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Mike Beasley

AAPL Company

Save up to $44 on current Airport/Time Capsules at Refurb Apple Store

Mike Beasley Oct 9 2013 - 5:22 pm PT

The updated AirPort Extreme and 2 TB Time Capsules announced earlier this year are now available as refurbished units on Apple’s online store. Unfortunately it seems you’ll have to wait a bit longer if you were hoping to get the newer-model 3 TB Time Capsule at a discounted price. While refurb models of the old version are available, the new version with 802.11ac support is nowhere to be found for the time being.

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+.

On its birthday, Siri’s U.S. voice actress revealed, ‘I had no idea I would be on the iPhone’

Mike Beasley Oct 4 2013 - 3:37 am PT

14 Comments

An Atlanta woman has come forward to CNN as the U.S. voice of Siri, the built-in “personal assistant” first introduced in the iPhone 4S. Susan Bennett says she first discovered that her voice was being used on Apple’s smartphones when a friend emailed her and asked if it was her voice on the iPhone commercial. She headed to the Apple website to discover that she had unknowingly provided the voice for the system with samples she recorded in July of 2005, a full six years before the phone’s launch.

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Review: 1Password 4 for Mac is a massive, feature-packed update

Mike Beasley Oct 3 2013 - 2:47 am PT

36 Comments

Back in December, AgileBits released 1Password 4 for iPhone and iPad. The app presented a completely revamped take on password security, but lacked feature parity with the Mac version of the software.

Today, 1Password for Mac has been updated to version 4, bringing a ton of new features to the Mac. In fact, the update brings so many new capabilities that the Mac version of 1Password has now surpassed the iOS version in features. This is a massive release with a completely redesigned interface, overhauled browser extensions, support for new types of saved items, enhanced security, and more.

Find our complete review below:

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Google acquires gesture-based interface development startup Flutter

Mike Beasley Oct 2 2013 - 4:21 pm PT

2 Comments

Flutter, the startup that created a gestured-based music controller for iTunes and Spotify, has been acquired by Google according to a splash page on the company’s website. The Flutter app used a computer’s webcam to detect hand gestures for starting, stopping, or switching songs on iOS, OS X, and Windows. Aside from iTunes and Spotify, Flutter is compatible with a variety other apps, including Quicktime Player, Rdio, and even Google Chrome.

Based on the existing Chrome integration (which allows for control of Netflix, YouTube, Grooveshark, and Pandora), it’s possible that Google is looking into some kind of gesture controls for browsing the web. However, the technology could be for a wide range of uses such as Google Glass, which currently uses gestures across a touch-sensitive bar on the side of the unit.

Google has not yet confirmed the acquisition.

Apple hires Toronto Blue Jays assistant GM with a penchant for stats and software to manage the App Store Sports section

Mike Beasley Sep 30 2013 - 6:10 pm PT

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Apple has hired Toronto Blue Jays assistant GM Jay Sartori to manage a sports section of the App Store, according to a number of reports dating back three days (via MG Siegler). Sartori a numbers guy who can effortlessly crunch statistics according to a bio from 2011, but he also has some experience in software development. He previously created some stats software for the MLB commissioner and has a background in finance and management information systems…

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AAPL Company

FAA committee recommends allowing use of some electronics during takeoff

Mike Beasley Sep 26 2013 - 7:34 pm PT

5 Comments

A committee created by the Federal Aviation Administration recommended earlier today that airline passengers be allowed to use specific types of consumer electronics during takeoff and landing. Under the panel’s advice, usage of devices like iPhones, iPods, and iPads would be allowed as long as those devices are switched to airplane mode, which disables internet and cellular connections to prevent calls and data transfers.

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AAPL Company

AppleCare+ to cover iPhone 5 customers while traveling internationally starting Friday

Mike Beasley Sep 24 2013 - 4:20 pm PT

2 Comments

A leaked AppleCare+ document reveals that Apple plans to tweak the program for international travelers later this week. The changes will allow iPhone 5 owners who travel out of the country in which they purchased their phone to receive replacement devices from international Apple retail stores and authorized repair centers.

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Long time ad ally Nissan teams up with Apple as exclusive automotive partner for iTunes Radio

Mike Beasley Sep 24 2013 - 1:18 pm PT

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Nissan announced this week that they would be Apple’s exclusive automative advertising partner for iTunes radio. As they did with the original iAd launch in 2010 (below), Nissan has created new ads for Apple’s platform and will be the sole car manufacturer to do so through the end of 2013.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdi2IrIf4wI

Nissan says the intend to create “newsworthy moments” and use iTunes Radio as a priority advertising platform when launching new vehicles, starting with the newest Rogue, Versa Note, and all-electric LEAF models. The company also plans to leverage iTunes Radio to support their current advertising campaigns.

