Apps

Overcast 1.1 is out now, bringing several big improvements to the podcast client. The update adds rotation support for the iPhone, which is particularly helpful for people with car docks that enforce landscape device orientation. Arment tastefully uses popovers for the playback settings, a UI element that is generally underused on the iPhone.

For iPad, the app is now truly optimized for the larger canvas, making liberal use of split views and modal sheets. Given that Overcast prides itself on a clean appearance, a native iPad UI for navigation is very welcome indeed. Like the stock Mail app, a list view sits side-by-side with episode details like artwork and show notes. 9to5Mac reviewed Overcast when it originally launched, so check that out if you are looking for more details about the app’s functionality.

Netflix updated for iOS 8, adds 1080p video playback for iPhone 6 Plus

Zac Hall Nov 11 2014 - 1:16 pm PT

5 Comments

Netflix updated its iPhone and iPad app to version 7.0 today adding optimization for the larger displays on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus introduced in September. The updated version of Netflix shows more content like titles and genres as well as previews of movies and TV shows when browsing for something to watch. In addition to optimizing the Netflix app for iPhone 6 users, Netflix says the new version of its app will now offer video playback in 1080p, full HD, for users with the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
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9to5Toys Last Call: Sony memory cards up to 60% off, Belkin 25% off sitewide, Drobo 5-bay NAS $360, more

Justin Kahn Nov 11 2014 - 12:00 pm PT

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Amazon Gold Box: Sony memory up to 60% off – 128GB SDXC $70, 64GB microSDXC $26, 16GB SDHC $8, more

Belkin 25% off today only:

Belkin’s smart coffeemaker with WeMo is now available, save 25% for a limited time
Belkin 25% off sitewide sale: save on iPad/iPhone cases, Lightning cables, home automation, more

Drobo 5-Bay NAS Storage base unit $360 shipped (orig. $600)

iTunes gift cards w/ email delivery up to 20% off from PayPal

Best Buy’s 2014 Black Friday ad is out! Includes: Samsung 55″ 4K $900, iPad Air 2 $100 off, Beats Solo $80, much more

Small States – DODOcase uses old world craftsmanship to protect your modern devices, giveaways & 20% off promo code

Other new deals:

New! JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth Headphones: $113 shipped (orig. $170)
New! Veteran’s Day coupon code roundup: Amazon, Macy’s, many more
New! Games/Apps: Walking Dead Season 2 goes free (Reg. $5), more
New! Daily Deals: Mohu indoor antenna $49, Sharp 50″ HDTV $400, more
New! GoPro HERO3 Black Edition cam (man refurb) $255 (orig. $399)
New! Four magazine subs $16 (additional $3.50): Wired, GQ, many more
New! Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel DLC arrives today (for Mac too!)
New! OfficeMax/Office Depot Black Friday: 20% off iTunes gift cards, more
New! Newegg 10% off w/ .edu email address: Bose SoundLink Color, more
New! Home: Dyson vac $195 (orig. $400), Cuisinart blender $48, more

More deals still alive:

Best Buy MacBook sale: Pro w/ Retina: $1,800 or less (Reg. $2,000)
Smaller, more efficient Raspberry Pi A+ comes in at just $20 ($15 less)
Beats Tour 2.0 in-ear headphones $120 shipped (Reg. $150), more
Garmin nüvi 5″ BT GPS w/ lifetime maps/traffic: $135 shipped (orig. $220)
Subwoofers: Klipsch 8″ 350W $190, Klipsch Synergy 12″ 300W $200, more
Verizon FiOS 50/50 Internet + HBO and Showtime + Netflix: $60/month
Ridge Racer Slipstream for iOS goes free ($2.99 value)
Home: Rachel Ray cookware $122, more
ASUS 31.5″ monitor adds a IGZO 4K display to your Mac for $1,470 (orig. $3,499)
SanDisk Connect Wireless iOS/Android 16GB Flash Drive: $35 shipped (orig. $50)
Download Swype iOS 8 third-party keyboard for free (Reg. $1)
Optoma 3D 1080p home projector + free $50 Amazon GC $599 ($650 value)
4-pack eneloop 2500mAh Rechargeable AA Batteries w/ Charger: $21 (orig. $35)
Prime Members: $10 Free Amazon credit w/$45+ purchases
Free Google Play music from Nirvana, Drake, Lorde, Katy Perry, Rihanna, more
Home: Chicago Cutlery stainless knife block set $100, extra $10 off Kershaw, more
The Dark Knight Trilogy in HD w/ iTunes Extras: $15 (Reg. $37)
1080p ViewSonic Monitors (refurb): 22-inch $95, 27-inch w/ HDMI $185, more
Free digital copy of Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph movie
Woot coupon: $5 off orders of $25 or more (up to 20% savings)
Amazon Veterans Day: 20% off clothing, shoes, jewelry, watches, luggage, more
Verizon FIOS + 2yrs. of premium channels + $400 Visa Gift Card: $79.99/mo
BACtrack Vio – 14% off the Smartphone Breathalyzer
World’s Largest iOS 8 + Swift Elearning Bundle

