Apps

Today, Microsoft has released a new iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch application for IT administrators to manage their firm’s Office 365 servers. The application features Microsoft’s new flatter design language with large text. It allows administrators to manage the health and features of their Office 365 implementations.

The Office 365 Admin mobile app empowers IT service administrators to connect to their organizations’ Office 365 service status on the go. The Office 365 Admin mobile app enables administrators to view service health information and maintenance status updates. In addition, administrators can filter information by service subscriptions and configure app data refresh interval.

The application is free, and users obviously need to have Office 365 administrator rights and be apart of a firm with a subscription. Earlier this year, Microsoft released its Office 365 application for consumers. That app allows the viewing/accessing and minor editing of PowerPoint, Office, and Excel documents.

Instagram announces Instagram Direct: photo and video sharing to private groups

Zac Hall Dec 12 2013 - 7:15 am PT

http://vimeo.com/81527238

During its press event held in New York City today, Instagram announced a new sharing feature called Instagram Direct that will allow users to share images and videos to other users privately.

The new sharing model will require users to follow each other to send photos and messages privately to individuals or groups of up to 15 people. A pending requests inbox will catch photos and messages from users who are not mutually connected.

Instagram also noted its growth from 80 million users to 150 million users worldwide from the start of 2013 to today. Kevin Systrom, co-founder of Instagram, boasted that over half of Instagram’s users use the service daily…

Google Maps iOS app gets some Google Now functionality, showing reservation info

Ben Lovejoy Dec 12 2013 - 4:30 am PT

The latest version of the Google Maps iOS app has been given some Google Now functionality: when you click on an airport, hotel or restaurant, the app will display any reservation information it can find in your linked gmail account. This functionality was previously only available in the desktop app.

Although Google has added a succession of features to the app, data last month showed that most iPhone users were using the pre-installed Apple Maps. Adding Google Now functionality is an attractive feature for gmail users, but Google faces the same problem as ever since Apple replaced Google Maps with its own offering: most iPhone users will use what Apple gives them.

Google Maps is a free download from iTunes.

Google releases desktop Chrome App Launcher to all Mac users

David Beren Dec 11 2013 - 11:09 am PT

5 Comments

Looking back at late May Google released a beta version of Chrome Apps for Mac, which should not be confused with Chrome OS or Chrome’s browser apps. These ‘Chrome Apps’ are full-fledged applications complete with offline support and include apps like Any.do, Pocket, and many more available in the “For your desktop” collection in the Chrome Web Store. Google initally released the desktop app launcher as part of a Chromium release back in May. With the app launcher, a grid icon lives in your dock and with a click a tray appears showing all your installed Chrome apps and services.

GTA: San Andreas rolling out across the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

Benjamin Mayo Dec 11 2013 - 11:04 am PT

Update: The game is now available on the App Store worldwide.

After announcing that the iconic game would come to iOS last month, Rockstar is releasing GTA San Andreas today. The game is live in certain countries already, and will be available globally in the coming hours at this link. If the link does not work for you currently, it will do when the clock turns midnight in your region’s timezone. The game costs $7 and is compatible with iPhone 4s and later, iPad 2 and later and the fifth generation iPod touch.

9to5Toys Last Call: Pioneer AirPlay receiver 50% off, Dell 4K monitor $500 off, Logitech AirPlay speaker $88, Chromecast $28, Xbox One, more

Dec 11 2013 - 10:01 am PT

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+. Also, check out our updated Daily Deals page (for iPad/iPhone) featuring the day’s best deals from across major US retailers.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Pioneer SC-1223-K 840-watt 7.2-Channel 4K Upscaling AirPlay Receiver: $549 shipped (half off)

Dell UltraSharp 32″ Ultra HD 4k Monitor $3,000 shipped (Reg. $3,500)

Logitech UE wireless AirPlay speaker $138 or $88 shipped after rebate (Reg. $200)
https://twitter.com/iDannyOcean/status/410837726930296832

U: Back in stock!

