We start this week’s best iOS apps with one that is focused on the future. No, not the cool “flying car” future, but rather April 15th…tax time! TurboTax SnapTax, will make doing taxes easier than ever before. Our other top apps this week include updates to eBay and CNET alongside new apps to add text to photos and check what’s on your TV.
TurboTax SnapTax (Free)
The TurboTaxs SnapTax app has immediate appeal right out of the box. The idea of being able to photograph your W-2 and have the information from that W-2 auto-fill the rest of the tax form is very alluring. Sure, users would still need to double or triple check to make sure all the required information is filled in correctly, but this could be a great way to save time on tax preparation. It should be noted that although the app itself is free, it costs $24.99 to actually file your federal and state taxes via the app. That said, if you’re looking for a unique and quick way to file your taxes, TurboTax SnapTax makes a strong argument for itself.
eBay (Free)
eBay and the iPhone is an obvious match, as it’s more efficient to sell and monitor your goods via phone rather than being tethered to a laptop all day just to find out your old Ninja Turtles action figures aren’t worth that much. The latest eBay update continues to streamline the process for mobile users, creating a new listing flow that lets users list items quicker alongside an improved photo interface so adding pictures to items and viewing photos in other listings has never been easier. Alongside those main features are the usual touch-ups, things like being able to save multiple listing drafts and search enhancements may go unnoticed by some users, but are huge pluses for power users. eBay may be an old dog in the app game, but this update shows it can still learn a few new tricks.
Swipe ($0.99)
Swipe lets users add a little bit of stylized typography to their photos. Rather than mess with lighting filters all day, Swipe users can add cool text in various colors, fonts and angles to their favorite pictures. Swipe features over 100 fonts that can be edited for size, color, transparency, rotation and alignment. Once the photos have been edited they can then be shared on a number of social networking websites including Facebook, Twitter, Fickr, or Tumblr and e-mail.
yap.TV Guide (Free)
As yap.TV Guide nears its fourth full iteration with its 3.9.4 update, fans of the guide app will find plenty of good features. The app has been completely re-designed for iPhone with a special TV Guide screen featuring tappable network logos, so users can see what’s on their favorite channels as far as a week in advance. Yap also features updated category navigation as well as easier channel customization on the app itself.
CNET (Free)
Excellent tech news source CNET updated their iPhone app, fixing a slew of bugs and adding some much-needed optimization. CNET has been dispensing great reviews of all sorts of tech for years and their app’s large database of text and video reviews reflects that commitment to quality. CNET’s app also has photo galleries and latest news sections to cover a tech fan’s every multimedia need. The latest update to the app also features enhanced video playback on the iPad and iPod touch.
