Winter is still in full force, so there’s no better time to cozy up with your Lumia and discover the new apps and games that the Windows Phone Store has to offer.
And we think you’re going to love what it had to offer this week. We have four brand new apps that are so fresh you’ll almost believe it’s springtime, and an update to one of last month’s most popular releases. Read on to find out what they are!
Baby’s RemoteEar
What is it: a baby monitor app
Why we love it: Baby’s RemoteEar lets you use two Windows Phones as baby monitors, with adjustable sensitivity settings. You install an app on each – a baby unit and a parent unit – and can use the app in two modes, In-House and On-the-Road (no, this doesn’t mean you can go for joy rides while leaving your baby at home unsupervised). The app offers a 30 minute free trial and then turns off. If you’d like to continue using it, you’ll need to pay a minimal fee based on length, such as 30 days. While an actual baby monitor is perhaps a better choice, Baby’s RemoteEar could be useful in certain situations when you don’t want to bring along bulky monitors, like vacation or visiting family.
Who it’s perfect for: parents
Questie
What is it: an outdoor GPS-guided questing app
Why we love it: Questie, an app that sends you on quests with various challenges, has an interesting concept that we think has the potential to be a lot of fun. Here’s how it works: you go to the Questie website, create a quest, and then invite your friends to be participants. The quests can have challenges such as “warmer-colder” or “blind map”, and you can include a variety of different assignments that need to be completed throughout the quest, such as open or multiple-choice questions, drawing challenges, or photo challenges. Questie sounds like a good way to get out and about in your city, so give it a try if you’re an adventurous soul.
Who it’s perfect for: urban adventurers
Zipongo
What is it: an app for healthy eating
Why we love it: Zipongo lets you plan meals, find recipes, and find local deals in order to help you eat healthier. You can explore recipes based on your diet restrictions and preferences, create a weekly menu plan, and find personalized grocery discounts. Windows Phones with 8.1 have access to extra features like scheduling meals via Outlook, and sharing recipes with OneNote.
Who it’s perfect for: aspiring healthy eaters
Make it Rain: The Love of Money
What is it: a money game
Why we love it: Make It Rain is popular on other platforms, and now it’s available for Windows Phone as well. In this game you swipe to “make it rain”, watch your money pile up, and invest it in various ways. It might not be for everyone, but it has 20 in-game Xbox achievements and a chance to challenge your friends. As its Windows Phone store description says, “Is it a stupid game? Or are you just falling behind your friends and looking for excuses?” Start making it rain!
Who it’s perfect for: gamers with a fondness for virtual cash
Dropbox (update)
What is it: file hosting service
Why we love it: We got the official Dropbox, developed by Rudy Huyn, in late January and now this week we have the first big update. In addition to the usual bug fixes, you can now create and manage shared folders from within the app. Shared folders can be pinned to the Start screen as well.
Who it’s perfect for: anyone that wants to store and share files
What do you think of this week’s round-up? Let us know in the comments, and feel free to share with us any new favorites that you’ve found in the Store.