App reviews: Peel Smart Remote, Nuzzel

Do you always lose your remote in your seat cushions? With the right phone, the Peel Smart Remote for Android can take care of both of those problems. The app works with smartphones that have an infrared, or IR, blaster in them, such as the Samsung Galaxy line. That lets you control your television with your phone just as you would with a remote. Even better, Peel's app tells you what's on right now, so you can tap on any show on your smartphone screen and have the app change the channel for you.

Peel also has a free app for iOS devices but requires you to buy another device to use your phone as a remote, since iPhones don't come with a built-in IR blaster. The TV guide feature will, however, still work even if you don't have a phone that will work as a remote. Free, for Android devices.

Nuzzel

It can be really hard to keep up with the news - and to weed out what's worth reading and what isn't. Nuzzel, a news aggregation app that plugs into your social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to recommend stories to you, takes out some of the guesswork that can go into deciding whether you should take the time to read a story.

The higher number of friends who've shared a story, the higher the recommendation comes. You can also choose to see stories from friends of friends. You can filter stories based on how recently they published, if you're looking more for news than a good read. Free, for iOS and Android.