Today in the App Store -- the best free apps, new apps and app updates

Here are some of the best free apps, app updates and new apps that have landed in the App Store recently. All app prices are USD and subject to change. Some deals may expire quickly, so grab them while you can.

Apps Now Free

Work Time HD - Elegant desk top clock for iPad [iPad; Now free, down from $2.99] The best desktop clock! Don't leave your iPad asleep on your desk, put it to good use.

Work Time - Elegant desk top clock for iPhone [iPad; Now free, down from $1.99] The best desktop clock! Don't leave your iPad asleep on your desk, put it to good use.

Scanbot | PDF Scanner [iPhone; Now free, down from $1.99] Scanbot is your premium mobile scanner app.

Recordium Pro [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $6.99] Recordium is a powerful yet elegant recording app designed for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

PDF Expert [iPhone; Now free, down from $9.99] PDF Expert allows you to read and annotate PDF documents, highlight text, make notes and save these changes.

Since. [iPhone; Now free, down from $0.99] Since makes time flow into one photo or video.

New and Notable Apps

Drawn to Life [iOS Universal; $4.99] Draw your own Hero to save the world!

Darkrume [iPad; $2.99] Darkrume is the best Flickr Client for your iPad to be designed yet.

Bounden [iPhone; $3.99] A whimsical dancing game for two players, with choreography by the Dutch National Ballet. Twist and twirl elegantly, or get entangled with a friend.

OmniFocus 2 [OS X; $39.99] We understand, you're busy. You've got stuff to do. Work. Home. Play.

Updates you don't want to miss

Plague Inc. [iOS Universal; $0.99] Can you infect the world? Plague Inc. is a unique mix of high strategy and terrifyingly realistic simulation. Version 1.8.5 brings the following changes:

• "Mega-Brutal" difficulty – for players who thought Brutal was Casual!

• Experience Plague Inc.'s toughest challenge yet and try to infect a world with random medical checks, genetic drift and research tech improvements. Adapt or die...

• Mega new Cheat Modes – 3 new cheat modes are added which will all give you very different Plague Inc. experiences.

• Use cheats on any plague type (and even combine different cheat modes!)

• New Scenarios

• New events and achievements

• Performance improvements for all devices

• Minor game balance / AI improvements / bug fix

Dark Sky [iOS Universal; $3.99] Dark Sky can tell you at a glance exactly when it will rain (or snow) up to an hour in advance, so you're free to walk the dog or run out to lunch and know you'll stay dry. Version 4.1.2 brings the following changes:

• Disabling Location Services will no longer cause the app to yell and curse at you.

• Fixed a problem where the app would occasionally report rain when there wasn't any (most often at night).

• Fixed an erroneous warning of notifications being disabled.

• Some minor bug fixes that, as a coder, are too embarrassing to list.

Fantastical 2 for iPhone [iPhone; $4.99] The award-winning, best-selling calendar app has been redesigned and reimagined for iOS 7, including new features such as reminders, a new week view, and much more! Version 2.0.7 brings the following changes:

• Improved week view layout when showing many overlapping events

• Fixed a problem where alerts for reminders didn't update when using Move or Duplicate

• Fixed a problem where posting to Facebook from a birthday wouldn't work

• Fixed a problem where events in the week view could temporarily appear with the wrong color

• Various fixes and improvements

iMaschine [iOS Universal; $4.99] iMASCHINE puts professional groove production in the palm of your hand. Version 1.1.0 brings the following changes:

• iPad optimization for two handed-workflow

• Sampling from iTunes

• Free 'Quantum Collection' sound pack

• XY performance controls on mixer page

• Swipe gestures for redo and undo

• GUI facelift

• Enhanced sample editing functionality, start and end point now adjustable

• iPhone 5 screen support

• Metronome on/off switch