Skip to main content

Friday 5: A new Apple Pencil-enabled sketch app, streaming Steam games to your iPad, and three more apps for the weekend

Looking for a few apps to keep you entertained this weekend? Then have a look at the latest edition of Friday 5. Inside, we discuss Linea — a brand new sketch app with Apple Pencil support. We also talk about Moonlight, an app that lets you stream NVIDIA GameStream-compatible games to an iOS device. Those, and three additional apps are on the docket for this week’s edition of Friday 5. Have a look at our brief hands-on video inside for the full rundown.

Linea

If you’re looking for a simple and straightforward sketchbook app that’s easy to pick up and use, then Linea is solid choice. Although it can work with just a finger, it’s especially good when paired with the Apple Pencil. Linea features low latency drawing with the Apple Pencil that’s similar to experience had when using the stock Notes app. But Linea is much deeper than the drawing tools found within Notes. The ability to use your finger as an eraser is particularly well done, as are the built-in backgrounds and storyboard options that make it easy for conceptual designers to get started quickly.

Video walkthrough

Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more videos

Moonlight

Thanks to our recent eGPU tutorials, I’ve found myself playing games on my GTX 1050ti-powered MacBook Pro via Windows. As such, I thought it would be neat to check out Moonlight, an iOS app that can stream games from NVIDIA GameStream-compatible systems.

Although it’s not perfect, I was impressed to be able to play Portal using my Steel Series Nimbus controller paired to my iPad Pro. If you have a GameStream-compatible setup, Moonlight is definitely worth experimenting with.

Volta

Battery life, or the lack thereof, continues to be a major concern for MacBook Pro owners. Volta is a brand new utility that allows users to have more fine-grained control over a hardware element that’s partially responsible for eating into battery life — the Intel i-series processor.

Volta lets users reduce the voltage supplied to the processor, disable the automatic Turbo Boost overclock, and establish a definitive power limit. Although we’ve yet to test Volta extensively enough to come to an adequate conclusion, in theory it should improve battery life under the right circumstances. Unfortunately, the app requires users to modify System Integrity Protection, so it won’t be for everyone.

Drop

If you’re a developer, an artist, or anyone else who regularly deals with colors on the Mac, then Drop is a color picker that may interest you.

One thing that sets Drop apart from other color pickers, such as the one built into macOS, is that it features Touch Bar integration. Users can mix colors directly from the Touch Bar interface and quickly select saved colors from there as well.

YouTube

You more than likely already have the YouTube app installed on your iPhone, but did you know that the app contains a handy 10 second skip feature?

A simple double tap on the left or right side of an in-progress video will let you skip 10 seconds in either direction when watching your favorite videos.

What apps do you recommend?

Do you have an app or game that you’d like to pitch for future editions of Friday 5? Feel free to share down below in the comment section. And remember, it doesn’t have to be an iOS app, it can be a macOS, tvOS or watchOS app as well.

If you weren’t able to catch our previous Friday 5 post, you can view it here and watch its video below.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Jeff Benjamin Jeff Benjamin

Jeff is the head of video content production for 9to5. He initially joined 9to5Mac in 2016, producing videos, walkthroughs, how-tos, written tutorials, and reviews. He takes pride in explaining things simply, clearly, and concisely. Jeff’s videos have been watched hundreds of millions of times by people seeking to learn more about today’s tech. Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube to catch Jeff’s latest videos.


Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications