Apps

6,301 'Apps' stories April 2010 - April 2016

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.

Instagram is quietly testing a major visual overhaul of its iOS app

Chance Miller Apr 26 2016 - 6:38 pm PT

7 Comments

Instagram, following the controversial announcement that it would change the order in which images appear in user feeds, now appears to be testing a complete redesign of its app. Instagram has long stuck to the same classic design, but if this redesign rolls out to everyone, the app could finally move forward and fall into line with the design trends being adopted by many other apps.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Redesigned YouTube Home tab recommends videos using deep neural networks

Abner Li Apr 26 2016 - 10:51 am PT

4 Comments

YouTube is rolling out a redesigned Home interface for the iOS and Android app. The new design is cleaner and simpler, but also takes advantage of deep neural networks to better recommend videos for users to watch.

Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Last Call: Retina MacBook Pro from $1,150, 4K iMac $1,150, 512GB Thunderbolt SSD $284, more

Justin Kahn Apr 26 2016 - 9:33 am PT

0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Audio-Technica’s best selling ATH-M50x Pro Headphones + $30 VUDU Credit & more: $99 shipped ($160+ value)

Foscam 720P Indoor Wireless IP Security Camera $49 shipped (Reg. $60)
The Hover drone uses a unique foldable carbon fiber design to keep its wings safe
The new LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS is everything we could’ve hoped for
Free Xbox Live Gold Games for May: Peggle, Defense Grid 2, Costume Conquest 2, more
Green Deals: GRDE Super Bright LED Headset w/ Rechargeable Batteries $20, more
Command hooks, hangers & more up to 55% off: 40-Pack cable clips $26 (Reg. $32+)
Amazon Gold Box – Mother’s Day gifts from Anne Klein, watches as low as $40 Prime shipped
Free Chipotle burrito w/ the purchase of a $25 Gift card, BOGO free items for teachers
Sports/Fitness: Rawlings Baseball Batting Helmet $15 (Orig. $25), more
Home: Ninja 3-in-1 Slow cooker $99 (Reg. $130), Oster Pro Blender + Smoothie Cup $56, more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/725049864405573634 align=’center’]

Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB $1,200 or $1,150 w/ .edu (Reg. $1,499), more

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (early 2015) from $700 shipped w/ .edu (Orig. $999)

Apple 21-inch Retina 4K iMac 3.1GHz/8GB/1TB (newest version): from $1,150 shipped w/ .edu (Reg. $1,499)

Transcend storage upgrades for your Mac: 512GB Portable Thunderbolt SSD $284, 256GB Expansion Card $170, more

App Store Free App of the Week: Readdle’s Calendars 5 for iOS goes free for the first time in years (Reg. up to $7)

Air Display 3 for iOS gets its first price drop to $10 (Reg. $15)

Star Wars KOTOR for iOS now matching its lowest price ever: $3 (Reg. $10)

Upgrade Your Mac with 3 Great Apps: Scapple $9 (Orig. $15), STAMP Premium $5 (Orig. $10), Ghostnote $7 (Orig. $10)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

The best accessories for Apple’s 12-inch MacBook: USB-C cables, hubs, flash storage, more

Apple drops the price on refurbished 12-inch MacBooks, now start at $929 shipped

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Best Buy offers $1 iPhone 6s (16GB) on Sprint (Reg. $199), or $100 gift card w/ installment plan

Home Theater: Yamaha 7.2-Ch. A/V Receiver w/ AirPlay + Bluetooth $479 shipped (Reg. $700), more

Panasonic 65″ 4K 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV $999 (Reg. $1,250), more
Bobine flexible charging stands for iPhone/Apple Watch starting at $18 (Orig $25)
Oittm Apple Watch stand/charger $25, Solar Case for iPhone SE $18, more
Games/Apps: Just Cause 3 from $33, Star Wars Pinball free, more
Daily Deals: BENRO Digital Aluminum Tripod $23, more
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 11.6″ Notebook (Refurb) $100 shipped (Orig. $190)
Motor Trend mag w/ digital access 4-yr. sub for just $12 shipped (Reg. up to $40)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Twelve South HiRise Deluxe Stand for iPhone & iPad w/ Lightning + microUSB cables:$40 Prime shipped (Reg. $60)

Dock your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with this Rosewood Desk Stand for $20 Prime shipped