Black Friday:

Target Black Friday preview: iPad Air 2 w/$140 GC $499, iPad mini w/$80 GC $249, more
Staples Black Friday preview: Jawbone or Fitbit w/$25 Visa GC,, more
More Black Friday ad leaks: JCPenney, Kohl’s, Pier 1, Walgreens, more
Sam’s Club: 60″ VIZIO 4K Smart UHDTV for under $1,000 ahead of Black Friday
Sports Authority Black Friday: Garmin Vivofit $80, up to 70% off North Face, more
Meijer Black Friday: $100 credit w/ iPads, Xbox One bundle w/ $50 credit $330, more
Sears Black Friday leak: Samsung 55″ Smart HDTV $600, Dewalt drill kit $100, more
Dell Black Friday ad leak: discounts on monitors, Xbox One/PS4, HDTVS, more
Xbox One holiday price drop now live with prices starting at $349 (or lower)
Sam’s Club’s Black Friday deal has iPhone 6 for $99 on-contract starting Nov. 15
Walmart’s Holiday Savings officially kick off tomorrow with more than 20,000 Rollbacks
Amazon’s countdown to Black Friday kicks off w/ thousands of Lightning Deals
Target announces free shipping for all items through the holiday shopping season

New products/ongoing promos:

Joby adds GorillaPod & Locking Arm accessories to its Action Series
How Scribd’s new audiobook service stacks up against Audible & Kindle Unlimited
Jaybird enters into wearables with the Reign activity tracker
Netgear’s Arlo home security camera is waterproof and completely cord free
Drift’s Stealth 2 is the $249 action camera that films longer than any GoPro
Epson’s WorkForce WF-100 is the world’s smallest/lightest mobile printer
ViewSonic projectors are Chromecast ready and fit in the “palm of your hand”
ChargerLeash Lightning cable makes sure you never forget your iPhone charger again
Amazon offers free unlimited Cloud Photo storage
Internet Archive brings 900 classic arcade titles to your web browser for free
IDrive’s new unlimited plan may be the best mobile backup solution for iOS/Android users
Mount your iPhone 6 inside your car with Logitech’s new Protection+ case
Trilogy Dock positions your iPhone 6 vertically or horizontally and boosts its sound
The thinnest iPhone 6/Plus cases we’ve found so far

9to5Toys Last Call: iTunes gift cards up to 20% off, Raspberry Pi A+ $20, Retina MacBook Pro 15″ $1800, more

Justin Kahn Nov 10 2014 - 2:51 pm PT

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

iTunes gift cards w/ email delivery up to 20% off from PayPal

Smaller, more efficient Raspberry Pi A+ comes in at just $20 ($15 less)

~~Logitech UE 4000 on-ear headphones (white) $15 shipped (orig. $100)~~

Best Buy MacBook sale: Pro w/ Retina Display 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,800 or less (Reg. $2,000)

Target Black Friday preview: iPad Air 2 w/ $140 GC $499, iPad mini w/ $80 GC $249, more

Small States – DODOcase uses old world craftsmanship to protect your modern devices, giveaways & 20% off promo code

Other new deals:

New! Beats Tour 2.0 in-ear headphones $120 shipped (Reg. $150), more
New! Garmin nüvi 5″ BT GPS w/ lifetime maps/traffic: $135 shipped (orig. $220)
New! Ridge Racer Slipstream for iOS goes free ($2.99 value)
New! Polk Audio all-weather speaker pair: $80 shipped ($120 off)
New! Oontz XL Cambridge Bluetooth Speaker $75 shipped (Orig. $200)
New! Subwoofers: Klipsch 8″ 350W $190, Klipsch Synergy 12″ 300W $200, more
New! Poweradd 6-Port USB Charger $19AC, 25W, 5-port: $12 Prime shipped
New! Daily Deals: Kindle Paperwhite $79, 4-pack Lightning cables $15, more
New! Games/Apps: DualShock 4 Charger $17, BLiP & Blurred go free, more
New! Today only: Redbox free movie rental coupon code
New! Verizon FiOS 50/50 Internet + HBO and Showtime + Netflix: $60/month
New! Staples Black Friday preview: Jawbone or Fitbit w/$25 Visa GC,, more
New! HP Chromebox 1.4GHz/2GB RAM/16GB SSD $129 shipped (Reg. $180)
New! Home: Rachel Ray cookware $122, Black & Decker juicer $13, more

