iCookBookThe beauty of smartphones and tablets is that they can open up a new world. Take cooking, it's something that some of us do under sufferance, because the alternative is starvation and you can't really afford to eat pizza every night. And others simply don't have the skills or imagination to throw together a meal from what's left in the fridge. So apps like iCookBook are invaluable.
There are more than 2,000 recipes which can be filtered by ingredient, meal type, occasion, or cuisine. And every month, you can add to the list with free downloadable packs, or by investing in premium packs. Yes, some are a little American (Hershey’s powder anyone?) but simply substitute them for whatever you find on your local shelves and you won’t have a problem.
You can add your own recipes too, and build up your favourites meals. CO'B
W.E.L.D.E.R.
Forget about Scrabble or Words with Friends. WELDER is one of those games that starts from a simple concept and adds to it, resulting in an addictive game. Create words, earn points, move up the levels. You play by yourself, building words on the 8x8 grid by swapping the position of tiles, clearing them from the grid. Reach a set number of words and you clear the level. Your swap moves start off simply enough – side-by-side swaps – but become more adventurous, bringing in reverse and jump moves. Swaps are limited for each level, so you have to use them wisely. Run out of swaps and it’s game over.
You’ll also have to deal with obstacles such as broken or “hot” tiles that cannot be swapped. Take these out by forming words around them; you’ll earn yourself bonus points in the process.
You can also take advantage of the gold or diamond encrusted tiles that occasionally appear to bump up your score. And when you get that all-time high score, you can boast about it on Twitter or Facebook, sharing it directly from the app. CO'B
BBC Global iPlayer
Until a few months ago, iPlayer was a no-go area for Irish viewers, unless you were party to some technical trickery. Getting your hands on the iPad app was even more difficult. But 2011 saw the introduction of the BBC iPlayer app for a global audience. There are some differences: while the UK version has live streaming and a seven-day catch-up service, the global app is more like an archive of material that brings together new material and more classic shows. So you can work your way through classic series and comedies or watch something a little more up to date.
The best bit is that not only can you stream your favourite programmes, but also download them to the app to watch later. An iPhone version of Global iPlayer has also been released. CO'B
Flipboard for iPhone
iPad users have long been familiar with the benefits of Flipboard. It takes your personal social networking feeds – Facebook, Twitter – and lays it out in a magazine-style interface, along with various newsfeeds of your choice.
There is now a version for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Its been redesigned for the smaller screen, but works just as well. Your screen flips in half, folding up instead of across the page like a book or newspaper. It works quickly, and you can access links, photos and Twitter conversations in seconds. You can also share articles through email or Twitter, or read it through Safari. CO'B
Path
Path emerged in late 2010, the brainchild of Dave Morin, who led the early development of Facebook. Path pioneered the idea of private social networking but the original app was fairly rudimentary and left a lot of people wondering what the hype was about. But late this year version 2.0 of Path was released to collective jaw dropping. Share what you really think with certain people through the Android and iPhone app. I kept checking the app just to appreciate its beautiful interface. JC
Viber
Internet telephony has been around for over a decade but it’s never been that easy to use. Skype is all very well if you have a loved one overseas you want to communicate with regularly, but all that messing around with PC microphones and finding out usernames means its not really an option for a casual call.
Enter Viber which adds a crucial insight that makes everything much simpler – making a person’s mobile number their user name. Install the app and Viber scans your phonebook to tell you who you can call at data rates regardless of where they are, ie who has installed the app.
Viber doesn't always live up to billing – particularly if you are in an area of poor coverage. But with an Android version, Viber has become the replacement for Skype on the go. JC
Onavo
Once you install Onavo, you’ll probably forget it’s there, which is as things should be for an app whose job is to run in the background and save you money by reducing your data bill.
With the tagline “data shrinks”, Onavo helps you get more out of your data plan by compressing the data you send and receive (with minimal performance impact) and providing reports on which apps are using the most data.
Useful for heavy data users, Onavo comes into its own when you travel overseas and have data roaming on. Originally an iPhone only app, Onavo also has a "lite" version for Android which has alerts and warnings about data usage and can block certain apps when you travel. JC
Do you really need another social network in your life? Particularly one built around photographs? Maybe not, but to think of Instagram in those terms would be to miss the point. While it can be considered a Twitter for photos – you follow people and can see photos they post – it also has a nice set of filters to touch up your shots, which have a slightly retro feel.
The Instagram founders say they are trying to recreate the experience of "instant" Polaroid photography for the digital world and they have largely succeeded. Instagram can be used to post to Twitter, Facebook and Flickr, but its real strength is allowing you to browse some beautiful photography away from the noise of those other networks. JC
