Paper

Overall Opinion: If Apple wanted an excuse to showcase the value of the stylus as a tool, Paper would be an excellent proof of concept. What this app tries to accomplish is deceptively simple: capture the intuitive sensation and possibilities of a pad of paper and a pen. But such a task is easier said than done. Paper succeeds by offering a rewarding and responsive tactile experience that feels like drawing in a sketchpad, succeeding as well in most cases as tablet devices designed specifically with this objective in mind. Paper's presentation is especially well tuned. Rather than relying on complicated, word-based menus, all your tools are displayed at the bottom of the screen as scissors, pens, brushes, and erasers. By drawing on the user's understanding of real life tools, they create a system that draws on our lived experiences. Tap on the tool in question, and chances are you'll know exactly what it can accomplish. Each of these tools handles exceedingly well. The speed with which you swipe the pen determines thickness, for instance, and the realistic manner in which a paintbrush strokes across the screen's surface allows for the sort of complex layering experienced artists will love. With just the slightest bit of experience, users can quickly create sophisticated sketches. If Paper only offered a solid simulation of having a pad of paper and tools at hand, it would be impressive enough, but it allows more detailed functions like the ability to create charts and type in established fonts. All of these are fairly standard for professional editing software, but the way they work together elevates Paper to a whole other level. It also allows you to plug in photos and alter them on a whim. In short, it's more than just a drawing app. It's an app that can replicate everything you'd expect from a drawing or notepad and more. The way in which Paper manages your pages is similarly clever. Users create journals, which allows them to easily navigate their works according to category. This means you can quickly flip from your to-do list to character sketches to finished designs with a simple swipe of your finger, and you can set a cover for each of your journals to bring a better sense of character to the works within. Clicking on a journal brings up all the included pages within the journal in a smart tiled layout. A quick menu is displayed under each journal's cover so you can quickly delete or alter the journals in question. Paper also comes with full social support. You can browse the open market to find inspiration, and sharing and collaborating is a simple process using the in-app menus. Paper also coordinates easily with Paste, FiftyThree's app designed to bring a whole suite of collaborative tools to the table.

Pros: Journals make the process of organizing your pages a delight Tools respond well to user input, offering an experience similar to a WaCom tablet Minimalist interface prevents clutter Available for free

Cons: Doesn't support the use of layers in drawings No option to change the tip size for brush tools Requires a pro subscription to access some of the advanced