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

6,062 'Apps' stories April 2010 - February 2014
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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.

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Amazon in talks w/ labels for new music streaming service as Pandora hits 250m users

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 27 2014 - 2:17 pm PT
2 Comments

Two pieces of news out today related to the music streaming biz: Recode is reporting that Amazon is talking to music labels about a music streaming service that could be bundled with Prime subscriptions, while Pandora has announced it has grown to 250 million users in the US.

If Amazon is able to make deals with the music labels, Recode speculates that it could offer music streaming through its Prime subscriptions which currently only offers movies and TV shows as well as free two-day shipping for $79/ year. The report notes, however, that Amazon is running into some roadblocks with cutting deals:

Which doesn’t mean it will: One label source reports that Amazon isn’t close to getting a deal done, because its executives are asking for a substantial discount on the pricing the labels have given to other services, like Spotify, Rhapsody and Beats… Still, label talks have been going on for the past few months, sources say.

As for Pandora, that’s up from around 200 million users back in April of last year and since the launch of one of its biggest new competitors, Apple’s iTunes Radio, in September. Pandora also noted that “Listeners have now created over six billion stations.” 
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ABC streaming Oscars to its apps for some, ESPN adds conference feeds to Apple TV

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 27 2014 - 1:05 pm PT
5 Comments
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(via Oscar Blog)

Even before Apple introduces an expected refresh to its streaming set top box sometime this year, several content providers are making the current platform even richer with more and more content. Two big players, ESPN and ABC, will be providing content new to the Apple TV very soon, Variety reports. Starting with ABC, the network will stream the Oscars on Sunday live through its Watch ABC apps for subscribers in select cities (details below). ESPN, for its part, has announced dedicated channels within its Watch ESPN app on Apple TV and Roku for following 15 different conferences.
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9to5Toys Last Call: GoPro HERO3+ Black $320, WD 3TB desktop HD $100, FitBit WiFi scale $104, iOS 7 Dev. Course $59, more

Avatar for Feb 27 2014 - 10:16 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition Helmet Cam – Surf Package $320 (Reg. $400)

Western Digital 3TB Elements USB 3.0 desktop drive: $100 shipped (Reg. $130)

Daily Deal Roundup: FitBit WiFi Aria scale $104, Monster Portable Battery Pack $20, MyBolt USB Charger $10, much more

The Complete iOS 7 Developers Course: Learn XCode 5 + Objective-C in Over 31 Hours of Training + Build 14 iOS 7 Apps $59 (Reg. $499)

Best Buy iPad Savings Event: Save on nearly all current iPad models and configurations ($20-$200 off)

Other great deals from today:

More great deals still alive:

BBC TV show ‘The Wonders of Life’ turned into stunning iOS app

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 27 2014 - 6:21 am PT
3 Comments
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Two years after physicist and TV presenter Brian Cox launched the Wonders of the Universe iOS app, based on the BBC TV series of the same name, he’s done the same for Wonders of Life, reports TNW.

Wonders of Life takes you on a 3D tour of the world, serving up a visually stunning showcase of the coming together of science and nature.

The app features thirty creatures and habitats, illustrated by more than one thousand images that let you zoom in and get up-close. But it’s the more than 2.5 hours of HD video that really set this apart … 
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Review: Documents 5.0 for iOS is an even more powerful solution for managing your files on the go

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 27 2014 - 6:00 am PT
2 Comments
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Readdle’s app Documents has long been one of the most complete solutions for managing your files on the go. With an intuitive interface and powerful download management features, it has been a solid contender in the file management app arena for some time.

Today, the company has launched version 5.0 of the software, introducing a host of new features and a colorful design refresh for iOS 7. Keep reading for a full review of the new look and features available in the latest update.


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NBA Game Time iOS apps updated with classic games & historical videos

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 26 2014 - 4:22 pm PT
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The NBA Game Time apps for iPhone and iPad were updated today with a new Class Games section that brings a collection of “carefully selected classic games and historical videos from past seasons.”

