New Apps & Games

Rovio releases Angry Birds Stella

Rovio, the Finnish games maker which made a name for itself with the Angry Birds physics-based puzzler series, on Thursday released a brand new game set in the Angry Birds universe.

Called Angry Birds Stella and available as a freemium download in the App Store, it puts you in the shoes of the lead character Stella who joins five of her bird friends on a quest to protect Golden Island from the piggies and the greedy Bad Princess.

There are more than 120 playable levels in this initial release of Angry Birds Stella, with more to come by way of future content updates. Jump past the fold for the full reveal.

Beamdog announces Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition coming to mobile and desktop soon

Developer and publisher Beamdog is soon going to unleash an enhanced edition of its classic role-playing game (RPG), Icewind Dale, on mobile and desktop.

Originally developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment in the summer of 2000, Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition will be hitting the iPhone and iPad soon, Canada-based Beamdog confirmed on its website Tuesday.

Set in Wizards of the Coast’s Forgotten Realms campaign in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, the game includes almost 40 new kits and classes and features cross-platform multiplayer games, an overhauled interface, remastered quests from the original game and more.

Official ‘Ask Me Anything’ app from Reddit now available on iPhone

Reddit, the popular social and news website where users themselves submit content, today released a native iPhone application solely dedicated to its popular 'Ask Me Anything' interviews with everyone from movie stars to astronauts to artists and more.

The app lets Reddit fans browse the latest and best interviews from the popular service (both current and archived ones), ask a question when someone is marked as active, discover new personalities in any field or subject, vote for your favorite interviews (and share them with friends) and much more.

The free of charge software is now available to download in the App Store.

Notability finally arrives to the Mac

Notability by Ginger Labs, the powerful iPhone and iPad note-taker to annotate documents, record lectures, sketch illustrations and more, has leaped to the Mac.

Now available in the Mac App Store for $9.99, the Mac edition completes the experience by extending functionality found in the iOS app to your desktop.

The app makes it easy to create notes by dragging PDFs, photos or audio files from your desktop to Notability.

Handwriting and sketches can be scaled, transformed, rotated, nudged and restyled to your liking. Most crucially, your notes will look the same on your Mac, iPad and iPhone and of course sync seamlessly between devices through iCloud.

Bioshock now available in the App Store for $14.99

Heads up gamers, a major new title has landed on iOS this evening. The official mobile port of 2K Game's Bioshock—thought by some to be one of the best first person shooters of all time—is now available in the App Store, for both the iPhone and iPad, for $15.

For those unfamiliar with the game, it's set in an underwater Utopia in the midst of a civil war. You play as Jack, a cast-away from an airplane crash who finds himself trapped in this mysterious world filled with powerful technology and fascinating characters.

The Walking Dead Pinball hits Mac and iOS

Telltale Games, the creator of the episodic Walking Dead game (itself based on the “The Walking Dead” comic book series by the Eisner Award-winning creator Robert Kirkman), has partnered with Skybound Entertainment and Zen Studios on a Walking Dead-themed pinball game for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac.

The game is available now as a standalone download in the App Store for $1.99.

The Walking Dead Pinball offers a table based on the most iconic locations from the Game of the Year-winning series, including the St. John’s Dairy Farm, Travelier Motel, Bell Tower and Train & Level Crossing.

3D versions of the zombies and famous characters such as Lee and Clementine, along with the original lines and voice acting, round up this nicely done pinball game.

‘Madden NFL Mobile’ is now available in the App Store

Just in time for NFL season, EA Sports has released a mobile version of its latest Madden NFL game, aptly-named 'Madden NFL Mobile.' The release coincides with the game's highly-anticipated console release, which began hitting store shelves early this morning.

The good news is, it appears that EA has really improved graphics and animations over last year's mobile Madden title. The bad news, however, is that not much else has changed. The game still requires an Internet connection, and it's littered with in-app purchases.

Instagram launches Hyperlapse, a smart time-lapse video app

If you're looking for a clever use of the iPhone's gyroscope and accelerometer sensors, look no further than Hyperlapse, a new iOS app by Facebook-owned Instagram which lets you create panning and time-lapse shots, steadycam-style.

The time-lapse feature is similar to one Apple will bring to iOS devices with the release of iOS 8 in Fall.

As for the tracking shots, the software uses advanced algorithms and your iPhone's hardware to smooth out panning shots as if you recorded video with a Steadicam or a professional $15,000 tracking rig.

And in what prove to be a killer feature for folks who loathe Instagram, Hyperlapse can be enjoyed without an Instagram or Facebook account as no signup is required to use the app.

Hyperlapse is available free in the App Store.

Sequel to exquisite stargazing tool Star Walk now available in App Store

Yours truly used to be an amateur astronomer during his education years. And while I'm saddened because no longer do I have the time to set out to stargazing trips, my love for the stars has never waned.

And who could blame me?

Even nowadays, I'd sneak outside on a clear night whenever I feel like reliving the excitement of spotting breathtaking comets or gazing up at the shimmering Milky Way.

But instead of lugging around astronomy binoculars, compact telescopes and other heavy gear, you can see me exploring the night skies using just my iPhone and specialized astronomy apps such as Night Sky 2 and Star Walk.

The latter, by Vito Technology, is one of the best stargazing apps in business. Used used by over ten million people and the winner of Apple Design Award, Star Walk is beyond doubt among the best astronomy apps in the App Store.

As of today, a sequel to Star Walk, predictably called Star Walk 2, is now available on iOS as a $2.99 download for the iPhone and iPad...

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

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?...

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

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...

New Google app: Photo Sphere Camera for iPhone

Google has released a brand new iPhone photography application in the App Store. Dubbed Photo Sphere Camera, it provides functionality similar to the iOS Panorama shooting mode, and then some more.

By continuously taking images as you pan your device around, Photo Sphere Camera then stitches the individual photos together to create a nice sphere-like 360-degree image which can be published directly to Google Maps or shared with anyone on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and via email.

The app is a free download. I've included additional tidbits right after the jump...