Our 5 favourite new Windows Phone apps of the week
There’s only five days until Christmas! Stuck for gift ideas? Well, come closer – we’re going to let you in on a trade secret.
Want to know one of the advantages of being located so close to the North Pole? We’ve got a Nokia Conversations’ hotline to Santa’s Grotto, that’s what. And that means we’ve got the skinny on the best five new and updated Windows Phone apps for your tech-minded loved ones this festive season. So hold on to your reindeers and get ready for this week’s tinsel draped selection.
Nemo’s Reef
What is it? A world-building game based on Disney’s Finding Nemo
Why we love it? It’s pretty and cute and, for a simple game with no enemies or time restrictions, very engaging. It’s aimed at kids, of course, so it’s quite easy to play and figure out, with lots of in-game help available. Help Nemo plant a beautiful coral reef, adding plants and rocks, gathering algae and attracting other fish. In-app purchases allow you to expand what treats are available, but there’s plenty you can do without them. Warning: much like the Sims, tending to the reef will quickly take over your life! Handy for keeping the kids busy while they wait for Santa…
Who it’s perfect for: Disney loving kids and children-at-heart adults
GIF chat
What is it? A messaging service built around looping videos
Why we love it? The Internet’s love for GIFs isn’t looking likely to wane anytime soon, and this nifty app lets you create your own quirky loops of live footage so you can add to the craze. Already a hit on other platforms, we’ve earmarked this one to go stellar on Windows Phones as well.
Who it’s perfect for: Chat queens and kings, video-selfie fans
Radioplayer
What is it? A UK radio streaming app
Why we love it? It’s a fantastic way to listen to UK radio stations when you’re away from actual radios or computers. The app was created by a not-for-profit outfit in conjunction with the BBC amongst a bunch of other content providers, and the range of stations is enormous – as well as the more established ones (Radio 4, Kerrang, Ministry of Sound) it also features community and student stations for a real grass-roots experience. On top of that, the UI is simple and elegant. Thumbs up!
Who it’s perfect for: Radio listeners
What is it? A free cross-platform messaging service
Why we love it? This isn’t a new app, but the new update is pretty significant – as well as few bug fixes, it now lets you send pre-existing video footage and send multiple photos per message. We’re big fans of Whatsapp – it’s simple and effective and has a huge user database so it’s highly likely you’ll have friends using it. Perfect for sending friends those Christmas morning snapshots.
Who it’s perfect for: Texters
Plex
What is it? An app for organizing and viewing your personal media
Why we love it? If you’re anything like us you have tons of music, videos and photos scattered over numerous different devices, whether they be tablets, smartphones or laptops. Imagine if you could organize all this personal media to stream effortlessly to your Nokia Lumia. Well imagine no more, thanks to Plex you can do just that. What’s more, Plex adds artwork and rich descriptions to make your media beautiful. Download this and you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
Who it’s perfect for: Anyone who wants to make their digital lives easier
That’s our pre-Christmas festive five. We think it’s a combo sure to fill you full of seasonal cheer, but what do you think? Let us know, along with your own recommendations, in the comments below.
Image credit: Abhijeet Shetty