Fresh iPhone Apps for October 7: PayPal update, Intelligent Life, NBC Nightly News

PayPal update (iPhone) Free

The mobile app that accompanies PayPal’s online transaction service has always been functional, but not exactly amazing. But a recent update adds something really cool – the ability to deposit checks into PayPal using the iPhone’s camera.

Snapping a photo of the check sends it to PayPal’s system, where it becomes available as soon as it clears. Add this to the already free functions that PayPal offers in its app, like balance checks and money transfers, and the updated PayPal app offers a lot of cool features, especially for people who use it a lot to make online transactions.

Intelligent Life (iPad) Free (but with in-app purchases)

A quarterly magazine printed by the international business and news publication The Economist, Intelligent Life is only available to U.S. readers if they subscribe and receive the magazine from London – or if they pick up this app and read the quarterly on the iPad.

The autumn issue is included with the free app download, and there’s a sample of past content that’s free as well. Further past issues and future ones seem to be available through in-app purchases or subscriptions.

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (iPhone) Free

Lots of news outlets have apps that organize all their stories into a single place, and now NBC Nightly News, one of the most respected news shows on television, joins the ranks.

The app is free and works a lot like other apps in the same field. Users can check out daily reports from the show and its reporters, as well as read anchor Brian Williams’ blog. And all that content can be disseminated to followers and friends using in-app Twitter and Facebook links.

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