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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.

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Discover Mobile adds Passbook, Draw Something Pro, BBC iPlayer, Showtime, deals, more

Discover Mobile version 4.10: The Discover for iPhone app officially gains Passbook support for saving redeemed Cashback Bonuses.

-Your Discover app now includes Apple Passbook integration for partner eCertificates! Redeem your Cashback Bonus for a partner eCertificate and save it to Passbook! (Available for users on iOS 6 or greater)

Draw Something Pro: OMGPOP is out with a new, paid, ad-free version of its popular Draw Something app. While you could get a universal, ad-free $2.99 version of the app previously, this new pro version includes a UI designed specifically for iPad (no iPhone/iPod support), and a few new features including:

✐ INFINITE BOMBS
• Never run out of BOMBS. Ever.
• Gain access to ALL SPECIAL WORDS at no extra cost
• Unlimited GUESS help – keep your streaks alive
✐ FREE COLOR PACK
• 10 brilliant new colors available only in PRO
✐ STUNNING NEW DESIGN
• A larger drawing screen optimized just for iPad

Vintagio version 4.1: MacPhun’s retro video editor app is currently 60% off for the holidays in our deal section below and today received new features including full iPhone 5/iOS 6 support, Cinegram exports, a faster algorithm, and other improvements.

Showtime version 3.0.2: 

– iPhone 5 compatibility
– iOS 6 compatibility
– Now provides support for closed captioning on free full episodes
– Bug fixes and improvements

BBC iPlayer: This free app now supports iPhone 5. The change log for version 2.0.2. also includes:

  • Watching programmes on the iPad has had a facelift. Check out what’s behind the “More” and “Live Channels” buttons.
  • It’s already available on the iPad, and now you can plug your phone into your telly.
  • Feedback on the BBC iPlayer downloads feature has been great. We’ve fixed a number of bugs to hopefully make it even better!

The Oregon Trail: American Settler: The classic PC titled was recently revived for iOS devices by developer Gameloft, and today gets a few new features including a snow-covered landscape, and an appearance by 7-time Grammy award winning country group Lady Antebellum:

★ Interact with the members of the popular country pop band, Lady Antebellum, as they visit Oregon for the winter – starting at Level 15. Watch their performance in the new Concert Hall!
★ All-new town photo sharing – share postcards of your frontier town with all your friends!
★ New snow-covered landscape!
★ Festive quests, decorations and buildings.
★ Dress Ma & Pa in holiday-themed outfits!

WhatsApp Messenger version 2.8.7: Some necessary fixes for the popular WhatsApp Messenger app:
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Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, Google Shopper 3.0, Evernote, SoundCloud, Snapseed, more

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCulvhFX-MM]

Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour: A few big games are hitting the App Store today. Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City started hitting the store last night, and today we get the latest instalment from Gameloft’s Modern Combat series, “Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour”.

The #1 FPS is back on smartphone with a new chapter to push the boundaries of mobile gaming even further. In the wake of a nuclear disaster, the only chance to avoid global devastation is in the hands of the few elite soldiers who must track down and rescue the world’s leaders from a frighteningly familiar terrorist group.

Google Shopper version 3.0: Google has released a brand new version of its Google Shopper app today bringing a new, faster UI with larger images, a new sales screen, more effective search for apparel “with image-centric search results,” and much more:

* New UI with faster navigation and bigger images.
* Discover sales and special offers in your area from the new sales screen.
* Search for apparel and accessories more effectively with image-centric search results.
* Make more informed buying decisions with GoodGuide product ratings.
* Get great deals online with retail promotions.
* Find out about new features and content with push notifications.

SoundCloud version 2.4: A few nice improvements and new features to the SoundCloud iOS app:

– Introducing Reposts: sounds you repost will appear in your stream.
– New search with suggestions and more relevant results
– Improved Facebook integration
– Visually enhanced welcome screens for new users
– Streaming improvements and bug fixing

Evernote version 5.1: Version 5.1 of the Evernote iPhone and iPad apps brings Evernote Business support a business themed notebook design, the ability hide the premium view, and more:

– Evernote Business support, including new Business Notebook design
– Sort by created date and note counts in all note lists
– Premium users can hide the Premium View
– Numerous bug fixes and stability improvements

Snapseed version 1.5: As we told you earlier, the Google-acquired Snapseed iOS has gone free to celebrate the introduction of version 1.5 and new Android app. The update also includes the following improvements:
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Snapseed for iOS goes free as Google launches Android version

Google-acquired Snapseed, a popular photo-editing app for iOS, just unveiled an Android version, while its App Store counterpart pushed out an update and went free in celebration of the launch.

