Apps & Updates

Rabbit, Foursquare, Skype, TomTom, Cut the Rope, Borderlands Legends, deals, more

Jordan Kahn

Rabbit: Launching today in closed beta, Rabbit is a new video chat and content sharing app– initially available exclusively for Mac– that has been getting a lot of attention. The app lets you chat with an unlimited number of people, create and customize chats, as well as watch movies, listen to music, and share content in chats in real-time. If you are a pre-teen who hasn’t heard of Google Hangouts, you might want to check this out.

Rabbit is kind of like a virtual living room. It runs in the background on your computer just like Skype, so you can always find your friends online and invite them to watch a movie or listen to music at any time. You can share this content directly from your computer, or you can use the Rabbit “SharePad” of integrated content sites to instantly launch TV shows, videos and music you want to watch and listen to with your friends.

Foursquare version 5.4.3: Foursquare gets an update today that brings improvements to check-in notification settings including an “Always” option to get notifications for all check-ins, as well as new “Nearby” and “Off” settings to apply to specific users.

✓ Choose “ALWAYS” for close friends and family you always want to keep up with. You’ll get notifications for all their check-ins, no matter where they are in the world.
✓ Choose “NEARBY” for friends you’d like to hear about from time to time. We’ll only notify you when they’re close by.
✓ Choose “OFF” for those acquaintances you don’t really want updates from. And that bike messenger friend who checks in at every spot on his route.

TomTom version 1.13: TomTom updated the majority of its iOS navigation apps today. On top of the most up to date map data, users can also now backup and restore settings and stored destinations from iCloud. With today’s update TomTom is also providing a free 30 day trial to its HD traffic subscription. In addition, the app now includes compatibility for iPad mini.

Borderlands Legends version 1.1.0: 2K’s Borderlands Legends (and the HD iPad version) is updated today with new features including a new sniper mode, new enemy and mini boss types, night versions of the Wasteland map, iPhone 5 & Game Center support, new Eridian Weapons, and more. Read more

Exclusive

Apple ready to release additional iPad model; likely 128GB version (Updated: Pricing)

Mark Gurman

Screen Shot 2013-01-27 at 6.31.06 PM

We’ve gotten word from sources that Apple is preparing to release (in some fashion) a single, additional iPad model. This would be a new SKU for the current fourth-generation iPad with Retina display line. At this point, we do not have pricing information, so it is definitely difficult to pinpoint exactly what this new iPad model is.

Here is what we do know:

  • It is a fourth-generation iPad, not a new design.
  • It comes in both the current black and white color options.
  • It comes in both WiFi-only and WiFi + Cellular versions.
  • It is a more premium SKU that will join the current line of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB fourth-generation iPads.
  • 10-pack deals (in both colors) for educational institutions will be offered.

With developers finding code in the soon-to-be-released iOS 6.1 that points to 128GB iOS devices, and with recent findings of 128GB references in Apple’s recent iTunes 11 release, speculation naturally points to Apple releasing a 128GB iPad in the very near future. While it is certainly plausible that this new iPad model is the 128GB iPad, we are currently not confident enough to outright claim that, but it seems likely based on the evidence.

Update: We’ve received pricing information for this new iPad model. The pricing is in line with a higher storage capacity, coming in at around $799 for the WiFi-only model and $929 for the Cellular-compatible model in the United States. So, new capacity sounds even more likely.

Here are the new SKUs via a source at a high-profile U.S. retailer:

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Some LTE iPads getting delivered as early as Friday, Nov. 16

Jordan Kahn

Late last week, Apple started notifying customers that orders of LTE iPad minis would begin shipping within 5 business days. Those same customers were also reporting updated shipping times ranging from Nov. 21 to Nov. 23. As for the new iPad 4 with Retina display, Apple recently updated its website with an estimated shipping time of “7 business days,” but today we get word from several readers that existing orders of the device are set to arrive as early as Nov. 16.

The actual arrival time of the iPad 4 with LTE is a moving target, with earlier reports pointing to next week. However, with the release of the LTE iPad firmware on Apple’s servers on Nov. 8, it is likely that the review units are already in reviewers’ hands. So, a release this week isn’t out of the question.

