It's an exciting time for tech fans: pre-orders are already underway for the year's biggest Android handsets, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the LG G5, and Apple is expected to announce its latest iOS devices in the coming weeks.
But if you can't wait until then for all-new tech treats, why not give your existing tablet or smartphone a shot in the arm by downloading some of the latest apps? This week's highlights include an Uber-like service for flagging down a massage and an app that helps you monetise your Instagram profile.
1. REWIND: REVERSE VOICE RECORDER
Available on: Android
It treads a fine line between useful and creepy, but Rewind is your app if you ever feel the need to record everything going on around you, at all times.
The app's creator claims that it's useful for recording moments you would otherwise have missed, or as a method of surveillance and documenting harassment. (It basically runs in the background, recording everything, all the time.)
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It's certainly concerning if you need it for the latter reason, but we found it useful for simply recording notes and memos – and it doesn't drain your battery as much as you might think.
Price: Free, Publisher: Yu Chen Hou, Release date: Out now
2. VIDMOB
Available on: iOS
There are times when fumbling around with iMovie gets the job done, and there are others when you think, "sod this, I'll just pay someone to do it."
VidMob for iOS devices is the quickest and easiest way to enlist the services of a video editing professional. It grabs footage from your device or iCloud account and helps you locate the best person for the job, sending the results back in-app.
You can filter editors based on your budget and read testimonies on their work from other users to make sure you're getting some bang for your buck.
Price: Free, Publisher: VidMob, Release date: Out now
3. iDISPLAY
Available on: Android
iDisplay is a useful app that brings that dual-monitor experience to your PC by turning your Android tablet into a secondary display.
There are two ways you can link your slate to your desktop: with a USB connection or over WiFi. The app has just received a software update to improve the latter method, if you have a distaste for wires.
iDisplay is also on iOS devices, but it's a lot more pricey on the App Store at £10.99, and a quick look at the user ratings is enough to tell us that this version is a dud.
Price: £3.13, Publisher: SHAPE, Release date: March
4. FLURRY ANALYTICS
Flurry Analytics is a piece of software for Android users who are really anal about their apps. It tells you which ones are hogging the battery, and which ones you use the most, among other nitty-gritty details.
It alerts users when an app's performance suddenly changes, so you can nip battery-sappers in the bud or at least reign in their permissions.
With a straightforward interface and easy-to-read analytics reports, Yahoo's latest app is a must-have for anyone who likes to keep a close eye on their usage stats.
Price: Free, Publisher: Yahoo, Release date: Out now
5. TGI FRIDAYS
Available on: iOS
We'd usually tell you to steer clear of corporate apps like this, or at least omit them from our round-up - but downloading the official TGI Fridays app gets you FREE FOOD.
You'll get a complementary starter at your local TGIs if you show them this app the next time you go in, along with up to £80 worth of free qualifying cocktails, desserts and smoothies on your birthday and half-birthday. (Half-birthdays are a thing now.)
That's not too shabby, is it? On top of that, the application also features a virtual scratch card that gives users the chance to win everything from a burger to an Apple Watch.
Price: Free, Publisher: Punchh, Release date: Out now
6. URBAN MASSAGE
If your back and neck are chafing from all that time you spend propped up in bed looking at your iPad, help is now just a couple of screen taps away.
With Urban Massage for iOS and Android, you can call in a spa-quality massage to your home, office or hotel, providing you live in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Glasgow.
It's kind of like Uber, except you get Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, Pregnancy, Anti-Cellulite and Thai Massages instead of taxis.
Price: Free, Publisher: Urban Massage, Release date: Out now
7. MEALIME
Available on: iOS
It's not a typo – it's Mealime not Mealtime.
Maybe you never got around to learning how to cook, or perhaps you've just flown the nest and the prospect of fending for yourself in the kitchen is terrifying.
If either of those scenarios sound familiar, this personalised cooking app for iOS devices matches you with dishes based on your preferences, hooks you up with a list of ingredients, and guides you through the preparation process.
Obviously, there's no easy way around the cooking and washing-up stages, but if you need some culinary inspiration, Mealime will introduce you to a range of new and exciting dishes.
Price: Free, Publisher: Mealime Meal Plans, Release date: Out now
8. HARVESTER MESSENGER
Available On: Windows
This one is a wrapper application for all of the various chat services Windows 10 fans might use, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Twitter and more.
Harvester Messenger pulls all of your digital correspondence together under a single umbrella, so you can keep track of who you're speaking to on which platform.
It also works on your desktop PC, but doesn't include any cross-service interaction. That would have been handy, but a logistical nightmare for the developer.
Price: £1.19, Publisher: Easterapps, Release date: Out now
9. TAKUMI
Available on: iOS
So you think you're hot stuff on Instagram with a boatload of followers and enough likes to rival a Kardashian arse pic? Well, why not put your money where your mouth is and monetise your social-media skills?
Takumi for iOS devices does just that: it helps Instagrammers with 1,000 followers or more find brands that are looking for social networkers to assist with their paid-for campaigns.
The app's creators claim that anyone who signs up can earn a minimum of £40 for each branded post, with larger paydays for users with higher follower counts. And the money is wired straight into your bank account. Cha-Ching!
Price: Free, Publisher: Lemonade Marketplace, Release date: Out now
