App Store Apps

New Periscope update makes it easier to watch a broadcast with someone you know

Periscope, a Twitter-owned live video-broadcasting app, was updated today in the App Store with changes that make it easier to watch a broadcast with someone you know.

If a person that you follow who also follows you back joins your broadcast, you will now see their name in chat.

“We'll also prioritize their name in the viewers list, and show you how many of your mutuals are in the broadcast right now,” release notes read.

Introducing the iDB app for iPhone

It took us several years to get here, but today we're pleased to announce that we have released an iDB app for iPhone, available now in the App Store. Before I go into the details behind the app's development, head over to the App Store to download it for free right now.

For the past several years, I’ve put off developing an app because, quite frankly, I didn’t feel there was a real need for one. Sure, a few loyal readers were asking for an iDB app, but in my mind, there was nothing substantial an App Store app could offer over the web-based version of the website that you can just visit in Safari.

Late last year, I began thinking about an app that would take a different approach from what every other blog has launched on the App Store. The core idea was that I definitely wanted to stay away from the vertically scrollable format used by most news apps or web apps. I also wanted a format that would give all content inside the app a chance to be seen, instead of accidentally skipped by a quick swipe up gesture. As a result, you’ll see the iDB app offers a different experience.

New TomTom Go Mobile app gives you 50 miles of free offline navigation each month

TomTom, a Dutch company that produces navigation and mapping products and one of Apple Maps data providers, today released a brand new real-time traffic information and navigation app on the App Store.

Dubbed TomTom Go Mobile, the free of charge software is now available globally and shares the same user interface as the TomTom GO satnav app. The app lets you drive up to fifty miles, or 75 kilometers, every month free of charge.

Upgrade to unlimited driving are available through the In-App Purchase mechanism.

Outlook for iOS adds Touch ID protection for your emails, contacts and calendars

After adding 3D Touch support for quickly viewing your calendar or composing a new event or email directly from the Home screen, Microsoft's mobile Outlook app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad has gained the ability to protect your emails, contacts and calendars within the app with your fingerprint, using Touch ID on supported iPhones and iPads. In addition, the Outlook 2.2.2 update packs in a few other refinements and enhancements.

Digit, Dream Machine and other apps to check out this weekend

It was a pretty big week for Apple news, with the iPhone-maker sending out press invitations for its long-rumored March event, but it was also a pretty big week for app and game releases. Our list of titles for you to check out this weekend include an app that helps you save money, a more intimate photo-sharing app, and two can't miss games.

1Password for iOS gains tighter Spotlight and Voice Over integration and other improvements

Developer AgileBits today pushed an update to its password-management utility in the App Store, 1Password.

A forty-fourth update since 1Password for iOS was first published in November of 2012, the latest version 6.3 edition brings improved integration with iOS 9's much-enhanced Spotlight Search, as well as expanded Voice Over support, the ability to pick a vault at launch, better syncing, updated translations, bug fixes and other perks.

OneSafe password manager goes free as Apple’s App of the Week

Apple on Thursday updated its App of the Week promotion with the app OneSafe. This means that for the next 7 days, you'll be able to pickup Lunabee's popular password manager for free for both iPhone and iPad, a solid savings of $5.

For those who aren't familiar with it, oneSafe provides advanced security for your sensitive data with features like Touch ID, decoy safe, intrusion detection, and self-destruct mode. It stores logins, financial data, credit cards and more.

Explore the world of Wikipedia in revamped iOS app with 3D Touch, Explore feed and more

Wikipedia, the world's encyclopedia and knowledge base, has never had an attractive mobile app. That changes today with a major refresh to its app in the App Store permitting users to explore Wikipedia content tailored to their interests via an all-new Explore feed.

Navigations has been greatly simplified with new touch-friendly ways to discover content, 3D Touch support, Spotlight Search integration and more.

The app was obviously designed with the theme of exploration in mind.

“We all know Wikipedia as a quick fact-checking resource, but the new app is designed to make exploring knowledge on Wikipedia a journey,” developers told me via email.

EA announces Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, a collectible card game set in the PvZ universe

Super publisher Electronic Arts today announced Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, a new installment in its popular Plants vs. Zombies series that “takes you beyond the backyard.” A collectible card game, Heroes lets you choose from hundreds of characters across the Plants vs. Zombies universe, including new roster favorites from Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 like Super Brainz, Z-Mech, Citron and Rose.

Featuring comic-style narrative that tells the story gradually as the game progresses, Heroes challenges you to assemble an all-star Plants vs. Zombies team to outwit opponents in battle. The game soft-launched in New Zealand ahead of its upcoming worldwide release.

Social Square puts your favorite social networks in one app

As a rule thumb, the more popular a social network is the uglier, slower and more terrible its mobile app gets.

Facebook's app, for instance, has long been criticized for its battery hogginess, especially after it's been discovered that it's suspiciously circumventing Background App Refresh to continue running in the background when it should not.

That's where Social Square comes into play.

Formerly known as MySocial, this iPhone app by Chase Giles lets you browse Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and Tumblr without having to worry about your iPhone's battery life.

Readdle updates PDF Expert with Handoff support and other enhancements

Readdle, the Ukrainian developer of fine productivity software, has refreshed its PDF management and annotation app, PDF Expert for OS X and PDF Expert for iOS, with support for Apple's Handoff technology.

With Handoff, PDF Expert users can start editing a PDF document on their iPhone or iPad and then continue right where they left off on their Mac, and vice versa.

In addition, today's update includes half a dozen enhancements like the ability to select part of a document and crop or copy it.

Facebook acquires company behind popular face swapping app MSQRD

Facebook on Wednesday announced that it has acquired the popular face swapping app MSQRD, and the company behind it, Masquerade. The terms of the deal are unknown, but it's being reported that the founders will be joining Facebook.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the app, MSQRD allows you to apply various filters and effects to your photos and videos—not unlike Snapchat's 'lenses.' You can apply masks, hats and other accessories, or simply swap faces with others.