NotesTab Pro: Nice Idea, But Improvements Needed [Review]

NotesTab Pro and begging "join our mailing list" window. Could have been worse; could have said "Please rate us five stars!"

Do we need any more notepad apps for OS X? Of course we do, what a foolish question. We always need more notepad apps. But if a newcomer to the notepad app scene (what, you didn’t know there was a notepad app scene? tut tut) wants to make any impact, it needs to be really, really good at what it does.

NotesTab Pro is one such newcomer, and although it has some appealing features, it doesn’t offer enough to make it stand out from its rivals.

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This Tattoo Design App Will Get You Inked [Review]

Burning sensation inevitable; actual flames unlikely

Got a tattoo? Want one? Want another one? Want something unique? Once more, iOS comes to the rescue in the most unexpected way: a one-dollar app that designs tattoos for you. Oh yes.

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Google+ App Makes Social Networking Add Up [Review]

My hangouts never look like this

The general reaction to Google’s release of its new Google+ app has been very positive. Lots of people have been saying how good it looks and how nice it is to use.

Yes, it is pretty. Pretty enough to give Google+ the usage boost it seeks? Now that’s a very different question.

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Official Polaroid Camera App Might Be Years Too Late, But It Does The Job [Review]

Hey Polaroid! Welcome to the party! All the other camera apps are in the kitchen

As my esteemed colleague Charlie pointed out yesterday, Polaroid releasing an “official” app that takes Polaroid-style pictures now is a bit like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. Then returned, bolted again, walked at a leisurely pace to an airport 2000 miles away, paused for a week, gone trekking in Bhutan, spent some time finding itself in Goa, and finally bolted some more for good measure.

So let’s all just agree that this app is woefully late, because there are already twelve dozen Polaroidish apps on the App Store, many of them very good at their job. So is Polamatic actually any good? The answer’s yes. Yes it is.

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Slide To Win In This Addictive But Frustrating iOS Game [Review]

Sort of woo, but sort of arrg

Slide is a free reflex-testing game for iOS that takes the unlock screen slider from your iPhone and puts it to work elsewhere – mainly, as physical exercise for your thumb.

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Tallywag Keeps Tally Of Almost Anything [Review]

Count groups for Jedi and Sith are also available

Hands up if you like counting things. Keep still while I count you all. Wait – arg. This isn’t working. How can I keep count? Maybe Tallywag will help me.

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Black Plaques App Takes You On A Tour Of London’s Darker Side [Review]

There's more to London than meets the eye... lots more

If you’re planning to visit London for the Olympic Games later this year – or for any other reason, come to that – you need to grab a copy of Black Plaques London before you go. It’s a fascinating, gruesome, wonderful app that gives you a rats-eye view of the darker side of the city’s history.

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This Photo Gremlin Zapper Leaves Behind Gremlins Of Its Own [Review]

Can Inpaint4 remove this guy from Stonehenge?

Inpaint4 is an image editor for OS X, available for $10 from the Mac App Store. It’s designed for a specific task – removing unwanted visual elements from photos. That tourist who walked through the background of your snapshot, that hanging camera strap that spoiled an otherwise good image, or that weird bit of junk you just want to take out of shot. Unfortunately it is let down too often by unreliable results.

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Meet Track 8, The Music Player That Brings Metro To iOS [Review]

Looks like Metro; works on iPad

Everyone knows that Apple leads and others follow, right? It’s iOS that people are copying elsewhere. No-one would ever dream of making a music player for iOS that uses the same UI as Microsoft’s Metro) mobile OS design language. Would they? Wait – would they?

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Wood Camera: Another Capable, Useful Camera App To Add To Your Collection [Review]

Live filters and more...

We’re spoilt for choice for camera apps these days, so any newcomers on the scene have to prove themselves somewhat. They face tough competition.

Bright Mango’s Wood Camera, despite its odd name, stands up to its rivals well. It’s a useful multi-function camera with live image filters and an understated, speedy interface.

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