Byte The App: Must See Apps Of The Week 10/6

The app stores are teeming with new releases, but who has time to go through them all? We do. Bringing you a selection of the most interesting, creative, and innovative apps each week. Submit your suggestions for next week in the comments below.

Journey to the Exoplanets [iPad]

There’s nothing like exploring the cosmos from the comfort of your own tablet. And this isn’t just exploring our immediate astral neighbors either, this app lets you boldly venture out to what lies beyond the familiar comforts of our solar system. Peek out into the great black yonder and discover the distant and mysterious planets that lie in the far reaches of the universe—you can check out planets’ surfaces, view stars in 3D, and peruse artwork from sci-fi artist

Ron Miller

.

ZOMBIES, RUN! [iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Android]

This isn’t a fully grown app just yet, but rather a Kickstarter project. Nevertheless, it’s already received nearly five times the requested funding amount with three more days to go, which just goes to show you the power of zombies. Merging a zombie narrative and the act of running, this immersive game puts you in the familiar territory of a post-apocalyptic world overrun by the undead. You put your headphones on and listen to the story unfold as you jog along, collecting various items for survival and racking up points as you go; the longer you jog, the more you collect. Then when you get home, you can allocate these resources to your base to help it grow, and the next time you run, more of the story will unfold before you. It’s due for release early next year.

Swarovski Refract [iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch]
This is an unusual but interesting branded app from Swarovski, who have commissioned digital artist Marek Bereza and design agency MultiAdaptor to create a generative audiovisual composition tool. Users can create patterns and sounds by tapping the screen and then share their creations with friends. Bereza says, “I feel that Refract demonstrates a beautiful digital expression of crystal. I wanted to allow people to create visual paradigms in a myriad of sight and sound.”

Central Park (Listen to the Light) [iPhone, iPad]

This is the second location-based music app from US band

Bluebrain

. The

first

was designed to be listened to while walking around the National Mall in Washington D.C. with the music changing in conjunction with your location. This second app works on the same principle but is site-specific to Central Park,

NYC

—as you wander around, the app uses your device’s built-in

GPS

to respond to your location, and the melody and rhythm of the music change depending on your path.

Hard Lines [Android]

This is already a popular acclaimed game on iOS and now it’s come out on Android. It’s basically like a pimped-our version of the old mobile classic

Snake

, adding neon colors and six different gaming modes. You control a character, called Lionel, who’s a glowing yellow line, and have to pick up items a bit like Pac-Man munching his way around the mazes while avoiding crashing into anything.