apps

I'm all for a little tomfoolery when it comes to quick-and-dirty photo-editing tricks on mobile devices. The latest app I can't get enough of that meets this criterion is Levitagram.

I first discovered the app on The Next Web, and it didn't take long after I first read the article to purchase the app for $1.99 from the App Store.

The app works like this: take a photo with you, or any random object, on top of a chair, box or whatever you have handy.

You then take an additional photo with both items removed. Levitagram … Read more

Using a GoPro to capture your first bungee jump, a skydiving experience, or a 5K race is a fun way to document your experience. With the latest of the GoPro line, the Hero 3, there's a free software update that brings the ability to remotely control your camera using the iOS or Android version of the GoPro app.

Get started with the software update by syncing all photos and videos off of your memory card. Or if you're using a memory card you haven't used with your GoPro yet, take a photo with your GoPro to format … Read more

As the first day of Apple's 2013 World Wide Developer Conference draws to a close, the results are in for what the company found the best apps running on its platforms.

The annual Apple Design Awards recognizes the achievements of developers who created particularly well-designed software, be it in looks or overall functionality, for the iPad, iPhone, and Mac.

Apple began its annual design awards program in 1997 under the moniker the "Human Interface Design Excellence," changing to its current name just a year later. Those who win get promotion on Apple's developer site, as well … Read more

Apple's App Store is now home to 900,000 apps.

Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed the latest stats at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco on Monday.

Among the 900,000 apps, 90 percent of them are downloaded each month, while 375,000 of them are geared for the iPad. In total, 50 billion apps have been downloaded since the App Store opened for business. July will mark the App Store's fifth birthday.

The App Store also holds around 575 million store accounts, with Cook touting that the store has "more accounts with credit … Read more

The new Gmail features a tabbed interface that sorts e-mail into Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums. While this does make your in-box look a bit tidier, it can make the transition to the new style frustrating when it comes e-mail alerts.

Thankfully, you can set alerts for each category, and even disable them for others. When you get an alert on your Android device, you'll know what kind of e-mail you're receiving, and whether you need to read it right now.

Before you set the individual alerts, you need to make sure that notifications for your Gmail … Read more

When sharing a post from the previous version of Facebook for Android, you may have forgotten to tap the itsy-bitsy people-sharing icon before you sent it off to the Interwebs. This icon controls the settings for who can see your post, be it Public, Friends, or other groups you're part of on Facebook. Fortunately, this icon hasn't gone anywhere, but in case you forget to use it, there's a fix -- and it doesn't involve logging in on the desktop Web site.

First, make sure you have the most recent version of Facebook for Android. Just … Read more

My awesome brother-in-law Steve introduced me to Ticket to Ride a couple years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. As board games go, it offers a near-perfect blend of strategy and luck-of-the-draw, on par with old classics like Risk and newer ones like Carcassonne.

Then came the iOS version, which CNET ranked among the 30 best iPad games -- and rightly so. It affords a decent single-player experience (something the board version can't) and moves the game along at a much speedier clip (meaning you can play alone or with others without investing quite so much time).… Read more

Dear recent graduate,

First off, congratulations. Secondly, allow me to ask: did you, perchance, receive a shiny, new MacBook for your scholastic achievements? Would you like to quickly and painlessly install a number of the more popular Mac apps on it this summer before heading off to college or into the real world? If so, I would direct your attention to a new Web app, Get Mac Apps.

Get Mac Apps makes it incredibly easy to install multiple apps at once. Simply head to its Web site and click on the apps you'd like to install. The site lists … Read more

Clipster is a combination of social video creation and tutorial tool, streamlining the process of making videos while giving you enough tools to make them unique to your personality and vision. The result is an easy-to-use app that helps you craft engaging videos in just a few quick seconds, while building a library of clips you can use for future videos.

Clipster starts with a fairly basic but comprehensive five-part tutorial, walking you through how to create your first clips. You can then either use the existing clips that Clipster loads with or start recording your own right away. Recording … Read more