EACH WEEK, WE highlight five apps that are worth downloading for your smartphone and tablet. There are a lot of apps released on a daily basis, but not all of them are worth paying attention to.
This week includes an easy way to record podcasts, one of the best apps out there getting a new release, and a game that combines the best of Frogger and Flappy Bird.
Opinion
For: iOS
Cost: Free
- If the success of Serial is anything to go by, there’s still an appetite for podcasts which is being well served, and maybe you have an idea for one of your own. If so, you should check out Opinion.
- Recordings and edits work on portrait mode, which may sound strange, but it really makes things easier when you’re editing with one hand.
- You can record segments of up to ten minutes with the free version (you can pay to unlock unlimited recordings) and reordering and editing is incredibly simple.
- Recordings can be uploaded onto Soundcloud, but while there are some nice editing features, this keeps things as straightforward as possible.
- If you’re the kind of person who records on the go, or find traditional podcasting tools too rigid, this is for you.
Duolingo
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: Free
- Considering how long they’ve been waiting around for it, Windows Phone users now have one of the best language learning resources available to them.
- For those living under a rock, Duolingo teaches you new languages by splitting lessons up into tiny segments that are easy to complete while on the move.
- Courses are a mixture of spelling, matching, pronunciation in a digestible format.
- There’s even an Irish language course on its way (It’s in beta so you’ll only be able to learn through the site for now) so you’ve that to look forward to as well. [Update: The Irish course is available on mobile, but it's still in beta mode. Thanks to Josh O'Regan for mentioning it].
- An essential download for anyone wanting to pick up a new language.
WeMail
For: Android
Cost: Free
- Granted Gmail for Android has improved (the latest version now allows you to add non-Google accounts), but there’s more to WeMail than just being a different version.
- WeMail automatically organises mail by sender, turning it into more like a chat experience. It does look quite similar to Google Inbox, but it approaches mail in a different way.
- While it sounds odd in theory, what it does is provide a more manageable way of dealing with your inbox.
- You can also reply to an email with a voice note that lasts up to 20 seconds. Useful if you just don’t have the time to properly write out a response.
- If you’re a non-Gmail user (it’s possible) or looking for an alternative, look no further.
Wolfram Alpha
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: €2.99
- Honestly, you wait ages for a major app to arrive on Windows Phone and then two come at once (Duolingo was the other one in case you’re wondering).
- For those unfamiliar, Wolfram Alpha is able to deliver results and answers for a wide variety of topics.
- They include things like maths, analytics, physics, engineering, chemistry, materials and a few others (ok, a lot).
- It’s incredibly comprehensive and will certainly help you settle a pub argument or two.
- The handy part about the WP version is that it also works on Windows 8.1 (universal apps, you see) and Windows 10 when it’s released so you’re paying for two versions.
Crossy Road
For: iOS
Cost: Free
- Think Frogger honed down for the smartphone era, combine it with Flappy Bird and you pretty much have Crossy Road in a nutshell.
- It’s all about getting your chicken (or other assorted characters) to get as far as possible without being knocked down by cars, train and other obstacles.
- The art style is blocky, and is pleasant to look at. There’s a charm to it, the same with games like Flappy Bird, that make you want to try just one more time.
- Only thing is that if you want to move sideways, you have to swipe instead of tapping, which can get annoying during the heat of the moment, but it’s rarely unfair.
- Be warned, this is on that you will get hooked on pretty quickly.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say