We’re just weeks away from seeing the new iPad. This comes as a surprise to almost no one considering Apple has already run through four different versions of the tablet since it was first announced in 2010. But even if it’s not the most exciting announcements in the world, it’s still one of those devices that you want to get your hands on. Part of the reason is because of the apps. Apple always picks great apps to show off its devices with, and we’re sure this will be no exception. We still have to wait for the announcement to see what will be on screen, but we have our own app recommendations in the meantime. Here’s our favorite new apps and updates from the past week.
Pollenate, iOS (free)
Most social networks encourage you to over-share about your own life, to talk about yourself for the purposes of allowing others to see what you’re doing. The people behind Pollenate decided that felt a little too narcissistic for their tastes and decided to go the complete opposite direction. Pollenate is a social network that encourages you to post positive things about others instead of yourself. Talk up your friends, tell them how great they are, and hopefully they’ll pay back the favor so every time you open the app it’ll feel like you’re being wrapped in a warm hug.
Boxed Wholesale, Android (free)
There’s an advantage to buying things in bulk: You don’t have to make return trips to pick up more for a long time. The problem is, wholesale stores aren’t always the most convenient places in the world to shop at. There’s often long lines, too many aisles to navigate, and annoying membership plans to deal with. Boxed Wholesale lets you score all of the benefits of visiting a big box store without actually having to step foot inside it. Buy huge orders of whatever you may need sent to your door in two business days. It’s like the Amazon of oversized packed goods.
Edge: Quick Actions, Android (free)
Do you ever feel like you don’t take full advantage of the screen on your smartphone? Like you’re just swiping aimlessly back and forth without ever actually going anywhere or accomplishing anything? You can make the entirety of your Android device’s screen act as a command center with Edges: Quick Actions. The app puts quick settings, useful toggles, and favorite apps in an easy-to-reach space by putting everything you may possibly need at your fingertips with a single touch. Just tap and a bar appears on screen, ready to launch any of your most used functions without you having to go look for them.
Achvr, iOS (free)
Your life is full of firsts. We usually think of things like first steps or first words or first day of school as the milestones that mark our lives, but you could have your very first experience of something any time. Your first time visiting a new place or meeting a certain person or seeing a particular band perform. These are all firsts and memories that you’ll want to hang on to. Achvr will help you experience tons of new things for the first time and will keep track of the experience for you so you never forget it.
PumpUp update, iOS (free)
If you want to get in shape but you don’t want to shell out the expensive costs for a personal trainer, PumpUp can more than suffice to help you in your goal. It’s equipped to help you achieve all your fitness goals with its update to version 2.0. On top of the already handy customized workout plans and step-by-step coaching, now you can add a whole new social element to your workout. Even if you aren’t on the treadmill next to your friend, you can check in and encourage them to keep up with you right in the app.
ToDoist update, iOS and Android (free)
You have a lot on your plate any given day. You have tasks for work that you need to get done, some personal plans you’d like to get to, chores and errands that have probably been put off for too long. It can be hard to keep track of it all and easy to forget even the most important stuff. ToDoist, the popular task manager for iOS, just recently got a facelift to go along with new features to help you stay on task more than ever before. You can now sync all of your tasks in the background so they line up across every device you own.
Circa update, Android (free)
When you see breaking news run across the scroll on the bottom of a news channel or in headline form on your favorite news site, that’s just the start of a story. More information will come in over the course of the day to flesh out the details of what’s happening. Sometimes things get muddled along the way and it can be hard to keep the whole story straight, which is why Circa is so great. Stories are condensed and edited regularly so you get all the information you need and know its up to date. A recent update to the app increased performance on tablets and fixed crashes so you’ll be able to get the news more reliably.
Flickr update, iOS (free)
With all of those new photo apps out there with their varieties of filters and other quick and dirty effects, it’s easy to forget about the photo service that outdates them all. Flickr has been around for nearly a decade now and continues to exist thanks to the strength of the photography community and their beautiful pictures. The Flickr app offers editing tools and live filters to give those snapshots an extra flair, and now with its latest update Flickr has made the jump to iOS 7 with a new look of its own. Add the ability to sign in with a Google account and the handy auto-straighten feature and Flickr looks poised to keep going, even with all those up and comers challenging it.
The Cave, iOS ($5)
The Cave is an adventure title that appears promising based on its pedigree alone. It comes from the creator of the famed Monkey Island series, the team at Double Fine Adventures, and is published by Sega. Without any other information, this game promises to be good. You’ll take control of a team of adventurers with their own personalities and story lines. You’ll drop into a cave and be challenged with puzzles scattered throughout seven adventures, each with multiple paths you can take. There’s tons of game to play here and it’s a throwback-style game that feels right at home on the touchscreen of an iOS device.
Transport Tycoon, iOS and Android ($7)
Do you have a favorite mode of transportation? If you can find a way to get to a destination, you can probably take control of it in Transport Tycoon. The game puts you in control of your very own transport company – a dream come true for many, we’re sure. It’s up to you to build up the company, expanding your services across multiple cities and making sure everything runs smoothly and cash keeps flowing. You’ll be building across a huge world that will begin to feel smaller as you start connecting it all with the over 150 types of vehicles at your disposal. Design, build, and become a transport tycoon.
Marvel Puzzle Quest, iOS and Android (free)
How many different ways can Marvel make sure its collective brands stay relevant in the pop culture zeitgeist? We’re pretty sure no one has forgotten about any of their favorite super heroes, especially not the ones who have been given the silver screen treatment in recent years, but Marvel still has found another way to give us access to those characters. Not that we’re complaining of course, because Marvel Puzzle Quest might be an advertisement disguised as a game but it’s still a fun game. It’s a match-three style title with the addition of a Marvel story developing throughout it, as if it wasn’t addicting enough with just the game.
