Cool updates to some cool free services top today’s Fresh Apps. You’ll want to download the new Paypal update to add fast checkouts to your mobile purchases. Check out the rest below.
Paypal update (iPhone) Free
Paypal just keeps improving its mobile app. Last time around, it gave users the ability to deposit checks using their iOS device’s camera. This time, Paypal is adding a two-click Express Mobile Checkout feature.
It sounds like this new feature is basically the equivalent of the way Paypal works in an Internet browser. The service allows you to authorize Paypal to “check out” from other apps when you want to buy something, and the app would recognize this feature and use your information to make the sale happen quickly. Starbucks already is using the feature on its Starbucks Card Mobile app, allowing customers to add money to an existing Starbucks card from their device.
Paypal also is working on a beta feature that adds GPS support to the app, identifying businesses around you that accept Paypal. The feature is only available in the San Francisco area right now until testing is completed.
Kobo eBooks update (iPhone, iPad) Free
To compete with big eBook reader services, Kobo offers a ton of books for free – 1.8 million, according to the developer’s claims. The app has been updated today, adding a few small but useful features to make the experience a little better.
The big addition is support for subscription-based publications. You’ll have to pay for them, but Kobo now downloads them automatically and lets you read them straight from the app, and lots of publications are available to sample before paying for them.
Kobo also added a “page curl” feature that lets you tap the corner of the screen to turn the page (which makes eBooks a lot easier to navigate, surprisingly) and the ability to highlight any word in the text and look it up in a dictionary. In addition to all the free books, there are a lot more available for purchase straight out of the app as well.
GeoQpons (iPhone) Free
Not only is this app free, but it’s designed to actually help you save money.
Using your phone’s GPS to track your current location, GeoQpons searches for coupons for businesses around you. You can then pick out those businesses you’re interested in and see what coupons they offer – and pull the coupon up right on your mobile screen.
You can flash the coupon at the store right on your phone, but if that doesn’t fly for some reason, GeoQpons includes an option to share the coupons with others. That way, you can send them to a computer for printing. The app includes a pretty extensive list of coupons and businesses, so grab it and try it out.
