The Week in iOS Apps: Batter up!

05.10.2012
This week's roundup of iOS apps is rocking it old-school. Old baseball, old music, old presidents, and more.

Already this week, we've brought you news of how to store gift cards in their Passbook; we've told you how Google Maps Street View ; we've shown you 's, well,  new iPad interface; and we've brought you roundups of the best and "" apps.

Here are other new and updated apps that caught our eye this week:

It's time for the baseball playoffs! If you're the kind of person who loves nothing better than to watch or listen to millionaires spend several hours playing a child's game, then you probably already have the $4 for iPhone and iPad; but if you're a casual fan who is just now paying attention, you'll be glad to know the app has been updated with all sorts of news, stats, and video features focused on the postseason. If, you're a lifelong Kansas City Royals fan, perhaps you can content yourself with the free game for iPhone and iPad, in which you can play as a barnstorming 1920s player named "Herman George." It may be the closest you ever come to playing baseball in October.

If you're a jazz-loving iPad owner, the app might be essential. For a $2-a-month subscription fee, you have access to more than 1,000 songs from the legendary jazz label's catalogue--including some entire albums from great musicians like Wayne Shorter, as well as marvelously crafted playlists created by Blue Note afficionados. Even if you don't want to shell out the subscription dough, there's still a library of great material for jazz fans here, including musician bios, liner notes, photo galleries, historic newspaper articles, and more. We won't lie: This app has us jazzed.

So far in the roundup, we've had an old-school baseball game and an app featuring old-school musicians. Now for the old-school politicians: The $4 app for iPad was developed in conjunction with a former producer for , and carries the same sensibility of being both informative and entertaining. Each president is profiled, with interactive timelines that feature key events during their administrations. The app offers two hours of video history, featuring presidential advisors and nemeses like Sam Donaldson, Paul Begala, and more. The app is AirPlay enabled, and while it features its goofy moments--what's that video of George W. Bush and George Washington in a bathtub together about, anyway?--Disney appears to hope teachers will put it to use in the classroom.