If you’ve ever wanted a little something more out of the Contacts app on iOS, you may be in for a treat with the latest app from Agile Tortoise, which makes the popular Drafts text actions app. Interact is a new contacts app on the iPhone and iPad made for power users. The app includes an iOS extension for creating contacts from information found in other apps, a scratchpad feature for parsing details you jot down for creating new entries, better group management than the built-in contacts app, and much more. Check it out below:
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OS X 10.11.4 beta adds support for viewing and sharing Live Photos in Messages
Sharing and viewing Live Photos shot on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus on the Mac has been tricky if not impossible until now. Previously the enhanced photos could only be viewed in Apple’s Photos app on the Mac, which limited sharing to iCloud Photo Sharing. Starting with the new OS X 10.11.4 beta released earlier this week, Live Photos can now be shared and viewed over iMessage using Messages on the Mac for the first time.
App Store games bring in $1B in revenue during December as Clash of Clans tops the charts
December is always one of Apple’s biggest months of the year thanks to the influx of new devices people receive as gifts during the holiday season. The company often reports its highest device sales during this month, and as you can figure, the more people who are using iOS devices, the more people who are downloading apps from the App Store. App Store analytics company Sensor Tower has today shared its figures for the month of December 2015, and it was another record-setting month for Apple. Sensor Tower says that revenue for games in the App Store during December was nearly $1 billion.
A proposed bill in New York would force Apple to allow backdoor access to user data, or be fined
A new bill proposed in New York could see that all phone manufacturers be required to implement a way for law enforcement agencies to access and decrypt user devices. This bill is somewhat similar to the Investigatory Powers Bill currently being debated in the UK, which Apple has voiced its opposition towards. Apple and Tim Cook have repeatedly stated that government agencies should not have any access to user devices or data, whether be through a built-in backdoor or other means.
Report: Apple says it sucks at selling ads, will soon let publishers do the hard work but keep all the revenue
Apple’s rocky iAd advertising platform is about to see some major changes, says Buzzfeed’s John Paczkowski. According to the report, Apple plans to dismantle its iAd sales team and stop its role as a middleman between publishers and customers:
While iAd itself isn’t going anywhere, Apple’s direct involvement in the selling and creation of iAd units is ending. “It’s just not something we’re good at,” one source told BuzzFeed News. And so Apple is leaving the creation, selling, and management of iAds to the folks who do it best: the publishers.
Apple is phasing out its iAd sales force entirely and updating the iAds platform so that publishers can sell through it directly.
The big news, Buzzfeed notes, is publishers that play ball will take home 100% of the ad revenue generated rather than a 70/30 split with Apple.
Apple Watch political oopsies: Jeb Bush’s ‘Batphone’ interrupts interview, Nancy Pelosi’s makes SOTU cameo
It’s no secret that former Florida governor Jeb Bush is a huge fan of his Apple Watch. Since the Apple Watch launched, the Republican presidential candidate has gone after the youth vote by showing off his Apple Watch and calling it a better option than Obamacare, despite labeling it unintuitive and power-hungry a few months later.
Jeb’s “iWatch,” as he often calls it, wasn’t dead earlier this week during an interview with the Des Moines Register’s editorial board, USA Today points out, as the presidential hopeful accidentally either placed or answered a phone call on it unknowingly. Jeb explained it away to the Iowa paper by declaring that he’d never had his “bat phone” turn on. Thankfully there’s video of this genuinely amusing moment.
And on the other side of the political aisle, Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi gave her own Apple Watch an equally entertaining product endorsement during President Obama’s State of the Union address last night …
Happy Hour Podcast 049 | Apple’s latest feature-packed beta releases
Apple has released new betas across the board for all things. Today, we’ll discuss what new features come along with them and how they may impact your usage, new details about the rumored 4-inch iPhone and upcoming iPhone 7, plus much more.
The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed.
