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Here are the 5 best apps to download this week

Samsung Galaxy S5 Active home screen
App stores are crowded places these days, and because storage space on your phone is often at a premium, you’ll want to find and fill it with not only the best, but also the most helpful apps out there. Because they come and go quicker than the latest fashion trends, and digging through Google Play, the iTunes App Store, or any of the others is such a mission; a little nudge in the right direction is often very welcome. Here are the apps we think you need to check out this week.

Wellcoin

Screen Shot 2015-08-13 at 1.51.02 AM

There are now plenty of ways to track your health, thanks to the proliferation of fitness bands and health-centric apps. The problem is, they are to use, but just as easy to ignore; and the motivation they provide isn’t always enough encouragement for some people. If that’s you, and you’re struggling to get your workout plan going, Wellcoin might be the extra kick you need.

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The basic idea is you reward yourself for doing things you probably should be doing anyway. It’s a currency that revolves around making healthy lifestyle choices. Go for a run, pick a healthier menu option, hit your daily steps goal, and you’ll earn Wellcoins. More than just an arbitrary tracker of success, Wellcoins can actually be used to buy items from participating companies. There are even discounts at places like Whole Foods and Dick’s Sporting Goods, stores that could help continue your reinvigorated lifestyle.

iTunes

Zenify

zenifyPracticing meditation doesn’t require the patience of a monk. All you need is a couple of minutes with Zenify. The app helps you achieve mindfulness with little exercises that take minimal effort, but can have great results. Set a schedule so you can find time each day to take some deep breaths and calm your mind. The app will remind you when it’s time to meditate, and walk you through the process step-by-step. Achieving nirvana has never been so easy.

iTunesGoogle Play

Mutual

mutual

How do you know if a person likes you? You could ask them and risk embarrassment and rejection, or you could try out Mutual. Here’s how it works: pick up to 15 contacts in your phonebook who you have a crush on. Mutual sends an anonymous text inviting them to download the app and make a list of crushes of their own. If you match up, you’ll both be notified so you can stop hiding your feelings and make some plans with each other.

iTunes

Vibes

vibes

Who needs text messages anymore? Words are so last year. Vibes is all about telling people how you feel in a more ephemeral way. The little app allows you to express yourself with your friends using short bits of text, emoji, and colors. It owes plenty to popular messaging app Snapchat, and sure enough, the messages disappear after you send them. That way, you can regularly reveal how you’re feeling. Provided your current state can be translated into something like the color red, a “~!~!~” symbol, or a snake emoji.

iTunes

Humtap

Humtap

Feeling musical? Humtap lets you make a soundtrack for your life with just a couple of quick taps, and a willingness to sing at your phone. Use your voice, or hum a tune, into your phone’s microphone and Humtap will turn it into music. With a huge database of tracks that cover all sorts of styles, you can build an original track that captures your mood, or just helps get a tune out of your head. Add a quick voiceover, then send it off to your friends, so others can hear your creation.

Humtap

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iOS 16.3.1 fixes major bugs for your iPhone — and introduces a new one
Lock screen widget for iOS 16.

Apple just released a new iOS update for your iPhone: iOS 16.3.1. There are also updates for iPadOS 16.3.1 and macOS 13.2.1. All of these are relatively minor updates, but they do patch up an actively exploited code execution vulnerability that was found in WebKit/Safari. A second vulnerability was also patched up, though this second one was not known to be actively exploited.

But that’s not all that iOS 16.3.1 brings. This update also fixes an issue with iCloud settings, where it became unresponsive. Another bug fix corrects an issue with using Siri with the Find My feature, where the request would end up failing. If you have a HomePod, there is a HomePod 16.3.2 OS update that will also resolve some Siri issues, where smart home requests would end up failing.

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This Apple leaker just revealed tons of changes for iOS 17 and iPhone 15
iPhone 14 Pro with Widgy and Siri Suggested apps widget on a home screen

Apple is expected to release iOS 17 later this year — and we now have a better idea of what it'll look like. A new leak reveals the company plans major changes to its Music and Home apps, as well as the inclusion of a new app for its rumored headset.

The report comes from LeaksApplePro, a hit-or-miss leaker over the years. According to this, the iOS 17 update later this year is expected to be a minor one. Unlike last year, there are no large visual updates expected,  with the built-in iPhone apps being targeted with minor refreshes and updates. There are reports of some changes to the Music app, the Home app, and Find My, but very few specifics.

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Your next Apple Pencil could select colors from real-world objects
Drawing with the Apple Pencil on the iPad Pro (2022).

Apple recently filed for a patent that indicates a major feature update is coming to a possible future generation of the Apple Pencil. The patent is for image sensors that can detect colors on real-world surfaces, plus their physical texture. If implemented, new Apple Pencils could make it easier than ever before for artists and designers to find and match color samples without needing to search for them digitally.

The patent, spotted first by Patently Apple, indicates that the sensor would be toward to tip of the pencil, meaning that to get a color sample, all someone would need to do is position the "drawing" end of the smart pencil toward an object to seamlessly sample its color and texture onto a paired Apple device. If brought to Apple Pencils, the feature would be a huge step forward for digital artists.

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