Apps

6,295 'Apps' stories April 2010 - June 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.

Official FIFA iPhone/iPad app updated ahead of 2014 World Cup Brazil

Jordan Kahn Jun 6 2014 - 6:30 am PT

2 Comments

The Official FIFA iPhone and iPad apps, which also happen to act as the Official FIFA World Cup app, has been updated today with a number of new features ahead of 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil tournament kicking off on June 12.

The app gets a few pre-tournament features leading up to the first official World Cup match, but it will also be getting another update before then to introduce additional features. In today’s update, you’ll find a World Cup latest news section, the ability to discover info for all coaches and players across 32 teams, and a full schedule of all 64 games planned for the tournament. The update will also let you “Explore the host country Brazil and get familiar with the stadiums and cities where the action will happen.”

In another upcoming update the app will introduce “minute-by-minute action, live from all 64 games” and other features for keeping up with the latest.

The updated Official FIFA World Cup app for iPhone and for iPad are available on the App Store now.

HealthKit supports some Bluetooth products natively, lets accessory makers skip app development

Jordan Kahn Jun 5 2014 - 8:10 pm PT

7 Comments

Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor

Apple’s new HealthKit platform and Health app for iOS 8 acts as a central location for users to store and share health data from third-party apps, but Apple is also supporting some Bluetooth accessories natively in the Health app. That means that some accessory manufacturers will be able to skip the process of developing a companion app for their product and instead allow HealthKit to automatically connect to and control the device itself.
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PayPal reportedly planning to integrate iOS 8’s Touch ID API in mobile payment app

Mike Beasley Jun 5 2014 - 3:18 pm PT

12 Comments

When Apple unveiled the Touch ID API during its WWDC keynote earlier this week, users and developers alike immediately started considering possible uses. It seems PayPal was also quite interested in putting the fingerprint technology to work in its mobile app.

According to Business Insider, several PayPal developers attended a WWDC session on the new API and the company is actively considering its implementation. The idea here is likely to get a head-start on Apple, which is currently said to be working on its own mobile payment service in conjunction with several major payment processors.

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Apple will soon (finally) share its master list of MFi controller-enabled iOS games

Jordan Kahn Jun 5 2014 - 1:44 pm PT

7 Comments

We’ve learned Apple finally has a way for users of Made-For-iPhone/iPad game controllers to view a master list of supported games from the App Store, but it will first require the controller makers to issue firmware updates to their controllers.
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Philips previews Hue lights widget in Notification Center with iOS 8

Zac Hall Jun 5 2014 - 12:07 pm PT

6 Comments

When Apple announced its new HomeKit SDK at WWDC on Monday, it mentioned Philips, the maker of those popular iOS-connected lights, and potential to use Siri and a command like “Get ready for bed” to automate tasks like closing the garage door, locking the front door, and lowing the lights.
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GoPro iOS app finally gets completely redesigned for iOS 7

Jordan Kahn Jun 5 2014 - 10:49 am PT

3 Comments

An update to the GoPro app that allows users to remotely control their GoPro cameras has been a long time coming. Just in time for iOS 8, today the app finally gets an overhaul for iOS 7 with a completely redesigned UI that ditches that super outdated design the app has been sporting for quite a while now.
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Runtastic talks potential for HealthKit, plans integration for its health & fitness apps

Jordan Kahn Jun 5 2014 - 10:23 am PT

0 Comments

Runtastic, the popular iOS app that has long been among the top 10 fitness & health apps on the App Store, is looking forward to Apple’s new HealthKit platform and planning to support it in a future update. Like the other companies we spoke with earlier this week including Strava, RunKeeper, iHealth, and Withings, Runtastic is embracing HealthKit and thinks it will ultimately make its iOS app better for users. We spoke with the company’s CEO and Head of iOS development to get their thoughts on HealthKit…
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9to5Toys Last Call: 128GB MicroSD $100, free $5 Amazon credit, Logitech iPad mini keyboard case $24, WD 4TB NAS HDD $140, more

Jun 5 2014 - 9:58 am 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:

Last Call updates:

Put 128GB of fast SanDisk MicroSD storage in your Android Phone, Camera or MacBook for $100 shipped (50% off)
Headphones: Harman Kardon AE in-ears w/ mic & remote $45 (Reg. $80), SoundBot wireless BT over-ears $19 (orig. $100), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/474378908033617920]

iPad Keyboard cases:

Logitech Ultrathin BT keyboard case for iPad mini & Retina mini $24 shipped (Reg. $80)
ZAGG iPad mini w/ backlit keys $30 (Reg. $100), ZAGG iPad 2/3/4 $50 (Reg. $100)

Western Digital Red 4TB NAS optimized 3.5″ hard drive $140 shipped (Reg. up to $200)

iTunes gift cards: $100 for $85, buy one-get one 30% off, spend $25 or more and save 15%

9to5Toys Specials:

1-year of Backblaze online backup storage for $25 (Reg. $50) – ends in less than 24 hrs
Scrivener 2: Winner – Best of the Mac App Store $20 (Reg. $45) – ends in 9 days

Other new deals:

New! Amazon promos: get $15 Instant Video credit w/ Fire TV, $5 off orders of $25, more
New! Games/Apps: Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes $20, Republique FREE (Reg. $5), more
New! Sony PlayStation 4 console $370 shipped new (Reg. $400), $300 pre-owned
New! JBL OnBeat Lightning Speaker Docks: Micro $35 (Reg. $100), Mini $45 (Reg. $150)
New! Daily Deals: Sony A/V Receiver w/ AirPlay/BT: $329, Canon Mobile Printer: $120, more
New! AT&T offering $50 Google Play credit with purchase of an Android device

More deals still alive:

Get eight top country music songs from iTunes for free
Samsung 840 EVO Series 250GB 2.5″ SATA III SSD $125 shipped (Reg. $250)
Jawbone UP fitness wristband for iOS/Android $80 shipped (Reg. $130)
Lexar 64GB JumpDrive USB 3.0 flash drives (2 pack): $45 shipped (Reg. $60+)
Home Deals: Coleman extra $20 off $100, Air Purifiers from $39, Lowe’s coupons
TP-LINK N300 wireless home router: $25 shipped (Reg. $50)
Seiki 39-inch 4K Class Ultra HDTV w/ HDMI: $400 shipped (Reg. $700)
Apple iPad Mini 16GB Wi-Fi (1st gen) $240 shipped (Reg. $299)
Pioneer DDJ-S1 DJ Controller: $530 shipped (Reg. $699)
TigerDirect Coupon: $15 off orders of $100 or more (stacks with other discounts)
Western Digital Elements 3TB external desktop drive: $94 shipped (Reg. $150)
Media: Breaking Bad Complete BR $130, Jack White First Play, more
Get a $50 Amazon credit and 6 months of Google Play w/ a Sonos PLAY:3 or PLAY:5
Netatmo Weather Station for iOS and Android Devices $150 shipped (Reg. $179)
Bluetooth Speakers: Sony Portable NFC system: $98 shipped (Reg. $150), more
iPad Deals: iPad Air 64GB WiFi $580 (Reg. $699), free $50 gift card w/ iPad Air, more
LifeProof frē water/shock proof case cover for iPad Air: $66 shipped (Reg. $110)
Printers: Canon Portable w/ AirPrint $75 (Reg. $100), HP All-in-One $230 (Reg. $300)
Up to 30% off MacPaw apps: Gemini, Hider 2, CleanMyMac, more

New products/useful info:

Logitech unveils its new $70 mini X300 wireless Bluetooth speaker
Become an Adorama VIP for FREE ($149 Value)
Take $150 off early 2014 MacBook Airs (requires .edu email), deals from $750 (up to 17% off)

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Moto G Verizon Wireless Prepaid Phone $50 shipped (Reg. $100)
Motorola offers $100 off the 32GB Moto X for 48 hours
Amazon Fire TV and Kindle Fire HDX 7″ 16GB Bundle $249 shipped (Reg. $328)
More than 50% off select ‘Scroogled’ apparel

RunKeeper, Withings, Strava, & iHealth plan HealthKit integration, excited for medical industry tie-in

Jordan Kahn Jun 4 2014 - 11:44 am PT

13 Comments

Whenever Apple introduces a new feature baked into iOS that was previously a domain ruled by third-party apps like its new HealthKit platform and Health app in iOS 8, questions inevitably come up about how it will impact other developers and competing platforms. That’s why we were interested in finding out how some of the top fitness and health app developers and accessory makers are reacting to Apple’s HealthKit announcement.

We reached out to some of the big names in the health and fitness app world, as well as companies like Withings and iHealth that sell iOS-connected health and medical accessories such as blood pressure monitors through Apple stores. Not only did all of the companies we spoke with— RunKeeper, Withings, Strava, and iHealth— confirm they are already planning integration with their ecosystems, they also talked about how having one central location for users to manage health and fitness data will indeed be a good thing for the business.

RunKeeper CEO Jason Jacobs told me he’s excited that Apple is bringing “some of the other key players in the ecosystem (doctors, EMRs, etc) into the discussion” and confirmed both his RunKeeper and Breeze app will soon support Healthkit. Others are also excited for integration with the medical industry that currently uses a highly fragmented record keeping system for health data.

Here’s what they had to say:
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: ZAGG iPad keyboard cases up to 70% off, Samsung 250GB SSD $125, free iTunes music, more

Jun 4 2014 - 10:15 am 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:

ZAGG BT keyboard cases: iPad mini w/ backlit keys $30 (Reg. $100), iPad 2/3/4 $50 (Reg. $100)

Samsung 840 EVO Series 250GB 2.5″ SATA III Solid State Drive $125 shipped (Reg. $250)

Get eight top country music songs from iTunes for free

Canon PIXMA Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One Printer w/AirPrint $100 shipped (Reg. $200)

9to5Toys Specials:

1-year of Backblaze online backup storage (PC/Mac) for $25 (Reg. $50) – ends in 2 days
Scrivener 2: Winner – Best of the Mac App Store $20 (Reg. $45) – ends in 10 days
PasswordBox Unlimited Subscription $9.99 (Reg. $72) – ends in 1 day

Other new deals:

New! Daily Deals: Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad: $20, more
New! 1 year magazine subs: ESPN w/ digital $5, Macworld w/ digital $7.50, more
New! Games/Apps: Ni no Kuni $5, AC IV: Black Flag $18, iOS freebies, more
New! Lexar 64GB JumpDrive USB 3.0 flash drives (2 pack): $45 shipped (Reg. $60+)
New! Motorola offers $100 off the 32GB Moto X for 48 hours

More deals still alive:

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 2.4 GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version) $1,100 shipped ($200 off) http://t.co/AiTm8p3UfP

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) June 2, 2014

Jawbone UP fitness wristband for iOS/Android $80 shipped (Reg. $130)
Home Deals: Coleman extra $20 off $100, Air Purifiers from $39, Lowe’s coupons
TP-LINK N300 wireless home router: $25 shipped (Reg. $50)
Seiki 39-inch 4K Class Ultra HDTV w/ HDMI: $400 shipped (Reg. $700)
Apple iPad Mini 16GB Wi-Fi (1st gen) $240 shipped (Reg. $299)
Pioneer DDJ-S1 DJ Controller: $530 shipped (Reg. $699)
TigerDirect Coupon: $15 off orders of $100 or more (stacks with other discounts)
Western Digital Elements 3TB external desktop drive: $94 shipped (Reg. $150)
Media: Breaking Bad Complete BR $130, Jack White First Play, more
Get a $50 Amazon credit and 6 months of Google Play w/ a Sonos PLAY:3 or PLAY:5
Netatmo Weather Station for iOS and Android Devices $150 shipped (Reg. $179)
Bluetooth Speakers: Sony Portable NFC system: $98 shipped (Reg. $150), more
iPad Deals: iPad Air 64GB WiFi $580 (Reg. $699), free $50 gift card w/ iPad Air, more
LifeProof frē water/shock proof case cover for iPad Air: $66 shipped (Reg. $110)
Printers: Canon Portable w/ AirPrint $75 (Reg. $100), HP All-in-One $230 (Reg. $300)
Up to 30% off MacPaw apps: Gemini, Hider 2, CleanMyMac, more
OtterBox Commuter Series for iPhone 5c (multiple colors): $17 shipped (Reg. $35)
Samsung 32-Inch 1080p 60Hz Smart LED HDTV $260 shipped (orig. $499)
Take $100 off any Verizon smartphone priced $200 or more with a new 2-yr agreement
Infinity Blade II goes free for a limited time (Reg. $7)
RadioShack offers $79 iPhone 5s on contract, $30 iPhone 5c, or free with trade-in
Synology DiskStation 2-Bay NAS (DS214+): $300 shipped (Reg. up to $440)

New products/useful info:

Giveaways presented by SlickWraps: Apple TV, $100 iTunes gift card, $50 SlickWraps gift card, more

The above contest is now over, congratulations to our winners: @Jemarch86, @austinkeith and @robertburnspr – stay tuned for more great giveaways…

Logitech unveils its new $70 mini X300 wireless Bluetooth speaker
Become an Adorama VIP for FREE ($149 Value)
Apple acquisition: Beats tries to solidify its high end (sound) rep with new Solo2 cans
Take $150 off early 2014 MacBook Airs (requires .edu email), deals from $750 (up to 17% off)

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Amazon Fire TV and Kindle Fire HDX 7″ 16GB Bundle $249 shipped (Reg. $328)
More than 50% off select ‘Scroogled’ apparel
Sonos product w/ get six months of FREE Google Play Music ($60 value)
The Hisense H6 is a 55-inch Android-powered TV priced under $650

Fleksy previews its third-party keyboard already running on iOS 8

Zac Hall Jun 4 2014 - 9:09 am PT

9 Comments

In less than 48 hours since Apple officially announced native support for third-party keyboards as a major feature of iOS 8, Fleksy has already implemented their own keyboard on their iOS 8 test devices. Fleksy is also currently taking signups to join its beta program.
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Microsoft updates its SmartGlass mobile apps with a universal remote for your TV and cable box

Mark Hearn Jun 4 2014 - 8:29 am PT

1 Comment

Today, Microsoft released a highly anticipated update for its SmartGlass mobile apps for Xbox One. Following suit with a full system update for Redmond’s newest game console, this refreshed companion app adds fast access to all of your TV and app channels with the introduction of OneGuide support. Also new to SmartGlass are the abilities to compare Achievements, filter recorded game clips and organize your console’s pins remotely. But the standout new feature here is the addition of a universal remote that can be used to control your cable, satellite box or TV.

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New iOS 8 feature makes it easier to track missing devices

Mike Beasley Jun 3 2014 - 5:40 pm PT

15 Comments

A new feature in Apple’s iOS 8 software might make it easier for users to track down missing or stolen devices. The setting seen above can be found in the Find My iPhone panel of the device’s iCloud settings, and enables the phone to automatically send its last known location to Apple’s iCloud service if the phone’s battery is almost dead.

The data will apparently be stored for 24 hours after the phone’s battery dies, so even if the phone is no longer turned on users can at least have some idea of where it was active.

Of course, there’s still a chance that thieves could just turn off the device before the battery reaches a critical level and avoid being caught by this feature. Perhaps a future update will allow the phone to send this information as part of its regular shutdown process, but for now it’s at least a step in the right direction.

iOS 8 turns iPhone into the ultimate game controller for iPad & Mac, Game Center hits 130M monthly active users

Jordan Kahn Jun 3 2014 - 12:22 pm PT

20 Comments

Apple took some time to talk gaming during a presentation closed to the public yesterday at WWDC. While noting that gaming is now an area that Apple is “pushing on very strongly”, the company also announced a new feature coming for gamers and developers: Controller Forwarding.
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Apps

Apple shows off completely redesigned iTunes Connect coming later this year

Jordan Kahn Jun 3 2014 - 11:45 am PT

3 Comments

During its Platforms State of the Union presentation at WWDC yesterday, Apple showed off more features for developers that didn’t make the cut for its publicly streamed keynote event. One announcement made for developers is a redesigned version of iTunes Connect— the web app developers use to upload and maintain content on the App Store.
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9to5Toys Last Call: Jawbone UP $80, Backblaze online backup 50% off, iPad mini $240, WD 3TB external HDD $94, more

Jun 3 2014 - 10:09 am 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:

Last Call updates:

Jawbone UP fitness wristband for iOS/Android $80 shipped (Reg. $130)

9to5Toys Specials:

1-year of Backblaze online backup storage (PC/Mac) for $25 (Reg. $50) – ends in 3 days
Scrivener 2: Winner – Best of the Mac App Store $20 (Reg. $45) – ends in 11 days
PasswordBox Unlimited Subscription $9.99 (Reg. $72) – ends in 2 days

Apple iPad Mini 16GB Wi-Fi (1st gen) $240 shipped (Reg. $299)

Western Digital Elements 3TB external desktop drive: $94 shipped (Reg. $150)

Bond 50 Blu-ray collection $74, Breaking Bad Complete BR $130, Jack White First Play, more

Seiki 39-inch 4K Class Ultra HDTV w/ HDMI: $400 shipped (Reg. $700)

Other new deals:

New! Games/Apps: Splashtop 2 Remote Desktop FREE, 70% off PC/Mac titles at Origin
New! TigerDirect Coupon: $15 off orders of $100 or more (stacks with other discounts)
New! Home Deals: Coleman extra $20 off $100, Air Purifiers from $39, Lowe’s coupons
New! TP-LINK N300 wireless home router: $25 shipped (Reg. $50)
New! Logitech unveils its new $70 mini X300 wireless Bluetooth speaker
New! Daily Deals: 15.4″ Macbook Pro: $900, Roku 3 Media Player: $68, more
New! Pioneer DDJ-S1 DJ Controller: $530 shipped (Reg. $699)

More deals still alive:

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 2.4 GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version) $1,100 shipped ($200 off) http://t.co/AiTm8p3UfP

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) June 2, 2014

Get a $50 Amazon credit and 6 months of Google Play w/ a Sonos PLAY:3 or PLAY:5
Netatmo Weather Station for iOS and Android Devices $150 shipped (Reg. $179)
Bluetooth Speakers: Sony Portable NFC system: $98 shipped (Reg. $150), more
iPad Deals: iPad Air 64GB WiFi $580 (Reg. $699), free $50 gift card w/ iPad Air, more
LifeProof frē water/shock proof case cover for iPad Air: $66 shipped (Reg. $110)
Printers: Canon Portable w/ AirPrint $75 (Reg. $100), HP All-in-One $230 (Reg. $300)
Up to 30% off MacPaw apps: Gemini, Hider 2, CleanMyMac, more
OtterBox Commuter Series for iPhone 5c (multiple colors): $17 shipped (Reg. $35)
Samsung 32-Inch 1080p 60Hz Smart LED HDTV $260 shipped (orig. $499)
Take $100 off any Verizon smartphone priced $200 or more with a new 2-yr agreement
Infinity Blade II goes free for a limited time (Reg. $7)
RadioShack offers $79 iPhone 5s on contract, $30 iPhone 5c, or free with trade-in
Synology DiskStation 2-Bay NAS (DS214+): $300 shipped (Reg. up to $440)
uNu DX iPhone 5/5s 2300mAh MFi Battery Case (white): $50 shipped (Reg. $90)
$50 of Brookstone credit for $25 (online and in-store)
$400 Off Home Solar Power systems from SolarCity with Free Installation

New products/useful info:

Giveaways presented by SlickWraps: Apple TV, $100 iTunes gift card, $50 SlickWraps gift card, more

The above contest is now over, congratulations to our winners: @Jemarch86, @austinkeith and @robertburnspr – stay tuned for more great giveaways…

Become an Adorama VIP for FREE ($149 Value)
Apple acquisition: Beats tries to solidify its high end (sound) rep with new Solo2 cans
Take $150 off early 2014 MacBook Airs (requires .edu email), deals from $750 (up to 17% off)

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Amazon Fire TV and Kindle Fire HDX 7″ 16GB Bundle $249 shipped (Reg. $328)
More than 50% off select ‘Scroogled’ apparel
Sonos product w/ get six months of FREE Google Play Music ($60 value)
The Hisense H6 is a 55-inch Android-powered TV priced under $650

Flappy Bird recreated in Swift, Apple’s programming language announced just hours ago

Zac Hall Jun 3 2014 - 9:17 am PT

2 Comments

Okay, it may just be Flappy Bird, the addictive game that once took over the news cycle for days and still threatens to return again some day, but the thing here is it was written in Apple’s new programming language for developers called Swift. What’s so special about that? Swift was only announced yesterday, less than 24 hours ago, so what this simple Flappy Bird clone really means is Swift is off to a good start given its only a few hours old. You can view the code for the Swift version of Flappy Bird by Nate Murray on Github, and read more about Apple’s new programming language Swift on iBooks.

Creators of Alfred say OS X Yosemite’s Spotlight is not another case of the Sherlocks

Zac Hall Jun 3 2014 - 8:25 am PT

7 Comments

Sherlocked. It’s a word that often gets thrown around after Apple casually integrates a feature offered by some other software into one of its operating systems. Its origin goes back to a time before OS X’s Spotlight feature when Sherlock was the Internet and file search software offered by Apple. Watson, at the time, was a third party utility by Karelia Software that offered very similar functionality, and one of Apple’s versions of Sherlock closely resembled the popular Watson.

Yesterday Apple introduced a more powerful version of Spotlight on OS X after quite a while of letting the feature remain unchanged. The easiest way to describe the updated version of Spotlight is to compare it to the popular Mac utility Alfred. For this reason, several Alfred users voiced concern about Alfred’s fate going forward, enough people that its creators addressed Alfred’s place in a Yosemite world on their blog:

A few users have voiced concerns that Spotlight in Yosemite looks more like Alfred, and wonder whether this changes anything for Alfred and his future.

What you have to remember is that Spotlight’s primary objective is to search your files and a small handful of pre-determined web sources. Meanwhile, Alfred’s primary objective is to make you more productive on your Mac with exceptional and powerful features like Clipboard History, System commands, iTunes Mini Player, 1Password bookmarks, Terminal integration, fully bespoke and customisable user-created workflows and much, much more.

Their message is very similar to last year’s WWDC when Apple introduced its iCloud Keychain which closely resembles a specific feature of 1Password and similar apps. 1Password has since shipped several updates adding new features to its software on the Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and it sounds like Alfred is planning to do just the same.

In fact, we’ve been working on some pretty special and truly amazing new features that you’ll hear about over the next few months. We think these will blow your mind and can’t wait to tell you more.

Here are all 24 new dictation languages arriving in iOS 8 & OS X Yosemite

Jordan Kahn Jun 3 2014 - 6:55 am PT

52 Comments

During its unveiling of iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 Yosemite yesterday, Apple mentioned that it’s adding 24 new dictation languages, but it didn’t specify what those languages would be. Dictation, a feature available on both iOS and OS X, uses speech-to-text technology powered by Nuance to let users input text using only their voice rather than a keyboard or touchscreen.

Apple has gone from just 8 languages (with a few variations for some) to over 30 in Yosemite. In case you’re curious if your language will make the cut by the time the new operating systems are released this fall, below we’ve included a full list of new supported languages and variations by country:

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A closer look at iOS 8’s Health app (Video)

Dom Esposito Jun 2 2014 - 8:55 pm PT

17 Comments

Apple has officially announced its Heath app and HealthKit SDK confirming our detailed reports from earlier this year. The new HealthKit platform will allow developers of various health and fitness apps to have all related data populate within the Health app in iOS 8.

Apple’s Health app will serve as a central hub for all incoming data from companies like Nike, fitness apps, devices, and even possibly information from your doctor. Apple is working with the Mayo Clinic and other healthcare related companies to expand the Health app’s functionality and provide you with the most important information about yourself…

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Apple replaces Google with Bing search in OS X Yosemite’s redesigned Spotlight?

Jordan Kahn Jun 2 2014 - 4:14 pm PT

22 Comments

One big change for Apple with the unveiling of OS X Yosemite today is Bing web searches in the completely revamped Spotlight feature. Spotlight, which allows users to look up anything locally on their Mac as well as perform web searches, received a redesigned user experience in Yosemite, but it might have also received a switch to Bing from Google search.

To be fair, the “web search” feature of spotlight prior to Yosemite actually just defaults to the default search engine in your browser of choice. If that happens to be Safari or Chrome like it is for most users, that meant Spotlight would typically send users to a Google search results page if they hadn’t changed their default preference. Now, Apple is listing Bing searches– but not Google– as a feature of Spotlight regardless of the default option (pictured above). We’ve yet to confirm that Bing is the only web search option for Spotlight in OS X Yosemite, as we’ve not yet been able to get the new Spotlight web search feature to work properly in the first beta.