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9to5Toys Last Call: LG 34″ QHD Monitor $570, Motorola Refurb Cable Modem $40, 10-ft. Lightning Cable $11, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Last Call Updates:
Spigen iPhone 6/s 3,100mAh Volt Pack battery case: $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $36)
- Bluetooth Audio Deals: Harman Kardon Speaker (refurb) $70, Over-Ear Headphones $17, more
- 10 PopCap Mac games for $10: Plants Vs. Zombies, Monopoly, Scrabble, more ($80+ value)
- The Kiba camera wants to sit on your shelf and record life’s biggest moments
- Sports/Fitness: 20% off SmartyPants multi-vitamins from $12, more
- Home: T-fal’s best selling Pressure Cooker $46 (Orig. $80), more
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34-inch UltraWide Displays: LG w/ Thunderbolt $570 (Reg. $700+), Dell Curved $675 (Reg. $750)
It’s 2016, stop renting your cable modem: Motorola refurb DOCSIS 3.0 deals from $40 (Orig. up to $220)
MFi Apple-Certified Lightning Cables: 10-ft. Braided $10.50 (Reg. $17), Dual-Port Car Charger + 3-ft. $12, more
A Dark Room for iOS goes free as IGN’s Game of the Month (Reg. $1)
LAST CHANCE!!! Giveaway: 1-yr. subscription to Apple Music, Beats Pill+ and Solo 2 Over-ear Headphones ($549 value)
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MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Daily Deals: VIZIO 38-inch 2.1 Bluetooth Sound Bar w/ Wireless Subwoofer (refurb) $90, TOURO 1TB USB 3.0 Portable Drive $50, more
- Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Headphones + Blue Microphones Snowball Mic $105 ($150 value)
- Games/Apps: Animal Crossing amiibo Festival Bundle $29 (Reg. $60), iOS freebies, more
- LG G4 Smartphone w/ 32GB flash GSM 4G LTE (factory unlocked): $350 shipped (Orig. $600)
- NetSpot Pro helps you improve the coverage of your Wi-Fi network: $19 (Orig. $149)
MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:
Quick Review: SoundPEATS’ Q9A Bluetooth earbuds offer solid value at less than $20, exclusive discount
Lenmar MFi Apple-Certified 3,000mAh Battery Case for iPhone 6/s: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)
- iPhone 5s 16GB in Silver or Gray (No-Contract) from $100 shipped (Reg. $300)
- Bluetooth speakers: Inateck Aluminum ultra-portable $30 (Reg. $43), more
- View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack for iPhone/Android: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)
- USB Power: Lumsing 16,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank $20, more
- Kingtop Waterproof Solar Powered Motion Sensor Light $10 Prime shipped (Reg. $16)
- Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50x headphones + Apogee Groove headphone amp $329
- Google Play offers 21 Classic Rock Favorites for Free: Santana, Boston, Meatloaf, more
- Game pre-orders for Amazon Prime members – Final Fantasy XV, more: $48 ea (Reg. $60)
- Motorola Nexus 6 factory unlocked 32GB in blue/white: $250 shipped (Reg. $330)
- Pick up a copy of Moby Dick as a Kindle download and audiobook for free (Reg. $6+)
- iPhone 6/s/Plus and Android Cases from $1: Dual-Layer $4.50 (Reg. $10), more
- iPhone 6/s/Plus Accessories w/ Prime shipping: Dual-layer Cases from $3 (Reg. $8+)
- Anker Tech Prime shipped: 13,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank $25, more
- NES30 Bluetooth controller gives the latest titles a retro twist: $37 shipped (Orig. $50)
- Hawkeye-I remote controlled quadcopter drone w/ 720p HD cam $46 shipped (Reg. $79+)
- FitBit’s Charge HR fitness tracker available for just $110 shipped (Reg. $150)
- Download the iPad at Work for Dummies eBook for free (Reg. up to $17)
- Your Choice of 10 Top-Rated Mac Apps for $20 (up to $500 value), more
- Keep your Macs running smoothly with a CleanMyMac two-pack: $36 (Orig. $60)
- Add Bluetooth capabilities + a dual-port USB charger to your car for $16 (Reg. $28)
- 1-month free Marvel Unlimited comic subscription plus an exclusive digital starter pack
- Grab a free MP3 download of Elvis Presley’s 30 #1 Hits, more
- Fitbit ZIP Wireless Activity Tracker $30 shipped (Orig. $60)
- Get in shape this year w/ huge savings on home workout gear
- Lightning 3600mAh Aukey Portable Battery Pack + MFi cable: $10 shipped
NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:
LEGO did everything right with its new 2,500-piece vintage Batman set
- This new touchscreen Smart Remote controls your devices just by pointing at them
- Report: Amazon planning to launch smaller, more portable version of its Echo speaker
- Segway and Intel got together to create a futuristic robot butler
- Activeon’s new 4K action camera uses solar power to provide six hours of recording
- Satechi adds pass-through charging to its USB-C hub
- Bang & Olufsen releases a new aluminum soundbar with AirPlay and a big price tag
- Reddit has compiled the best AMA sessions into a limited edition book, order now
- Nostalgia runs high on Kodak’s modern take of the Super 8 camera
- Polaroid’s new Snap+ is the beneficiary of a touchscreen display
- Sony takes to CES 2016 with new 4K HDR Ultra HDTVs, multi-room audio, more
- Nikon jumps into the action camera fray with its new Keymission 360
- LG drops new ultra-slim OLED 4K UHDTVs at CES that focus on HDR capabilities
- DJI introduces new 4K drone with a more affordable price, updates Inspire 1 PRO
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Feature Request: It’s time for an official Apple Watch 2 Upgrade Program
If everything goes as planned, Apple is set to hold a spring event in March to introduce the Apple Watch 2 along with some other new hardware and software goodies. That’s only about a year after the original Apple Watch went on sale, but roughly 18 months since the first-gen model was actually announced.
