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Apps That
Went Free on
2014-12-05

Your family is going to have a lot of fun with today’s collection of apps and games. Everyone can sing and play along to the tunes in Santa’s Merry Band. You can doodle with Carl Laser Draw. And you can compete against each other in Lub vs Dub.

Pixora - Discover daily deals on unique products
iPhone
iPad
Pixora - Discover daily deals on unique products

Pixora - Discover daily deals on unique products

Pixora Inc

Discover things you love with this lifestyle app.

It’s ideal for anyone who needs a little inspiration.

FREE ($1.99) For a limited time FREE ($1.99) For a limited time
Why we picked this?

Pixora brings the world of fashion, beauty, home, food, travel, technology, hobbies, and cars and bikes right to you. It features highly curated, visual lists that will help inspire you to check out new trends and topics in your favorite categories. You’re able to make your way through all of the carefully selected photos with a swipe. When you find something that has piqued your interest, you’re able to learn more about it, bookmark it, or share it with friends. A staff picks section and a trending section are available in case you aren’t exactly sure what you’re looking for.

If you need help finding something new, anything at all, Pixora can help.

The biggest issue with Pixora is that it can be too specific. It has very little general content.

The Hobbit: Official Visual Companion
iPhone
iPad
The Hobbit: Official Visual Companion

The Hobbit: Official Visual Companion

HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Explore and discover the world of the Hobbit films with this entertainment app.

It’s the perfect way to get ready for the next and final Hobbit film to hit theaters.

FREE ($4.99) For a limited time FREE ($4.99) For a limited time
Why we picked this?

You’re able to explore Middle-earth via a beautifully rendered 3-D map. Utilize common multitouch gestures to move across the map, zoom in, and rotate. You’re able to overlay locations, characters, objects, and races on the map, and tap on those you want to learn more about. You’re also able to view the full index in list form, and take a quiz that will put your Middle-earth knowledge to the test.

If you even remotely enjoy the world J. R. R. Tolkien has created, then check this app out. It’s every fan’s dream.

The app can run a bit clunky on older iDevices like the iPhone 4 and iPad 2. You should probably skip this one if you fall into either of those categories.

Air Scanner by Qrayon
iPhone
Air Scanner by Qrayon

Air Scanner by Qrayon

Qrayon, LLC

Project whatever your camera sees onto your computer’s screen with Air Scanner.

It’s ideal for teachers or anyone else who needs to display hard-copy materials on a larger screen.

$4.99 $4.99
Why we picked this?

Getting Air Scanner up and running is remarkably easy. Just launch the app on your iDevice, point your browser at the provided URL, and then point your iDevice’s camera at whatever you want to project. Air Scanner will continuously take photos and send them to your browser in 720P or 1080P, depending on the type of iDevice.

If you need a way to show off content, Air Scanner is it. It’s support for 64-bit processors makes it much more fluid than it used to be.

If you don’t have a powerful new iDevice like the iPhone 6 or iPad Air, your results will be pretty poor.

Santa's Merry Band
iPad
Santa's Merry Band

Santa's Merry Band

Mibblio, Inc.

Your kids can jam along to eight beautifully illustrated story songs in Santa’s Merry Band.

This app will get any family in the Christmas spirit.

$2.99 $2.99
Why we picked this?

Santa’s Merry Band is one highly interactive music app. You’re able to choose from eight different story songs. You can simply hit play and enjoy the tunes and story, or you can jam along. The app includes a fully colored keyboard that can take on the sound of a piano, guitar, violin, vibraphone, saxophone, clarinet, flute, or accordion. Percussion instruments run down the right side of the screen as does a strum pad. It’s quite the visual and audio overload, so just start tapping and swiping away. You’re also able to disable pieces of each song in order to add your own tunes to them.

If you need a jolly music app, this is it. It’s everything an iPad app for kids should be.

It’s a holiday app through and through. If you’re not feeling that Christmas cheer, skip this one.

Carl Laser Draw
iPhone
iPad
Carl Laser Draw

Carl Laser Draw

Tayasui.com

Bring out your inner child by painting with a lightsaber with this art creation app.

It’s ideal for anyone who likes to doodle.

$1.99 $1.99
Why we picked this?

What do you get when you combine the lovable Carl with glowing lightsabers? Easy. One insanely fun doodling app! You're able to choose from 11 different lightsaber colors and 14 shapes, and then just put your finger to the screen to start drawing. You'll hear realistic lightsaber sparks and hums every time you touch the screen. The app also includes the ability to save your final creations and share them via email or Facebook.

If you enjoy creating, your going to have a lot of fun doing it with Carl. The neon effects are a blast to draw with, and the lightsaber sounds simply add to the experience.

This isn’t an app for the professional artist. It’s merely a fun distraction.

Lub vs Dub
iPhone
iPad
Lub vs Dub

Lub vs Dub

No Code Ltd

An endless runner that has you flipping and jumping across an ECG line.

It’s great for those who enjoy playing games locally against friends.

$0.99 $0.99
Why we picked this?

Lub vs Dub has a ton of heart. Grab a friend and take your places on each side of the screen. Then start running across the central ECG line to collect hearts and race by your opponent. You and your opponent are both able to leap over obstacles and flip to the other side of the line via your own personal controls. You’re also able to gather power-ups to boost ahead of or hinder your opponent. A single-player mode is available so you can work on your technique. The game also includes achievements and leaderboards via Game Center.

If you have a friend or family member nearby, download Lub vs Dub today. The single player mode is definitely a treat, but Lub vs Dub is all about the competition!

Luv vs Dub is a skill-based games that requires timing and precision. If that’s not your thing, skip it.