This week's top 5 Android and iOS apps

From mobile games to productivity apps, here are the five free and paid Android/iOS apps from NextPit this week. We publish this selection every week, you can also check the Top 5 apps of last week. Pull the world back from the brink of nuclear annihilation with Sigma Theory! It is a paid game, but it should be well worth every penny spent.

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Mind Notes (Android)

If anything, getting ourselves organized in terms of thought should be a mandatory life skill taught to everybody. After all, having a schedule as well as a way to present ideas to others when communicating in an orderly manner would make life so much easier for everybody. Unfortunately, I do not think that everyone else shares my view, so it is a good thing that there is Mind Notes, a notebook note memo app. This app allows you to type all your thoughts and store them for posterity in an organized manner.

I love how there is a huge amount of different stationary and fonts that are available for the user. In fact, you can spend hours tweaking it to your preference, which might perhaps be used in a more prodigious manner. You can also choose to include downloads through attachments for free, which is often touted as a feature in other apps that require a subscription.

While you can get by on the free version of the app, I would highly recommend you go for the Pro upgrade, as that allows synchronization to the cloud and with other compatible devices, enabling you to access your notes wherever you are as long as there is an Internet connection. Oh yes, the automatic backup in the Pro version also comes in handy. 

It is ideal for beginners and power users alike. Hopefully the developer will continue to support this app in the longer term by including additional features such as having more markdown options and fixing the autocorrect. Other than that, I do feel that my life is slightly more organized and orderly now that I have the sticky notes widget on my home screen complete with reminders so that I do not forget a single task in the week ahead.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes / Account: Not required (but recommended)

• Download Mind Notes from the Google Play Store.

Duet Display (iOS & Android)

They say that having a secondary display is able to bump up your productivity by leaps and bounds, and I do not disagree! During the pandemic, many people, myself included, was forced to work from home in the new normal, and the limitations of a single screen quickly became apparent.

The worldwide silicone shortage also did not help matters as new monitors and computers were delayed in shipment due to numerous factors. How about breathing new life into your older devices that you no longer use as a daily driver? This is where Duet Display comes in, where it transforms your mobile device into a secondary display on both Mac and PC platforms.

It does so with zero lag, of which I would highly recommend a wired solution in this case. After all, your multitasking tasks get easier with another display and you can make sure you are productive even while you are on-the-go. Using it is easy, just plug your tablet into your desktop or laptop via the charging cable, and you can then transform said device into a high performance touchscreen display. No longer do you have to contend with spotty Wi-Fi connections or laggy performance, nor do you need to remember pesky network passwords.

Supported touchscreen gestures include two-finger scrolling, pan, and zoom. In fact, the latest update benefits Mac users more since it adds the touch bar to any iPad! If you are a graphics illustrator, you will find Duet Display useful since it can also transform your iPad and Apple Pencil into a professional graphics tablet—but only if you settle for a Duet Pro subscription as an in-app purchase.

Additional features that are unlocked with that subscription are pressure & tilt sensitivity, hover, and palm rejection. However, as a basic secondary display, this app more or less works flawlessly if you deal with just word processing and spreadsheets.

• Price: $9.99 / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes / Account: Not required

• Download Duet Display from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Fortune City (iOS & Android)

If you ever have had trouble managing your finances, then perhaps keeping track of them is a good way to get started. Forget about the old-school method of using pen and paper to achieve this objective. Fortune City brings a gamification element that clearly makes everything fun! The graphics are amazing as you play the role of a mayor, and breaking down your expenses into different categories, you create and build your own metropolis. This in turn will help you pick up good budgeting habits as you track your income and expenses! While an account is not mandatory, having one makes it easier for you to perform automatic backups.

Each item spent and categorized will see your city change. For instance, adding a food expense results in a Food Stand being built, while purchasing a new consumer electronics item saw my city get a City Hard Drive. New people would then like to move in as your city progresses and develops. It is all too easy to track your spending and categorizing each transaction, and you can view them via easy-to-understand pie charts and bar charts so that you can see where your spending goes. 

With more than 100 different styles of buildings and different transportation options, it is a joy to see your city grow. There is only one major drawback that I see with this game—I might end up wanting to build the city I want by looking for different things to buy in real life so that I can input the proper transaction!

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes/ Account: Not required (but recommended)

• Download Fortune City from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Infinite Flight Simulator (iOS & Android)

Touted to be one of the most complex and real-life flight simulation experience on mobile devices, and appeals to both the curious novice and decorated pilot. You get to enjoy high definition scenery from all over the world, and you can also choose to fly at the time of the day as well as various aircraft weight configurations. There is a realistic atmosphere throughout the game including weather conditions, and you would do well to know the instructions before taking off as it took me several attempts of crashing into my surroundings simply because I was too proud to do so.

The game also has realistic sound effects that certainly get you in the mood. Of course, once you take off, there is a sense of joy and fulfillment as you explore the skies like a bird.

Do be aware that this is not an offline game, so you will need Internet connectivity in order to play it, which can be quite a bummer, especially the irony of flying a digital plane while you are in an actual plane is a novelty! Still, it offers breathtaking graphics that are sure to tickle your fancy. Flying multiplayer requires you to obtain a pro subscription which will feature dozens more aircraft, additional liveries, realistic flight models, animated cockpits, and over 20,000 airports around the world. It does get expensive, so you might want to end up with a proper flight simulator on your desktop instead.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($4.99-$79.99) / Account: Not required

• Download Infinite Flight Simulator from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Monopoly - Classic Board Game (iOS & Android)

Imagine a game that has been around for decades, and continues to entertain millions worldwide every single moment. Monopoly is truly a classic take on capitalism, where the main purpose is to be the richest person in town by developing land that you own title deeds to. No longer do you need to worry about lost dice, lost title deed cards, and lost Chance and Community Chest cards. In addition, with no marking to these cards, things get more exciting! There is even a Quick Mode, letting you finish the game faster than ever before, which is what most people enjoy these days compared to long, drawn out sessions. 

There are new themed boards which are exclusive to the mobile game only. You can choose from 9 different boards, and one more remains unrevealed, which means each session will always be exciting and fresh. Imagine diving into an alternate universe known as the L.A. Monstropolis alternate universe, or perhaps scare your pants off in Transylvania! How about seeing what the future looks like when you are dropped right into the middle of New York 2121? The variety of new player pieces, properties, and Chance cards that are unique to each theme make it even more interesting.

For those who want to play with friends and family who are far away, you now have the added option of multiplayer gameplay through video chat. This will require you to create a free account, adding other friends in the list and kickstart a brand new game from the group chat. This allows you to see each other's expressions, adding an additional layer of human touch when playing virtually. Of course, nothing still beats playing board games in person, but technology has certainly helped bridge the gap. Of course, you can play multiplayer under the same roof via Wi-Fi, so that's another unique method.

• Price: $2.49 (Android) and $3.99 (iOS) / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($1.99 to $34.99) / Account: Required

• Download Monopoly - Classic Board Game from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

There you have it, our list of the Top 5 apps of the week. If you have something you would like to point out or want to share your own suggestions, leave a comment section right below!