In this article we'll take a look at some of the App Store's best and most critically acclaimed action games of 2017. Whether you enjoy single-player or multiplayer action and adventure, this roundup of stellar iOS games, presented in no particular order, will offer something for all fans of mobile action games.
How to Use Selfie Portrait Lighting & Portrait Mode on iPhone X
By Conner Carey
The front camera on iPhone X is capable of a lot of incredible things, including improving your selfie game with front-facing Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting. You're likely familiar with how to take a selfie on iPhone, but Selfie Portrait Mode and Lighting makes taking good selfies super easy. With the Portrait Lighting, you can change the lighting before ever taking a photo. You have various lighting options to choose from, depending on the effect you want and your location. And the background of the photos are blurred for that professional Bokeh look. For iPhone X users, front-facing Portrait Mode and Lighting is essential to learn for taking great selfies. You can use this Portrait Lighting when taking regular photos (not selfies) on iPhone X and iPhone 8, and you can use Portrait Mode on those devices as well as the iPhone 7 Plus. But Selfie Portrait Mode and Lightning is reserved to the iPhone X for now. Here’s how to use Selfie Portrait Mode & Portrait Lighting on iPhone X.
Eat Healthy Yet Deliciously with this Recipe & Meal Planning App
By Conner Carey
Recipe apps are a dime a dozen. But every now and then, I come across and test out one that really stands out from the crowd. Fit Men Cook is a healthy recipe app with meal plans, shopping lists, and lots of helpful information.The name may declare this an app for men, but lots of women (including myself) use and love the app as well. Whether you’re trying to lose weight without feeling deprived or looking to incorporate more healthy foods into your diet, Fit Men Cook is for casual exercisers and bodybuilders alike. We’ll cover more on what the app does and why we love it below.
How to Turn Off Video Autoplay in the App Store on iPhone
By Conner Carey
The App Store got a huge upgrade with iOS 11. One of the new features is videos! Developers can create little videos that autoplay when you're browsing apps. When you're browsing with WiFi, this probably isn't a problem. But on cellular, you don't want to eat up data just to play a video about an app you're downloading. Of course, if you're not a fan of video autoplay under any circumstance, you can turn it off completely. Here's how to turn off video autoplay in the App Store on iPhone.
My Favorite iOS Game of All Time: Battlejack
By Conner Carey
It’s not often that I feature a gaming app. For the most part, we understand that a fun game isn't a top priority for many on iPhone. But if you'd be so kind as to indulge me, I have a gaming app to feature that is, by far, my favorite iOS game ever. I have played a lot of iOS games. I succumbed to Candy Crush many years ago when it first was a huge hit; I played Super Mario Run and beat every possible metric to completion last year. I have enjoyed many games, but none of them have been able to hold my attention for as long as Battlejack. This game combines the simplicity of blackjack with the adventure of an RPG (role-playing game), creating an addictive mix of strategy, luck, and powerful creatures. Check out more on what this game does and why I can’t get enough of it below.
Get to Inbox Zero at the Speed of Light with Spark by Readdle
By Conner Carey
Whether you’ve got dozens or hundreds of unread, Spark by Readdle (Free) will help you easily go through them in minutes. The Smart Inbox sorts your emails, helping you keep personal emails and newsletters separate. It also has Smart Notifications, so you’ll only get notifications for the mail you care about. Keep reading to learn more on what Spark by Readdle does and why we love it.
AR Games for iOS 11 Review: The Machines
By Mike Riley
Augmented Reality (AR) is supposedly "the next big thing" in videogames, and Apple has embraced that possibility by outfitting iOS game developers with ARKit to help standardize and accelerate AR on iOS. During the recent iPhone 8 and 8 Plus and iPhone X launch event, Apple had a developer from Directive Games take to the stage and demonstrate the company's ARKit-powered new game, The Machines. After upgrading to iOS 11, the first AR-enabled game I played was The Machines ($4.99). Does it live up to the hype? Read on to find out.
How to Track Flights in Safari with iOS 11 on iPhone
By Conner Carey
With iOS 11 on iPhone or iPad, you can quickly and easily track the flight your friends and family are on in Safari. All you need is the airline and flight number and Safari will provide details. You can then tap on the details card to see the flight’s trajectory and where it’s currently located. Here’s how to track flights in Safari with iOS 11 on iPhone.
How to Define Words in Safari with iOS 11 on iPhone
By Conner Carey
I’m sure we’ve all opened up Safari to search for the definition of a word. But with iOS 11, you don’t even need to search. Once you begin your query, Safari will automatically provide a details card at the top with the definition of the word. And as you’re typing it, Safari will even guess what word you’re looking up. Here’s how to define words in Safari with iOS 11 on iPhone.
Is Apple Music or Spotify the Best Music Streaming Service?
By Sarah Kingsbury
In the 70th episode of the iPhone Life Podcast, tune in as David takes on Conner in a debate over whether Spotify or Apple Music is the superior music streaming service.
