Mobile Apps

Com-Phone Story Maker is an an for Android smartphones that allows users to combine photos, audio, and text to create stories. Moreover, it allows up to three different layers of audio, so voice narration and music can be added together, as well as an additional audio, if desired. Once a digital story is created, it can be saved or uploaded to YouTube.

A user manual may be downloaded from: http://www.digitaleconomytoolkit.org/manuals/com-phone.pdf

Com-Phone Story Maker is part of Com-Me Toolkit, a collection of hardware and software components providing solutions for content creation and sharing in locations around the globe where there is low textual and computing literacy and limited power and network coverage. More information may be found at: http://www.digitaleconomytoolkit.org/

The popular video creation and editing software for Macintosh computers is also available for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch. Although it is not free, the price is reasonable ($5.00 in 2013) and the multi-touch interface is simple to learn. Digital stories created in iMovie are produced in high definition format and are easily shared online using such sites as YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo and more.

Magisto is a video editor, which automatically creates a short video by 3 simple steps: (1) select up to 10 videos and 5 photos (total less than 500MB and 15 minutes length), (2) choose one of the available editing styles, and (3) choose or upload a soundtrack. Magisto analyzes video(s) and pictures to create a fun and interesting digital story.

The application allows the user to put together photos, videos, music and narration.  Photos, videos and music from the user’s library can be used to create the movie. The narration can be recorded directly to the movie.  The movie can be trimmed, effects can be added and transitions easily added, as well.  A free version of the app is available, while a paid version includes more features and customization options.

Story Creator is a mobile app where even very young users can create a digital story by uploading pictures and video and then narrating and adding text. A drawing tool within the app also allows users to add their own creations to the story. This app easily allows users to interface with their social networks by allowing uploads from Dropbox, Flickr, Picasa, or Facebook, as well as a share and comment feature with other users of the app. Once a story is created, it can be shared on social networks or across devices. Free and paid versions are available.

StoryKit is a mobile app for creating electronic storybooks. Users can write text, draw illustrations, record audio, and design the pages of the storybook. This can be an excellent tool for teachers to use in their classroom to allow young students to create their own storybooks.

Storyrobe is a mobile app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The app allows users to create a digital story by adding images from their mobile device and recording audio narration. They can then share their narrated slideshows by email or uploading them to YouTube or to Storyrobe Online using their Facebook account credentials.

Toontastic is a free iPad app that allows young children to create animated cartoon stories. It uses a “story arc” with characters, setting, plot, and a conclusion. It can be used by students who are learning the elements of fiction, as well as older kids who are exploring exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution. Students can choose from stock characters or draw their own, animate them and record their voice to create a digital story. 

Videolicious lets users edit raw video clips and photos into meaningful story components. Videolicious utilizes a quick 3-step process that includes videos/photos, story and music.  The finished result is a documentary style story that can easily be uploaded to online video sharing sites. 

A helpful lesson plan for may be downloaded from:  http://bennettpad.blogspot.com/2011/10/lesson-plan-videolicious.html