SquiggleFish for iPad blends physical and digital playIt's time for roundup of brand new and notable apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It covers apps and games, with the prices referring to the initial download: so (Free) may mean (Freemium) in some cases.
Here's this week's comparable iOS selection:
Here's this week's comparable iOS selection:
This week's most inventive children's app is undoubtedly SquiggleFish, which blends physical and digital play. The idea: kids draw a fish on white paper using a thick black pen for its outline, then scan it in using their iPad's camera to watch an animated version swim around a virtual fish-tank.
iPad
Onavo's previous apps have become essential downloads for iOS users wanting to save on their data consumption and understand their data usage. Now it's turning its attention to security. This VPN app promises to protect you from "malicious, phishing and unsecure mobile websites", warning when you visit and blocking the harmful examples.
iPhone / iPad
Angry Birds Friends isn't a new game, as such: it's been available to play on Facebook for some time now. This is the new mobile version though: Angry Birds given a social refit so that you're competing in weekly tournaments against your Facebook friends. Bragging and gifting is built in, as are in-app purchases.
iPhone / iPad
There's a flurry of activity going on around email and apps at the moment, as developers try to help people with overloaded inboxes. Evomail is a sleek, usable mail client for iPad, currently supporting Gmail only with more services to come.
iPad
This app hopes to encourage the creative instincts of young Shrek fans, getting them to choose characters and scenery, then create their own stories starring Shrek, Fiona and Donkey. That means recording voice narration, and even collaborating with family and friends over the internet using its StoryShare feature.
iPhone / iPad
Kids love Talking Ginger and the rest of Outfit7's Talking Friends characters (Talking Tom Cat, Talking Angela etc). Now the first of those is back with a new birthday app: children will be blowing out candles, feeding Ginger and getting him to squeakily repeat their words.
iPhone / iPad
This sits neatly alongside the Toontastic Jr. Shrek app: another familiar face for children (Sesame Street's Elmo) encouraging them to make up their own stories on the iPad. The scenes, characters and objects come from the Elmo the Musical segment of the show, and children can put their own faces in the stories too.
iPad
Those in the know about mobile games have been getting excited about Star Command for some time now, and early indications are it's worth the buzz. It's a sci-fi resource-management / strategy game where you hire and upgrade a crew, and fend off attacking aliens. The difficulty curve is somewhat steep, but if you relish a challenge you'll love this.
iPhone / iPad
This is an app with a definite target market: "art buyers and art directors in the world's top ad agencies". Or anyone who likes browsing interesting photographs, of course. It's from stock photography service Corbis: an easy way to browse its collection of images.
iPad
Fans of dungeon-based hacking and slashing are well served on iOS at the moment, what with the recent Dungeon Hunter 4 and now this from Korean publisher Gamevil. It's a freemium game that sees you battling hordes of enemies, looting left, right and centre, and even battling other players over the network.
iPhone / iPad
Talking of adventuring... This is an "interactive adventure" sitting midway between a book and a game, from designer Steve Jackson (of Fighting Fantasy fame). You choose your path through the storyline, fighting monsters, casting spells and exploring the fantasy world.
iPhone / iPad
This app is a collaboration between the Great British Chefs website and Tesco Real Food, providing 105 recipes designed to be cooked by parents and children together. Step-by-step instructions, videos and high-resolution photos are included too. The link above is for iPhone, but here's the iPad version.
iPhone / iPad
Casual games publisher PlayFirst may be best known for Diner Dash, but it's got mobile ambitions beyond that. Deep Sea Deli is a puzzle-matching game starring a narwhal named, ahem, Narly. It sees you matching ingredients and competing against friends' scores, like a fishy Bejeweled.
iPhone / iPad
Several friends have practically foamed at the mouth upon being informed of the release of this game. It's the latest offshoot from Lego Star Wars, which sees you battling through eight levels as either Yoda or Count Dooku.
iPhone / iPad
Appy startup Mindshapes was behind a "virtual reading world" called Magic Town, which got parents to subscribe for unlimited access to a collection of digital picture books. That's been removed from the App Store now, to make way for My Story World. It's a similar idea, but with more digital painting and colouring alongside the stories, and a cheaper £3.99-for-six-months subscription.
iPad
DabKick has potential: it's an app that connects you to friends or family for co-viewing photos and videos, and co-listening to music. "As you swipe through videos and photos, the person you are showing it to will have them glide across their screen," explains its App Store listing. Oh, and voice chat plus instant messaging is included to chat about what you're doing.
iPhone
Data source: via The gardian (By Stuart Dredge)
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