The Nov. 16 date would line up nicely with Apple’s original promise to ship the LTE models of its new iPads within roughly 2 weeks of the Nov. 2 Wi-Fi-only launches. It looks like Apple might not be able to get out new orders of LTE iPad minis as quickly as the iPad 4, however, as its website currently lists the LTE capable minis as shipping in “2 weeks”.

Other rumors have also pointed to a Nov. 16 launch of in-store sales of the new LTE iPads at AT&T.

We’re sure to hear more. Another image below:

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AT&T expands FaceTime to individual iOS device users on LTE

Jake Smith

Update: While AT&T claims that the move was to safeguard its delicate infrastructure, two public advocacy groups (Freepress, Public Knowledge) are claiming the FCC is looming large. Seth submits a third postulate: The iPad Mini LTE  launch later this month will present a chance for AT&T to grab new tablet customers and AT&T doesn’t want to lose out to competitors with friendlier offers.

AT&T just announced you could now use FaceTime over cellular at no extra charge on the iPhone 5 and LTE iPad if it is on one of the network’s tiered data plans. Today’s announcement opens up FaceTime over cellular to a slew of new customers.

AT&T today announced it will enable FaceTime over Cellular at no extra charge for iOS 6 customers with an LTE device on any tiered data plan.  AT&T will also continue to offer FaceTime over Cellular to customers with any AT&T Mobile Share plan, as well as FaceTime over Wi-Fi, which has always been available.

Previously, FaceTime on AT&T’s network was only available for free if a customer was on its new Mobile Share Plans that became available Aug. 23. AT&T said the new set of users would be able to access FaceTime for free over cellular in “8-10 weeks”:

We expect to roll out this functionality over the next 8-10 weeks. In addition, we are informing our deaf and hard of hearing customers that, as of October 26, we began rolling out several new billing plans designed to allow them to make use of FaceTime. This is part of our ongoing commitment to our customers with disabilities, and it’s a commitment which is very important to us.

As for the competition, Sprint already announced that it will not hinder FaceTime over cellular, and Verizon is being forced not to mess with it because of a Net Neutrality promise.

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Apple already catches up with fourth-gen iPad demand, now ‘in stock’

Jordan Kahn

Last time we checked in, the new fourth-generation iPad with Retina display was listed as shipping in “3-5 business days” from Apple’s U.S. website. That was down from the estimated one-week shipping time Apple had listed for the device in the weeks leading up to the device’ official Nov. 2 launch alongside the iPad mini. Since then, Apple announced it sold 3 million new iPads (iPad 4 and iPad mini) over the first three days that the devices were on sale. While CEO Tim Cook confirmed Apple is “practically sold out of iPad minis,” it appears it has now caught up with supply/demand for the iPad 4. At least Apple’ s U.S. and Canadian online stores now list all Wi-Fi models of the iPad 4 as “in stock”, meaning Apple has supply ready to ship immediately. LTE models are still expected to roll out over the next couple weeks.

This comes a week after Apple sold out of initial iPad 4 supplies on its website. Apple did, however, begin allowing personal in-store pick-ups for new iPads ordered after 10 p.m.

It’s unclear what percentage of the 3 million iPads Apple sold were made up of iPad mini and iPad 4 models, but it looks like Apple is having a much easier time with supplies of iPad 4. It remains to be seen whether Apple can catch up with iPad mini demand leading into the holidays. Apple’s website still currently lists the device as available in “2 weeks”, with online stores in different countries listing the LTE models as available in mid- to late November. There is no word when Apple Stores will get additional supplies, but many we checked with have remained sold out since launch day.

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What’s new in iOS 6.1 beta: Maps bugs reporting, lockscreen music, more

Jordan Kahn

Apple just released a beta version of iOS 6.1 to developers following the public release of iOS 6.0.1. We get mostly expected fixes in 6.0.1, but we already started discovering new features in the 6.1 beta. Here’s what’s new so far in iOS 6.1 beta. Let us know in the comments below if you find anything else:

— Apple is making it easier to report issues with its new iOS Maps app. As you can see in the image above, Apple changed what used to be a small link to a huge “Report a Problem” button that is larger than all of the other Map settings… Read more