Put a Spin on It

This Week on Function: Apple Notes Apologies #

Why do so many celebrities use the Apple Notes app for social media apologies? On the latest episode of Function, we took a deep dive into this topic with insights from writer and culture expert Kara Brown and senior user experience designer Regine Gilbert.

Listen to the episode below, and subscribe to Function on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hands-Free Duck Hunt #

One of my earliest gaming memories is playing with my brother... and cheating by placing the Zapper right against the TV screen to shoot the ducks. Eventually I improved my aim and played the game regularly (I promise!)

Now you can relive the fun of Zapper-free with this really fun app by developer and Glitch user Oz Ramos (@labofoz). It uses your computer's webcam to trace your facial movements; just look at the ducks to aim, and smile to shoot. Check out the video below for an example of how it works!

The Dark Souls of Chess #

Chess is one of the oldest games in the world, but that hasn't stopped developer and Glitch user Byron Hulcher (@byronhulcher) from finding a new, unique way to make the game even more challenging.

Chess but harder is like the classic game you already know, but there's a '' twist with some of the board being hidden by a mysterious darkness. Can you capture the king when you can't even see where it is?

Fun with Fractals #

Have you heard of fractals? Wikipedia defines them as a "detailed, recursive, and infinitely self-similar mathematical set", and if you've seen lightning bolts or even frost crystals on glass, then you know that fractals are all around us.

The Sierpinski triangle is a special fractal, and perhaps one of the most recognizable and easily created ones as well. K-12 computer science teacher and Glitch user Erik Nauman (@enauman) built an app that lets you adjust the "nuttiness" on a Sierpinski triangle and explode the fractal into its seperate components, with artistic results. Click the "redraw" button for a new triangle.

To N-Finity and Beyond #

Algorithmic artist and Glitch user n-schedé (@n-schede) builds beautiful browser-based creations, and their latest work of art is another masterpiece.

N-finity is an ever-changing geometric wonder, and it's quite hypnotizing to watch. Click the "Randomise" button for new colors, and then sit back and watch the pattern slowly morph over time. Isn't math beautiful?

Featured Illustrator of the Week: Tor Brandt #

We're lucky this week to have the talent of Denmark-based artist Tor Brandt on full display. His simple line drawings and use of a limited but dreamy color palette are pleasing, dreamy and ethereal.

View more of Tor's work at his website, and look at his work on our featured apps of the week.

What's old can become new again - you just need a little thought and creativity. The apps we've highlighted on Glitch this week exemplify just that. Why not remix one of them and put your own spin on it too?