Apps

Just as Nike’s dismantled FuelBand team continues heading to Apple ahead of an expected “iWatch” launch this fall, Adidas thought it would be the perfect time to introduce its own FuelBand-like fitness tracking wearable. Today the company introduced FitSmart, a wrist worn fitness tracker that pairs with the company’s miCoach fitness apps for iOS and Android.

The device packs in a heart rate sensor, accelerometer, and is capable of tracking the usual fitness metrics including calories, pace, distance and stride rate. The company says the Fit Smart will offer up to five days on a single charge with its 200mAh battery, but that estimate includes only a 1-hour workout per day.

Designed for running, training and fitness, FITSMART is unlike many of the activity trackers on the market today as it measures heart rate response to physical activity and then guides the user train at the right intensity for the best results… Intended for those seeking meaningful guidance and feedback, FIT SMART works with an all-new mobile app experience aimed at helping people set and reach weekly goals, as well as commit to longer term training plans. Weekly goals are a key feature update in the August release of the popular miCoach Train and Run app. and, uniquely combine the effectiveness of heart rate based training with the flexibility and motivational benefits of short-term attainable goals.

It weighs 58 grams, has a silicon strap, and uses a 17×11 LED light array as its UI. That includes “at-a-glance visual guidance on the user’s current workout intensity presented in color zones: blue, green, yellow and red.” Adidas also notes the Fit Smart will use vibration and visual indicators with the LED display to “provide feedback and coaching so the user can make the most out of every workout.”

The Adidas Fit Smart is arriving for $199 late August at Best Buy in the US and in markets around the world on August 15th through adidas.com.

9to5Toys Last Call: LifeProof nüüd for iPad mini $30, VIZIO/Sony sound bars from $175, Blek for iOS $1, more

Jul 9 2014 - 9:34 am PT

3 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:

Samsung 51″ Plasma $400 new/$330 refurb (Reg. $500), Sharp 32″LED w/ $100 Dell GC $250 ($410 value)

Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Dual-Band Smart Gigabit Router (R7000) $155 shipped (orig. $260) http://t.co/6XATw74x0E pic.twitter.com/7EK5084Fkb

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 9, 2014

Daily Deals: LifeProof nüüd Cases for iPad mini: $30, 7800mAh Portable Charger: $35, more

Refurbished Bluetooth sound bars w/ subs: 42″ VIZIO $175 (Reg. $330 new), 46″ Sony $200 (Reg. $370 new)

Games/Apps: Cut the Rope Experiments $1 (Reg. $2), Blek $1 (Reg. $3), iOS freebies, more

Other new deals:

New! Woot founder’s new daily deal website ‘Meh’ officially opens its doors today
New! Microsoft is handing out $75 in credit to select gamers for upgrading to Xbox One
New! Home Deals: Cuisinart 5-Speed Juice Extract: $50, KitchenAid Mixer: $180, more
New! 1 year magazine subs from $5: GQ, Wired, Rolling Stone, Macworld, Dwell, more

Apple iPad mini w/ Retina display 16GB WiFi (space gray or silver) $330 shipped (Reg. $399) http://t.co/5HkcnK98i4 pic.twitter.com/I0AkbIKBBR

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 9, 2014

More deals still alive:

Apple deals:

Free $100 gift card w/ an iPad Air or iPad with Retina display at Target
Save 10% on all iTunes gift cards and Apple TV

Smart home deals:

Quirky Aros smart window air conditioner $249 shipped (orig. $300)
$25 off the Wink Hub w/ one accessory purchase or $49 off w/ two accessory purchases
Free Philips Hue personal wireless lightning bulb ($60 value) w/ purchase of Philips Hue starter pack.

$50 Bluetooth Speakers w/ mic: Jawbone Jambox (refurb) or Philips Shoqbox (orig. $200)
Media: Wolf of Wall Street iTunes rental $0.99, Rise Against iTunes First Play, Blu-rays from $5, more
Logitech Marathon M705 Wireless Laser Mouse (black): $25 shipped (Reg. $50)
Save 25% on all accessories from T-Mobile, including Olloclip, cases, speakers, more
Headphones: MEElectronics Bluetooth over-ears $40 (orig. $120), more
Canon PIXMA Wireless Inkjet All-In-One printer w/ AirPrint: $99 shipped (Reg. $200)
Home Deals: Neato XV-21 auto vac (refurb) $215 (orig. $430), Cuisinart Stand Mixer $300 (orig. $600+), Dyson hand vac $120, more
Clearance Cases at Best Buy for the iPad Air $10-$15 (Reg. $30-$50)
Home theater 1080p 3D projectors: BenQ $699 (Reg. $1,099), Optoma $869 (Orig. $2,499)
LINKSYS AV 4-Port Powerline adapters $40 shipped (orig. $120)
Save 25% on three wireless accessories at AT&T, includes GoPro, more
Day One iOS journaling app goes free ($5 value)

