With the release of a hefty iOS 8 update, Apple has sparked a flock of new apps to accommodate the changes, as well as unloading a gaggle of revamped apps (like Pocket). With new apps like Health & Tips offered automatically into your mobile device with the new operating software, these fall app birds are the word. Is anybody getting these avian references? Check out the latest in iOS 8 apps now and be the coolest kid you know.
SwiftKey Keyboard (Free)
One of the biggest updates for folks of the new iOS is the keyboard’s QuickType that focuses on predictable language to type faster and save your fingers from hitting the keys too much. The App Store is currently flooded with the downloads of further keyboard apps, particularly SwiftKey (in addition to Swype, Fleksy and Color Keyboards).
SwiftKey combines all the best features and potential of keyboards into one app, allowing users to type and swipe from letter to letter, swap languages and generally work less when it comes to their keyboard. The app also learns from you, so when you’re sexting words that don’t appear in the dictionary, SwiftKey will catch on. Great for fellow victims of carpal tunnel!
Kindle (Free)
You bought all these books for your Kindle, but you’re tired of carrying around both that and an iPad when you travel? Well, does Apple have a gift for you! The Kindle app allows you to read all your Kindle books on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. You get options of more than 1 million books, including free samples, and your load gets a little light. This is perfect for the new iPhone 6 Plus-essentially a tablet itself-users as it justifies having a freakishly large phone the size of your head.
1Password (Free)
Is it to the point where you have 50 different, hard-to-crack passwords that now even you have trouble getting into your own accounts. For people with too many passwords to keep them all straight, the big app for the touch ID iPhones is 1Password, the app that creates those strong, cryptic passwords for you, remembers them for you and logs in for you. All it requires is your fingerprint confirmation. It might also ask you for a favor later that you may not feel comfortable returning.
Mint (Free)
Mint is the personal financing application so good you’ll swear by it. Mint is the top financing trick to to keep you on your game by managing your money, creating budgets and setting reminders for bills. Working through a secure connection with your bank, Mint keeps a tally on your expenditures while staying up to date with your goals. If you want to save for a trip or to buy a car, it’ll set reasonable goals to help you easily finance those things. It’s worth the free credit report alone (no credit card required).
Halftone 2 Comic Book Creator ($1.99)
Everybody can take and terribly edit photos, but let’s have a little comic book fun with our photos now, shall we? Halftone 2 has released a very affordable app that lets you curate your photo stock into a clever comic book. Unlike most cheap split frame apps, Halftone 2 lets you customize high quality camera roll photos into a classic comic book border themes with classic comic book text. Your daily dog photos are about to become the super-dog mini series “Mighty Buck and the Tree of Pee” for less than two bucks. You can’t self-publish cheaper anywhere else.
Box (Free)
Lots of folks don’t know about Box, but the iTunes application Box is the smartest way to save, store and share your files-up to 10 free gigabytes worth. Synced to all your devices, Box lets you have the cloud space of your dreams with instant, easy-to-find files ready, waiting and willing for your attention. That’s 10 gigabytes for free, or 100 for $79.99 each year. It’s one of the best in the business apps that slipped through the cracks. Maybe they should get a better name.
Fleksy Keyboard – Happy Typing ($.99)
Why should texting be boring when it can be fun!? As an avid text hater, this app actually makes sending and receiving messages a lot less painful. Customize your keyboard from the old boring standard to something bigger, brighter and easier to work with using Fleksy. You can make the text, format, color and sizes of everything-that’s right, even emojis-customizable to your liking. If you can’t get into texting after this, something is clearly wrong with you.
Asphalt 8: Airborne (Free)
One of the best quality graphics in a racing game, and it’s free? How is this possible? The lovely people at Gameloft have crafted the ultimate iOS racing game using great landscapes and high performance machines to make waiting in the bank one of the most suspenseful thrill rides in your life. With 56 high-performance cars-Ferraris and Lamborghinis included-and cities around the world, including Venice, Iceland and the Nevada desert, you get nonstop action and great graphics from your phone all for the same price as your American freedom.
Camera Plus ($1.99)
Who needs a camera when you have an iPhone and Camera Plus? Work cleverly with your camera using a tactical play on photography, Camera Plus, that lets you work between multiple devices, using one device as a remote for another’s camera using AirSnap. You can control the focus using three different modes, change the lighting and tweak your photos all from the same app. If you thought iPhone photography had gone on a rampage before, this takes things to a whole new level.
Routie ($4.99)
Fitness psychos who were creaming over the new Health app in iOS 8 will be psyched by the likes of Routie, a workout documentation app that tracks your routes in a GPS form, showing you the path, altitude, time and speed of your workouts. You can make notes, share and save for later use with Routie, but the real thriller is realizing just how slow you truly are even when you feel like a lightning bolt going by fellow fitness junkies.
