A selection of 19 apps for you today:
Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation
Name ring a bell? Gameloft's military first-person shooter is clearly inspired by the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series, but does a good job of bringing the idea to smartphones and tablets. The latest version includes a 13-mission solo campaign and online deathmatching.
iPhone / iPad
Codify
Codify is really interesting: an app that aims to help people code on their iPad, making their own games and simulations, with touchscreen-focused controls to tap and drag elements. It's based on the Lua programming language.
iPad
Skifta
Qualcomm-incubated Android app Skifta is all about people accessing their library of music, videos and photos stored on their home computer, while also streaming content from their handset to DLNA-certified TVs, stereos and games consoles. It's just emerged from beta.
Android
My Town 2
US startup Booyah has been pushing location-based gaming since the original My Town, which was like Foursquare crossed with Monopoly. My Town 2 is more CityVille crossed with Foursquare: players have to build a virtual town using familiar social game mechanics (very familiar if you've played CityVille Hometown on iOS), with the twist that businesses are based on those near you in the real world, with your check-ins boosting their virtual performance. Intriguing.
iPhone / iPad
Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App
Disney's latest iOS book-app is based on illustrator Mo Willems' popular Pigeon books, and gets kids to create their own Pigeon stories by answering questions and then shaking their device, while also recording their own voice.
iPhone / iPad
Adobe Carousel
Adobe's latest iOS app focuses on photos, helping people edit their shots before storing them in the cloud, so they can be accessed from any iOS or Mac device. The app uses a subscription model paid using Apple's in-app purchases system: $59.99 a year or $5.99 a month in the US, and the equivalent elsewhere.
iPhone / iPad
Snow Patrol Fallen Empires
Snow Patrol released their first iPhone app back in 2008, but now have a new one for new album Fallen Empires. It includes "exclusive in-the-studio video content and behind-the-scenes photos from the band's amazing live shows", with the promise of more content to come in 2012.
iPhone / Android
Booksy: Learn to Read Platform
iPad app Booksy wants to help children learn to read, based on the US education system. That means two free books delivered within the app, and more for purchase via in-app payments of £0.69 each. "Think of it as training wheels for books. It gives kids independence and security while providing help and support," explains the App Store listing. A parental dashboard monitors progress.
iPad
Grey Goose Le Fizz
Free booze? It's a selling point. Bacardi sub-brand Grey Goose has a new iPhone app offering a free glass of Le Fizz when buying a meal at participating venues. Naturally, the app offers a guide to those venues in the UK too. It's been released by Rippll.
iPhone
Shantae: Risky's Revenge
Shantae has already been a critically-acclaimed game on Nintendo's DS, but it has now made the leap to iOS as a free download, with players invited to pay in-app to unlock the full thing. "High octane, hair-whipping, belly dancing, monster slaying action" is promised.
iPhone / iPad
Smartr Contacts
Xobni's Smartr Contacts Android app has been released in beta, and wants to make "all the people you've ever exchanged emails, calls or SMS' with, instantly searchable from your Android phone". The app is free, and creates profiles for anyone you've contacted, with a Pro version in the works to connect it with other versions for Gmail, Outlook, BlackBerry and iPhone.
Android
NMA.tv
Taiwanese company NMA has won a firm following for its quirky 3D animations, acting out the topical news stories of the day. Having complained recently about Apple rejecting its app, the two companies appear to have settled their differences: NMA.tv is available for download on iPad.
iPad
Scout
Yo dawg! I got an app on my apps-phone so I can find apps for my apps-phone... Xzibit would surely approve of Scout, the latest app-discovery app for Android. It asks people questions about their preferences, analyses the apps they already own, and makes recommendations. There is also a group of "App Critics" who provide their own curated lists.
Android
Riptide GP
Developed by the team behind console game Hydro Thunder Hurricane, Riptide GP continues the water-racing theme, with fast-paced jetski action and the ability to race against friends' times.
iPhone / iPad
Chuggington Terrific Trainee
Kids' TV show Chuggington gets its second iOS app in the form of Terrific Trainee, published by Starz Media. It's a game with 16 missions and a range of characters to play. For now, it seems to be a US-only release.
iPhone / iPad
Songineer – Instant Composer
Music tech firm Amidio's latest iPhone app wants to get people making music "literally in seconds", using pre-defined layers of beats, bass, keyboards, lead and "atmo", sequencing them in 32-step patterns.
iPhone
TwitchTV
Watching other people play games on their consoles or computers? There's now an app for that. TwitchTV is the work of livestreaming company Justin.tv, based on its website of the same name. Watch experts play the likes of Halo: Reach and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm while chatting to friends.
iPhone
Cecilia Ahern
HarperCollins has released an iPhone app for author Cecilia Ahern, offering a mixture of quotes, news, audio book samples, videos of other readers talking about their favourites, and a feature to upload your own videos too.
iPhone
iBrew
Remember when pouring a branded virtual pint was the cutting edge of apps innovation? Happy days. It's more complex than that now. The new iPhone app for Green King Ale gets people to actually brew a pint, choosing ingredients in the right quantities and from the right areas.
iPhone
