Apps

6,300 'Apps' stories April 2010 - July 2013

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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.

Google+ Local iOS App to be retired August 7

Scott Buscemi Jul 25 2013 - 6:02 pm PT

Now that the updated Google Maps iOS application has Google+ Local features baked in, the company has made the decision to axe the Google+ Local application. The announcement was made through an email:

Google+ Local app for iOS will be retired on August 7th
Hello,
We’re emailing to announce that the Google+ Local app for iOS will be retired on August 7th, 2013.
The good news is that all features in the Google+ Local app are now available in Google Maps for Mobile on iOS devices:

• Search by categories of places, like “restaurants” or “coffee shops”
• Read place information, including written reviews, average price, address and Street View (where available)
• See what people in your Google+ circles have to say about their favorite places around the world
• Rate and review places you’ve been to
• Share places, locations and businesses you find

Learn more about Google Maps for iOS.
This means that after August 7th, you’ll no longer be able to access the Google+ Local app through your iOS device. Any reviews and ratings that you created will be available on your Google+ profile and in the Google Maps iOS app.
Thank you for using Google+ Local for iOS.

Sincerely,
The Google Maps Team

Thanks, Michael!

9to5Toys Last Call: Kindle WiFi eBook Reader w/ special offers $39, 1-year Macworld magazine subscription $10, more

Jul 25 2013 - 3:00 pm PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+.

Also check out the latest 9to5Mac Happy Hour to hear the latest 9to5Toys segment. During the show, there’s a mention of $50 video conversion software currently available for free and the VPN service proXPN.com available at a 20% discount.

Today’s Featured deals:

Kindle WiFi eBook Reader w/ special offers $39 Shipped (Reg. $69)

1 Year Magazine Subscriptions: Macworld: $10, Men’s Health: $5 w/ Free Shipping

Preorder the newest Google gadgets:

Google Chromecast HDMI player $35 w/ free shipping
Google 1080p Nexus 7 starting at $230

Other great deals we love:

New! TCL Introduces The First 50″ 4k Ultra HDTV with sub $1000 Retail Price
New! Snagit 11 – Screen Capture Tool (Mac Download) $20 (Reg. $50)
New! Elenco Electronics Snap Circuits XP $35 + $5 shipping
New! 2 PACK – 3 in 1 USB Data and Charging Cable, Micro-usb, Lightning & 30-pin $6 Shipped

Save $20 on all orders of $60 or more at ThinkGeek: Star Wars, gadgets, apparel, gifts, more
JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Earbuds (silver, black) $10 Shipped (Reg. $60)
ZAGGfolio iPad 2/3/4 Bluetooth keyboard case $50 Shipped (Reg. $100)
AOC announces new 16″ DisplayLink USB 3.0-powered portable LED monitor
Best Buy slashes new Mac prices w/extra savings for students; New Airs start at $849
PNY 128GB SDXC Class 10 Memory Card w/ Read speeds up to 50MB/sec $80 Shipped (Reg. $200)
JBL launches the new WR2.4 Wireless Headphones w/ noise-free, 100ft. reception range
RapidWeaver 5 Mega Bundle – Themes, Stacks, and Plug-ins $80 (Reg. $700)
The Summer 2013 Mac Bundle Ft. Parallels Desktop 8 For Mac $50 ($482 value)

Apple updates Logic Pro X with performance improvements & bug fixes

Jordan Kahn Jul 25 2013 - 9:39 am PT

Following the release of a redesigned Logic Pro X suite earlier this month, Apple has just updated the app to version 10.0.1 with a number of bug fixes and performance improvements. Notably, its new Track Stacks feature will “no longer be inadvertently flattened by loading a Patch” and will also have access to Tuner for stacks containing audio tracks. In addition, Apple says “24-bit audio files are no longer converted to 16-bit when exporting projects to AAF”.

Full release notes below:

Google+ Photos app for Chromebooks coming soon to Mac?

