App Recap: Bluelane, Originate, Twobird and Major App Updates
In this week's App Recap, we've highlighted utility app "Bluelane," graphics and design app "Originate," and productivity app "Twobird" as three apps that are worth checking out. We've also compiled a list of apps that received major updates this week.
Apps to Check Out
- Bluelane (iOS, Free) - Bluelane is an app that allows for easy sharing of a route and location with anyone. Those who have access to this data are able to track route progress in real-time through the web. While using the app, users can see current route information that includes distance traveled, time, elevation gain, speed information, and more. Although the app is free to download, some features are limited to subscribers of Bluelane Pro, which has options available in monthly, quarterly, and annual plans priced at $2.99, $6.99, and $19.99 respectively. Bluelane Pro features the ability to share routes in real-time, export routes to GPX, download maps offline, and more.
- Originate (iOS, $4.99) - Graphics app Originate lets users create parallax art with up to five distinct layers at once. Once the play button in the top left corner of the screen has been pressed, tilting the device will show different angles of the art in which the layered images appear realistic. Additionally, users have the option to view their creations in AR. The app also contains an import feature that can be used to import and then edit other users' art. Originate features iCloud sync and is available on both iPhone and iPad, so art can be seamlessly stored across iCloud devices.
- Twobird (iOS, Free) - The makers of popular note-taking app Notability have launched Twobird, which is an email app designed to help increase users' day-to-day efficiency. Users can create notes and set reminders right from the inbox. Notes can be customized to include checklists, tables, comments, and more. Another helpful feature is live collaboration, which allows for shared notes to be nested in an email so ideas can be grouped together. Although Twobird provides many collaborative tools and is simple to navigate, it is worth pointing out that the app can currently only be used by connecting an existing Gmail account.
App Updates
- Google Photos - The Google Photos app was updated this week with a simpler and refined user experience with fewer tabs present at the bottom of the screen. The main photo grid will automatically both enlarge featured photos and play videos. The search tab, a feature that takes advantage of Google's artificial intelligence, allows users to search for photos that may or may not be labeled. In addition, the map view lets users search for photos based on the specific location in which they were taken.
- Netflix - Netflix this week announced that its iOS app will soon let users remove shows and movies from their "continue watching" list. The feature has been long desired since the list currently updates with any content that has been briefly sampled or watched in its entirety.
- Opera (Mac) - The Opera browser for Mac has been updated with Twitter integrated directly into its sidebar. To enable the feature, users can simply click the three-dot icon at the bottom of the sidebar and select Twitter in the Messengers section. The update also includes improvements to Workspaces, a new weather widget, and more.
Know of a great new app that we've missed? Let us know in the comments and we'll check it out for next week's App Recap.
Popular Stories
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last.
Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski
The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect.
As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports.
The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu.
This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...