RT @9to5toys: Sling Media Slingbox SOLO Television Broadcaster Refurb $50 shipped (Reg. $180) http://t.co/kkrS00PbiJ

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) December 11, 2013

Other great deals from today:

New! Google Chromecast streaming media player $28 for Amazon Students, Nexus 7 (2nd gen) $195
New! Game/App Deals: Angry Birds Go out now: FREE, COD: Ghosts: $45, Xbox One availability, Far Cry 3: $15, iOS freebies, more
New! Logitech Ultimate Ears 350vm noise isolating earbuds: $17 shipped (Reg. $60)
New! Crucial M500 240GB SATA 6Gb/s 2.5″ Internal SSD $130 shipped (Reg. $150)
New! Roku 3 Streaming Media Player Refurb with Motion-Control Remote $70 shipped (Reg $100)

“@BestBuy_Deals: One Day Only Deal: Google Nexus 7 16GB Tablet $194.99 http://t.co/scFeL6rHlz

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) December 11, 2013

The best deals that are still alive:

Sennheiser Around Ear Headphone $50, Audio-Technica Noise-Canceling Headphones $44 shipped
Lenovo Enhanced Multimedia Remote with backlit keyboard N5902: $26 shipped
Lenovo M0520 desktop speakers (red or black) for $7 shipped
Logitech UE Boombox Bluetooth speaker $100 shipped (Reg. $250)
IGN’s FREE iOS game of the month: Infinity Blade II ($7 savings)
Blue Microphones Snowball USB mic up to 50% off: $40-$50 (Reg. $60-$100)
Logitech UE Bluetooth Wireless Boombox Speaker: $45 Shipped
Seiki 4K TVs drop again: 39-inch now $405, 50-inch now $625 shipped
Amazon Promo: Free $5 credit on purchases of $35 or more

Pinterest for iPad revamped for iOS 7 in time for the holidays

Zac Hall Dec 11 2013 - 9:56 am PT

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Just in time for the holidays, Pinterest has released a major update to its iPad app with a new user interface and features to enjoy:

Now you can get to your profile, notifications and more from the handy menu at the bottom—it’ll always be there when you need it. And when you’re ready to Pin something new, we’ll show you your most recent boards for speedier Pinning (hello, Pinning sprees!).

The update includes new ways to share and discover boards and includes hidden boards for discovering as well.

The update is available now for iPad on the App Store.

Behind the scenes look at Apple TV app development w/ the new Bloomberg channel

Jordan Kahn Dec 11 2013 - 7:45 am PT

9 Comments

appleTV

Unlike its developer program and vast ecosystem of apps on iOS and Mac, there’s not much we know about Apple’s strategy for content on the Apple TV. There’s been a lot of talk that a much rumored refreshed Apple TV set top box— or perhaps even the rumored full-fledged TV set— might also come alongside a more open developer platform with app distribution.

For now, however, Apple is slowly and quietly behind closed doors making deals with select content partners that are building apps for the platform. How is Apple working with developers to build and approve these apps? Does it have an Apple TV SDK that could in theory be released to all developers? With Bloomberg TV today becoming the latest app to launch on the platform, we’ve talked with the people that built the app to get some insight into the Apple TV development process.
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Spotify goes free with new streaming tier on tablets, smartphones…with a caveat

David Beren Dec 11 2013 - 7:36 am PT

From 9to5Google:

Spotify fans the world over take note, the company is moving into the ad-supported model with a new app for both iOS, Android tablets and smartphones. The company is introducing a whole new tier of service on mobile, providing users an opportunity to listen and search for songs on the go for free with a small catch.

Bloomberg launches on Apple TV globally with 24/7 live news stream, on-demand content, iOS integration & more

Jordan Kahn Dec 11 2013 - 7:23 am PT

Bloomberg-Apple-TV-01

Following Apple’s steady release of new content and features for its existing Apple TV platform in recent months, this week it adds yet another as Bloomberg becomes the first channel to live stream business news 24/7 to Apple TV customers. We spoke with Bloomberg’s head of mobile Oke Okaro who told us all about the new Apple TV app.

