In the same week that Apple cut App Store approval wait times to just one day, here are the apps Cult of Mac was focused on. If you’re looking to find out what was rocking the App Store over the past seven days, check out our picks below.
WhatsApp for Mac
WhatsApp finally got an official Mac desktop app this week: giving users a way of staying “in touch anytime or anywhere – whether on your phone or computer at home or work.”
To download it you can visit WhatsApp’s dedicated page. After that, open the app and scan the QR code using the WhatsApp app on your phone to carry out the synchronization process. Once all of that’s done, you’ll finally be able to send and receive WhatsApp messages with an OS X app without requiring third-party software to do so.
Available for: Mac
Costs: Free
Get it from: WhatsApp
Gboard keyboard
Google has launched its first iOS keyboard, which — despite looking like the default iOS keyboard — is jam-packed with useful features. What kind of features, I hear you ask. How about the ability to type with glide gestures, send GIFs, and search Google from almost anywhere?
As my colleague Killian Bell points out, just about the only thing you won’t get from Gboard is voice dictation. That’s because Apple won’t allow third-party keyboard makers to enable dictation on iOS. However, if that doesn’t put you off, Gboard is well worth downloading.
Available for: iPhone, iPad
Costs: Free
Get it from: iTunes
Cola Messaging App
Cola is a neat group messaging app that is halfway between WhatsApp and an AI assistant such as Siri or Google Now.
“What makes Cola different from other texting apps is a thing we call Cola Bubbles,” the company explains. “They’re simple app-like messages that works seamlessly with your regular texts . Instead of typing back and forth all day, send one Cola Bubble and consider it done.”
You can use Cola arrange meetings, manage to-do lists and now — thanks to its latest update — tap into third-party services like the Weather Channel. It’s definitely an interesting concept and, while we’ll have to wait and see whether text messaging can become the interface of choice for tomorrow’s AI assistants, it’s absolutely worth a look.
Available for: iPhone, iPad
Costs: Free
Get it from: iTunes
No, Instagram’s probably not some new app you’ve never heard of (unless you happen to be visiting Cult of Mac from 1998), but it certainly got a nifty UI update for its iPhone app this week.
In addition to a new logo, the UI refresh ditches the skeuomorphic design that Apple replaced back in 2013 with iOS 7 with a new clean monochrome UI that, according to the company, “puts the focus on your posts and keeps your features in the same place.”
Reaction has been somewhat mixed to the changes, but given that this is the biggest change Instagram has made to its look-and-feel in some time, it makes sense to use this as your moment to check it out.
Available for: iPhone
Costs: Free
Get it from: iTunes
ثبت نظر