Onkyo 5.1-Channel 4K Receiver/Speaker Package w/ Bluetooth $300 shipped (Reg. $400)
Beats Pill+ Portable Bluetooth Speaker w/ Lightning charging: $166 shipped (Reg. $230)
Gift Cards up to 20% off w/ email delivery: AMC Theatres, Regal Movies, much more
AUKEY Bluetooth Speaker $26, Trainium iPhone 6/s Clear Case $2, more
The entire Lifeline text adventure trilogy for Android is down to $0.10/ea. (Reg. $3)
Mother’s Day Gift Guide: top-picks your mom will love to unwrap this year
Ultra HD 4K Displays: Panasonic 50-inch 60Hz Smart TV $500 (Reg. $600+), more
Amazon Kindle e-Readers from $60 shipped, Paperwhite $100, more
Limited edition Moto X Pure designed by Jonathan Adler down to $300 (Reg. $475)
Audio-Technica ATH-M40X Over-Ear Headphones + FiiO E6 Amp: $82 ($105 value)
Adonit Jot Pro Fine Point Stylus for iPad, iPhone & Android devices: $22 (Reg. $30)
LG ChromeBase 22″ 1080p All-in-One Cloud Desktop: $229 shipped (Reg. $300)
Amazon adds new color options and storage to its insane $50 7-inch Fire Tablet lineup
Fashion- 20% off dresses by Adrianna Papell, Donna Morgan & more
Green Deals: Miracle-Gro AeroGarden LED w/ Seed Kit $70 (Reg. $100), more
Green Deals: Leviton 12-ft. 5kw Electric Vehicle Charger $350 (Reg. $400), more
LeapFrog Reading and Writing System $17 Prime shipped (Reg. $27+), more
Home: Philips Electric Toothbrush w/ glass charger $170 (Reg. $200), more
Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Pro Headphones + $150 Amazon gift card: $400 ($550 value)
Green Deals: Philips 100W A21 Dimmable LED Lightbulb $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $22), more
Fashion: Banana Republic 50% off sale items, more

Review: Are these third-party $11 Apple Watch Sport bands any good? Turns out, they aren’t too bad.

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

PICTAR’s vintage-inspired SLR camera accessory for iPhone looks to add affordable functionality

Ilumi extends its line of Bluetooth-connected smart lightbulbs to outdoor spaces
SanDisk’s new iXpand Flash Drive for iPhone & iPad sports a fresh design and speed boost
Bang & Olufsen’s new A1 Bluetooth speaker brings 24-hour playback and USB-C charging
Edelkrone wants to replace your tripod with its slick new camera stand
VIZIO introduces the new M-Series with an updated design and 4K HDR displays
DJI’s new professional-grade drone is incredibly powerful and intelligent
Samsung goes big with the “world’s first” bezel-less curved 4K Ultra HDTV
LEGO reveals a massive 1,600 piece Minecraft set loaded with zombies, more
Improve your kitchen skills with the best under $10 utensils
Some of the best SNES games of all-time hit Nintendo’s 3DS eShop
Amazon’s new $290 Kindle Oasis is a slim, luxury e-reader with months of battery life

Microsoft introducing Skype for Business Mac Preview w/ Outlook calendar integration

Zac Hall Apr 26 2016 - 8:59 am PT

5 Comments

Microsoft is getting serious with the Mac today with its new Skype for Business preview for OS X. The new business-focused version of Skype for Mac runs on OS X El Capitan and focuses on creating an enterprise-friendly experience. IT professionals can request access to the new Skype for Business Mac Preview starting today.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google updates Hangouts for iPhone and iPad with new share extension, Low Power Mode enhancement

Zac Hall Apr 26 2016 - 8:50 am PT

1 Comment

Google has released Hangouts version 9 for iPhone and iPad, bringing a native iOS share extension and new Low Power Mode functionality to the social app.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Nokia is buying healthcare iPhone accessory maker Withings

Jordan Kahn Apr 26 2016 - 8:15 am PT

4 Comments

Nokia announced today plans to purchase Withings, maker of many popular healthcare related accessories and companion apps for iPhones and other mobile devices.

The company said the 170 million Euro purchase would see Withings become part of its Nokia Technologies business and help jump-start its new efforts at Digital Health products.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Dropbox Project Infinite will show all your cloud files in the Finder … without taking up any local space

Benjamin Mayo Apr 26 2016 - 5:08 am PT

32 Comments

Dropbox is today announcing a new upcoming feature of its platform, codenamed Project Infinite. When Infinite rolls out, you’ll be able to see all your files and folders stored on Dropbox in the Finder, but they won’t take up any space until they are needed. The company is currently targeting the feature at business users.