Version 1.5 of Snapseed for iOS is now free, rather than $4.99, and it comes with a fresh icon, built-in Google+ sharing, a new Retrolux film-style filter, and an updated Frames filter.

The full change log:

  •  Now free!
  • New icon!
  • Built-in Google+ sharing functionality!
  • New Retrolux filter! Use one of the newly created film styles, combined with a range of different scratches and textures as well as light leaks to create a truly retro look for your photos.
  • Updated Frames filter! Now includes a wide range of new, high quality photographic frames. Colorize the frame edges to match the look of your image or switch to square mode with a single tap.

As for the new Android flavor, its Google Play link isn’t live yet. A few reports suggested that it comes with all the same features and tricks as the iOS iteration, however. TechCrunch got a couple of screenshots, though, as seen below.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Google.


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Twitterrific 5 review: terrific new interface, some old flaws

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Back in the summer of 2008, when I first joined Twitter, there weren’t very many good Twitter apps around. I had a Mac and an iPod touch, and I wanted a way to keep up with the few people I was following on those devices.

The first app I used was Twinkle, by the makers of the Tap Tap Revenge games. I used it for a while, but it started to show its age as things started breaking and new “social” features required separate accounts on other networks. I decided it was time to move on.

That’s when I discovered Twitterrific, and I loved it. Between the Mac and iOS versions, I had an app for keeping up wherever I was. The iOS version was a power user’s dream come true. There were buttons, filters, and toggles that did everything I wanted.

I used Twitterrific for several versions until I eventually moved on again; this time to Echofon for its fancy timeline position syncing across devices. This was something no one had done at that time.

Twitterrific has always held a special place in my Twitter client list. It was easily my favorite app for several years, and even after I stopped using it, I wished for timeline syncing so that I could return to it.

When Twitterrific 4.0 launched, I was caught somewhat off guard. The app had been completely rewritten for simplicity. Most of the power features I had enjoyed were gone. The focus was now on reading and composing, and not much else. I had since moved to Tweetbot and couldn’t imagine using any other app. Tweetbot’s power features had me hooked.

Today, Twitterrific 5.0 is available. The app has once again been redesigned from the ground up, with new features and customizability. But is it enough to win back former fans who have been turned off by the lack of focus on power users? Keep reading to find out.


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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for iOS now available on the App Store

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

Rockstar has been teasing the iOS edition of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the game for a few weeks now. The game officially makes its way to the App Store today, starting with the New Zealand and Russian stores, and it should make its way to the United States and elsewhere shortly. The app is selling in New Zealand for around $5 USD.

Xbox SmartGlass gets iPhone 5 support, Twitterrific 5, DISH Remote Access, Plex, deals, more

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Xbox SmartGlass version 2.1: Microsoft’s app for controlling your Xbox with your iPhone or iPad officially gains iPhone 5 support:

• iPhone 5 Support
• Bug Fixes

Twitterrific 5 for Twitter: Iconfactory’s Twitterrific 5 for Twitter is now rolling out to App Stores around the world. Stay tuned to 9to5Mac for a full review of the completely redesigned app shortly.

DISH Remote Access for iPhone version 3.0.2: DISH network users get access to a redesigned UI that now provides access to the guide, DVR, and search while streaming content in the background. The update also includes customizable “favorite channels” in the guide, support for the iPhone 5 display, and improved performance:

-Improved the performance, stability, and reliability of the application
-Completely redesigned user interface
-You can now use your Guide/ DVR/ Search while streaming in the background
-Added ability to set and use favorite channels in guide
-Updated in app remote/ keypad functionality
-Took full advantage of the iPhone4s/5 high retina display to show high resolution images
-Added support for the larger iPhone5 screen

Plex version 3.0.1: A ton of changes and fixes following feedback to version 3.0 of the Plex iPhone and iPad app:
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9to5Mac Bundle bundle: 8 great Mac software bundles under $50/ea

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There are more and more software bundle websites popping up everyday—some of them providing bundles with higher quality apps than others. Since the holiday shopping season is upon us, we decided to put together some of the best Mac app bundles we could find for under the $50 mark. While some bundles include software you wouldn’t have paid for otherwise, we made sure to only include the best of the best with bundles packing in extremely popular apps that we use ourselves. For example, MacLegion is providing two highly reviewed apps: djay and Fantastical (among many other notables). Meanwhile, Camtasia 2, Company of Heroes, and RapidWeaver 5 make it into other noteworthy bundles:
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iTunes 11 will soon get the duplicate song detection that its predecessors had but Cover Flow unlikely

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As part of his favorable review of iTunes 11, Walt Mossberg noted that Apple commented on two particular features it took out.

