GeekSugar

Download of the Day: Wrapp, Social Gift Giving

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:51:09 PDT

How often do you feel inspired to send a gift - whether it's to say thank you, congratulate a co-worker, welcome a new neighbor, or celebrate a birthday - yet the reality of buying, wrapping, and getting the package to the post office dissuades you? Now, you can leap over all the hassle with an app called Wrapp that enables you to send someone a gift card via Facebook in under five minutes.

The app connects with Facebook and automatically pulls events, like birthdays, that might require a gift. Or, just search for a friend who could use a pick-me-up, no celebration required. Wrapp has partnered with brands like The Wall Street Journal, Gap, H&M, and Sephora to offer gifts at nominal prices. Some are entirely free (which also have an expiration date), like a month-long newspaper subscription or a $5 store coupon, while others require purchase, usually between $5-$25.

There is some Wrapp fine print: it works with iPhone and Android phones only and your friend must download the Wrapp app and connect it to Facebook in order to receive the gift. The app itself was just released, so there are a few hiccups like a bit of blurring on imported Facebook photos. However, we look forward to Wrapping gifts to our friends and saving an extra $5 when hitting the stores.

The Spotify iPad App: Is It Worth Downloading?

Anna Monette Roberts — Sun, 06 May 2012 09:30:44 PDT

The Spotify streaming service has taken over the music world om the past year. But while the company offers both an iPhone app and an incredible desktop application, it has neglected to create an iPad app - until this week.

The recently released iPad app is only available to premium members ($10/month); however, you can sign up for a 48-hour trial run, no credit card required. Spotify's premium membership truly is as good as it sounds: the vast music library is ad-free, offers high sound quality, and gives you offline access to your playlists. However, is the Spotify iPad app as good as the desktop app? Here are some of the pros and cons of the new Spotify iPad app (Free):

Pros:

Beautiful graphics and cover art: Spotify's iPad graphics are crisp and gorgeous. Unlike the somewhat flat desktop version, the iPad graphics practically pop out of the page. The iPad app also provides large cover art images, and as with iTunes, you can flip through the album art by swiping your finger.
Simplified design:The iPad app contains a simplified side navigation bar with only five tabs (as opposed to the 12 on the desktop), making the interface more intuitive and easier to use.
Facebook connect: While some people grumble about this, others love the ability to find new artists via their friend's profiles. The design makes it easy to see your friends' top tracks, artists, and playlists.
Text message-like inbox: In a major change in the design, track suggestions and messages sent to your inbox are organized like iPhone bubble text messages.

Keep reading to take a look at the cons.

7 Drool-Worthy Food Apps to Download Now

GeekSugar — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:00:42 PDT

Food. It keeps us living, but when it's really good, it's a reason to live. When you find those tasty morsels that you just have to talk about, you could tweet it or post it on Facebook, but is there any better way to share in your foodie excitement than to take a photo? I think not. Here, seven foodie photo apps that are hot and ready to be served up on your smartphone.

Source: Instagram User kristykorcz

Download of the Day: 1-Bit Camera

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:33:37 PDT

Did the recent Instagram acquisition news get you down? Looking to expand your camera app lineup? We have a ton of suggestions for Instagram-like apps you should check out now, but if you've also got a soft spot for all things retro, there's 1-Bit Camera ($1). This app, which looks like it stepped out of an '80s-era Mac, snaps your pics in brilliant lo-fi quality and allows you to send them straight to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr for sharing. There's even a high/low contrast tool to really punch things up, but spoiler - in true retro style, the contrast isn't that amazing. Naturally.

4 Star Apps to Correctly Re-Create the Titanic Night Sky

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:21:05 PDT

When Titanic was released in 1997, part of the media craze surrounding the film was director James Cameron's painstaking work on re-creating the ship, staterooms, and even table linens with historical accuracy. One person not impressed was astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who became a vocal critic of Titanic's depiction of that fateful night sky. In meetings with James himself and in public appearances, Neil called out the director for his inaccurate and "lazy" use of a random assortment of stars despite knowing the precise latitude and longitude where the ship sunk, and thus easily capable of re-creating the exact stars Rose would have seen when waiting in the water for rescue.

