Web Design on the Go: Essential iPad Apps for Designers
Is there much of anything that an iPad can’t do? They are leading a huge technology revolution across every career field, from medical to education, and from culinary pros to musicians. Not surprisingly, they are also changing the way that website designers work.
There are several iPad apps that support the work of web designers, offering a portable, powerful method of working away from the office. But with so many different apps to choose from, which are the most useful?
SketchyPad is for designing the overall look and feel of a website, but it can also design app interfaces for Apple devices. The available stencils provide drag-and-drop designing, allowing you to select the features you want, label them, add in color, and more. After you’re finished, you can save the file and send it to your main computer. Additional features, like the ability to share files between other iPads without needing to email it back and forth, are currently in the works.
Omnigraffle is another application for designing the overall look of a website. It’s not as involved as Sketchy Pad, and is better suited for quick idea sketches. It also offers drag-and-drop functionality, making it quick and easy to use for when you are struck by an idea that you just have to get down while you’re out and about.
CSS3Machine makes CSS3 easy. You can create a variety of effects without needing to create the code yourself. It supports all of the major internet browsers (including IE9), and lets you see what you’re creating as you work on it.
Gusto was designed for coding on the go. In addition to complete coding functionality, it also has an internal FTP/SFTP client, and can upload and publish web pages right from inside the app. Tabbed editing lets you work on several projects at once, and you can preview projects as you go.
Sketchbook Pro isn’t a new app; it’s been around for quite a while. But it’s still one of the best (if not the best) sketching app on the market. If you create all of your own graphics, this is a must-have application. There are all of the effects you would expect from a quality program of this type, with settings to help you create the effect you’re looking for.
WordPress revolutionized the web design world by creating a web design system that meets the needs of both new website owners and experienced pros. This iPad app allows you to quickly and easily update your WordPress sites, without needing to go through your web browser. You can leave comments (on your blog and on the blogs of others), create and publish blog posts and pages, and add pictures or videos. While it doesn’t offer the full WordPress functionality, it still has a lot of features and it’s great for people who are looking to blog on the go.
What are your must-have apps for web design away from your office? Do you use any of the ones we listed?
