Our Daily App Digest – January 27 2012

Velvet Rock Apps today is pleased to introduce Fragmented HD 1.0 for iPad, their mosaic photo frame that can be shared on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. The frame holds 15 photographs from the users photo library and includes a variety of options allowing the user to choose how they would like their frame to look. Once completed the mosaic frame can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or via email.

The frame is made up of 15 separate areas, by double tapping on an area the users photo library appears allowing the user to add an image. The image can then be enlarged if necessary by using the pinch zoom gesture and dragged around until the user is happy with the look. Double tapping the top of the frame brings up the ‘Options Menu’ allowing the user to change the frame colour, the background colour, add a plaque, create a blank frame, convert photos to black and white, save the frame to their photo album, show a tutorial, email a finished frame or share a frame on Facebook, Twitter or Flickr.

"They say a picture is worth a 1000 words… we say a selection tells an entire story" is the strapline for Fragmented HD and once the frame is full of photos the quote is perfectly apt. There are many photography apps available for iOS devices, but it is the concept and execution that makes Fragmented HD a standout. Fragmented HD makes it incredibly easy to create your own frame and share with Facebook, Twitter or Flickr. The ease of use and attention to detail is clear to see and the company (Velvet Rock Apps) have even gone as far as creating a group on Flickr so users can post their favourite frames for all to see.

$0.99/£0.69/download

Designed to bring out the inner astrologer in anyone, the new iPhone app StarXStar is introduced today as a challenging outer space card game where players must use their skills with numbers and patterns to win over their opponent.

Players of the StarXStar game use star patterns and smart thinking to control the galaxy. Competing against their iPhone or a friend, users play cards representing different constellations. Each card contains a number on each of its four sides. To control an opponent’s StarXStar, players must put a stronger card next to theirs.

As players try to use their strongest cards to gain the upper hand, their opponent is doing the same, making for a quickly changing game. The goal is for players to control more StarXStar than their opponent at the end of each game, when all nine boxes are filled.

"In StarXStar, you fight against some brilliant and terrific astrologers," said Steve Ma, creator of the app. "You will need to use all of your skills, talents, and even luck to win."

The StarXStar game features a variety of modes to choose from: Crash to start playing, Base to select or construct a galaxy, and Link to play against a friend using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Players can also choose from up to 20 favorite StarXStar from their entire collection to form new combinations and claim victory over their opponent.

For more experienced players, StarXStar offers two advanced options. Expert Mode includes Rotator cards that can be turned and Inheritor cards that can be placed over an existing StarXStar to strengthen its power. Rainbow Mode groups the StarXStar by color, with different features based on their color.

$0.99/£0.69/download

Knert Software today is pleased to announce PegLight 2 for iOS, a major update to their peg art Entertainment app for kids. Featuring multi-touch drawing, four different colors, and variable zoom, PegLight 1 was cited as "New & Noteworthy" and achieved 500,000 downloads. PegLight 2 adds a shape selection tool, an improved GUI, and a PegLight Community for sharing peg drawings with other users. Also included are 20 different colors, square pegs, star pegs, and triangle pegs. These new pegs imaginative add a never before seen dimension to peg art, multiplying the possibilities of color and texture enormously. Similar to well-known toys, PegLight’s giant pixels let kids create imaginative drawings.

At launch in landscape orientation, PegLight 2 displays a blank canvas, a large grid of dark gray dots on a black background. In the lower left of the tab bar are five dots from which to choose: black, red, yellow, green, or blue. Touching any color selects it, and young artists can "insert" color pegs into any "hole" in the grid. Pegs can be put in one at a time by touching any dot, whether empty or already filled. Dragging across the screen creates a line of colored pegs.

And dragging slowly with two fingers creates two lines. In fact, kids can draw together or use as many of their own fingers as they like. New in this version is the shape selection tool. In addition to the Normal mode, where pegs are applied individually, a Square tool lets the user drag the outline of a square or rectangle, which is automatically filled in with pegs. The Ellipse tool lets the user drag a white outline of a circle or ellipse, which is immediately filled in when the artist lifts their finger from the screen.

