Apps

6,231 'Apps' stories April 2010 - February 2013

See All Stories

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.

A&E, HISTORY, and Lifetime bring full episodes and movies to iPhone/iPod touch

Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2013 - 12:23 pm PT

A&E Networks finally rolled out iPad apps in December for watching full episodes and accessing content from its biggest networks including A&E, HISTORY, and Lifetime. The three apps provided extra content for Xfinity TV users, and A&E told 9to5Mac that support for AirPlay was on the way. Today, the company has brought all three apps to iPhone and iPod touch users. It is offering full episodes of shows like “Duck Dynasty,” “Storage Wars,” “The First 48,” “Pawn Stars,” “American Pickers,” “Swamp People,” as well as 25 full-length Lifetime movies. The updated A&E, History, and Lifetime apps not only include support for iPhone and iPod touch, but they also now provide iCloud syncing to resume episodes on any iOS device.

A+E Networks is expanding its award-winning content to smaller screens with new video watch apps available for free in iTunes for all iOS devices. Now on-the-go viewing goes beyond the iPad, viewers can watch full episodes, movies and exclusive clips from A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime on iPhone and iPod Touch.

To make the viewing experience even more seamless, HISTORY, A&E and Lifetime apps now conveniently sync with multiple devices. For instance, if you’re watching an episode of Swamp People on your iPad at home you can then finish watching it on your iPhone so you don’t miss the train to work. Currently, viewers who sign in to verify Xfinity TV from Comcast will also have more access to content, including full previous seasons.

evasi0n jailbreaks record 7M iOS devices in four days

Jordan Kahn Feb 8 2013 - 10:09 am PT

We previously told you that around 1.7 million people had used the new evasi0n tool to jailbreak their iOS device, according to stats from Cydia installs. Today, we get a little update on the progress: Jay Freeman told Forbes that Cydia recorded over 7 million devices, as of last night, and “insanely more new traffic” than the release of iOS 5’s Absinthe jailbreak tool and others before it.

As of Thursday night, Freeman’s alternative app store had received visits from 5.15 million iPhones, 1.35 million iPads, and 400,000 iPod touches that were jailbroken with evasi0n, the first jailbreaking software for the iPhone 5 and iOS 6.1.

Freeman says that evasi0n has brought Cydia “insanely more new traffic” than the release of the jailbreak tool called Absinthe that worked on some versions of iOS 5. And even Jailbreakme3, the popular web-based jailbreak released by iPhone hacker Comex in the summer of 2011, was only used on 1.4 million devices in its first nine days online

The top third-party email clients for the iPhone

Mike Beasley Feb 7 2013 - 1:38 pm PT

Welcome to 9to5Mac’s Smackdown series, where we compare the top hardware and software accessories for your Apple products.

When it comes to email on the iPhone, some users find the built-in Mail app lacking. Luckily, there are quite a few third-party clients available for your emailing needs. We’ll be running down all the major ones today, including those from the mail providers themselves and today’s big news Mailbox.app.

What you won’t find here are “apps” that simply give you the mobile web version of a mail service. If that’s what you want, you already have an app for that. If you want a native third-party email app for your iPhone, keep reading.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Mailbox for iPhone goes live for free in the App Store, reservations now being filled

Mike Beasley Feb 7 2013 - 10:00 am PT

Mailbox, the highly anticipated third-party Gmail client for the iPhone from Orchestra, is now available in the App Store. Here’s the essence of why Mailbox is meant to be a better mobile email client:

Mailbox is light, fast, and mobile-friendly.
Swipes make checking mail from your phone a delight.
Snoozes let you put off an email until later and remind you when the time has come.
Mailbox makes getting to inbox zero, and staying there, a breeze.

The app is free, but you’ll need a reservation code to use it today. These codes were given out on a first-come, first-served basis a few weeks ago to anyone who signed up for the app in advance. This system was put in place to prevent the company’s servers from being overwhelmed, as there is substantial demand for the free app.

