Lory Gil

Writer of all things app related, traveler of the space-time continuum, baker of really great cookies. Follow me @appaholik

République Episode 3: Ones & Zeros now available as an in-app purchase

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Last year, an unassuming stealth game found its way into the App Store. Thanks to the incredible talent of the development team at Camouflaj, République gained a massive following and is a big hit with mobile gamers.

This week, the company announced that the third installment of the five-series game has just launched as an in-app purchase. If you are following the epic struggle of Hope and her escape from the oppressive clutches of the Overseer, you can download Ones & Zeros inside the game today.

TinType by Hipstamatic brings 100-year-old photography to the iPhone

Lory Gil ∙ October 25, 2014

When I was a kid, I would dig around in my grandmother’s box of old photographs. I distinctly remember the first time I came across a tintype picture. It was so unusual. Not just because of the silly knickers the boys in the pictures wore, but because of the ornamental frame it came in with the location stamped on the backside. The strange, slivery-black high-contrast of the image also gave it a haunted look.

TinType by Hipstamatic is the next big thing in the company’s trendy photo filters. With this one-off app, you can make your selfies look they were taken in the 19th century.

Apps of the week: Hitman GO, Retry, Zero Lives, and more

Lory Gil ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Now that some of you have your brand new iPad Air 2 in hand, what awesome games are you planning on spending the weekend playing? The App Store has dozens of games that use the Metal framework and there are sure to be more coming in the near future. If you are looking for apps and games to test out on your new iPad or iPhone devices this weekend, we’ve got a list of things we think might be of interest to you.

Skullduggery! digs into physics-based gaming in a special way

Lory Gil ∙ October 22, 2014

Physics-based games have really turned into something special. It was only a few years ago when games like Angry Birds were little more than the same game with a new skin. However, developers have found new ways to make the slingshot mechanics work in fun new ways and the category has taken on a life of its own.

Skullduggery! is a new game that features the familiar drag-to-launch mechanics that are so well known in physics-based games. But this title mixes in a bit of platform action to turn it into more than just a game of toss the birdy.

The best PDF management apps for iPhone and iPad

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Thanks to technological advancements like the iPhone and iPad, we no longer have to cut down as many trees in order to keep productivity going. With the features that many PDF readers have, you can download a document, sign it, and return it to the sender without having to print out a single piece of paper.

If your list of PDF files is growing by the minute, you might need a dedicated app for keeping them organized, while still allowing you the ability to annotate and edit. We’ve got a list of what we think are the best PDF management apps for iPhone and iPad that will let you edit, annotate, or even sign PDF documents.

Copy & Paste is a handy clipboard manager widget

Lory Gil ∙ October 18, 2014

Sometimes, I want to quickly access a very specific or short bit of text, like a phone number from an email that I don’t want to save to my contacts, or a quote from a movie that I want to remember to share with a friend. I will usually copy text and save it in my Notes app, but there is now an easier way to store multiple copied pieces of text without having to even open an app.

Copy & Paste | Clipboard Widget is a simple app with one very useful feature. Copy any bit of text or image and it will automatically be saved in the Today section of Notification Center. You don’t even have to keep the app open in Multitasking for it to work.

Apps of the week: Helix, NBA 2K15, Alien Blue, and more

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Well, all of Apple’s new product announcements are done for the year, unless they spring another one on us within the next couple months. Now that you’ve got your new iPhone 6 and are about to get your iPad Air 2, you’ll be ready to sit this winter out with all the apps and games your heart desires. If you are looking for something fun to add to your new device, we’ve got a list of apps and games we think you’ll find very interesting.

Red Riding Hood and the Restless Wolves presents a test of logic and understanding

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

Even though my favorite platform game of all time is Super Mario Bros., I love it when developers shake things up a little and twist a traditional genre into something familiar, but different. Atmospheric platform games are incredibly fun, offer great challenges, and look beautiful.

Red Riding Hood and the Restless Wolves is one such atmospheric platform game that is slow paced, easy on the eyes, and full of great puzzle challenges. Take a walk with Dr. RRH as she tries to get back to her current place and time.

Live an entire life in 10 minutes with “I am a Brave Knight”

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 27, 2018

Some might argue that traditional gaming has gotten boring. So boring that developers have started working on ways to create new, unique titles that work outside of the normal boundaries in an effort to provide a completely different gaming experience.

I am a brave knight looks to feed into that different experience with a title that is so out-of-the-box, it can’t really even be called a game. It will only take you about 10 minutes to journey through one man’s life from childhood to death. Are you brave enough to make it?

Audiko lets you create ringtones right on your iPhone

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

I’ve been using the same ringtone for about two years now. It’s not so much because I love the sound, although I do (it’s the “Enchanted Tiki Room” song). It’s that I’m too lazy to create new sounds to use.

Audiko is a ringtone creator that lets you make your own tracks right on your iPhone so you don’t have to download music off of the web. You can use your favorite songs, quotes from movies, or even the sound of your buddy snoring.

The best apps for writing

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo) takes place every November. The goal is to write a 50,000-word novel between Nov. 1 and 30. That means, participants need to average about 1,667 words per day for 30 days straight. I tried it once. I made it to about 7,000 words and gave up. It’s harder than it sounds.

If you are preparing for this year’s Nanowrimo contest, or you are simply looking for some good apps to help increase your writing productivity, we’ve got a list of what we think are the best apps for writers. Check them out and let us know which one you think is the best.

Inferno 2 review: dual-stick arcade action at its finest

Lory Gil ∙ October 12, 2014

Creating a well made, action-packed twin-stick shooter game for iOS is not an easy task. It seems like most touchscreen dual-stick controllers are so bad that they basically ruin the gaming experience. The developers of Inferno 2 have mastered the dual-stick controller and managed to make a fun game at the same time. We’ve got a full review of Inferno 2 for you today.