Apps

2K announces Sid Meier’s Starships, hitting Mac and iPad early this year

Publisher 2K Games and developer Firaxis Games are gearing up to launch a new interstellar strategy game for Mac and Windows PCs and the iPad, Polygon said Monday.

Coming in early 2015, legendary game designer Sid Meier had a direct hand in designing Sid Meier's Starships, a turn-based, adventure-driven interstellar strategy game in which you'll take the role of a fleet commander after the age of the Seeding.

Apps of the Week: AllCast, Shadowmatic, Starlike and more

Welcome back everyone to our weekly roundup of noteworthy iOS releases. We've seen some great new apps and games land over the past 7 days, from new remote desktop control software from Google, to a new Wii-like bowling game for Apple TV, so you don't want to miss this week's picks.

Bowling Central teams up with your Apple TV for Wii-like bowling action

Rolocule, the veteran developers behind games like Motion Tennis and Dance Party, is back with perhaps its most ambitious title ever called Bowling Central. At its core, the game offers a stellar mobile bowling experience, with state-of-the-art physics, stunning 3D graphics and over 30 unique challenges. But things get really interesting when you turn on your Apple TV.

Utilizing Apple's AirPlay Mirroring technology, Bowling Central can stream gameplay footage from your iOS device to your television set by way of Apple TV. This not only gives you a much better view of the game, but it also frees up your iPhone or iPod touch to be used as a controller for what is best described as a Wii-like gaming experience. Here, check out the demo:

Kickstarter revamps iOS app, adds iPad UI, iPhone 6 support and more

The official Kickstarter app is now available on the iPad, nearly two years following its iPhone debut in February of 2013. Not only does the software sport native tablet interface, it's been thoroughly redesigned as well and now looks way more in line with iOS 8's design aesthetics.

Those who have purchased an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus will be happy to know that Kickstarter will now take full advantage of the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen resolutions rather than look like a ridiculously blown up version of its former self.

Instagram, Google Maps, Foursquare, Uber and other apps get conceptualized for Apple Watch

As noted by Fast Company, Digital agency Huge took it upon themselves to imagine what Apple Watch editions of popular apps would look like.

A batch of believable mockups envision apps like Fandango, Foursquare, Google Maps, Chase Bank and more running on the Watch. The authors also offered a few smart suggestions on how such applications might take advantage of the Watch's unique hardware and software features.

One-stop shop for your entertainment needs: Time Inc. releases new iOS video streaming app

Publishing company Time Inc. has released a new application that acts as a one-stop shop for video content from its many properties.

The Daily Cut, now available free in the App Store, lets you stream videos produced by Time, Sports Illustrated, People, Instyle, Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, Golf, Cooking Light, Southern Living, Fortune, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, Essence and a plethora of other brands and channels.

Though basically an iOS version of Time Inc.'s newly launched website of the same name, available at dailycut.com, the app is pretty nicely done and has some compelling features you should know about.

Microsoft’s OneNote for iPhone picks up Today widget and Recent Notes feature

Slowly but surely, Microsoft's Evernote killer, OneNote, has been picking up major iOS 8-specific features.

The app already boasts Touch ID verification and native Share sheet functionality, has its own Document Storage extension, syncs data in the background and has native display support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus resolutions.

Friday, the software giant pushed a new update giving the iPhone edition of OneNote a much-needed Today widget and another new feature listing your recently accessed notes, no matter which device they're on.

Book accommodations in just two taps with Booking.com’s redesigned, rebranded app

Booking.com, a Priceline-owned hotel reservation service which Planet Earth named its #1 Accommodation Site, has had a pair of nice apps in the App Store for quite some time now.

The first, Booking.com Hotel Reservations Worldwide & Hotel Deals, lets you browse over 550,000 properties and find your ideal accommodation.

The other, Booking.com Tonight, has just been rebranded as Booking Now. Featuring a fresh new coat of paint giving it a modern appearance, the app also introduces new features such as personalized search results, quicker bookings of accommodations within 48 hours and more.

Monument Valley devs reveal $5.8M in revenue and other interesting stats

Mobile game developers Ustwo published a blog post today revealing some interesting figures on their hit game Monument Valley. For those unfamiliar with the title, it's a popular indie puzzler that took home several awards and was Apple's iPad Game of the Year in 2014.

Among the stats provided by the devs is that Monument Valley has been installed on over 10 million unique devices since it debuted in April last year. Due to piracy and promotions, it's only seen around 2.4 million "official sales," but that still translates into $5.8 million.

Apple names ‘Marvel Pinball’ its free App of the Week

Apple has just named ZEN Studios' 'Marvel Pinball' its App of the Week for this week. This means that from now through next Thursday, you’ll be able to pick up the popular arcade game for both iPhone and iPad for free—saving you a buck.

Marvel Pinball combines your favorite super heroes with a fast-paced arcade experience. In the game, players are tasked with using they're pinball skills to help the legendary Marvel heroes rid their universe of a horde of notorious super villains.