Screenshots and video overview:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Rabbit, Foursquare, Skype, TomTom, Cut the Rope, Borderlands Legends, deals, more

Jordan Kahn Feb 7 2013 - 7:02 am PT

Rabbit: Launching today in closed beta, Rabbit is a new video chat and content sharing app– initially available exclusively for Mac– that has been getting a lot of attention. The app lets you chat with an unlimited number of people, create and customize chats, as well as watch movies, listen to music, and share content in chats in real-time. If you are a pre-teen who hasn’t heard of Google Hangouts, you might want to check this out.

Rabbit is kind of like a virtual living room. It runs in the background on your computer just like Skype, so you can always find your friends online and invite them to watch a movie or listen to music at any time. You can share this content directly from your computer, or you can use the Rabbit “SharePad” of integrated content sites to instantly launch TV shows, videos and music you want to watch and listen to with your friends.

Foursquare version 5.4.3: Foursquare gets an update today that brings improvements to check-in notification settings including an “Always” option to get notifications for all check-ins, as well as new “Nearby” and “Off” settings to apply to specific users.

✓ Choose “ALWAYS” for close friends and family you always want to keep up with. You’ll get notifications for all their check-ins, no matter where they are in the world.
✓ Choose “NEARBY” for friends you’d like to hear about from time to time. We’ll only notify you when they’re close by.
✓ Choose “OFF” for those acquaintances you don’t really want updates from. And that bike messenger friend who checks in at every spot on his route.

TomTom version 1.13: TomTom updated the majority of its iOS navigation apps today. On top of the most up to date map data, users can also now backup and restore settings and stored destinations from iCloud. With today’s update TomTom is also providing a free 30 day trial to its HD traffic subscription. In addition, the app now includes compatibility for iPad mini.

Borderlands Legends version 1.1.0: 2K’s Borderlands Legends (and the HD iPad version) is updated today with new features including a new sniper mode, new enemy and mini boss types, night versions of the Wasteland map, iPhone 5 & Game Center support, new Eridian Weapons, and more.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Twitter for iPhone gets reorganized search and discovery features

Mike Beasley Feb 6 2013 - 10:59 am PT

Image from the Twitter blog

Twitter announced a few updates to its mobile apps in a blog post today. Among the improvements is an updated search feature that is available from anywhere in the app and presents search results for people and terms all at once. The Discover tab is also reorganized, and the setting for switching between interactions and mentions in the Connect tab has been moved into the app.

One other very welcome change is the ability to tap links directly in the timeline now. Tapping a link would previously open the tweet’s detail view, where you would have to tap the link again to view it. Now you can just tap the link and go straight to the content.

Vine gets 17+ rating, ProCutX for Final Cut Pro, Gmail, Tweetbot, Poster, deals, more

Jordan Kahn Feb 6 2013 - 6:59 am PT

[hulu id=_cdivytk6g8qt3ggv4rw0a width=704 start_time=206 end_time=325]
Vine version 1.0.5: Twitter’s new short video sharing app Vine ran into a bit of controversy when pornography found its way into the Editor’s Picks section due to human error. The developers have since addressed the issues and today’s update not only brings new Twitter and Facebook sharing features, but also the ability to block and report profiles. As noted by The Verge, the 1.0.5 update also increased the rating of the app from 12+ to 17+.

• Share to Twitter or Facebook after posting. Find the post you want to share, then tap the “…” button in the bottom right.
• Report or block a profile. Go to the profile, then tap the newly added “…” button in the top right.
• Fixed an issue that caused a black screen to appear and uploads to fail after creating a video on certain devices
• Miscellaneous bug fixes

ProCutX for Final Cut Pro X: Final Cut plug-in maker & production company Pixel Film Studios is out today with a new app that allows iPad users to control a FCPX session running on their Mac. At first glance the app appears to provide a pretty slick UI and the developers said it offers access to all of the software’s editing tools to “control every step of the FCPX editing process.”

• Precision Timeline Scrubbing
• Quick Retiming
• Auto-Correct Color
• Color Grading
• Compound Clip Editing
• Import, Export, and Rendering shortcuts
• Quick Keywording
• Fast access to Tools
• System Volume Control
• Timeline Zooming
• Audio Enhancements
• Record Voiceovers

Tango version 2.6.36915: The popular text, voice, and video chat app Tango was updated today with a new central gallery for pictures and videos and a number of enhancements:

✔ New! Find all your pictures and videos in a central gallery.

