Apps

6,235 'Apps' stories April 2010 - February 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.

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

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.

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

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

Sarah Guarino Feb 23 2014 - 11:00 pm PT

5 Comments

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

Zac Hall Feb 21 2014 - 11:06 am PT

5 Comments

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

Zac Hall Feb 20 2014 - 12:37 pm PT

4 Comments

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

Jordan Kahn Feb 20 2014 - 12:26 pm PT

3 Comments

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.

Waze app gets Calendar integration for navigating to upcoming events

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

Zac Hall Feb 20 2014 - 5:54 am PT

7 Comments

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

Ben Lovejoy Feb 20 2014 - 4:23 am PT

10 Comments

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)

Mike Beasley Feb 19 2014 - 2:11 pm PT

22 Comments

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

Feb 19 2014 - 10:01 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 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:

Name Your Own Price Mac Bundle 4.0: SnagIt, Flux 4, plus 9 other Mac apps.
$50 Parallels update bundle: 1Password, Fantastical, Kaspersky, CleanMyMac and more or $80 w/ a full copy of Parallels 9

Amazon Coins are now available for all Android devices: Save up to 10% on apps http://t.co/CBOxm6k8Gg

— 9to5Google (@9to5Google) February 19, 2014

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)

Nintendo Wii U 32GB Deluxe bundled w/ Super Mario U & Super Luigi U: $260 shipped (Reg. $300) http://t.co/v36kQoqm24

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 19, 2014

More great deals still alive:

Netgear R6300 v2 wireless 802.11ac router w/ FREE cable modem $160 shipped ($300 value)
Samsung 60″ 1080p 120Hz Clear Motion HDTV $880 shipped (Reg. $1800)
Klipsch Synergy Series 12-Inch 300-Watt Subwoofer with High Gloss Trim $200 shipped (Reg. $500)
QNIX 27″ LED Evolution ll Matte 2560×1440 SAMSUNG PLS WQHD PC Monitor $289 shipped (Reg. $400)
HooToo 4-Port Slim Bus-Powered USB 3.0 Hub $11 shipped (Reg. $15)
Amazon Bundle: Slingbox 350 and Roku 2 media player $168 shipped (Reg. $260)
Samsung 840 EVO Series SSD Deals: 750GB: $379, 1TB: $500 shipped
Brother Printer Monochrome Laser Multi-Function Copier $86 shipped (Reg. $180)
Google Chromecast streaming media player $30 w/ free shipping (Reg. $35)
LG 24″ LED 720p 60Hz HDTV $130 shipped (Reg. $200)
Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock: $200 shipped ($100 off)
Get 20% off site-wide on Griffin accessories for iPhone, iPad, and more
OUYA game console, controller, and $25 game credit for $85 ($125 value)
Take $150 off MacBooks and iMacs at Best Buy with .edu email
Apple TV 3rd gen. 1080p streaming media player $84 shipped (Reg. $99)

New products:

Just Released: Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker III: $299

Venmo update brings the simplicity of AirDrop to mobile payments

Mike Beasley Feb 19 2014 - 9:00 am PT

0 Comments

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.

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

Feb 18 2014 - 1:10 pm PT

0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and 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:

Name Your Own Price Mac Bundle 4.0: SnagIt, Flux 4, plus 9 other Mac apps.
$50 Parallels update bundle: 1Password, Fantastical, Kaspersky, CleanMyMac and more or $80 w/ a full copy of Parallels 9

Other great deals from today:

New! QNIX 27″ LED Evolution ll Matte 2560×1440 SAMSUNG PLS WQHD PC Monitor $289 shipped (Reg. $400)
New! Klipsch Synergy Series 12-Inch 300-Watt Subwoofer with High Gloss Trim $200 shipped (Reg. $500)
New! Game/App Deals: Tomb Raider Definitive: $40, Titanfall (PC): $48, eWallet (Android): FREE, iOS freebies, more
New! Daily Deal Roundup: Logitech UE 6000 Headphones $90, Craig Portable BT Speaker $20, much more
New! Verizon Moto X for 1 cent on-contract + $100 bill credit this week only, $329 unlocked

