Apps

Disney’s iOS-exclusive combat strategy game Star Wars: Commander launches globally

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 7, 2018

After soft-launching in Australia nearly two months ago, Disney Interactive on Thursday released its real-time strategy game for iOS, Star Wars: Commander, on a worldwide basis.

Available as a free-to-play download for the iPhone and iPad, Star Wars: Commander lets you play on the side of the Empire or the Rebellion and "lead epic battles with your favorite heroes".

You'll be challenged to invade other players' bases, charge into battle on distant planets, command your troops and lead machines of war like AT-ATs and TIE fighters into battle, while rising through the ranks as a powerful battlefield commander.

The premium game is set in the period of Galactic Civil War when the Rebellion rallied for justice and freedom while the Empire — as is its wont — sought control of the galaxy.

So, where does your allegiance lie?...

This puzzle game is incredibly simple, but deceptively hard

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 29, 2018

I wonder if there is any study, which shows that playing logic puzzle games improves your brain function. If that were the case, then I would be a genius by now.

Squares: Puzzle Game is one of those titles that make you feel a little bit smarter than you were before you started playing. All you have to do is move some squares around, but the complexity is in its simplicity. We’ve got a game review of Squares: Puzzle Game for you today…

New game from Flappy Bird developer ‘Swing Copters’ now available

Cody Lee ∙ August 20, 2014

As promised, 'Swing Copters,' the latest game from Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen is now available in the App Store. It's free, with a single $1.29 in-app purchase to remove ads, and it supports both the iPhone and iPad.

The premise of the game is actually quite similar to Flappy Bird—navigate your character through obstacles as you scroll through a level. You're going upward this time, instead of side to side, but you're still furiously tapping...

Vine finally lets you upload clips from your Camera roll

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 9, 2018

Vine has announced a significant update for its iOS client today, which will add a number of new features to the popular video-sharing app. The release includes a wide range of new editing tools, as well as the long-requested ability to upload clips from your device's Camera Roll.

A majority of today's changes fall within the app's new camera section, which aims to make it faster and easier to get your Vines just the way you want them. And with new Preview and Undo buttons, you can quickly screen your last clip, and decide whether you want to keep it or not...

‘NFL Now’ lands on Apple TV with news and highlights

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

As expected, the National Football League launched the Apple TV client for its new 'NFL Now' service this morning. The service went live earlier this month on mobile and various streaming devices, and today it comes to Apple's set top box.

While the NFL Now channel won't deliver streams of live games (see NFL Sunday Ticket for that), it will provide a plethora of content for football fans. That content includes classic and recent highlights, breaking news, press events and more...

Beautiful iOS calculator Tydlig goes temporarily free in official Apple Store app

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 20, 2014

Apple is celebrating the life of a college student so they're giving away one education-themed app each week via the official Apple Store client for the iPhone and iPad.

Although some other promo offers are available only to Apple Store visitors, anyone who has downloaded the free shopping app to their device and has a U.S.-based iTunes account can now download Tydlig for free.

Note that these promos are separate from Apple's ongoing Free App of the Week so iOS apps which go temporarily free in the Apple Store app still cost money when accessed regularly in the App Store via their iTunes links.

In the past two weeks, two high-quality apps have gone temporarily via the Apple Store app (not to be confused with the App Store): the gorgeous Rise Alarm Clock and Runtastic Pro, a premium version of the popular fitness tracking software.

If you love calculators, the advanced Tydlig for the iPhone and iPad will be free until next Wednesday, a $2.99 saving.

Here's how you can redeem your free copy of Tydlig...

SoundHound updated, now lets you add songs to Rdio playlists

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 20, 2014

Rdio users, rejoice!

The popular song-matching service, SoundHound, has updated its iOS application with the ability to connect with Rdio and add matched songs to an Rdio playlist.

You can then listen to them instantly in the Rdio app. The free SoundHound mobile client is available in the App Store. But SoundHound seems to be playing a catch-up game to rivals such as Shazam.

As a reminder, Shazam implemented Rdio integration last December. But unlike SoundHound's, Shazam's implementation not only lets you play recognized tracks through Rdio, but also play back full songs without switching apps...

Mailbox for iPhone and iPad gains Drafts

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 29, 2018

Less than 24 hours after releasing the first public beta of Mailbox for Mac bringing new snooze options and support for the Drafts folder, the Dropbox-owned startup has updated its Mailbox mobile client with the same capability.

Sitting at version 2.2, Mailbox now predictably allows you to access your work-in-progress messages stored in Drafts across desktop and mobile apps for Mac, iOS and Android...

Parallels Desktop 10 is out with OS X Yosemite support, better battery life, and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Parallels this morning announced the launch of Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac, the highly anticipated update for its popular virtual environment software. The new version is available now as an upgrade for existing users, and will launch on August 26th for new customers.

For those unfamiliar with it, Parallels Desktop makes it extremely easy to install and run alternate operating systems on your Mac such as Windows or Linux. And today's update adds in [experimental] support for OS X Yosemite, better battery life, and other improvements...

This app tells you what apps are battery hogs

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

Some days, my iPhone 5 works all day with very little battery drain. Other days, it seems like I’ve run out of juice after minimal usage. I’ve always wondered which activities are the biggest culprits in my battery drainage.

Normal: Battery Analytics is a diagnostics app that uses general information about your device and compares it with that of thousands of other iPhone users to help you determine which apps should be killed and which should be deleted altogether in order to spare your battery life.

Hands-on with Mailbox for Mac: a fast, powerful, gestural mail client

Timothy Reavis ∙ Updated February 14, 2018

We first heard rumors of a Mac version of the popular Mailbox app last year, and it was since confirmed as being in development, with a public beta sign up for those interested in early access. Although it's been a while, users who signed up for the beta are finally getting their invites.

I've had the privilege of getting a pre-public beta copy of Mailbox for Mac, and I've been putting it through its paces ever since. Here are some thoughts on the OS X edition of this incredible mail client.