Jordan Kahn Jul 25 2013 - 7:25 am PT

Google-Plus-Photos-App-Mac

Back in June, Google released a new Google+ Photos app for the Chromebook Pixel and noted that the slick app would also be coming to other Chrome OS devices. However, today we received some proof that the Chrome app might be soon making its way to other platforms including Mac and Windows. The Google Operating System blog notes that the app has recently made its way to t he Chrome Web Store with the app’s description describing auto-upload features for Mac, PC, and Linux:
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Algoriddim’s djay 2: redesigned, more capable, improved audio syncing [Review]

Zach Kahn Jul 25 2013 - 5:00 am PT

[youtube=http://youtu.be/mSsXrPxJ2rc]

“How can we create high quality, easy-to-use software for both professional and novice DJs?”

That’s the question that inspired co-founders Karim and Christoph to make Algoriddim’s djay, the award-winning music production software. At the time, DJ software was extremely expensive and complex, but the pair were determined to create meaningful change in an industry they were both tremendously passionate about. While they both enjoyed the art of scratching, in between attending classes and studying for exams at college, the two had vastly different skill levels.

Karim was the expert. With ten years of experience under his belt, Karim had his fair share of knowledge about the industry and had used some of the most popular DJ software available. But with every gig he played, Karim found each solution clunky and downright confounding. He could manage, as digital software proved to have a superior functionality compared to his old analog favorites, but the situation wasn’t even close to ideal.

Christoph, on the other hand, had an extraordinary admiration for DJing, but didn’t have the experience or expertise of his buddy Karim. No matter what software he tried, Christoph was often puzzled as most professional software featured an overwhelming set of controls and required an insanely high level of manual skill, which made performing all the more difficult.

As such, the duo wanted to make something new; software that they and similar people could both use.
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Google Drive for iOS adds option to open links in Chrome & Safari

Jordan Kahn Jul 24 2013 - 8:11 am PT

Google has just updated its Google Drive app for iOS with a couple new features and performance enhancements. After adding support for opening links in native Google apps from the Chrome iOS app last week, it has now updated the Drive app with an option to open links within files in Chrome and Safari.

Also new in version 1.5.0 of Google Drive for iOS is support for inserting rows and columns via the “+” button within Google Sheets, as well as stabilization and other bug fixes:

What’s New in Version 1.5.0

Clicking on links from within files gives you the option to open in Chrome and Safari
Insert rows and columns using the “+” button in Google Sheets
Stabilization & bug fixes

App Store becomes EA’s biggest retail partner by sales for the first time in June

Jordan Kahn Jul 24 2013 - 7:58 am PT

As noted by VentureBeat, EA revealed today during its earnings call with investors that for the first time, Apple has become “EA’s biggest retail partner as measured by sales” as a result of the App Store. It’s a big announcement for the publisher that previously sold the majority of its content through retail channels for console games, and it could be a sign that EA will be investing more in iOS and other mobile titles in the months to come. In its earnings release, the company noted that it was “the #1 global publisher in the iOS game market in the June quarter,” and also highlighted a few of its more successful iOS titles, including: The Simpsons: Tapped Out, Real Racing 3, and The Sims:
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Nike+ Running iOS app offers virtual races with friends, group chat

Ben Lovejoy Jul 24 2013 - 7:13 am PT

The loneliness of the long-distance runner may have been reduced by the latest update to the Nike+ Runner app. Version 4.3 allows you to challenge friends at other locations to virtual races, set a distance and duration, and then the app keeps track of how you are doing against your mates.

A group chat function allows you to encourage them or mock them as the mood strikes.

The free app uses your iPhone’s GPS and accelerometer to record your progress – no additional hardware is required.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is one of Nike’s best-known fans, sitting on the Nike board and sporting a Nike FuelBand.

Apps

Apple rolls out update to Apple Store iPhone app

Jordan Kahn Jul 23 2013 - 12:33 pm PT

Following our report that Apple would be rolling out an updated Apple Store app today, the company has just updated the iPhone app to Version 2.7. The updated app includes several performance improvements, one of which brings improved product search capabilities. Apple is also working on a feature that would display offers to download free content to users while in the App Store, but it’s unclear if this version of the app includes that functionality. It’s possible the functionality is only displayed to users when inside an Apple Store location, or the update lacks the content because it requires a yet-to-happen server-side push.

Earlier this month, we reported that Apple was working on a new initiative at Apple Stores that would encourage Apple store employees to install the Apple Store app on newly purchased iPhones. The new version of the app would also then promote content from iTunes, the App Store, and iBooks by offering users the ability to download content free for a limited time.

Below is a screenshot from an Apple source showing Apple’s internal documents detailing free content downloads and other new features:
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Sprint brings real-time caption calling service for the hearing impaired to iOS devices

Jordan Kahn Jul 23 2013 - 11:17 am PT

Sprint announced today that it will now be offering its Wireless CapTel service to iOS device users, enabling the hearing impaired to read “real-time word-for-word captions” of conversations on their iPhone, iPod, or iPad.

Wireless CapTel by Sprint users place a call in the same way they would when using a traditional phone – by dialing the number directly on the device. The revolutionary application then connects callers directly to the CapTel service when the phone is dialed. When the receiving party answers, callers can listen to what the other person is saying and also read captions on the phone’s display screen.

Incoming calls will be routed through the service as well for users with a CapTel by Sprint number, allowing customers to receive the real-time captions for every conversation. Previously, the service was only available on select Android devices, including the LG Optimus G, HTC Evo 4G, and Samsung Galaxy SIII, and a few others.

Sprint is making the functionality available through a free app available on the App Store, and the service available for free to users on an Everything Data plan.

You can get a look at how the service works in the video below:
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Phone and texting app ‘Viber’ hacked by Syrian Electronic Army [update 2: Viber, Kayako comments]

Scott Buscemi Jul 23 2013 - 11:15 am PT

The Hacker News is reporting that communications app “Viber” has been hacked by the Syrian Electronic Army, a “pro-Assad hacker group”. In addition, their support webpage was defaced before the company took the page down. Support.Viber.com currently leads to a “403 Forbidden” page.

The defaced webpage before it was taken down

The webpage placed by the SEA stated:

Dear All Viber Users,

The Israeli-based “Viber” is spying and tracking you

We weren’t able to hack all Viber systems, but most of it is designed for spying and tracking

Screenshot of a hacked system: [screenshot]

It is unclear if the SEA is planning on using this information or if their sole intention was to expose the tracking information stored in Viber’s database. Each record in the database stores the UDID and IP address of each call, however, one may presume this information is stored for purposes other than tracking and spying on its own users (e.g. presenting the data to the proper law enforcement authorities upon request).

We’ve asked Viber to comment about the scope of the hacking and defacing and will update this post if new information arises.

Update: Viber has responded to our request for comment:

Today the Viber Support site was defaced after a Viber employee unfortunately fell victim to an email phishing attack. The phishing attack allowed access to two minor systems: a customer support panel and a support administration system. Information from one of these systems was posted on the defaced page.

It is very important to emphasize that no sensitive user data was exposed and that Viber’s databases were not “hacked”. Sensitive, private user information is kept in a secure system that cannot be accessed through this type of attack and is not part of our support system.

We take this incident very seriously and we are working right now to return the support site to full service for our users. Additionally, we want to assure all of our users that we are reviewing all of our policies to make sure that no such incident is repeated in the future.

Update 2: The maker’s of Viber’s customer service helpdesk software Kayako have responded to the situation as well, noting that it is an isolated situation and the email phishing was the vulnerability that allowed for the hacking.

The security of our customers’ helpdesks and data is our highest priority. As Viber said in their statement, this looks to be an isolated compromise of an individual’s account. Even so, we have taken the precautionary measure of auditing our systems. At this time we have no reason to believe that any other Kayako system or customer has been affected and we will continue to monitor the situation.

Source: THN (warning: do not click on the Mirror of Hack link on that page, as Google Chrome suspects malware is embedded)
Via: AppleSpot

Apps

Flipboard now allows custom, curated magazines to be read in web browser

Mark Gurman Jul 23 2013 - 6:11 am PT

To augment the March Flipboard update that allows users to create and curate their own digital magazines, Flipboard has now launched a feature that allows these custom magazines to be read in a web browser. Additionally, a new “Big Ideas” Flipboard section is live, focusing on important world issues.