More deals still alive:

ASUS 31.5″ monitor adds a IGZO 4K display to your Mac for $1,470 (orig. $3,499)
SanDisk Connect Wireless iOS/Android 16GB Flash Drive: $35 shipped (orig. $50)
Download Swype iOS 8 third-party keyboard for free (Reg. $1)
Optoma 3D 1080p home projector + free $50 Amazon GC $599 ($650 value)
4-pack eneloop 2500mAh Rechargeable AA Batteries w/ Charger: $21 (orig. $35)
Prime Members: $10 Free Amazon credit w/$45+ purchases
Free Google Play music from Nirvana, Drake, Lorde, Katy Perry, Rihanna, more
Home: Chicago Cutlery stainless knife block set $100, extra $10 off Kershaw, more
The Dark Knight Trilogy in HD w/ iTunes Extras: $15 (Reg. $37)
1080p ViewSonic Monitors (refurb): 22-inch $95, 27-inch w/ HDMI $185, more
Free digital copy of Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph movie
Woot coupon: $5 off orders of $25 or more (up to 20% savings)
Amazon Veterans Day: 20% off clothing, shoes, jewelry, watches, luggage, more
Verizon FIOS + 2yrs. of premium channels + $400 Visa Gift Card: $79.99/mo
BACtrack Vio – 14% off the Smartphone Breathalyzer
World’s Largest iOS 8 + Swift Elearning Bundle

Black Friday:

More Black Friday ad leaks: JCPenney, Kohl’s, Pier 1, Walgreens, more
Sam’s Club: 60″ VIZIO 4K Smart UHDTV for under $1,000 ahead of Black Friday
Sports Authority Black Friday: Garmin Vivofit $80, up to 70% off North Face, more
Meijer Black Friday: $100 credit w/ iPads, Xbox One bundle w/ $50 credit $330, more
Sears Black Friday leak: Samsung 55″ Smart HDTV $600, Dewalt drill kit $100, more
Dell Black Friday ad leak: discounts on monitors, Xbox One/PS4, HDTVS, more
Xbox One holiday price drop now live with prices starting at $349 (or lower)
Sam’s Club’s Black Friday deal has iPhone 6 for $99 on-contract starting Nov. 15
Walmart’s Holiday Savings officially kick off tomorrow with more than 20,000 Rollbacks
Amazon’s countdown to Black Friday kicks off w/ thousands of Lightning Deals
Target announces free shipping for all items through the holiday shopping season

New products/ongoing promos:

Joby adds GorillaPod & Locking Arm accessories to its Action Series
How Scribd’s new audiobook service stacks up against Audible & Kindle Unlimited
Jaybird enters into wearables with the Reign activity tracker
Netgear’s Arlo home security camera is waterproof and completely cord free
Drift’s Stealth 2 is the $249 action camera that films longer than any GoPro
Epson’s WorkForce WF-100 is the world’s smallest/lightest mobile printer
ViewSonic projectors are Chromecast ready and fit in the “palm of your hand”
ChargerLeash Lightning cable makes sure you never forget your iPhone charger again
Amazon offers free unlimited Cloud Photo storage
Internet Archive brings 900 classic arcade titles to your web browser for free
IDrive’s new unlimited plan may be the best mobile backup solution for iOS/Android users
Mount your iPhone 6 inside your car with Logitech’s new Protection+ case
Trilogy Dock positions your iPhone 6 vertically or horizontally and boosts its sound
The thinnest iPhone 6/Plus cases we’ve found so far

Instagram revamps Explore tab, adds caption & location editing

Zac Hall Nov 10 2014 - 12:38 pm PT

3 Comments

After updating its app for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus last month, Instagram is out with a feature update today with some welcome features.

Users will likely appreciate the ability to edit photo captions and locations attached to photos in post now. That means if you make a typo on your caption, you no longer have to choose between correcting yourself in the comments, deleting and re-posting the photo with the correction caption, or just ignoring it altogether.
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Microsoft Office’s Dropbox integration and move to free is paying off on the App Store

Zac Hall Nov 10 2014 - 10:35 am PT

10 Comments

Microsoft announced a number of changes to its Office for iOS apps last week: deep Dropbox integration, dedicated iPhone versions, and editing and saving features without the need for an Office 365 subscription. All of those changes seem to be paying off, at least in the short term, as TechCrunch points out the new and updated Microsoft Office apps are now on top of the App Store charts.