The new Classic Games section starts out with a selection of videos and more will be added in future updates during the 2014 season.

The new videos, like much of the app’s content, is available for free to Sprint users or those with a NBA Game Time Plus subscription or League Pass through their cable provider.

The update is available for the NBA Game Time 2013-2014 iPhone app as well as the NBA Game Time for iPad app.

What’s New in Version 5.2.3

Classic Games – Addition of carefully selected classic games and historical videos from past seasons. New videos will be added periodically throughout the season. These are available free for users who have purchased League Pass.

Additional bug fixes and enhancements.

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Vote for American Idol with your iPhone or iPad through Google Search

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 26 2014 - 7:28 am PT
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Planning to watch American Idol tonight and vote on your favorite performers? Google is making voting through its Search apps possible through a partnership with FOX. As the live finalist performance shows debut, American Idol is allowing viewers to vote through Google.com and Google’s iOS and Android Search apps.

Voting through Google allows you to cast up to 50 votes for each contestant as the new voting system is piloted. Simply search american idol or idol during voting hours and cast your votes!

Google Search for iOS is available for free from the App Store.

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FCC re-launches iOS speed test app for cellular and Wi-Fi speed data collection

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 25 2014 - 6:42 pm PT
4 Comments

Back in 2010 the FCC launched an iPhone app that allowed users to test their data connection speeds. The FCC used this app to collect anonymous speed data from mobile devices. After a brief period of collecting this data, the FCC pulled the app from the App Store.

Today the app was relaunched with a new design for iOS 7 on the iPhone and iPad. The data is being used to create a map of data speeds across the country. You can also review your own data from previous speed tests sorted by connection type. You can grab the app for free on the iOS App Store.

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9to5Toys Last Call: Best Buy iPad Sales Event $20-200 off, JBL Lightning/BT speaker $69, OtterBox deals, more

Avatar for Feb 25 2014 - 9:52 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Refurb Speaker/Docks: JBL Sound $49, JBL On Beat Venue LT $69, many more

RAVPower Element 10400mAh external power bank: $26 (Reg. $38)

OtterBox cases: 50% off its entire Armor Series of cases

Ending Today:

Other great deals from today:

  • New! Daily Deal Roundup: Otterbox Defender Cases for iPad $30, Logitech UE Headphones $90, Roku HD $40, much more
  • New! Game/App Deals: 50% off Bridge Constructor & Metro Last Light, Weather Magic Pro: $1 (Reg. $3), iOS freebies, more
  • New! Anker Portable Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker $25 (Reg. $40)

More great deals still alive:

New Products:

  • Lacie Begins Shipping Their First 5TB External Hard Drive
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MLB.com At Bat app updated ahead of 2014 season w/ iOS 7 redesign & new features

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 25 2014 - 7:52 am PT
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The popular MLB.com At Bat app has been updated today for the 2014 season and Spring Training with a complete redesign alongside new features and content. The updated app’s UI has been given a complete overhaul and redesign for iOS 7 on both iPhone and iPad, and new content starts with over 200 Spring Training games available as live video or radio broadcasts.

MLB.com At Bat returns for the 2014 season with live Spring Training baseball from the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. MLB.com At Bat is the official app of Major League Baseball.

The redesign offers a new inline video playback experience and the app now has “league-wide scoreboard functionality for single-tap expansion.” The app’s iTunes page also notes that an update before Opening Day will bring additional features and functionality.

The updated MLB.com At Bat app is available on the App Store now. The app requires a subscription available for purchase in the app for $20 for the entire 2014 season or $2.99 monthly. The content is available for free to MLB.TV Premium subscribers.

