Audio/Video

SuperNote, available for the iPhone and Android, allows users to take notes while simultaneously recording. The free app allows one picture per note, but the upgraded version allows multiple photos per memo. The app, which is rated 4.5 stars on iTunes, is effective, however the same thing could be done using the ‘Notes’ and ‘Recorder’ app on a smartphone. Although the app works well, it is not anything special. — Kayla Satterfield

 Creative. Fast. Convenient. VUE has become a leader in the realm of video editing applications. Unlike Videolicious, VUE offers a reliable montage function, useful for journalists who want to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time. One issue: my imports on Instagram and Facebook were sometimes oddly cropped. VUE is available for iOS and Android. — Dillion Eddie

 Making professional quality videos from your iPhone is easy with Videolicious. Videolicious Academy provides users with “video recipes” and tips. My favorite is a recipe showing how to create a video business card, helpful to anyone in the job market. The app claims millions of users, including major news companies. Covering policy changes within an education system but have no experience on this beat? No problem! The academy has specific tips for journalists in your situation. The basic Videolicious app is free from the Apple store, but special features must be purchased.  — Dillion Eddie

 Vont allows you to add text to your phone videos. It uses more than 400 fonts, styles and colors. Like the Adobe Spark series, it could be used by journalists who work in social media. (Text-on-video helps consumers in crowded places who keep video sound off.)  Vont does not fare well when compared to similar apps. It is difficult to position the text in a desired area on the video, and you cannot fade text; videos can be cluttered and frustrating to create. The app is available for both Android and Apple devices. — Connor Van Siclen

 SoundCloud is a free music app that features songs from many different type of genres. Soundcloud is similar to Spotify, which is also free and has more songs, but also too many ad breaks. Soundcloud helps new talent reach large audiences. Soundcloud also offers a journalistic use; it is used for podcasts as well as music. — Connor Van Siclen

 Supernote is a free app that is a step up from the iPhone’s standard note-taking app. The difference lies in the content of the notes. You can add photos and audio to your text. (It can record while you are typing.)  The Apple note app can include attachments, which must be dragged into the note from a desktop. Supernote has the ability to take audio and pictures without leaving the app, but its inability to connect to the Apple iCloud may be enough of a reason to pass. In the meantime, Apple can certainly take a “note” of its own on the importance of capturing audio and photos from within the software. — Kelsey Hess

 Do you wonder how your favorite song would sound if it were a little faster? What about about 2.5 times faster? SpeedUp does just that. Select  any song from your downloaded tracks, and you’re ready to go. SpeedUp can also record straight into the app to speed up your recording, and can also shut off tracks automatically through its Sleep and Study modes, which both seem to do the same thing. For very specific tasks, SpeedUp does the job, but it’s probably not worth the 14 MB it takes up on your phone. — Kelsey Hess

 Sodaphonic is a free, simple audio recorder and editing system that operates through a web browser. Audio editing software is usually downloaded and can be complex and expensive. Sodaphonic allows you to record straight into the website and start splicing immediately. The tool didn’t work in a Safari browser, but opened on Google Chrome and asked permission to use the computer’s microphone. This allows an external microphone to be plugged into the computer, which means that this website is an ideal and economical alternative to expensive software for journalists.  — Kelsey Hess

 Call Recorder is an app made for journalists. Any reporter who has struggled to write down quotes verbatim while doing a phone interview will appreciate this app, which facilitates phone calls and records, even allowing an email option immediately after recording. While the app seems to work well, agreeing to the Terms and Agreements states that all conversations are stored off your phone and with the company. That may be a problem if the content of the reporting is meant for specific ears only. With hacking and cybersecurity being real threats, a reporter should tread lightly when relying on startup apps with confidential sources.  — Kelsey Hess

 True to its name, Quik, by the GoPro company, creates trendy videos within seconds. Users upload as many as 200 photos or video clips. The app selects “great moments,” crops the images and cuts a video with sound. Or customize your video with a straightforward five-button layout, 29 themes and 80 songs. Add text (as you can with Spark Video) but not voiceovers. The 3.4.1 version rates five stars. One comment: “easy, fast and flexible.” As a journalist, I would use this free app to boost my social media presence and preview upcoming stories. — Emily Taylor