Currently on the iPhone App Store, Microsoft Word takes the #1 spot for Top Free iPhone Apps while Microsoft Excel ranks in at #8 and Microsoft PowerPoint follows at #10. It’s a similar scene on the iPad side with Microsoft Word at #1, Microsoft Excel at #3, and Microsoft PowerPoint at #7 on the Top Free iPad Apps list.
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Facebook Messenger mobile apps surpass 500 million monthly users

9to5 Staff Nov 10 2014 - 9:29 am PT

4 Comments

Facebook announced this morning that over 500 million people are now using its Messenger app per month. The impressive milestone comes just days after Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg explained why Facebook Messenger was turned into a standalone app for iOS and Android, a move it made in July after disabling messaging in the main Facebook app.
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Planned earthquake alert app aiming to provide 30 seconds’ warning in California, Oregon and Washington

Ben Lovejoy Nov 10 2014 - 5:04 am PT

A joint venture between Early Warning Labs and the U.S. Government is working on app they claim will provide 30 seconds warning of an earthquake in California, Oregon and Washington, reports TechCrunch.

While 30 seconds doesn’t seem like much, founder of EWL, Josh Bashioum says that is enough time to take shelter and save lives. About 13,000 earthquakes in the 4.0 range caused 347 deaths in the U.S. in 2011. However, an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 could have majorly devastating effects. For Bashioum, the best way to get the word out would be via an early warning on a smartphone.

The company hopes to make money by selling a $100-ish physical warning device it describes as ‘Nest for earthquake warnings,’ but the app will be free.

The company’s website provides little detail on how it aims to achieve the 30-second warning. Earthquake alert systems are based on detecting earthquakes in progress outside cities in the hope that they will provide a little warning before they reach urban areas, but typically provide only a few seconds’ notice. EWL says that it aims to use a network of seismic sensors to “rapidly detect the initiation of an earthquake […] and issue a warning before significant ground shaking starts.”

Government advice if an earthquake hits while indoors is to get under a sturdy desk or table if possible, otherwise to stand against an interior wall away from windows and exterior walls. If outside, move away from buildings, streetlights and any other structure that may fall.

You can ask to be notified when the app is available by entering your name and email address into an online form and checking the app button.

New Sainsbury’s supermarket app aiming to integrate virtual and physical shopping

Ben Lovejoy Nov 10 2014 - 4:33 am PT

A new app created by the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s is aiming to integrate the virtual and physical shopping process, allowing you to create shopping lists, be guided to those products in the store and to pay on your smartphone, skipping the checkout queues. It is currently being tested internally, with customer trials to follow early next year, initially in the UK.

Sainsbury’s says that the app is all about saving time.

Overall, the app is proven to cut the time taken to do a shop – reducing checkout time to seconds in testing.

Jon Rudoe, Digital and Technology Director at Sainsbury’s, said “We know that customers’ weekly shop doesn’t start at our front door – they know what they like and they also like that search for a bargain. They still want to come into store – but with limited time, they want to be able to get their shop done quickly. That’s why we’re putting digital firmly at the forefront of our agenda, and putting technology in the hands of our customers.

Personally I’ll stick to online shopping and letting the supermarket deliver the goods to my kitchen, but if you’re one of those people who still like to visit stores personally, this looks like it’ll at least speed up the process.

Paper by FiftyThree updated with Adobe Creative Cloud integration, push notifications and other improvements

9to5 Staff Nov 8 2014 - 2:28 pm PT

The popular iPad drawing and sketching app Paper by FiftyThree has been updated with Adobe Creative Cloud integration, push notifications and sharing directly from Mix, a camera view during account creation, smoother shadows and general improvements for iOS 8. The updated version of Paper by FiftyThree is available now on the App Store.
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: iPad mini $199, ASUS 31″ 4K IGZO display $1470, JBL Lightning speaker/dock $30, more

Justin Kahn Nov 7 2014 - 9:00 am PT

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Apple Deals:

iPad mini in white or space gray: $199 shipped or pickup at Walmart ($50 off)
iPad Blowout sale at Staples, up to $105 off: Airs starting at $339
13″ MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 2.6GHz/8GB/128GB $1,149 (Reg. $1,299)

ASUS 31.5-inch PQ321Q monitor adds a high-end IGZO 4K display to your Mac for $1,470 (orig. $3,499)

JBL OnBeat Mini iPad & iPhone 6/6 Plus speaker dock with lightning connector $35 shipped (orig. $99)

Prime Members get $10 Free Amazon credit when you buy $45+ in Amazon Gift cards

Small States – Tucker and Bloom: father & son create functionally beautiful bags, giveaway worth $175

Other new deals:

New! Sam’s Club: 60″ VIZIO 4K Smart UHDTV for under $1,000 ahead of Black Friday
New! Sennheiser Momentum on-ear headphones (black) $80 shipped (orig. $200)
New! Games/Apps: Skylanders Trap Team Pack for iPad $55 (Reg. $75), more
New! Daily Deals: RCA 48-inch 1080p HDTV $299, 7-port USB hub: $12, more
New! Tablet roundup: Nexus 7 16GB: $80, Kindle Fire HDX, more

