Apps are a dime a dozen, and it’s hard picking new ones to try — so we’ve done it for you. Take a look at a these five apps of the week, ranging from a productivity app to a slick news reader that just landed on Android.
The Room 3 ($5)
Like its predecessors, the Room 3 is a puzzle game that has an overarching plot. You’ll traverse through various rooms and stumble upon tricky puzzle boxes you’ll have to unlock to find out the next part of the story. The iOS version of the game has been out since November of 2015, but it’s finally out on Android — and with its release come much improved graphics compared to last two in the series. It’s a fun game that’s a little pricey, but it’ll will give your mind a workout — unless you rage quit first.
Wildcard
Here’s another app that has finally arrived on Android. Launched for iOS last year, this news reader app is slick and beautiful, as well as functional. It’s reminiscent of the now dead Circa news app, which provided short blurbs of top and breaking news throughout the day. Wildcard uses the card format to provide curated news and also has an algorithm to give you stories you’ll like. You can even save cards for offline reading, and “follow” stories to receive updates when they’re available.
WaiveCar
If you’re not in the Santa Monica or Venice Beach area in California, you probably won’t be able to use this app for quite a while — but it’s an interesting one to keep track of. WaiveCar is essentially a ride-sharing service like Uber and Lyft, except it’s free, or least, the first two hours of your drive are free. How’s that possible? Well, the car is ad-supported — so whoever comes to pick you up won’t be hard to distinguish from the crowd of taxis. The company also uses 100 percent electric and emission-free vehicles. After two hours, you’ll be charged $6 per hour.
Proud for iOS ($5)
Another to do list app? This iOS app is a little different, not just in its award-winning user interface, but also in its number of features. Similar to Google’s Inbox, you can schedule lists or mark them as done. It offers “superpowers,” such as the option to “de-stress.” It plays ambient music and offers breathing techniques for a set time, so you can take a step back in your busy work day. The focus feature lets you set a time to play music and focus on a certain activity until it ends and you can relax. Another superpower is “Give Me More Time,” to push your tasks forward in time. The app is a joy to use with its polished gesture controls and animations, and its price reflects that at $5.
Trove Market
If you need a place to buy or sell second-hand furniture, try Trove. To add items for sale, take a picture and then add a description, price, whether you can take cash or credit, and then specify times you can meet buyers. Buyers make offers with their card, and the money transfers once you like the product after seeing it in person. Users get a feedback score that reviews previous transactions or interactions with others on the Trove app. Buyers can barter prices with the sellers to bring the price down, like you would in real life or on eBay. The marketplace is local, so you’ll be seeing things for sale in the vicinity of where you live. You can also follow sellers to keep track of items they are selling.