Nissan uses TBWA Chiat as their advertising agent, the parent company of Apple’s advertising wing, Media Arts Lab.
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Apps

iMessage makes the jump to Android in the form of a shady unofficial app (updated: removed)

Mike Beasley Sep 23 2013 - 9:59 pm PT

29 Comments

Update: The app has been removed from the Google Play Store.

Earlier this month, iMessage Chat for Android appeared on the Google Play store. The app is by no means an official Apple-created iMessage solution for Android, but the creation of a third-party developer named Daniel Zweigart. Surprisingly, according to a few users who have tried the app, it actually works. You can send messages from your Android device to your iPhone or iPad, and vice versa.

However, it’s quite possible that the Apple IDs and passwords being entered into the app are being collected by the developer for nefarious purposes.

[tweet https://twitter.com/b3ll/status/382364776497545216 align=’center’]

If you’re really curious about how the app works, software developer Adam Bell has discovered that it connects to Apple’s iMessage server posing as a Mac mini. Cydia creator Jay Freeman (aka saurik) has also noted on Google+ that the app forwards all communication from Apple to a server running in China. That means every message you send or receive using this app is being processed—and possibly stored—on a server run by the creator.

[tweet https://twitter.com/b3ll/status/382369290243952640 align=’center’]

However, Steven Troughton-Smith also points out that the app has the ability to download and install software in the background, meaning it is capable of putting malware on your phone without your knowledge. Given this information, we highly advise staying away from the app.

[tweet https://twitter.com/stroughtonsmith/status/382369055887589376 align=’center’]

Should you decide to try downloading the app from the Google Play store, we recommend only testing it with a throwaway Apple ID that has none of your payment or personal information attached. We really can’t stress that point enough.

AAPL Company

iPhone 5s now available through Apple’s online store & carrier sites

Mike Beasley Sep 20 2013 - 12:07 am PT

14 Comments

Apple’s latest and greatest smartphone is now available to order online through Apple’s website or one of Apple’s partner carrier websites (AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon in the U.S.). If you’re after one, you might want to grab it soon; supplies of specific models are said to be severely constrained.

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iOS Devices

iOS 7 becomes first commercial software to support multipath TCP, allowing simultaneous Wi-Fi and cell network connections

Mike Beasley Sep 19 2013 - 7:13 pm PT

28 Comments

It seems Apple included a bit of a networking surprise in iOS 7. According to a logs captured from an iOS device while connecting to Apple’s Siri servers, the latest version of the mobile operating system includes support for a new technology called multipath TCP. Multipath TCP allows devices to transmit data over multiple connection types at once, such as LTE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

Essentially, this allows devices to maintain their connection to the Internet or another device even if one of the connections fails. Say for example you were on a weak Wi-Fi network that kept cutting out while attempting to watch a YouTube video. On most Internet-connected devices, that video would stop loading when your connection died, and even if it quickly reestablish a connection by finding that weak Wi-Fi signal or switching to LTE, the device would have to reopen the connection to YouTube and start downloading the video again.

With MCTCP your iOS 7 device will be able to stay connected over both LTE and Wi-Fi at once. If your Wi-Fi connection fails, the LTE connection would continue downloading the data uninterrupted. You would likely never even know the difference unless you tapped the screen and checked your signal indicator.

iOS 7 is the first commercial software to ship with a working MCTCP implementation. The technology doesn’t require any special hardware, so existing devices will be able to take advantage of this feature, too.

iOS Devices

Buyer’s remorse? Here’s how to go back to iOS 6 while you still can (Update: Loophole closed)

Mike Beasley Sep 19 2013 - 10:46 am PT

199 Comments

Update: Bad news. Apple has stopped signing the 6.1.3/4 so you won’t easily be able to downgrade.

[tweet https://twitter.com/iH8sn0w/status/381213582605975552]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTpXVv-DaBQ]

Apple launched iOS 7 yesterday, and while adoption rates are soaring, some users are less-than-thrilled with the new look and feel of their phones. Typically Apple doesn’t allow iOS to be downgraded to previous versions, but at the time of this writing disgruntled users are still able to go back to the leather and green felt they know and love.