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From the makers of Clear, ‘Ember’ is a digital scrapbook that illuminates your inspiration [Review]

Zac Hall Jul 23 2013 - 6:00 am PT

“Ember is your digital scrapbook of things that inspire you”

Realmac Software has been busy at work this year, releasing Analog Camera for iPhone, updates to Clear and Analog for Mac, and now releasing the next generation of its digital scrapbook LittleSnapper, now known as Ember for Mac.

Ember simplifies the management of screenshots and web clips into collections and features annotation functionality. Ember can even plug in to popular sites that feature beautiful imagery like Dribbble and National Geographic. In addition, integrated services like Messages, Twitter, Flickr, and CloudApp allow for easy image sharing.

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Plex iOS app updated with more responsive browser & other performance improvements

Jordan Kahn Jul 22 2013 - 3:35 pm PT

Plex, the popular media server app for Mac, iOS and Apple TV, received an update today to its iPhone and iPad app that brings a number of performance improvements that address issues users have been noticing since the last major update. Among the fixes is a much improved and more responsive browser, fixes for multi-part playback, and a “clear cached data” function that actually works as you’d expect. A few of the fixes should help to get rid of any crashes that you might have been experiencing recently:

We squashed a bug that reared its ugly head when attempting to display items without thumbnail images, which could cause the app to crash on launch or when signing in to myPlex.

A full list of what’s new in version 3.2.3 of the Plex app for iOS is below:

What’s New in Version 3.2.3

We’re back again with another round of bug fixes. Thanks so much to the forum members who helped us track down some of the more serious issues. We really appreciate your help! Without further ado, here’s what’s been fixed in this version:

• We squashed a bug that reared its ugly head when attempting to display items without thumbnail images, which could cause the app to crash on launch or when signing in to myPlex.
• A potential crash while removing or modifying sync items has been fixed.
• Reliability while browsing has been improved further, especially when scrolling rapidly in large library sections.
• The browser is more responsive while scrolling.
• Multi-part playback works properly again.
• Items beginning with special characters outside the device’s selected language are now included when browsing.
• The “Clear Cached Data” action works again.
• We’ve added protection against invalid cache data.
• A few minor cosmetic issues have been addressed.

As part of iPhone sales push, Apple Store app to be redesigned & gain free iTunes content

Mark Gurman Jul 20 2013 - 7:11 am PT

Next week, Apple will debut a new element of Tim Cook’s plan to sell more iPhones direct from Apple Retail. The company, on Tuesday, July 23rd, will release an updated version of its Apple Store application for iPhone and iPod touch, according to a source with knowledge of the app. The new app has been redesigned to fit more in line with the user-interface of the App Store, iTunes Store, and iBookstore in iOS 6.

This slight interface change comes for a good reason: one of the main new features of the app is downloadable content. As you can see in the photo of the upcoming app update (to the right), the app will promote content from the three Apple content stores. This content normally costs money, but it will be available free for a limited time via this new app.

Apple, internally, positions this as a way to boost content sales as this new feature is designed to raise awareness about Apps, iTunes, and iBooks content.

Sources say that the new app update is also designed to go hand-in-hand with a new initiative in Apple Stores. When a new iOS Device is sold, Apple employees will be encouraged to install the new Apple Store app on the newly purchased device. According to comments from Tim Cook at last month’s secretive summit for Retail Leadership, only 20% of Apple customers are aware of the Apple Store app’s existence. This new plan will certainly increase that percentage.

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9to5Toys Last Call: $120 Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 (PC/Mac), $72 External Blu-ray player/writer, apps/games, more

Jul 19 2013 - 3:00 pm PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+.

Also check out the latest 9to5Mac Happy Hour to hear the latest 9to5Toys segment. During the show, there’s a mention of $50 video conversion software currently available for free and the VPN service proXPN.com available at a 20% discount.