A full list of what’s new in the update app is below:

New for At Bat in 2014
• Complete app re-design to optimize your At Bat experience for iOS 7 (iPhone and iPad)
• Redesigned to deliver inline video playback
• New league-wide scoreboard functionality for single-tap expansion
• Access your MLB.TV Premium subscription to watch live video of more than 200 Spring Training games
• Listen to available radio broadcasts of Spring Training games
• Multi-platform live audio access for At Bat 14 subscribers (portable to Mac/PC with a valid MLB.com account)
•Universal support for At Bat 14 subscribers, accessible on iPhone, iPad and other supported smartphones and tablets
• Follow batter-by-batter action for every Spring Training game
• Breaking news, schedules and interactive rosters and player stats for every team
• Sortable batting, pitching and fielding statistics (iPad)
• Customize At Bat’s home screen to feature your designated favorite team (iPhone only)
• Video library archive, searchable by keyword
• Classic games video archive featuring dozens of baseball’s legendary games
• Closed captioning for live video

Disney leverages iTunes to take on UltraViolet with new ‘Movies Anywhere’ iOS app

Avatar for Feb 25 2014 - 7:05 am PT
37 Comments
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The ties between Apple and Disney are tightening even more thanks to their unprecedented collaboration on the new Movies Anywhere app. This ambitious project has been percolating at Disney for years and aims to make purchasing and viewing digital content easier than ever.

A direct shot at UltraViolet, the Movies Anywhere app allows users to purchase and play movies within the app or through any device with access to your iTunes library. Previously purchased films on DVD, and Blu-ray can be added to the app if they shipped with a digital redemption code. All past iTunes purchases are eligible.

Users can simply connect their iTunes account to their Disney Movies Anywhere account to begin populating their Disney digital movie locker and watch movies online and on their devices. Featuring simultaneous access on multiple devices, Disney Movies Anywhere enables consumers to stream and download Disney movies on their iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and Apple TV (through iCloud or using AirPlay).


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Jealous of S5 heart rate monitor? Your iPhone can already measure your heart rate with these apps

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 25 2014 - 6:54 am PT
17 Comments

When Samsung unveiled its new flagship Galaxy S5 yesterday, the big news was the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner and heart rate sensor. The fingerprint scanning of course brings it up to par with Apple’s TouchID functionality, the standout feature and big selling point for the iPhone 5s. The heart rate sensor, however, is something not included in the current iPhone lineup and something Samsung will spend a lot of time marketing as fitness and health wearables like its new smartwatch lineup become big business in 2014. But did you know you can already measure your heart rate on iPhone using the device’s built-in camera?

A number of apps on the App Store, such the “Heart Rate Monitor” app just launched by PlusSports, allow you to accurately measure your heart rate by simply placing your face or fingertip in front of the camera lens. Another app available on the App Store that we’ve tested and works well is Instant Heart Rate. Popular fitness app maker Runtastic also has its own heart rate monitor and pulse tracker app.

The experience of using these apps is almost identical to the S5, which also forces the user to place a finger over a sensor on the back of the device and wait several seconds for a reading.

It’s possible Samsung would tell you that its built-in heart rate sensor is more accurate or feature-filled, but from our tests and reviews from others, the iPhone apps are remarkably accurate.

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WhatsApp plans to add Facebook Messenger-like voice calling features by next quarter

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 24 2014 - 7:16 am PT
3 Comments

Just about everyone in the tech industry is talking about the $19B Facebook/Whatsapp deal, so what better time to announce new features coming soon to the service. TechCrunch reports that WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum announced at Mobile World Congress today that the app will gain voice calling functionality sometime in Q2 of this year:

“We use the least amount of bandwidth and we use the hell out of it,” he said. “We will focus on simplicity.” Voice will come to Android and iOS first and then following on some Nokia and BlackBerry phones, he added.

The report adds that WhatsApp will also soon be working with some carrier partners:

While WhatsApp, as an OTT service, may appear like one of the companies that is attacking carriers, it is also working with them. The first partnership will be with e-plus to offer special tariffs to access the app, Koum said today. Interestingly, disrupting the current mobile communications economy has put WhatsApp right back into the kinds of services that built out that economy in the first place — in today’s case, voice.

Facebook of course already offers voice calling in some countries, but it’s unclear if the new WhatsApp feature will be integrated with the Facebook voice features. WhatsApp already offers users the ability to send short recorded voice messages as pictured above).