The majority of the content you’ll find in the new app is the same Bloomberg TV content you’ll find on its website and in its mobile apps but specifically optimized for the larger screen. That includes a live stream of business news, on-demand content with a mix of full TV show episodes and clips, and a special live stream that will appear only for events and breaking news. While there is similar news programming already on the Apple TV through apps like The Wall Street Journal and SkyNews, Bloomberg will be the first to have a 24/7 live stream of business news. That’s compared to the WSJ app which often only live streams content on certain hours throughout the day. It’s also going beyond the other news apps by offering all of its content for free in full-length form in addition to integration with its iOS apps coming in a future update.
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Steam Mobile iOS app (partly) updated for iOS 7, gets offline chat & more

Ben Lovejoy Dec 11 2013 - 3:54 am PT

Steam Mobile, the iOS app that lets you buy games and stay in touch with the Steam community from your iPhone or iPad, has been given a new UI for iOS 7. It also adds some new features (notably offline chat) and stability improvements.

The user-interface retains the dark color scheme, but has a flatter feel and cleaner typography in line with the iOS 7 look. The revamp is a partial one, however – the app still has the iOS 6 keyboard and some non-flattened elements such as the 3D chat bubbles seen above.

The full change-log is:

– New look and feel
– Offline chat
– Improved push notifications and icon badging
– Moved invites to a separate screen
– Streamlined interface for responding to friend invites
– Display friend nicknames
– Added iconography to indicate that friends are on mobile or using Big Picture
– Include Facebook suggested friends in invites list
– Improved stability and performance

The app is a free download from iTunes.

Angry Birds GO! comes racing onto iOS with Mario Kart-like action game

Zac Hall Dec 11 2013 - 3:32 am PT

In a refreshing departure from its iconic flick-and-throw style animated gameplay, Rovio is out with a brand new Mario Kart-like game depicting the ongoing battle between the winged warriors and pesky pigs with Angry Birds GO!

Angry Birds GO! delivers ‘breakneck speed’ downhill racing on Piggy Island in the first three-dimensional version of the series for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
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Twitter for iPhone 6.0 brings photo sharing to DMs, Reading List support, redesign, more

Zac Hall Dec 10 2013 - 1:42 pm PT

Twitter for iPhone received a major update today bringing yet another user interface update for iOS 7 and a handful of feature additions.

Namely, users can now share images over Direct Messages, which is now featured prominently on the bottom tab bar. Previously, users had to rely on third party services for sharing links to images in DMs, but now with native image support images appear inline.

Photo sharing over Direct Message appears to only be supported in the official Twitter apps (iPhone, iPad, Android) and lacks an API, so photos shared over DM currently cannot be composed by third party Twitter clients like Tweetbot or Twitterrifc. Twitter for Mac also lacks support for DM photo sharing, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it pick up support before third party clients.

The update also brings support for Safari’s Reading List allowing you to save articles from tweeted links for viewing later in Safari. This function was made available with the debut of iOS 7 so it’s nice to see it appear it Twitter’s iPhone app.

The update contains a handful of other features as well (full changelog below):
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Google Drive for iOS update adds sorting feature for files

David Beren Dec 10 2013 - 12:39 pm PT

From 9to5Google:

Chalk up another Google Drive update for iOS as Google just announced a new sorting feature for files. Google’s iOS version of Google Drive has received quite a few updates in recent months to bring it in line with its Android counterpart. The new sorting feature should prove useful to just about every Google Drive user as it’s a much-needed and important feature.

9to5Toys Last Call: Winegard HDTV antenna $23, Fitbit Flex $68, Sennheiser/Audio-Technica ‘phones from $44, more

Dec 10 2013 - 9:45 am PT

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Cord cutters: Winegard FlatWave Thin HDTV Indoor Antenna w/ Built-In Amplifier: $23 shipped

Fitbit Flex wireless activity and sleep tracker as low as $68 (Reg. $100)

Sennheiser Around Ear Headphone $50, Audio-Technica Noise-Canceling Headphones $44 shipped

Lenovo Enhanced Multimedia Remote with backlit keyboard N5902: $26 shipped

Other great deals from today:

