Apps

CloudApp, Droplr both updated with new design, features on Mac

Zac Hall Jan 9 2014 - 9:51 am PT

1 Comment

Popular (and competing) cloud sharing services CloudApp and Droplr both announced big updates to their Mac apps this week with new features and designs.

CloudApp 2.0 (seen above) now features thumbnail previews, the ability to share links before an upload is complete, Notification Center support, hot key support to open the menu bar popover, and a lot more.
Expand
Expanding
Close

PSA: Snapchat update offers phone number opt out after API abuse

Zac Hall Jan 9 2014 - 8:57 am PT

Following recent API abuse that lead to phone numbers and usernames being exposed, Snapchat, the social photo sharing app, has updated its iPhone app with the option to opt out of linking your phone number with your username. The feature was intended to increase social discoverability among mutual contacts, but was recently abused leading to the following update and apology:

Find Friends Improvements

This morning we released a Snapchat update for Android and iOS that improves Find Friends functionality and allows Snapchatters to opt-out of linking their phone number with their username. This option is available in Settings > Mobile #.

This update also requires new Snapchatters to verify their phone number before using the Find Friends service.

Our team continues to make improvements to the Snapchat service to prevent future attempts to abuse our API. We are sorry for any problems this issue may have caused you and we really appreciate your patience and support.

Love,

Team Snapchat

The update is available now on for iPhone and iPod touch on the App Store.

Spotify for iOS updated w/ previously announced free option for mobile and tablet users

Zac Hall Jan 8 2014 - 10:18 am PT

Last month Spotify announced new ad-supported streaming options for mobile and tablet users without paid subscriptions, and today that update has rolled out for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users.

To recap, iPhone users can now play a particular playlist they create or their friends share, but the tracks will be shuffled. iPad users have an experience like desktop users where you can build specific playlists and list to music on demand.

The update is available now for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in the App Store.
Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Last Call: Netgear networking up to 70% off, PNY 128GB USB3 flash drive $61, Logitech UE buds $39, more

Jan 8 2014 - 10:00 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 subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Western Digital My Passport Ultra 2TB portable USB 3.0 hard drive $95 shipped (Reg. $180)
Logitech Harmony smart control w/ smartphone integration & simple remote $100 shipped (Reg. $130)
eneloop XX high capacity pre-charged rechargeable batteries: AA 4-Pack $13.39 (Reg. $25)

Up to 70% off Netgear networking products at Amazon

PNY 128GB Turbo High Performance USB 3 Memory stick: $61 shipped

Logitech Ultimate Ears 600vi Noise-Isolating In-Ear Headset $39 shipped (Reg. $120)

Apple iPad Air WiFi 32GB $550 shipped (Reg. $599) http://t.co/WBQ3o14L6k

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) January 8, 2014

Other great deals from today:

New! Game/App Deals: Tomb Raider: $15, 3DS XL special edition: $150 shipped, iOS freebies, more
New! Asus Google Nexus 7 16GB or 32GB Tablet (Gen 2) Refurb $190–$220 + $5 shipping
New! Eton American Red Cross Hand Turbine AM/FM/NOAA Emergency Radio/Flashlight $10 shipped (Reg. $30)
New! Anker Astro 15000mAh Portable Ultra-High Capacity External Battery Backup Charger: $42.49

More great deals still alive:

Apple iPod Touch 32GB 5th gen in multiple colors $260 shipped (Reg. $300)
Jawbone UP fitness tracker $100 shipped (Reg. $130), Fitbit Aria WiFi scale discounts
Google Chromecast streaming media player $30 or $25 for students (Reg. $35)
25% off a variety of tech accessories for a limited time at T-Mobile
Monoprice $10 off $30 Coupon: Save on cables, headphones, chargers, more
iPhone 5/5S Wallet Case $7 shipped (Reg. $30)
Amazon Kindle Wifi 6-inch eReader: $50 shipped ($20 off)

U: Back in stock!

RT @9to5toys: Kingston Digital 120GB V300 2.5" Solid State Drive $70 shipped (Reg. $194) http://t.co/UhYty69F5A

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) January 7, 2014

Apps, rather than streaming music, may be responsible for ‘peak iTunes’ – analyst

Ben Lovejoy Jan 8 2014 - 5:51 am PT

11 Comments

We noted at the end of last year that iTunes music downloads appeared to be on the decline for the first time, a shift that was confirmed this month. The operating assumption has so far been that music streaming services are taking over, and that a growing number of consumers are now content to simply have on-demand access to music, rather than to own it.

