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Readers like you keep news free for everyone.
More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.
For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away.
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.
We’re going to assume that you already have a lot of the most popular apps, so let us do the hard work for you and pick out the latest apps that are deserving of your time. This week includes a messaging app based around selfies, 3D photography and a very clumsy ninja.
Seene
For: iOS
Cost: Free
What is it: Creates pseudo-3D photos for you to share.
Why should I care?
- There’s already enough ‘take photos, add filters’ apps out there so it’s refreshing to see something different.
- Capturing an image is simple and is processed pretty quickly.
- It works better when you capture inanimate objects and/or people staying still. Trying to keep your pet still will only end in tears.
- Moving your phone around lets you view the image from different angles, which is a nice touch.
- The screenshots here don’t do it justice, but thankfully its Tumblr page shows off what it can do.
Sportizr Football
For: Android
Cost: Free (€2.40 per month for past seasons)
What is it: A football app jam-packed with stats, lots of stats.
Why should I care?
- If you’re a Premier League fan on Android, this is the app for you.
- Gives you the latest stats from games as they’re being played.
- You can check up stats on individual players, managers and the grounds too. It’s almost like Football Manager.
- The app goes back as far as 20 years should you require that much info.
- Current season is free, but you will have to sign up if you want access to past seasons or extra stats.
Sportizr Football/Google Play)
(Image:Clumsy Ninja
For: iOS
Cost: Free (Includes in-app purchases)
What is it: Ragdoll physics game where you help train an inept ninja so he can save his friend.
Why should I care?
- Shown as a tech demo at Apple’s iPhone 5 event back in 2012, it finally arrived on iOS.
- Think Tamagotchi without the annoying bits combined with ragdoll physics and you’re halfway there.
- Most of the game is figuring out new and bizarre ways to interact with your ninja, and the game encourages it.
- Of course, there’s a main quest should you need something to focus on, but the mechanics are too fun for you to care.
- It’s aimed at kids, but adults will definitely get a kick out of it too.
For: iOS
Cost: Free
What is it: A messaging app that also uses selfies to express yourself.
Why should I care?
- Remember we had that piece on messaging apps? You can add this one to the list.
- Has all the regular messaging features but each message is accompanied by a small selfie of yourself.
- The idea is your photo expresses how you feel, because figuring out someone’s mood through text alone is hard.
- It may annoy you now, but the number of selfies apps are only going to increase with apps like Shots of me and Frontback being released.
- Cause emojis are so last year.
React Messenger/App Store)
(Image:For: Windows Phone
Cost: Free
What is it: Popular photo sharing app that popularised filters. You may have heard of it before.
Why should I care?
- Considering the camera quality of the Nokia Lumia series, it’s about time it arrived (iOS had it since 2010, while Android got it in 2012).
- Currently in beta mode, but most of the standard features like filters and explore are there.
- Despite the launch not going smoothly, the app performs well and will definitely improve over time.
- Video isn’t available yet but don’t worry, you’re really not missing much.
- Despite people’s criticisms, it’s still one of the best photo apps out there.
Instagram/Windows Phone)
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