New products/ongoing promotions:

UE Boom Bluetooth speaker wins Gold at Design Excellence Awards, now $180 (Reg. $200)
Rayman Fiesta Run available for free on iOS (Reg. $3)
Samsung’s new 850 Solid State Drives pre-order from $129.99 shipped
Save 25% on Nomad’s new carabiner, key & credit card sized MFi Lightning cables

Apps

Disney sales on iTunes in Japan resume as companies reach new agreement

Jordan Kahn Jul 9 2014 - 7:01 am PT

1 Comment

Disney briefly stopped sales of its on-demand content through iTunes in Japan after it failed to reach a deal with Apple. The company confirmed the news but followed up today with a statement on its website claiming that all services have been restored.

There’s not much explantation about the reason behind the removal of Disney content in Japan in the company’s statement, but it did confirm to Variety that “the interruption was due to difficulties negotiating the renewal of the old contract between Apple and Disney Japan. The new contract was signed on Wednesday and both rentals (VoD) and electronic sell-through returned to normal.”

Apple has close long had close ties with the company since Steve Jobs held a position as a director following the sale of Pixar to Disney. Apple has also named Disney CEO Bog Iger as a board of the company since 2011 and Disney content appeared as some of the first on-demand video content from a major studio at the launch of iTunes. The removal of content, if only for a brief period, is a reminder of just how important Apple’s content deals with studios are and just how quickly content can be removed if those relationships go south.

We’ve reached out to Apple for comment but didn’t hear back immediately at the time of publishing.

Manything video security app gets IFTTT support, can automate control of Nest, Hue, WeMo and more

Ben Lovejoy Jul 9 2014 - 6:07 am PT

5 Comments

While you’ve probably heard of Dropcam (which we like), you may not have heard of Manything – the cloud video service that allows you to use iOS devices as the smart cameras. You might want to check it out now, though, as the app has just added IFTTT support – giving access to a whole new world of automation.

Previously, Manything could use motion-detection to alert you to something moving inside or outside your home and send you an alert plus live video stream, enabling you to check it out remotely. Adding IF This Then That support makes it much more powerful – examples below …
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Google Search app can now fix its voice recognition mishaps with a quick command

Stephen Hall Jul 8 2014 - 1:18 pm PT

If you’ve ever been using any form of Google voice recognition and gotten frustrated that the friendly female on the other side just can’t understand you, you may be happy to know that a quick command can now fix misheard words. Previously, you would have to start the query over completely, but the Google Search app can now fix its blunders on the fly using a natural corrective voice command.

For instance, if you’re trying to search for the nearest bars, you might say “find me the nearest bars.” Whether it’s your fault or a problem in Google’s voice processing, there’s a chance that the app might interpret your query as “find me the nearest cars.” Using the command “no I said” in a new search will let you replace just that one word. To fix the search, say “no I said bars” and chances are that Google will fix it right up.

Ultimately this is a great and useful update because it makes our interactions with the voice assistant much more natural. Every update that comes to both Google Now and Apple’s Siri seem to make these virtual helpers more and more human like, which in turn make them much more useable. This new feature works in both the iOS and Android versions of the official Google Search app.

Apple reboots its eBay refurbished store, iPhone 5 (unlocked) starts at $449

Jul 8 2014 - 10:15 am PT

Update (7/10 9:00am): Looks like the store got pretty popular this week. It has been updated with the following message: “More inventory coming in on Friday – We are currently replenishing our inventory for our Factory Certified store, please check back soon!”

In late 2012 we uncovered an eBay store that was selling Apple certified refurbished products (iPad, MacBook, iPod, more). Though never officially confirmed by Apple itself, this storefront had all the makings of being officially tied to Apple in some capacity. This store is still live on eBay, but has not offered an item for sale since March of 2013. We speculated that Apple outsourced the sales to a 3rd party middle-company which allowed it to sell its wares without tax in many states even though eBay told us exclusively that they were dealing with Apple on the project.

It now appears that Apple is once again testing an eBay store, but this time is only offering iPhones for sale. Presently, there are six different pre-owned iPhone 5 configurations available with prices starting at $449 with free shipping. The store layout and verbiage is extremely reminiscent of the previous Apple eBay store. All items include a 1-year warranty, receive a complete burn-in, and final quality inspection is performed by Apple. Up until now, Apple has never sold pre-owned or refurbished iPhones so it’s possible that this eBay store is even more temporary than the first.

Apple Maps senior engineering manager leaves role for job at Uber

Zac Hall Jul 8 2014 - 8:31 am PT

3 Comments

Chris Blumenberg, a senior engineering manager at Apple who manages the Maps Apps and Frameworks team, has left the Cupertino, California company for a new role at Uber, The Information reports. Blumenberg’s time spent at Apple dates back over 14 years according to his LinkedIn profile, and his past experience includes building the original Maps app for iPhone as well as porting the Safari web browser to iOS.

Uber, of course, is a relatively new transportation company founded in 2009 which offers pickups in various cities which can be arranged by a mobile application. Interestingly, Google has in part backed Uber through its Ventures arm investing in the startup with $250 million last fall and adding Uber integration into its the Google Maps app earlier this year. Uber is also a partner for Google’s self-driving car program.

As you may recall, Apple first introduced its in-house Maps data in 2012, which was met with enough user complaints to prompt a publicly posted apology from Apple CEO Tim Cook, as it began the process of moving away from relying on Google’s mapping data.

Apps

Bye Google Maps: Apple brings its Maps to the web for Find my iPhone

Jordan Kahn Jul 8 2014 - 8:09 am PT

44 Comments

Update: Apple appears to be testing or slowly rolling out the feature as some users report still seeing Google Maps. Apple Maps are live on the iCloud.com beta site and available for some users on the main iCloud.com site as well.

Almost two years after replacing Google Maps with its own Maps app in iOS 6, Apple has now brought its Maps solution to the web and made the switch for its Find My iPhone web app.
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MapQuest navigation app updated with improved ETAs, baseball guides, airport maps and more

Ben Lovejoy Jul 8 2014 - 6:01 am PT

Navigation app MapQuest has been updated to version 4.4, offering more accurate ETAs thanks to better traffic data; an app-specific volume control that allows you to set the voice navigation volume independently of other apps; Ballpark Guides to MLB stadiums and airport maps; and GrubHub integration to allow you to order food from take-out restaurants before the app navigates you there to collect it.
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European airline easyJet rolling out iBeacon support to select airports

Zac Hall Jul 7 2014 - 12:10 pm PT

Since Apple introduced iBeacon functionality alongside iOS 7, several different use cases have popped up allowing various retailers, sporting venues, and others to interact with visitors’ devices using the technology. Deploying iBeacon support enables iPhone users to receive relevant information through apps based on very specific location without taking a major hit to the device battery.
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Google Play Music for iOS updated w/ gapless playback, ability to download subscribed playlists, more

Chance Miller Jul 7 2014 - 11:28 am PT

5 Comments

Google this afternoon started rolling out an update to its Play Music app on iOS with a handful of new features. The update bumps the app to version 1.3.0.2190. Firstly, the update finally adds support for gapless playback, which means that there is no pause between the end of one song and the beginning of another. The update also adds the ability to download subscribed playlists in one tap, allowing you to listen to them without a data connection.

9to5Toys Last Call: $100 GC w/ iPads, Aros smart AC $249, 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $300 off, more

Justin Kahn Jul 7 2014 - 9:30 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:

Last Call Updates:

Home Deals: Neato XV-21 auto vac (refurb) $215 (orig. $430), Cuisinart Stand Mixer $300 (orig. $600+), Dyson hand vac $120, more
UE Boom Bluetooth speaker wins Gold at Design Excellence Awards, now $180 (Reg. $200)

Apple Deals:

Free $100 gift cards with the purchase of an iPad Air or iPad with Retina display at Target
Save 10% on all iTunes gift cards and Apple TV
MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 15.4″ 2.3GHz i7/16GB/512GB: $2,299 shipped (Reg. $2,599)

Smart Home Deals:

Quirky Aros smart window air conditioner $249 shipped (orig. $300)
$25 off the Wink Hub w/ one accessory purchase or $49 off w/ two accessory purchases
Free Philips Hue personal wireless lightning bulb ($60 value) w/ purchase of Philips Hue starter pack.