$1.99/£1.49/download

Caricature Maker Pro, a newly launched addition to the iTunes App Store, allows users to create caricatures of themselves and others. The simple-to-use application begins the caricature creation process with a photo chosen or taken by the user. Gallery images may be used, or a photo can be taken from within the application. Advanced facial feature detection helps to guide the user through the creation of his or her caricature.

Unlike other caricature creation services, however, Caricature Maker Pro does more than apply a filter or use other photo enhancement technology to the photograph to create its results. Instead, the finished product represents the cleverly orchestrated cooperation between the application’s technology and the user’s input. Other services which rely exclusively upon automatic photo alteration often lose the very details which make a quality caricature clever. The developers of Caricature Maker Pro, however, recognize that creative human input is invaluable in creating caricatures which capture individuals’ personalities.

Within the application, users have the opportunity to tweak every aspect of the caricature, including eye shape, size, and color, face shape, hair style, and accessories. The application also includes a "couple" mode, which allows for the creation of caricatures from photos of two people. The combination of the app’s automatic features with user input makes Caricature Maker Pro a cutting edge addition to the iTunes App Store. The finished images can used as a contact photo, avatar, or simply shared with friends via email, Facebook, or Twitter.

$0.99/£0.69/download

Nevosoft, a top Russian casual game developer, announced the release of their game Vampireville: unique mystical game with a great mix of hidden objects, puzzles and adventure.

After the previous house appraisers went insane while evaluating the creepy and ominous Malgrey Castle estate, Rockwell and Rockwell decided to send a young and ambitious real estate agent named Michael to appraise the property and put it up for sale. Hopefully Michael will have stronger nerves and better luck than his predecessors while navigating around the eerie castle’s weird and sinister secrets. And if he doesn’t go mad hopefully his boss, Mr. Rockwell, won’t drive him crazy. Mr. Rockwell may be frail, but the perpetually discontent old man is planning to visit the premises personally because he believes the estate may hold a secret cure for his rare disease.

Vampireville is a hidden object, puzzle adventure game with three-dimensional characters and dynamic, addictive gameplay. Player  have to open secret doors, dig through the archives, catch bats, analyze blood samples,  play golf, learn about vampires and ghosts, and meet a young witch who will predict his future!

iPhone/$2.99/£1.99/download

Eys-Apps today is pleased to announce the release and immediate availability of My Wedding Organizer 1.0, their new lifestyle application for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. My Wedding Organizer allows the user to plan out the happiest day of his life in an easy, quick, and efficient manner. Based on the prospective date of the wedding day, the app calculates the personal wedding countdown and assists the user in taking care of all upcoming tasks in a timely manner.

An extensive to-do list, which can be manually tailored to fit users dream wedding, ensures that the user do not forget anything while organizing his wedding day. With My Wedding Organizer, creating and editing guest lists is a breeze. An integrated cost calculator helps to keep track of total costs, money already paid, and outstanding payments.

$1.99/£1.49/download

Define Ingredients for a Recipe – Specific cooking amounts and purchase amounts can be specified. Ingredients can be linked to a store – for example you may prefer to purchase items at a specific grocery store, warehouse store, or farmer’s market.

Ingredients are listed in a table with restock and in-stock status. Ingredient details include recipe amount, measurement, purchase quantity, budget, cost, and coupon status. Also fruit (red), grain (brown), vegetable (green), protein (purple), and dairy (blue) colors have been added to match the standard colors for ChooseMyPlate, the government program for healthy eating. Additional colors have been added as well for spices (grey), oil (gold), baking supplies (pink), and other (white).

Meals such as breakfast, lunch, snack time, dinner, or dessert can be defined by selecting from the recipes which have been defined. From the calendar, daily menus can be copied so for example you may decide to have the same menu for every Tuesday… this way you can quickly plan an entire week or month of meals based upon a set of recipes.