While Spotlight is going to use Bing, Apple’s revamped search bar in Safari still uses Google as does iOS 8. Its easy to imagine Apple is only continuing to use Google search in Safari due to contractual agreements, but it’s harder to imagine it just decided to use Bing for Spotlight with no plans to possibly use it in its other products down the road.
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9to5Toys Last Call: free Amazon credit w/ Sonos, Netatmo iOS weather station $150, Seiki 39″ 4K $400, more

Jun 2 2014 - 3:00 pm PT

2 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:

Get a $50 Amazon credit and 6 months of Google Play w/ a Sonos PLAY:3 or PLAY:5

Netatmo Weather Station for iOS and Android Devices $150 shipped (Reg. $179)

Seiki 39-inch 4K Class Ultra HDTV w/ HDMI: $400 shipped (Reg. $700)

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 2.4 GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version) $1,100 shipped ($200 off) http://t.co/AiTm8p3UfP

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) June 2, 2014

Other new deals:

New! Bluetooth Speakers: Sony Portable NFC system: $98 shipped (Reg. $150), more
New! Games/Apps: Diablo 3 $20, up to 66% off Batman Arkham (Mac), iOS freebies, more
New! LifeProof frē water/shock proof case cover for iPad Air: $66 shipped (Reg. $110)
New! iPad Deals: iPad Air 64GB WiFi $580 (Reg. $699), free $50 gift card w/ iPad Air, more
New! Up to 30% off MacPaw apps: Gemini, Hider 2, CleanMyMac, more
New! Printers: Canon Portable w/ AirPrint $75 (Reg. $100), HP All-in-One $230 (Reg. $300)
New! Daily Deals: Beats by Dre Solo Headphones: $80, Pioneer 4K Receiver: $250, more
New! More than 50% off select ‘Scroogled’ apparel

New Daily Deals: Jawbone JAMBOX $75 (Reg. $150), Samsung EVO 250GB SSD $135 (Reg. $190), Chromecast $30 (Reg. $35) http://t.co/VcMQkuVJC5

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) June 2, 2014

More deals still alive:

OtterBox Commuter Series for iPhone 5c (multiple colors): $17 shipped (Reg. $35)
Samsung 32-Inch 1080p 60Hz Smart LED HDTV $260 shipped (orig. $499)
Take $100 off any Verizon smartphone priced $200 or more with a new 2-yr agreement
Infinity Blade II goes free for a limited time (Reg. $7)
RadioShack offers $79 iPhone 5s on contract, $30 iPhone 5c, or free with trade-in
Synology DiskStation 2-Bay NAS (DS214+): $300 shipped (Reg. up to $440)
uNu DX iPhone 5/5s 2300mAh MFi Battery Case (white): $50 shipped (Reg. $90)
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New products/useful info:

Giveaways presented by SlickWraps: Apple TV, $100 iTunes gift card, $50 SlickWraps gift card, more

The above contest is now over, congratulations to our winners: @Jemarch86, @austinkeith and @robertburnspr – stay tuned for more great giveaways…

Become an Adorama VIP for FREE ($149 Value)
Apple acquisition: Beats tries to solidify its high end (sound) rep with new Solo2 cans
Take $150 off early 2014 MacBook Airs (requires .edu email), deals from $750 (up to 17% off)

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Sonos product w/ get six months of FREE Google Play Music ($60 value)
The Hisense H6 is a 55-inch Android-powered TV priced under $650

Apple updates WWDC iPhone & iPad app w/ video download support, bug fixes

Zac Hall Jun 2 2014 - 1:43 pm PT

0 Comments

Apple has released WWDC 2.1 for iOS bringing with it the ability to download session videos. Previously, viewing session videos required an active connection to the Internet and watching videos over again required a stream as well. The update also includes bug fixes according to the release notes. WWDC for iPhone and iPad is available for free on the App Store.

https://twitter.com/gregbarbosa/status/473585851180777472

Apple opens up Touch ID fingerprint sensor to third-party app developers

Jordan Kahn Jun 2 2014 - 11:36 am PT

4 Comments

Apple just announced during its WWDC keynote that it’s opening up its Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone to third-party app developers. Apple showed off the personal finance management app Mint (pictured above) using the Touch ID feature to allow users to login instead of using the keyboard to enter a password. Previously Apple limited this feature to its own App Store and iTunes purchases as well as unlocking the device itself.

Apple also shared some stats on Touch ID noting that it has improved security by getting a much higher number of users using a passcode to protect their device:
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