This means your Dropbox storage can be far larger in total size than your local disk (as is common with modern setups of 1 TB Dropbox tiers and small SSDs) with on-demand instantaneous access to any file at any time over the Internet …

Expand
Expanding
Close

Facebook reportedly developing standalone camera app w/ live streaming features

Jordan Kahn Apr 25 2016 - 11:26 am PT

0 Comments

The Wall Street Journal reports Facebook is working on a new camera app separate from its main offerings that the company hopes will encourage increased sharing of photos and videos. The still in-development app in its current form opens immediately to a camera mode and there are plans to offer live streaming video functionality as well, according to the report:

Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Last Call: 13” MacBook Air from $700, Beats Pill+ $166, Onkyo 4K 5.1-Ch. Receiver/Speaker Bundle $300, more

Trevor Daugherty Apr 25 2016 - 9:30 am PT

1 Comment

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

PICTAR’s vintage-inspired SLR camera accessory for iPhone looks to add affordable functionality

Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A Wooden Over-Ear Headphones: $149 shipped (Reg. $199)
Learn to build 14 apps with the Complete Android Developer Course: $17 (Orig. $199)
Play all your favorite NES titles wirelessly with the new Retro Receiver
Women’s work dresses, blazers & more 50-70% off: deals from $10 Prime shipped
Sports/Fitness: Garmin Vivosmart HR fitness band $130 (Reg. $160), more
Home: Nutri Ninja Blender System $133 (Orig. $190), more
Green Deals: Fiskars 17-inch StaySharp Plus Push Reel Lawn Mower $170, more
Netflix Preview for May 2016: ‘Bloodline’ Season 2, ‘Lady Dynamite’, much more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/724672091438592001 align=’center’]

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/724673746540331010 align=’center’]

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (early 2015) from $700 shipped w/ .edu (Orig. $999)

Beats Pill+ Portable Bluetooth Speaker w/ Lightning charging: $166 shipped (Reg. $230)

Onkyo 5.1-Channel 4K Home Theater Receiver/Speaker Package w/ Bluetooth $300 shipped (Reg. $400)

Best Buy 4-Day sale: Apple Watch w/ Stainless Steel casing $200 off, deals from $349 shipped

MacBook Air: 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB $800 (Orig. $999), 11-inch 256GB from $875 (Reg. $1,099), more

App Store Free App of the Week: Readdle’s Calendars 5 for iOS goes free for the first time in years (Reg. up to $7)

Upgrade Your Mac with 3 Great Apps: Scapple $9 (Orig. $15), STAMP Premium $5 (Orig. $10), Ghostnote $7 (Orig. $10)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

The best accessories for Apple’s 12-inch MacBook: USB-C cables, hubs, flash storage, more

Apple drops the price on refurbished 12-inch MacBooks, now start at $929 shipped

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

UE Roll Bluetooth Speaker in Black or Blue: $55-$59 shipped ($70 new)

Daily Deals: Brother Mono Laser Printer w/ AirPrint $170, more
Seagate Backup Plus Slim 4TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive: $110 (Reg. $130), more
Gift Cards up to 20% off w/ email delivery: AMC Theatres, Regal Movies, much more
AUKEY Bluetooth Speaker $26, Trainium iPhone 6/s Clear Case $2, more
Games/Apps: Trine 3 for Mac hits its lowest price yet $6, more
The entire Lifeline text adventure trilogy for Android is down to $0.10/ea. (Reg. $3)
Amazon Gold Box – Strategy board games up to 40% off: Risk $16, more
Mother’s Day Gift Guide: top-picks your mom will love to unwrap this year
Sun Joe Yard Tools up to 44% off: 16″ Cordless Lawn Mower $199 (Reg. $300), more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Best Buy 4-day sale: Beats Studio Over-Ears $150 or Wireless $250, Powerbeats2 Active Collection $130, Roku HDTVs from $170, more

Dock your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with this Rosewood Desk Stand for $20 Prime shipped

