Tech review: Must-have apps for iPhone, iPad

Using OneDrive, Apple users have access to more storage for photos, videos, documents and other files. Credit: Microsoft
iPhones and iPads come fully loaded with a collection of world-class apps that make your mobile device super-functional. But sometimes there are better choices than these default, built-in apps. These four apps are must-haves for any iPhone or iPad user.
Google Maps
(iOS, Android; free)
Apple really, really, really wants you to use its Apple Maps, which comes built-in to every iPhone and iPad. And it has gotten a lot better since its disastrous rollout in 2012. But Google Maps is just … better. True, Apple Maps works well with Siri, but Google Maps’ Street View mode simply can’t be beat. And because of the mass of data Google collects, it knows better than anyone where you are and where you want to go.
OneDrive
(iOS, Android; free)
Apple users have access to the company’s iCloud, where they can store photos, videos, documents and other files that can be retrieved by other devices. So why would you need to download Microsoft’s similar OneDrive? First, it’s more free storage. But most of all, if you use Microsoft Office programs such as Word and Excel, OneDrive does a better job interfacing with those programs than iCloud.
Evernote
(iOS, Android; free)
When you need something more powerful than Apple's built-in Notes for iOS, Evernote is the way to go. This hugely popular notetaking and organizer app does it all. You can type in or import notes or scan handwritten memos. Your Evernotes are synced among all your devices. Evernote Premium ($8/month) adds more features and more storage space for your notes.
Outlook for iOS
(iOS, Android; free)
Apple’s built-in Mail app is an excellent choice for most people, but power email users who balance a number of work and personal accounts — and use the ubiquitous Microsoft Outlook on their PC — should consider this free mobile version of the desktop program. Outlook for iOS connects to a number of email providers and services, including Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, Gmail and iCloud.
Video game sales hit record high
U.S. video games rung up a record $43.4 billion in sales in 2018, an 18 percent increase from 2017, according to Port Washington-based research firm NPD Group. NPD said sales gains were widespread, with console, PC, and mobile platforms all showing “significant growth.” Red Dead Redemption II was the year’s bestseller, followed by Call of Duty: Black Ops, NBA2K19, Madden NFL 19 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
— PETER KING
Real worries over deepfakes
Deepfake videos, where computer programmers use artificial intelligence to alter a real video while making it still look authentic, is an emerging cyberthreat. MIT Technology Review says hackers could use deepfake videos to roil stock markets by “posting fake video of a CEO announcing that a company is facing a financing problem.” Deepfakes might also be employed to steal elections or stoke a world crisis.
— PETER KING
FTC weighs record Facebook fine
The Federal Trade Commission is considering imposing a record-setting fine against Facebook for failing to protect the privacy of its users' personal data. The fine, expected to be much larger than the $22.5 million imposed on Google in 2012 for misrepresenting its privacy guarantees, is in connection with the harvesting of personal information of 87 million Facebook users by political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.
— THE WASHINGTON POST
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