Fans of iTunes will notice some omissions and flaws. The long-touted Cover Flow carousel of album covers has been dumped. The company says it found too few users considered it useful. A feature that finds duplicate entries is missing. Apple says it will soon be restored in a minor update of the program.

It is true that Cover Flow wasn’t the best way to find a song, but it was pretty neat.
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Google adds horizontal carousel for web based iPad searches about local places

Google updated its web experience for U.S. iPad users who search for local places, such as bars and restaurants, on Google Search. The Mountain View-based company called the new feature a “horizontal carousel” of results that will display at the top of page, while normal search results will display below. Tapping on a business in the carousel, as seen in the image above, will display quick information about the location, including: address, Zagat rating, phone number, location on a Map, and a link to the website—accompanied with pictures. There’s also a new map link in the upper-right hand corner that shows you nearby places on a map.

Google has always shown its support for tablets and smartphones on its mobile Search page, and today’s update is definitely beneficial. When calling a restaurant to place an order or make a reservation, I’ve found Google to be the quickest way to find the needed information (definitely beating apps like Yellow Pages to get the same information).

Source: Google
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Gmail 2.0, Kindle X-Ray for books, Foursquare, Netbot, Uber, Jingu Friends, more

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Gmail version 2.0: Google has just released a major update to its Gmail iOS app, introducing multiple account support, a new look that appears to be partly inspired by its Sparrow acquisition, search predictions and much more. The update also brings interactive Google+ posts support, an infinite scroll inbox, new welcome screen, and  the ability to respond to Google Calendar invites. Google walked through some of the new features of the overhauled Gmail app in a blog post noting the app was six months in the works:

Six months ago, our team set out to completely rebuild the Gmail app for iPhone and iPad to give you you a faster, sleeker, and easier experience on iOS. The result? Version 2.0. With version 2.0 of the app, you’ll get a totally new look and feel, plus a bunch of improvements like profile pictures in messages, numerous new animations from swivels to transitions and infinite scrolling in the message lists.

[tweet https://twitter.com/gmail/status/276023586265919489]

Kindle version 3.5: Amazon previously rolled out its X-Ray feature, which used to be exclusive to Kindle devices, to iOS devices back in October. At the time, it was only making the feature available for textbooks on iOS. Today, Amazon has updated the Kindle iOS app to extend the X-Ray to all books. The update also includes “Manga Image Rendering Improvements”:

• X-Ray for Books – see the “bones of the book”. X-ray helps you learn more about notable characters, places, and phrases with descriptions from Shelfari.com and Wikipedia.
• Manga Image Rendering Improvements

Uber version 2.1.0: iPhone 5 support and localizations:

-Uber app now supports iPhone 5. Also in this release are Dutch localization, and an enhanced look for top riders.

Netbot for App.net (iPhone): Tapbots updated its Netbot client for App.net today with some new features and improvements. The iPad edition is available here.

– Added support for Stream Marker
– Added Unified Stream option
– Added support for img.ly as an image service
– Performance improvements for older devices
– Better support for image annotations

Foursquare version 5.3.5: 
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RE/MAX rolling out Passbook business cards for 4,500 real estate agents in the US

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Fte_IENjcyQ]

Taking advantage of a new digital business card platform from Vizibility that integrates Apple’s Passbook, RE/MAX will be the first company to have its employees carry iPhone-based Passbook business cards on a large scale. The business cards, demoed in the video above, will be first carried by 4,500 RE/MAX Regional Services real estate agents in Georgia, Southeastern Michigan, Kentucky, Southern Ohio, and  Tennessee.

