App reviews: Yahoo news, Jelly

Delivering the news in brief, with context

Yahoo’s latest news app makes use of the ideas and tech it picked up when it acquired the news aggregator Summly. Packaged in a slick, easy-to-read format, the app pulls the top stories of the day and can send push notifications to let you know when your digest is ready. The app also pulls video, Wikipedia articles, Twitter updates and maps to add context to the summaries, as well as links to the original content. Competing with Circa and other news-digest apps, Yahoo is aiming for a more curated approach by limiting which stories get top billing. There is a spot for “extra news,” but it isn’t very customizable. Still, if you just want to quickly catch up, this app boils it all down for you -- and even rewards you with a trivia treat when you’re done reading. Free, for iOS devices.

Jelly

Does this app make my butt look big?

Need a second opinion? Jelly, the latest app from the mind of Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, wants to help. Say a bride wants advice on which bridesmaid dress to pick. Or someone is trying to identify the artist of a painting. They snap a picture and pose the question to Jelly users online. If you can answer, you weigh in with your opinion in the app. If not, swipe on to the next person asking for your help. As with any new social service, the app will become more useful as more people join, but the idea is a neat one for those who need problems solved. Free, for iOS and Android devices.