New Apps & Games

Next game by Tiny Wings creator due “in less than three weeks”

We instantly fell in love with Tiny Wings by Andreas Illiger, an addictive game featuring a cute bird flying through a series of random hills. The game still files as one of the best entertainment releases to hit the App Store since Angry Birds.

Apple loves it, too, and it even inspired a charming knock-off dubbed Whale Trail. Having earned a fortune from Tiny Wings, the developer shared a little secret on his upcoming project, scheduled to hit the App Store by June.

Gamers, rejoice: TouchArcade lands on App Store, we go hands-on

We here at iDB love TouchArchade, one of the first and arguably the most comprehensive websites out there for up-to-date news and reviews concerning gaming on the iOS platform. In case you haven't heard about it, TouchArcade is a project by our friends over at MacRumors, one of the longest-running Apple rumor publications on the web, run by Arnold Kim.

Born out of AppShopper, another pet project by MacRumors that provides most of the glue which enhances iTunes meta data by tracking app changes, the TouchArcade website has become the go-to source for my iOS gaming needs.

Having tried the app briefly, I'm happy to report that it's everything you've been hoping for - and then some...

Twitpic for iPhone released, pulls 4 years of your photo-sharing history

Not that long time ago, Twitpic used to be the go-to service to post images to Twitter. This changed last year when the popular microblogging and social media service chose Photobucket as its hosting partner.

In a long overdue move, Twitpic yesterday released an iOS app that lets you edit and share photos in a snap. Though Twitpic still commands a respectable and loyal user base, it really comes a year too late.

The app arrives at a time when Instagrams and Facebooks of this world pretty much rule the social photo sharing landscape and it'll be especially tough for them to compete with Facebook's staggering $1 billion Instagram acquisition...

You know you want it: Hacker News * for iPhone

Run by Paul Graham's funding firm Y Combinator, Hacker News has grown to become a popular destination for news stories about hacking, startup companies, interesting technologies and trending topics. Actually, the site attracts over 120,000 unique visitors on an average weekday.

Given the site's popularity, it really doesn't come as a surprise that there's no shortage of unofficial Hacker News clients for the iOS platform. Today, we bring the spotlight on Hacker News * (asterisk included), a clean, efficient and simple to use front-end to the Hacker News website...

Hm, Apple okays iPad music player with Windows Phone Metro-style interface

Apple tends to yank apps over duplicate functionality, use of private APIs and those that look and feel very much like stock iOS programs. So it goes without saying I was surprised to learn that the company approved Track 8, a $1.99 music player program by Ender Labs. That Apple greenlighted an app resembling a rival platform's UI rather than flaltly reject it is news in and of itself, you'll admit.

Maybe the company just doesn't care because Windows Phone is failing? Be that as it may, people will wonder if a Metro-style interface makes sense on iOS...

The Daily finally hits iPhone, tempts with 50% lower subscription rates

The Daily, a News Corporation-run digital newspaper that exclusively debuted on the iPad in January of last year, is finally available for the iPhone. Following a 15-month wait, the iPad-only publication has now been reformatted for the iPhone.

It's still based on a recurring subscription model, with a caveat: The iPhone-only subscription is priced 50 percent lower than on the iPad, yet offers the same features like social sharing and commenting, 360-degree photos, interactive charts and more...

Narcissism just got its own app, and it’s called Ugly Meter

Define narcissism: excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one's physical appearance. If this sounds like you, or someone you know, you might be interested in this new iPhone app from Dapper Gentlemen.

Ugly Meter uses your handset's front-facing camera to scan (in other words, take a picture of) your face, and then rates your attractiveness on a scale of 1-10 based on a few different data points...

Facebook testing Messenger for iPad with Skype video calling

A new report alleges that Facebook is working to add video chatting capabilities to its standalone messaging app for the iPhone. Additionally, the Facebook Messenger for iPad with video calling is also being tested internally.

Both versions of the Messenger app take advantage of Facebook’s deal with Skype from July of last year which has enabled the social networking behemoth to deliver Skype video calling right within the desktop interface...

Surf the web in total privacy with Onion Browser

If a person wanted to browse the web discreetly on their iOS device, there are a number of ways to do so. For starters, there is the native 'Private Browsing' function in mobile Safari. And there dozens of third-party browsers available with similar features.

But if a person wanted to browse the web in an untraceable, highly-secure, super-stealth manner, they might have to turn to an app like Onion Browser. The software allows you to encrypt, block, and spoof your way to total anonymity on the web...

HackStore: it’s like Cydia for your Mac

Cydia has become a household name in the jailbreak community over the past few years. The underground app store has withstood the tests of time and competition to become the de facto source for apps, themes and utilities that aren't allowed in the official App Store.

Last night, a similar app store launched for the Mac platform called HackStore. No, it doesn't include the same apps and tweaks that you'll find in Cydia. But it does contain apps and utilities that Apple wouldn't normally approve for its official Mac App Store...

Meet Cargo-Bot, the first app created entirely on the iPad

In case you're still not convinced that the iPad is just as capable of creating content as it is consuming it, check this out. A new puzzle-based iPad game just hit the App Store and is being advertised as the first app created entirely on Apple's tablet.

Using Codea, an iPad app described as the "GarageBand of coding software," development firm Two Lives Left created Cargo-Bot. The feature-rich puzzle game includes over 36 puzzles, YouTube solution recording, and stunning Retina graphics...