Just how do you accomplish this? Keep reading for a full walkthrough.

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AAPL Company

Apple shows off iOS 7 and the iPhone 5c in a new ad, points to iOS 7-ready apps in iTunes

Mike Beasley Sep 18 2013 - 12:19 pm PT

8 Comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO3rsfE7GM0

Apple pushed a new ad to their YouTube channel today showing off the design similarities between iOS 7 and the soon-to-be-released iPhone 5c. The ad is colorful and animated, much like iOS 7 itself, and features various parts of the hardware and software merging and morphing to show that they were designed with each other in mind. Oh, and if you like the song on this ad, you can get it on iTunes right here.

A new section in iTunes has also appeared which… (Keep reading)

Top App Store developers discuss their iOS 7 development and design processes

Mike Beasley Sep 18 2013 - 10:19 am PT

8 Comments

With iOS 7 launching today, many of the apps on the App Store will be updated and overhauled to match Apple’s new aesthetic and incorporate the new features introduced in the redesigned operating system.

We asked the developers of some of the most popular iOS software how they adapted their design and functionality to iOS 7. You’ll find their answers below, along with a few first looks at some of the upcoming updates.

Please note that not all of the updates described in this post will be available today. Some are still in progress, while others have recently been submitted to iTunes and will be available shortly.

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Pocket updated for iOS 7 with improved reading view, background syncing

Mike Beasley Sep 18 2013 - 10:00 am PT

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Pocket, the popular read-later service formerly known as Read It Later, released an update to its iOS app today that brings several enhancements to iOS 7 users.

The first change is the introduction of background syncing. When users add items to their reading list, the Pocket app on their iOS 7 device will automatically update itself in the background to ensure the in-app list is always up-to-date the moment it is opened.

Several performance and design tweaks have been made to accommodate for the changes in the latest version of Apple’s mobile OS. Small modifications have been made throughout the app to fit into the new look.

The reading view has also seen several improvements. Typography has been improved to better match the system design, an automatic fullscreen mode has been added to allow articles to use all of the available space, and spacing and hyphenation adjustments make articles easier to read.

Pocket for iOS is available for free on the App Store.

iOS 7 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch released; here’s our walkthrough

Mike Beasley Sep 18 2013 - 9:56 am PT

105 Comments

iOS 7, Apple’s brand-new take on their mobile operating system, has been released to the public and is now available as an over-the-air update or through iTunes.

Below you’ll find a full walkthrough of many of the new features and changes throughout the overhauled OS, including a look at the built-in apps that received the biggest changes.

Before you can dive into everything that iOS 7 has to offer, you’ll need to update your device. You can find full directions for updating in our how-to from yesterday. Once you’re updated, check out all of the shiny new additions to the OS:

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Screens 3 arrives with iOS 7 compatibility, a redesigned interface, and more

Mike Beasley Sep 18 2013 - 8:30 am PT

3 Comments

The popular VNC client Screens has been updated to version 3.0, bringing with it a completely redesigned interface for iOS 7 and a host of new features. Some of these features include support for pasting between a remote computer and iOS device, a new quick connection screen for quickly connecting to your favorite devices, support for multiple displays on the remote computer, and a customizable toolbar that lets you better control the functions of the app.

Screens 3 is available as a new download for all users for $19.99. It requires iOS 7.

Photoful receives iOS 7 overhaul, iPad support, and more

Mike Beasley Sep 18 2013 - 8:14 am PT

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Photoful, an app for taking, editing, and sharing photos and albums, has been updated with full support for the new features in iOS 7. The app has undergone a complete redesign and features a new icon, but the changes go well beyond the appearance.

One of the biggest features in the new version is iPad support. Photoful is now a universal that runs natively on all of Apple’s mobile devices. The update also includes several new sharing options, such as Dropbox, Tumblr photosets, and AirDrop. All of this is built into a custom share sheet that looks almost exactly like the built-in version.

The update should be making its way onto the App Store shortly. The app and update are free to all users.

Snapguide updated for iOS 7 with improvements to search, browsing, and notifications

Mike Beasley Sep 18 2013 - 6:00 am PT

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Snapguide released an update today that brings iOS 7’s new interface design to the guide-building app, along with enhancements to many of the app’s main features. For those who are unfamiliar, Snapguide is an app that lets you create and view step-by-step photographic guides from your iOS device. You can share these guides with your friends and find guides for topics you’re interested in. If a guide you want doesn’t exist, you can post a request for someone who knows about that subject to create one.

Today’s update brings not only a brand-new visual style, but enhancements to most of Snapguide’s core features. The browser, which lets you find guides created by other users, has been updated with larger images, faster loading times, and an “explore” section to help you track down your desired guides more quickly.

Search has also been improved, and now allows you to search between users, guides, and requests for new guides all at once. Enhancements have been made to the notification system in the iPhone version, and iPhone users can now copy a list of supplies needed to carry out the directions of any guide.

The updated Snapguide is available to all users for free on the iOS App Store.

Apps

Infinity Blade III debuts on the App Store ahead of iOS 7

Mike Beasley Sep 17 2013 - 11:30 pm PT

4 Comments

Update Sept. 20: Infinity Blade III gets optimizations for the 64-bit iPhone 5s:

What’s New in Version 1.0.3

– Optimized for 64-bit iPhone 5S
– The iPhone 5S features full screen anti-aliasing, bloom, full screen vignettes, distortion, high resolution shadows, and environmental reflections – it looks crazy awesome!
– Includes bug fixes to decrease load times and enable In-App purchases

Infinity Blade III, the final entry in the popular action trilogy that was initially demoed at WWDC in 2010, has been released on the App Store ahead of tomorrow’s iOS 7 launch. The newest game in the series was first demonstrated on the iPhone 5s during Apple’s media event earlier this month.

Infinity Blade III features a massive new world and console-quality graphics specially designed to take full advantage of the increased processing power of the iPhone 5s. Despite its optimizations for the latest iPhone hardware, you can play the game on almost any iOS device running iOS 6 or 7, including the fourth-generation iPod touch, iPhone 4, and iPad 2.

Infinity Blade III is available on the App Store for $6.99.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnh98ELfR04

The iOS 7 reviews are here: critics sing the praises of Apple’s latest software update

Mike Beasley Sep 17 2013 - 6:19 pm PT

60 Comments

On the eve of iOS 7’s release, as iPhone and iPad users eagerly prepare their devices to receive the latest software, tech publications across the web have began releasing their reviews of the totally redesigned operating system from Cupertino.

iOS 7 is a complete overhaul of the system, throwing out just about every visual element from previous iterations and building on a new system of whitespace, transparency, and motion. The beta release was met with mixed reviews from users ranging from utter delight to sheer horror. After six betas over the past three months, Apple has made more than a few changes to the original design; but is it enough to win over critics? Keep reading to find out in our iOS 7 review round-up.

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Adobe passes one million Creative Cloud subscribers, debuts Photoshop Photography Program

Mike Beasley Sep 17 2013 - 2:11 pm PT

1 Comment

Adobe announced today that its Creative Cloud software suite surpassed the one million subscriber mark in Q3 2013. That announcement was followed up by the release of the Photoshop Photography Program, which includes Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5 for only $9.99 a month as a limited-time offer.

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Apps

iOS 7-optimized apps start hitting the App Store; here’s a running list of updates

Mike Beasley Sep 17 2013 - 1:09 pm PT

29 Comments

Apple has started releasing iOS 7-optmized apps into the App Store in preparation for tomorrow’s iOS 7 launch. News reader Flipboard and social check-in app Foursquare were among the first to be updated. Though neither received a substantial overhaul, a few changes have been made to each app’s interface to fit in with iOS 7.

Below you’ll find a list of every iOS 7-compatible app update. We’ll continue updating the list as more updates are released, so check back often.

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iOS App Store now allows legacy app downloads to support older hardware and software

Mike Beasley Sep 17 2013 - 3:58 am PT

23 Comments

The iOS App Store has been silently updated on Apple’s end to allow users running older versions of iOS to install legacy versions of apps that are no longer supported by their software. In the screenshot above, for example, an iPhone 5 running iOS 6.0.2 is prompted to install the “last compatible version” of Weatherbug, which normally requires iOS 6.1. Choosing to download the last compatible version grabs the most recent version of the app that supported 6.0.2 and installs it on the device.

This is especially good news for users on old hardware, such as the iPhone 3G which only supports iOS 4.2.1, or original iPhone which doesn’t support anything beyond version 3.1.3. Users of those apps will now be able to run apps that they ordinarily would have been unable to install due to their outdated OS. Also benefiting from this change are iPhone 3GS owners who cannot upgrade to iOS 7, or users of newer devices who choose not to update to Apple’s latest OS.