verso.co.nz

QuickCite is a simple app which uses your android phone’s camera to scan a barcode from the back of a book. The app then looks up the barcode in an online database and emails you a reference to the book in a standard format.

What I like about QuickCite

• The app is generally fast to scan the barcode and return a result.
• The app seems mostly reliable in returning a result for non-fiction books.
• QuickCite is very simple and it’s easy to set set up. On the configuration screen you enter your email address and select one of the four available formats: APA, MLA, Chicago, and IEEE.

What I don’t like about QuickCite

• QuickCite is not so good at returning a result for fiction books. If you need to create APA references for lots of novels, you might be disappointed.
• The app doesn’t always behave as you’d expect of an Android app – eg the back button on your phone does not work when a scan is completed.
• The only option for sharing the reference is via email – one of the strengths of Android is the ability to easily share content with social networks tools or cloud services.
• The only option is to receive each reference as a separate email. A much better option would be for the app to save each reference into a file which you can then send via email at the end of a scanning session.

Overall, the QuickCite app seems a little unfinished for a paid app, and it doesn’t appear to have been updated since its initial release. But if all you need is a simple app that scans a single book and emails you the reference, it could be for you.