PLANET OF THE APPS: 21ST AUGUST 2012

He's had a week off, but now Stuart Dredge is back refreshed, and talkin' apps...

Bloc Party (iPhone / Android)

Just in time for their new album Four, Bloc Party have released their own app. Besides the usual features (news, videos, tweets etc) there's a daily weather forecast (or 'FourCast') which checks the real weather for your town, then gives you the forecast in a pre-recorded video from the band themselves. Lots of other treats for fans are promised.

Pinterest (Android)

Image-focused social network Pinterest has a brand new Android app, helping you share pictures on virtual walls and browse those of friends. It's a good time to talk about what Pinterest is, and its reputation as being a service mainly for women. What is it for, and how does music fit in?

CityBeats (iPhone / iPad)

Football! Not content with winning the Premier League last season, now Manchester City have designs on music fans' smartphones. CityBeats is a remix app: "showcasing the great up and coming bands from around the UK". You can tap on simple buttons to mess around with their songs, then share the results with friends.