Top 5 Android and iOS apps of the week

This top 5 is not like our selections of free applications that we offer you twice a week. Here, we install the applications on our own smartphones and test them. We check if there are not too many in-app purchases, ads and if the applications respect your personal data more or less.

We try to select useful applications, whether for productivity, personalization of your interface or digital well-being. And, our top 5 always includes at least one mobile game. Applications can be free or paid, with or without a subscription. But, it will always be indicated!

We take issues related to in-app purchases and advertisements seriously. This is why we mention them in the descriptions of the affected applications.

Dadish 3D (Android and iOS)

In this game, you play the role of Dadish, the protagonist who lost his children due to questionable pop-up ads. The dialogue may make your eyes roll, but at least it’s funny!

With 50 levels to beat and 49 baby radishes to locate, the game is colorful and, thankfully, very responsive in terms of controls, as any platform game should be. If you don’t like on-screen controls, you’ll have the option to connect it to a physical controller for greater precision.

If I have one major criticism of Dadish 3D, it’s the camera controls. At times, the camera zooms in and obscures the entire screen, which can lead to awkward moments when you need to make a precise jump. Other than that, it’s a pure, clean, fun game that’s sure to make your inner child happy.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes / Account required: No

Atlas Obscura Travel Guide (Android and iOS)

There are plenty of mapping apps out there, but how many of them actually help you discover something different and unique? Forget the hive mind, Atlas Obscura Travel Guide helps unleash your spirit of adventure to discover unique places you might have missed.

This knowledge is crowdsourced, making it a collection of local knowledge wherever you are. Trivia fans will also be happy to take note of the detailed information about each location, including photos that add context and community recommendations.

I found the user interface easy to navigate and the color palette very attractive. It’s a breeze to create a personalized list of places I’m going to explore in a new location, and for the kid in me who loves checking off the boxes on a bucket list, there’s a feature “Been There” which makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something by tracking my progress during my exploration.

However, as much of the information comes from the community, some locations may now be closed or defunct but still be listed. I usually cross-reference information with Google Maps and do a quick search to check.

• Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: No / Account required: No (but recommended)

Hypic-Photo Editor & AI Art (Android and iOS)

Hypic presents itself as a user-friendly and versatile photo editing app, which allows you to edit photos without having to sweat, straight away. Do you want baby-smooth skin? A simple press and that’s it. Of course, those who know you in real life will definitely recognize that your photo has been photoshopped.

You can also use Hypic to create photo collages for use in social media. There are plenty of templates to help you get started if you’re clueless, and a Canva-like feature allows you to edit business templates to fit your current environment.

• Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: Yes / Account required: Yes

Organic Maps: Hike Bike Drive (Android and iOS)

Navigation apps have long made printed maps obsolete, but here’s what happens if your main map app is down or unavailable due to bad luck? Introducing Organic, a secondary charting app that everyone should have.

Organic relies on OpenStreetMap, which takes a little getting used to, and that’s to be expected considering most of us have become familiar with Google Maps and/or Waze. OpenStreetMap provides other types of useful information and I must say it seems to load faster. Although I haven’t done an actual test to measure the respective loading times, it seems to me to be faster.

Most interestingly, the offline support, which is more than rudimentary, is another highlight, as the app also offers detailed lists of natural landmarks with responsive features. I loved downloading specific areas of maps to use offline by simply zooming. There is nothing easier. What are the faults of the device? Turn-by-turn navigation isn’t perfect, and extroverts will definitely miss the social aspect of Google Maps.

• Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: No / Account required: No

TimeJot (Android)

TimeJot allows me to specifically record events that I want to remember for good. This may be an easier reminder in the future or help remember a recurring event. In short, it can be a habit-forming or repeated activity tracking app. I am completely free to classify things accordingly, using my own words and meanings.

The search function is particularly useful because I can include or exclude certain keywords or categories to narrow the search. If there’s one organization app you want to use regularly, this is it.

• Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: No / Account required: No

What do you think of the list of applications presented this week? Did you like any of our recommendations? Is there another app you’re dying to share with the rest of the world? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments!