App reviews: How to Cook Everything Essentials, The Walk
Even for the novice, cooking made easier
If cooking more is your goal in the new year, you can consult an expert with "How to Cook Everything Essentials," an app that features recipes from food writer Mark Bittman. The app includes recipes for more than 100 basic dishes, from chocolate chip cookies to steamed clams. You also get tips on various cooking techniques, such as a basic explanation of how to fry, how to broil or even how to best store a melon. Other nifty features include in-app timers - if you allow notifications on your phone, it will tell you when your timer goes off even when you're out of the app. You can also search recipes by main ingredient, and narrow those searches to find meals that suit vegetarians, don't take up much time or can be prepared ahead of time.
Users can also sign up to get emails with featured recipes. "How to Cook Everything Essentials" is free, though there are paid apps featuring Bittman's recipes that come with more dishes and no ads. (You will see these recipes in the free app, with a note saying they require an upgrade to access.) If you're just looking for a light primer, though, it's a good place to start.
Free for iOS devices.
A game with a real-world walk-through
Getting in shape can be a chore, but "The Walk" is here to try to make it downright thrilling. A fitness tracker game from the developers at Six to Start, the app places you in the heart of an exciting 13-hour mystery that unfolds as you take your smartphone with you on walks around your neighborhood, for instance.
As you move in the real world, you progress through the story. No spoilers here, but let's just say it involves a bomb, a train and a chance to save the world. The app itself may not be able to get you out the door, but if you're serious about getting a little more exercise, it can provide a good incentive to keep moving once you've started.
The goal is to hit 10,000 steps a day. You can adapt the difficulty to favor longer or shorter walks. "The Walk" requires quite a bit of personal information to work - particularly permission to access motion detectors in your phone to count your steps from your pocket or bag. It also needs your location to map the world around you. For an app, it's a little pricey. But isn't a few bucks a small price to pay for fitness?
$3 for iOS devices; $4 for Android devices.