✔ New! Improved call handling makes connect faster.

☂ Bug Fixes

Tweetbot version 2.7.1:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Today’s iPhone 5 Evasi0n Jailbreak sees record numbers: Here are 10 cool things to do with your newly-Jailbroken iOS device

Jordan Kahn Feb 4 2013 - 2:22 pm PT

Wow! 270,000+ active users on http://t.co/YQrXEeVQ!!! #evasi0n

— pod2g (@pod2g) February 4, 2013

If you have not jailbroken an iOS device in a while, you might wonder what all the excitement is surrounding today’s launch of the evasi0n jailbreak tool for iOS 6. (Note: Some people are having issues with the default Apple Weather app after install.)

[tweet https://twitter.com/MuscleNerd/status/298543670888644608]

Over the years, many features that were once jailbreak-only made their way to iOS or via third parties through the App Store. However, there are still many things you can do with jailbreak tweaks that aren’t possible on non-jailbroken devices. With over 270,000 active users at any one time on evasi0n today, we put together a list of some of the most interesting and useful tweaks that caught our attention in recent months:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Tweetbot for iPhone, Tesla Model S, Skype for iPad, XFINITY Connect, deals, more

Jordan Kahn Feb 4 2013 - 8:32 am PT

Our usual list of newly released and updated apps below. 9to5Toys also shares 15% off iTunes gift cards (All denominations available) + free shipping to get your downloading started.

New:

Tesla Model S: Users over on the Tesla forums noticed last night that the official Tesla Model S iPhone app has now made its way onto the App Store, at least in the US. The app will let Tesla Model S owners check, stop and start charging progress in real time, turn on heating and cooling, locate their vehicle, lock and unlock the car, and more.

– Check charging progress in real time and start or stop charge
– Heat or cool Model S before driving — even if it’s in a garage
– Locate Model S with directions or track its movement across a map
– Flash lights or honk the horn to find Model S when parked
– Vent or close the panoramic roof
– Lock or unlock from afar

Updates:

Tweetbot for Twitter (iPhone) version 2.7: One of the more popular Twitter iOS clients gets an update today that adds the ability to open links in Chrome and 1Password, as well as support for inline images from Vine and Flickr and a number of other new features.

– Added the ability to open links in Chrome and 1Password
– Added inline image support for Flickr
– Added inline image support for Vine
– Better support for muting Tweets with URLs
– Various bug fixes
– Still no jokes in the release notes

Skype for iPad version 4.5: Skype iPad app was updated today with a few welcomed new features. First, users in United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, France, and Estonia will now be able to add money to their Skype account directly from the app. The release notes also said the app now “automatically reconnects a dropped call when your wifi or mobile network reception is poor.” More new features and fixes below:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apps

Don’t type this phrase on your Mac unless you like crashing apps: ‘File:///’

Mike Beasley Feb 1 2013 - 10:28 pm PT

A pretty crazy bug report was filed with Apple on Thursday afternoon. According to a copy of the bug on Open Radar, all you have to do is type the text below into almost any window in any app on OS X to immediately crash the app. We managed to crash Tweetbot, Safari, Chrome, TextEdit, and more with this bug, but a few rare apps seem to be immune. This bug is so pervasive that typing it into this post crashed Safari and Chrome, so we embedded an image of the text below (apparently GIMP is one of those apps that can handle it safely).

Expand
Expanding
Close

Parallels 8 beats out VMware Fusion 5 in extensive benchmark analysis

Jordan Kahn Jan 30 2013 - 10:08 am PT

MacTech Magazine, which recently announced its upcoming MacTech BootCamp II, today looked at two of the most popular virtualization products for Mac with an in-depth benchmarking analysis of the most recent versions of Parallels Desktop 8 and VMware Fusion 5. We have seen Parallels 8 come out on top in benchmarks from previous reports, but this is by far the most comprehensive comparison.