New! Game/App Deals: Borderlands 2 FREE on PS Plus, XOne/PS4 lightning deals, Dark Knight Trilogy BR $20, iOS freebies, more
New! LG 47″ LED HDTV $380 + $17 shipping (Reg $800)
New! Lenovo M0520 desktop speakers (red or black) for $7 shipped
New! Apparel Discounts: 40% off Banana Republic, 30% off J. Crew, 20% off Toms

The best deals that are still alive:

Logitech UE Boombox Bluetooth speaker $100 shipped (Reg. $250)
IGN’s FREE iOS game of the month: Infinity Blade II ($7 savings)
Blue Microphones Snowball USB mic up to 50% off: $40-$50 (Reg. $60-$100)
Logitech UE Bluetooth Wireless Boombox Speaker: $45 Shipped
iHome Minnie Mouse Alarm Clock and Speaker System for 30-pin iPod $10, Dynex wired keyboard $5 shipped
Seiki 4K TVs drop again: 39-inch now $405, 50-inch now $625 shipped
Samsung EVO 1TB 2.5-inch SATA-3 SSD: $540 shipped (36% off)
Amazon Promo: Free $5 credit on purchases of $35 or more
Save 44% on 1Password for iOS, the gold standard in mobile password security

Chromecast adds support for 10 new apps including Plex, Vevo, & Songza

Zac Hall Dec 10 2013 - 8:33 am PT

7 Comments

(via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/apollo_zac/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>)

Google announced today a major round of app additions for its media streaming Chromecast HDMI stick including Plex, Vevo, Songza, and more.

Chromecast, which retails for $35 (currently $32.88 on Amazon Prime), can now play local files synced with your Plex media library from iOS, Android, or Chrome. Plex support is highly requested and offers a major advantage for content consumers looking to play content from a device to an HDTV.

Review: Castro for iPhone is a modern approach to an iOS 7 podcast client

Benjamin Mayo Dec 10 2013 - 8:00 am PT

10 Comments

Castro is a brand new podcasting app for the iPhone (available in the App Store for $2.99). It’s not an update to an existing podcast client. It’s a new app. It doesn’t have any legacy to anchor it down because it really is a fresh start.

Flint mobile billing app adds invoicing, Passbook coupon support, and card scans via camera

Mike Beasley Dec 10 2013 - 4:30 am PT

iOS users looking to accept payments on their mobile devices now have another option. Flint has just been updated to version 2.0. The app adds several new and useful features for small businesses, such as the ability to create invoices right in the app.

The app also introduces support for Passbook coupons. Merchants can create their own coupons and issue them to customers as Passbook passes. The Flint app can then scan these coupons and apply them directly to a transaction.

The 2.0 update also allows merchants to create orders with multiple items, and scan credit and debit cards using the camera on their iOS device. Cash and check sales can also be tracked within the new app and customers can get receipts for their transactions.

VoIP app Viber announces Viber Out, allowing cheap outgoing calls to any number worldwide

Mike Beasley Dec 9 2013 - 11:00 pm PT

Viber, the popular cross-platform VoIP app, released Viber 4.1 for iOS today. The new app introduces a new calling feature called Viber Out. This service allows users on any supported Viber platform to place outgoing calls to any landline or mobile number in the world at rates lower than many other similar offerings.

Viber Out also allows users to use their real phone number as their caller ID, meaning the party on the other end will see your number as if the call was coming from the users phone, so there’s no need for your contacts to save a new VoIP number in order to recognize you.

Viber 4.1 is rolling out for iPhone now on the iOS App Store.

Apple launches 2013 “12 Days of Gifts” app on iTunes, available in U.S. for the first time

Mike Beasley Dec 9 2013 - 7:26 pm PT

7 Comments

Apple has just launched its annual 12 Days of Gifts campaign for 2013. In previous years, this campaign was available only in a few select countries, but not in the United States. For the first time Apple will now allow U.S. customers to participate in the giveaway.

The 12 Days of Gifts app is available for free on the iTunes Store. Each day for twelve days the app will provide a special free item from the iTunes, iBooks, and App Stores. Each gift is only available for 24 hours, so users have to check in every day to make sure they get everything that’s offered. This year the giveaways start on December 26th and run through January 6th.