More great deals still alive:

HooToo 4-Port Slim Bus-Powered USB 3.0 Hub $11 shipped (Reg. $15)
Amazon Bundle: Slingbox 350 and Roku 2 media player $168 shipped (Reg. $260)
Samsung 840 EVO Series SSD Deals: 750GB: $379, 1TB: $500 shipped
Brother Printer Monochrome Laser Multi-Function Copier $86 shipped (Reg. $180)
Google Chromecast streaming media player $30 w/ free shipping (Reg. $35)
LG 24″ LED 720p 60Hz HDTV $130 shipped (Reg. $200)
Logitech K360 Wireless Keyboard w/3 year battery for $15
Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock: $200 shipped ($100 off)
Get 20% off site-wide on Griffin accessories for iPhone, iPad, and more
OUYA game console, controller, and $25 game credit for $85 ($125 value)
Take $150 off MacBooks and iMacs at Best Buy with .edu email
Apple TV 3rd gen. 1080p streaming media player $84 shipped (Reg. $99)

New products:

Just Released: Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker III: $299

Google Translate updated w/ iOS 7 keyboard, additional handwriting language support including Arabic & Hebrew

Zac Hall Feb 18 2014 - 12:28 pm PT

2 Comments

Alas, we’re one step closer to an App Store not filled with iOS 6 keyboards. Google released Translate 2.1 today, bringing support for the iOS 7 keyboard released last September to the iPhone and iPad.

The update also expands support for its new handwriting input method to a number of additional languages including Arabic, Esperanto, Gujarati, Hebrew, Javanese, Maltese, Maori, Marathi, Persian, Punjabi, Telugu, and Zulu.

Google first introduced its handwriting input method last September. Google Translate 2.1 is available now on the App Store.
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Realmac asking Clear+ users to migrate to Clear, going free for 24 hours

Zac Hall Feb 18 2014 - 6:00 am PT

10 Comments

2/27 Update: It’s live.

3/6 Update: Last round.

tl;dr Use this, not this, and read on to find out how and why.

Last September, Realmac released a new version of its to-do list app Clear that included visual tweaks and iOS 7 feature support. This version of Clear also ran natively on the iPad for the first time and was a separate purchase from the App Store.

This lead to a great deal of feedback from customers displeased with having to buy a new version of Clear for an iOS 7 update on the iPhone (especially when iPad support for the biggest selling point, but not every iPhone customer has an iPad)…
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9to5Toys Last Call: Dell 28″ 4K display $560, Brother Laser Multi-Fuction Copier $86, Coboc 6′ MFi Lightning cable $10, more

Feb 17 2014 - 10:06 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 subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

HooToo 4-Port Slim Bus-Powered USB 3.0 Hub $11 shipped (Reg. $15)

Coboc 6' MFi Lightning cable (Black) $10 shipped (Reg. $20) http://t.co/yCHcZWTEyO

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 17, 2014

Dell 28-inch Ultra HD P2815Q 4K display: $560 shipped

Brother Printer Monochrome Laser Multi-Function Copier $86 shipped (Reg. $180)

Google Chromecast streaming media player $30 w/ free shipping (Reg. $35)

Free Apple media: $100 iTunes Gift card for $85 at Best Buy

Pioneer SP-BS21 bookshelf speakers: $50 + $3 shipping (Reg. $100) http://t.co/xTp2awnugz

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 17, 2014

Other great deals from today (and weekend leftovers):

