App Store Apps

Google Docs, Slides and Sheets gain native support for iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch screen

The Internet giant Google today refreshed its mobile productivity apps in the App Store—Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides—adding support for the iPad Pro's 12.9-inch screen along with other minor improvements.

Although Google's word processor, spreadsheet and presentation apps now take full advantage of the iPad Pro's increased screen size and resolution, these apps are yet to support iOS 9's new iPad multitasking modes, like Split View and Slide Over.

Google’s Photos app gains support for Live Photos and other new features in latest update

Following its announcement that it will be shutting down the Picasa desktop app and the Picasa Web Albums online photo-sharing service, Google is doubling down on its mobile Photos app for iOS and Android.

Last night, the Google Photos app was updated in the App Store to support Apple's Live Photos format. In Google Photos 1.8 for iOS, you can now back up your Live Photos to the Google cloud, as well as view them within the app.

This Apple Watch app buzzes your wrist if you’re about to leave your iPhone behind

The Apple Watch has a nifty built-in feature that lets you ping your misplaced iPhone over Bluetooth, but wouldn't it be nice if the watch could automatically notify you when you're about to leave without an iPhone in your pocket?

A new free of charge app, Lookout, solves that problem in one fell swoop. It keeps not only your iPhone, but your iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch safe and secure and protects your devices from data loss, theft and more.

Ahead of the big tournament, March Madness Apple TV app gains split-screen functionality

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced that fans will be able to enjoy the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship tournament action across more places than ever before.

The official NCAA March Madness Live app now supports a dozen platforms such as the Apple TV, the Apple Watch, Amazon's Fire TV devices, Android tablets and smartphones, Windows devices, Roku players and more.

The Apple TV app promises a redesigned GameCenter experience, support for wireless streaming from a mobile device via Google Cast or AirPlay, enhanced VoD capabilities and an updated Bracket Challenge Game for further access to tournament content.

In addition, the app offers an exclusive Apple TV feature which permits fans to enjoy two live games at once with the split-screen feature.

Apple approves f.lux-like app ‘FlexBright’ [u]

Apple has approved a new app called FlexBright, which allows you to manually adjust the display temperature of your iPhone or iPad. That makes this one of the first third-party apps to make it into the App Store that provides a feature similar to iOS 9.3's Night Shift mode.

It's interesting that Apple would green-light a title like FlexBright, given its history. For those who aren't familiar with the story, last fall the iPhone-maker asked the developers of f.lux—a long-running app with similar functionality to FlexBright—to shutdown their iOS work.

Update: the app has been pulled from the App Store. The developer mentioned on Twitter that Apple hasn't provided any reason for removing the app. 

Viki, Nickel and other apps to check out this weekend

This was a pretty interesting week for iOS releases. We have a Siri-like voice assistant, a well-designed Wikipedia client, an app for sending out random messages, and a new money management app that helps teach kids the value of saving. Check out all of these, and a fun new twitch game in this week's entry of Apps of the Week.

Google launches experimental hands-free payments app

Hands Free, a new Google app for iOS and Android, allows you to pay for in-store purchases without even pulling a smartphone out of your pocket. The Internet giant said that they're piloting the new app so for the time being it's available to South Bay residents.

Those who would test the app shall be treated to up to $5 off their first Hands Free purchase at participating stores, which include a small number of McDonald’s, Papa John’s and local eateries in the area.

Toca Kitchen 2 is Apple’s new Free App of the Week

Apple's in-house editors have selected Toca Boca's Toca Kitchen 2, the official sequel to the wildly popular Toca Kitchen, as a new Free App of the Week on the App Store. Retailing for $2.99, this universal app is now available at no charge for a week, until next Thursday, March 10, 2016.

Released in December 2014, the game has a rating of four and a half starts based on nearly 700 App Store reviews.

In Toca Kitchen 2, you will cook foods for new types of guests, with more tools to play with and new food combinations to test out.

Vimeo now streams 4K video on iPad Pro, gains a bunch of other new features in 6.0 update

Thursday, Vimeo pushed a significant update to its free of charge app in the App Store which lets you record, upload and share high-quality, ad-free clips on the service.

The new app packs updated navigation tools, has richer uploading options and sports a brand new player with support for 4K streaming and enhanced Picture-In-Picture viewing on compatible devices such as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Search is now faster than ever and you can browse new curated categories like Animation, Documentary, Travel and more. Saving videos to watch offline is now easier than before, you can now upload clips from your smartphone and tablets and more.

Get directions to home and work with 3D Touch and Google Maps

As part of yesterday's update to Google's iPhone and iPad mapping application in the App Store which brought pit stops to navigation mode, the refreshed software has replicated one of my favorite 3D Touch features found on Apple Maps: the ability to get directions to home and work right from the Home screen.

In the new Google Maps 4.16 for iOS, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus owners can press the app's Home screen icon to bring up the shortcut menu with two useful Quick Actions: Directions to Work and Directions to Home.