Despite the plans for new features, Koum reiterated that, “There are no planned changes and we will continue to do what we set out to do, even after the acquisition closes.” That, he said, includes “no marketing.”

RealPlayer Cloud rolls out internationally, adding SMS text capabilities and refer-a-friend rewards

Avatar for Sarah Guarino Feb 23 2014 - 11:00 pm PT
5 Comments
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Today RealNetworks, Inc. announces RealPlayer Cloud is now available for international users. The app allows users to easily move, watch, and share videos with any user on any device, including iOS, Android, Windows 8 Modern UI, Kindle Fire, Roku and Chromecast.


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Apple acquires beta testing platform TestFlight through Burstly purchase

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 21 2014 - 11:06 am PT
5 Comments
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Apple has acquired Burstly, the company behind the popular beta testing platform Test Flight, TechCrunch reported (now confirmed by Recode). TestFlight recently pulled its SDK as well as Android support  prompting speculation that big changes were on the horizon. Some speculated that an Apple acquisition could behind it all and would make sense considering the fragmented beta testing experience for app developers. While neither company has commented publicly confirming the acquisition, we were pointed to hints of the acquisition just before TechCrunch reported the rumor as likely and later updated its reporting to note that the acquisition had already occurred…
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Adobe releases Adobe Flash security update in second emergency fix this month

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 20 2014 - 12:37 pm PT
4 Comments
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Less than three weeks ago, Adobe released a critical security update for its Flash Player plug-in fixing an exploit that allowed machines to be accessed remotely by attackers.

Yet another security update is out today (and strongly recommended). The new build (Version 12.0.0.70) intends to address a vulnerability that allowed attackers to target at least three nonprofit websites according to security firm FireEye and reported by ArsTechnica…


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Camera+ iPhone app adds 16×9 widescreen shooting mode, improved filters & editing

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 20 2014 - 12:26 pm PT
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The popular Camera+ iPhone app from developers tap tap tap was updated today with a number of new features and improvements. On top of a “a bunch of refinements to The Lab” and photo editing, the app gains a new BOOST feature for setting filters to 200% intensity and widescreen 16×9 shooting mode. The update to version 5.1 also includes a number of bug fixes.

Camera+ for iPhone is available on the App Store now for $1.99.

Full release notes for the update below:

What’s New in Version 5.1

For Camera+ 5.1 we’ve made a bunch of refinements to The Lab, making the best photo editing on a mobile phone even better. We’ve made several usability tweaks to further streamline the whole experience. One slightly hidden, but handy addition is that you can now tap & hold an adjustment to reset it.

We’ve added a new setting so that you can choose whichever section you’d like to begin in when you edit your photos. This is nice if you always want to go straight to The Lab, for instance.

For those times when you want to go more intense with filters, we’ve added a new BOOST feature. You can now bump the intensity up to 200%.

You can take widescreen photos with the new 16×9 shooting mode. Bring out your inner Scorcese. Or Fellini.

Many of you were hitting a pipe too often while flapping, causing you to lose all your photos. That’s now fixed, thankfully.

And we’ve spent a good amount of time fixing bugs for this version. Many were esoteric and only occurred on particular hardware, but we did our very best to try and resolve all known issues for this release. If any of you experience any further issues, please report them to us.

Take 2: The API issue that was causing apps like Day One to not work properly with Camera+ is fixed now. For realsies this time. Thanks to the chaps at Day One for helping us to resolve this.

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Waze app gets Calendar integration for navigating to upcoming events

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 20 2014 - 9:29 am PT
4 Comments

Waze, the navigation app maker that Google picked up last year, announced today that its updating its mobile apps with calendar integration. With the updated app, iOS and Android users will now see “events with location info will automatically appear” in the navigation list within Waze. That means any events in your calendar that have location info associated with them will be viewable from within Waze.

The company notes that only two upcoming events from your Calendar will be displayed in the navigation list. Users that want to disable the Calendar integration can do so from the iOS Settings app.

The updated app isn’t yet live on the App Store but should be rolling out any minute.

