Lory Gil

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

Apps of the week: Flow for Instagram, Blend, Orphinion, and more…

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

It is hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. I seems even more incredible that 2013 is coming to an end. I swear, the older I get, the faster time seems to go by. This weekend, I’ll be partying like Santa on the day after Christmas, three nights in a row. So much cookies and eggnog will be had.

Whether you are filling your belly with holiday libations, decking the halls, or just humbugging out of the entire holiday season, we have a list of apps and games to get you through the weekend…

République review: an episodic stealth game in a dystopian world

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

Until this past Thursday, I’d never heard of the “stealth” genre. At least, I didn’t think I had. It turns out, games like Metal Gear and Castle Wolfenstein are part of the stealth genre. I just didn’t know it had a name. I guess you are never too old to learn something new.

République is a stealth game that sprinkles in a bit of action with the hide-and-sneak mechanics. In this game, the protagonist’s only hope is to escape the oppressive control of the Headmaster and your job is to help her...

The 10 best music apps of 2013

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 27, 2019

Music makes up the fabric of humanity’s existence. It is so important in our lives that it is everywhere. In movies, television, stores, schools. Music is also a universal language. You don’t have to know what the lyrics are to understand a song’s meaning.

The App Store has produced some fantastic apps for music lovers and musicians alike this year. Whether you want a new music listening client or are looking for a mobile way to record your band, there is a wealth of apps to help you.

The editors at iDownloadBlog have come up with a list of what they think are the 10 best music apps of 2013. Check out our favorites and then vote for the one you like best to be added to our Best Apps of 2013 list…

Listen: the gesture-based music player you can use without looking at it

Lory Gil ∙ December 19, 2013

Thanks to the iPhone’s mobility, people don’t listen to music the way they used to. There was a time, even before me, when the only way you could listen to prerecorded music was at home, on a huge piece of furniture that housed a phonograph player. You’d sit on the floor and just listen to an album. Nowadays, people do just about everything except sit while listening to music.

Listen: The Gesture Music Player makes it easy for you to control your music-listening experience without having to even look at the screen. Thanks to big buttons and simple gesture-based interactions, you can play tunes while doing almost about anything…

Galaxy Run review: don’t let the name fool you

Lory Gil ∙ December 19, 2013

Whenever I see a game in the App Store with the word “run” in the title, I assume it is an endless runner game that is trying to capitalize on the popularity of Temple Run. I love Temple Run and there are other games like it that are very good, too. However, there are a lot of titles in the endless runner genre and these days, it is hard to find one that offers something new.

Galaxy Run has a deceiving name. It isn’t an endless runner at all. It is a physics-based game that combines fast paced runner action and arcade style mechanics…

Ski Safari: Adventure Time review – Jake and Finn hit the slopes

Lory Gil ∙ Updated March 17, 2019

About a year ago, I was introduced to the bizarre world of Adventure Time. I was very reluctant to watch the Cartoon Network show. It seemed too silly. However, I finally gave in and watched a few episodes. I was immediately hooked.

Ski Safari: Adventure Time is an endless runner game that features the unusual characters that pepper the Land of Ooo. It is based on the popular Ski Safari game that has been in the App Store for nearly two years. This version features the Adventure Time sound track, as well as voice overs by actors from the series…

Quarriors! review: mix deck and dice building in one game

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

Fans of board games will likely already know the term “deck building.” However, the “dice building” genre is not as familiar to gamers. There are only a handful of titles available that feature every board game player’s secret love: dice.

Quarriors! is a dice building game (possibly the first ever) that has just launched in the App Store for the iPad. You don’t get to shake a nice, fat sack of dice while playing, but you do get to satisfy your love of the game of chance…

The Walk review: a fitness app disguised as a game

Lory Gil ∙ December 16, 2013

One of the most fun ways to get in shape came in the form of a clever fitness app disguised as a game called Zombies, Run! With it, users would follow a story that involved saving peoples lives and escaping brain eaters by sprinting and jogging while the app was running in the background.

The Walk is a very similar fitness app. Users complete a certain amount of exercise in order to unlock the next piece of the story. Only with this app, you don’t have to run and if you hate zombies, you won’t have to listen to them moaning as they chase you…

iDB holiday gift guide 2013: Lory’s picks

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

There is still two weeks until Christmas. If you order gifts online within the next few days, you probably won’t even have to pay extra for expedited shipping. If you are still trying to think of something to buy for the person who has everything, check out our holiday gift guide for ideas. Similar to last year, the writers at iDownloadBlog have compiled a list of favorite gift ideas.

Below is my list of favorites for this year. Basically, I thought of a list of things that, either I own myself and love, or hope someone reading will get for me this year (hint, hint). I’ve included gift ideas for music fans, business minded iPad users, and that special geek in your life...

The 10 best productivity apps of 2013

Lory Gil ∙ Updated March 17, 2019

If your New Year's resolution is to get more organized, you probably need an app to help you make your resolution come to pass. You may even need an app to help you come up with a list of resolutions to set next year.

This year was a great year for productivity apps. Since Apple announced the iOS 7 redesign, app developers pushed it into overdrive to redesign, recreate, and rework their apps. Plus, some great new titles found their way into the App store this year. The writers at iDownloadBlog have come up with a list of their favorites and below is a list of the 10 best productivity apps of 2013. Don’t forget to tell us which one is your favorite for our Best Apps of 2013 list…

Apps of the week: GTA San Andreas, The Room Two, Wisely, and more…

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Did you already get all of your holiday shopping done? Probably not. I know I haven’t, and I’m a fairly well organized person. What I should be doing this weekend is finishing up all of my holiday chores. What I will likely be doing is playing games on my iPad.

If you are waiting in line for your gift purchases, trimming the tree, or baking holiday cookies this weekend, we have a list of apps and games that you might find worth picking up…