Home theater 1080p 3D projectors: BenQ $699 (Reg. $1,099), Optoma $869 (Orig. $2,499)

Last chance on discounted Mac apps: Name Your Own Price Bundle ($12 minimum to unlock all 10 apps) featuring Path Finder 6, Fantastical, Gemini, Tangerine, Flux 4 and more

Other new deals:

New! Canon PIXMA Wireless Inkjet All-In-One printer w/ AirPrint: $99 shipped (Reg. $200)
New! Clearance Cases at Best Buy for the iPad Air $10-$15 (Reg. $30-$50)
New! Headphones: MEElectronics Bluetooth over-ears $40 (orig. $120), more
New! Daily Deals: Klipsch KMC BT Speakers $165-$205, Logitech iPad KB Cover $25, more
New! Games/Apps: Infamous Second Son $40, Weathercube free (Reg. $4), more iOS freebies

More deals still alive:

LINKSYS AV 4-Port Powerline adapters $40 shipped (orig. $120)
Save 25% on three wireless accessories at AT&T, includes GoPro, more
Day One iOS journaling app goes free ($5 value)
Rayman Fiesta Run available for free on iOS (Reg. $3)
Music Production Deals: $300 off NI Komplete , up to 44% off Apogee interfaces, more
Home Deals: Nespresso Espresso Maker w/ Frother $249 (Reg. $300), kitchen items, more
3D Printers: UP! Mini 3D $600 (Reg. $900+), more
WD 3TB Elements External Desktop Hard Disk Drive $93 shipped (Reg. $129)
Seiki 4K TVs drop at Walmart: 50″ $429, 55″ $579 shipped or in-store
Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling over-ear headphones $269 (Reg. $300), more
Skylanders Battlegrounds goes FREE on iOS (Reg. $7)
Foscam Pan & Tilt IP/Network Cam w/ Night Vision $55 shipped (Orig. $160)
Samsung’s new 850 Solid State Drives pre-order: $129.99 shipped (24% off )
Free 10 day MLB.TV subscription, watch every out-of-market game live
Samsung 46″ LED 3D HDTV: $500, LG 47″ Smart TV: $650 + Free $300 Dell GC
Save 25% on Nomad’s new carabiner, key & credit card sized MFi Lightning cables

New products/ongoing promotions:

Jabra unveiled two new ‘Next Generation’ Bluetooth products this week
JBL announces two new lines of headphones
Vector Unit announces new Beach Buggy Racing title coming to mobile this Summer
Best Buy slashes $100 off new MacBook Air, deals as low as $650 with .EDU email
D-Link expands smart home lineup with new Wi-Fi Motion Sensor and mobile control app
Jump on Apple’s new $1099 1.4GHz iMac? We might have a better offer for under $1000
Nest Protect relaunches with a 22% discount, now just $99

Microsoft/Google/Android:

AT&T offering $50 Google Play credit with purchase of an Android device

Skype 5.2 for iPhone brings back missing voice message support

Zac Hall Jul 7 2014 - 6:21 am PT

Skype rolled out a major redesign from the ground up to its iPhone app last month with feature improvements like in-app banner notifications and greatly improved message statuses across versions of the software, but regular Skype users were quick to note that the update initially lacked support for voice messages. Voice messages simply could not be accessed from the iPhone version. When Skype released version 5.1 quickly after the initial launch, users voiced more concerns that the feature was still absent with the only solution being to access voice messages on another platform using Skype.

Today in a blog post, Microsoft has announced that Skype 5.2 adds the useful feature back to the iPhone version of the app with voice messages showing up in line from other users. In addition to voice message support returning, the latest version also adds a new way to view contact information and add contacts into existing message threads.
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Sunrise Calendar announces new Mac client with offline mode, third-party app integration

Chance Miller Jul 3 2014 - 10:15 am PT

Just a few weeks after rolling out a major update its iOS apps, Sunrise Calendar today announced the first version of Sunrise for Mac. Sunrise for Mac includes a variety of features and capabilities, many of which are similar to what you’d find in the company’s iOS apps. On OS X, the app takes almost all of its design cues from the iOS client with color-coded events, although the team notes that the Mac client was built “specifically for the desktop.”