Reports can then be defined which query the Ingredients required for specified daily menu dates. In the report you can also specify the store. This allows you to query only Ingredients which need to be purchased at a particular store.

This iOS app is the latest in the iPlan Series. After the success of iPlanLessons which was ranked in the top 200 productivity apps across six countries, iPlanMeals is built upon the same feature rich framework and applies it to daily meal planning for chefs.

$6.99/£4.99/download

Vegas Mate 3.5, released via the iTunes App Store this week, now supports iCloud – Apple’s revolutionary new cloud data service. With iCloud compatibility, Vegas Mate can now sync your trip plans across all of your devices – no configuration required. Make a change on one device and see it appear on another.

In addition to iCloud compatibility, Vegas Mate 3.5 adds an enhanced search engine to make finding your favorite activity or restaurant easier than every before. On the iPad, a new hotel rate feature combines maps with heat-coded color to show which areas have high prices. Featured Content allows Vegas Mate users to get the latest news, on the go.

Vegas Mate includes all the latest Las Vegas content, including exclusive hotel guide information from award-winning writers. Vegas Mate’s content is updated monthly, with free over-the-air downloads. By using built-in location technology, Vegas Mate can orient itself based on where you are, a powerful tool for travel guide-book apps.

$1.99/£1.49/download

M5859 Studios is proud to announce the release of one of the most exciting and content-rich apps in the world of interactive publishing – Inside the World of Dinosaurs ~ Narrated by Stephen Fry!

Inside the World of Dinosaurs is a comprehensive and fully-interactive digital dinosaur encyclopedia that utilises all the multimedia capabilities of the iPad to engage users of all ages. Featuring the A to Z of dinosaurs – from Archeopteryx to Zuniceratops, the app contains a library of 60 fully animated and interactive dinosaurs.

Every dinosaur or object can be spun around in 3D motion, allowing you to closely study the details such as skin texture and color. Breathtaking fight sequences can be be viewed from any angle. Dinosaurs come alive with real sound and animation. Some dinosaurs can be scrubbed backwards and forwards, so their walk cycle can be analysed in detail.

Its creation has been a collaboration of some of the best minds in science, literature and digital art. Over 30 specialists in their respective field, with 12 months of intense collaboration has yielded an app that will define the future of dinosaur reference guides.

Every page contains information that has been meticulously researched by numerous expert paleontologists and every dinosaur has been recreated by world-class animators and modelers, to create an unparalleled dinosaur experience on the iPad, all in one single download.
$13.99/£9.99/download

Concerned about flu this winter season? US Flu Fighter is the new iPhone app from raaza that can help protect you from one of the planet‚s most infectious diseases. The app provides up-to-the-minute information on the level of flu activity across the United States, helping to guide your behavior wherever you‚re going in the US.

From the latest Center for Disease Control podcasts, to a flu activity heat map of the entire USA, Flu Fighter has got it covered. The app provides detailed information by state, so that you can consider the flu activity history of wherever you‚ll be. The most recent flu updates and published material from the CDC are also included in the app and updated regularly to ensure that you‚ll always be in-the-know.

US Flu Fighter also includes integration with Facebook and Twitter, so sharing that latest flu update or podcast with your family and friends is as easy as a finger tap. Ensure that you are safe from influenza this winter season with US Flu Fighter from raaza.

$0.99/£0.69/download

BeBop Games, LLC, an established mobile game developer, has today announced the release of What is this App? 2 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This mysterious entertainment puzzle experience challenges players to answer the app title question by unraveling a series of brain teasers, visual puzzles, and other conundrums! The sequel to the smash hit What is this App?, What is this App? 2 is no walk in the park. This app guarantees gamers endless hours of riddle action at their fingertips, regardless of whether they’re playing solo in Standard mode or taking in the action together in the multi-player enabled Experimental mode. The app was newly enhanced with a few minor bug fixes and a completely revamped single player experience to boot! What is this App? 2 is currently available for download on the Apple App Store for $0.99 USD in the Entertainment category.

