Readers’ App Reviews – October 2016

Happy Halloween weekend! Today, I’m here to share some spookily-good apps with you. :]

I’ve tried out all the apps you sent to me, and I’ve selected a few to share with you. Every app submitted is from a fellow raywenderlich.com reader.

This month we have:

• An app to help you learn a new language
• Some sticker packs to liven up your iMessages
• An app to free your wallet from all those reward cards
• And of course, much more!

Keep reading to see the the latest apps released by raywenderlich.com readers like you.

Finish Something

Finish Something is a fun new drawing game where your only goal is finish drawings rather then start them.

Each level starts with a half finished drawing. They start easy with simple shapes and quickly progress to characters missing hair or famous landmarks missing structure. You do your best to draw in the missing sections including matching color in the later stages.

Take your time, get the details right. You aren’t judged on time but accuracy. When you’re satisfied with the drawing, see if you did a 3 star job. There are over 50 levels so far with many more to come.

• Author: Lucas Ortis @_FinishIt
• Most useful tutorial: Swift by Tutorials
• App Store Link: Check it out!

KANJI JLPT N5

KANJI JLPT N5 will help you learn Japanese kanji and some words.

The app has a simple, clean interface focused on the language. Each kanji is accompanied by details including translations, videos of the stroke, words including the kanji, sounds, and pronunciations.

You can learn and practice your kanji through quizzes. There are a variety of quiz types like fill in the blank, find the antonym, play with numbers, and more. You can even setup custom quizzes if you’d like.

The main screen with all the kanji uses a color code as you go to let you know which ones you’re getting and which ones need a little extra practice.

If you are learning or want to learn Japanese, this app is a must have for you.

• Author: Aymen Rebouh @aymenworks
• Most useful tutorial: iOS Animations video tutorial series
• App Store Link: Check it out!

Tommy’s House

Tommy’s House is fantastic sandbox for kids to explore and learn.

Tommy’s House has 5 rooms with over 1,000 objects to move, tap, slide, and explore. You can turn on and off the lights to see what its like in the dark. Or close the curtains and see what a lamp can do when its on. Cook a hamburger in the kitchen. Use a microscope in your room. There are no rules or time limits, kids a free to explore and have fun. There are also 5 mini games you can find like playing the piano you find in the room.

All the illustrations are beautiful and crisp. The controls couldn’t be more kid friendly with simple taps or real world drag and drop. There is nothing extra to buy and there are no ads. So its a safe app to leave just for kids. Or you can sit with them and explore together for even more fun.

• Author: Sebastian Kehoe @klee_gs
• Most useful tutorial: iOS Animations video tutorial series
• App Store Link: Check it out!

Phamster

Lets be honest, there are not enough animated hamsters in your life. Its an indisputable fact.

Phamster is a pack of hilarious, beautifully animated hamsters. These hamsters are not your average, boring, pet store hamsters. These are Phamsters! They dance, they blow kisses, they right tricycles.

Dare I say more? YES! There are Ninjasters, Ghosters, Vikingsters, Programsters, and so many more.

Download this sticker pack immediately and give everyone in your life what they’ve been waiting for.

• Author: Kotaro Fujita @wild37
• Most useful tutorial: Core Data by Tutorials
• App Store Link: Check it out!

BoomBar

If you’re like me you’re tired of carrying around dozens of loyalty store cards just to get good deals while you’re out. BoomBar is here to help us.

BoomBar lets you scan your reward card barcodes and store them in the app. When you need one you can quickly pull it up and its barcode for easy scanning. It couldn’t be an easier solution to store unlimited reward cards right on your phone.

BoomBar has full support for your Apple Watch. You can even send a rewards card through iMessage with a new iMessage app for BoomBar. Great for when your friends or family want to borrow your reward card.

You can easily backup all your cards to iCloud as well so your hoard of barcodes is always safe.

• Author: Marvin Reid @boombarapp
• Most useful tutorial: iOS 8 by Tutorials
• App Store Link: Check it out!

Super Level Awesome Mask

We all wanted to be a super hero when we were kids. Now we’re all one step closer!

Super Level Awesome Mask is a super fun sticker pack for iMessage that features masks of all sorts and shapes. Gladiator helmets, Alien war helmets, super hero masks, luchadors, and so much more. There are 60 masks ready to go.

Super Level Awesome Mask makes it so easy to slap a mask on yourself or a friend right within an iMessage chat. Just drag the mask up, pinch to zoom, and twist to rotate.

• Author: Kotaro Fujita @tomatoboyllc
• Most useful tutorial: iOS Games by Tutorials
• App Store Link: Check it out!

Logomatic

Logomatic will let you design your own logo and watermark photos quickly right on your iPhone.

Logomatic has over 100 icons and shapes that you can combine to create unique logos. Its easy to add text and warp shapes all with layer control.

Once you’ve designed your perfect logo, select just one photo or a whole batch. Select where you’d like the watermark to appear on the photos including scale and alpha. Just tap save and Logomatic will watermark all the photos at once and save them directly to your camera roll. It couldn’t be faster or easier.

Logomatic doesn’t monkey with your metadata leaving it exactly as it found it. It supports RAW, PNG, and JPG formats. You can import your logo if you already have one. Or your can export a logo made in the app for use elsewhere. Logomatic is your go to watermarking tool.

• Author: Fulvio Scichilone
• Most useful tutorial: Swift by Tutorials
• App Store Link: Check it out!