Apps

Starbucks preparing coffee ordering service for mobile app

Cody Lee ∙ July 21, 2014

Great news Starbucks-goers. You may soon be able to order your coffee using your iPhone. In a recent interview with Recode, the company's Chief Digital Officer Adam Brotman said that it plans to start testing a pickup service later this year via its mobile app.

The move comes as Americans are increasingly turning to smartphone-friendly services like Uber and GrubHub. And with nearly 15% of Starbucks' US purchases now coming via its mobile app, adding the ability to order from it seems like a natural evolution...

The best email apps for iPad

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Just like when we gave you a list of our favorite calendar apps for both iPhone and iPad separately, we decided to add a list of our favorite email apps for iPad. Sure, some of the same apps below are also on the iPhone list, but there are other apps that work better on one device than the other and we’ve separated them for your convenience.

If you have an iPhone and an iPad, you have probably already discovered that the screen’s size makes a big difference with different app features. Check out our list below of what we think are the best email apps for the iPad…

No Brakes: it’s like driving therapy for your mind

Jake Underwood ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for a game that sports a cute hero. Whether it's a small animal or an abstract shape with a cute face, I can't seem to resist helping the little guy to victory. So when I stumbled by the app icon of the game No Brakes (and heard Sebastien mention the game on the last episode of Let's Talk iOS), I knew I just had to give the game a chance. Read on for my full review...

Apps of the week: Red Ball 4, Dragon Raiders, Ninja Up!, and more

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

As summer starts to heat up, we try our best to stay cool. One way to beat the heat is to keep out of the sun. Stay indoors, play some mobile games, and veg out with your various gadgets.

Whether you need help with tracking your freelance work, are getting excited about Marvel’s new movie, or just want to dig into some good old-fashioned fun, we’ve got a list of apps and games to keep you sheltered indoors this weekend…

Gameloft posts new Modern Combat 5 trailer ahead of launch

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

After more than a year of waiting, Gameloft is finally ready to release Modern Combat 5: Blackout. The studio announced earlier this month that the game will launch for iOS and Android on July 24th, which is next Thursday.

To hold you over until then, Gameloft has posted an official Launch trailer for MC5. While we've seen videos before, this new clip is over a minute long and offers an entertaining look at the game's graphics and gameplay...

Ultratext is a fun app that will spice up your iMessages

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 29, 2018

I'm not big on messaging. I don't do Snapchat. I don't do Whatsapp. I barely use Twitter DMs. However, I'm a pretty big iMessage user, the messaging platform introduced by Apple along iOS 5 in 2011.

iMessage is great because it allows you to communicate with any iOS user in a very simple way. There is no app to download, no account to create, and no password to remember. Oh, and yes, it works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac too.

While trawling the App Store earlier today, I found Ultratext, a fun app that lets you send GIF messages to your contacts, giving iMessage a little more spice and colors...

Square Enix announces ‘Final Fantasy Record Keeper’

Cody Lee ∙ July 18, 2014

Square Enix and developer partner DeNA have announced a new game for the mobile Final Fantasy franchise. It's called Final Fantasy Record Keeper, and you play as Deci, a bright student to Dr. Mog in the history department.

Dr. Mog serves as the record keeper for all previous Final Fantasy games, and his department is filled with paintings of famous battles and other scenes. And if you happen to see one you like, Dr. Mog can use magic to send you in...

Celebrating 40 years of synthesizers, 8 Yamaha music apps go free

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 29, 2018

Good news for all of you aspiring musicians out there. In celebration of 40 years of Yamaha synthesizers, the company is offering a number of its iOS apps for free. This includes some smaller titles, like Set List Organizer, and more prominent ones like Cloud Audio Recorder.

We've listed 8 of the apps below (there may be others), which are normally priced between $1.99 and $15.99. Admittedly, many of them were built to compliment actual instruments, but some, like Mobile Music Sequencer, are fun to tinker with on their own as standalone apps...

RideScout will get you around your city fast

Andrew Kunesh ∙ Updated January 29, 2018

From bike share to rail to ride sharing, if you live in a big city, chances are there is a ton of transportation options to choose from. And with so many options come different pricing, routes, and timing, so it can be tough to pick what works best in each situation. That's where RideScout comes in.

RideScout is a relatively new app that takes multiple forms of transportation into account when searching for directions. The app compares cycling, driving, taxis, ride share, and public transportation to give you the best options in regards to timelines, cost, and health. Read my full Ridescout review to learn more.

Novation Launchpad is a simple but powerful music maker

Jake Underwood ∙ Updated March 17, 2019

Let's cut to the chase: creating music on an iPhone or iPad isn't as easy as it should be. The gold standard, GarageBand, almost requires some knowledge of an instrument, which drastically whittles down the amount of users that can create on the platform. However, the complexity of the music-making process isn't specifically limited to GarageBand, as it is something music-creating apps have struggled with throughout the history of the App Store. Wouldn't it be nice to just press buttons and watch a creation form in front of your very eyes?

Novation Launchpad sure would seem to think so. The app, created by developers Novation, is as simple as it can get, but the results don't suffer from the ease-of-use. Read on for a full Novation Launchpad review...

EU officials upset as Apple remains mum on proposed IAP policy changes

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 18, 2014

In-App Purchase, a way overused feature which provides a way for supposedly free games and apps to ask users for cash in order to enable advanced features or unlock virtual items, is increasingly drawing ire of regulators across the globe.

In-App Purchases are notorious for fooling less-informed adults and kids into downloading so-called freemium apps so it's no wonder the European Union officials have repeatedly warned that companies like Apple and Google should stop labeling free-to-download apps that contain In-App Purchases as "Free".

Companies could soon be forced to make the “true cost of apps” unambiguously clear before purchase, according to a complaint the European Commission filed today...

Gameloft releases endless jumper ‘Ninja UP!’

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Gameloft today released an interesting new game called Ninja UP! It's not a first-person-shooter, movie tie-in, or anything else the studio is typically associated with—instead it's an endless jumper, à la Line Jumper and others.

Gameplay is as addictive as you'd expect. Players are tasked with sending a ninja flying upward by drawing lines that simulate trampolines. The smaller the line, the bigger the bounce, and levels are littered with deadly obstacles...