MacTech put the two apps to the test in a number of areas including launching various OSes, application performance, 3D graphics tests, Retina Support, and much more. The conclusion: Parallels Desktop 8 won on the majority of general tests and 62 percent of 3D graphics tests.

In the vast majority of our overall tests, Parallels Desktop 8 won. Again, if you count up the general tests (including the top 3D graphics scores), Parallels won 56% of the tests by 10% or more. If you include all the tests where Parallels was at least 5% faster, as well as the balance of the 3DMark06 graphics tests, Parallels increased the lead further.

We recommend checking out MacTech’s lengthy analysis.

Parallels 8 for Mac currently sells for $55 on Amazon, while VMware Fusion 5 is available for as low as $46.99.

App Store earning over 3.5 times as much as Google Play with record revenue in December

Jordan Kahn Jan 30 2013 - 6:29 am PT

App Annie is out today with its January 2013 index that covers revenue from mobile app sales in the App Store and on Google Play. While Apple was able to hit record revenues in December, increasing revenue by one-third during the month and growing by one-fifth from Q3 to Q4, Android posted even stronger growth by doubling revenue quarter-over-quarter. Despite stronger growth for Android, according to the report, the App Store earned 3.5 times as much revenue as Google Play during December 2012. Bloomberg noted that App Annie doesn’t provide exact figures for revenue, as it currently sells that data, but the report provided a break down of revenue by country and publisher. Apple has previously said the App Store brought in around $333 million per month between June and December.

iOS App Store revenue grew by about one-fifth from Q3 to Q4. In particular, it achieved record revenues in December, as monthly revenue increased by about one-third from November to December 2012; this gain surpassed even the standout revenue increase from November to December last year. As highly-desired holiday gifts in many countries, new iPhones and iPads (including the recently launched iPad Mini) typically lead to a jump in app downloads, and consequently, app revenue.

When it comes to revenue by country, App Annie said that United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada continued to account for 60 percent of App Store revenue in Q4. However, China experienced significant growth during the quarter:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Kickfolio lets you embed iOS apps on any webpage, adds iPad support, slashes pricing

Jordan Kahn Jan 28 2013 - 2:14 pm PT

A demo of Angry Bots iOS app embedded using Kickfolio

We told you about a service called Kickfolio in December that would allow developers to demo their iOS apps directly in the browser using a new HTML5-based platform. The service converts a zipped version of an iOS app into a private test page with a completely interactive HTML5 and CSS version of the app. Today, the service got a few updates including the ability to embed app demos on any webpage using an iframe. You’ll find embedded iOS apps above and below that Kickfolio sent over for us to try. Kickfolio also now supports iPad apps, and it is making the service much more affordable for all. This is a powerful tool for developers promoting their apps online, and it’s one I expect many to take advantage of when providing free demos to potential customers and press on their website.

Kickfolio originally had some feedback for users about plans starting at $50 a month. The good news: the company just slashed the cheapest plan to $9 a month (that includes 500 embed sessions). Every plan now also includes unlimited apps, and the company is reopening 15-day free trials so everyone will get a chance to try the new features.

Another embedded app demo from Kickfolio below:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Facebook updates iOS app with in-app video recording, voice messages, improved Nearby tab

Mark Gurman Jan 28 2013 - 12:52 pm PT

Facebook has updated its official iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch application to include new in-app video recording and sharing capabilities. Additionally, the social network had added the new voice messages feature (which launched first in the standalone Messenger app for iPhone), to the main Facebook app. More details, images, and release notes below:

Expand
Expanding
Close

EA & DICE looking to bring Frostbite engine to Mac OS X

Jordan Kahn Jan 28 2013 - 7:50 am PT

According to a job listing from game developer DICE, EA might be looking to bring its popular Battlefield 3 franchise to OS X. The Battlefield3Blog pointed us to the job listing seeking a Mac OS X engineer to be”part of a team focusing on bringing Frostbite to Mac.”

Frostbite is looking for developers who want to join us in taking our engine to the next level. You will be part of a team focusing on bringing Frostbite to Mac and work closely with game team customers and the Frostbite team to deliver an engine as great on OS X as it is on Windows and traditional console platforms.

