Fix up your iOS photos with Viewmatic, today’s first app worth downloading. It gives you the ability to make your photos look vintage, like many apps, but unlike them, it lets you do it through editing rather than filters. Up next is Nextdoor, an app that lets you create a private neighborhood social network. Finally, we’ve got Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery, a 3-D story based puzzler with graphics that draw inspiration from animated films such as those by Pixar.
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Viewmatic ($0.99)
What’s it about? Photo editor Viewmatic adopts a retro theme, allowing you to turn your modern iOS device photos into something has a vintage appeal.
What’s cool? There are a lot of vintage photography apps available in the iTunes App Store, but they tend to have a series of commonalities – namely, they’re camera apps that allow you to apply filters. Viewmatic is a slightly different take on the formula, providing you not with filters for your shots or a camera with different mock “films” and “lenses;” instead, it’s a full-on photo edtior that lets you apply effects after the fact, for greater control. The app includes 20 different lens options, 20 viewfinder overlays and lots of simple editing tools that allow you to get the most out of your photos quickly and easily.
Who’s it for? Fans of iOS photography and the vintage photo fad will have a great time with Viewmatic.
What’s it like? For more potential old-style photography fun, grab the greats: Instagram and Hipstamatic.
Nextdoor (Free)
What’s it about? Social network Nextdoor aims at connecting you with your neighbors, rather than people from all over the world.
What’s cool? Social networking can be great for meeting new people from everywhere, whether it be the next block, the next town, the next state or the next continent, but it often suffers from a disconnect of bringing you together with people face-to-face. Nextdoor takes a more local approach, allowing you to create a private social network just for you and your neighbors. The app lets you quickly share information among neighbors and do things like organize a Neighborhood Watch, inform one another about crimes taking place nearby, or give advice about regular things such as babysitters and lawn care.
Who’s it for? If you’d like to get to know your neighbors and connect with the people around you, while still leveraging social networking’s potential, try Nextdoor.
What’s it like? Social networks such as Path also offer a small-scale edge, and there’s always Facebook if you want something more global.
Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery: Episode 1 ($0.99)
What’s it about? Using 3-D graphics that resemble an animated feature more than your standard video game, Jacob Jones puts players in an intriguing story filled with puzzles.
What’s cool? Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery puts players in the role of the titular Jones, a boy who’s just arrived at Camp Eagle Feathers. Over the course of the story, Jacob has to figure out what’s behind the mysterious happenings at the camp, and that means exploring the 3-D world and its cartoonish presentation. Jacob Jones is first and foremost a puzzle game, so as you move through its story, you’ll be asked to put your logic and reasoning skills to the test in order to proceed.
Who’s it for? Jacon Jones offers a fun story and interesting puzzles that will appeal to just about anyone, but keep in mind it’s not recommended for the iPod 4th generation and may have trouble on the iPhone 4.
What’s it like? Check out Puzzle Agent, another story-based adventure game that focuses on solving puzzles, and the puzzle-laden The Room.
