With April showers come May flowers. And for the mobile scene in Boston, those flowers seem to be newly released iPhone, iPad and Android apps. From large, established companies introducing apps for the first time, mobile centric startups, developer side projects, and even a Red Sox player – this first half of May was strewn with app releases. Here are eight that we found particularly interesting:
OfficeDrop Paper-to-Go
Top of the list is an app released today by our friends at Cambridge based OfficeDrop. Office Drop saves you from paper overload, allowing you to scan documents and turn them into searchable, digital docs that live in the cloud and can be accessed from anywhere. Their new OfficeDrop Paper-to-Go Android app makes going paperless even easier by turning your phone into a scanner. All you need to do is snap a photo of said document, and in no time it will be fully searchable and accessible anywhere from the cloud.
Upromise Mobile (Powered by Endeca)
Cambridge-based search software powerhouse Endeca teamed up with Newton based college-tuition funding community Upromise to release their iPhone and Android apps. The app makes it easier for Upromise members to find and shop with affiliates in order to cash in on more savings for college. The company deployed Endeca’s Mobile Commerce solution in order to make the app as useful and intuitive as possible, allowing Upromise to update the app with prebuilt templates, a flexible interface to change affiliate content quickly, a store locator, as well as device detection (that is for the Uprmoise mobile web app, in the event you are a Blackberry user or otherwise).
New World Colony
This Boston built and highly original strategy board game is made exclusively for the iPad. The goal is to build colonies among other opponents aiming to do the same; meaning, you battle with other players to gain resources and land to build your economy. The strategy comes into play when deciding whether you should be aggressive on the offense, or hang back and play defense. The app has received rave reviews and ratings, so you can be sure the $3.99 is worth it – especially if you’re into challenges. The app features four game modes by difficulty level and even quick match against random other players online. It’s worth noting that this is a side project for a developer right now who is helping build mobile beer recommendation app Brew Gene right here in the Hub.
Jon Lester Hardball Ace
Jon Lester appears to be following in the footsteps of Curt Schilling into the world of gaming. He will be the star in a 3D Android, iOS and Facebook game to be released June 2nd by a company based in Chicago called Face the Ace Games. Using next-gen motion capture technology the game claims to replicate Lester’s exact pitching motion, challenging players to swing and hit against a top MLB pitcher. Mashed with points that players can cash in for official MLB gear, both a free and $4.99 premium version will be available. It is hard to get a true sense of exactly what this game is (Facebook page and website are pretty sparse), but they have left the world with the promotional video below:
Pope John Paul II Divine Mercy App
The Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception in Stockbridge, Mass. have released a free iPhone and Android app called Divine Mercy. This Official Divine Mercy app offers the complete Divine Mercy message and devotion, aiming to spread the “consoling message of God’s love.” The app includes the message of Divine Mercy, biographies, quotes, a timeline, audio, images, frequently asked questions, and more.
Mu Dynamics
While not an app, this cloud-based load testing solution is music to many mobile app developers and mobile API providers’ ears. Load testing is something website owners engage in to understand how much traffic their sites can handle at once without crashing. Mu Dynamics is enabling the same with their solution for mobile developers. It is in fact the first solution of its type, and we look forward to following their development here in Boston.
Goby
Goby, a Boston based local discovery engine and app flew by its 500,000 download mark weeks ago and is now approaching the 1 million mark. The company released a major feature upgrade on their app called the Fun Feed, which offers you personalized recommendations and updates on the things you’re interested in doing near you. We have heard the company is being eyed by investors on the West Coast, and this feature upgrade shines some light on why. The Fun Feed offers such a new experience that we had to include the Goby app here as brand new, as you’ll use it in an entirely new way. Captured in the screen shot is how easy it is to share events up your alley with friends to make plans. You can read our full review here.
Zipcar
Android device owners can rejoice now that Zipcar has released a mobile app for their darling platform. Similar to the company’s iPhone app, it allows Android users to search, find, reserve, and even unlock cars right from their phones when on the go. Zipcar released the app with an emphasis on it being in beta, with a big call to action for Android users to provide feedback and new feature requests. You can read our full review here.