New! Belkin Fusive Slim Portable Bluetooth Speaker $100 shipped (Reg. $130)
New! Home Deals: Up to 60% off Gerber hand tools, Margaritaville drink mixer: $170, cookware, more
New! Game/App Deals: 50% off Batman Arkham Asylum & City for Mac, Trine 2: $3 (Reg. $15), Twitterrific 5: $1 (Reg. $3), more iOS freebies
New! Daily Deal Roundup: Insignia 42″ 1080p HDTV $250, Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard Cover for iPad $40, much more
New! Kindle Fire HD 32GB (Refurb) $185 (Reg. $299), Nexus 7 32GB LTE $320 (Reg. $350)
New! Samsung 840 EVO Series SSD Deals: 750GB: $379, 1TB: $500 shipped
New! LG 24″ LED 720p 60Hz HDTV $130 shipped (Reg. $200)
New! Amazon Bundle: Slingbox 350 and Roku 2 media player $168 shipped (Reg. $260)
New! Logitech K360 Wireless Keyboard w/3 year battery for $15

More great deals still alive:

$50 Parallels update bundle: 1Password, Fantastical, Kaspersky, CleanMyMac and more or $80 w/ a full copy of Parallels 9
Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock: $200 shipped ($100 off)
Get 20% off site-wide on Griffin accessories for iPhone, iPad, and more
Polk Audio 35B bookshelf speakers: $100 + $2 shipping (Reg. $249)
OUYA game console, controller, and $25 game credit for $85 ($125 value)
Scoshe reVIVE.II Dual 2.1A USB Tablet/Phone Car Charger: $5 shipped
Take $150 off MacBooks and iMacs at Best Buy with .edu email
Yamaha RX-V375 5.1 Channel 3D A/V Home 4K Theater Receivers: $200 shipped
Apple TV 3rd gen. 1080p streaming media player $84 shipped (Reg. $99)

New products:

Just Released: Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker III: $299

Played out: Apple now rejecting apps that attempt to ride Flappy Bird’s tailfeathers

Mike Beasley Feb 15 2014 - 3:31 pm PT

0 Comments

It seems the App Store has reached peak “flappy.” According to TechCrunch, multiple developers report that Apple has started blanket-rejections of apps using the word in the name, and perhaps it’s for the best. Four of the top ten free apps on the store are Flappy Bird clones—including all of the top three. Granted, only two of those four apps includes the word “flappy” in the title, but they all follow a pretty basic naming scheme that’s easy to spot.

According to Apple, the apps are rejecting for “attempt[ing] to leverage a popular app.” Can’t really argue with that logic. It’s not the first time Apple has made sweeping rules for a very specific, popular app category. From the App Store review guidelines:

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Microsoft Office for iPad is reportedly on the way, but does it even matter now? [Poll]

Mike Beasley Feb 14 2014 - 2:59 pm PT

49 Comments

Microsoft Office for iPad is still on the way, and could be launched before the Microsoft even releases a Windows 8 version of the productivity suite, according to a report from ZDNet. The app (or suite of apps) is said to require a paid Office365 subscription and will sync with Microsoft’s services.

But with the iWork now shipping for free on all new Macs and iOS devices—requiring only a free iCloud account to sync and accompanied by an open public beta of a cross-platform web version—is Microsoft preparing to offer too little too late?

Poll images via The Daily/The Inquirer

9to5Toys Last Call: Belkin Thunderbolt dock $200, Sony Lightning clock radio $68, Anker iPad Air cases $6.50, Galaxy Gear $150, more

Feb 14 2014 - 10:21 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 subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Ultra Slim iPad Air cases by Anker $6.50 (50% off)
Get 20% off site-wide on Griffin accessories for iPhone, iPad, and more

Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock: $200 shipped ($100 off)

Sony Lightning iPhone/iPad clock radio speaker dock $68 (Reg. $100), Bluetooth dock $98 (Reg. $179)

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smart Watch (various colors) $150 shipped (50% saving)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXZp5H95ujI]$50 Parallels update bundle: 1Password, Fantastical, Kaspersky, CleanMyMac and more

https://twitter.com/iDannyOcean/status/434387468616347648
Other great deals from today:

