You’ve made it through the bulk of Monday already. It’s all downhill from here. Have some apps as a reward.
Multi-Platform Updates
Google Maps
This week’s update to the ubiquitous nav app brought a whole host of nice additions. Now, turn-by-turn navigation tells you what lane you should be driving in as you approach your exit; you can save maps for offline use with one touch; and a more robust public transport option lets you fine-tune your departure and arrival. [Android] [iOS]
TuneIn Radio
This nifty free app lets you listen to any of 100,000 real, honest-to-goodness radio stations from around the world. Yes, that may sound old-fashioned to folks too young to know what AM and FM stand for, but if you’re trying to follow a far-away sports team or a favourite show, this baby beats rigging a giant antenna to your roof. [Android] [iOS]
Instapaper
This week’s update brought highlighting ability to Instapaper: select a stretch of text to highlight, and your markup will automatically sync across all your devices. Plus, a handful of new swipe gestures make navigation smoother, to go along with Instapaper’s significantly revamped website. [Android] [iOS]
Android
Waygo
Waygo feels like the future — just point your smartphone’s camera at Chinese or Japanese text to get an instant translation to English. It’s been a favourite on iOS, and now it’s finally available on Android. The free download gives you 10 translations a day (no limits on the premium version), and best of all it doesn’t require a data connection — helpful if you’re using it while travelling. [Free]
iOS
Cinamatic
From the folks that brought you Hipstamatic, this app lets you shoot video clips, stitch them together into a 3- to 15-second film, apply an artsy filter, and share your masterpiece to Instagram, Vine, or Facebook. [$2]
Stereo
Your iDevice’s music organisation scheme hasn’t really changed since a lot since the first iPod came out — in two thousand one. Stereo changes that, with four different layouts and a swiping, pinching, zooming, sliding navigation setup that’s so intuitive, Apple nuts will probably insist that Apple itself designed it. [$2]
Windows Phone
VLC Mobile Remote
Your desktop computer isn’t just for work — it’s the portal that brings you entertainment to kick back to. Quit hunting around for your keyboard when you’re watching a movie in the dark, and turn your Windows Phone into a remote control for your VLC player, letting you control playback, volume, aspect ratio, and more. It makes your computer and phone work like a TV, and that’s a super good thing. [Free]
6snap BETA
Bringing Snapchat’s new conversation feature to Windows Phone, 6snap continues to bring WP users the best unofficial Snapchat experience (aside: when the hell will Snapchat bring us an official WP app?). This is a beta, so it might be a wee bit buggy, and you’ll have to sign out of your existing 6snap app in order to connect this one. But finally, you’ll be able to Snapchat chat (yes, that’s redundant) with your Android and iOS using friends. [Free]