Apps

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

1 Comment

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

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

1 Comment

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

1 Comment

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

If you use Shazam to note music you’d like to listen to later, that just got easier with the latest version of the iOS app: you can set it so that all the tracks you Shazam are automatically added to a My Shazam Tracks in Rdio.

Shazam was last updated in September, with instant previews of tweeted tracks and faster song recognition on older iPhones. Press release below …
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Microsoft updates Bing for iPad to version 2.0 with iOS 7 design, SkyDrive bookmarks, and more

Mike Beasley Dec 6 2013 - 9:07 pm PT

3 Comments

Microsoft has released a major update for its Bing app for iPad. The new app features a revamped interface to match the aesthetic of Apple’s latest OS along with a host of other features and improvements. Users are now able to save the daily image found on the search engine’s home page to their camera rolls for use as a wallpaper or whatever other purpose they decide.

Images and bookmarks can now be saved in the app and synced via Mirosoft’s SkyDrive service to other devices. Search results can now be shared to Facebook, Twitter, and other social platforms. Improvements and updates have been made to maps results, the Bing logo, and other graphics throughout the app.

9to5Toys Last Call: Infinity Blade II FREE, LifeProof sale, Samsung EVO 1TB SSD $540, more

Dec 6 2013 - 3:00 pm PT

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

IGN’s FREE iOS game of the month: Infinity Blade II ($7 savings)

LifeProof Sale up to 75% off: Arm Band for iPhone 5/5s: $13 (Reg. $50), frē iPhone 5 Case: $60 (Reg. $80), free shipping

Samsung EVO 1TB 2.5-inch SATA-3 SSD: $540 shipped (36% off)

Other great deals from today:

New! Canon EOS 6D 20.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera Kit+Bag, 16GB SD Card+$28 gift card, more: $1405 shipped ($2084 w/EF24-105mm IS lens)
New! Game/App Deals: Animal Crossing: New Leaf $25, Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: $35, COD: Ghosts $44 on next gen, iOS freebies, more
New! VIZIO 47″ 1080p 120Hz LED LCD Smart HDTV Refurb. $328 shipped (Reg. $550)
New! Keurig Vue V600 Brewing System $70 shipped (Reg. $140)

The best deals that are still alive:

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

Google enhances News mobile experience with brand new design

David Beren Dec 6 2013 - 11:55 am PT

Even as Google has yet to release a standalone app for its news platform, the company just announced a revamped mobile experience. This revamp comes on the heels of Google revealing the end of its alternative news application, Currents which is being rolled in with Newsstand.

Over the next few days Google News readers on Android and iOS devices will start to see a beautiful new version of the mobile web app that will provide an improved overall experience resulting in a kind of real-time news desk for you on your phone.

Google updates Search apps on iOS & Android w/ voice support for German, Japanese, and French

Chance Miller Dec 5 2013 - 1:10 pm PT

Google this afternoon announced an update to its Search apps on both Android and iOS that includes voice search support for three addition languages. In a blog post, the company announced that the app can now understand French, German, and Japanese. In addition to being able understand the new languages and give text results, the Search app can also now give spoken answers back in those languages.

To try it out, simply tap the microphone in the search box and ask for anything you’re looking for. If you need some coffee in Munich, just say “Wo bekomme ich Kaffee in München?” to get a list of local options. Wondering what the height of the Eiffel tower is? Get a quick answer by asking, “Quelle est la hauteur de la Tour Eiffel?”. Maybe you need to know who invented the transistor ? Try asking in Japanese for “トランジスタを発明したのはだれ？”

Google says it will continue to work on adding even more languages to its Search app and that this is just the beginning of its efforts.

The Google Search app update is available for free in both the iOS App Store and on Google Play.
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Best iOS apps for holiday shopping and gift giving

Zac Hall Dec 5 2013 - 11:00 am PT