New! Apple iPod nano 16GB MP3 Player 7th Generation Latest Model $120 shipped (Reg. $150)
New! Game/App Deals: 50% off Sketchbook Pro 6 & DataMan Next, Arkham Origins: $30, 50% off used games, iOS freebies, more
New! Daily Deal Roundup: 16.1MP Cyber-shot $75, Otterbox Defender Cases $13, iPad Mini BT case $20, more
New! Valentine’s magazine sale: GQ & Men’s Health: $5 each w/ digital, Macworld, Popular Science, Motor Trend, many more

Get a FREE $1 Amazon MP3 Credit http://t.co/s7i56yPcz4

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 10, 2014

More great deals still alive:

iOttie Easy Flex 3 car mount/desk stand for iPhone $12.50 w/ free shipping (Reg. $25)
Polk Audio 35B bookshelf speakers: $100 + $2 shipping (Reg. $249)
OUYA game console, controller, and $25 game credit for $85 ($125 value)
Scoshe reVIVE.II Dual 2.1A USB Tablet/Phone Car Charger: $5 shipped
iOttie Easy Flex 3 car mount/desk stand for iPhone and many other smartphones $12.50 (Reg. $25)
Take $150 off MacBooks and iMacs at Best Buy with .edu email
Coboc 6′ MFi Lightning cable $10 shipped (Reg. $20), Mota 10′ in various colors $20 shipped (Reg. $30)
Yamaha RX-V375 5.1 Channel 3D A/V Home 4K Theater Receivers: $200 shipped
Save $50 on all iPad mini w/ Retina display models, deals start at $350 shipped
Kindle Paperwhite e-reader w/ high resolution display and built-in light $100 shipped (Reg. $119)
PNY Attache 128GB USB Flash Drive: $42 shipped
Get a free $50 Amazon gift card w/ the purchase of Beats Mixr Headphones for $250
Apple TV 3rd gen. 1080p streaming media player $84 shipped (Reg. $99)

New products:

Just Released: Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker III: $299

Apps

MLB completes installation of iBeacons for Dodgers & Padres ahead of Opening Day

Jordan Kahn Feb 14 2014 - 10:07 am PT

0 Comments

After reports that Major League Baseball was running a trial of Apple’s new iBeacon technology to provide fans with a personalized, interactive experience at ballparks, Recode reports today that the league is about to announce it’s completed installation of the beacons at two stadiums. As reported previously, the league is hoping to have around 20 stadiums equipped with iBeacons by Opening Day in March. The first two teams to have ballparks equipped include the Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers:

The installation of 65 iBeacons at Dodger Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego’s Petco Park, home of the Padres, will be followed by similar work at more than a dozen and a half other MLB stadiums, the league said. The plan is to have more than 20 ballparks in total equipped with the technology by Opening Day in late March. The Padres host the Dodgers on Opening Night on March 30.

With iBeacons installed at the parks, fans arriving with their iPhones will be automatically presented with notifications that include info related to the game and stadium through the MLB At the Ballpark app.

Image via Qualcomm

BlackBerry Messenger for iOS adds voice calls, one-touch file-sharing and more

Ben Lovejoy Feb 14 2014 - 4:54 am PT

1 Comment

Version 2.0 of BBM for iOS app now allows free voice calls to BBM contacts, as well as a range of other new features that include one-touch file-sharing, Dropbox integration, location-sharing, 50-person BBM groups and interest channels.

Today, we’re excited to be adding those great new features and more to BBM that users on iPhone, Android and BlackBerry** can enjoy. When the update becomes available later today, these new features will give you more ways to chat and share than ever before on BBM.

Voice calling is supported on both wifi and mobile data. Note that while voice calls don’t incur any direct charges, as with other forms of VoIP calling you’ll eat into any data allowance you have.