Today’s Featured deals:

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 Software for Mac and Windows (Boxed Version) $120 Shipped

Samsung 6X USB External Slim Blu-ray/CD/DVD reader/writer $72 Shipped (Reg. $98)

Other great deals we love:

New! VIZIO 50″ 1080p 120Hz LCD/LED Wifi HDTV with streaming apps (refurb): $445/$475 shipped
New! Brother Wireless Inkjet All-in-one printer w/ Apple AirPrint $41 Shipped (Reg. $100)
New! Lightning cable $10 deals: Apple official or 2-pack 10-foot in 10 colors or 30-pin,Lightning cable+headphones
New! $50 Best Buy gift card with purchase of full-sized iPads, $25 for iPad Mini
New! Logitech Wireless Keyboard K400 w/ Built-In Touchpad $25 Shipped (Refurb $22)

ZAGGfolio iPad 2/3/4 Bluetooth keyboard case $50 Shipped (Reg. $100)
Jawbone Jambox Platinum in Black $95 + $5 Shipping
Rayman Jungle Run (iOS) $.99, preorder Diablo III and save $10, Watch Dogs Limited Edition, more
Buffalo MiniStation Plus 1TB Portable USB 3.0 External Hard Drive $60 Shipped (Reg. $110)
Energy 5.1 Take Classic Home Theater System $280 Shipped (Reg. $400)
Up to 80% off iPhone 5 and USB Accessories: 3-in-1 USB Charger $9, 4-port USB Power Adapter $7, Car Charger For iPhone 5 $9
Best Buy slashes new Mac prices w/extra savings for students; New Airs start at $849
RapidWeaver 5 Mega Bundle – Themes, Stacks, and Plug-ins $80 (Reg. $700)
~~Etronic 12W Dual USB car charger: $4.50 shipped (Reg. $30)~~
iPad mini 16GB WiFi (new) $300 (Reg. $329)
iPad 4th gen. w/ Retina display 16GB WiFi (white/black) $450 (Reg. $500)
Apple 13″ MacBook Air 1.3 GHz i5 Haswell, 128GB SSD, AC WiFi $1,045 (Reg. $1,099) or 256GB $1,235 (Reg. $1,300)
The 8x Zoom Lens For iPhone 5 $29
All In One Screen Capture & Editing $19
Western Digital WD TV Live 1080p streaming media player (Refurb.) $59 Shipped (Reg. $130 new)
The Summer 2013 Mac Bundle Ft. Parallels Desktop 8 For Mac for $50 (89% off)
50% off select Kindle Fire accessories: cases, cables, headphones, adapters, more

A new trend? ‘Posegram’ developer shows off iOS 7 UI elements in older iOS versions [Video]

Scott Buscemi Jul 19 2013 - 8:32 am PT

[youtube=http://youtu.be/GL1LtTshEYs]

Even with the release of iOS 7 still in the far future, many users are wanting to use the new features and overall design. While many have resorted to installing the ‘developer only’ betas, others may find that an update to the “Posegram” app will keep them satisfied for the time being. The developers of the app, which is pretty much Instagram except with suggested poses that actually aren’t too bad, have integrated many of the design elements that make iOS 7 extremely unique and desirable.

As seen in the gallery below, they have created made the app’s menu bar transparent, the settings looks exactly like the Settings app in iOS 7, and pop-up options have the same look and feel as you would expect from the upcoming operating system.

In the video above, you’ll see a quick demo of how the app works and the way the design is integrated into the app. There are some noticeable flaws – including the way the transparent menu bar works – but overall, it’s an extremely notable effort and could signal a new trend in apps over the next couple of weeks or months.

Posegram is available free in the App Store.

Evernote for iOS updated with shortcuts, Skitch integration, more

Scott Buscemi Jul 18 2013 - 5:44 pm PT

Evernote for iOS has been updated to Version 5.4 this evening, bringing Skitch integration and sync-able shortcuts to the universal app. The handy note-taking and document organization app is free in the App Store.