Some solid deals from Specials.9to5toys.com:

More deals still alive:

SanDisk Connect Wireless iOS/Android 16GB Flash Drive: $35 shipped (orig. $50)
Motorola SURFboard SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem $75 shipped (orig. $100)
Download Swype iOS 8 third-party keyboard for free (Reg. $1)
Optoma 3D 1080p home projector + free $50 Amazon GC $599 ($650 value)
4-pack eneloop XX 2500mAh Rechargeable AA Batteries w/ Charger: $21 (orig. $35)
Free Google Play music from Nirvana, Drake, Lorde, Katy Perry, Rihanna, more
Home: Chicago Cutlery stainless knife block set $100, extra $10 off Kershaw, more
The Dark Knight Trilogy in HD w/ iTunes Extras: $15 (Reg. $37)
Audio-Technica ATH-PRO500 Headphones $75 shipped (orig. $180)
1080p ViewSonic Monitors (refurb): 22-inch $95, 27-inch w/ HDMI $185, more
BJ’s one-year Inner Circle membership + $25 gift card $35 shipped (Reg. $75)
Free digital copy of Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph movie
Woot coupon: $5 off orders of $25 or more (up to 20% savings)
Mpow 4.2Amps 20W Dual USB Port Car Charger $7 (Reg. $16), 6 Amp $9
Amazon Veterans Day coupon: 20% off clothing, shoes, jewelry, watches, luggage, more
Verizon FIOS Triple Play + 2yrs. of premium channels + $400 Visa Gift Card: $79.99/mo

Black Friday:

Sports Authority Black Friday: Garmin Vivofit $80, up to 70% off North Face, more
Meijer Black Friday: $100 credit w/ iPads, Xbox One bundle w/ $50 credit $330, more
Sears Black Friday leak: Samsung 55″ Smart HDTV $600, Dewalt drill kit $100, more
Dell Black Friday ad leak: discounts on monitors, Xbox One/PS4, HDTVS, more
Xbox One holiday price drop now live with prices starting at $349 (or lower)
Sam’s Club’s Black Friday deal has iPhone 6 for $99 on-contract starting Nov. 15
Walmart’s Holiday Savings officially kick off tomorrow with more than 20,000 Rollbacks
Amazon’s countdown to Black Friday kicks off w/ thousands of Lightning Deals
Target announces free shipping for all items through the holiday shopping season

New products/ongoing promos:

How Scribd’s new audiobook service stacks up against Audible & Kindle Unlimited
Jaybird enters into wearables with the Reign activity tracker
Netgear’s Arlo home security camera is waterproof and completely cord free
Drift’s Stealth 2 is the $249 action camera that films longer than any GoPro
Epson’s WorkForce WF-100 is the world’s smallest/lightest mobile printer
ViewSonic projectors are Chromecast ready and fit in the “palm of your hand”
ChargerLeash Lightning cable makes sure you never forget your iPhone charger again
Amazon offers free unlimited Cloud Photo storage
Internet Archive brings 900 classic arcade titles to your web browser for free
IDrive’s new unlimited plan may be the best mobile backup solution for iOS/Android users
Mount your iPhone 6 inside your car with Logitech’s new Protection+ case
Trilogy Dock positions your iPhone 6 vertically or horizontally and boosts its sound
The thinnest iPhone 6/Plus cases we’ve found so far

Say Play iOS app makes music streaming as easy as speaking the name of the track

Ben Lovejoy Nov 7 2014 - 5:44 am PT

6 Comments

You’ve long been able to tell Siri to play any track on your iPhone, and the Say Play app gives you the same ability with music you don’t own. Just open the app, hit the red button and speak the name of the track.

To be sure, you could do a voice search in YouTube, but the app appears to simultaneously search several music video sources, and continues to play the track while you’re using other apps. As you’d expect from an app powered by Nuance, voice-recognition is faultless, and in my brief tests it was lightning-fast.

The app costs $0.99 on iTunes.

CBS Radio News update adds CarPlay support with streaming news, local weather, and bug fixes

Mike Beasley Nov 6 2014 - 3:01 pm PT

CBS has updated its Radio News application with support for Apple’s CarPlay interface. The new UI allows users to browse and play the network’s library of on-demand shows such as the CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes. Users will also find that the Now Playing screen presents them with their local weather conditions.

Also included in the new update is a set of bug fixes for issues such as two audio tracks playing back at once for some users. There is also a new introduction screen that walks users through the functions of the app. CBS News also rolled out a channel for the Apple TV earlier today.

