New Apps & Games

Word, Excel and PowerPoint hit iPhone: Dropbox support, new features, basic editing now free

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 6, 2014

Thursday, software maker Microsoft announced immediate availability of Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps for the iPhone following the release of Office for iPad applications back in March 2014.

Moreover, the company has refreshed the entire iOS Office suite with Dropbox integration and adding other new features to “ensure a consistently beautiful and productive Office experience on every device”.

In addition to the new Office for iPhone and update iPad apps, Word, Excel and PowerPoint are coming to Android tablets with the start of Microsoft's Office for Android tablet Preview program. Finally, brand new, touch-optimized Office apps for Windows 10 are in the works and “we’ll have more to share soon”.

Universal Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps are free in the App Store.

Runtastic’s new iPhone app improves your sleep habits

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 6, 2014

Runtastic on Thursday released an interesting new iPhone application in the App Store which focuses on improving your sleep habits without using a wearable device, bedside sensor or any kind of special hardware.

The new Sleep Better software is fully integrated with Apple's HealthKit platform so it can optionally upload your sleep data to Apple's Health app on iOS 8, allowing you to access and view all of your health and fitness data on one comprehensive dashboard.

Tapping the iPhone's many sensors and supporting Airplane mode, Sleep Better not only tracks your sleep patterns such as Cycles, Duration and Efficiency, it also tracks moon phases and offers Smart Alarm and Wake-Up Window features and more.

Sleep Better is available free in the App Store, with advanced features locked behind a one-time In-App Purchase.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Companion app hits iOS ahead of tomorrow’s console release

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

The official mobile companion app of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare has been released in the App Store on Monday ahead of the game's global release on consoles tomorrow, November 4.

Featuring Clan Wars, emblem editor and more, the companion app makes it easy to create and manage your clan, produce in-game player and clan emblems on mobile for the first time ever that sync with the console game and even participate in Clan Wars on your iPhone and iPad.

The app is available free of charge in the App Store.

Time Warner Cable’s new app lets you use their home phone service on iPhone at no additional cost

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

Your Home Phone service from Time Warner Cable is no longer limited by physical location as the nation's second largest cable company behind Comcast revealed a new iPhone application Tuesday.

Dubbed Phone 2 Go and available as a free download from the App Store, the software allows existing TWC Home Phone subscribers to use text, voice and video calling for no additional fees.

In addition, you can decide whether you'd like to use your Home Phone service to receive voice and video calls and text messages on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad anywhere there's Wi-Fi or cellular coverage, including overseas.

Facebook takes on Reddit with anonymous posting app, Rooms for iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

Facebook on Thursday unveiled a brand new iPhone application. Called Rooms and available free of charge in the App Store, it's a flashback of sorts to the Internet bulletin boards which used to be all the rage in the 1980s. It's essentially that anonymous Facebook sharing app that the The New York Times reported on earlier this month.

A Facebook Creative Labs project, Rooms lets you create places for the things you're passionate about.

It's fairly straightforward: just pick your favorite topic, customize the look and feel of your room and share with others. Others can join your rooms either through private invitations or by posting a public link.

If that sounds familiar, it's because Room is a lot like Reddit. “It's perfect for the things you love and interests that make you unique,” said the social networking giant.

NHL 2K hits the App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

2K Games on Thursday released NHL 2K for the iPhone and iPad, a successor to its previous hockey game which can no longer be found in the App Store. Unlike rival Electronic Arts's sports-themed freemium games, NHL 2K is a paid download that will run you eight bucks a pop for the privilege of playing the full game that doesn't limit your gameplay or constantly ask for cash.

Featuring iOS controller support, live roster updates, the My Career mode where you control one player and earn skill points to build up ratings over multiple seasons, turn-based multiplayer penalty shootout using Game Center, in addition to a fast-paced arcade style 3-on-3 mode, this one's feature packed and well poised to storm the App Store charts.

Pixelmator for iPad is here

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 23, 2014

Announced at Apple's iPad media event earlier this month, Pixelmator for iPad launched on Thursday at a special introductory price of $4.99. Originally a Mac app, this incredible Photoshop replacement, built exclusively for the Apple tablet, has all of the hallmarks of its Mac counterpart.

The app's been especially optimized to take advantage of the power provided by the Apple-designed A8X processor ticking inside the new iPad Air 2, though it runs plenty smoothly on A7 devices like the iPad mini 2 and the original iPad Air.

The range of features and capabilities that have been ported over from the Mac edition is astounding and I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that this is one hell of an image editing application that fans of mobile photography and productivity have been craving for since the iPad's inception.

Google launches a different take on email: introducing Inbox by Gmail

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2014

Writing on the Official Gmail Blog Wednesday, Google announced immediate availability of a new email app for iOS and Android, Inbox. Available free of charge in the App Store on an invite-only basis, Inbox represents “a completely different type of inbox”. The app strives to surface the most relevant stuff that often gets buried and forgotten due to an avalanche of unwanted emails we get bombarded with.

Built by the Gmail team and “years in the making”, Inbox has been conceived to fit your life by keeping your emails organized to “help you get back to what matters”. That sounds much like Mailbox.

Jump past the fold for the full reveal.

Rovio’s Flappy Bird-inspired Retry launches globally

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 19, 2018

After soft-launching its retro-style arcade flying game inspired by the Flappy Bird craze in Canada, Finland and Poland, Retry by Rovio is now available internationally.

Released under Rovio's LVL 11 experimental label for internal games which don’t quite fit the overall Rovio brand, the addictive free-to-play download will have you thinking that “you’ve stepped into an 8-bit time machine and gone back to 1986″.

Another official Pokemon game has landed in the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ October 21, 2014

The Pokemon Company today released its second official game for iOS called Camp Pokemon. Aimed at kids between 6 and 8 years of age, the title takes place on an immersive island filled with various mini games that teach players what it takes to become a Pokemon trainer.

Completing each of these activities will net players a pin, which they can view later in their Pin Book, allowing them to track their progress. They can also collect stickers, which can then be used to decorate photos taken with either iPhone or iPad cameras from within the game.

Tumblr launches new desktop app in the Mac App Store

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

Tumblr today released a new desktop application for OS X Yosemite in the Mac App Store. Complementing the micro-blogging site's iOS client, the new app allows users to browse Tumblr, post to their own blogs, and perform various other actions.

The UI is very minimalistic, and goes great with the new design language in Yosemite. The app also takes advantage of a few OS X features such as Full Screen mode, and the Share button—you can post to Tumblr from almost anywhere on your Mac.

Rovio releases Angry Birds Transformers globally

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Following its soft-launch in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Finland on September 25, Rovio's Angry Birds Transformers is now available globally as a free-to-play download for the iPhone and iPad, the Finnish mobile games maker announced Wednesday morning.

Featuring cars, trucks, tanks and planes and a plethora of heroes and villains with unique attacks and abilities, the movie tie-in challenges your Autobirds (I chuckled) to save Piggy Island from the crazed robots on a mission to nuke it out of orbit.