9to5Toys Last Call: Day One goes free, Infinity Blade sale, iPad mini 32GB AT&T $330, InvisibleSHIELD 20% off, more

Justin Kahn Jul 3 2014 - 9:30 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:

Last Call Updates:

Save 25% on three wireless accessories at AT&T, includes GoPro, Mophie Space Case, more

Game/App Deals:

Day One iOS journaling app goes free ($5 value)
Rayman Fiesta Run available for free on iOS (Reg. $3)
All 3 Infinity Blade titles go on sale $1/$2/$3 (Reg. $6+), Mario Kart 8 $45 shipped, more

Apple iPad mini 32GB w/ 4G AT&T $330 (Reg. $559), 64GB (1st Gen) w/ 4G Verizon/AT&T $360 (Reg. $659)

Save 20% on ZAGG InvisibleSHIELD protection for iPhone, iPad and more

WD My Cloud 4TB Personal Cloud Storage NAS $180 shipped (Reg. $220) http://t.co/W03o457a5v pic.twitter.com/PXpEi8xx84

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 3, 2014

Other new deals:

New! Amazon Gold Box: Save 40% or more on select iOttie smartphone car mounts
New! Daily Deals: Panasonic 55″ 1080p TV $700, Apple Leather Case for iPad $30, more
New! Powerline Kits: D-Link AV500 w/ wireless $72 shipped (Reg. $120), more
New! $75 off Clearance Laptops and Desktops Today only

More deals still alive:

Mophie Juice Pack Helium 1500mAh iPhone 5/5s battery pack $40 shipped (Reg. $80)
1 year magazine subs: Wired + Macworld w/ digital $11.50 shipped (Reg. $42+), more
Music Production Deals: $300 off NI Komplete , up to 44% off Apogee interfaces, more
Home Deals: Nespresso Espresso Maker w/ Frother $249 (Reg. $300), kitchen items, more
3D Printers: UP! Mini 3D $600 (Reg. $900+), more
Westinghouse 24″ 1080p HDTV w/ HDMI $100 shipped (Reg. $150+)
WD 3TB Elements External Desktop Hard Disk Drive $93 shipped (Reg. $129)
Samsung Gear Fit Fitness Tracker and Smartwatch $130 shipped (Reg. $200)
Seiki 4K TVs drop at Walmart: 39″ $299, 50″ $429, 55″ $579 shipped or in-store
Samsung 28-inch 4K UHD LED 60Hz Monitor $600 shipped (Reg. $700)
Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling over-ear headphones $269 (Reg. $300), more
Skylanders Battlegrounds goes FREE on iOS (Reg. $7)
Foscam Pan & Tilt IP/Network Cam w/ Night Vision $55 shipped (Orig. $160)
Samsung’s new 850 Solid State Drives pre-order: $129.99 shipped (24% off )
Media: Futurama complete DVD $64, James Bond Blu-rays $5 each, more
Free 10 day MLB.TV subscription, watch every out-of-market game live
iPad mini Smart Cover (multiple colors) as low as $17 from Best Buy (58% off)
Samsung 46″ LED 3D HDTV: $500, LG 47″ Smart TV: $650 + Free $300 Dell GC
Save 25% on Nomad’s new carabiner, key & credit card sized MFi Lightning cables
Bowers & Wilkins recertified: P5 headphones $200 (Reg. $300 new)
Fashion: up to 40% off North Face apparel, Sperry Top-Sider shoes from $37, more
Bose OE2i on-ears $100 (Reg. $180)

https://twitter.com/iDannyOcean/status/484327987958259712

New products/ongoing promotions:

Jabra unveiled two new ‘Next Generation’ Bluetooth products this week
JBL announces two new lines of headphones
Vector Unit announces new Beach Buggy Racing title coming to mobile this Summer
Best Buy slashes $100 off new MacBook Air, deals as low as $650 with .EDU email
D-Link expands smart home lineup with new Wi-Fi Motion Sensor and mobile control app
Jump on Apple’s new $1099 1.4GHz iMac? We might have a better offer for under $1000
Nest Protect relaunches with a 22% discount, now just $99

Microsoft/Google/Android:

