Hit the slopes, amuse your dog, and run a freelance biz [Awesome Apps]

This week’s Awesome Apps include a comprehensive skiing and snowboarding app with a ton of features, an app for running every aspect of a freelance business, a social network for photographers that isn’t Instagram, and a simple iPad game for dogs that also helps some humans with their anxiety.

Best apps for skiing, running a freelance business, an iPad game for dogs and a social network for photographers

Here’s what’s on the docket today in Awesome Apps of the Week:

• Slopes: Skiing and snowboarding
• Fysh: A freelancer app to fuel your side hustle
• Glass: Desktop-style tabbed browsing on mobile
• Jolly Dog: The ultimate in pet entertainment

Slopes: track your day of skiing or snowboarding

The latest version of Slopes, the popular skiing an snowboarding app, has been optimized for iOS 17 and watchOS 10, and introduces a plethora of new features.

Key updates in the latest version include a revamped Apple Watch experience with watchOS 10 support, Smart Stack integration, StandBy support for iPhone, and seamless recording initiation on Apple Watch for Live Activity support on iPhone. The auto-resume feature has also received enhancements, and you can now express yourself with Memoji in Slopes. Furthermore, you can easily invite friends to join you on Slopes via Apple Watch.

Slopes is available for free, sans advertisements and includes unlimited tracking, essential stats, snow conditions, season/lifetime summaries, friend location tracking on the mountain, and integration with Siri and HealthKit.

A premium version is available for $3.99 for a single pass or $29.99 for an annual subscription (with a family subscription option at $49.99/year). Premium unlocks an array of advanced features, including detailed run statistics, immersive 3D & AR replays on iOS, fitness insights when paired with Apple Watch, Garmin, or Health Connect on Android, and more.

Download from: App Store

Fysh: A freelancer app that can fuel your side hustle

Fysh, which stands for “fuel your side hustle,” is an app that lets workers advertise services, chat with clients, schedule appointments, send invoices and process payments all in one place (no need for secondary payment apps).

Whether it’s a remote or on-site job such as bookkeeping, housecleaning, photography, personal training, dog walking or even caring for someone in the home, Fysh is a one-stop management tool for all types of freelance gigs. And it’s a cinch to switch from worker to client and vice versa.

With Fysh, developed by Unison Workforce, it’s easy to find and hire local contractors for jobs you need done. Then you can turn around and use the same app to earn money working for a client anywhere in the world.

But the best part is about being paid, of course. Fysh — unlike other freelance platforms that take 20% or more of a worker’s earnings — charges only a 5% processing fee to the worker on the invoice. (#Sponsored)

Download from: App Store or Google Play

Glass: Desktop-style tabbed browsing on mobile

Glass takes you back to the simplicity of early Instagram, circa 2012, as a social network dedicated to sharing and viewing stunning photography.

Glass provides a haven for photographers, and while it doesn’t require professional status, it does come with a $30/year subscription fee.

Upon opening Glass, your feed displays recent posts from those you follow in full-screen, chronological order. You can swipe to see who took the photo and when, or tap for more details.

You’ll also find detailed metadata like camera, lens, aperture, shutter speed, and focal length. While you can comment and “appreciate” photos, the total likes are kept private.

I upload my best photos to Glass, even from my iPhone. It’s fun. I’ve even started using my ancient Sony Mavica, and I might be the first to upload Sony Mavica shots to Glass.

Glass operates on a subscription model, costing $5/month or $30/year. It offers a premium experience with no data tracking, ads, or engagement push.

For photography enthusiasts who miss the early days of Instagram, Glass is a no-brainer. The subscription cost is minimal compared to your camera and iPhone investments.

Download from: App Store

Jolly Dog: The ultimate in pet entertainment

Jolly Dog is an iPad game for dogs that some humans also enjoy playing.

Various cartoon animals skitter across the screen while making noises. If your dog “catches” the critter by landing a paw on top of the skittish character, it disappears in a cascade of stars, and another animal appears. If you let it, the game will play in an endless loop.

Jolly Dog is free to download and play, but is restricted to just three animals and three play environments. A paid pro version, which costs $1.99, unlocks all 14 characters (including a gopher, crab and spider) and four more play environments (a terrace, a seashore, and so on.)

The is a hit with pet owners, with favorable reviews and ratings, but also with humans. One reviewer said she plays it herself to help with her anxiety.

“This app is amazing,” she wrote. “I saw people say ‘my cat/dog loves it’ but I thought my anxiety would love this and it does ❤ it’s a great little sensory game for young children or people with anxiety like me! I couldn’t let this game be called ‘game for pets/animals’ because it’s a great sensory game for pets/animals and humans! And I love it. I literally played for over an hour just pressing the little toys and watch them turn into stars. It’s amazing 10/10.”

Download from: App Store