Vizibility also announced three new features that enhance its business card platform, one of which uses geofencing to provide agents with lockscreen access to the business cards when in a specific location like the office or at an open house:

  • CardSense™ enables Passbook users to select locations where their Mobile Business Card Pass can be instantly accessed from their iPhone lock screen with a finger swipe. This capability makes it a snap to share contact information at the office, tradeshows, networking events, open houses, or anywhere else frequent, fast access to a Mobile Business Card is needed. Locations are set right on the back of the Pass.
  • CardFollow™ enables people to receive updates when the vCard they previously downloaded from a Mobile Business Card changes. This patent-pending feature makes it possible for the first time to stay in sync with specific people without having to sync every personal contact with cumbersome, third-party systems. Vizibility users can easily see and manage their vCard followers.
  • The Mobile Directory displays a searchable directory of mobile business cards for everyone in an organization. This feature makes it possible to link a company’s business cards together to facilitate discovery and reinforce the depth of an organization’s expertise. Vizibility corporate administrators can easily control who appears in their organization’s Mobile Directory.
RE/MAX Regional Services Taps Apple’s Passbook for Business CardsVizibility Slides Out Passbook, vCard Following and

Mobile Business Card Directories

NEW YORK, December 4, 2012 – Vizibility announced today that RE/MAX Regional Services, one of the largest RE/MAX franchisors in the United States, is offering digital business cards to its 4,500 real estate brokers and agents across Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Southern Ohio and Southeastern Michigan. Vizibility’s popular Mobile Business Card is a personalized mobile microsite which is used to package and share a professional’s contact information and web presence. Agents can easily share their new Mobile Business Cards using Passbook on their iPhones as well as with QR codes printed on business cards, listings and other sales materials. Agents can also share their Mobile Business Cards wirelessly with Near Field Communication (NFC) using Vizibility’s plastic Mobile Wallet Card.

“In today’s competitive real estate climate, we have to push the envelope of technology to give our agents a competitive edge. We also must provide home buyers with the best tools to make what may be the most important decision of their lives,” said Dane Ellison, CEO of RE/MAX Regional Services. “Technologies like Vizibility’s Mobile Business Card can help our agents get more opportunities to share their listings, provide mobile virtual tours and engage effortlessly with prospective home buyers. By making it a little easier to close sales, we’re making it a lot easier for our RE/MAX agents to be more successful.”

Vizibility is the first company to use Passbook for sharing Mobile Business Cards and RE/MAX Regional Services is the first to implement it on a large scale. Passbook, recently introduced with Apple’s iOS6, allows users to keep boarding passes, movie tickets, coupons, loyalty cards and more in one place. Major companies are supporting Passbook including Target, Starbucks, United Airlines, American Airlines, Google and Ticketmaster.

Vizibility is also introducing three game-changing Mobile Business Card features:

  • CardSense™ enables Passbook users to select locations where their Mobile Business Card Pass can be instantly accessed from their iPhone lock screen with a finger swipe. This capability makes it a snap to share contact information at the office, tradeshows, networking events, open houses, or anywhere else frequent, fast access to a Mobile Business Card is needed. Locations are set right on the back of the Pass.
  • CardFollow™ enables people to receive updates when the vCard they previously downloaded from a Mobile Business Card changes. This patent-pending feature makes it possible for the first time to stay in sync with specific people without having to sync every personal contact with cumbersome, third-party systems. Vizibility users can easily see and manage their vCard followers.
  • The Mobile Directory displays a searchable directory of mobile business cards for everyone in an organization. This feature makes it possible to link a company’s business cards together to facilitate discovery and reinforce the depth of an organization’s expertise. Vizibility corporate administrators can easily control who appears in their organization’s Mobile Directory.

“Smartphones have fundamentally changed the way we buy products and select service providers. Google recently reported that 96% of U.S. smartphone owners have researched a service or product on their mobile devices,” said Greg Harris, Product Manager at Vizibility (find Greg in Google at http://viz.me/greg). “The Mobile Business Card is like a personal storefront for professionals. We’re excited to be helping enterprises and their people drive revenue using the latest mobile marketing technologies such as Passbook, QR codes and NFC.”

About Vizibility Inc.

Vizibility Inc. delivers the first enterprise class identity management and engagement platform. Vizibility’s highly acclaimed digital business card addresses today’s reality that the first impression a company or individual makes is often online, and in many cases on a mobile device. Vizibility enables people to package and share their online presence to make powerful, accurate and lasting impressions. The company’s solutions are available from authorized resellers and atwww.vizibility.com. U.S. Patents 7,831,609, 7,987,173, 8,095,534, 8,271,650, 8,275,837, 8,280,879 and 8,290,941. Other patents pending.

About RE/MAX Regional Services

RE/MAX Regional Services was founded in 1978 by Howard McPherson. The company provides outstanding support to the more than 300 offices and over 4,000 agents in its five regions. RRS ensures its real-estate professionals have the leading technology, the most advanced training, and the highest level of expertise to best serve the homebuyers and sellers in their communities. Visit http://www.franchise-remax.com.

