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Year-end Special: 24 ‘Made in Asia’ apps to check out before 2013 ends

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Start the year right with 24 ‘Made in Asia’ apps, classified under eight categories like events, photography and games!

EVENTS
1.
Gigout (iOS)
Based in Singapore, Echelon alumnus Gigout curates and aggregates the most exciting concerts in Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong. Users can also purchase tickets and check if their friends are heading to the same gigs from within the free app.

2. Peatix (iOS/Android)
Looking for something exciting to do this New Year’s Eve? Japan-based ticketing platform Peatix‘s free smartphone app allows users to peruse upcoming events, redeem offers and send messages to attendees heading to the same event!

If you are an event organiser, check out its ‘Peatix for Organizers’ app, which allow check-ins.

3. Eight (iOS/Android)
Japan-based name card manager app Eight is here to help you after long networking events which render you lazy to store the contacts digitally. Instead of using optical character recognition, the parent company Sansan actually hires operators to enter all the information available on the card into a system which keeps the data safely for the user.

MATCHMAKING
1. Hey (iOS/Android)
After sister matchmaking app IUM took off in home country Korea with a monthly revenue of US$500,000, the firm decided to move into the global market with Hey.

The free app offers users three matches a day, all of whom have been carefully picked using an in-house algorithm. Users can then choose to spend in-app currency to chat up his or her match.

2. Avalable (iOS/Android)
Thai-based Avalable (yes, without the ‘i’) first started with its Southeast Asian home country as a test bed. Quite recently, it decided to launch a global version, which has been made available in 15 languages.

Users get to post updates similar to social networking site Facebook, and receive up to 30 matches a day.

3. LoveOutLoud Asia (iOS/Android)

Formerly known as lessworkmorelove, Singapore-based iOS and Android dating app LoveOutLoud Asia (LOLA) allows users to receive one match every day at 12 PM sharp. While the above two apps focus on people, LOLA seems to focus more on date ideas.

PHOTOGRAPHY
1. Fuzel (iOS)
Some photographs are meant to be pieced together. That’s what Fuzel, a Vietnam-based smartphone app, is for! The collage app has been featured on the iOS App Store multiple times, and allows users to beautify photos with text and funky collage shapes.

2. Pixaroll (iOS/Android/Windows)
If you’re not a fan of photo collages, that’s fine. Check out Singapore-based app Pixaroll which allows users to upload photos and have hard-copies delivered to their doorsteps for a fee. We think it’s great for families on vacation, who might want a hassle-free keepsake.

3. Pudding Camera (iOS/Android)
Bored of classic Instagram filters? Korean free smartphone app Pudding Camera might just be what you need. With 10 different camera settings, from the fish-eye to panorama, and film effects like dazzle and noir, it is impossible to create the winning self-portrait (or selfie!).

TRAVEL
1. Spottly (iOS)
Fancy travel journalling? Hong Kong-based app Spottly was recently launched in October to satisfy that awful case of wanderlust you’ve got. Users can make use of data from Instagram and Foursquare to compile personalised travel guides – for free.

2. HotelQuickly (iOS/Android/BlackBerry)
Here’s another Hong Kong-based app which is trying to revolutionalise the travel scene across Asia. HotelQuickly, a hotel booking app targeted at last-minute spontaneous travellers, recently announced in September that it has garnered more than 150,000 users.

3. Gothere.sg (iOS)
Singapore-based app Gothere.sg is the very reason why commuting in the city-state is a piece of cake. First launched about five years ago, the app, which provides bus, train, car and taxi routes, has now been crowned the top paid travel app on the iOS App Store (Singapore).

While it might charge users a one-time fee of S$4.98 (US$3.93), we think the money is pretty well-spent for convenience and ease.

GAMES
1. Socialmon (iOS/Android)
Virtual pets need not remain as a thing of the past. Enter Malaysia-based free smartphone app which allows users of all ages to take care of their ‘Socialmon’ through social media, and battle other players. Essentially, it’s Pokemon meets Facebook!

2. Brave Frontier (iOS/Android)
Published by Japan-based Gumi inc., Brave Frontier is a new free smartphone role-playing game app. Players can choose to experience the game through the story mode or battle extensively in the arena. In addition, there are special dungeon events which reward power users with experience or gem bonuses, among other incentives.

3. Conquest Age (iOS)
Last month, Singapore-based game studio Daylight Studios partnered up with IAHGames to launch Conquest Age, a free skill-based role playing game app. Play as a determined soldier looking to unite seven warring regions with friends while finding out more about the fabled Dracon Peninsula!

SHOPPING
1. Carousell (iOS/Android)
Singapore-based mobile-commerce app Carousell might be the answer to your hoarding woes. Now heading to Malaysia and Indonesia, the free app does not charge users a single cent to buy or sell through the platform. Users can upload photos of items – both pre-loved and new – onto the app, fix a price, location and description, and negotiate with potential buyers.

2. ShopGuru (iOS/Android)
Every time you walk into a store partnered up with Singapore-based free app ShopGuru, like World of Sports or True Religion, you get points which are exchangeable for retail vouchers or other rewards. The company behind ShopGuru, Rainmaker Labs, uses ultrasound waves and its hardware device to detect shoppers with the app active in the phone’s foreground.

3. Perkd (iOS/Android)
New Singapore-based mobile app is here to help shoppers get rid of physical loyalty cards. Users can register existing membership cards as well, with brands like Muji, True Fitness and Yamaha Music School on the app, or sign up for new cards.

FINANCE
1. BillPin (iOS/Android)
Tired of friends chalking up debts and conveniently forgetting to pay you back? Well, if you don’t want to get new friends, you might want to try using Singapore-based free app BillPin, which can help you track expenses.

2. StockRadars (iOS/Android)
For the more financial-literate, you might want to check out Thai-based StockRadars, an app which can help you be more risk-savvy. Launched in September, the free app acts as an advisor and personal assistant to investors who spend hours looking at stocks in their portfolio.

3. Moolah It (iOS)
Singapore-based free app Moolah It is a finance literacy game for both children and adults. Not only does it teach the merits of setting and adhering to a budget, it also warms children to the concept of delayed gratification – one which is particularly needed in today’s ‘instant’ world.

NEWS
1. Feecha (iOS/Android)
Singapore-based free magazine aggregator app Feecha curates and presents news for neighbourhoods you follow. Users can specify interests, bookmark stories and get directions to a story’s location. At the moment, the app has over 1,000 sources across 19 interest categories including mainstream publications, food review sites and nightlife establishments.

2. NewsLoop (iOS/Android)
Launched by Singapore-based telco SingTel, local news aggregator app NewsLoop is the city-state’s alternative to Flipboard. Users can categorise interests according to region and news beats, like National News and Movies.

3. Magzter (iOS/Android/Windows/Samsung/Amazon/Huawei)
Magzter, a Singapore-based US-based e-book and magazine store, recently made headlines with a US$10 million investment from Singapore Press Holdings and Kalaari Capital. With over 2,500 magazines including Cosmopolitan, Maxim and Newsweek, users can purchase through their iTunes account, and connect with friends on the platform.

Correction: Magzter is not a Singapore-based company, but has sales offices in Singapore.

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The post Year-end Special: 24 ‘Made in Asia’ apps to check out before 2013 ends appeared first on E27.