Notable apps and updates: November 2

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 deserve mention. Here are today’s picks.

macOS

Scorpion Research has released Scorpion BarCode 3.30, an update to its barcode creation software for macOS. 

It’s build to help with the creation and printing of all major barcode symbologies in EPS, PDF, PNG, or TIFF file formats. Easily integrate Barcodes into popular database, spreadsheet and word processor applications. A command line version is also provided to build scripted solutions. 

The upgrade is optimized for macOS Monterey, but works with macOS 10.9 and later. Scorpion BarCode 3.30 costs US$30 for a single user license. A demo is available for download.

Ohanaware has announced Aqua Swatch 2.0, an update to their popular system color and icon swatch application for Apple’s Aqua user interface. 

Aqua Swatch is designed to make it easy to view system colors and their variations, allowing developers to pick the most appropriate colors for user interface elements in their Mac applications. System icons are also listed, aiding developers to view and choose from a variety of artwork that is consistent across different OS versions.

Aqua Swatch 2.0 adds classic icons that are still available in current OSes, a collection of folder icons, different volume icons, and more. It requires macOS 10.11 or later and is available free at the Mac App Store.

watchOS

Health AI company Vagus.co has launched a 30-second breathing test for Apple Watch. Its goal is to help users improve their breathing, which in turn can reduce stress and anxiety. 

The test enables users to see how they breathe. The folks at Vagus say this feature is unique and different from other apps, which only visually advise how to breathe. With BREATHE ECG, users can see how they are doing – and using this feedback loop, they can learn how to breathe better. 

The cost is, for a limited time, US$2.99. This includes one year of  unlimited testing.