WordPress, Tumblr, Angry Birds Seasons, Notability, Starbucks, deals, more

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WordPress version 3.3: The WordPress iOS app gets an update today that brings audio feedback with new sound effect options for “refreshing, swiping, and more” accessible from Settings. The app has also been updated with optimizations for iPad mini, support for self-signed certificates, and fixes for over 20 bugs:

★ Sound effects: get audio feedback when refreshing, swiping, and more. You can turn off Sounds easily in Settings.
• Works great on the iPad Mini.
• Added support for self-signed certificates.
• Over 20 bugs and crashes fixed.

Angry Birds Seasons version 3.1.0: Over the weekend Rovio updated its Angry Birds Seasons apps with new content for Winter. Included is 25 winter levels (one each day) and “three secret levels for some special wintry treats.” HD iPad version available here.

It’s a snowy winter night, the northern lights are ablaze, and it seems like peace on earth… until the bad piggies show up! The Angry Birds didn’t realize that they’re walking in a winter wonderham!

Tumblr version 3.2.2: The Tumblr iPhone app gets a few features today include a new blog lookup feature to find blogs by username, and a panorama view when tapping photos:

• New blog lookup feature! Go to your Account screen and tap “Find blogs” to search by username.
• New panorama view! Just tap the photo to get a closeup.
• Bug fixes, including one that made it difficult for some users to launch the app.

Starbucks 2.5.2:

* iPhone 5 Support
* Multiple Bug fixes
* Added back sound when stars drop in cup – now an option to turn on or off

Notability version 4.42: A big update goes to the popular note taking, handwriting, and PDF annotation app that brings iOS 6 support, the ability to import .doc, .ppt, and .xls files as PDFs with Google Drive, localizations, and much more:
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News Corp. kills ‘The Daily’ iPad app, staff and assets folded into New York Post Dec. 15

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News Corp’s AllThingsD reports that News Corp will discontinue its Daily iPad app publication.

News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch said of the closure:

“From its launch, The Daily was a bold experiment in digital publishing and an amazing vehicle for innovation. Unfortunately, our experience was that we could not find a large enough audience quickly enough to convince us the business model was sustainable in the long-term. Therefore we will take the very best of what we have learned at The Daily and apply it to all our properties. Under the editorial leadership of Editor-in-Chief Col Allan and the business and digital leadership of Jesse, I know The New York Post will continue to grow and become stronger on the web, on mobile, and not least, the paper itself. I want to thank all of the journalists, digital and business professionals for the hard work they put into The Daily.”

Apple’s Eddie Cue shared the stage with News Corp representatives, including Murdoch (Steve Jobs was originally scheduled to attend), when the Daily launched as the iPad’s first dedicated news publication. Rumors of the closure began in July.

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Eddie Cue (left) on stage at the Daily launch with Rupert Murdoch, (center) and Daily CEO

The app was hampered by poor technology that made navigation much slower than lighter magazine apps. It also was hampered by the lack of compelling content that couldn’t be found elsewhere on the web for free.
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Pong World, GTA Vice City trailer, Sparkling Maps, Day After US, deals, more

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

News:

A few decent new apps and updates are hitting the App Store today. We’ve also spotted variable cost iTunes gift cards hitting third-party retailers for the holidays. To kick things off, we get a new trailer for the 40th anniversary edition of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City slated to hit iOS devices on December 6th.

New Apps:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zW_k1tG0U5w]

Pong World: Atari is today celebrating the 40th anniversary of Pong with the release of the first official Pong iOS app on the App Store. Known as Pong World, the modern take on the Atari classic was originally the winning entry of the Pong Indie Developer Challenge.

Atari, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, announced the release of Pong World™ for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The $50,000 grand prize winner of the Pong®Indie Developer Challenge developed by zGames, Pong World is a reimagined take on the pop culture classic and the first-ever official new PONG game for smartphones and tablet devices.

Sparkling Maps Lite: If you want to try out what third-party Google maps-powered Sparkling Maps has to offer, today the developer released a free, ad-supported version on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

Updates:

Day After US version 1.1: Warner Bros. Day After US app bringing full episodes of TV shows to markets without access to iTunes TV shows is updated today with additional seasons:

-More seasons

Ecco the Dolphin version 2.0: Sega’s cult favorite Ecco the Dolphin finally gets full iOS 6 support:

-iOS 6 Support

Deals:

AppyFridays has three app deals:

Spy Cam (regular price $9.99, new price $3.99)
Focus (regular price $19.99, new price $6.99)
Soulver (regular price $19.99, new price $9.99)

Apple finally releases revamped iTunes 11 with iCloud integration, UpNext, redesigned store, new MiniPlayer

Apple has finally released its revamped iTunes application, iTunes 11, for the Mac. The new iTunes app features a completely redesigned user-interface that is cleaner and simpler to use and manage your music and video collection with.