How to Save an Article to Read Later on Facebook
By Becca Ludlum
Facebook is a great way to keep up on news and videos that your family and friends share. The problem is time. There’s never enough time to read everything you’d like to, and honestly, it’s not easy to find those articles again. I’ve seen people share articles they want to read later, but that can clutter your timeline and annoy your friends. Fortunately, Facebook has a save feature that makes it easy to save those and go back to them later. Here’s how to save an article (or video) to view later on Facebook.
Where & How to Watch Stranger Things (Season 2) Online or on Apple TV
By Anjerika Wilmer
Stranger Things was a surprise hit upon its release on Netflix in July 2016. This 1980s-inspired science fiction-horror series featured eight episodes last year, and returns with nine episodes on October 27. Stranger Things Season 2 will be available exclusively on Netflix, which means you need to be subscribed to Netflix. With a Netflix subscription you’ll be able to watch Stranger Things Season 2 online through your iPhone, iPad, Macbook, or other app-enabled device. You can also stream the show through your Apple TV or smart TV when Season 2 premiers on October 27.
The Ultimate App for Wine Enthusiasts: Pocket Wine
By Conner Carey
Unless you have extensive experience with various wines, it’s not easy to know where to begin to what food to pair that wine with. Most of us have likely tried the popular wines like Merlot or Moscato, but feel lost when trying to branch out. I don’t know about you, but when I’m choosing a fancy wine for a special occasion, I end up choosing the wine with a label I think is creative or interesting, instead of knowing anything about what I’m going to drink or if it will go with the meal. Luckily, there is an app for this. Pocket Wine allows you to browse the various styles of wine, the grapes used to make it, keep track of the wines you’ve tried, and see what wine pairs best with what food. We’ll go over more on what the apps does and why we love it below.
Investing in stocks is something that can feel intimidating to learn how to do and difficult to jump into. Stockpile (free) makes it easy to everyone to start trading stocks, even kids. When you buy and sell, Stockpile charges you just $1 for the transaction, the rest is yours. I’ve tried other stock investing apps in the past, but always got hung up on how much it would cost to buy stocks or the process of setting up my back account with the app. But Stockpile takes a different approach by walking you through the process of buying stock immediately. In the last ten minutes, I was able to buy ten dollars in Apple stock, create an account, and begin the process for connecting my bank account. You heard me right—I bought ten dollars in Apple stock. But how is that possible when a single Apple stock costs way more than that? Learn more on this app, what it does, and why we love it below.
A Quick Tour of the New App Store with iOS 11 on iPhone
By Conner Carey
The app store looks very different in iOS 11. Not only are many of the tabs at the bottom different, but also Apple has added new features to the App Store that weren’t there before. The App Store has full articles on how to play certain games, interviews with the developers of a popular app, a featured App of the Day, and more. In a lot of ways, it’s much easier to find and discover apps in the new App Store. But it may take some getting used to. Here’s a quick tour of the new App Store with iOS 11 on iPhone.
Best 5 Job Search Apps
By Darryll Edwards...
Throughout history there has always been one thing people cannot live without: Money. Everything costs money and in order to make money you need a job. It’s not always easy to find a job, but there are multiple ways to do so. One way is through job search apps which allow you to find jobs near you and helps you get your name out there.
With the release of iOS 11 and Apple’s debut of the new iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Pluse, and iPhone X, I wanted to feature an awesome augmented reality app so we can get a taste of what’s to come. With iOS 11 out, Apple’s ARkit for app developers is available too. Which means we’re going to see more and more apps that utilize the iPhone’s camera to present some kind of graphic, game, or information as a part of the world around us. The most popular example of AR on iPhone to date is, of course, Pokemon GO. But I’ve heard a lot of people wondering if and how AR could be used for more than just gaming. Well, I’ve got an incredible example today. Say hello to AR MeasureKit. Who needs a tape measure when you’ve got an iPhone? I’ll go over more ofwhat it does and why we love it below.
Previously, I went over how to follow friends on Apple Music with iOS 11. But one of the perks of following your friends on Apple Music is getting to see what they’re listening to. If you’re in a music rut and want to discover something fresh, checking out what your friends are listening to on Apple Music is a quick way to find something you’re probably going to like. Here’s how to see what your friends are listening to on Apple Music with iOS 11 on iPhone or iPad.
Get to Sleep Easily & Focus Throughout the Day with White Noise
By Conner Carey
Everyone has a hard time getting to sleep at some point or another. And none of us appreciate alarms that startle us awake and out of the sweet, sweet joy of slumber. Plus, I don’t know about you, but any app that helps me focus is welcome in my life. Which is why, this week, I’m featuring my new favorite app: White Noise ($0.99). With over 40 sounds (and more available for download) that you can mix and record as you please, White Noise allows you to create various sound playlists that you can return to and share as you please. We’ll go into more on what White Noise does and why we love it below.
If you’ve heard of Poshmark (free), then you’re already in-the-know and maybe even wondering why we’re featuring it. But there are plenty of people that haven’t heard of this app and they need to know! Poshmark is the best place to buy and sell clothing and accessories from name brands big and small, including everything from Nike to Louis Vuitton. If you love finding a good deal on thrifted clothing, but aren’t a fan of sorting through aisles and aisles of clothes, Poshmark is going to be your new favorite place to shop. If you want to buy or sell high-end clothing for less, download this app and give it a try.