Castle, Panda, Oatmeal, and other apps to check out this weekend

This week’s edition of our Apps of the Week roundup features a new spam phone call blocker, a fun new video messaging app, and a new way to find good places to eat in your area. And as always, we’ve selected two great new games for you to check out.

Castle.

Tired of receiving spam calls? Me too. It seems like most of the phone calls I receive these days are from people trying to sell me something, survey me about something, or ask for a donation. That’s where Castle. comes in. This app was designed to combat the latest trend in spam calls—’neighbor spoofing robocalls.’ It’s where spammers make it seem like they are calling from a familiar, local number so you’re more likely to answer it. Castle. uses an algorithm to block up to 90% of these calls, all you have to do is give it the first 6 digits of a number and it will handle the rest.

Download for free

Panda

Panda is a video messaging app that turns your speech into augmented reality effects. Say “want to get pizza?” and a 3D pizza slice will appear near your head. Say “queeeeen!” and a crown will appear on your head. The app essentially takes the searching/tapping work out of adding effects to your video messages. Now it’s not going to be for everyone, and the app is admittedly still a bit rough, but the concept is interesting enough that it wouldn’t surprise me to see it pop up in far more popular apps like Snapchat and Instagram. See it here first.

Download for free

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an app that aggregates photos from the best places nearby to help you discover places to eat, drink, and have fun. Say you’re looking for a place to eat, you can use Oatmeal to scroll through a bunch of food photos taken at restaurants nearby. When you tap on a photo, you’ll get detailed information and directions to the restaurant. Think about it like a cross between Yelp and Pinterest. In addition to restaurants, the app also shows cafes, bars, shopping areas and a category for things to do.

Download for free

Perspecto

In the mood for a new puzzler? Check out Perspecto. Somewhere between 2D and 3D, the app forces you to use your creativity to solve challenging puzzles. Rotate and move the pieces around so that each large-scale model matches the corresponding shape. Doesn’t look like a match? Maybe all you need is a change of perspective. It’s a simple, sharp-looking game that would make the perfect weekend time-waster.

Download for $2.99

Royal Blood

Looking for something completely different? Check out Royal Blood, by GAMEVIL Inc. War is upon us. The Legion has found their way back into the realm and the fate of the human race rests in your hands. Only you can reclaim the throne in this open-field MMORPG with breathtaking graphics. Choose your class, master your gameplay, upgrade your character and compete in a number of game modes for the throne.

Download for free

Other app news to check out