5 Windows 10 apps you should try: Get a laugh, set up a media server, and break out of a dystopic prison

With the ever-growing number of apps and games in the Windows Store, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with what's out there.

For that reason, every Friday we showcase some apps that have piqued our interest. They may have been in the news recently, they may be new to the Windows Store, or they could simply be old apps that we just stumbled upon.

They are the 5 Intriguing Apps of the Week.

Perfect 9Gag

Perfect 9Gag

Perfect Thumb, the makers of several Windows apps, including the best Flickr app around, are at it again with Perfect 9Gag. As you may have guessed, this is their third-party client app for the popular humor site 9Gag.com.

Sporting a streamlined user interface, the app lets you browse the latest posts in categories like Funny, GIF, WTF, and more. You can also sort within each section by what's hot or what's fresh.

Perfect 9Gag supports in-app GIF animation and video playback, so you can enjoy everything without jumping to an external browser. You can also download videos and images, copy post links, or share directly from the app.

Logging into the app with your 9Gag account allows you make posts on the site using your camera, a URL, or custom meme. You'll also be able to comment and upvote\downvote other people's posts.

Perfect 9Gag follows in the footsteps of the developer's other apps, delivering a topnotch user experience with a mix of design and functionality. Available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile.

Download Perfect 9Gag from the Windows Store (opens in new tab)

QR: Perfect 9Gag

Kodi

Kodi

Kodi has released a new version of their media player for Windows 10 computers and tablets.

Kodi (formerly known as XBMC) is an open-source media player that works across several different platforms. The app itself doesn't contain any media itself, but rather lets you connect to a local media server, hard drive, disc drive, or remote server.

There are also tons of third-party plug-ins available that will let you stream content.

The Kodi app allows you to stream pictures, videos, music, and even stuff like weather forecasts from these sources to your Windows 10 devices and control it using a remote.

The user interface is both beautiful and intuitive, and although it is not quite perfect yet, the app is solid.

This beta version is only available for PC at the moment, but the developer envisions a true UWP app for mobile and Xbox One sometime in the future.

Available for Windows 10 PC.

Download Kodi from the Windows Store (opens in new tab)

Graphiter

Graphiter

Graphiter is a drawing app for Windows 10 that turns your computer into a digital sketchpad.

With pencils ranging from 2H to 8B, you will get the exact tone you are looking for, while the blending tools will help you soften the hard edges and fills into natural-looking textures.

There are also colored pencils for adding zest and life to your drawings and an ink pen for precise line work. And what drawing set would be complete without some erasers?

You can create multiple books to organize your drawings however you want to and any sketch can be exported to JPG or PNG.

The free version of Graphiter includes fourteen pencils and two erasers, with other tools available as in-app purchases.

Available for Windows 10 PC.

Download Graphiter for Windows 10 (opens in new tab)

EarTrumpet

EarTrumpet

EarTrumpet is an app with a single function that can actually make a big difference in your daily computing life.

Its purpose is to control your PC's volume. And although Windows 10 already has volume controls of its own, EarTrumpet is far superior because it lets you change the volume of individual apps.

It works with both traditional desktop apps, as well as those that you download from the Store. You can also completely mute each app or your master volume in Windows.

Perhaps you are playing music with Groove while playing a game and want the in-game sounds to be louder. Go ahead and lower the volume of Groove to create some ambience and pump up the game sounds just a tad for clarity. You get the idea.

EarTrumpet runs as an icon in the taskbar, just like the volume controls that are native to the operating system. The control panel fits in with the rest of Windows 10 aesthetically as well, so it feels like it belongs there.

On its face, EarTrumpet may seem like a trivial app, but give it a try, and you just may find it becomes one of your most-used tools.

Available for Windows 10 PC.

Download EarTrumpet from the Windows Store (opens in new tab)

Signals: Lockdown

Signals: Lockdown

Signals: Lockdown is circuit-based puzzle game for Windows 10 computers, tablets, and phones. You play the role of a captive in a futuristic prison who is trying to break out using your electrical hacking skills.

Each lock has a shape pattern on it that must be matched by connecting the correct combination of nodes to it with wires that you draw with your pen, mouse, or finger.

Throughout your attempted escape, you are taunted by the AI warden, who is reminiscent of Portal's antagonist, GLaDOS.