What is this App? 2 was created for any mobile puzzle enthusiast tired of downloading the same rehashed puzzle games over and over onto their iPhone. Turning the genre on its head, this app doesn’t promise access to exciting brain busters, the app itself IS the brain buster! The quick fire riddles, puzzles, and challenges players need to think their way through come in all shapes and sizes in What is this App? 2. This enigma of a mobile experience puts gamers face to face with trivia challenges, logic based puzzles, and more. To be honest, we’d love to go into further detail and tell you what to expect, but that would only ruin the surprise.

Though the game’s single player experience has been meticulously constructed to give players the most innovative puzzle experience yet on iOS, its multi-player mode shines just as bright. Simply put, there’s a reason it’s called Experimental. Players work together to solve brain teasers in every which way except normal, and it truly takes many brains thinking out of the box to keep moving ahead and unlock this mystery game’s true face! What is this App? 2 was built for puzzle lovers by puzzle lovers – those who happen to be experts in innovative mobile development. Whether you’re a fan of the popular original, or simply jaded with uninspired puzzle titles on iOS, What is this App? 2 is the perfect remedy for you!

$0.99/£0.69/download

Sovereign Dynamics, an independent software company, has launched "Global Feed", an intuitive, slick app designed to stream news based on Geo-IP location and completely configurable by the end user, onto the iOS App Store. It is designed to take the effort out of finding local news and gives users an edge.

Global Feed is an app that was designed with end users in mind. Instinctual and function filled, it works on the iPhone and gives users unparalleled support for seeing news spreading from a source – not only can you see where news originated, but it also uses location support to tailor that information to the area that the phone is situated in. Relevance has never been easier to attain, and has a new edge that users can leverage. With the world rapidly designing itself around knowledge sharing via twitter, Facebook and other social networks, it is important to stay up to date in an accessible, effortless way.

Global Feed puts relevance front and center – and while other apps might be slow to update what is happening locally, Global Feed pulls and filters a myriad of information and creates a customized, personalized stream based on both user interests and location. With a solid, easy to use UI, and sumptuous, responsive updating in real time, this could be a user’s must have news app.

With a rich, stylish, responsive interface, Global Feed ensures that every action and every motion is easily useful. Nothing has been overlooked and the app puts knowledge of various kinds in the user’s reach, including real time weather and natural disaster tracking. But it’s primarily a news app and excels at that.

Free/download

Tharle Games, a new and promising iOS game development company, today is pleased to announce the release and immediate availability of Chewy Balls, their brand new gaming title for iPhone, iPod touch and Pad. Chewy Balls is an excellent example of a simple idea that is developed to entertain people of all age group.

Chewy Balls though looks similar to many similar existing games, it is loaded with unique features, which makes it different from others. This game will test your patience, agility and shooting skills at every move. So get ready to play this addicting puzzle game. The aim is to unite 3 or more similar chewy balls and make them detonate with the help of a catapult. The game intricacy will increase as the game progresses.

You have to be quick in clearing the chewy balls; if not the game will be over if the chewy balls reach the surface. Chewy Balls is an interesting game that can be played all day long. With great graphics and gameplay, this game will keep you on your toes.

The game consists of 4 different game modes such as Green. Kids, Winter and Endless. Green, Kids and Winter consists of 30 levels each with different set of animations and lively colored characters in each mode whereas Endless mode offers unlimited gameplay and unlimited fun.
$0.99/£0.69/download

"You’re cruising in your new supercar on a little-used, dead-straight rural road when suddenly a zombified donkey attacks you. It charges at you, dead-set on destroying you. Can you escape the donkey?"

DONKEY.BAS is a challenging retro arcade racer. To be successful, you need to react fast with your finger. There’s no room for mistakes. 