Asymco’s Horace Dediu, an analyst who often has interesting things to say, has suggested an alternative explanation: that we’re actually listening to less music …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Google updates YouTube for iOS 7 with improved search results and captions

Mike Beasley Jan 7 2014 - 5:23 pm PT

1 Comment

The YouTube app for iOS has been updated with a new design for iOS 7, including the new keyboard and status bar, and a blurred sidebar design like that found in other apps.

The update also includes improved search results that include videos, playlists, and channels all on one screen. Finally, the new version introduces new settings for closed captioning and subtitles.

You can grab the free YouTube app on the iOS App Store.

CES 2014: Hands-on w/ Parrot’s Jumping Sumo insect robot toy (Video)

Jordan Kahn Jan 7 2014 - 3:46 pm PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wZWtH_rsOM&feature=youtu.be]

Yesterday we gave you our hands-on demo video of the latest MiniDrone quadricopter from Parrot, and today we got a demo of the new Parrot Jumping Sumo: a Wi-Fi connected “insect robot” toy that can turn on a dime and jump up to 30 inches.It’s controlled via an iOS app, packs in a gyroscope and accelerometer, and can roll and turn 90 degrees with quite impressive precision.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Yahoo announces News Digest, a new iOS app that provides only essential news stories

Chance Miller Jan 7 2014 - 2:27 pm PT

During its CES keynote, Yahoo announced a new iOS app that it hopes will help people stay informed on the big news of the day. Dubbed News Digest, the app will send out updates twice a day with the big news. The information comes from several different sources and Yahoo calls each individual story an “atom.” The app focuses on all news categories, not just technology.

Each story is created from multiple sources to present the essential bits and pieces of information, known as “Atoms”. Atoms are key quotes, images, videos, stock tickers, maps, infographs, and Wikipedia excerpts among others. These atomic units provide a unique context to the news. Our stories are both algorithmically and hand curated to ensure high quality, and come with a textual summary.

Apple announces App Store sales top $10 billion in 2013, $1 billion in December alone

Benjamin Mayo Jan 7 2014 - 5:42 am PT

5 Comments

Today, Apple has announced that App Store sales topped $10 billion in 2013. In December alone, customers spent over $1 billion in the store, a record-breaking figure — the most successful month in App Store history. In total, developers for iOS and OS X have now earned $15 billion on the App Store.

Kindle for iOS updated with new flashcard feature, dictionary redesign, more

Zac Hall Jan 6 2014 - 10:50 am PT

Starting off the new year with new features and improvements, Amazon updated its Kindle app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch today to version 4.1.

The update brings new features to users like the ability to create flash cards from text books for studying. This feature essentially creates bookmarks outside of the content for reviewing information on specific characters, places, or topics, and uses data from Wikipedia as part of Kindle’s X-Ray feature.

The update also includes a number of requested features and performance enhancements (full change log below).
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apps

Crowd-sourced app development startup Dandy launches first app w/ PictureThis

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2014 - 9:48 am PT

Dandy, a new Waterloo-based startup that crowd-sources the development of mobile apps, today launched its first ever app developed by its community of contributors during the ShowStoppers CES event. The concept is a simple but unique one: apply Kickstarter-style crowd-sourcing to the development of mobile apps. Dandy, however, takes things one step further than your average crowd-sourced product campaign by allowing members of the community to contribute to the development process and earn revenue from app sales based on the level of their contributions. Here’s how it works:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Editors Keys turns Apple’s wireless keyboard into the first Logic Pro X shortcut keyboard

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2014 - 8:39 am PT

9 Comments

Editors Keys today announced the first ever wireless shortcut keyboard for Apple’s recently released Logic Pro X audio suite. The keyboard sports 150 shortcuts and the company notes it was also able to fit in some extra shortcuts as icons sitting behind the text on each key. Perhaps the best part of the new Logic Pro X keyboard is the fact that Editors Keys used an actual Apple wireless keyboard for the product, which means you’ll be able to swap out your current Apple keyboard without sacrificing the look and feel. The company says it worked with the Logic Pro X community to develop the best experience possible for users:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Sephora begins offering free downloads of popular iOS apps and other media

Jan 6 2014 - 6:58 am PT

4 Comments

From 9to5Toys.com:
Sephora is doing its best Starbucks impersonation by giving away music, magazines, books, and apps for free. The content will continually change, but right now you can get Day One, djay 2, Silk, A Beautiful Mess, and an 8-song playlist for free. Unfortunately, as with many similar promos, it is only available in the US.