Amazon Kindle e-Readers from $60 shipped, Paperwhite $100, more
Ultra HD 4K Displays: Panasonic 50-inch 60Hz Smart TV $500 (Reg. $600+), more
Logitech 75 watts 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers (Refurb) $35 shipped (Reg. $60)
Limited edition Moto X Pure designed by Jonathan Adler down to $300 (Reg. $475)
Audio-Technica ATH-M40X Over-Ear Headphones + FiiO E6 Amp: $82 ($105 value)
Adonit Jot Pro Fine Point Stylus for iPad, iPhone & Android devices: $22 (Reg. $30)
LG ChromeBase 22″ 1080p All-in-One Cloud Desktop: $229 shipped (Reg. $300)
Apple iPad Air 16GB Wi-Fi in Space Gray or Silver $249 shipped (Orig. $399)
Amazon adds new color options and storage to its insane $50 7-inch Fire Tablet lineup
Fashion- 20% off dresses by Adrianna Papell, Donna Morgan & more
Green Deals: Miracle-Gro AeroGarden LED w/ Seed Kit $70 (Reg. $100), more
Seagate 2TB USB 3.0 Expansion Portable Hard Drive $60 shipped (Reg. $84)
Green Deals: Leviton 12-ft. 5kw Electric Vehicle Charger $350 (Reg. $400), more
LeapFrog Reading and Writing System $17 Prime shipped (Reg. $27+), more
Home: Philips Electric Toothbrush w/ glass charger $170 (Reg. $200), more
Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Pro Headphones + $150 Amazon gift card: $400 ($550 value)
PSN Digital Games up to 60% off: GTA Trilogy for PS4 from $19, more
Harman Kardon 7.1-Ch. 4K A/V Receiver w/ AirPlay: $298 shipped (Orig. $800)
Green Deals: Philips 100W A21 Dimmable LED Lightbulb $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $22), more
Fashion: Banana Republic 50% off sale items, more
Gift Cards up to 20% off: Babies/Toys R Us, Old Navy, CVS, more

Review: Are these third-party $11 Apple Watch Sport bands any good? Turns out, they aren’t too bad.

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Ilumi extends its line of Bluetooth-connected smart lightbulbs to outdoor spaces

SanDisk’s new iXpand Flash Drive for iPhone & iPad sports a fresh design and speed boost
Bang & Olufsen’s new A1 Bluetooth speaker brings 24-hour playback and USB-C charging
Edelkrone wants to replace your tripod with its slick new camera stand
VIZIO introduces the new M-Series with an updated design and 4K HDR displays
DJI’s new professional-grade drone is incredibly powerful and intelligent
Samsung goes big with the “world’s first” bezel-less curved 4K Ultra HDTV
LEGO reveals a massive 1,600 piece Minecraft set loaded with zombies, more
Improve your kitchen skills with the best under $10 utensils
Some of the best SNES games of all-time hit Nintendo’s 3DS eShop
Amazon’s new $290 Kindle Oasis is a slim, luxury e-reader with months of battery life

Home, one of the best HomeKit apps for iOS, gains 3D Touch shortcuts + design tweaks

Zac Hall Apr 25 2016 - 8:45 am PT

9 Comments

Apple doesn’t include a Home app for HomeKit like it does a Health app for HealthKit, but Matthias Hochgatterer’s Home app is a worthy solution for anyone diving into Apple’s Siri-controlled home automation platform. In testing various HomeKit-compatible smart accessories, Home for iOS has been a critical piece of the puzzle in making everything work correctly and reliably.

Siri controls HomeKit, but third-party apps from various accessory makers are needed for creating scenes and triggers that really make home automation come to life. Eve does the best job of making one app for all HomeKit accessories, but a dedicated HomeKit app with excellent support for all accessories is ideal. Home, which costs $14.99 but is available for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, is a rather essential purchase for having a good experience with Apple’s HomeKit.

Last week we shared the latest HomeKit app on the market, Hesperus, which features an approachable design and customization options at no cost but lacks iPad and Apple Watch apps and Notification Center widgets for now. I mentioned Home for iOS, which is obviously pricier up front, and noted how its Settings-like design can feel cold in comparison. Over the weekend, however, Home for iOS reached version 1.6, which includes tweaks to how accessories are organized plus some nice iconography that I think really enhances the overall design.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Sketchy rumor suggests iPhone 7 could feature flush touch-sensitive Home button, waterproof and dustproof casing

Benjamin Mayo Apr 25 2016 - 7:01 am PT

57 Comments

The iPhone 7, expected to debut later this year, is not believed to be a major design overhaul from the iPhone 6s, but that doesn’t mean it won’t include some substantial exterior changes, at least according to one sketchy Chinese rumor site. The reports indicate that the iPhone 7 could feature a digital touch-sensitive Home button, essentially making the iPhone front completely flush, replacing the current physical clicky hardware button. This would help make the iPhone 7 completely waterproof and dustproof, via Storm …

Expand
Expanding
Close

Microsoft releases Word Flow keyboard for iPhone with one-handed mode, custom backgrounds

Benjamin Mayo Apr 25 2016 - 5:07 am PT

9 Comments

Microsoft is bringing its predictive Windows Phone keyboard, called Word Flow, to the iPhone. The third-party keyboard is now available for free in the US App Store. The keyboard features traditional keycap input as well as the popular swiping-between-letters gesture input method popularized by Swype.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple will require all new Apple Watch apps to use the native SDK from June 1

Benjamin Mayo Apr 23 2016 - 2:30 am PT

12 Comments

Apple has announced that it is ending support for the original watchOS SDK and original Apple Watch 1.0 apps, which required a phone to even open. From June 1st, Apple will require developers of new Apple Watch apps to use the native SDK, which came with watchOS 2. The requirement was posted on the Apple Developer news page last night.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Hesperus is a free, easy-to-use and customizable HomeKit app for iPhone

Zac Hall Apr 22 2016 - 9:58 am PT

8 Comments

Early adopters of Apple’s HomeKit home automation framework tend to notice one thing early on: there’s no real UI beyond Siri. HomeKit helps bridge functionality between various smart home accessories which tend to each have their own connected apps using Siri, but Apple hasn’t released a Home app in the same way it made Health for HealthKit.