AT&T offering $50 Google Play credit with purchase of an Android device

Facebook Messenger finally arrives on iPad, complete with calling and stickers

Zac Hall Jul 3 2014 - 8:23 am PT

5 Comments

Facebook today updated its Messenger for iOS app finally adding a full iPad version. The iPad version works like the version found on the iPhone and iPod touch but takes advantage of the much larger display by showing more content like message threads while in other messages. The iPad version also features the same calling features found on the iPhone and iPod touch versions. Facebook’s various supported sticker packs are also featured on the messaging app for iPad.
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Support for .Mac and .Me AIM logins ends for OS X 10.7.1 or earlier, newer versions unaffected

Jordan Kahn Jul 2 2014 - 10:14 am PT

4 Comments

As Apple previously announced in April, today marks the end of support for AIM in iChat using a me.com or mac.com ID for Macs running OS X Lion 10.7.1 or earlier. While some reports are claiming the change also appears to be affecting users on newer versions of OS X, we’ve confirmed with sources with knowledge of the situation that users running 10.7.2 or higher, including Yosemite, will continue to have support for AIM.
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9to5Toys Last Call: 3D printers from $600, Westinghouse 24″ 1080p HDTV $100, Mophie 1500mAh Juice Helium 5/5s battery pack $40, more

Justin Kahn Jul 2 2014 - 9:31 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:

Last Call Updates:

Mophie Juice Pack Helium 1500mAh iPhone 5/5s battery pack $40 shipped (Reg. $80)
1 year magazine subs: Wired + Macworld both w/ digital access $11.50 shipped (Reg. $42+), more
Music Production Deals: $300 off Native Instruments Komplete 9, up to 44% off Apogee interfaces, more
Home Deals: Saeco Auto Espresso Machine (refurb) $330 shipped (orig. $1800 new), kitchen items, more

3D Printers: MakerBot Replicator 2 (refurb) $1200 (Reg. $2200 new), UP! Mini 3D $600 (Reg. $900+), more

Westinghouse 24″ 1080p HDTV w/ HDMI $100 shipped (Reg. $150+)

Games/Apps: Fantastical 2 for iPad $15, Injustice: Gods Among Us $30, iOS freebies, more

Samsung 28-inch 4K UHD LED 60Hz Monitor drops to $580 shipped (Reg. $700) http://t.co/tJyNvUOFhj pic.twitter.com/IAX9of52xG

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 2, 2014

Other new deals:

New! WD 3TB Elements External Desktop Hard Disk Drive $93 shipped (Reg. $129)
New! Daily Deals: HP 14″ Chromebook w/ 4G: $205, Fujifilm 16Mp Cam: $120, more
New! Winegard FlatWave Amplified HDTV Indoor Antenna (refurb) $20 (Reg. $100 new)
New! Samsung Gear Fit Fitness Tracker and Smartwatch $130 shipped (Reg. $200)

Synology DiskStation 4-Bay Network Attached Storage (DS412+): $540 shipped (orig. $735) http://t.co/OO0GqAvbMD pic.twitter.com/hIRxscf2mx

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 2, 2014

https://twitter.com/iDannyOcean/status/484327987958259712

More deals still alive:

Seiki 4K TVs drop at Walmart: 39″ $299, 50″ $429, 55″ $579 shipped or in-store
Samsung 28-inch 4K UHD LED 60Hz Monitor $580 shipped (Reg. $700)
Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling over-ear headphones $269 (Reg. $300), more
Skylanders Battlegrounds goes FREE on iOS (Reg. $7)
Foscam Pan & Tilt IP/Network Cam w/ Night Vision $55 shipped (Orig. $160)
Samsung’s new 850 Solid State Drives pre-order: $129.99 shipped (24% off )
Media: Futurama complete DVD $64, James Bond Blu-rays $5 each, more
Free 10 day MLB.TV subscription, watch every out-of-market game live
iPad mini Smart Cover (multiple colors) as low as $17 from Best Buy (58% off)
Samsung 46″ LED 3D HDTV: $500, LG 47″ Smart TV: $650 + Free $300 Dell GC
Save 25% on Nomad’s new carabiner, key & credit card sized MFi Lightning cables
Bowers & Wilkins recertified: P5 headphones $200 (Reg. $300 new)
Fashion: up to 40% off North Face apparel, Sperry Top-Sider shoes from $37, more
Bose OE2i on-ears $100 (Reg. $180)
Synology DiskStation 4-Bay NAS (DS412+): $540 shipped (orig. $735)
Media: free movie money for new Transformers/Planet of the Apes flicks
Harman Kardon 5.1-channel, 70-Watt Audio/Video Receiver refurb $119 (Orig. $479)

