Apps

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. 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:

Pebble Smartwatch in Red or Black: $90 shipped ($60 off) with .edu email ($120w/o)

Logitech UE Mini Boom portable Bluetooth speaker $72 shipped (Reg. $100)

$50 iTunes gift card: $40 (20% off) at Staples (limit 4)

Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player $30, $25 for Amazon Students (Reg. $35)

Klipsch S4 II in-ear headphone in black or white: $30 shipped (63% off)

Other great deals from today:

New! PNY StorEDGE flash memory expansion for MacBooks: 128GB $80 shipped (Reg. $200)
New! Game Deals: Nintendo 3DS XL: $150 (shipped and in-store), The Last of Us: $35 (reg. $60) , Uncharted Dual Pack: $10 (Reg. $30)
New! USB Hub Deals: Anker 7-port hub w/ charging: $30 (Reg. $70), Satechi 4-port Apple-style hub: $17 (Reg. $40)
New! Breville BJS600XL Fountain Crush Masticating Slow Juicer: $180 shipped
New! Logitech K400 Wireless Touch Keyboard in Black or White for $20 shipped
New! Logitech On-Ear Headphones (dented box): UE 4000 $30 (Reg. $100), UE 6000 $70 (Reg. $200)
New! 2 one-year magazine subscriptions for $8: Popular Science, Wired, GQ, Men’s Health, many more
New! Prism II No-Contract Android 4.1 smartphone for T-Mobile: $30 shipped (Reg. $100)

Roku 1 streaming media player just dropped to its lowest price ever, $48 shipped (Reg. $60) http://t.co/NfNUAPRuHa

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) December 15, 2013

The best deals that are still alive:

Take $75 off any iPhone 5s when you sign a new 2-year agreement (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint)
Philips Twin Play portable iDevice video viewer w/ two 9″ LCD displays $50 shipped (Reg. $220)
Nexus 7 (2013) 16GB: $180 shipped, 32GB $230 shipped + add free 16GB USB stick
Dell UltraSharp 32″ Ultra HD 4k Monitor $3,000 shipped (Reg. $3,500)
IGN’s FREE iOS game of the month: Infinity Blade II ($7 savings)
Amazon Promo: Free $5 credit on purchases of $35 or more

Review: Postbox, a painless alternative to the increasingly flakey Apple Mail

Ben Lovejoy Dec 13 2013 - 8:27 am PT

97 Comments

You would think a high profile app written by Apple specifically for OS X and supplied with every Mac sold would be as close to flawless as you can get. Sadly, this has not been the experience many of us have had with Apple Mail for quite some time – especially Gmail users.

While Apple Mail seems to have continued to work well for those with simple needs – a single email account, no filtering into folders – power users have experienced a whole succession of problems that Apple seems unable to fix.

Unread mail counts that take an age to update, deleted emails that reappear next time you click into an account, moves to folders that undo themselves, undo actions that don’t work and – most annoyingly of all – a mail list pane that remains blank when you switch account, sometimes for seconds, sometimes even for minutes at a time.

I finally lost patience with it and decided to look around at alternatives. I’d used Thunderbird before, so that was high on my list, and some googling pointed me to Postbox, an email client which uses Thunderbird as its engine but layers a prettier user-interface on top …
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Stephen Hawking iPad app provides a fun way to teach kids about physics

Ben Lovejoy Dec 13 2013 - 4:53 am PT

Ssshh, don’t tell the kids they’re learning physics, just tell them it’s an iPad space game! Stephen Hawking’s Snapshots of the Universe is an iPad app containing a mix of mini-games, videos and text that allows children to discover some of the fundamental principles of physics and space.

Based on the work and writings of Stephen Hawking, this app teaches both adults and students the basic theories that govern our lives on Earth as well as the movement of the stars and planets. You can play and learn at the same time in each of the eight experiments included in Snapshots of the Universe:
– Spin planets in orbit with your own solar system
– Drop objects with Galileo to learn about gravity
– Let Einstein feel some G-force in outer space
– Search for black holes in the constellation of Leo
– Discover Einstein’s warped worldview
– Plus more…

Each section has an app allowing children to carry out virtual experiments, see further visual explanations in video clips and then read up on the topic in more detail. The app is described as suitable for children aged 9+.

Published by Random House, the app is available on iTunes for $4.99.