Instead, users rely on a folder full of third-party apps from accessory makers, some of which are better than others, or a highly functional but somewhat pricey third-party app called Home to give HomeKit the UI it needs. Today there’s a new app on the market called Hesperus, which is free to use and has a friendly, customizable interface.

Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Last Call: Apple Watch $200 off, 13-inch MacBook Air $800, Beats Studio Over-Ear Headphones $150, more

Trevor Daugherty Apr 22 2016 - 9:30 am PT

1 Comment

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Dock your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with this Rosewood Desk Stand for $20 Prime shipped

Green Deals: Belkin 25% off WeMo Products – Insight Smart Outlet $37 (Reg. $50), more
Ilumi extends its line of Bluetooth-connected smart lightbulbs to outdoor spaces
Samsung 11.6-inch Chromebook 2 2.16GHz/4GB/16GB SSD: $179 shipped (Reg. $225+)
Arlo Smart Home Security 5-Camera and Base Station Bundle $515 shipped (Reg. $625)
Get the Blockbuster flick from 1996: ‘Independence Day’ in HD for $1, more
Multi-year magazine subs: Bloomberg Businessweek 3-yr $20, many more
Home: Electric Steamer $20, Stainless Steel Travel Mugs from $10, more
Sports/Fitness: Coleman 100-pc First Aid Kit $11 (Orig. $18), more

Best Buy 4-Day sale: Apple Watch w/ Stainless Steel casing $200 off, deals from $349 shipped

MacBook Air: 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB $800 (Orig. $999), 11-inch 256GB from $875 (Reg. $1,099), more

Best Buy 4-day sale: Beats Studio Over-Ears $150 or Wireless $250, Powerbeats2 Active Collection $130, Roku HDTVs from $170, more

Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro 32GB Wi-Fi in all colors: $640 shipped (Reg. $799)

Apple iPad Air 16GB Wi-Fi in Space Gray or Silver $249 shipped (Orig. $399)

App Store Free App of the Week: Readdle’s Calendars 5 for iOS goes free for the first time in years (Reg. up to $7)

Upgrade Your Mac with 3 Great Apps: Scapple $9 (Orig. $15), STAMP Premium $5 (Orig. $10), Ghostnote $7 (Orig. $10)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

The best accessories for Apple’s 12-inch MacBook: USB-C cables, hubs, flash storage, more

Apple drops the price on refurbished 12-inch MacBooks, now start at $929 shipped

Review: Are these third-party $11 Apple Watch Sport bands any good? Turns out, they aren’t too bad.

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Daily Deals: PNY 32GB Duo-Link USB Lightning Flash Drive $35, Lowepro Urban Reporter 250 Camera Bag $40, more

Ultra HD 4K Displays: Panasonic 50-inch 60Hz Smart TV $500 (Reg. $600+), more
Logitech MX Wireless Laser Mouse (Mac & PC) $46 shipped (Reg. $70+)
Canon DSLR + Digital Camera Refurb Sale: PowerShot SX520 $102 (Orig. $330), more
Games/Apps: BioShock Infinite for Mac $10, Mario Tennis Ultra Smash $31, more
Smartphone: Jawbone UP3 Activity Tracker + Heart Rate $45 (Reg. $97), more
Logitech 75 watts 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers (Refurb) $35 shipped (Reg. $60)
Limited edition Moto X Pure designed by Jonathan Adler down to $300 (Reg. $475)
Earth Day top picks: Eco-friendly, stylish home goods and fashion
5 things to help you go green on Earth Day: solar starter kit, wind turbine, Tesla and trees
Amazon Gold Box – Magazine Subscriptions from $5: Sports Illustrated, Time, more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Save $10/month by owning your cable modem: NETGEAR DOCSIS 3.0 $47 (Reg. $60), more

