On a regular basis, Apple World Today posts a list of notable new apps or app updates that have been released. They may not necessarily be new, but they’re popular and deserve mention. Here are this week’s picks.
iOS Apps/Updates
Riffr, launched by MobileSphere, is a new free app and website that allows users to record, upload, post, and listen to high-quality content “with the emotion and intimacy of voice.” Users record and stream short “riffs” via the app.
Anyone can join Riffr and create a channel, record audio clips, publish public and private riffs, and listen to others from the app or website. Registered users can build a following, follow others, comment on riffs, and easily keep up-to-date with new content.
Public riffs shared by text message, email or posted on websites and social media accounts can be heard by others regardless of whether they have downloaded the app or created a Riffr account. Users maintain control of their content because riffs are streamed, and never downloaded.
To find out more, go to Riffr.com or download for free from iTunes.
Pliablehas launched iPliable 1.0, a free gem-busting game. Based on an original Mac game called Snap, it challenges players to bust gems with the help of a metallic ball.
Players drag, aim, pull, and release the ball, sending it flying into the air to land on the board to clear gems. The goal is to clear as many gems as possible before the board fills to the top to beat the highest score.
macOS Apps/Updates
Smile has updated TextExpander for macO to version 6.5. It’s a typing shortcut tool. The new version add a new snippet editor with a visual way to view and edit macros.
TextExpander costs $3.33 per month for individuals on the Life Hacker plan. TextExpander is $7.96 per user per month for the Team plan, which offers more robust snippet and user management, billing and statistics. TextExpander for Mac requires at least macOS 10.12 or later. There’s also an iOS version.
Maxon has released Cinebench Release 20, a modernized version of its industry-standard, cross-platform tool to benchmark computer hardware capabilities.
It leverages the same 3D engine in Cinema 4D Release 20 to evaluate CPU rendering performance. It’s offered free-of-charge.
Cinebench uses advanced algorithms to generate a three-dimensional scene on a computer. Cinebench scores are used by system administrators to help make purchase decisions, journalists to review hardware, manufacturers to optimize their latest products, as well as consumers to evaluate individual systems.
Cinebench Release 20 is available at the Mac App Store. It require macOS 10.11.6 or higher.
St. Clair Software has updated App Tamer — its Mac utility that manages applications to yield more efficient CPU usage, increased battery life and quieter operation — to version 2.4.3.
The app’s AutoStop capability automatically slows down or pauses applications when you switch away from them, and then restarts them when you click back to them. With version 2.4.3, App Tamer can now be configured to let all processes run at full speed when the keyboard and mouse are idle (ie. you’re away from your Mac). There are also bug fixes and performance tweaks.
App Tamer 2.4.3 requires macOS 10.8 or higher. A demo is available for download; registration is $14.95. This update is free for users who purchased App Tamer 2.x or bought App Tamer 1.x after July 1, 2013. For those that purchased a license before that date, the upgrade is $7.95.
Econ Technologies has updated ChronoSync for macOS (10.11 and higher) to version 4.9.2. It’s a multipurpose app for local and cloud backup, bootable clones, and folder synchronizing.
ChronoSync can synchronize or backup to most anything you can connect to your Mac, including folders on your Mac, other Macs, PC’s, and external drives.
Version 4.9.2 brings new features, including specific bucket names for Amazon S3 cloud service connections, Backblaze B2 Application Keys support, increased security for ChronoAgent and InterConneX connections, better SFTP connection monitoring, as well as bug fixes and performance enhancements.
Registered users can upgrade for free. For new users registration is $49.99. A demo is available for download.
ChronoSync’s $14.99 companion app, ChronoAgent, allows any Mac to accept direct, secure connections from any ChronoSync Mac or any InterConneX iOS device to access or transfer data. ChronoMonitor is an iPhone app that monitorsMacs running ChronoSync or ChronoAgent. ChronoMonitor is available in the Apple App Store for $3.99.
