Updated 08/05/2011 05:00 AM
App Wrap: Hoops AR and Citibank for iPad
Tech beat reporter Adam Balkin highlights the coolest and newest apps for your cell phone or mobile device in the twice-weekly segment "App Wrap."
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Hoops AR
It's a cool augmented reality game, especially for basketball fans. But what it represents is the bigger story. The game is called "Hoops AR" and was originally designed to work on top of the paper tickets to Dallas Mavericks playoff games. It is now available as a free download for Android phones. Just go online and print a "marker" to make it work. The bigger news with this app though, is that it was created using software by Qualcomm, a company that has just made public its Augmented Reality software development kit for iOS devices. What that means is software developers can now tinker away and make more impressive augmented reality apps like this one more easily for Apple mobile devices. Users can likely expect to see a bunch of new apps like "Hoops AR" for iPhones and iPads in the not-too-distant future. This version is called "Hoops AR" and it's free for Android devices.
Citibank For iPad
There's also an app for anyone looking to get a better grasp on actual reality. It's Citibank's new mobile app for iPads. Not only does it give users an interactive, graphical view of their finances, but it also allows them to pay bills and transfer funds. Additionally, it can help analyze a Citibank member's spending habits - comparing monthly bills to what other people in a similar age group around a similar region are spending. Citibank for iPad is free, but potential downloaders will need to be a Citibank customer to use it.