From 26 December – 6 January, you can download a gift each day—songs, apps, books, movies, and more—with the 12 Days of Gifts app. Each day’s gift will only be available for 24 hours, so download the free app to make sure you don’t miss out. Please note: Not all content is available in all countries.

Thanks, Rahul!

Amazon Cloud Drive Photos app updated w/ video support, native iPad version, more

Zac Hall Dec 9 2013 - 11:25 am PT

Amazon’s Cloud Drive Photos app, the company’s dedicated cloud-based photos app which debuted on the iPhone earlier this year in May, updated today with two major features.

First, the app, contrary to the its official name, supports managing videos from your device. Users can upload or download videos up to 2GB in file size or 20 minutes in duration.
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9to5Toys Last Call: iMac $200 off, SanDisk Connect drives 20% off, colored Lightning cables $10, SlingBox $50, Xbox One, more

Dec 9 2013 - 10:06 am PT

Today’s can’t miss deals:

21.5″ Apple iMac w/ 8GB RAM, 1TB HD $1,100 w/ free shipping (Reg. $1,300)

SanDisk Connect wireless iOS/Android flash drives: 16GB/32GB for $40/$48 shipped (20% Savings)

ZAGG Apple Certified MFi Lightning cable in several colors $10 shipped (Reg. $19)

Sling Media Slingbox SOLO Television Broadcaster Refurb $50 shipped (Reg. $180)

Xbox One back In Stock at Amazon – will go quick!https://t.co/lNZW4kiY8P

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) December 9, 2013

Other great deals from today:

New! Pioneer A4 wireless AirPlay speaker $80 shipped (Reg. $200)
New! Game/App Deals: Nintendo 2DS bundle w/ game + accessory: $130 shipped, Clear Vision (17+): FREE, iOS freebies, more
New! Klipsch Image ONE on-ear headphones: Wired $55/Bluetooth $105 shipped (Reg. $150/$250)
New! Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP $172, 16.1 MP Refurb $150 shipped
New! Logitech UE Boombox Bluetooth speaker $100 shipped (Reg. $250)
New! 20% off Kindles: Kindle Wifi $56, Kindle Fire HD 16GB: $136, Fire HDX 16GB: $183 shipped
New! iHome Minnie Mouse Alarm Clock and Speaker System for 30-pin iPod $10, Dynex wired keyboard $5 shipped, 20% off Griffin/Belkin, more

The best deals that are still alive:

IGN’s FREE iOS game of the month: Infinity Blade II ($7 savings)
Blue Microphones Snowball USB mic up to 50% off: $40-$50 (Reg. $60-$100)
Logitech UE Bluetooth Wireless Boombox Speaker: $45 Shipped
Seiki 4K TVs drop again: 39-inch now $405, 50-inch now $625 shipped
Samsung EVO 1TB 2.5-inch SATA-3 SSD: $540 shipped (36% off)
Amazon Promo: Free $5 credit on purchases of $35 or more
PNY StorEDGE flash memory expansion for MacBooks: 64GB $40, 128GB $94
Amazon offering 50GB free Cloud Storage with “select” smartphone purchases
Skype offers 30% off $10-$200 gift cards for a limited time
Save 44% on 1Password for iOS, the gold standard in mobile password security

Pandora Radio 5.1 turns stations into alarms on iPhone

Zac Hall Dec 9 2013 - 7:35 am PT

4 Comments

Proving it can stay competitive with iTunes Radio, the streaming music service that debuted with iOS 7, Pandora Radio is busy at work bringing new features to its own customizable streaming music service.

The company released a feature update today to its iOS app bringing with it the ability to set song or artist stations as alarm clocks.

While the native Clock app in iOS can awake you to a specific song, Pandora’s station alarm clock is a nice addition to iOS and a compelling reason to use Pandora Radio even if you’re an iTunes Radio evangelist.

Pandora Radio 5.1 also brings full iOS 7 compatibility as it was previously designed for the iOS 7 but built for iOS 6,

Check out the full release notes below and download the latest version from the App Store.

Neat Shazam update creates automatic Rdio playlist of all Shazammed songs

Ben Lovejoy Dec 9 2013 - 5:30 am PT