website with interesting content? You can use the Evernote plug-in for your web browser to save a part or all of the site. If your mobile device has a camera simply take a picture and put it in a note, if you need to explain to a master electrician that the cable needs to be neater, show them what you mean by taking a picture note. The notes can then be shared with anyone who has web access. You can simply go to the Evernote web interface and click the share function on the left hand side. If you have the premium service others can edit and collaborate on that document. I use the free version and there are some drawbacks, you only have 40mb a month and are limited to only a few file types that can be inserted into a note. The free version does not give you access to your files on the iPhone, when you are offline. The one way I want to use Evernote in the future is to use it to take both voice and text production notes during a tech. This is only the beginning of what Evernote can do, if you want to learn more Evernote provides several 
Here are my pics for the apps that I use for productions:
January 27, 2010 is a day that will live in history as the day apple revolutionized how we produce theatre and maybe revolutionized the world. Ok that’s a big statement that the apple fan boy side of me is shouting at the top of his lungs in the back of my head. For those who did not hear the announcement a couple of days ago Apple announced its new ipad, which is an ipod touch with a nine and half inch screen at a starting price of $499. Now is this a revolution? Not yet but I see some potential uses for designers and technicians. I posted one of my ideas on Twitter and Facebook and got some great responses here are those ideas and some of mine.
dt4pa
Todd Proffitt
"Mike"
JoyinLight
joyinlight
