Free apps roundup for March 19th, 2010

I hope you like games, because that’s what’s hot on the App Store this week. They’re pretty diverse, from a first person shooter to a Tetris wannabe, so I’m sure there’s something here that will help the time go by. But don’t worry, there are some cool tools here too, and, as always, it’s all sans charge.

• Boom Shake Free – Another music rhythm game that uses your own music. This one looks a lot more like Rock Band, though. You can create your own song notes and share them with others. Or, just download what others have made. Either way, this game has a lot of potential. This game is OpenFeint enabled, connects with Twitter and Facebook and they’ve even slimmed it down low enough so it’s downloadable over 3G!
• Eliminate CO-OP – How do you make the best (and free-est) multiplayer first person shooter even better? Add co-op. And that’s just what ngmoco has done. Now, if only it had voice chat. Still, I think this is currently your best bet for FPSs on the App Store.
• Whiteboard Share – Ever in a meeting and someone wants you to copy what’s been written on a whiteboard? Ugh, what a waste of your perfectly valuable time, right? Well, you could take a picture and hope that your iPhone’s camera is enough, but this app takes it a step further; it optimizes whiteboard text by removing artifacts. They even say it removes glare. Give it a try; it could save some time and a hand cramp or two.
• ClassicTOY Plastic Toy Camera – As a child, I never had a toy camera. Still, I can’t help but love the style of this camera app. It takes images in a 3:2 format, simulates 11 different types of film and applies a vignetting effect.
• Re Universal Remote Control – The must have app for Re remote dongle owners. Seriously, it won’t work without it. The Re app comes with a database of IR codes so you shouldn’t need to teach it anything about your TV other than its brand and model, but you can teach it if necessary. It’s got all the features you need, and, best of all, it’s super portable. We’ll be keeping our eyes on the remote control scene here at Appletell, so you can expect to see more about this in the coming months.
• iLuv App Clock – iLuv just announced their newest App Station iDevice speaker dock, and this is the companion app. Basically, it’s just a nearly fullscreen clock with alarm options. You can wake up to your own music and control its playback inside the app. It also displays weather, has theme choices and can be dimmed. More features are coming.
• CardKing – Are you sick of your wallet bulging with membership cards? I know I am. This app lets you scan all of your cards and display them on screen. You never need to worry about forgetting a discount card again, or forgetting them on purpose to save your butt.
• Pipetrix – Tetris? Close. This game requires you to connect pipes together, not create lines. It’s a bit different. The shapes have pipes embedded. Connect those pipes to score.
• Paper Football 3D – Another 3D football game for the iPhone, this time in paper! If you like paper football, but hate the burden of folding paper, then give this a try and waste a few minutes.
• Perfect Necktie – You have to wear a tie for most of the week, so you might as well learn to tie it properly. This app has instructions for 10 different tie knots. You can even try my personal favorite, the Atlantic Knot. Be forewarned, it’s a bit difficult to do, and you have to be pretty hip to pull it off.
• Chevy iReveal – Want to play Chevy’s game? It’s a location-based game that challenges you to find virtual Chevy vehicles across the US. If you find a vehicle, you can unlock it and explore it in 3D augmented reality. Sadly, it only works in selected cities, and currently it’s only Austin, Texas. More cities are coming soon.