Apps

Apps for cord-cutters

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Since the beginning of cable (it used to be called "pay TV"), people have been complaining about having to pay too much money for channels they don't want. Unfortunately, cable providers had solid contracts with networks and weren't willing to make compromises for their customers.

Things have changed a lot since the days of pay TV and you can now get much of the content you really want, without having to pay for 100 channels that you don’t. We've got a list of apps for cable subscribers who are finally ready to cut the cord.

Apps of the week: Thomas was Alone, Atom Run, Happy Camping, and more

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

This week was another great one for new apps and games. Sometimes, it is hard to believe that technology has advanced so much in the past decade that we are able to do the things we can do on our mobile devices.

This weekend, you may be looking a game to help you pass the time, or you may be looking for an app to help you plan for your upcoming vacation. Whatever the weekend holds for you, we’ve got a list of apps and games you should check out…

Google buys visual translation app Word Lens

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2018

Google has just purchased Quest Visual for an undisclosed price. The startup is behind the innovative Word Lens application which Apple recently highlighted in its 'Powerful' Phone 5s ad. The deal was confirmed in the startup's blog post.

The team has decided to make both the Word Lens app and the additional language packs free to download for a limited time, "while we transition to Google". If you haven't tried out Word Lens yet, you should do so right now, while it's still available.

The remarkable software taps Quest Visual's technology to detect text in a live video feed coming from your iPhone's camera. It then replaces foreign language words and sentences with an appropriate translation - matching fonts and graphics, in real time!

How to view ‘Most Recent’ feed in Facebook 10.0 for iOS

Joe Rossignol ∙ May 16, 2014

Facebook for iOS was recently updated to version 10.0 with several improvements, including a faster news feed and the ability to draft posts without an internet connection. The option to switch the news feed to "most recent" view, which displays the latest posts in reverse chronological order, was also hidden within the settings of the social networking app. By default, the app now displays posts based on a "most popular" setup. If that isn't your preference, there is no need to be worried. Here is an extremely simple tip for how to switch back to the "most recent" feed on Facebook…

Game Stew launches another RPG mash-up with Devil Shard

Lory Gil ∙ May 16, 2014

The team at Game Stew Studios is best known for their charming retro role-playing game (RPG) Tower of Fortune. In that mix between adventure and chance, players would battle against the forces of evil to try to reach the top of the terrifying tower. The sequel proved to be just as adorable and twice as hard.

Devil Shard is the most recent release from the mash-up loving team. This time, instead of mixing RPG with slot machines, players fight enemies using a match-three mechanic. Talk about identity crisis…

Instagram update removes option to share likes and activity to Facebook

Cody Lee ∙ May 16, 2014

Instagram updated its iOS client last night, bringing the app to version 5.0.11. The update is small—the change log only mentions one alteration—but significant, as it takes away the auto-sharing of activity to Facebook.

More specifically, users will now only be able to share images deliberately to Facebook using the in-app share button. So the change should go a long way in decluttering News Feeds, a common complaint amongst users...

Kayak Pro goes free as Apple’s App of the Week

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 27, 2018

Apple has named the popular hotel and flight-booking app Kayak Pro its App of the Week this week. This means that through next Thursday, you’ll be able to pick up the application for both your iPhone and iPad, for free—a modest savings of $1.

For those unfamiliar with Kayak, it's considered by many to be the top mobile travel app. It essentially works as a search engine for hundreds of travel sites, allowing you to compare prices for things like flights, cars and hotels, as well as book them...

Flappy Bird creator teases his next iOS game

Joe Rossignol ∙ May 15, 2014

We haven't heard much from Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen since he removed his smash-hit game Flappy Bird from the App Store just over three months ago. After tweeting that the popularity of the game was ruining his life, the Vietnamese developer went quiet for over a month. Since that time, the App Store has been bombarded with dozens of copycat games such as Flappy Bird: New Season.

Then, just yesterday, Nguyen confirmed that Flappy Bird will be returning to the App Store in August with less addictive gameplay and a new multiplayer mode. Building upon that news, the indie game maker has now announced that he is also working on a brand new game that will involve a character jumping from building to building. He gave a sneak peek of what the game looks like in a recent tweet…

Enter Leo’s Fortune Hardcore Challenge for a chance to win an iPad mini

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

By now, some of you will have already completed the fantastic new platform game Leo’s Fortune, which also means that some of you are probably on the path to beating the game in Hardcore mode. So far, no one has managed to beat the game this way yet. If you manage to make it all the way to the end of the game without dying, you might win an iPad mini.

The game’s creators are offering fans of Leo’s Fortune the chance to win big by beating the game in Hardcore mode. So, you’d better take a week off of work, get your MFi game controller charged up and get going. Someone is going to win this contest, and it might as well be you…

iTunes Connect app updated with new design for iOS 7

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 27, 2019

Continuing with its wave of updates today, Apple has posted a new build of iTunes Connect for iOS. The update brings the app to version 3.0, and includes a long-awaited UI redesign in-line with the new look of iOS 7.

For those unfamiliar with iTunes Connect, it's what allows developers to access sales data for their apps and e-books. And with today's update, artists can now use the app to access data for moves and other media as well...

Flappy Bird: New Season – an unapologetic clone as good as the original

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 29, 2018

If you can't wait for the official return of Flappy Bird in the App Store, then here is a clone that will surely keep you tapping your iPhone screen frenetically until this Summer. Called Flappy Bird: New Season, this clone is as close as the original as it gets.

As a matter of fact, it is so close, that even the developer's name is the same as the original Flappy Bird's Dong Nguyen. But don't be fooled, this is still a clone, even though some of the raving reviews peg the game as the "closest clone to the original version."

Apple updates Podcasts app with Siri integration, CarPlay support and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 1, 2014

Following big updates for Mac OS X and iTunes, Apple has this afternoon published an update for its iOS Podcasts client. The update brings the app to version 2.1, and includes a handful of new features and improvements.

Among the new features are Siri integration and support for CarPlay. Users can now ask Siri to play specific podcasts by simply saying 'play' and then the name of the podcast file, and control the app using a CarPlay vehicle...