Audio-Technica ATH-M40X Over-Ear Headphones + FiiO E6 Amp: $82 ($105 value)
Adonit Jot Pro Fine Point Stylus for iPad, iPhone & Android devices: $22 (Reg. $30)
LG ChromeBase 22″ 1080p All-in-One Cloud Desktop: $229 shipped (Reg. $300)
Simplehuman Stainless Steel Trash Cans: Semi-Round 30L Step $85 (Reg. $100), more
Give Google Express a try with this $40 credit for $12 with email delivery (70% savings)
Amazon adds new color options and storage to its insane $50 7-inch Fire Tablet lineup
You can catch the ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season Six premiere this weekend live and for free
Fashion- 20% off dresses by Adrianna Papell, Donna Morgan & more
Green Deals: Miracle-Gro AeroGarden LED w/ Seed Kit $70 (Reg. $100), more
Seagate 2TB USB 3.0 Expansion Portable Hard Drive $60 shipped (Reg. $84)
Green Deals: Leviton 12-ft. 5kw Electric Vehicle Charger $350 (Reg. $400), more
LeapFrog Reading and Writing System $17 Prime shipped (Reg. $27+), more
Smartphone Accessories: Omaker M4 Bluetooth 4.0 Outdoor/Shower Speaker $19, more
Home: Philips Electric Toothbrush w/ glass charger $170 (Reg. $200), more
Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Pro Headphones + $150 Amazon gift card: $400 ($550 value)
PSN Digital Games up to 60% off: GTA Trilogy for PS4 from $19, more
Harman Kardon 7.1-Ch. 4K A/V Receiver w/ AirPlay: $298 shipped (Orig. $800)
Green Deals: Philips 100W A21 Dimmable LED Lightbulb $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $22), more
Fashion: Banana Republic 50% off sale items, more
Gift Cards up to 20% off: Babies/Toys R Us, Old Navy, CVS, more
DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter w/ 2.7K Camera: $399 shipped (Reg. $499)
GoPro HERO4 Silver Action Camera w/ Accessories Bundle: $280 w/ .edu ($375 value)
Amazon launches standalone $9/month Prime Video subscription, but it isn’t really a deal
Grab a $5 Kindle eBook credit at Amazon w/ download of select free Android titles
Green Deals: Anker’s new PowerHouse 400Wh Inverter $400 (Reg. $500), more
Google Chromebook Pixel Touchscreen 1.8GHz/4GB/32GB: $400 (Reg. 650+)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

SanDisk’s new iXpand Flash Drive for iPhone & iPad sports a fresh design and speed boost

Bang & Olufsen’s new A1 Bluetooth speaker brings 24-hour playback and USB-C charging

Edelkrone wants to replace your tripod with its slick new camera stand
VIZIO introduces the new M-Series with an updated design and 4K HDR displays
DJI’s new professional-grade drone is incredibly powerful and intelligent
Samsung goes big with the “world’s first” bezel-less curved 4K Ultra HDTV
LEGO reveals a massive 1,600 piece Minecraft set loaded with zombies, more
Improve your kitchen skills with the best under $10 utensils
Some of the best SNES games of all-time hit Nintendo’s 3DS eShop
Amazon’s new $290 Kindle Oasis is a slim, luxury e-reader with months of battery life
The Lycan Powerbox is a robust solar generator with a swappable battery system
Impossible Project reveals its Polaroid-style analog camera with iOS connectivity
JBL’s new Reflect Aware C noise cancelling headphones are powered by USB Type-C

Snapchat update now lets you face swap with photos in your Camera Roll — here’s how

Benjamin Mayo Apr 22 2016 - 3:58 am PT

1 Comment

An update to the Snapchat app today expands on the popular Face Swap feature in a big way. You can now use the face swap effect with pictures taken or downloaded into your Camera Roll. Until now, two people had to be side-by-side in the same photo to Face Swap.

Now, anyone can face swap with any face detected in their iPhone photo library. This opens up some new ‘creative opportunities’, as pictured above, as the face does not have to be in the real world.

Here’s how to activate the new Snapchat feature …

Expand
Expanding
Close

QR code-based Walmart Pay rolling out to iPhone as retailer still resists Apple Pay

Zac Hall Apr 21 2016 - 8:09 am PT

21 Comments

QR code-based payments have their benefits like tying debit and credit card transactions to store reward cards and saving receipts in one step, but they still don’t beat the convenience of NFC-based methods like Apple Pay which are less finicky and more secure. Major retailer Walmart, however, is pushing forward with its plans to make checking out smarter using its own QR code-based system called Walmart Pay. And although the two systems could both be options, Walmart continues to resist other digital wallets including Apple Pay.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Developer version of Opera for Mac now has a free, integrated VPN for privacy and region-hopping [Video]

Ben Lovejoy Apr 21 2016 - 5:59 am PT

10 Comments

Virtual Private Networks are becoming increasingly handy things to have, offering greater security on public Wi-Fi networks, making it harder for websites to track you and accessing content only available in particular countries. Usually you have to pay for these, but the latest developer version of the Opera for Mac has one built right into the browser, and it’s completely free to use.