9to5Toys Last Call: Swype goes free, SanDisk wireless iOS flash drive $35, Motorola cable modem $75, more

Nov 6 2014 - 1:52 pm PT

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Download Swype iOS 8 third-party keyboard for free (Reg. $1)

SanDisk Connect Wireless iOS/Android 16GB Flash Drive: $35 shipped (orig. $50)

Motorola SURFboard SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem $75 shipped (orig. $100)

Prime Members get $10 Free Amazon credit when you buy $45+ in Amazon Gift cards

Small States – Tucker and Bloom: father & son create functionally beautiful bags, giveaway worth $175

Other new deals:

New! How Scribd’s new audiobook service stacks up against Audible & Kindle Unlimited
New! Optoma 3D 1080p home projector + free $50 Amazon GC $599 ($650 value)
New! 4-pack eneloop XX 2500mAh Rechargeable AA Batteries w/ Charger: $21 (orig. $35)
New! Meijer Black Friday: $100 credit w/ iPads, Xbox One bundle w/ $50 credit $330, more
New! Sports Authority Black Friday: Garmin Vivofit $80, up to 70% off North Face, more
New! Home: Chicago Cutlery stainless knife block set $100, extra $10 off Kershaw, more
New! Free Google Play music from Nirvana, Drake, Lorde, Katy Perry, Rihanna, more
New! Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 $156 shipped (Reg. $200)
New! Jaybird enters into wearables with the Reign activity tracker
New! Games/Apps: Sunset Overdrive $50, Cut the Rope 2 & Experiments $1 ea., more
New! Daily Deals: Archos Titanium HD Android Tablet: $95, more

Some solid deals from Specials.9to5toys.com:

More deals still alive:

The Dark Knight Trilogy in HD w/ iTunes Extras: $15 (Reg. $37)
13″ MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 2.6GHz/8GB/128GB $1,149 (Reg. $1,299)
Audio-Technica ATH-PRO500 Headphones $75 shipped (orig. $180)
1080p ViewSonic Monitors (refurb): 22-inch $95, 27-inch w/ HDMI $185, more
BJ’s one-year Inner Circle membership + $25 gift card $35 shipped (Reg. $75)
Target offers 20% off all Verizon phones: iPhone 6 starts at $160
iPad Blowout sale at Staples, up to $105 off: Airs starting at $339
Free digital copy of Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph movie
Woot coupon: $5 off orders of $25 or more (up to 20% savings)
Mpow 4.2Amps 20W Dual USB Port Car Charger $7 (Reg. $16), 6 Amp $9
Amazon Veterans Day coupon: 20% off clothing, shoes, jewelry, watches, luggage, more
Verizon FIOS Triple Play + 2yrs. of premium channels + $400 Visa Gift Card: $79.99/mo
Sam’s Club 1-yr membership + $20 gift card & free food vouchers $45 ($142+ value)

Black Friday:

Sears Black Friday leak: Samsung 55″ Smart HDTV $600, Dewalt drill kit $100, more
Dell Black Friday ad leak: discounts on monitors, Xbox One/PS4, HDTVS, more
Xbox One holiday price drop now live with prices starting at $349 (or lower)
Sam’s Club’s Black Friday deal has iPhone 6 for $99 on-contract starting Nov. 15
Walmart’s Holiday Savings officially kick off tomorrow with more than 20,000 Rollbacks
Amazon’s countdown to Black Friday kicks off w/ thousands of Lightning Deals
Target announces free shipping for all items through the holiday shopping season

New products/ongoing promos:

Netgear’s Arlo home security camera is waterproof and completely cord free
Drift’s Stealth 2 is the $249 action camera that films longer than any GoPro
Epson’s WorkForce WF-100 is the world’s smallest/lightest mobile printer
ViewSonic projectors are Chromecast ready and fit in the “palm of your hand”
ChargerLeash Lightning cable makes sure you never forget your iPhone charger again
Amazon offers free unlimited Cloud Photo storage
Internet Archive brings 900 classic arcade titles to your web browser for free
IDrive’s new unlimited plan may be the best mobile backup solution for iOS/Android users
Mount your iPhone 6 inside your car with Logitech’s new Protection+ case
Trilogy Dock positions your iPhone 6 vertically or horizontally and boosts its sound
The thinnest iPhone 6/Plus cases we’ve found so far
Canon’s new EOS 7D Mark II DSLR w/ rapid autofocus starts shipping today
Kodak’s PIXPRO 360 degree action camera is now available for $349

Apple releases performance improvement updates for Beats Music, iTunes Connect, iWork for iOS, more

Zac Hall Nov 6 2014 - 11:56 am PT

While these updates aren’t major, Apple has released new versions of several of its own iOS and Mac apps with various performance improvements. If you’ve experienced issues with any of these apps, you may find that your issue has been resolved with these new versions. Included in today’s round of maintenance updates is:

Beats Music: This update includes minor stability and performance improvements
iTunes Connect: iTunes Connect 3.0.2 includes minor fixes
Pages for iOS: This update includes minor stability and performance improvements
Numbers for iOS: This update includes minor stability and performance improvements
Keynote for iOS: This update includes minor stability and performance improvements
Pages for Mac: This update includes minor stability and performance improvements

You can find the new version of each app on the App Store and Mac App Store. (Still no CarPlay support for Beats Music, though.)