Via Engadget

Apple opens Games category in Costa Rican and Qatari App Stores

Mike Beasley Dec 12 2013 - 6:44 pm PT

Earlier this year Apple finally allowed apps in the Games category to appear on the South African App Store. Today the company has sent out an email to developers notifying them that the same change has been made in Costa Rica and Qatar. App developers don’t have to do anything to enable their apps for sale in those stores as long as the apps have been cleared for sale in those countries.

If developers have not set their apps to be available in those countries, they’ll need to make that change before their games are available in those stores.

Evernote for iOS updated with scanning mode that converts business cards to contacts and more

Mike Beasley Dec 12 2013 - 3:47 pm PT

5 Comments

Evernote for iPhone and iPad has been updated with a fancy new mode that allows users to scan in business cards using their device’s camera and automatically converts the data to an editable contact card. The feature is only available to Evernote Premium users. The cards can also pull data from social networks and optionally email your contact information to the newly-added contact automatically.

Also for premium users, a new output mode for presentations that allows AirPort or cable-out connections to display notes from within the app on an external display.

Apple updates Remote app with the ability to control iTunes Radio

Mike Beasley Dec 12 2013 - 2:36 pm PT

3 Comments

Apple has updated its Remote application for iOS with the ability to control iTunes Radio playing on a user’s computer. Previously the app could only control playback of music that was stored locally in an iTunes library, but now Mac and PC users will be able to control their streaming stations remotely as well. The feature does not appear to work with Apple TVs running iTunes Radio yet.

The app was recently overhauled for iOS 7 along with Apple’s other iOS software. Remote is free on the iOS App Store.

Twitter for Mac 3 released with photo previews, updated design, more

Zac Hall Dec 12 2013 - 12:11 pm PT

Shortly after launching its new Twitter update for iPhone earlier this week, Twitter for Mac 3 is out on the Mac App Store with a refreshed design and a set of new features.

Twitter for Mac now supports Twitter photo previews inline with the timeline. Clicking a preview displays the image at full resolution.

Twitter profiles now support cover photos on par with Twitter’s other apps. With its refreshed design also comes a new, centered icon and visual changes throughout the app. The icon brings its appearance in line with the Twitter-owned TweetDeck for Mac with minor differences.

While there was once a time when Twitter for Mac was presumed dead, it certainly seems alive and well which is reassuring for Mac users. Check out screen shots and the changelog below…

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9to5Toys Last Call: iPhone 5s $75 off, iPad 3 refurb $300, Chromecast $25, free apps/games, iTunes 16% off, more

Dec 12 2013 - 10:00 am PT

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

$50 iTunes Gift Card: $40+$2.49 shipping ($10 off)
RCA 55″ LED 1080p 120Hz HDTV $500 shipped (Reg. $800)

Take $75 off any iPhone 5s when you sign a new 2-year agreement (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint)

Refurb Apple 16GB iPad 3 w/ Retina Display in Black or White $300 shipped

Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player $25 when bought with PayPal account

Game/App Deals: Fallout FREE, Elder Scrolls sale: Skyrim $8 / Legendary Edition $20 / Oblivion GOTY $5, Xbox One savings, iOS freebies, more

Time to get your holiday cheer on, Amazon introduces $.01 shipping on select bottles of wine http://t.co/47dLKLzhD4

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) December 12, 2013

Other great deals from today:

New! Logitech UE6000 Headphones $70 shipped (Reg. $200)
New! Philips Twin Play portable iDevice video viewer w/ two 9″ LCD displays $50 shipped (Reg. $220)
New! Jawbone Jambox portable Bluetooth speaker $100 shipped (Reg. $150), refurbs: $70
New! Nexus 7 (2013) 16GB: $180 shipped, 32GB $230 shipped + add free 16GB USB stick

$75 gift card at Amazon for signing up for Discover card https://t.co/M5ZAiUs4gQ

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) December 12, 2013

The best deals that are still alive:

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)
Google Chromecast streaming media player $30 for Amazon Students, Nexus 7 (2nd gen) $195
Logitech Ultimate Ears 350vm noise isolating earbuds: $17 shipped (Reg. $60)
Sennheiser Around Ear Headphone $50, Audio-Technica Noise-Canceling Headphones $44 shipped
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)
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

Microsoft releases iOS app for IT admins to manage Office 365 servers

Mark Gurman Dec 12 2013 - 9:36 am PT

2 Comments

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

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

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

2 Comments

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

2 Comments

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