With plans to bring the Frostbite game engine to Mac, it could also mean EA plans to bring Frostbite-powered titles previously only available on Windows, Xbox, and PS3 to the Mac. There is no mention of specific games, but on top of the Battlefield series, Frostbite has been used for Need for Speed and Medal of Honor titles. We’re assuming this is for Frostbite 2, but there’s also a possibility it could be a next generation of the engine.

A free MAME emulator hits the App Store…for now

9to5 Staff Jan 26 2013 - 11:09 pm PT

Toucharcade has the story:

Yesterday, a game that was developed in 1982 for arcade hardware, but never officially released, quietly landed in the App Store. Gridlee [Free] is a simple game where you maneuver a little green fellow about a grid that stretches off into the distance, blasting upwards at bouncy red figures that try and squash you. That’sGridlee, but that’s not the crux of the matter with this app.

As developer David Loureiro explains, Gridlee was developed for the Bally/Sente SAC I cartridge-based arcade machine. It has been brought to iOS devices by way of an emulation wrapper…namely MAME4iOS.

When word of this hit our forums, readers were quick to pull out iExplore and begin digging about the app’s directory structure looking for a ROM folder. Well, it’s in there, and sure enough, if one copies other MAME ROMs into that folder, theGridlee app starts up with the standard MAME4iOS ROM listing, allowing for a great many games beyond just Gridlee to be played on the iPhone or iPad in this Universal app.

So, download the game, throw a bunch of ROMs into the ROM folder using an application such as iExplore, start, and you have a fantastic MAME emulator. Expect this to be gone soon. Oh, and it works with iCade!

Expand
Expanding
Close

YouTube Capture gets 1080p uploads, Vine, Google Currents 2.0, price drops, and more

Jordan Kahn Jan 25 2013 - 7:28 am PT

YouTube Capture version 1.1: Google has updated its newly released YouTube Capture app with some welcomed features including 1080p video uploads:

· 1080p uploads!
· Improved audio sync
· More detailed upload feedback
· Share to networks after uploading
· Bug fixes & stability improvements

Vine — Make a scene version 1.0.2: Just released yesterday, the app for sharing short video clips (and recently acquired by Twitter) today updated with improvements to profiles and more reliable Twitter integration:

* Logging in through Twitter is more reliable
* You can now update your profile photo from your Camera Roll
* Character limit for usernames and bio field
* International keyboards have better support
* Various bugs that caused crashes have been fixed

Google Currents version 2.0: Google is updating another one of its apps today, its magazine style news reader for tablets and smartphones now sports a new catalog design. The update also includes an Edition sidebar for quick access to categories, a new fast scan feature (Vertical swipe to scan an edition, horizontal swipe advances to next edition), and a new breaking stories section ranked by Google News. You can also now star to save stories for future reading:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apps

EA brings Origin gaming platform to the Mac in limited alpha

Mike Beasley Jan 24 2013 - 1:21 pm PT

Electronic Arts announced users would be able to download and test an early alpha build of its popular Origin gaming software for Mac starting today. According to a post on the Origin blog, only a few thousand players in North America and the United Kingdom will be able to download the app at this stage.

Mac gamers rejoice: Origin for Mac will be launching soon, and starting today we’re offering you the opportunity to take it for a spin before the official release.This open alpha will only be available to a few thousand users in North America and the United Kingdom, so don’t wait—download your copy of our new Mac client (alpha build) today.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Twitter launches ‘Vine’ video sharing app, 50% off Things for Mac, Textilus Word Processor, Cycloramic, more

Jordan Kahn Jan 24 2013 - 8:49 am PT

Vine — Make a scene: Today Twitter announced on its blog the launch of Vine, a mobile app it acquired a few months back that allows users to capture and share abbreviated, looping video clips. The free iPhone app is available now in the App Store and offers unlimited, free video uploads, Twitter and Facebook integration, and the developers noted a Twitter account would not be required to sign up.

