App Review: GeoWalk for iOS

GeoWalk is an iphone app that gives the user access to a number of educational tidbits about a variety of topics from around the world. You may choose one topic at a time or the app will shuffle them for you and randomly select one for you to read. Each tidbit is on a virtual card that has a title and full-color photo of the topic on one side and when tapped, turns to reveal the facts about the topic.  The categories are; people, places, animals, plants,and events.  You can purchase more cards from the App store.

There are three modes to select the cards: a globe held by elephants who move and one who trumpets when touched, a young child would probably enjoy this mode.  Touching the globe causes it to turn and it will randomly select an informational card to read.  The other mode is a table with the cards set up and beautiful maps in the background.  Swiping will cause the cards to rotate, touching the card will cause it to maximize up for you to read.  Once a card it maximized, you can swipe it to go to the next card or touch it to turn, swiping will cause it to minimize.  The third mode is a list menu which when tapped, maximizes so you can scroll through the cards in alphabetic order.

At the top of the screen there are links to facebook, Wikipedia, Twitter, an icon which will allow you to email the information to someone, an icon to close the card you are viewing, and an icon to put the card in the background while you read others.

The strengths of this app are that the photos are beautiful and the information interesting.  I think a young child who is not reading well or reading at all yet would enjoy the photos and watching the globe and cards move.  The text seems to be written at a high school level but a younger child with advanced reading and vocabulary skills would probably enjoy it.

The weakness is that it is difficult to figure out how to manipulate the cards other than randomly.  The information is random which could be seen as a strength, it changes often so could keep one’s attention for long periods of time if you are interested in trivia.  You can search for people, animals, etc. if you know what is already there but it could be frustrating otherwise.

I would not purchase this for myself as I am more methodical about my learning but as mentioned before, this may be a fun toy for a child or someone who enjoys random trivia and pretty pictures.

Disclosure:  A free copy of this app was provided with the expectation that the user would write a fair and honest review of it.