Full details of the new features from the BlackBerry blog below …
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9to5Toys Last Call: iTunes gift cards 15% off, home deals from Hoover and others, OUYA game bundle $85, more

Feb 13 2014 - 10:00 am 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 subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock: $200 shipped ($100 off)

Apple iTunes/App Store Gift cards at Best Buy 15% off: $25-$50 cards now $21.25-$42.50

Home Deals: Hoover Windtunnel Air $80, Nespresso espresso maker $150, FitBit Aria 10% off, Jamba Juice BOGO, much more

OUYA game console, controller, and $25 game credit for $85 ($125 value)

iOttie Easy Flex 3 car mount/desk stand for iPhone $12.50 w/ free shipping (Reg. $25)

It’s not too late to order V-Day gifts online. Best Buy and Amazon are offering FREE 1-day shipping on select items. http://t.co/g2BmZTJDA5

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 13, 2014

Other great deals from today:

New! Game/App Deals: Phase 10, Wipeout & Guitar Hero for iOS: $1 each, $5 credit w/ Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze preorder, iOS freebies, more
New! Daily Deal Roundup: Apple Wireless Keyboard $50, Powerskin battery case for iPhone 5/5s $18, much more
New! Polk Audio 35B bookshelf speakers: $100 + $2 shipping (Reg. $249)
New! Kindle Fire 7-inch Android tablet 2nd Gen, certified refurb: $79 or new: $99 shipped

Get a FREE $1 Amazon MP3 Credit http://t.co/s7i56yPcz4

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 10, 2014

More great deals still alive:

Valentine’s Day Bailout: Amazon free 1-day shipping and 20% off jewelry/clothing/shoes
Scoshe reVIVE.II Dual 2.1A USB Tablet/Phone Car Charger: $5 shipped
$50 Parallels update bundle: 1Password, Fantastical, Kaspersky, CleanMyMac and more
iOttie Easy Flex 3 car mount/desk stand for iPhone and many other smartphones $12.50 (Reg. $25)
Take $150 off MacBooks and iMacs at Best Buy with .edu email
Eye-Fi 16GB Pro X2 SDHC Class 10 wireless memory card $60 shipped (Reg. $100)
Coboc 6′ MFi Lightning cable $10 shipped (Reg. $20), Mota 10′ in various colors $20 shipped (Reg. $30)
iRobot Roomba Vacuum Cleaning Robots: Model 630 $280, Model 770 $400
Yamaha RX-V375 5.1 Channel 3D A/V Home 4K Theater Receivers: $200 shipped
Save $50 on all iPad mini w/ Retina display models, deals start at $350 shipped
Kindle Paperwhite e-reader w/ high resolution display and built-in light $100 shipped (Reg. $119)
PNY Attache 128GB USB Flash Drive: $42 shipped
Get a free $50 Amazon gift card w/ the purchase of Beats Mixr Headphones for $250
Apple TV 3rd gen. 1080p streaming media player $84 shipped (Reg. $99)

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Rovio announces new ‘Angry Birds Stella’ game coming this fall

Jordan Kahn Feb 13 2014 - 6:32 am PT

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After a couple of teases that a new Angry Birds title was incoming, Rovio today announced that a new game called “Angry Birds Stella” is coming soon. The game features a female lead character unlike the majority of Rovio’s other games, but there aren’t many details about how else it might differ from other Angry Birds titles.

Angry Birds Stella will open a door to a part of the Angry Birds universe you’ve never seen before! There will be plenty of fun and adventure, but the bunch of passionate pals will also have to deal with some serious issues in order to protect their friendship and the environment they live in. Luckily, Stella and her friends are good at finding creative solutions!

No word on an official release date, but Rovio says the game will ship sometime in the fall.

Sonico Mobile releases iTranslate Voice 2 with iOS 7 redesign and more

Michael Steeber Feb 13 2014 - 6:28 am PT

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Sonico Mobile, of iTranslate fame, released today version 2 of iTranslate Voice, bringing an entirely new design and a few new features as well. Let’s take a look at what’s new.

The first thing you’ll notice in iTranslate Voice 2 is the completely new design. Sonico Mobile has always done a great job making their apps fit very well with the design aesthetic of iOS, and today’s update is no departure. iTranslate Voice closely adopts the look of Apple’s Messages app, creating a natural, conversation-like feel. There’s also lots of great design details you’ll notice while using the app, like live voice recognition waveforms, and a clever pull-to-clear animation. Clearly, there was a lot of time put into this app.

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