The simplified interface allows users to have a full-view experience for the different types of media and functionality within iTunes. For example, to access your Music library, users can choose “Music” from a stationary drop down menu on the left side of the player. Within music are the typical tabs for songs, albums, artists, genres, playlists, and radio.

Find all of the details after the break:

Highlight, Pageonce, Angry Birds Star Wars, Cut the Rope, StumbleUpon, Klip, price drops, and more

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[slideshow]

9to5Mac once again scoured the App Store for the most notable apps that launched, updated, or announced news recently and gathered them in our usual list below.

Today’s crop includes updates for popular iOS games like Cut the Rope and Angry Birds Star Wars, as well as enhancements to social apps like Highlight and Klip. There also a few noteworthy new apps and price drops. Check out the full roundup below, but keep checking back as we continually update throughout the day.

Updates

1. Skype | Free
Skype just updated in a huge way yesterday, but it pushed out version 4.2.1 today to fix some critical bugs.

2. Highlight| Free
The app that locates nearby friends is now at version 1.3.1 today. The update includes performance improvements, bug fixes, and “reduced resource consumption.”

3. Angry Birds Star Wars | 99 cents
Rovio just launched version 1.1.0 with a bunch of shiny new features, including: 20 levels on the ice world of Hoth, an “attractive” power for Pink bird as Princess Leia, two bonus levels, and more.

4. Angry Birds Star Wars HD | $2.99
Rovio didn’t leave the HD version of its app by the wayside today; it is now at version 1.1.0 with the same new features as listed above.

5. Pageonce | Free
The popular app that tracks bills just went to version 5.71. The full changelog includes:

  • Celebrate our 4th year on iOS – get Bill Pay for free!
  • Schedule Payments: Plan ahead and set up your bill payment in advance
  • Shiny new app icon

Get more below.


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Review: Fantastical for iPhone, the calendar upgrade iOS 6 is missing

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Flexbits, makers of the popular Fantastical Mac app, launched an iPhone version of its streamlined calendar app this morning with the goal of bringing the simplicity and user-friendly experience it has become known for on the Mac to iOS users. The new Fantastical app might not be as feature-filled as other third-party calendar iOS apps, but what it lacks in features it certainly makes up for in style. After a week with Fantastical for iPhone, I can confidently say the app feels like the calendar upgrade iOS 6 was missing.

One thing I love about the Fantastical Mac app compared to other calendar apps, and even Apple’s own Calendars app on OS X, is the overly simple UI. Better yet is the app’s natural language parser, allowing users to enter a sentence such as “lunch tomorrow” to automatically schedule a lunch meeting for noon the next day. While Fantastical for Mac users will feel right at home with a familiar interface to the desktop menubar app, the introduction of a touchscreen also brings a big new feature to the Fantastical UI: the DayTicker…
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Google updates Google Drive app and Chrome app for iOS

Google just updated both the Google Drive and Chrome apps for iOS.

Google Drive’s most noteworthy new feature is the ability to edit spreadsheets, just like Google Docs. The Drive Team elaborated on the newest update via the official Google Drive blog:

From the Drive app on your iPhone, iPad or Android device, you can create a new spreadsheet or edit an existing one. You can switch fonts, resize columns, sort data, and more. And just like on your computer, you’ll be able to see other people’s edits in real time as they’re made.

The latest version also boasts improved text formatting when pasting, while Android users can exclusively edit text within tables in documents and add a homescreen shortcut to any file in Drive.

Google Drive’s full changelog (on the App Store):

  • Create, edit and collaborate on spreadsheets
  • Upload to Drive from other apps using “Open in…”
  • Manage upload progress and see recent uploads in new Uploads section
  • Rich text copy-paste within a document
  • Improved speed and stability
  • Improved contact search for sharing
  • Bug fixes

The Chrome app also just updated, with version 23.0.1271.91 (yeah, long version number) now live, and the notable tweaks include the ability to open PDFs in other apps, save boarding passes and tickets with Passbook, and enable text-encoding detection in settings. The app also features stability and security improvements and many bug fixes.


