NY1 highlights the coolest and newest apps for your cell phone or mobile device in the twice-weekly segment “App Wrap.” NY1’s Adam Balkin filed the following report.

Square Credit Card Reader

This little smartphone dongle users to become their own little business owners, of sorts, whether or not they are actually selling something.

The credit card reader from a company called Square, started by one of the same guys who founded Twitter, plugs this into your headphone jack. So long as the user has a free Square account, he or she can take swipes of Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.

It uses in business are clear enough, but beyond transactions for goods or services, users can have friends deposit money directly into a bank account through credit card swipes. Now friends can charge their half of dinner, tickets to the game or a bet they lost as a result of the outcome of the game. After the swipe, the device even allows for a user's signature.

There is a flat 2.75-percent fee per swipe.

The service and dongle are free, and users can sign up and get a free dongle at SquareUp.com. It works on both iOS devices and Androids.

Passat Road Rules

"Switching gears," pun intended, "Passat Road Rules" is a clever, free marketing app that keeps passengers, particularly young ones, occupied on long car rides.

Created by Volkswagen, it has 20 classic road games in there like "I Spy," "License Plate Bingo," and of course "Punch Buggy," although in this version it's called "Punch Dub" to include all Volkswagen cars in on the action.

The app lays out the exact rules for each game and then offers up a digital scorecard for tallying up who is winning.

"Passat Road Rules" is a free app for iOS devices.