At Sephora, we think sharing is beautiful. So discover and download our favorite songs, playlists, magazines, books, and apps—for free. Our curated selections will be available for a limited time and will rotate regularly, so download the Sephora To Go app to get them all. Available for iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod touch®.

Keep your kids amused while you can with unofficial cartoon streaming app

Ben Lovejoy Jan 6 2014 - 5:56 am PT

4 Comments

We don’t expect Cartoon HD to last on the App Store for long, but at the moment you can grab this free iOS app that says it offers streaming access to 2000 cartoons.

– Larva Movie – Multi chapter
– Mr Bean Cartoon
– Pixar sort film (updating)
– Donald Duck
– Nu, pogodi! You Just Wait!
– Tom & Jerry
– Scooby Doo
– The Smurfs
– Pink Panther
– Mother Goose Club
– Yo Gabba Gabba!
– Merrie Melodies
– Looney Tunes
– The Simpson (updating)
– Johnny Test (updating)
– Chowder (updating)
– Ben 10 (updating)
– Ed, Edd & Eddy (updating)
– Naruto (updating)
– Superpuff girls X (updating)
– Doraemon (updating)

There’s also a paid ‘Pro’ version which claims to allow downloading, but from the reviews it sounds like you shouldn’t waste your money.

CES 2014: Parrot demos new iOS controlled ‘MiniDrone’ quadricopter coming later this year [Video]

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2014 - 2:01 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoVlNc2mEiw]

Parrot, the company best known for its AR Drone quadricopter, today unveiled a few of its latest iOS controlled vehicles including a smaller quadricopter called ‘MiniDrone’. We shot the videos above and below tonight during the official CES Unveiled press event and were quite impressed with the MiniDrone’s agility. Unlike its bigger brother, Parrot’s new drone sports removable wheels on either side allowing it to run smoothly along the floor, wall, or ceiling before taking off again into mid-air. It’s also extremely agile thanks to a number of built-in sensors, an auto-pilot mode, and a super lightweight design, as you’ll see in the video below.
Expand
Expanding
Close

CES 2014: Belkin shows off app controlled WeMo lightbulbs, Crock-Pot Slow Cooker, & ‘Maker’ DIY kit

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2014 - 12:10 am PT

2 Comments

Belkin is the official sponsor of 9to5Mac’s International CES 2014 coverage

At CES this year Belkin is focusing on expanding WeMo, its lineup of home automation products that allow you to control power outlets and connected products using an iOS app. We reviewed the company’s original WeMo kit, but it’s come a long way from just the socket and motion detector it first launched. Today we got a look at three new WeMo products coming soon, including: smart LED lightbulbs, a Crock-Pot slow cooker, and a new DIY kit dubbed “Maker”.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple wraps up 12 Days of Gifts with free Rolling Stones live album

Mike Beasley Jan 6 2014 - 12:00 am PT

Apple has released the 12th and final gift in its 12 Days of Gifts campaign. The last free item from the iTunes Store is a three-track live album from the Rolling Stones—Sweet Summer Sun, Live in Hyde Park 2013. The album was first released on New Years Day and features live performances of “Beast of Burden,” “Tumbling Dice,” and “Doom & Gloom.”

This marks the end of Apple’s campaign for this year, which was the first time the promotion has ever been available in the United States.

Just in time for the NFL playoffs, Yahoo Sports updated with iOS 7 design, gif creation tool

Chance Miller Jan 3 2014 - 11:25 am PT

Just in time for the NFL playoffs, the Yahoo Sports iOS app has been updated with a plethora of new features, the biggest of which are a totally new iOS 7 design and a new “Loops” service (via TechCrunch). Loops allows users to search through a game, select a short portion of it, and create an animated gif with that footage, along with captions, effects, and looping. Right now, Loops is compatible with the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, and NCCAB, though Yahoo says it plans to expand support to other leagues soon.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Anki Drive iOS app updated with new car upgrades, customization options

Chance Miller Jan 3 2014 - 10:44 am PT

1 Comment

Anki Drive got the ultimate endorsement last summer when Apple allowed the company to demonstrate its product on stage at its WWDC conference. For those unfamiliar, Anki Drive is a platform that allows hardware cars to be raced around a track and controlled wirelessly with an iOS device. Today, the company updated its iOS app with a host of new features, upgrades, and customization options. With today’s update, players can now take advantage of 20 new upgrade options, in addition to be able to further customize their car.

9to5Toys Last Call: Western Digital 2TB HD $90, iPhone wallet case $7, Monoprice $10 off $30, Cowbom 20% off, more

Jan 3 2014 - 9:49 am PT