Google Drive for iOS adds Touch ID unlocking, video saving, iPhone 6/Plus support, more

Zac Hall Nov 6 2014 - 11:09 am PT

3 Comments

In addition to updating its Maps app with an overhauled design, Google has released a new version of its Drive app for iPhone and iPad users adding support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as well as some new iOS 8 features.

The Google Drive file storage app can now be secured using Touch ID so users with supported devices (iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone Plus, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3) can unlock the app using the fingerprint scanner. The new version of Drive also includes an extension to “open form and save to Drive in other apps” for iOS 8 users, and videos can now be saved from Drive to the Photos app (instructions below). Google says the new version of Drive for iPhone and iPad also includes full iOS 8 compatibility, bug fixes, and performance improvements.

Google Drive 3.3 for iPhone and iPad is available for free on the App Store. Full change log below.
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Tapbots, makers of Tweetbot, bring Calcbot to the Mac with Yosemite design

Zac Hall Nov 6 2014 - 7:48 am PT

12 Comments

Tapbots, most known for the popular Twitter client for Mac and iOS called Tweetbot, is out with a new Mac app that some of its followers may recognize from the iPhone and iPad: Calcbot for Mac. Calcbot is described as a simple and intelligent calculator with a “live-as-you-type expression view” for visualizing your calculation history on a scratch sheet-like tape window. Calcbot also packs in a robust unit conversion tool with a wide range of supported categories. Check below for a closer look at Calcbot for Mac and its Yosemite-ready design.
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Frostbite team shows off Battlefield 4 iOS tech demo made possible thanks to Metal

Jordan Kahn Nov 6 2014 - 7:39 am PT

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The team at Frostbite, the gaming engine behind many popular console titles and more recent mobile games, today published a blog post showing off a tech demo of the graphically demanding Battlefield 4 console game running on an iPad. The company previously showed off what the Frostbite engine was capable of with the Battlefield 4 Commander app and the Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare tech demo it showed off at WWDC, but the Battlefield 4 tech demo was made possible thanks to some big graphics improvements courtesy of Apple’s new Metal graphics API.

The team says “Metal has created possibilities previously out of reach and for the first time we can include both high visual fidelity and a large number of objects.”
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Microsoft releases Office apps for iPhone, makes basic editing features free

Jordan Kahn Nov 6 2014 - 6:21 am PT

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Microsoft announced today that it’s rolling out standalone Office apps for iPhone after releasing the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps exclusively for iPad earlier this year. Microsoft previously had an “Office Mobile” app for iPhone that integrated features of all three Office apps, but today’s release of standalone Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps for iPhone are officially replacing Office Mobile as Microsoft’s Office solution for iPhone.
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Pixelmator 3.3 released with OS X Yosemite optimizations, Repair Tool extension

Benjamin Mayo Nov 6 2014 - 5:01 am PT

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Hot off the heels of their iPad app, the Pixelmator team have today released Pixelmator 3.3 for Mac. This update centers around design and structural optimizations for OS X Yosemite, including an extension for integration with other apps and a new icon to match the ‘flatter’ aesthetic of the operating system. The update also includes a new file format to improve syncing and compatibility with the iPad version.

Although the app largely resembles previous versions, with custom floating panels and black chrome, it now takes advantage of Apple’s transparency effects to mesh well with the OS.

Runtastic releases ‘Sleep Better’ app for tracking sleep habits without additional hardware

Jordan Kahn Nov 6 2014 - 4:59 am PT

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/3E24XCQC7hc]

Runtastic, makers of the popular fitness tracking app of the same name, today announced the introduction of a new app focused on improving sleep habits. Rather than using a wearable or bedside sensor, the company’s new Sleep Better app uses an iPhone placed next to your pillow to track sleep patterns with no additional hardware required. Using the iPhone’s sensors, the app offers sleep tracking features including data on Duration, Cycles and Efficiency as well as Smart Alarm & Wake-Up Window features, Moon Phase tracking, and more. The app is also fully compatible with Apple’s HealthKit and Health app in iOS 8:
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9to5Toys Last Call: 13″ Retina MacBook Pro $1149, The Dark Knight Trilogy $15, free Amazon credit, more

Justin Kahn Nov 5 2014 - 2:34 pm PT

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Apple Deals:

