Ten Apps That Will Teach More Than Textbooks

Now that has changed its , here are 10 mobile applications that could help you learn even more.

Mint

Cost: Free

The Mint application helps college students track, budget and manage their money from their phones. The app monitors savings and checking accounts, creates budgets and tracks spending — all free. No word on if it also helps convince your parents to send more cash.

NOOK by Barnes & Noble

Cost: Free

Barnes & Noble created the NOOK application to provide access to more than 2 million NOOK Books, magazines and newspapers, right from your Motorola smartphone or tablet. Save money and time with a quick download instead of traditional textbooks.

News Republic

Cost: Free

Is your teacher rambling on about a current event that somehow wasn’t mentioned on your favorite celebrity gossip blog? With this app from News Republic, you can catch up quickly and easily on all breaking news. And with the option to personalize and follow specific topics, you won't have to miss updates on the latest celeb breakup either.

Dictionary - Merriam Webster

Cost: Free

Was it a compliment or a complaint when your professor called your term paper "factitious"? What is the difference between effect and affect? With Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, you easily can look up definitions, synonyms and antonyms. This app also offers voice search to let you look up a word without having to spell it — along with example sentences, Word of the Day and more.

Wapedia

Cost: Free

It may not be the best reference for your bibliography, but wikis are an incredibly helpful resource and starting point for quick research or fact-checking while you're working on that big paper. The Wapedia app offers fast access to wikis for up-to-date articles on nearly every topic imaginable. Taking mobile device capabilities into account, the app breaks down large entries into smaller chunks and reduces image resolution so that you can spend more time learning and less time downloading.

My HomeworkNOW & School Alerts

Cost: Free

SNOW DAYS! Learn about them first with My HomeworkNOW & School Alerts, which delivers school alerts and homework updates. Parents and students can stay connected with information on closings, emergencies, backpack notices and updates on class pages or homework assignments.

HopStop

Cost: Free

The move to college often involves a move to a new city. Which begs the question ... where am I? The HopStop application provides detailed public transit and walking directions in dozens of cities throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Whether you're traveling by bus, subway, train, trolley, ferry, taxi, limo or walking, this is the app that will get you there.

Spotify

Cost: Free to $9.99/month

Whether it's helping you study or helping kick off an impromptu dorm dance party, music is a necessity outside of the classroom. Already popular all over Europe, Spotify is an on-demand music streaming service that just made its debut in the U.S. last month. Take your Spotify playlists with you on your phone or tablet so you can listen to music at home, on campus and anywhere in between.

WolframAlpha

Cost: $1.99

How much vitamin C is in ice cream? Where is the lowest point in Australia (.92 milligrams and Lake Eyre, respectively). Gain instant access to expert knowledge with the WolframAlpha app. Students can look up calculus formulas, fact-check research papers and navigate complicated theories, with time left over to settle a bet on which was the largest dinosaur.

37 Ways To Prepare For College

Cost: $9.99

Getting ready for college can be difficult. The applications, the costs and the planning can take time, especially if you wait until the last minute to start. That's where the 37 Ways To Prepare For College e-book comes in. This e-book guides students and parents through the steps and measures to prepare for college — starting from the freshman year of high school.

Information provided by Motorola Mobility Inc.