Some notable features: 
– Cool 8-bit graphics and sounds
– Game Center enabled with 14 Achievements
– Simple one-tap game control

$0.99/£0.69/download

How clean are you? The most hilarious app of the year! Free for 24 hours! Download it now!!  Have you ever wondered why others leave when you enter the scene? Do you always receive body deodrant as your birthday gift from your friends? Are you annoyed when people cover their nose when you speak?

Okay, worry no more. Here is your helper, saviour, messiah : Hygiene-O-Meter!

Superb tips for personal hygiene presented in innovative, interactive and funny quiz format. Must have for healthy, happy and hygienic YOU.

Hygiene = Differentiator between apes and humans.

Apes are born with basic hygiene programmed into their brains by nature. They lick each other clean. Humans unfortunately have to learn this art.
And since we are not apes, our sense of hygiene is more elaborate. So here we are, with a laundry list of things that when observed will create a magical halo of clean and confident you, both at home and outside.

Great for mums, dads, educators or anyone alike. The points are presented in funny yet informative way. Designed to attract and retain attention of kids and adults alike.

Hygiene-O-Meter asks you a series of questions with serious as well as funny answers. Great funny images and music make the serious topic fun and interesting.

$0.99/£0.69/download

Baseball Superstars 2012 marks the series move to high-resolution HD graphics for the first time. From the dirt on the diamond to the grand outlook of the stadium, the visual clarity and enhanced details makes for an eye-opening ballgame optimized for Retina displays on the latest iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Universal app support allows the game to be played in stunning full screen across all devices.

Strengthened My Pitcher and My Batter mode gameplay now lets users train their players to upgrade levels and earn skill points, as well as nicknames that will boost player stats. New special hitting abilities allow for on-the-fly reactions to a pitch. Expanded customization now lets players design uniforms and team logos to their liking. Recruiting, training and trading star ballplayers will be essential for victory in My Team, Exhibition, Match and Tournament game modes.

The teammate AI has been further upgraded for smart and effective plays. New optional tilt and gesture based controls offer deeper immersion in the game, while a clean interface puts the action at your fingertips. Combined with a new roster of Super players and interactions in Story mode, more Missions, Game Center achievements, and upgraded overall gameplay systems, Baseball Superstars 2012 is the ultimate baseball experience on the go.

Free/download

Independent children’s app publisher Nosy Crow is pleased to announce that its Cinderella app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch has won the Publishing Innovation Award for Best Juvenile App.

The Publishing Innovation Awards recognize excellent publishers and authors, encourage new thinking, and improve the reading experience in the digital age. The awards were created by Digital Book World, organizers of the Digital Book World Conference and Expo, in response to a need for best-in-class designations.

"The Cinderella story isn’t new, but Nosy Crow’s developers use the app platform in new ways to make this an entertaining experience with extremely high play value and a long engagement time," said the Publishing Innovation Awards judges of the Juvenile App category. "Clever design decisions, excellent navigation, and enhanced content allow young readers to play in a very natural way with the story. Readers can stay on a page as long as they like and will be rewarded for every tap, tip, or swipe.

The judges praised Nosy Crow’s Cinderella for its use of characters that are voiced by children. Nosy Crow was also commended for capturing the way real children pretend-play as exemplified during scenes in which the Prince and Cinderella dance Bollywood-style at the Ball and play ping-pong happily ever after once they are married.

$7.99/£4.99/download

You’ve seen the farming and crop-tending games and even some fantastically cute animals in Com2uS’ own Tiny Farm, but now it’s time to put those critters to use. Raise and breed horses, unicorns, and pegasuses to become champions. Compete with friends in competitions and races, mate your prize steeds with your friends, and start new generations of medal-winning winners.

Compete and cooperate to really succeed: train your champs daily and decorate your ranch with nearly infinite items and horses. With over a billion potential foal outcomes, Derby Days’ variety will have you hooked. Rare horses are a treat—show them off to your friends and family with Com2uS Hub and Facebook integration. More content is set to release constantly, so there is never a dull moment. Cute graphics and the quality gameplay you’ve come to expect from Com2uS means Derby Days is slated to be a champion in any competition!

Free/download