Hype, 1-Bit Rogue, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Want to find out which apps were gracing our iPhones, iPads and Macs this week? Check our list below.

From a search engine that will search every single thing to ever grace your Apple device to a couple of awesomely fun retro-inspired games, this is the perfect way to spend the remainder of your weekend.

Hype

Hype
Hype wants to up the fun quotient in live-streaming.
Photo: Hype

Few apps remind you about the fickle nature of Silicon Valley more than Vine, the previously uber-popular video loop sharing app which Twitter recently announced was going the way of the dodo.

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However, not wasting a second, Vine’s creators are back with a new live-streaming app, called Hype, which they hope will challenge the likes of Periscope and Facebook Live.

The main hook that Hype has in its favor is the ability to up the fun quotient in live broadcasts, courtesy of themed backgrounds, music, text, emojis and more.

Sure, that sounds a whole lot like Snapchat meets Periscope, but if you’re a fan of live streaming, Hype may offer enough personalization to make it stand out from the rest of the live-streaming pack.

Available for: iPhone, iPad
Cost: Free
Get it from: App Store

Atlas Recall

Atlas Recall
If it came across your screen, Atlas Recall can find it.
Photo: Atlas Informatics

The chances of any search engine overtaking Google is ridiculous, and has been ever since the early 2000s. But that’s not to say there aren’t gaps in the search engine space — and that’s exactly what Atlas Recall wants to capitalize on.

Currently available for free open beta testing on Mac and iPhone, Atlas Recall is a single search engine that lets you search everything you’ve ever looked at on a particular device — including documents, web pages, texts, videos, emails, apps, and anything else.

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Mac
Cost: Free (in beta)
Get it from: Atlas

Built for Speed: Racing Online

A top-down retro racing game, Built for Speed offers a fun multiplayer that lets you race against your friends or other players online.

Is it groundbreaking? No. Does it offer exactly the kind of fun racing experience you’d hope for from a cartoony iOS game? Absolutely.

For me personally, the most exciting aspect is the ability to construct tracks of your own, courtesy of a 10×10 grid and plenty of selectable pieces. Definitely good for a laugh on an otherwise lazy Sunday.

Available for: iPhone, iPad
Cost: Free
Get it from: App Store

1-Bit Rogue

Now, stop me if you’ve heard this one before: 1-Bit Rogue is a retro-inspired… Okay, sure, 2016 has virtually seen more 1980s-esque games than the whole of the 80s decade combined, but who can be annoyed when there’s so much quality in there?

1-Bit Rogue is a monochrome dungeon crawler RPG that lets you choose from one of five different classes of characters, then journey through a multi-floor randomized dungeon, slaying enemies and collecting artifacts as you go.

It’s a game my Game Boy was desperately missing circa 1989, and one that you’ll undoubtedly enjoy if the idea of a simple roguelike appeals. And why wouldn’t it?

Available for: iPhone, iPad
Cost: Free
Get it from: App Store

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