Until now, most VPN services and proxy servers have been limited and based on a paid subscription. With a free, unlimited, native VPN that just works out-of-the-box and doesn’t require any subscription, Opera wants to make VPNs available to everyone.

If accessing content from other regions is your primary interest, the browser currently allows you to virtually travel to the USA, Canada and Germany, but more regions will follow once the feature makes it into the stable version.

Opera’s developer browser is a free download. Once installed, follow the instructions below to activate the feature.

Mac users just need to click the Opera menu, select “Preferences” and toggle the feature VPN on. A button will appear in the browser address field, from which the user can see and change location (more locations will appear later), check whether their IP is exposed and review statistics for their data used.

9to5Toys Last Call: Best MacBook Accessories, iPad Pro $650, Yamaha 7.2-Ch. A/V Receiver w/ AirPlay $297, more

Trevor Daugherty Apr 20 2016 - 9:30 am PT

0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro 32GB Wi-Fi in all colors: $650 shipped (Reg. $799)

Seagate 2TB USB 3.0 Expansion Portable Hard Drive $60 shipped (Reg. $84)
Edelkrone wants to replace your tripod with its slick new camera stand
Anova Bluetooth Precision Sous Vide Cooker $138 shipped (Reg. $179)
Green Deals: Leviton 12-ft. 5kw Electric Vehicle Charger $350 (Reg. $400), more
LeapFrog Reading and Writing System $17 Prime shipped (Reg. $27+), more
Sports/Fitness: Black Mountain Resistance Band Set $25 (Reg. $30+), more
Home: Philips Electric Toothbrush w/ glass charger $170 (Reg. $200), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/722888840814264320 align=’center’]

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/722872892355162112 align=’center’]

The best accessories for Apple’s 12-inch MacBook: USB-C cables, hubs, flash storage, more

Apple drops the price on refurbished 12-inch MacBooks, now start at $929 shipped

Apple iPad Air 16GB Wi-Fi in Space Gray or Silver $249 shipped (Orig. $399)

Daily Deals: Yamaha 7.2-Ch Network AV Receiver w/ AirPlay $297, Samsung Xpress Mono Laser Printer w/ AirPrint $60, more

Review: Are these third-party $11 Apple Watch Sport bands any good? Turns out, they aren’t too bad.

App Store Free App of the Week: Space Marshals goes free for the very first time ($5 value)

Upgrade Your Mac with 3 Great Apps: Scapple $9 (Orig. $15), STAMP Premium $5 (Orig. $10), Ghostnote $7 (Orig. $10)

BADLAND 1 & 2 for iOS now matching lowest prices ever from $1 (Reg. $5)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Audio-Technica ATH-M40X Over-Ear Headphones + FiiO E6 Amp: $82 shipped ($105 value), more

Smartphone Accessories: Omaker M4 Bluetooth 4.0 Outdoor/Shower Speaker $19, more
Games/Apps: Borderlands Handsome $20, Turtle Beach headsets from $43, iOS freebies, more
Internal 2.5″ Solid-State Drives: Mushkin 1TB $205 (Reg. $245), SanDisk 120GB $36 (Reg. $45+)
Polk Audio MagniFi One 240W Bluetooth Soundbar w/ Wireless Subwoofer: $180 (Reg. $250+)
Amazon Gold Box – Stührling watches from $60 shipped: Swiss Quartz, Skeletons, more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Smartphone Accessories: Pad & Quill Timber Catchall Stand for Apple Watch in cherry wood finish $64 (Reg. $99), more