Fleksy opens free, public SDK for its alternative iOS keyboard

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 20 2014 - 5:54 am PT
7 Comments
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Found in a number of well-crafted apps including Launch Center Pro and Wordbox, the iOS-friendly alternative keyboard Fleksy today announced the release of a public SDK allowing developers to easily integrate it with their own apps. Prior to the public SDK, support was  somewhat limited as it required a private partnership. Fleksy say a dozen new apps will gain support today expects new support to be frequent based on the volume of requests from developers to integrate the keyboard prior to the public SDK.
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How app store scammers can make $10,000 a day from a $10 game template

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 20 2014 - 4:23 am PT
10 Comments
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TechCrunch has a fascinating insight into the world of App Store scammers, using the example of a game created from a $10 template that ended up making $10,000 a day.

The piece alleges that the developer of the paid version of Red Bouncing Balls Spikes used a network of around 20,000 fake Apple IDs to buy his own app in order to get it to the top of the charts, an up-front investment of $20k that would be repaid many times over … 
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Facebook acquires WhatsApp messaging service for $19 billion (Update: Facebook statement)

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 19 2014 - 2:11 pm PT
22 Comments
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An SEC filing today confirmed that Facebook intends to purchase the WhatsApp messaging service for $16 billion.

WhatsApp is available on a host of platforms, including iOS and Android, and acts as an alternative SMS service. It’s likely that Facebook wants to integrate the app’s technology into Facebook’s own Messenger client, which recently gained SMS-style phone number-based messaging.

Facebook has provided more details of the sale, which will include $4 billion in cash and $12 billion in Facebook stock. An additional $3 billion in restricted stock will also be given to the WhatsApp staff. These shares will vest over four years after the deal is closed.

You can read the full SEC filing and Facebook press release below:


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9to5Toys Last Calll: PNY 128GB USB3 flash drive $50, Kingston SSDs, JBL Lightning speaker docks, more

Avatar for Feb 19 2014 - 10:01 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals: 

PNY 128GB Turbo USB 3.0 Flash Drive $50 shipped (Reg. $80)

Kingston 120GB V300 2.5″ Solid State Drive $60 shipped (Reg. $110), 240GB $120 (Reg. $200)

JBL OnBeat Lightning Speaker Docks: Micro/Mini: $40/$50 shipped (Reg. $100/$150)

Ending Soon:


Other great deals from today:

  • New! Game/App Deals: Mini Ninjas (iOS): FREE, OfficeSuite Pro 7: $1 (Reg. $15), Humble Bundle w/ Guacamelee, Dust & more, iOS freebies
  • New! Daily Deal Roundup: Slingbox Pro $100, Apple Wireless Keyboard Refurb $50, Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone 4/4s $15, much more
  • New! Moga Pro Power Android Gaming Controller $50 shipped (Reg. $80)


More great deals still alive:

New products:

Venmo update brings the simplicity of AirDrop to mobile payments

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 19 2014 - 9:00 am PT
0 Comments
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Mobile payment app Venmo received a big update today that introduces a new way to quickly send money to nearby friends. It works just as easily as Apple’s AirDrop sharing system. The app uses Bluetooth to detect nearby Venmo users and lists them above your recent payment recipients when sending money.

While some apps make the process of sending money relatively quick, Venmo has the added benefit of making it easy to pay people around you without needing to enter any contact details at all, even if you’ve never met them before. The only catch is that both parties need to be using Venmo for the feature to work.

Venmo is available for free on the iOS App Store.

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9to5Toys Last Call: Samsung 60″ HDTV $880, Netgear AC router w/ free cable modem $160, Mac app bundles, more

Avatar for Feb 18 2014 - 1:10 pm PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals: 

Samsung 60″ 1080p 120Hz Clear Motion HDTV $880 shipped (Reg. $1800)

Netgear R6300 v2 wireless 802.11ac router w/ FREE cable modem $160 shipped ($300 value)

Ending Soon:

Other great deals from today:

More great deals still alive:

New products:

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