As a mostly satisfied Apple Watch 1 customer, March or April doesn’t strike me as being too soon for the Apple Watch 2. Personally, I’m excited to see if the next model can handle apps better with a needed speed boost and maybe lose a little overall thickness and display bezel.
But while I’m basically already lining up to buy the next Apple Watch, I probably won’t spend the extra $200 on a stainless steel model this time if it’s is going to be an annual product upgrade. And for most Apple Watch customers, buying a new model will probably be an every 2 or 3 year event if that.
Apple Watch has a lot of opportunity to get better over the next few years, though, just like the original iPhone advanced dramatically between iPhone 1 to iPhone 4. A proper Apple Watch Upgrade Program could easily encourage current owners to buy the latest hardware every year (everyone using the latest generation helps the overall product’s reputation) and encourage new customers to splurge on higher-priced models. There would be other benefits as well …
iOS Outlook app adds Skype integration to automatically schedule & join Skype meetings
With a growing number of business meetings these days taking place via Skype, Microsoft has made it easier than ever to schedule and join a Skype call in the Outlook iOS app. Version 2.1.3 of the iOS Outlook app adds Skype integration.
Make any meeting a Skype call simply by flicking a switch, then access the call when you need to with just a tap. Now when you say “I’m joining the call now”, you’ll actually mean it. To give it a try, simply turn on the “Skype Meeting” switch when creating or editing an event.
The update also adds a new view designed to provide a clearer sense of your schedule …
Opinion: 8 reasons iPads are losing to Chromebooks in education, and what Apple needs to do about it
Phil Schiller said in 2013 that “education is in Apple’s DNA,” and it’s no exaggeration. The company’s commitment to the education sector was there from the very beginning. Steve Jobs told the Smithsonian that he wanted to donate a computer to every school in the U.S. as long ago as 1979.
I thought if there was just one computer in every school, some of the kids would find it. It will change their life. We saw the rate at which this was happening and the rate at which the school bureaucracies were deciding to buy a computer for the school and it was real slow. We realized that a whole generation of kids was going to go through the school before they even got their first computer so we thought the kids can’t wait. We wanted to donate a computer to every school in America.
The company couldn’t afford it in those days, but Steve lobbied Congress to introduce a bill that would have created sufficient tax breaks to make it possible. That attempt failed, but Apple did succeed in brokering a tax deal in California that saw the company donate an Apple IIe to every school in California. Apple led the PC market in education for a time, and even created education-specific Mac models.
More recently, Apple appeared set to bring its educational success into the iPad era in 2013 when it announced a $30M deal (that would eventually have been worth a quarter of a billion dollars) to equip every student in the LA Unified School District with an iPad. If that program had succeeded, it would have created a template for rolling out similar ones across the whole of the USA. Instead, it failed catastrophically, and it now appears that Chromebooks are winning where iPads have failed …
Quanta reportedly starting trial Apple Watch 2 production later this month
The Chinese technology media site Commercial Times is claiming that Quanta will begin initial production runs of Apple Watch 2 in January, later in the month. This would match current expectations that the next-generation Apple Watch 2 will be launched about a year after the first Apple Watch, around April. A 4-inch ‘iPhone 6c’ is also on the cards for a March/April debut.
Report: Apple closely watching for Time Warner buyout opportunities to accelerate streaming TV plans
The New York Post reports that Apple is closely following the situation with Time Warner; the company is facing pressure from investors to put itself up for sale and Apple is interested in acquiring it. Many investors believe Time Warner stock is trading far below its asset value and many investors believe that a buyout or spinoff of some kind is the best option.
Apple could use the company to accelerate its efforts to launch a digital streaming cable service for Apple TV. Time Warner controls a vast content library, including popular shows like Game of Thrones as well as entities like CNN News. More importantly perhaps, it has deals in place with every channel that Apple would need to become a full TV platform.
Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple has struggled to create a skinny bundle of programming from existing content partners. A deal with Time Warner would give Apple most of what it needs: CNN news, Turner Sports and such hugely popular shows as “Game of Thrones” and “Sesame Street” from HBO — not to mention Warner Bros. movies and TV shows.
Although there is a chance Apple could buyout the whole company, Time Warner may end up spinning off parts of the business, although the CEO is resistant.