What’s new in Version 5.4:

– Add Shortcuts on your iOS device; sync to access them anywhere
– Mark up images, PDFs, and entire notes with Skitch integration
– See notes you recently viewed along the bottom of any note

9to5Toys Last Call: $40 Waterproof Bluetooth shower speaker, $329 MacBook 2.13 GHz/4GB RAM/160GB HD (Refurb), software/games, more

Jul 18 2013 - 3:00 pm PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+

Today’s Featured deals:

SOLD OUT Hipe waterproof Bluetooth shower speaker $40 Shipped (Reg. $100)

SOLD OUT White 13.3” MacBook 2.13GHz/4GB RAM/160GB HD/Superdrive (refurb) $329 Shipped

Best Buy slashes new Mac prices w/extra savings for students; New Airs start at $849

Other great deals we love:

New! Game/App Deals: Prince of Persia Retro: FREE, Ocarina 2: FREE, PC digital downloads, more
New! RapidWeaver 5 Mega Bundle – Themes, Stacks, and Plug-ins $80 (Reg. $700)
New! Marvel Blu-ray Bundle (X-Men 1-3, X-Men First Class, Wolverine, Fantastic Four 1-2, Daredevil, Elektra) $60 Shipped
New! Etronic 12W Dual USB car charger: $4.50 shipped (Reg. $30)

Samsung announces new Solid State Drives for ‘everyone’ with capacities up to 1TB: Samsung… http://t.co/PoUPj5naiJ

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 18, 2013

ZAGGfolio iPad 2/3/4 Bluetooth keyboard case $50 Shipped (Reg. $100)
iPad mini 16GB WiFi (new) $300 (Reg. $329)
iPad 4th gen. w/ Retina display 16GB WiFi (white/black) $450 (Reg. $500)
Apple 13″ MacBook Air 1.3 GHz i5 Haswell, 128GB SSD, AC WiFi $1,045 (Reg. $1,099) or 256GB $1,235 (Reg. $1,300)
iPhone 5 CaseCrown Lux Snap On Case (multiple colors) $3.50 Shipped (Reg. $6.50)
The 8x Zoom Lens For iPhone 5 $29
All In One Screen Capture & Editing $19
Western Digital USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drives: 2TB My Passport $110
Western Digital WD TV Live 1080p streaming media player (Refurb.) $59 Shipped (Reg. $130 new)
Logitech K810 Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard w/ one-touch device switching $45 Shipped (Reg. $100)
The Summer 2013 Mac Bundle Ft. Parallels Desktop 8 For Mac for $50 (89% off)
50% off select Kindle Fire accessories: cases, cables, headphones, adapters, more
Amazon Instant Video Half Yearly Sale: Hundreds of free TV show pilots, $.99 movie rentals, more

VLC returns to the App Store after two year hiatus

Scott Buscemi Jul 18 2013 - 10:16 am PT

After a nasty licensing issue that broke out in 2011, VLC was removed from the App Store. Today, the media player is destined to make a comeback, complete with new features like WiFi content uploading, which makes it even easier for you to get content from your desktop to the app on your iOS device.

In some sense, this app may be too little too late, as the trend toward video streaming has increased tremendously over the past few years. Going through all of the effort to transfer your videos from your computer to phone/tablet may not be worth it. However, users who are going to be without an internet connection for some time – or those with low data caps – will find the new VLC app quite useful.

From our own Benjamin Mayo:

Although I greatly appreciate the engineering effort necessary to make the decoding process multithreaded, a big boon for multicore iOS devices, the app’s UI still leaves much to be desired.

Expect the app to appear in the App Store shortly.

Update: It’s out now.

Uber Ice Cream delivering tomorrow, one day only

Scott Buscemi Jul 18 2013 - 10:04 am PT

As announced on the company blog, popular transportation app Uber will have ice cream trucks available from 11-5 in 33 cities tomorrow.

If you are lucky enough to live in one of the cities, you can pop open the app tomorrow and slide to the “Ice Cream” option. The ice cream isn’t cheap – around $4-5 per person and bundled together for five or six people – but the near-instant gratification and overall experience may make the high cost worth it.

Uber is available for free in the App Store.

Ruby for Reddit: A simple client for iPhone [Review]

Zach Kahn Jul 18 2013 - 1:00 am PT

Today, HalfPeeled has released a third party client for Reddit, Ruby for Reddit, that makes the already unique experience of browsing the community-based entertainment website extremely simple. The company, which is headed up by WWDC Student Scholarship recipient Nate Chiger, is also responsible for the neat panoramic photo sharing app, PanoPerfect, as well as a few other interesting apps that are worth checking out. Before we jump into the app’s functionality, let’s take a moment to talk a bit about Reddit. If you’re already familiar with what Reddit is, feel free to skip this paragraph below and jump down to the review.

