World Landmarks Explorer

$2.99, iPad (75 MB)

Teaches: geography

CTR Rating: 94%

CTR Review

Here's something new from Peapod Labs... an app designed to appeal to parents, so they'll be inclined to pass information to their kids. Content comes from a wide variety of open-sources, especially YouTube and Google Maps. There are 336 photos arranged alphabetically, each with a YouTube video that will play when touched providing your iPad is connected to the Internet. Content includes 112 landmarks from 53 countries, and there is a Google map that lets you explore each region. No reading is required which is both a strength and a weakness. We would've liked to see a short descriptive, perhaps narrative paragraph for each landmark, which would've made this a strong language experience. We especially liked the authenticity of the images, and the ability to zoom in the the real-time location of each landmark is a feature that could've stepped out of a Star Trek episode. Not only do you see where the Eiffel tower is located -- but you can pinch or pull in and out to explore each location from Google's Satellite view. With this app, the world really is at your fingertips. Weaknesses -- Besides wanting more language options, our wish list for this app includes a more obvious way to toggle off the looping background music (nice at first, but only for 10 minutes), a geographic-based navigation system (why not a globe?) and a parents menu that gives you the ability to turn off the social media features. All in all, considering the quality of the images that are mixed with the power of YouTube and Google Earth, this is an outstanding geography app. This is the 23rd app for Chicago-based Peapod Labs and it expands upon the now familiar "ABC Explorer" design. CORRECTION 7/30/2014 note that it is possible to toggle off the background music by tapping on a photo to uncover a sound icon that is covered up by the information bar.