New products/ongoing promotions:

Jabra unveiled two new ‘Next Generation’ Bluetooth products this week
JBL announces two new lines of headphones
Vector Unit announces new Beach Buggy Racing title coming to mobile this Summer
Best Buy slashes $100 off new MacBook Air, deals as low as $650 with .EDU email
D-Link expands smart home lineup with new Wi-Fi Motion Sensor and mobile control app
Jump on Apple’s new $1099 1.4GHz iMac? We might have a better offer for under $1000
Nest Protect relaunches with a 22% discount, now just $99

Microsoft/Google/Android:

AT&T offering $50 Google Play credit with purchase of an Android device

How many apps do you use a month? Study shows the average is 26 [Poll]

Ben Lovejoy Jul 2 2014 - 4:03 am PT

6 Comments

A Nielsen study (via TechCrunch) reveals that while we all spend much longer using mobile apps than we did two years ago, and we may have many more apps installed on our phones, the average number of apps we actually interact with in any given month hasn’t changed nearly as much.

While time spent using mobile apps climbed from 18h 18m in 2011 to 30h 15m by the end of last year, the total number of apps actually used only increased from 23.3 to 26.8. So we’re spending more time using pretty much the same number of apps …
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OS X’s Aperture/iPhoto replacement ‘Photos’ appears to focus on iOS 8’s editing features, not pro tools

Mike Beasley Jul 1 2014 - 8:48 pm PT

62 Comments

During the 2014 WWDC keynote, Apple demoed a very early build of its upcoming Photos application for Mac. The app will be available next year for OS X Yosemite, but for now all we really know is that its arrival will bring about the end of both iPhoto and Aperture. That news drew the attention of everyone who uses either of those applications, with many saying Apple no longer cared about pro-level users.

In an attempt to quell the outrage, Apple released a statement to ArsTechnica saying that Photos for Mac would still support pro features, but what exactly constituties a “pro-level” feature in Apple’s eyes? According to the statement, Photos will feature support for third-party plugins, library search, and advanced editing. If that sounds a little vague to you, it’s probably because Apple doesn’t really want to answer the question.

iMovie for Mac updated with stability improvements and bug fixes

Mike Beasley Jul 1 2014 - 4:08 pm PT

4 Comments

Apple updated iMovie for Mac today with fixes for bugs that could cause the app to crash. This is only the fourth update to the app since it was redesigned last year, but so far this seems to be the smallest. Most of the other updates have included new features or at least listed which bugs were being fixed.

You can grab the update for free if you already own iMovie 10.0, or buy the app for $14.99 from the Mac App Store.

What’s New in Version 10.0.4

• Improves stability and resolves issues that could cause iMovie to quit unexpectedly

Tweetbot for Mac updated to view and upload multiple images on Twitter’s native photo service

Mike Beasley Jul 1 2014 - 3:38 pm PT

Tweetbot for Mac, the popular desktop Twitter client from Tapbots, has been updated to version 1.6 today. The update introduces support for viewing and uploading multiple images on Twitter’s native photo sharing service. The new version also includes a “play” icon on Instagram videos to better differentiate them from photos on the same network. You’ll also find “various bug fixes” in this version.

Tweetbot for iPhone got support for multiple images in its last update, so this once again brings the two apps in-line, feature-wise. The full change log for Tweetbot for Mac 1.6 is below:

What’s New in Version 1.6

– Support for viewing/posting multiple twitter images (multiple images won’t show up in search or streaming timeline until Twitter enables it in the future)
– Instagram videos now marked with play icon
– Various bug fixes

Yahoo brings its personalized Mail experience to iPad, adds filter support

Zac Hall Jul 1 2014 - 11:59 am PT

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Earlier this year Yahoo introduced a new version of its Mail app for iPhone that added additional content like web search, sports scores, weather information, and news events to the email client making the experience more like the web experience in terms of consuming content. Today Yahoo released an updated version which extends the web-like experience to the iPad version as well:
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9to5Toys Last Call: Seiki 4K TVs from $299, Bose QC15 headphones $269, Skylanders for iOS goes free, more

Justin Kahn Jul 1 2014 - 9:29 am PT