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Not a joke: Will.i.am iPhone camera accessory throws pixels and keyboard onto iPhone BOOMBOOM POW

We told you last week that musician Will.i.am would soon launch an iPhone accessory, called “i.am+”, and now the world has its first look at the product line that transforms the smartphone’s camera into a 14-megapixel powerhouse.

According to the Telegraph, the four models, respectively called “C.4”, “V.4”, “C.5”, and “V.5”, feature interchangeable lenses, such as standard, fish-eye, wide, and zoom, with a built-in flash. An iOS app further enables the hardware to have an Instagram-like experience, with photo editing, filters, and sharing options built-in. Folks will also have access to individual online profiles at www.i.am.

The Black-Eyed Peas frontman said his accessories enhance both the clarity and definition of photographs: “We have our own sensor and a better flash. You dock you phone into our device and it turns you smartphone into a genius-phone. We take over the camera.”

The i.am+ accessories basically fit over the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 in contemporary and vintage flavors, as seen in the picture gallery below, but they also come with a hefty price tag. The line ranges from £199 (roughly $318 USD) for the modern black model to £299 (roughly $477 USD) for the gold model. The i.am+ V.4 unit with gold trim and a “Vintage Look”  are the most expensive but boast a slide-out keyboard.

The iPhone 4 versions will launch Dec. 6, while an iPhone 5 version, which bulks the iPhone’s camera with a new sensor and flash, will not ship until 2013.

A gallery is below.


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Big updates to Skype, Vimeo, TomTom, Adobe Photoshop Touch, DataMan Pro for iPad, deals, more

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Vimeo version 3.0: Vimeo is today releasing an entirely redesigned app that brings a new UI with tab-based navigation, automatic Twitter and Facebook sharing, the ability to upload videos in the background, a Watch Later queue, and much more:

-Conveniently manage and watch all your videos on the go
-Quickly search for videos from the entire Vimeo catalog
-Discover new and amazing videos in the Explore tab
-Upload easily from your camera roll or shoot right from the app
-Continue using the app while your videos upload
-Share any video via Facebook, Twitter, email, iMessage, or copy the link and share how you want
-Watch videos from your Vimeo feed, Watch Later queue, or your uploads or likes
-Easily like videos, comment, and add to your Watch Later queue

Skype version 4.2: One of the biggest updates today goes to Skype’s iPhone app with the introduction of the support for Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com contacts and the ability to sign in and sync your Microsoft account. Other new features include easy account creation from within the app, the ability to edit instant messages by tapping and holding, and support for animated emotions on Retina displays. A full list of what’s new below:

-Chat with Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com contacts – sign in with and merge your Microsoft account.
-New to Skype? Create a new account right from the app.
-Tap and hold on instant messages to edit them.
-Choose an emoticon while typing an instant message.
-Animated emoticons for devices with a Retina display.
-Edit saved phone numbers right from the dial pad.
-Bug fixes.

TomTom U.S.A version 1.12: TomTom is updating the majority of its apps today with many new features, a few of which include full compatibility with iOS 6, optimizations for iPhone 5, integration with Apple Maps as a routing app on iOS 6, improved HD traffic, and more. TomTom also released variations of the update for its US & Canada, Europe, Western Europe, Brazil, Australia, UK & Ireland versions, as well as the majority of other locations it offers apps for.

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Yelp, Adobe Ideas, Robots for iPad, Scan, Rdio, Pocket for Mac, and more

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9to5Mac once again scoured the App Store for the most notable apps that launched, updated, or announced news recently and gathered them in our usual list below.

Today’s crop includes a new app about Robots, iPhone 5 support for an Adobe app, milestone news from a QR-code reader, and more. Keep checking the roundup, as we continually update throughout the day.

New

1. Robots for iPad | $4.99
This comprehensive guide to everything robot-related is getting much press today, but the concept is simple: a fluid, interactive reference app that features photographs, videos, facts, favoring options, etc., for over 120 actual robots. The app even features Furby and allows users to rate all robots on a scale that goes from “Creepy” to “Nice”. While it will not appeal to non-robot geeks, Robots for iPad is a unique offering from the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers and its award-winning technology magazine, IEEE Spectrum.

Updates

1. Adobe Ideas | $9.99
Adobe’s digital sketchbook for vectors launched version 2.5 recently with new and improved tools for drawing, coloring, and managing layers. The update also now supports iPhone 5, iOS 6, and iPad Mini.

Get more below.


