AirSketch for iPad review: a realtime browser whiteboard

AirSketch allows a user to display real time drawings and annotations on any desktop browser directly from an iPad. Ars took it for a spin, and despite its limited functionality, there's real potential for business and classroom use.

<a href='http://meincmagazine.com/apple/news/2010/07/airsketch-for-ipad-review-a-realtime-browser-whiteboard.ars'>Read the whole story</a>

 

[fitten]

How does it work with Windows browsers? (the article says just about any browser but only Mac browsers were tested).

 

[Smykes]

It should work fine in at the very least Chrome, but will probably work in Firefox for Windows, Opera 10, and maybe even IE 9.

 

[Entegy]

How does it work with Windows browsers? (the article says just about any browser but only Mac browsers were tested).

Considering Opera, Chrome, Firefox and Safari are all multiplatform, I'd say Windows and Linux are covered as viewers for this product.

 

[markjx]

Doesn't Google Wave do this? On all platforms, across the Internet?

 

[Fulgan]

You can use a simple TCP proxy software (like the portable, open source rinted) to allow access from machine that aren't on your local subnet. That's how I overcame the limitation of AirMouse.

 

[fitten]

How does it work with Windows browsers? (the article says just about any browser but only Mac browsers were tested).

Considering Opera, Chrome, Firefox and Safari are all multiplatform, I'd say Windows and Linux are covered as viewers for this product.

I agree somewhat... but it'd be nice to confirm it from the review that the reviewers actually got it to work.

 

[Aurich]

I found the drawing engine on this app to be pretty crappy for what it's worth, there are definitely better ones on the iPad, albeit without this shared whiteboard idea.

 

[melgross]

Yeah, maybe so for now, but this is ver 1 after all. Complaining about a lack of some features and responsiveness is just grumbling. Give it a chance.

 

[Penforhire]

Isn't the shared-screen function of plain old Skype at least this powerful? You don't have to be on the same network and you can display any application, not just whiteboards.

 

[Paltivar]

Yeah, maybe so for now, but this is ver 1 after all. Complaining about a lack of some features and responsiveness is just grumbling. Give it a chance.

Pointing out the shortcomings of an app WRT to other apps isn't grumbling. Learning the strengths and weaknesses is sort of the whole point of reviews.

 

[EmeraldArcana]

The drawing on the free version has some strange behaviour. I tried drawing with two fingers, and it made a straight line between them. That seems a bit counterintuitive, but I figured that this application instead of drawing two lines at the same time, instead drew a line between two finger presses. I couldn't get it to replicate though.

The drawing is fast (as you'd expect if it's LAN only) and it's kind of cute to play Pictionary with, but so far I have yet to be convinced that it's worth my $4.99. It would be pretty killer to see this work across the Internet beyond the LAN.

 

[simpleWho]

I am trying to figure out how is it different from you current screen capture and broadcast applications?

 

[cpncrunch]

You should also check out Groupboard (http://www.groupboard.com) - a real-time online whiteboard that works on any browser as well as iphone/ipad and is completely free for up to 5 users. It has more features, is more reliable, and you don't need to be on the same network (it works across the internet).

 

[Smykes]

I found the drawing engine on this app to be pretty crappy for what it's worth, there are definitely better ones on the iPad, albeit without this shared whiteboard idea.

Of course there are a million apps with a better drawing engine, but for me the drawing features short comings is made up for by the app's selling feature.

 

[Venture]

What's wrong with making a blank slide at the end of PowerPoint presentation and jumping to that when you need to whiteboard. Use the Pen tool and see things as you write them. No doubt the drawing tools are not as good as this application, but it's always worked for me.