For those who are unfamiliar, Reddit is a social news website that empowers users to submit content in the form of a text or link post and vote on the best submitted content. Often referred to as “the front page of the Internet,” Reddit prompts users to actively engage in ‘up voting’ or ‘down voting’ submissions so that the greatest, most interesting content can rise to the top of the page. In doing so, the site encourages users to submit all sorts of posts — from world news to cat .gifs — so that the site and its community can vote and subsequently engage in conversation about almost anything there is to talk about. In doing so, Reddit has formed its own unique culture and community that have shed some light on incredible stories and have even given way to powerful, life-changing actions. Reddit has no barrier to entry (other than signing up for an account) and can make even the most slow days seem interesting. In short, if you haven’t yet perused the site or don’t already have an account, you should probably check it out and sign up for one free of charge. It’ll certainly make this review a whole lot more interesting.

Now that you’re all caught up on Reddit, let’s get back to the app. Ruby for Reddit features a extremely simple and familiar user interface that puts Reddit’s content at the center. You can switch between different subreddits (groups on Reddit based on categories) and pages by tapping on the top bar or by swiping out the navigation panel, much like the official Facebook app. You can also view images inline and pinch to see content in full screen. There are even some custom fonts for you to choose from and a dark mode that makes viewing posts easier at night.

HalfPeeled has also included a ‘Pro’ mode (unlocked via in-app purchase) that lets you submit quick posts to Reddit and hide the status bar from view. You can get by without purchasing the Pro mode, but it’s there for users who enjoy using the app and are looking for some extra customization.

All in all, Ruby for Reddit is an extremely straightforward alternative to the official Reddit app, which doesn’t offer many customization options or other additional functionality. HalfPeeled may have to add some features to better compete with other third party Reddit clients like Alien Blue, as well as tweak some of the design elements to prepare for iOS 7’s redesign, but for version one, Ruby for Reddit is great client that many users will enjoy. You can download Ruby for Reddit (iPhone only) free on the App Store here.

Chrome for iOS adds support for opening links in Google apps, voice & text-to-speech enhancements, fullscreen iPad, & data cost savings

Jordan Kahn Jul 17 2013 - 11:05 am PT

Google has just issued a big update to its Chrome app for iPhone and iPad that brings new “interoperability with other Google Apps” and a number of other notable features. That means that you’ll now be able to open all links for YouTube, Maps, Google+ and Drive in their native apps instead of in the browser. You’ll also now be able to access the apps with a single tap from within Chrome.

The update also brings enhancements to the newly introduced voice search capabilities, including: always visible controls from the toolbar and text-to-speech support for “all variations of English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, and Korean.”

Other improvements in today’s update include fullscreen support on iPad, easier access to browser history, and, according to Google, data cost savings:

Reduce data usage and speed up page load times. View data savings in Bandwidth Management settings. This feature is being rolled out and will be available to all users over time.

Google explained the experimental data cost savings feature in a whitepaper when it was first introduced on Android. In the document, Google says its tests showed the feature can reduce data usage by up to 50%:
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Tumblr releases security update for iOS app to fix password compromising bug

Chance Miller Jul 16 2013 - 8:34 pm PT

Tumblr has just released an important security update for its universal iOS app. In a blog post, the company says that the update addresses an issues that allows passwords to be compromised in certain circumstances. Because of this, Tumblr is also urging anyone who used the vulnerable version of the app to change their password immediately.

We have just released a very important security update for our iPhone and iPad apps addressing an issue that allowed passwords to be compromised in certain circumstances¹. Please download the update now.

If you’ve been using these apps, you should also update your password on Tumblr and anywhere else you may have been using the same password. It’s also good practice to use different passwords across different services by using an app like 1Password or LastPass.

The details of the security flaw are scarce, but it’s never good when a user’s password is accessible by anyone else. You can find the update on the App Store now.