With the ever-growing number of apps and games in the Windows Store, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with what's out there.
For that reason, every Friday we showcase some apps that have piqued our interest. They may have been in the news recently, they may be new to the Windows Store, or they could simply be old apps that we just stumbled upon.
They are the 5 Intriguing Apps of the Week.
Art Therapy
Adult coloring books are all the rage right now. Art Therapy brings the serenity of coloring to your Windows computer.
Using the simple point and click controls, you can fill in even the smallest bits with the colors of your choice. There isn't any nuance to the coloring, so you cannot shade or stipple. However, it is enough to relieve stress and decompress.
Your finished pictures can be shared to email and social media.
The free version of Art Therapy gives you a limited selection of designs to choose from, as well as a single color palette. There are several different packs that you can purchase within the app, including theme packs of designs, like mandalas and animal prints, along with other sets of colors.
- Download for Windows (Free, with in-app purchases)
CookMe Pro - Your Cookbook
Cookbooks are some of the most popular and widely available apps in the Store. But what makes CookMe Pro different is that it doesn't come with tons of recipes for you to make.
Instead, CookMe Pro is a personal cookbook that you fill with your favorite dishes. Just fill out the list of ingredients, serving size, cooking steps, etc. and save them to your book. They will be saved to your OneDrive and sync between devices.
You can categorize recipes however you wish. You can change the how many servings you need to make and CookMe Pro will automatically change the ingredient measurements based on that. What's more is that you can create a shopping list based on the recipes you select, so you instantly know what you need.
Although CookMe Pro doesn't come packed with recipes of its own, it does have a cool feature that lets you download recipes from well-known sites like AllRecipes, epicurious, Food.com, and many more.
Not sure wgat you are looking for? No problem. You can search for recipes based on the ingredients you have on hand. CookMe Pro is wonderful resource for beginners and seasoned chefs alike.
It usually costs $5.99, but it is on sale for a dime until next week. Certain features, like recipe imports, require an annual fee.
- Download for Windows ($5.99, with in-app purchases; Free trial)
Cast
Looking for an app to manage your podcasts? Check out Cast. It is a dapper-looking podcast player for Windows PCs and smartphones.
Search the internet for your favorite titles and subscribe with one click. Cast gives you several options for playback and episode management. You can have it automatically download new episodes and delete them once listened to.
Another nice feature is that your podcast subscriptions sync between all of your devices, so you are never without some good listening material.
There isn't anything ground-breaking about Cast, but it does everything you would want it to do. And it's got a pretty great logo. Cast is free to download.
- Download for Windows (Free)
Reading Trainer
Reading Trainer is an award-winning educational app that uses a combination of games and exercises to improve "your reading speed, retention rate and mental capacity."
The games include word and letter searches, finding mismatched words, memory games, and more. Each reading exercise tests you with comprehension questions at the end to see how much of what you read actually sinks in.
In addition to reading skills, Reading Trainer also claims to improve concentration and aspects of vision. I cannot vouch for the effectiveness of the app, as I have only been using it for a couple of days, but reviews are very positive on the whole.
If you are looking to improve your reading, or simply keep your mind sharp, you may want to check out Reading Trainer. It normally costs $3.99, but is on sale, like many apps this week, for just $.10.
- Download for Windows ($3.99; Free trial)
Hopit
Addictive and fun, Hopit is a simple endless runner of sorts.
Navigate your dot back and forth between two lanes of traffic, changing color to pass through barriers of the same hue. There are also unpassable obstacles that you must change lanes to avoid.
Hopit employs minimalist design and pleasant music, giving you an almost Zen feel as you play. Unlike many endless runners, it's not very frustrating, despite the number of times you fail nearly instantly.
Though incredibly easy to play, you'll find Hopit to be quite a challenge.
You can download it for free on your phone or computer.
- Download for Windows (Free)
Be sure to check out our other selections from previous weeks. Have a great weekend!
Do you have an app you want us to highlight? Drop us an email at tips@windowscentral.com with "5 Intriguing Apps" in the subject line.
