With Super Bowl Sunday having come and gone, you won’t see any football-focused apps in this week’s top selections. Instead there’s a little something for everyone. Apps for gamers, apps for fans of classic literature and even new interactive apps that might forecast the future of media as we know it. This eclectic selection should keep you busy for while. Besides, Spring Training starts in a few weeks anyway!
Shakespeare In Bits: Hamlet ($7.99)
Shakespeare can be difficult to fully appreciate if you find the language cumbersome or confusing, but Shakespeare In Bits looks to alleviate any confusion with a great multimedia-fueled presentation of the classic Hamlet. The app features not just the unabridged text but also an animated re-enactment of the play along with an audio soundtrack. You will essentially get to watch a Shakespearean play acted out in front of you on your iPhone. If you’re reading Hamlet for school, you’ll also appreciate the app’s analyses and study notes for each of the play’s scenes as they help you better prepare for whatever exam or paper awaits you.
Steam Mobile (Free)
If you already access Steam on your Mac or PC but are looking for a mobile supplement, Steam Mobile should be considered an essential download. The app is an extension of the desktop client that lets users chat with their Steam friends, browse user groups and profiles and get the latest gaming news. If you’re don’t already subscribe to the desktop Steam please note that this app won’t work for you, as users must be invited through the current beta of the non-mobile Steam.
Totally Amp’d! (Free)
Totally Amp’d! might be the most interesting app we’ll see all year. While other apps have integrated user-based content like inserting a photo from a camera roll into a story-based app, Totally Amp’d! is a television show that viewers can access via their iPhone. But it’s not a passive experience at all. Viewers can hop into the app’s music studio to record songs from the show, the movie studio to edit the show’s music videos, and the design studio to dress up characters from the show. This mix of a standard sitcom with such a tremendous amount of user-supplied interactivity could showcase the next big thing in both television and apps.
Food Network in the Kitchen ($1.99)
The Super Bowl may be over but that’s no reason to stop cooking delicious, decadent food! The recently updated Food Network in the Kitchen app will help get you in the mood with recipes from Food Network chefs like Guy Fieri, Alton Brown, Paula Deen, Giada De Laurentiis and Rachael Ray. Users can review and rate recipes while also providing their own ingredient substitutions. They can also compare up to five different recipes side-b-side to make sure they’re using the one they really want.
Measured – Measure. Store. Share. ($1.99)
Ever wonder how far across your roof stretches? Or how tall your windowsills are? Measured lets you find out without having to risk your life on a giant ladder. The app takes the measurements itself in a simple three-step process. First, you snap a photo of the thing you want to measure. Second, you take a step and third, take another picture. That’s all there is to it. Objects can be measured for width, height, distance and elevation. If you’ve already taken measurements by hand, you can add those in manually, too.