13″ MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 2.6GHz/8GB/128GB $1,149 (Reg. $1,299)
Target offers 20% off all Verizon phones: iPhone 6 starts at $160
iPad Blowout sale at Staples, up to $105 off: Airs starting at $339

iTunes Movie deals:

The Dark Knight Trilogy in HD w/ iTunes Extras: $15 (Reg. $37)
Free digital copy of Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph movie

Prime Members get $10 Free Amazon credit when you buy $45+ in Amazon Gift cards

Daily Deals: $70 iTunes gift card for $60, more

Netgear’s Arlo home security camera is waterproof and completely cord free

Small States – Tucker and Bloom: father & son create functionally beautiful bags, giveaway worth $175

Other new deals:

New! TCL 40-inch 1080p Smart LED Roku HDTV: $298 shipped (Reg. $350)
New! Audio-Technica ATH-PRO500 Headphones $75 shipped (orig. $180)
New! Logitech Noise-Isolating Earphones (previous gen): $9 shipped (orig. $50)
New! SanDisk 960GB 2.5-inch Solid-State Drive: $370 (or less) shipped (orig. $500)
New! 1080p ViewSonic Monitors (refurb): 22-inch $95, 27-inch w/ HDMI $185, more
New! Games/Apps: Knock for iOS $2 (Reg. $4), iOS freebies, more
New! BJ’s one-year Inner Circle membership + $25 gift card $35 shipped (Reg. $75)
New! Drift’s Stealth 2 is the $249 action camera that films longer than any GoPro
New! Epson’s WorkForce WF-100 is the world’s smallest/lightest mobile printer
New! ViewSonic projectors are Chromecast ready and fit in the “palm of your hand”
New! Home: Nespresso Maker $199, GreenWorks Snow Blower $147, more
New! Magazine subs from $4 per year: Popular Science, Men’s Health, more

Some solid deals from Specials.9to5toys.com:

More deals still alive:

Woot coupon: $5 off orders of $25 or more (up to 20% savings)
Mpow 4.2Amps 20W Dual USB Port Car Charger $7 (Reg. $16), 6 Amp $9
Amazon Veterans Day coupon: 20% off clothing, shoes, jewelry, watches, luggage, more
Verizon FIOS Triple Play + 2yrs. of premium channels + $400 Visa Gift Card: $79.99/mo
2010 Apple Macbook Air 11.6-inch 1.4GHz/2GB/64GB (refurbished) $500 shipped
i Tunes Free App of the Week: PAC-MAN Friends ($3.99 value)
Sam’s Club 1-yr membership + $20 gift card & free food vouchers $45 ($142+ value)

Black Friday:

Sears Black Friday leak: Samsung 55″ Smart HDTV $600, Dewalt drill kit $100, more
Dell Black Friday ad leak: discounts on monitors, Xbox One/PS4, HDTVS, more
Xbox One holiday price drop now live with prices starting at $349 (or lower)
Sam’s Club’s Black Friday deal has iPhone 6 for $99 on-contract starting Nov. 15
Walmart’s Holiday Savings officially kick off tomorrow with more than 20,000 Rollbacks
Amazon’s countdown to Black Friday kicks off w/ thousands of Lightning Deals
Target announces free shipping for all items through the holiday shopping season

New products/ongoing promos:

ChargerLeash Lightning cable makes sure you never forget your iPhone charger again
Amazon drops free unlimited Cloud Photo storage
Internet Archive brings 900 classic arcade titles to your web browser for free
IDrive’s new unlimited plan may be the best mobile backup solution for iOS/Android users
Mount your iPhone 6 inside your car with Logitech’s new Protection+ case
Trilogy Dock positions your iPhone 6 vertically or horizontally and boosts its sound
The thinnest iPhone 6/Plus cases we’ve found so far
Canon’s new EOS 7D Mark II DSLR w/ rapid autofocus starts shipping today
Kodak’s PIXPRO 360 degree action camera is now available for $349
Cree introduces shatter-proof LED lightbulbs for less than $8 a piece
Tidal brings Hi-Fi audio streaming to iOS/Android, a guide to music services
Razer’s Leviathan Sound Bar combines surround sound gaming/Bluetooth music
Amped Wireless introduces a high powered WiFi range extender w/ touchscreen
Amazon announces $39 Fire TV Stick to take on Chromecast

WhatsApp update shows read receipts, leaked image suggests future VOIP feature

Stephen Hall Nov 5 2014 - 2:06 pm PT

9 Comments

Although this isn’t an actual update to the app, WhatsApp is now sporting a nifty new feature that—although small—might make a big difference in how users of the messaging app stay in touch with their friends. The Facebook-owned app, which would previously show double check marks if a sent message had been received, now goes one step further and turns those check marks blue if the message has been read.