MIXKIT
Though physical mixtapes may hardly be the done thing these days, sharing playlists with friends is still fun. Mixkit, a new app for iPhone users, aims to bring back the classic mixtape experience. The app lets you create playlists, choose cover art and share the resulting mixtape with friends. Users will have to keep an eye on the length of the tracks that are added. Like the original analog mixtapes, playlists can’t be longer than 90 minutes. Plus, a handful of icons (arrow up, arrow down, and trash) allow iPhone owners to speedily edit the order of their music or to trash individual tracks. The app defaults to your iTunes library but you can connect your Grooveshark account to pull in additional songs.
Available on: iOS, Price: Free
SNAPSEED
Google’s powerful photo editor got its first big update in nearly two years and it was worth the wait. The latest version of the app includes new editing tools like lens blur and spot healing and a new brush tool that allows you to control how effects are applied to specific sections of an image. Keep an eye on: The new filters, including tonal contrast and glamour glow were previously premium features but are now free. You can also copy edits between images to achieve similar effects.
Pro-tip: Don’t be afraid to get adventurous with your edits as the app’s Stacks feature enables non-destructive editing so you can revert back to your original image at any time.
Available on: iOS and Android
Price: Free
OFFICE LENS
Microsoft’s Office Lens lets users use the phone camera to digitize just about anything. Office Lens can turn whiteboard notes into a readable document; it can convert images into a PowerPoint presentation, and it can make
digital versions of print documents.
Available on: iOS and Android
Price: Free
SOMETHING GOOD TO READ
If you spend a lot of time on Twitter, chances are that the people you follow are a big influence on your reading list. Something good to read makes it easier to find new articles to read based on your Twitter habits. The app connects with your Twitter account and pulls in the text of stories your friends have shared and puts them in an easy to read format. The app uses gesture-based controls. Swipe left on the posts you want to skip over and swipe right when you see something you like. Double tapping allows you to share. The app quickly learns what you like. So the more you use it, it will eventually personalise its recommendations to your taste.
Available on: iOS
Price: Free