iOS Apps Worth Checking Out Now
App Store has become crowded with myriads of devices activated annually while thousands of developers are apt to make suitable software for those devices.
The following are some cool stuff deserving your second glance, based on staff picks in Macworld:
Authy (Free)
Authy is a free, two-step authentication using your "iwantmyname" accounts. This provides additional layer of login protection for your protection, preventing hackers from accessing domains and making illegal changes to DNS settings or name servers.
Enabling two-factor authentication, your iwantmyname dashboard is protected by this code. You just have to enter in addition to your email address and passwords when logging in. To activate the feature, go to your account settings under "Account > Login & Security" and enter your phone number. Authy will then send you a text message to download their mobile application. Simply install the app, finish the Authy setup and you're ready to go. Your domains are an important asset and we encourage you to protect your domain registrar account with two-factor authentication today
Beats Music ($9.99 Per Month)
When it comes to actually using Beats Music and navigating around the app to find things to listen to, the layout is one of the best in terms of simplicity. The tabs at the top make it easy to choose how you want music. From there you can drill down further. The sentence method of selecting a playlist is not only entertaining but curates some pretty damned good playlists. This is the method recommended for parties and beach days. Super-slick Beats Music has a discovery engine that can surprise and delight the user. Beats Music allows storage of music, as much as you like - as long as space allows.
Flow Free (Free)
Flow Free is a great game for Android and iPhone / iPad OS. It is very simple yet very addictive puzzle game with the objective to create a flow by connecting matching colors with the pipes. Pairing all colors covers the entire board and this is the only way to solve each puzzle. Creative yet simple and exciting to play, the challenge lies in not breaking the pipes by crossing or overlapping.
The game combines a simple interface and the task of mapping out pipe connection nicely. The goal of getting a perfect score and completing the board with less number of board touches add up to the challenge. Flow Free will give you hours of fun - play through hundreds of levels. You can race against the clock in Time Trial mode in flow free game. Flow Free gameplay has multi game modes from simple and relaxed to challenging and frenetic.
Habit List ($1.99)
Habit List is for tracking habit encouraging users to turn specific tasks into habits. Adding regular tasks to the Habit List and assigning each a schedule is as simple as every day or as vague as "5 days per week." You can also customize for each task like configuring it for a specific time of the day.
You see a list of only the tasks you want to complete that day. Swipe it off as to complete and the system dims and transfers it to the bottom. History for a task can be viewed by tapping such task. Habit List is quick to load and the design is simple but effective.
Each habit's status is presented with a green or red indicator, inside of which is the number of days that a habit has been completed. Setting up a new habit is as easy as hitting the plus sign in the main view. This will take you to a screen where you can name your habit, set a reminder and the frequency the item should be completed.
The frequency scheduler allows for unique customization for completing your habits. While the colored bubbles are a good indicator of where you are standing at a glance. Habit List also offers other views to see the data from a higher level. The stats view examines the same information as the calendar view but it is broken down weekly instead of monthly.
Habit List offers a variety of ways to see your progress which is important in a habit tracking app, which is what makes it compelling. Press the habit name you created to find its stats. A user also has to be careful not to hit the colored current status indicator as that will mark a habit as "complete" for the day. It is good for goal-setting and also motivates for those you wish were habits, like the "tedious" exercise sessions.
Yahoo News Digest (Free)
This recent Yahoo News Digest deserves an appreciation. Yahoo News Digest provides twice daily updates of the most significant news for the day. It provides a summary of each story from reputable sources like Reuters and Associated Press, then followed by social media comments, relevant graphics and others. These updates from Yahoo provide readers with additional needed information. It is not a replacement to RSS for comprehensive news source.
Yahoo Weather (Free)
Apple does not include a weather app and considering how good Yahoo Weather is. This makes the app even more deserving attention. Yahoo Weather's biggest achievement is the fact that it is fast. It quickly shows you only the information that really matters (today's weather) and then still manages to provide you with additional ones when needed. Not to mention, the app appears pleasing and user-friendly. When you first open it, you are presented with today's forecast.
If you want more information, such as a five-day forecast, detailed satellite information, wind and more, just scroll down. Yahoo Weather connects to Flickr and retrieves public domain pictures that were taken during the weather conditions of the day you're looking at it, which makes the app feel a lot more dynamic than others weather apps.