App Store Apps

Google reportedly tried to buy WhatsApp for $10 billion

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

The entire Internet is abuzz right now with this whole Facebook and WhatsApp deal. For the few that haven't heard yet, the social network announced yesterday afternoon that it has agreed to acquire the cross-platform messaging giant for a staggering $16 billion.

Since the announcement, details of the buyout negotiations between the two companies have begun to slowly trickle in, and as you might expect, some of them are rather interesting. Fortune, for example, is reporting that Google actually offered to buy WhatsApp first...

Camera+ 5.1 lands with new Boost feature, 16×9 shooting mode, Lab refinements and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

iPhone photography fans, pay notice: following a major iOS 7 revamp, developer Taptaptap has delivered the first major update for its popular Camera+ app, a $1.99 download in the App Store.

Camera+ 5.1 brings out several refinements to The Lab feature, as well as some nice improvements and a pair of new features: a new 16x9 shooting mode for taking widescreen photos and a new Boost option for more intense filters.

As you'd expect, the team has also fixed a number of bugs such as a nasty API issue which caused apps like Day One to not work properly with Camera+...

Waze gains Calendar support and event navigation

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 20, 2014

An update to Waze's free mapping, traffic and navigation app for the iPhone and iPad is about to land on the App Store later today, bringing integration with your iOS Calendar, the company wrote Thursday in a blog post.

More importantly, this Waze refresh allows you to navigate to Calendar events with just one tap, making it easy to access location-based events stored in the iOS Calendar, right within the app.

Waze for iPhone is available free of charge in the App Store. This particular update is expected to launch in the App Store later today...

Google Wi-Fi app being tested, takes the pain out of accessing public hotspots

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 20, 2014

Google is testing a new iPhone application which aims to make it easier to access public Wi-Fi hotspots on your handset, Engadget reported Thursday.

The software will make it simple to automatically authenticate and connect users to Google's free hotspots inside Starbucks stores "or wherever they are available".

The publication has learned that the Google Wi-Fi app could even tap users' Google Account to “install a dedicated security certificate on their device to automatically authenticate devices when a connection is available,” bypassing the need to go through the clunky login process when joining public Wi-Fi hotspots...

Astro Golf hits App Store, it’s mini golf with robots in outer space

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 24, 2018

Quick, what could be better than mini golf? Mini golf, with robots, in outer space - of course! Enter Astro Golf by Bolder Games, now available for the iPhone and iPad for $1.99, or half its regular price to celebrate the launch.

The game marries sci-fi concept to adventure elements and physics tricks allowing you to bounce, jump, fly through space, teleport around the course, ride a black hole and what not. Fun obstacles include killer bots, corrosive goo, steam, fire, trap doors and more.

As you can see, this isn't your Daddy's mini golf game. I've included a nice promo video, a few screenies and additional tidbits below the fold...

IQTELL lets you manage emails, contacts, tasks, projects and more in one place

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 24, 2018

IQTELL is a productivity company that offers one web-based service for email, address book, notes, calendar, to-do lists, and more. The company’s goal is to simplify your digital life, regardless of what operating system you work with.

IQTELL – Get Things Done (GDT) is a productivity app that combines actions, to-do items, email, and projects. No more switching from app to app to keep track of your daily tasks. With IQTELL, you’ll be able to take care of everything in one place…

Screens updated with new trackpad mode, iCloud Keychain support and more

Cody Lee ∙ February 20, 2014

Popular VNC client Screens updated its iPhone and iPad application today, bringing it to version 3.2. The update brings about a handful of new features and a number of improvements including better URL scheme and Retina display support.

As for the new features, the app now has a trackpad mode, which—as the name suggests—allows you to control the mouse cursor on your computer as you would with a standard trackpad. And it's also gained support for your iCloud Keychain...

Dungeon Highway review: merging 8-bit graphics with modern game mechanics

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 27, 2019

I may have mentioned this before, but I am not typically a fan of the endless runner category. I think its because I generally suck at it. I never get very far and end up frustrated at the lack of progression. However, I do appreciate games that offer an interesting twist on the genre.

Dungeon Highway is a heavily pixelated endless runner that features monsters, adventurers, and lots of blood. Grab the right power ups and your run might just be as close to endless as it gets…

Minecraft – Pocket Edition to gain bigger maps, improved AI, inventory and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 19, 2014

Minecraft – Pocket Edition, a mobile version of the popular sandbox indie game conceived by Swedish programmer Markus "Notch" Persson and developed and published by Mojang, is about to get new features in the next update.

One of the more prominent enhancements: a lot bigger maps. Also on tap: an improved artificial intelligence, a better inventory system and more.

A quick update shared on the Minecraft blog also mentions "a bunch of other things" coming. Jump past the fold for more tidbits...

Aliens, jetpack and more in Gameloft’s latest Gangstar Vegas update

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 19, 2014

French games maker Gameloft has released an interesting new content pack for Gangstar Vegas, the latest installment in its Grand Theft Auto series which hit the App Store in June of last year.

Available in the App Store as a free update for existing users, the Gangstar vs. Aliens content pack pits you against - what do you know - aliens! The game is still set in the City of Sin and this update brings back the jetpack while adding additional missions, weapons, costumes and vehicles.

If you live Gangstar Vegas, strap on your jetpack and kick some alien butt in the Gangstar vs. Aliens update...

Sector sequencer comes with its own probability drive

Lory Gil ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Step sequencers allow musicians to create loops using notes that are played in intervals with customized timing and duration parameters. Depending on what you are going for, they can be either complex or simple. Sequencer machines are usually somewhat heavy and take up a lot of space on a desk or tabletop.

Sector is a stochastic sample slice sequencer that offers the same variety in looping as a physical sequencer, but only takes up the amount of room your iPad does. Plus, this probability-based loop maker turns your notes into crazy mixed up sounds…

Microsoft relaunches SkyDrive as OneDrive, adds referral bonus storage

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

Microsoft announced a few weeks ago that it would be changing the name of its SkyDrive cloud service to OneDrive, and this morning the full rebrand went into effect. This doesn't mean much, as existing apps will continue to work with the service.

In fact, the iOS app has already been rebranded, and it looks like Windows, Mac and Android apps will be updated today with the new name. But there are a few changes being made that are worth noting, like the new Dropbbox-like referral bonuses...