Apps

Viber gains improved spam handling and reporting in latest iPhone update

Viber for iPhone was refreshed this morning in the App Store with improved spam handling. I've noticed an increase of spam messages on Viber lately as I've been regularly getting spam messages from seemingly random people telling me I've won a free iPhone or some fishy contest prize.

While Viber offers the ability to block unwanted contacts from messaging you, this update should help sort out the influx of spam on the service.

No other changes are mentioned for Viber 5.5.1, a free download from the App Store.

Apps of the week: Disneyland, Pac-Man 265, Final Fantasy VII, and more

It is the weekend again. But, not everyone will have the joy of sitting on the porch with friends, cracking a cold one and a joke as the hours slowly tick by. Some of us will be pulling weeds in the hot sun, or driving hundreds of miles to visit family, or even working.

No matter what you are doing this weekend, try to make time for relaxing. If you are looking for some new apps and games, check out our list below. You might find just what you need to make your weekend perfect.

Leaderboards and more added to Foursquare’s location check-in app Swarm

Foursquare's dedicated check-in app, Swarm, has been adding missing features ever since the startup split the main mobile app's functionality into dedicated place discovery and check-in apps.

The new Swarm 3.0 for iOS, which released earlier this morning, brings back leaderboards after gaining mayorships early in the summer. In addition, messages and notifications have been unified under a single inbox view.

Your worldwide and nearby views are now folded into a single Friends tab and a revamped Here Now section is now located under the Nearby section.

Google Photos gains Timehop-like blasts from the past, new sharing options and more

Google's standalone Photos application for the iPhone and iPad today received an update in the App Store, bringing a few new sharing options and other enhancements to your on the go photo-management experience.

Google Photos 1.2 for iOS, a free download in the App Store, will also show you photos and videos from the past so you can take a brief walk down memory lane, a new feature provided in the form of cards in the Assistant view.

I’ve become addicted to this game, and so will you

I'm not much of a gamer, but every once in a while, I come across a little gem that gets me hooked for a short period of time. Circlestances is one of those games.

The concept of the game is pretty simple. Two circles are moving in random directions on your screen. Your goal is to tap the screen every time they overlap. The more they overlap, the more you score. Sounds too simple? 

Puzzler Quell Memento+ goes free as Apple’s App of the Week

Apple has just named Fallen Tree Games' "Quell Memento+" its App of the Week for this week. This means that from now through next Thursday, you’ll be able to download the critically-acclaimed puzzler for free on both iPhone and iPad—saving you $2.99.

If you've never played Quell Memento+, it's a zen-like puzzler set in an old abandoned house. Players are tasked with solving puzzles to restore order to the jumbled memories of the last occupant, which then leads them on a haunting journey of self-discovery.

As Apple News launch draws nearer, Flipboard rolls out new personalization features

After iOS 9 launches this fall, reading aficionados and news junkies will have a field day consolidating their reading experience via a brand new Flipboard-like app.

Called News, it basically aggregates news stories and popular blog posts from around the web and presents them in a beautifully decluttered view with smooth layouts made possible by the new Apple News format.

But Flipboard isn't standing still either.

Today, the social news aggregator service began rolling out some changes to its mobile app which it designed to help users fine-tune their Cover Stories view using an all-new thumbs-up and thumbs-down system.

1Password for iOS gains quick vault switcher, Touch ID and Apple Watch updates and more

1Password, the popular password manager for iOS, OS X and Windows by developer AgileBits, today received a nice little update in the App Store which bumped the app to version 5.5 and brought out a couple notable improvements.

In addition to a brand new quick vault switcher, 1Password 5.5 contains improvements to TouchID authentication, shared lock settings, browsing Credit Card items on your Apple Watch and other tidibts.

iTranslate updated with keyboard extension and Apple Watch support

Sonico pushed out an update for its iTranslate app today, bringing the iOS client to version 8.4. The software, which is regarded as one of the best translation apps in the App Store, now comes with a keyboard extension and proper Apple Watch Glance.

The keyboard extension is particularly significant, since it can be used in most iOS 8-compatible apps. So now, instead of having to open the iTranslate app to make a translation, you can do it on the fly in WhatsApp, Mail or your favorite Twitter client.

Infuse 3 updated with Touch ID support, faster browsing and more

FireCore updated its versatile media player Infuse 3 for iPhone and iPad today, bringing the app to version 3.5. The update brings about a number of improvements, including faster SMB browsing and a fix for those having AirPlay issues.

Additionally, 3.5 adds support for passcode and Touch ID locking, meaning you can now secure the app using one of these options. This way, videos and other media files you'd like to keep private can only be accessed via proper authentication.