This week brings about a refreshing mix of ideas. You have a new list app to use and get yourself organized. Want to take notes when you are at a lecture or saw something interesting? Check. Those who are concerned about their health and want to check the number of calories wolfed down can do so with Calorie Counter, while anyone who wants to encourage a new habit can do so with Habit Garden. Last but not least, there is also a paid game that puts you in command of a pirate ship and its crew.
We do make sure that none of these apps are a waste of time, and it would be something that we would install and use ourselves. Basically, none of them are useless and we are quite sure they will add value to your everyday life, depending on your needs. In the event none of the suggested apps are appealing enough, you can always check out our free apps of the week article that is published twice a week—one at the beginning and another at the end at nextpit. Without wasting any more time, let us see what is in store this week.
High Sea Saga DX (Android & iOS)
Do you love the seven seas? Well, if it has always been a dream of yours to embark on a pirate adventure and terrorize just about every passing vessel, you cannot go wrong with High Sea Saga DX. This is a port of a console game, but it plays brilliantly on the mobile platform. It is like a desk job, with far more adventurous perks. For instance, you will need to have a hand at human resources since all the crew will be recruited by you. From there, select your job type that comes with their corresponding abilities and limitations ((nomad, sniper, cadet, and more).
- Price: $7.49 (Android)/$6.99 (iOS) / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: None / Account required: No
Being a pirate is no easy task. Sure, you would like to collect treasures as you sail around, but that also comes at a cost. There are strategic battles to engage in, played from a 3D isometric view with cute sprites that hark back to the glorious 16-bit days. This game is best played with an external controller. While the learning curve is not all that difficult, those who are new to the genre might want to consider thinking creatively during battles to make full use of your crew’s strengths as well as the terrain.
Just in case the single-player aspect of the game becomes boring for you (which it rarely will), you can try your hand at the community and PvP features for that added human touch.
Superlist (Android & iOS)
I cannot live without lists. Lists make my life a whole lot easier and organized. In fact, you can say that lists are my second brain. If you so happen to be searching for the ultimate list app, then you can place Superlist in your top 10…er, list. Why do I say so? Read on to find out.
- Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: None / Account required: Yes
It does not matter whether it is something as simple as creating a grocery list or you have a team to manage, Superlist gets the job done. The user interface is intuitive enough and yet clean. You will be able to work with to-do lists, write down detailed notes, and even assign tasks to others. Now, isn’t that comprehensive? All tasks can also be arranged on pages to make things neater and better organized.
Unfortunately, I discovered the lack of a search function does curtail its effectiveness somewhat. For those who are used to tagging your files, the search function is certainly useful. Integration with the likes of Google Calendar and Slack makes it even better, not to mention AI helping you craft your thoughts. It would also be nice to have the ability to use it as a widget on the home screen, but that’s just a minor complaint.
Notein: Handwriting, Notes, PDFs (Android)
Ever wanted to write something down when you are out and about, only to realize that you do not have a pen and paper with you? Some of us might send ourselves voice notes, but if you want a better way to keep track of a thought, an idea, or an event, maybe writing it down is the better option. Since everyone has a smartphone these days, how about using Notein to get the job done?
- Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes / Account required: No
You can not only write your thoughts across ‘paper’, you can also type them down. I found typing them to be a whole lot neater, but the drawing bit still comes in handy because you cannot type symbols that you see. Those with an artistic streak will agree with me, knowing that a unique symbol or design might catch your attention for a while before it disappears into a sea of people. If you were to type notes, you can arrange them in layers as well and make adjustments to the font size.
You will be able to unlock far more features with a subscription though. Doing so will expand the usability of Notein a whole lot more. For instance, you can keep a record of all your notes across multiple devices thanks to cloud synchronization, not to mention making sure nothing is lost courtesy of the automatic backup. Your canvas size will no longer be limited, and the ability to convert PPTs and DOCs to PDFs is underrated. The list is far more comprehensive than this, but I shall not bore you further.
Overall, Notein is worth checking out if you tend to take notes with your smartphone. Knowing how large the displays of phones are these days, it makes sense to use such an app in lieu of a paper notebook. Perhaps getting a cheap stylus to help you pen your thoughts down might be worth a shot.
Calorie Counter by FatSecret (Android & iOS)
It is not all about losing weight with Calorie Counter by FatSecret. If you want to bulk up, this app also helps you get started off on the right foot. Or should I say, food, since the app also deals with your diet. In a nutshell, this app is a calorie tracker that is simple and easy to use. Not all foods are listed in the database, so you might want to choose an equivalent. For instance, I tried “ham”, “sliced ham”, “chicken ham”, and could not find any of it listed. It works great for the detail-oriented, letting you keep track of every single food item that you have consumed.
The overall layout and user interface make it easy to use. I also felt comfortable with the amount of notifications, since it does not shame me in any way whenever I fail to keep track of my calories for that particular day or when I miss a workout session. If you want to keep yourself even more accountable, there is an online forum to share your journey. Bear in mind that like any other online forum, you might meet really nice people or nasty ones.
Do you consume alcohol during your downtime? Well, sugar alcohols are missing here, which will put your net carb count out of whack. Those who are on stricter diets like Atkins or Keto might find it more challenging to obtain an accurate figure.
- Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes / Account required: Yes
Once again, amazing features hide behind a paywall. The monthly, quarterly, and annual subscriptions will cost $6.49, $15.99, and $38.99, respectively. What does going premium offer? You will gain the benefit of a meal planner to remain organized and stay on the straight and narrow. Water intake is also important in losing weight, so getting constant reminders to drink water from the app might come in handy, while there are also custom meals to help you keep track of what you eat, as well as freeing up more time by duplicating food across multiple days.
Those who are really serious might want to pony up the subscription money, but I personally feel ‘features’ like water breaks shouldn’t be too difficult to implement on your own. That’s what your phone’s built-in alarm is good for, right? Overall, a decent app to try out if you want to be more focused in your weight management journey.
Habits Garden (Android & iOS)
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” Well, if you think you are destined for great things, perhaps it is better to just stop thinking about it, roll up your sleeves, and get down to the nitty gritty! This is what Habits Garden is all about.
Is this an app or a game? It can be tough to tell. Basically, you use your daily habits to tend to a digital garden. With tasks to complete, doing so will help you earn gems in return. These gems can be used to unlock new plants for you to spruce up your garden. You would be surprised to know how a 6 x 6 grid of squares can hold so many plants!
- Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes / Account required: Yes
Things won’t grow old (heh!) so fast, especially when you have a choice of 15 different types of plants to collect. Collecting these plants are just the start, since there is also the upgrade path to beautify your garden. A public leaderboard will ensure you secretly feel ashamed for not keeping to your habit and hence, seeing your ranking drop. To be even more accountable, why not make your goal public? After all, there is nothing quite like the scrutiny of strangers to jolt you into action, right?
Habits Garden comes as a free trial, where after that, if you think it is worth investing in, it will cost you $9 each month or $50 annually.
Did you find anything interesting on our list this week? Which do you think you would most likely try out? Is there another app that you would like to share with the world? Let us know in the comments!
