ZDNet App Wrap: April 15, 2013

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Facebook Home

Platform: Android

Price: Free

Here's what all the fuss was about: a Facebook launcher, to put it another way, the Facebook takeover of your Android phone.

If you live inside of Facebook, then it's worth checking out — if you have a compatible device. And if you don't live your life on Facebook, you shouldn't be surprised if it isn't everything you ever wanted in a phone.

But rather than take my word for it, check out this 19-page gallery on Facebook Home instead.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)
Photo by: Facebook

Caption by: Chris Duckett
TripGo

Platform: Android, iOS

Price: Free

Since the last App Wrap, the NSW government announced that it had worked with six app creators to bring real-time train information to commuters.

TripGo is one of the six apps lucky enough to have government support, and we like it because it supports more modes of transport than simply public transport.

iOS and Android users have a wide range of supported apps to choose from, but Windows Phone users, your one choice is TripView Sydney on the Windows Phone store.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)
Photo by: SkedGo

Caption by: Chris Duckett
Triptastic

Platform: iOS

Price: $2.99

Triptastic is an iOS only app that appeared last week and supports the NSW government's real-time train data.

Users of the app love it, so maybe there is something in its "dynamic, gorgeous interactive maps" claims.

Android users that want to get their hands on this app will have to sit tight for a little while yet — but at least it is a possibility.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)
Photo by: Rupert Hanson

Caption by: Chris Duckett
Google Play Books

Platform: iOS

Price: Free

Google's book reading app received an update during the week. The search giant points to "substantial improvements in performance and stability" as the headline update.

I'd like to correct that to "Text is now readable, and is almost as good as our Android implementation". Having read books on the Android version of this app, and being frustrated with the iOS version until now, it's a welcome update.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)
Photo by: Google

Caption by: Chris Duckett
Euro Risk

Platform: Android, iOS

Price: Free

Why let the mainstream media and politicians scare you stupid on European debt crises, when you can self-service your debt scaring needs?

Silly jokes and "touches of Cyprus" aside, this app provides useful information of European economies. Graphs used in this app include: risk premium, 10-year government bond yield, government gross debt, government deficit/surplus, unemployment rate, GDP growth rate, and GDP per capita.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)
Photo by: Iberiske

Caption by: Chris Duckett
Australian JobSearch

Platform: Android, iOS

Price: Free

Anyone that has used the JobSearch website over the past couple of decades will know that it is a not the best experience that a job seeker can have — hopefully the app version will be better than its website brethren.

Vacancies displayed in this app come from public employers, job service providers, newspapers, Australian public service, Australian defence force, and that old classic, the harvest trail.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)
Photo by: DEEWR

Caption by: Chris Duckett
Ninja SMS

Platform: Android

Price: $0.99

Are you an SMS addict that hasn't yet moved over to WhatsApp, SnapChat or any other SMS replacement?

If so, why should you have to switch apps to reply to messages? This app provides an overlay that allows for SMS interactions to float over the current foreground app.

A good idea for folks that are not lucky enough to have a "reply from notification" feature on their Android variant yet.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)
Photo by: NinjaApps

Caption by: Chris Duckett
Imgur

Platform: Android

Price: Free

When you need to meme it up on your phone, do not use the alternatives, go to the official source of Imgur.

This app does what it says on the tin, but at least it'll be much easy to get Reddit karma on the go now.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)
Photo by: Imgur

Caption by: Chris Duckett

Heading up the App Wrap for this week are: Facebook Home, TripGo, Triptastic, Play Books, Eurorisk, Australian JobSearch, Ninja SMS, and Imgur.

Google Play Books

Platform: iOS

Price: Free

Google's book reading app received an update during the week. The search giant points to "substantial improvements in performance and stability" as the headline update.

I'd like to correct that to "Text is now readable, and is almost as good as our Android implementation". Having read books on the Android version of this app, and being frustrated with the iOS version until now, it's a welcome update.

Published: April 15, 2013 -- 03:22 GMT (20:22 PDT)

Caption by: Chris Duckett

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