Today, we’re introducing Vine: a mobile service that lets you capture and share short looping videos. Like Tweets, the brevity of videos on Vine (6 seconds or less) inspires creativity. Now that you can easily capture motion and sound, we look forward to seeing what you create.

Hotels.com version 3.7:

-You can now leave hotel reviews once you have completed your stay
-The app now supports iPhone 5
-Many bugs fixes

Cycloramic version 2.0: The app that uses your iPhones vibrating motor to shoot 360 degree video hands-free was updated today with new hands-free panoramic shooting modes and more:

Just place your iPhone in an upright position on a smooth and level surface and press GO. The Phone will automatically rotate 360 degrees while taking multiple pictures, instantaneously stitch them, generate the panoramic picture and finally open it and immerse you in our 3D viewer.

PANORAMIC PHOTO MODE
1) Guided Mode (iPhone 4/4S/5)
2) Hands-free Mode (iPhone 5 only)
With this update, Cycloramic brings you a whole new way to take panoramic pictures.

Textilus Word Processor version 1.5.9:

– New feature: Improved the file browser for local documents and Dropbox documents. Create, delete edit new documents and folders in Dropbox directly from the file browser
– New feature: Scrivener sync support (via Dropbox) for unlimited number of nested folders and sub-folders, preserving locally the document original path
– New feature: Green highlight color in Style menu
– New feature: Greek alphabet in the Math symbols
– New feature: Latest Dropbox SDK 1.3.3. Support for international characters in Dropbox file and folder names (Chinese, Japanese, etc.)

Call-It-Out: Officially launching today, Call-it-Out is a new app that aims to blend elements of YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest allowing users to “easily rate, capture, and share life through comments, images and videos.

Deals:

Things for Mac | 50% until Jan. 31 (usually $49.99)

GOG adds 10 classic titles to Mac catalog including Fallout 2, Alpha Centauri, and Postal 2

Jordan Kahn Jan 24 2013 - 7:06 am PT

In October 2012, online game retailer GOG.com announced it would bring a large portion of its classic game catalog to Macs starting with more than 50 titles. It has since added many more titles for Mac gamers, and it today announced the addition of 10 new Mac games including popular titles like Fallout 2, Sid Meier’s Colonization, and Postal 2.

This grouping of games has award-winning titles in practically every genre. For strategy games we see the works of industry legend Sid Meier’s in Alpha Centauri, and the hard to find expansion pack “Alien Crossfire”, as well as Sid Meier’s Colonization. Conquest of the New World, a historical strategy sim, is also added in today’s release. For fans of pulse-pounding action,Freespace, Terminal Velocity, and the controversial Postal 2 are sure to delight, while RPG lovers are well taken care of, with Fallout 2and Ultima 7 now fully supported for Mac operating systems.

A full list of new games is below:

GOG.com, the digital distributor of the best games in history for both PC and MAC, has added Alpha Centauri and the Alien Crossfire expansion,Fallout 2, Legend of Grimrock, Sid Meier’s Colonization, Postal 2, Ultima 7, Freespace 1,Terminal Velocity, Conquest of the New World, and the Blackwell Bundle are now officially supported by GOG.com, bringing the total of Mac games to just shy of 100.

Apps

Facebook tops Google Maps for #1 spot in used mobile apps list, but Google retains 5 of top 6 spots

Mark Gurman Jan 23 2013 - 12:00 pm PT

ComScore has taken a look at the most used mobile apps across the iOS and Android platforms. Though mapping is a crucial feature on smartphone and tablet devices, Facebook’s mobile application actually surpassed the usage of Google Maps on iOS and Android in 2012.

ComScore says that a drop in Google Maps usage occurred this past fall because of its removal from the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with iOS 6. However, even though it still is behind Facebook on the list, Google’s Maps software once again picked up steam when it came back to iOS via the App Store…

Expand
Expanding
Close

IK Multimedia announces ‘iRig BlueBoard’ Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard for iOS & Mac

Jordan Kahn Jan 23 2013 - 5:49 am PT

With NAMM press day kicking off in Anaheim today, iOS app and accessory maker IK Multimedia officially announced some of the products it briefly had on show during CES 2013. One of the more interesting products is the iRig BlueBoard. IK already has the iRig STOMP pedal, iRig accessories for connecting mixers, guitars, and mics to your iOS devices, but BlueBoard marks its first Bluetooth-enabled MIDI pedalboard designed specifically for iPhone, iPod, and iPad.

