This week’s app roundup has two very different tools on offer: a simple note-taking app and a brain teaser that rewards elegance.
Simplenote
Sometimes downloading something simple means that you give up some much-needed functions. Simplenote, a note-taking app, has done its best to strike a balance between the two. As a result, this plain-text app offers users options that don't get in the way of its clean interface.
If you want to just use Simplenote as a dumping ground for thoughts, to-do lists, recipes, journal entries or whatever random jottings that may come to mind, you certainly can. Or you can opt to tag and categorise your musings with just a few taps on the screen.
Even better, the app works across multiple platforms – iOS, Android, Kindle, Web and Mac – so you can keep your thoughts on hand no matter what they look like. Free for iOS and Android devices.
Kami
Puzzle gamers and neat freaks will find a lot to love in Kami, a smartphone game that asks you to use your wits to turn multicoloured puzzle levels to monochrome. The game suggests an ideal number of moves players should use to get the board neat and tidy. With charming but simple animations and some surprisingly complex puzzles, Kami is a good, quiet brain teaser.
The game rewards elegance – get it right and in the right number of moves, and you'll be told your score is “perfect.” If you overshoot by a bit, you'll get a “fair” grade, but too much tapping results in a flat-out “fail.” The game can feel a tad short on content for puzzle power users, though players can replay whatever they want and buy more levels over time. Overall, though, this soothing puzzler is a nice one to try. $1.99 (R25) for iOS devices; free for Android devices. – Washington Post