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Mozilla releases Firefox beta featuring Retina display support

Mozilla released a new beta for Firefox this afternoon, featuring Retina display support that is sure to appease the Firefox devotees out in the crowd. Release notes below:

This update includes JavaScript improvements that make Web apps and games perform better and support for W3C Touch Events. Firefox Beta also supports Retina Display for Mac users.

  • IonMonkey: IonMonkey is a new JavaScript JIT compiler that provides a more efficient way for Firefox to process JavaScript. With IonMonkey, Firefox will perform faster with Web apps, games and other JavaScript-heavy pages.
  • Retina Display Support: Firefox Beta supports Retina Display for Mac users to make Firefox even sharper when watching movies, playing games and browsing the Web.
  • Disable Insecure Content: Firefox Beta can disable insecure content on HTTPS secure websites to maintain the privacy of your communication with the website. You can enable the feature in about:config.
  • Support for W3C Touch Events: Firefox Beta supports standard W3C touch events in addition to MozTouch events.

[Download via iClarified]
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Google Voice, Dropbox, Minecraft Reality, Autodesk FormIt, Korg iPolysix, more

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Minecraft Reality: Minecraft developers Mojang officially announced a new augmented reality iOS app yesterday dubbed “Minecraft Reality” allowing players to view their Minecraft creations in the real world. The app was developed by 13th lab with a little help from Mojang using advanced computer vision and augmented reality tech. Users will also be able to save their creations at specific real-world locations for others users to discover:

The app uses your iOS device’s camera to track the surroundings, before projecting creations onto the landscape. You get to view the mind-boggling results on-screen. You can change the size of your object as you please, and even wander around it to view from different angles… Imagine being able to dump your Minecraft creations into the real world for other people to find. You could put an exploding creeper in your school, a cheeky pig in your garden, or a giant enemy crab on the beach, if you like.

Google Voice version 1.4.3:

– Optimized for iPhone 5 and iOS 6
– Bug fixes and performance enhancements
– iOS 4.3 or above is now required

Dropbox version 1.5.7: Dropbox gets a few nice new features today including improved video streaming, support for Password-protected Office documents on iOS 6, Italian and Iberian Spanish language support, and more.

• Improved video streaming
• Italian and Iberian Spanish language support
• Support for Password-protected Office documents (iOS 6)
• Various bug fixes and performance improvement

Autodesk FormIt: A new mobile app from Autodesk will allow you to “Use real-world site information to help create forms in context and support early design decisions with real building data.” In other words, the ability to create building design concepts using a gallery of shapes, a searchable map interface, and satellite imagery to “design directly in the context of your proposed building location.” The iPad app is available for free on the App Store.

KORG iPolysix: KORG is releasing an analog polyphonic synthesizer app today for iPad that uses its “proprietary “CMT” (Component Modeling Technology) to simulate the actual electronic circuits” of the 1981 six-voice Polysix analog polyphonic synthesizer. The app is 50% off to celebrate its introduction.

Sonic Jump version 1.1:
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Black Friday – Best deals on iOS app & games

We’ve been curating an extensive list of iOS app sales for the past couple of days over at 9to5Toys. We thought we’d help you zero in on some of the best deals by posting our favorite ones right here. Check back throughout the day, as we will continue to scour the App Store and post our handpicked favorites.

And again, don’t forget to amplify these savings even more by saving 20 percent on an iTunes gift card.

Universal Apps

Infinity Blade I $5.99 now only 99 cents
Infinity Blade II $6.99 now only $2.99
Crazy Taxi $4.99 now only $2.99
Street Fighter X Tekken $2.99 now only 99 cents (First price drop ever)
The Amazing Spider-Man $6.99 now only 99 cents
1Password Pro $14.99 now only $9.99
Avengers Initiative $6.99 now only 99 cents
IM+ Pro $9.99 now $2.99

iPad Apps

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 $4.99 now only 99 cents
Plants vs Zombies HD $6.99 now only 99 cents
Quickoffice Pro HD $19.99 now only $4.99

iPhone Apps

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard $6.99 now only 99 cents
Quickoffice Pro $14.99 now only 99 cents
Plants vs Zombies $2.99 now only 99 cents

Readdle iOS app Black Friday sale (Scanner Pro, PDF Expert, Printer Pro & more)

iOS6 Maps App got ya down? Garmin iOS navigation app sale (Save 50% on Navigon)

“View, create, edit and share Microsoft Office documents on your iPhone or iPad” with Smart Office 2. Free for this weekend only.


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