App Store Apps

Apps of the week: Mazecraft, Trackd, Focus, and more

With the new update to iOS 8 and iTunes 12, it doesn't seem like there could possibly be any time to play around with new content from the App Store. I mean, you can finally add songs to new playlists and actually use iCloud Music Library.

However, I will always find time for new content from the App Store. That's my job. If you are looking for a new game to try out, or wish you could write songs remotely with friends, we've got a list of apps and games you should check out this weekend.

Time Surfer goes free as Apple’s App of the week

Apple has just named Kumobius' "Time Surfer" its App of the Week for this week. This means that from now through next Thursday, you’ll be able to download the popular endless arcade runner for free on both iPhone and iPad—a solid savings of a buck.

If you've ever played Tiny Wings, Time Surfer will feel somewhat familiar. The basic mechanical gameplay is the same—tap the screen to pull in close and gain speed, release to fly. But make no mistake, everything else is much faster and far more intense.

Extensify: an upcoming tweak store for non-jailbroken iPhones

One of the big concerns about iOS 9 is that Apple is rumored to have made jailbreaking a lot more difficult with its upcoming OS update. While the verdict is still out on "Rootless" and what impact it may or may not have on jailbreaking in general, it's time to start thinking outside of the box.

Two developers have done just that. Majd Alfhaily and Kevin Ko, better known around jailbreak circles as @freemanrepo and @uhelios, have created something pretty special. It's called Extensify, and it's a tweak store that allows you to modify and add new features to App Store apps without needing to jailbreak.

When Alfhaily first approached me with word of this, I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical. Tweaks without a jailbreak? Huh? But then I actually tried Extensify and saw that it was legit.

Read my hands-on walkthrough of the exciting new app, and be sure to watch our video breakdown inside as well.

Microsoft Office apps pick up better Outlook integration with ‘Send with Outlook’ and more

Microsoft today issued refreshed Word, Excel and PowerPoint applications for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad in the App Store. The new versions of these mobile productivity apps include several new features, most notably tighter integration with Microsoft's Outlook for iOS app.

In addition to richer Outlook integration across all three apps, you can now change selected text in Word to uppercase, lowercase, sentence case and more, as well as view comments in PowerPoint next to the slide in a task pane.

New Google for iOS update adds always-listening “Ok Google” to in-app browser and more

It's been a while since Google last refreshed its native search application for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with meaningful new features, but today Google for iOS got bumped to version 7.0 in the App Store.

Most notably, the app now supports the always-on “Ok Google” feature within in-app browser, but not only that—it understands what you're searching for in the context of the webpage you're browsing.

Before today, “Ok Google” was only available on the app's search screen and you weren't able to use it if you navigated away from search results.

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 launches on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, no In-App Purchases whatsoever

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad just hit the App Store. This popular construction and management videogame franchise that simulates amusement park originally management debuted on Windows PCs back in 1999.

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 released on Windows more than a decade ago (it dropped on October 26, 2004) and today's release has finally brought the classic strategy simulation title to the iOS platform.

The game costs $4.99 and is free of In-App Purchase schemes.

Twitter removes 140-character limit from Direct Messages

Two months into the announcement that it would remove the archaic 140-character limit from Direct Messages, Twitter today officially made the move in the hope of taking on popular instant messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, Skype, iMessage and others.

For people who use Direct Messages to communicate with their Twitter followers privately, this change couldn't have come sooner because they can now chat on in a single Direct Message without restrictions and “likely still have some characters left over.”

Rdio just brought 500 traditional AM/FM live radio stations to its iPhone and iPad app

Internet radio services like Pandora, Rdio, iHeartRadio, Deezer and many others have been feeling the heat following the launch of Apple Music with free 24/7 Internet radio, called Beats 1. Responding to competitive pressure, Rdio announced Wednesday that it is bringing live-broadcast radio stations to its iOS app, beginning with 500 stations owned and operated by its partner, Cumulus Media.

Apple Store app updated with support for gift cards

Apple on Tuesday pushed out an update to its Apple Store app, bringing the mobile client for its online store to version 3.4. The update adds support for making purchases using gift cards.

In the change log, Apple says "you can now make purchases with an Apple Store Gift Card. Use the built-in Camera to scan new Gift Cards, or import existing Gift Cards from the Passbook app.

Inaugural trailer for The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land for iOS debuts

Developer Next Games on Tuesday debuted the first trailer for its eagerly awaited release, The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land, which is launching in the App Store in October.

The official mobile game of AMC's TV show, this nerve-wrecking survival game is set in a post-apocalyptic, walker-infested world and puts you in the shoes of Daryl Dixon, the TV show's crossbow-toting character portrayed by actor Norman Reedus.

Goat Simulator named IGN’s new Game of the Month, here’s how to claim your free download

Goat Simulator by Coffe Stain Studios is available at no charge as IGN's new Free Game of the Month for August. Goat Simulator is a $5 download on the App Store so this is a nice treat on IGN's part. In this game, you can be—you guessed right—a goat.

It basically challenges you to cause as much destruction as you possibly can as a goat. You can grab your free copy of the game through IGN's webpage by following the instructions provided further below.