Signals: Lockdown will keep you busy with each of its two episodes, totaling one hundred levels. The challenging logic puzzles and custom ambient soundtrack are a great way to exercise your brain.

But fear not, if you get stuck on a level, you can opt to use a hint, which become available after a certain period of time.

Signals: Lockdown is free to download, with optional in-app purchases.

Available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile.

Download Signals: Lockdown from the Windows Store (opens in new tab)

QR: Signals: Lockdown

Be sure to check out our other selections from previous weeks. Have a great weekend!

Do you have an app you want us to highlight? Drop us an email at tips@windowscentral.com with "5 Intriguing Apps" in the subject line.

Seth Brodeur
31 Comments
  • EarTrumpet is useless since windows has had per app volume leveling since forever
  • If you bothered to read the article, EarTrumpet allows the changing of volume in Windows Store Apps and desktop apps. Windows built-in volume control only allows changing desktop apps' volume.
  • and even if you using only for desktop apps it still requires less clicks so pretty damn good
  • Ear Trumpet is perfect for controlling apps volume in just two clicks.
  • Great selection this week! I've been looking for a good 9gag client for a while and have tried several but somehow I never stumbled upon Perfect Thumb's app. Also, I didn't know Windows Store apps could control system settings the way EarTrumpet does. Wonder if it's a Project Centennial app?
  • Lenovo settings does too, for example.
  • Oh man. I cant wait for Kodi on Windows 10 Mobile. We badly need a video player that professional and aesthetically organizes our movies and TV shows. Can't wait around for them to do something with the Movies + TV app any longer. That thing is dead in the water.
  • Plex?
  • Plex won't really handle the locally stored tv shows and movies (on your phone) properly. You have to have them on the server first and sync them to the phone amd then you start looking at big money with plex. I'm just looking for something that organizes my local phone tv shows and movies in a professionally looking manner and let's me watch them. The official movies + tv app just throws them in a piled mess in 'personal'.
  • Ah, I use a server... Didn't know you hosted your media from your phone. Sowwy! :(
  • Hahaha. Dont want to host a server on my phone, but you gave me a chuckle. I'll just be gone for days and want to sync my tv shows and movies before I leave. To expensive to stream this stuff. I'd like to have an app the looks professional, does a professional job of organizing them, and does a good job of letting me watch them. We dont have anything like that now.
  • Yeah, I got you now. :)
  • How do u run kodi to watch free cable?
  • Haven't heard of doing that yet. You find out, let us know.
  • Check YouTube full setup kodi videos it will add alot of content for your entertainment
  • Ear Trumpet is something that should have been part of Windows 10 since the beginning.
  • Graphiter isn't available for Mobile. Only PC is there.
  • Graphiter for phone ? Why would u need that on a small screen ???
  • It's not available for phone
  • I was hoping it would be :(
  • Hopefully kodi comes to W10M soon. I've been using it on my windows 10 laptop and It's working great.
  • Explorer for 9gag is better than perfect 9gag :D But this Ear Trumpet thing seems to be useful, although should be part of Windows 10 already :D
  • Don't know about graphiter... but kodi would be very useful to watch live sports, tv shows, and movies on the go when I'm not home
  • Or, if you own a SMA converter you should try the app PV Monitor for PC/Mobile/Hub
  • Could the article be updated to correct that Graphiter isn't available for mobile... And if it is, kindly give the mobile link?
    Edit: Oddly enough the app page says windows 10 mobile is supported, but needs an x86 / x64 processor
  • Yeah, I was going by the app page, but changed it now, since doesn't seem to be available for Mobile.
  • thanks very much for app TRUMPET I was looking for something like that!!! when I often switch from game to browser and I need to mute it
  • Signals: Lockdown is crashing upon start up. I sent a note to the dev who replied: Could be something with the requirement to supply age ratings by the end of September. As the game is no longer supported, we did not recertify it. Did not think it would influence the existing users. Submitted for recertification. Cheers,
    Tomas Sakalauskas
    CEO
    No Brakes Games
  • Sigfnals: Lockdown is a dismal failure. Does not work on Surface 3 OR Asus ROG Laptop...... I'm glad I didn't pay for it.!!!