Shapr, StatMuse, Check, and other apps to check out this weekend

This week's edition of our Apps of the Week roundup features a Tinder-like app for networking with like-minded people, an engaging sports app, and an ephemeral todo/task manager. And as always, we've picked two great new games for you to check out.

Shapr

This isn't a new app, but it's an interesting concept that I think is worth checking out if you haven't yet. Shapr is a personalized, mindful way of networking. Based on your interests and experience, the app provides a daily dose of inspiring, like-minded people to meet nearby in your area. Whether you're seeking friends or employees, each swipe is a new opportunity and a new discovery. Think of it like a dating app, but for professional networking. Kind of cool, right? Shapr is available for free.

StatMuse

Sports fans looking for a new way to follow and learn about their favorite teams and players may want to check out StatMuse. This app allows you to talk with your favorite players and personalities for your daily sports conversations. Keep up with the latest scores, stats and original content about the teams you love through personalized musings, and get instant NBA, NFL and MLB trivia answers dating back to 1876. Features the real voices of greats like Peyton Manning, Jerry Rice, Drew Brees, and more. StatMuse is available for free.

Check

Now I know what you're thinking: great, ANOTHER todo list app. But I like options, and for the folks out there in search of more options for todo list apps, this one might be worth Check-ing out (see what I did there?). Check is an ephemeral to-do list app of sorts. You can rapidly create new tasks and add a duration period. At the end of that duration, your todos will expire and disappear. Ultimately you can revive the tasks you don't finish from your "task graveyard" but the whole concept of getting your tasks done before they're gone is the motivation here. Maybe this works for you, maybe it doesn't. Either way, Check....it out. Check is available for free.

Iron Marines

From the creators of the award winner Kingdom Rush trilogy comes the most extraordinary space odyssey. A real-time, dynamic and deep strategy game that will transport you to amazing and unknown planets. Immersive, engaging gameplay, ridiculously appealing art, and a touch of silly humor. Brave soldiers, mighty mechas and powerful aliens await your command to face the greatest challenges. Yes this is a trashy freemium game with tons of IAPs, on top of an initial purchase price, but early reviews are through the roof. Iron Marines is available for $5 (with several IAPs).

Drag'n'Boom

In Drag'n'Boom, you play as a rebellious teenage dragon and burn everything your path! Roast the neighboring lords and steal their gold in order to mass the greatest treasure ever held by a dragon. It's a unique mobile gaming experience. The left side of the screen controls your movement: jump, fly and charge your prey, and the right side lets you spit fireballs: pillage, burn and ransack. There are over 50 levels to power through and a leaderboard, so you can challenge your friends for high score. Drag'n'Boom is available for free.

More apps to check out Apple’s free app of the week: INKS. Automatically download fresh desktop wallpapers every hour with Irvue

This tweak brings some of the boldness of iOS 11 to your folders

Admittedly, I’ve never really liked the way folders looked in some of the latest iterations of iOS. They take up the whole screen, but only utilize a fraction of it for a functional purpose. In my opinion, Apple is wasting so much space with the current setup.

A new free jailbreak tweak called Bolders by iOS developer candoizo helps fix some of these shortcomings by transforming iOS folders into actual full-screen works of art.

NowPlayingHUD hides the volume HUD when media is playing

Whenever you adjust your iPhone’s volume, a HUD appears that indicates your volume level while you tinker with it.

Not everyone is a fan of the way the volume HUD looks, hence why so many tweaks modifying its appearance exist in Cydia, but iOS developer Cole Cabral had another idea, so a new free jailbreak tweak called NowPlayingHUD was born.

Give the Photos app the features it needs with PhotoManager

Compared to other operating systems, iOS' Photos app has always left a lot to be desired. Fortunately, a new jailbreak tweak called PhotoManager by iOS developer Frozen Penguin can fill in the blanks with the features you’ve always wanted in your stock photo app.

Compared to some tweaks, which just add one extra bell or whistle here and there, PhotoManager introduces a plethora of genuinely useful features that you’ll actually use. For that reason, I found it very exciting to delve into what the tweak has to offer, and I think you'll feel the same way once you see it for yourself.

Shrink pop-ups in the Music app with MusicSmallerAlertsPlz

When you perform certain actions in Apple’s Music app, such as queueing a song to play next, a massive alert pops up that’s nearly as intrusive as the stock volume HUD is.

A new free jailbreak tweak called MusicAlertsSmallerPlz by iOS developer HiDan works to shrink those alerts to a more comfortable size to help keep them out of your way as you use the Music app.

Case-Mate iPhone X cases are in stock and ready to ship

You are ordering a brand new iPhone X soon, but want to protect your future investment. Case-Mate announced their new line of iPhone X and there appears to be something for all genres of taste. I tried to cover cases that were most specific to our readership and I intentionally included a unique flower version too! It's cool, I promise. Take a look inside for the new additions and order a case in time to take that iPhone out of the box and straight to a case. All these cases are in stock too!