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 a sequel to one of the most addictive puzzle game of 2013, a handy way to keep all your cloud accounts organised and one of best free calendar apps on the market.
TwoDots
For: iOS
Cost: Free
- Remember Dots, the puzzle game that was (subject to debate) more addictive than Threes or 2048? Well, it got a sequel.
- While the original presented random levels where you had to get as high a score as possible in 30 moves or 60 seconds, TwoDots gives it more focus by breaking it down into levels.
- Progress is a bit like Candy Crush Saga in a sense, you progress through levels which get harder and harder, and you always want to have one more go.
- Unlike Candy Crush Saga however, you can make it through without spending a penny on in-app purchases. They’re there, mainly to buy powerups and lives which replenish after a set amount of time, but they’re not necessary. It’s still very tricky, but if you have enough patience, you’ll get through it.
- Anyone who likes a good brainteaser will enjoy this and if you haven’t already, get the original Dots too (iOS and Android) as it’s also free.
Sunrise
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
- Considering how many calendar apps are out there – and how many we’ve covered in recent times – there are some decent examples out there but nothing revolutionary.
- Sunrise is definitely one of the best examples out there. Syncing with Google Calendar, iCloud, Outlook Exchange and social sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, it’s now come out for Android meaning you’ve no excuse not to try it out.
- The app manages to be both simple and useful, balancing a clean look while bringing all your calendar updates into the one place.
- A nice feature is having the option to take into account different time zones, in case you’re trying to orgnaise a meeting in different countries.
- It’s also available online and as a Chrome app (which works offline), both working just as well as the mobile version.
Start
For: Android
Cost: Free
- If the news of Cover being acquired by Twitter has spooked you a little bit, there are other lock screen clients around and Start is worth considering.
- Start separates itself from other similar lock screens with its versatility. Dragging the lock icon over an icon lets you choose an option directly from the lock screen.
- The real pull of this is doing so provides you with more options. Dragging over the phone icon shows you latest calls so you can quickly ring back, the mail icon will let you open messaging apps, and so on.
- Alongside that, the sidebar lets you access your Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and news feeds like the BBC quickly.
- Very handy if you regularly access four or five apps every day.
CloudMesh
For: Windows Phone
Cost: Free (€2.49 for Pro version)
- Considering how many cloud services offer free space for signing up, it wouldn’t be surprising if you’re signed up to two or more different services.
- CloudMesh is designed to help WP users manage all their accounts in the one place.
-The app supports OneDrive, Box, Dropbox, and Google Drive among other similar services and allows you to manage files directly.
- If you have more than one of the same account, you can add them in and search between them all if necessary.
- Definitely one for those who find themselves switching between different cloud apps on their phone. If it’s a major part of what you do, there’s a pro version which removes ads and unlocks some extra features.
Inapp Translator
For: Android
Cost: Free (full version costs €1)
- Last week, we had Word Lens, an augmented reality app that translates a foreign language showing on your camera, and the theme of travel and translation continues.
- Inapp Translator is pretty self-explanatory, it provides an easy way to translate whatever you’re reading into your native language, so long as you can copy and paste it.
- It uses Microsoft Translator to translate 45 different languages on a number of different apps such as Gmail, WhatsApp, Google Docs, MS Office, all web browsers and Google Play Book.
- It acts as a floating icon on your screen. If you see something that you would like to be translated, copy and paste and then hit the icon to see the translation.
- Really for those who want to bring the auto-translate functionality of traditional web browsers to the small screen.
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