Finally, with today's Titanic 3D rerelease, scientific accuracy proves victorious as James Cameron admits his perfectionist defeat and changes the stars to reflect what Titanic survivors would've seen at 4:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912. In honor of Neil's constellation concern, download one of these four apps to ensure you always know which stars you're gazing at on a clear night.

Star Walk for iPad ($5) - Tour the universe in all its stunning, bright-eyed wonder with this HD app that has been beautifully remastered for the retina display of the newest iPad generation.
The Night Sky ($1) - Should you find yourself in the desert or aboard a cruise ship with limited WiFi, this is the app to have for 4G-less connectivity. View the local stars even without a data connection.
SkyView ($2) - Point your phone's camera to the sky for an augmented reality view in 3D graphics of the stars above. Travel back or forward in time to see the sky on a particular date. Very handy should you ever make a historical film.
StarTalk (Free) - This radio program hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson won't show you the stars in the sky, but by subscribing to the podcast, you'll stay on the cutting edge of all things space, science, and pop culture.

Photos: Neil deGrasse Tyson Twitter and Titanic Facebook

Instagram For Android Available Now!

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:03:40 PDT

At long last, Instagram for Android is available for download in Google Play. The free app brings the same cool filters you've seen on the iPhone, a huge community of on-the-go photographers, and instant sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare, with Flickr coming very soon. You'll need Android 2.2 to operate, so what are you waiting for - download it now and don't forget to share your awesome images with our Cool Capture group by tagging your pics with #CoolCapture!

National Geographic Has The Greatest Stories Ever Told

Kelly Schwarze — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:30:03 PDT

Staring at the pictures in National Geographic or watching the travels on its cable channel has a way of making us want to sell all of our possessions and catch the next plane to whatever far-flung locale they're profiling. A more practical and interactive option now is the iPad app National Geographic Adventure Presents The Greatest Stories Ever Told ($2). Featuring explorers in their journeys around the world, the app includes video and high definition photography, taking you right into the heart of the experience.

Armchair travelers, adrenaline junkies, and natural science enthusiasts can get their kicks watching in-app content, including the sunken Titanic remains and extreme mountain climbing. Cave diving in the far depths of the ocean without buying a plane ticket is definitely what the iPad was made for.

Download of the Day: IMO For iPad

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:01:06 PDT

You may not think that your iPad was made for instant messaging, but I beg to differ. Check out IMO. This free app allows you to instant message using your GTalk, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Jabber, MSN, and Yahoo accounts (among others) in a clean and pleasing interface.

You can even send and receive voice memos, video, and photo files, and chat in a group setting. You don't even have to sign up for an IMO account to start using it; just sign in with your preferred IM chat provider and you're good to go.

Are you using instant message on your iPad or tablet? Share your favorite IM apps with us in the comments!

Download of the Day: Trendabl

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:26:02 PDT

Though we love sharing outfit and personal style peeks in our daily Instagram updates, it sometimes seems that particular medium doesn't make for the best fashion message. New iPhone app Trendabl is stepping up as the mobile social network devoted to images of all things fashion and style.

As with other photo-sharing apps, Trendabl users can upload images from their iPhone photo library or take a new picture to send to the app. Filter the photo to capture the dreamy essence of a Spring dress or the muted tones of rainy-day chic. Tag photos with the relevant brand, store, color, and price of the item shown.

The major difference between Trendabl and other fashion apps is the celebrity and brand presence from the get-go. Fashion influencers currently on Trendabl include the Olsen twins, Diane von Furstenberg, Whitney Port, Barneys New York, and Michael Kors, among others. Follow their updates to see what they're wearing, clothes they're crushing on, and recommendations to stay sartorially savvy.

It can even be used as a shopping search tool for those looking for a brand and street style inspiration. Get specific in your searches in the Trendabl app and discover which store or label carries your must-have leopard flats.

Download of the Day: You vs. Cat

Laura Marie Given — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:44:04 PDT

Do you have catlike reflexes? The latest iPad app from Friskies, You vs. Cat, allows you to compete against your kitty - no, really. The gist of the game is simple: you drag and fling playing pieces across the screen, aiming toward a goal, and your cat tries to catch the pieces before they reach the target.

All points are recorded on the You vs. Cat Worldwide Leaderboard, separating the scores for humans and cats. Hoping to go one-on-one with your pet? Download the app, then check out the rest of the Friskie cat games - who needs yarn anymore? - to help your kitty entertain himself in a very 2012 way.