Apps

6,311 'Apps' stories April 2010 - November 2014

Learn about the latest news for iOS, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV apps

Apps for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS power our modern world. 9to5Mac will update you on the latest news, review, and updates for all types of apps. “There’s an App for that”.

The term came became part of our vocabulary when Steve Jobs announced The App Store as part of the iPhone 2.0 software update in 2008.

Over the years, the term has become as common as kleenex for describing applications on all of our devices. Apple’s platforms have apps for just about anything from finance, banking, sports, social media, podcasting, music, and more. We have a guide for helping you discover the best ones as well. Apps are now on everything from our TV, to our smartphones, on our laptops, and all the way down to our wrists.

As new ones are released or existing ones have major updates, the team here at 9to5Mac will bring you the latest news and reviews. If you want to follow along with video footage, be sure to follow 9to5Mac on YouTube. Scroll down below our latest updates on all things relating to applications on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch.

Google Maps for iOS updated with a fresh new Material Design layout, integrated OpenTable and Uber

Mark Hearn Nov 5 2014 - 9:49 am PT

26 Comments

Update: The new Google Maps app is now available on the App Store.

Google announced an update for its Google Maps for iOS app today that adds a fresh new Material Design layout focusing on bright colors and real world surfaces and shadows. The software’s refreshed interface is set to roll out over the next few days, with new features like dinner reservations from OpenTable (US only) and enhanced information cards with photos and reviews of popular attractions near your location.

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Google Drive now lets you open files in compatible Mac apps w/ new Chrome extension

Jordan Kahn Nov 5 2014 - 9:36 am PT

1 Comment

Google announced today that it’s releasing a new Chrome extension called Application Launcher for Drive that allows users to open files directly from its Google Drive service in compatible apps on a Mac or PC. The extension adds an “Open With” option that will let users launch files in apps like, for example, Mac OS X’s Preview app or third-party editing apps like those from Adobe and Microsoft.
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Nova wireless Bluetooth flash for iPhone now available through the Apple Store

Zac Hall Nov 5 2014 - 6:31 am PT

1 Comment

We first told you about Nova, the Bluetooth flash for iPhone, over a year again when the portable wireless flash was crowdfunding on Kickstarter. After being funded in just two days and raising three times its goal in funding from backers, the wireless flash debuted earlier this year as promised.

We reviewed the Nova wireless Bluetooth flash after its launch earlier this year and found its a really clever accessory for iPhone and even iPad users snapping pictures from dark scenes to simple selfies. Now Nova is announcing that it is available through the Apple Online Store for the first time, and will be available at Apple Retail Stores across the United States and Canada later this month.

You can find the Nova Bluetooth flash for iPhone for $59 through the Apple Online Store now in addition to Amazon and Nova’s web store. Details below.
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Textplus moves on to Nextplus, adds improved WiFi calling/texting, GIFs, and more

Mark Gurman Nov 4 2014 - 11:59 pm PT

4 Comments

Popular texting and calling app Textplus, which is a more affordable alternative to a standard carrier plan, branched off to a new app called Nextplus today. The new app still has the same texting and calling core (coming soon), but is it now optimized for WiFi networks. The developers tell us that many people want to use unlocked older iPhones (without carrier plans) to text and make phone calls, so Nextplus is a solid alternative to signing up for a normal plan from a carrier.

The new app has also (finally) been modernized with GIF images and stickers support. The iPhone and iPad app is free to download and calling/texting between Nextplus/Textplus users is free. If you want to call a landline or a non-Nextplus user, Nextplus offers some competitive rates per minute, with calls to the U.S., U.K., Mexico, Canada, and Australia costing 2 cents per minute.

If you’re an iOS user, making calls between iOS devices via FaceTime Audio is a great solution, but Nextplus is a great option if you’re looking to talk affordably to landlines and other platforms.

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9to5Toys Last Call: iPhone 6 (VZW) 20% off, free copy of Wreck-It Ralph, Canon All-In-One printer $50, more

Nov 4 2014 - 3:03 pm PT

0 Comments

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:

Target offers 20% off all Verizon phones: iPhone 6 starts at $160

Free digital copy of Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph movie

Daily Deals: Canon PIXMA Wireless All-In-One Printer: $50, Mophie Juice Pack: $29, more

ChargerLeash Lightning cable makes sure you never forget your iPhone charger again

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

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

Other new deals:

New! ZyXEL 200Mbps Powerline Wall Plug Adapter Starter Kit $20 shipped (orig. $80), more
New! Sears Black Friday leak: Samsung 55″ Smart HDTV $600, Dewalt drill kit $100, more
New! Sennheiser HD 205-II Studio Grade Headphones in black/grey $35 shipped (Reg. $70)
New! Mpow 4.2Amps 20W Dual USB Port Car Charger $7 (Reg. $16), 6 Amp $9
New! Home: Braun Series 5 electric shaver $98 (orig. $170), cookware, more
New! Games/Apps: Xbox One headset $39, StarMap 3D+ & Flick Soccer! $1 ea, more
New! Amazon drops free unlimited Cloud Photo storage
New! Seagate Backup Plus 3TB USB 3.0 Desktop HDD $90 shipped (orig. $160)
New! JBL 1000 watt 12-inch car subwoofer (refurb) $35 shipped (orig. $80), more
New! Woot coupon: $5 off orders of $25 or more (up to 20% savings)

Titanfall for Xbox One: $19.99 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)… http://t.co/IuwBqx2wol pic.twitter.com/rh5392ajSn

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) November 4, 2014

Some solid deals from Specials.9to5toys.com:

More deals still:

iPad Blowout sale at Staples, up to $105 off: Airs starting at $339
Amazon Veterans Day coupon: 20% off clothing, shoes, jewelry, watches, luggage, more
A Dark Room is now available for free on iOS (Reg. up to $3.99)
Apple 27-inch iMac w/ Retina 5K display 3.5GHz/8GB/1TB $2,349 shipped (Reg. $2,499)
Canon PowerShot digital cameras (refurb) starting at $40 shipped
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
LG 50-inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV $499 shipped (Reg. $599)
i Tunes Free App of the Week: PAC-MAN Friends ($3.99 value)
Halloween app sales: Resident Evil 4 $1, Dead Space $2, many more
Sam’s Club 1-yr membership + $20 gift card & free food vouchers $45 ($142+ value)

Black Friday:

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:

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

Swype iOS 8 keyboard now available in 20+ languages, adds new layouts & auto Emoji suggestions

Jordan Kahn Nov 4 2014 - 12:11 pm PT

1 Comment

Nuance announced an update for its Swype keyboard for iOS 8 today that introduces support for a long list of new languages in addition to new layouts and features for both iPhone and iPad.

New languages include: Czech, Danish, Dutch, UK English, Finnish, Greek, Hinglish, Hungarian, Irish, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Swedish, and Turkish. The app now supports over 20 languages including the previously supported languages– English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

The keyboard also now includes QWERTY, QWERTZ and AZERTY layouts for both iPhone and iPad as well as access to all Swype themes on iPad. In addition, the update brings an auto-space feature, a “sound on Keypress” option, and auto suggestions for Emoji:

Intuitive Emoji Input: Stoked about the upcoming game this weekend? When you message your friends about your excitement, Swype will now automatically suggest the right emoji. Swype will predict emojis based on the words you enter – so if you’re feeling happy, confused, tenacious or satisfied, Swype’s got just the right emoji for you.

The updated Swype keyboard for iOS 8 is available from the App Store for $1.

Microsoft adding Dropbox integration including syncing and sharing to Office for iOS

Zac Hall Nov 4 2014 - 9:09 am PT

6 Comments

Microsoft and Dropbox announced a new partnership between the two companies today and a commitment to bring integration between Dropbox and Office apps on iOS and Android. Currently Office users rely on local storage for saving files or Microsoft’s own OneDrive service for saving and syncing files, but the newly announced partnership will allow Office users to use the popular Dropbox service as an additional storage and syncing option and introduce new features between the productivity apps and syncing service.
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MCX CEO says CurrentC exclusivity deal that blocks Apple Pay will expire within ‘months, not years’

Zac Hall Nov 4 2014 - 7:03 am PT

31 Comments

After an undeniably bad two weeks of press, MCX CEO Dekkers Davidson seems to have changed the company’s tune on CurrentC’s exclusivity policy that prompted retailers like CVS and Rite Aid to disable NFC terminals and block Apple’s iPhone 6-backed mobile payment system Apple Pay. Davidson told Re/code in an interview that MCX, the merchant consortium behind the Apple Pay competitor known as CurrentC, will lift the exclusivity policy in a matter of “months, not years.”

Previously, the MCX CEO only vaguely hinted that the retail consortium would consider allowing participants to accept both CurrentC, which is still in development, and Apple Pay, which launched in the United States earlier last month, saying that the scenario “could be entirely possible.”
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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air from $339, A Dark Room for iOS goes free, Dell Black Friday ad leak, giveaways, more

Nov 3 2014 - 3:49 pm PT

0 Comments

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:

iPad Blowout sale at Staples, up to $105 off: Airs starting at $339

Some solid deals from Specials.9to5toys.com:

A Dark Room is now available for free on iOS (Reg. up to $3.99)

Mount your iPhone 6 inside your car with Logitech’s new Protection+ case

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

Other new deals:

New! Dell Black Friday ad leak: discounts on monitors, Xbox One/PS4, HDTVS, more
New! Canon PowerShot digital cameras (refurb) starting at $40 shipped
New! Daily Deals: Olloclip Lens for iPhone 5/5s: $35, Logitech Folio for iPad Mini: $15, more
New! Games/Apps: Nintendo 2DS $79, PS4 Destiny bundle $410, iOS freebies, more
New! Xbox One holiday price drop now live with prices starting at $349 (or lower)
New! Verizon FIOS Triple Play + 2yrs. of premium channels + $400 Visa Gift Card: $79.99/mo
New! Home: NutriNinja Pro Blender $65, Hoover Bagless Upright vacs up to 80% off, more
New! Amazon Veterans Day coupon: 20% off clothing, shoes, jewelry, watches, luggage, more

Free eBay money! $100 eBay gift card (email delivery) for $94 from PayPal http://t.co/iSikiKGzd0 pic.twitter.com/L24AgC1k9c

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) November 3, 2014

More deals still:

Apple 27-inch iMac w/ Retina 5K display 3.5GHz/8GB/1TB $2,349 shipped (Reg. $2,499)
2010 Apple Macbook Air 11.6-inch 1.4GHz/2GB/64GB (refurbished) $500 shipped
LG 50-inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV $499 shipped (Reg. $599)
i Tunes Free App of the Week: PAC-MAN Friends ($3.99 value)
Halloween app sales: Resident Evil 4 $1, Dead Space $2, many more
Sam’s Club 1-yr membership + $20 gift card & free food vouchers $45 ($142+ value)

Black Friday:

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:

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
Oakley teams w/ Garmin to bring new video recording features to its Airwave 1.5 goggles
PSA: original iPad Air Smart Covers will fit iPad Air 2, save up to 50% now

Google working to bring new Lollipop Google Calendar app to iPhone

Jordan Kahn Nov 3 2014 - 10:22 am PT

4 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSTmkvn060E]

With the first Android 5.0 Lollipop devices becoming available— Nexus 9 today and the Nexus 6 later this month— Google is also showing off its new Google Calendar app arriving for other devices in the coming weeks. The new app comes on devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop, but Google also confirmed today that the app is in the works for iPhone users.

Google highlighted a few of the app’s new features including events from Gmail, suggestions that learn from your habits over time with a new feature called “Assists”, and a brand new schedule view:
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SwiftKey for iOS updated with support for Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Dutch

Mike Beasley Nov 3 2014 - 8:06 am PT

6 Comments

The SwiftKey iOS keyboard has been updated today to include support for several new languages. This will be a welcome update for many users, as the developers say that support for new languages has been one of their most requested changes. The new languages included in this update are:

Swedish
Danish
Norwegian
Dutch

The addition of these four languages brings the total to seventeen. SwiftKey is available on the iOS App Store for free.

Several new banks get Apple Pay support including USAA, US Bank, Barclaycard, PNC, more

Jordan Kahn Nov 3 2014 - 7:52 am PT

26 Comments

Update: USAA, US Bank and Navy Federal have just confirmed Apple Pay support starting today. In addition, MasterCard confirmed a roll out for Barclaycard, USAA and Navy Federal Credit Union, while readers report cards from PNC, and M&T Bank also working in Apple Pay.

Ahead of a previously announced Nov. 7 launch for Apple Pay support, a number of users today report being able to load USAA issued cards into the new payment service. We’ve received tips from readers regarding support for USAA Debit MasterCards and a long list of other customers online report support for other card types through the bank.

Apple has yet to update its support document detailing supported banks and card types. Currently the list includes American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi, J.P Morgan, Merrill Lynch, U.S. Trust and Wells Fargo.

A long list of other supported banks and cards are scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks and months, however. Apple previously said it had signed up approximately 500 banks for Apple Pay in the US.
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Starwood Hotels begins rollout of iPhone/Apple Watch virtual room keys, Hilton to follow (Video)

Ben Lovejoy Nov 3 2014 - 6:14 am PT

16 Comments

Starwood Hotels has officially launched its SPG Keyless service, allowing guests to use their iPhone (and, in the Spring, Apple Watch) to unlock their hotel doors, bypassing the front desk. The boutique hotel group first announced the project back in January.

1. After booking a reservation at a keyless hotel, SPG members are invited to opt-in to SPG Keyless and register their phone through the SPG App.

2. Approximately 24 hours before arrival, the guest receives his/her room number and Bluetooth key via the app.

3. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest can completely bypass the front desk (where available) and go directly to his/her room.

4. Then, after ensuring his/her Bluetooth is enabled, the guest simply opens the SPG App, taps the smartphone on the door lock, waits for the green light and enters the room.

The service goes live today at three Starwood brands: Aloft, Element and The W.
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9to5Toys Last Call: JLab headphones up to 83% off, iPhone 6/Plus cases from $7, MacBook Air 11″ (refurb) $500, more

Oct 31 2014 - 2:44 pm PT

0 Comments

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: up to 83% off JLab In-Ear wired/wireless headphones, starting at $10 Prime shipped

iPhone 6/6 Plus cases in multiple colors/styles from $7 shipped (Reg. $17)

2010 Apple Macbook Air 11.6-inch 1.4GHz/2GB/64GB (refurbished) $500 shipped

Trilogy Dock positions your iPhone 6 vertically or horizontally and boosts its sound

Apple iPad Air 2 16GB WiFi (Gold, Silver, Space Gray) $460 shipped (Reg. $499)

Apple 27-inch iMac w/ Retina 5K display 3.5GHz/8GB/1TB $2,349 shipped (Reg. $2,499)

Small States: Former Nike designer brings together form and function with the Spool Dock, multiple giveaways

Other new deals:

New! Buffalo AirStation AC433 Wireless Travel Router: $25 Prime shipped (orig. $65)
New! Games/Apps: Noteshelf $3 (Reg. $6), Week Calendar goes free, more
New! Halloween app sales: Resident Evil 4 $1, Dead Space $2, many more
New! Chargers: Poweradd 16000mAh Dual Power Bank: $25, Anker 40W 5-Port USB: $20
New! Home: Panasonic Wet/Dry electric shavers from $55 (orig. $150), more
New! ThinkGeek 20% off sitewide: apparel, gadgets, iPhone accessories, more
New! LG 50-inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV $499 shipped (Reg. $599)
New! Multiple 1-yr magazine subs from $3.50 each: Wired, GQ, ESPN, many more
New! Daily Deals: AOC 22″ IPS LED monitor: $93, WD 2TB Portable HD: $80, more

Twelve South iPhone/iPad/Mac accessories $5 off coupon + free shipping http://t.co/DtHLsd9Puk pic.twitter.com/wAmpIy5f6l

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) October 31, 2014

More deals still:

iTunes Free App of the Week: PAC-MAN Friends ($3.99 value)
OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 6 $29 Prime shipped (Reg. $60)
Mophie 20% off sitewide: Power Reserve Lightning $40, Space Pack $120, more
Mac apps up to 90% off: mSecure $6 (Reg. $20), Snapheal $10 (Reg. $20), more
Over $115 worth of paid Android apps for free: Plex, Plants vs. Zombies, more
Blue Microphones Snowball USB mic for Mac/PC/iPad (w/ adapter) $40 (orig. $100)
Griffin Technology 20% off: iPhone 6/Plus & iPad Air 2 accessories, more
Cowboom 20% off: HDTVs, digital cameras, Apple accessories, more
1080p LED HDTVs: Samsung 60-inch Smart $850, LG 49-inch $400, more
Google Play offers a selection of classic rock songs for free
D-Link DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem $60 shipped (Reg. $80), more
D-Link 309AV Mini Powerline Starter Kit $25 shipped (orig. $80)
Samsung D3 Station 4TB USB 3.0 external hard drive $110 shipped (orig. $220)
Acer 13.3-inch Chromebook 2.1GHz/2GB/16GB: $249 shipped (Reg. $280)
Save $5 off any $25 purchase at Amazon
Omaker Premium 3-Port USB Car Charger $9 Prime Shipped (Reg. $13)
Canon PowerShot A4000 IS (refurb) $40 (Reg. $110) + an extra 20% off refurb lenses
Microsoft announces $50 price drop coming to Xbox One consoles next week
DieHard power inverters: 750-Watt $25 (Reg. $90), 120-Watt $10 (Reg. $40), more
Gift Cards up to 20% off: Sears, Aeropostale, Sunglass Hut, GameStop, more
Sam’s Club 1-yr membership + $20 gift card & free food vouchers $45 ($142+ value)

Black Friday 2014:

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:

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
Oakley teams w/ Garmin to bring new video recording features to its Airwave 1.5 goggles
PSA: original iPad Air Smart Covers will fit iPad Air 2, save up to 50% now
VisionTek packs a high-performance Solid-State Drive into a USB 3.0 flash drive
Dyson’s first blade-less humidifier keeps your family healthy and comfortable
MacMall has the new Mac Minis & Retina iMac slightly marked down w/ tax in few states
PSA: you may be overpaying for bundled iOS apps/games )
Bang & Olufsen enters Bluetooth speaker arena with its gorgeous BeoPlay A2
2K Games releases NHL 2K for iOS and Android
Ikea’s new Bekant desk adjusts between standing and sitting heights on the fly
Apple drops refurbished iPad pricing: Retina iPad mini from $249, more

Google Play Music app for iPhone gets iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus support

Jordan Kahn Oct 31 2014 - 11:42 am PT

0 Comments

Following a bigger update earlier this month, Google today updated its Google Play Music app for iPhone with official support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. That means that the app, which offers access to Google Play Music content and its All Access music streaming service, now takes advantage of the increased real estate on the larger, higher-resolution 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and 6 Plus displays.

Google also notes that the update brings “Lots of little tweaks and bug fixes.” In addition, the app receives a new icon (pictured right).

Earlier this year we reported on an under development iPad version of the Google Play Music app, but it’s yet to get an official release.

The updated Google Play Music app for iPhone, Version 1.5.3184, is available on the App Store now. The app received a big update earlier this month that introduced new Listen Now features for browsing radio stations and recently played music for All Access users in the US and Canada.

What’s New in Version 1.5.3184

– iPhone 6/6+ support
– Lots of little tweaks and bug fixes

Apple’s WWDC app updated for iPhone 6/Plus & iOS 8

Zac Hall Oct 31 2014 - 11:19 am PT

0 Comments

Apple has updated its WWDC (Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference) iPhone app with optimization for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus released by Apple last month. The update also includes a bug fix for a crashing issue for users on iOS 8 and later. The app includes developer session videos, images, and other media from Apple’s annual developer conference. Apple’s WWDC iPhone app is available for free on the App Store, although a registered developer account is required to access some content.

Microsoft redesigns Outlook for Mac, says new Office coming in 2015

Zac Hall Oct 31 2014 - 7:16 am PT

48 Comments

Microsoft has today announced an updated version of its Outlook for Mac software with an updated design and performance improvements. The new version of email, calendar, and contacts app from Microsoft is available through the company’s Office 365 subscription service, and Microsoft says it offers a more consistent experience with the iPhone and iPad versions.

In addition to releasing the new version of Outlook for Mac, Microsoft has shared that it will ship a new version of Office for Mac in 2015. An overhauled version of Office, which includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote, will be available for Mac users as a public beta in the first half of 2015 while Microsoft is targeting the second half of 2015 for the commercial release.
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1Password for iOS updated w/ Touch ID lock screen improvements & more

Zac Hall Oct 30 2014 - 9:03 am PT

9 Comments

<em>Apple SVP Craig Federighi featuring 1Password at October Apple event</em>

Apple gave a prominent shoutout to the 1Password secure wallet app earlier this month when Craig Federighi, who leads the OS X and iOS teams, mentioned the password management app’s support for Touch ID in an iOS 8 review on stage. AgileBits, the developers behind 1Password, mentioned the shoutout in their latest release notes for an updated version of the iPhone and iPad app which brings a list of new improvements.

The latest version of 1Password for iPhone and iPad brings an improvement to the app’s lock screen when using Touch ID. Specifically, 1Password now moves the lock out of the way when using Touch ID as seen on stage in Federighi’s demonstration. This change means users unlocking 1Password to access stored passwords using the Touch ID fingerprint scanner can see more of the lock screen artwork. The update also brings speak improvements to the lock screen as well as folder syncing improvements for iCloud users and additional improvements.

1Password for iPhone and iPad is available for free on the App Store (a $9.99 in-app purchase unlocks pro features), and you can read the latest change log below.
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Smule’s popular Sing! Karaoke app updated with collaborative video features

Zac Hall Oct 30 2014 - 9:00 am PT

1 Comment

Smule, which makes a variety of music-related iPhone apps like Guitar!, Magic Piano, and AutoRap, has a new version of its popular Sing! Karaoke app out today with a major feature for the app: video. The new version of Sing! Karaoke, which features “a huge catalog of top hits” with instrumental tracks and lyric guides for singing along to, does three things with the newly added video feature.
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Skype for iPhone gets save/delete photos feature, adds improved chat load times, synced avatars, more

Jordan Kahn Oct 30 2014 - 6:49 am PT

4 Comments

Following an update to version 7.1 for Mac yesterday, today Skype for iPhone is getting its own update that brings a few highly requested new features.

First up, version 5.7 of Skype for iPhone introduces the ability to save and delete photos: If you want to save a memorable photo to your camera roll or delete a sent photo from a chat, simply press and hold the image and the options will appear.

Also new in the updated app is much improved performance, according to Skype, including faster chat load times especially when entering a chat through notifications: Now when you receive a notification and tap it to open the app, the message will be there waiting for you without any delays.

Skype is also making avatars work as you’d expect for all users, across all chats types and synced across platforms. In addition the updated app is introducing easier to use people list search and filter options:
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Apps
Spotify

Spotify brings iPad app in line with iPhone & Mac apps, with dark theme and Your Music feature

Ben Lovejoy Oct 30 2014 - 6:26 am PT

4 Comments

Spotify has belatedly brought its iPad app in line with the dark-themed iPhone and Mac apps, also adding in the Your Music feature which made it easier to organise your favourite content.

The iPhone and Mac apps got the same update way back in April, and it’s unclear why it’s taken the iPad app so long to catch up.

Spotify is a free download from iTunes.

Any.do gets a massive update to version 2.0 with a focus on collaboration

Mike Beasley Oct 30 2014 - 6:00 am PT

0 Comments

Any.do, the popular to-do list management application for iOS, has received a huge update to version 2.0, which introduces a new focus on collaboration among teams and families. All of the app’s previous functions still work the way they did in previous versions, so existing users won’t need to re-learn anything, but those who want better support for groups and sharing will find a lot of useful enhancements in this update.

A new chat function allows members of a project to talk with each other, share files from Dropbox, add and remove group members, and more. Shared lists and tasks make it easy to quickly assign work, update the group’s progress, or just add something to a shared grocery list.

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‘Third-generation’ Flipboard iOS app gets redesign, 30,000 topics and officially curated content

Ben Lovejoy Oct 30 2014 - 5:03 am PT

3 Comments

The popular Flipboard app has received a significant upgrade in version 3.0, in what the company is describing as “the most personal and most magazine-like experience we’ve ever built.”

In addition to a slicker interface, users are now presented with top-level topics that drill down into increasingly specific ones (for example, from Technology to iPhone). In all, there are more than 30,000 topics …
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Microsoft outs upcoming fitness ‘Band’ with premature Mac and iPhone app releases (updated)

Mike Beasley Oct 29 2014 - 5:44 pm PT

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Update: Microsoft has now announced the Microsoft Band, a $199 fitness band that does everything described below. It goes on sale Thursday.

Microsoft hasn’t officially announced its wearable device, but it seems the company has accidentally published its desktop syncing client to the Mac App Store early. Whoops. The device is called the Microsoft Band (possibly Lumia Band, according to some currently non-functional support URLs) and sports a 310 x 102 resolution display.

The Microsoft privacy policy for the app lists some of the Band’s features: “Microsoft Band sensors help you keep track of things like your heart rate, steps, calories burned, and sleep.” Links in the document claiming to lead to a page with additional data, such as a list of sensors, currently lead to a 404 page.

Other key feature include the ability to get phone notifications on the Band, create reminders using Cortana, and more:

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