Try 'Scan & Translate' to eliminate the language barrier

Looking to download a few great iPhone apps while saving some money this weekend? Check out these five, all on sale or free right now.

  • Scan & Translate

    Scan to Translate
    Scan to Translate Scan to Translate

    Similar to Google Translate, this app allows you to scan and translate text in another language. That makes it a fantastic tool for traveling (when, for example, you have no idea how to figure out menus and street directions), or for students working with texts in foreign languages. It’s also handy for getting over simple language barriers in day-to-day interactions.

    Scan & Translate [1] is on sale for $1.99 in the App Store.

  • Lost Yeti

    Lost Yeti
    Lost Yeti Lost Yeti

    Very few puzzle games have plots, and the ones that do seem to try a little too hard. However, Lost Yeti seems to strike the perfect balance. The object is simple: Players must free a trapped Yeti (or Bigfoot, as some call him) by completing puzzles that unlock a footpath. It’s the sort of game you can spend a lot of time tinkering around with â€" but don’t get lost in the woods.

    Lost Yeti [2] is temporarily free in the App Store.

  • Cycloramic

    Cycloramic
    Cycloramic Cycloramic

    Another app that helps you take advantage of your new phone’s advanced photo capabilities, Cycloramic can let take way better panoramic photos. The app can take wide-angle photos, but it also has a hands-free mode allowing it to snap fully 360º shots by rotating your iPhone using its vibration motor. If that sounds confusing, worry not: The app packs very clear instructions on how to get the best results.

    Cycloramic [3] is temporarily free in the App Store.

  • Touch2Face

    Touch2Face
    Touch2Face Touch2Face

    Touch2Face is one of those rare apps that doesn’t sound like it does much of anything, but it will actually change the way your use your iPhone. It’s simple: Touch2Face creates icons in your iPhone’s notification dock or home screen for dialing up your favorite people, which eliminates the need to scroll through your endless list of contacts. There are options to have the buttons make FaceTime calls or stick to regular voice dials.

    Touch2Face [4] is temporarily free in the App Store.

  • Message Art

    Message Art
    Message Art Message Art

    For some reason, this app’s developers have decided to market it to towards children and parents when it’s obvious that 1) very young children shouldn’t have iPhones and 2) that it’s likely to be used and enjoyed by adults. The app allows you to draw pictures, doodle over photos from your library, or even hand-write notes and send them as an image via iMessage. It’s a lot of fun to use, and sometimes more intimate than normal text messages.

    Message Art [5] is temporarily free in the App Store.