The pedal works with a dedicated BlueBoard app that will take the Bluetooth signal, convert it to MIDI messages, and then route them to any Core-MIDI compatible app on your iOS device or Mac. The result is the ability to control functions of an app, such as AmpliTube or JamUp Pro XT Amp Effects Processor, in the middle of a performance without having to fumble around your iOS device’s touchscreen. It will work with apps on your Mac, too.

It’s also possible to fully customize the MIDI messages that are sent out by the four switches and two optional expression pedals. It’s easy to setup iRig BlueBoard to control patch changes, effects parameters, reverb, delay on/off – or any parameter that can be controlled via MIDI. For a guitarist or vocalist using a mobile multiFX app like AmpliTube or VocaLive as a sound processor, iRig BlueBoard provides the foot-controlled functionality and convenience of a pedalboard, but with a form factor so compact and portable that it can easily slide into a backpack, a laptop bag or an instrument case.

Among the features: foot switches are backlit, Bluetooth 4.0 provides over 32 feet range, and the unit measures 10.6-inch-by-3.5-inch. It also requires four standard AAA batteries.

iRig BlueBoard will be available for $99.99 in the second quarter of this year. IK announced two new “iLoud” portable studio monitors for musicians, as well.

Apps

Highly anticipated ‘Mailbox’ iPhone email app to launch for free in the coming weeks, reserve your copy now

Mark Gurman Jan 22 2013 - 10:00 am PT

The highly anticipated Mailbox alternative email application for the iPhone will be available in the “coming weeks,” according to its creators. Orchestra, the application development team behind Mailbox, calls Mailbox “the inbox reinvented for a world on the go.” We’ve been testing the application and feel that it truly is the reinvention of email for mobile devices.

Orchestra has also announced that the Mailbox application will be available for free via the iTunes App Store when it launches. The company says that it plans to keep Mailbox free “forever.” The company hopes to monetize in the future via a premium set of features. However, the company is yet to share details on what these extra, paid features will provide.

Because of the high-demand for the server/cloud-focused email app, the company has now opened up a user reservation system. You can reserve your spot in line for using Mailbox right now at this link. Reservations will be filled on a first-come, first served basis. Orchestra explains the reservation process:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Temple Run 2 hits 20m downloads, Twitterrific for Twitter, Cubase iC Pro, JampUp, more

Jordan Kahn Jan 21 2013 - 1:12 pm PT

News:

Temple Run 2: After launching the follow up in its popular Temple Run series late last week, developer Imangi Studios announced today Temple Run 2 hit over 20 million downloads in just four days on the App Store.

The game rocketed to #1 Free App just eight hours after release, and is currently the #3 Top Grossing App. Free to download, Temple Run 2 is the sequel to the mega-hit original endless runner, Temple Run, which has been download over 170 million times across the App Store, Google Play and the Amazon Marketplace.

New apps:

Cubase iC Pro: Released on the App Store today, Steinberg Media have launched “The most advanced Cubase remote control app” for controlling Cubase 7/6.5 from your iPhone or iPad. The app syncs with Cubase on your Mac or PC, provides a project overview, a mixer with up to a 4 independent cue-mix, and the ability to customize macros and key commands.

Connecting deeper to Cubase than any other app, Cubase iC Pro is the most advanced Cubase control app with a clear focus on recording, making it your very personal recording assistant. The project overview page and the mixer allow you to see your project as you know it from Cubase, while the key command page gives you a powerful tool to set up your most-used keyboard shortcuts and macros.

Updates:

Twitterrific for Twitter version 5.0.2: A big update today goes to one of the runner-ups in our Twitter app showdown. Twitterrific for iOS was updated today with a simplified reading mode, image previews in the timeline, and images without frames in the photo viewer. The update also included a ton of improvements and bug fixes:
Expand
Expanding
Close