Like every weekend, we meet on get to write for my selection of 5 free or paid mobile applications and games that caught my eye on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Table of Contents
Floating Calculator (Android)
This application was spotted by the Community and shared on our forum. It is a calculator app that can be displayed in a floating window. Well, to be more precise, the icon is floating and behaves like an Android bubble that you can move at will. You just have to tap it once to display the calculator in windowed mode.
Floating Calculator can also be displayed in full screen and offers a dark mode. The interface is clean, the operations simplistic but the minimum is there. No ads or in-app purchases to report.
- Price: Free / Ads: No / In-app purchases: No / Account: Not required
Home Widget for HomeKit (iOS)
This app allows you to control your HomeKit devices via widgets directly on your iPhone or iPad home screen. You can associate the app with your HomeKit home and any connected devices that are part of it. All you have to do then is create widgets for each device you want.
The widgets, individual or multiple (3×1, 3×3, 4×2, 4×4), will then appear on your iOS home screen. You can even associate a specific function with a widget rather than a device – for example, if you want a button that opens your front door’s connected lock under the Calendar Widget, you can do that.
Home Widget also tracks device status, much like iOS’s Control Center. If a light is on, the button is bright, if it’s off, it’s dark. Finally, you can place your HomeKit widgets on the “Today View” (when you swipe right on the home or lock screen). You can then access them without having to unlock your iPhone.
- Price: Free / Ads: No / In-app purchases: Yes / Account: Required
DoForMe (Android)
DoForMe is a productivity app that allows you to automate certain recurring actions on your smartphone based on your geolocation. Basically, you can place markers with a maximum range of 500 meters on the map and configure what the phone should do when you enter or leave the perimeter.
For example, you can make your smartphone automatically switch to vibrate or silent mode when you get close to your desk. You can also increase the brightness when you leave your home so that the screen is readable outside. In short, it’s a niche application but for fans of automation, I’m sure other more relevant use cases than the ones I just mentioned will come to mind.
- Price: Free / Ads: No / In-app purchases: No / Account: Not required
PhotoShade (iOS)
PhotoShade is a rather strange app that allows you to search for photos in your gallery based on their dominant color palette. You can give the app access to all your photos or just some. A slider is then displayed over the selection with a color spectrum.
I think you get the idea. To be honest, I don’t really see what this application could be used for. Maybe for artists and other photographers. But I find the concept interesting and original.
- Price: Free / Ads: No / In-app purchases: Yes / Account: Not necessary
Inua – A Story in Ice and Time (Android & iOS)
This mobile game published by Arte looks very promising and I will really (but really) make sure I can offer you a test on it. It is a point-and-click narrative.
You follow Taïna, a journalist who goes to the Canadian North to investigate what really happened to the crew of the Terror, who disappeared during an expedition to Antarctica in the 19th century. Recently, this true story (surrounded by many legends and conspiracy theories), was the subject of a series called “The Terror” on Prime Video that I really liked and that I recommend if you like folk horror.
I’ve only just bought the game as I write this. But I already like a lot the art direction and the storyline which relies a lot on time travel etc. In general, games with the Arte label are rarely disappointing.
- Price: $4.99 (iOS), $5.49 (Android) / Ads: No / In-app purchases: No / Account: Not necessary
- Buy the mobile game Inua – A Story in Ice and Time from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store