This week’s roundup includes two new video apps for children, plus a couple of new offerings more suited to adults. And if you’re somewhere in between, that’s OK! We’ve got stuff for you too.
The free After Dark app is, uh, for adults only, prepared to captalize on the whole “50 Shades of Grey” craze. “After Dark offers an adult reading experience curated for fans of romance and erotica, with thousands of free eBooks for all passions and persuasions.” Not the sort of thing we’d feature, but it’s getting lots of mainstream media notice. Us? We’re just downloading it … for a friend.
We cannot believe Buzzfeed is just getting around to releasing this Cute or Not app for iPhone. Take pictures of your pet, then rate whether all the other pets are cute … or not. Top pictures will be featured on the app and the Buzzfeed site itself.
When you’re done with After Dark, maybe it’ll be time to check out the $8 PostSecret Universe app for iOS, which features “over 500 postcard, app and audio secrets” shared by the site’s understandably anonymous contributors. Our secret? We’re addicted to these secrets.
Download Recipe of the Day from Williams-Sonoma and you’ll have access to four weeks of inspirational recipes; subscribe for $2 a week and you’ll get seven new recipes delivered every week.
Storm by Weather Underground features “high definition radar, advanced storm cell tracking and real-time severe weather alerts” so you can be prepared when the storms actually arrive.
Want to make your pictures more emotionally resonant? The Tunepics app for iPhone lets you connect photos to your favorite song “and capture the emotion behind each moment.” Make the match, then share the finished product on Facebook or Twitter.
Don’t worry, parents: Vine Kids is a very controlled environment—no grownups allowed. Instead, kids can watch short Vine-style videos featuring animated characters and “hand-selected” videos that are age-appropriate. This way you can give your kids a head start on developing their ultra short attention spans.
Like Vine Kids, YouTube Kids is focused on a safe experience for the youngsters. Instead of user-generated videos, this app focuses on family favorites like Sesame Street, Thomas & Friends, Mother Goose Club, TuTiTu, and Super Simple Songs. Too much? Parents can set a timer to limit their child’s screen time.
Marvel Contest of Champions was updated with the ability to make alliances … Facebook Messenger added the ability to share photos, videos, and links from within other apps on your iOS device … World of Tanks Blitz has added new tank destroyers.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.