Smartphone Accessories: Arc-shaped Apple Watch Charging Stand $21, more
Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Pro Headphones + $150 Amazon gift card: $400 ($550 value)
PSN Digital Games up to 60% off: GTA Trilogy for PS4 from $19, more
Harman Kardon 7.1-Ch. 4K A/V Receiver w/ AirPlay: $298 shipped (Orig. $800)
Green Deals: Philips 100W A21 Dimmable LED Lightbulb $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $22), more
Fashion: Banana Republic 50% off sale items, more
Gift Cards up to 20% off: Babies/Toys R Us, Old Navy, Lowe’s, CVS, more
Displays: Dell 24-inch 4K $361 (Reg. $400+), LG 27-inch 1080p $180 (Reg. $299)
Samsung 55-inch 4K 120Hz Smart UHDTVs: $1,200 (Reg. $1,500), 3D $1,375 (Reg. $1,800)
DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter w/ 2.7K Camera: $399 shipped (Reg. $499)
GoPro HERO4 Silver Action Camera w/ Accessories Bundle: $280 w/ .edu ($375 value)
Amazon launches standalone $9/month Prime Video subscription, but it isn’t really a deal
Grab a $5 Kindle eBook credit at Amazon w/ download of select free Android titles
Green Deals: Anker’s new PowerHouse 400Wh Inverter $400 (Reg. $500), more
Slayin endless action RPG for iOS is now available for free (Reg. $1)
Google Chromebook Pixel Touchscreen 1.8GHz/4GB/32GB: $400 (Reg. 650+)
LG Music Flow P7 20W 2-Channel Bluetooth Speaker: $43 shipped (Orig. $150)
Grab this RCA 32-inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV for only $150 shipped (Orig. $209)
Give Google Express a try with this $30 credit for $15 w/ email delivery (50% savings)
LEGO Star Wars Buildable Figurines from $17 including Luke Skywalker, more
Google Play MP3 albums for $1: Notorious B.I.G. Life After Death (Remastered), more
Stay online when the power goes out with the APC Back-UPS Power Supply for $20 (Reg. $30)
TarDisk Pear solid-state expansion drive for MacBook 15% off
Free two-month Audible trial for new customers (Reg. $15/mo.), more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

VIZIO introduces the new M-Series with an updated design and 4K HDR displays

DJI’s new professional-grade drone is incredibly powerful and intelligent
Samsung goes big with the “world’s first” bezel-less curved 4K Ultra HDTV
LEGO reveals a massive 1,600 piece Minecraft set loaded with zombies, more
Improve your kitchen skills with the best under $10 utensils
Some of the best SNES games of all-time hit Nintendo’s 3DS eShop
Amazon’s new $290 Kindle Oasis is a slim, luxury e-reader with months of battery life
The Lycan Powerbox is a robust solar generator with a swappable battery system
Impossible Project reveals its Polaroid-style analog camera with iOS connectivity
JBL’s new Reflect Aware C noise cancelling headphones are powered by USB Type-C
You probably won’t own Lytro’s new 755MP Cinema Camera but you’ll enjoy its benefits
GoPro’s new Omni Virtual Reality rig leverages six HERO4 Black action cameras
Epson’s latest ‘Small-in-One’ printer weighs in at a fraction of the competition

Apple slowly rolling out ability to preview fourth-gen Apple TV apps from the web

Chance Miller Apr 19 2016 - 4:26 pm PT

5 Comments

At long last, Apple today has started rolling out web links and iTunes web previews for tvOS apps, similar to how links to iOS/Mac apps and iTunes content has worked for years now. As reported by MacStories, users will now be able to easily share links to fourth-gen Apple TV apps on their computer and subsequently be able to view app details, as well.

Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS App Store brings in 2x more revenue than Play Store despite seeing half the downloads

Edoardo Maggio Apr 19 2016 - 11:37 am PT

14 Comments

For both Google and Apple, the operations on their virtual stores are hugely important, as they account for millions of dollars. However, there has historically been a disparity between the number of downloaded applications and the actual money generated by them, a trend that seems to have peaked in the first quarter of this year.

According to App Annie‘s Index Market for Q1 of 2016, in fact, Google’s Play Store saw a number of downloads that roughly doubles that of the iOS App Store, which in turns represents the platform with the highest profitability, with over 90% more revenue generated over its counterpart…

Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Last Call: Apple refurb 12″ MacBooks from $929, Amazon Tap/Echo from $111, Apple Watch Dock $21, more

Justin Kahn Apr 19 2016 - 9:31 am PT

0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

The best accessories for Apple’s 12-inch MacBook: USB-C cables, hubs, flash storage, more

VIZIO introduces the new M-Series with an updated design and 4K HDR displays
Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Pro Headphones + $150 Amazon gift card: $400 ($550 value)
Motorola SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 SB6183 Cable Modem (Refurb) $64 shipped (Reg. $100)
PSN Digital Games up to 60% off: GTA Trilogy for PS4 from $19, more
Harman Kardon 7.1-Ch. 4K A/V Receiver w/ AirPlay: $298 shipped (Orig. $800)
Green Deals: Philips 100W A21 Dimmable LED Lightbulb $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $22), more
Sports/Fitness: Collapsible LED Camping Lantern $7.50 (Reg. $10+), more
Home: DEWALT Rotary Multi-Tool Kit $159 ($213+ value), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/722457401174192129 align=’center’]

Apple drops the price on refurbished 12-inch MacBooks, now start at $929 shipped

Amazon’s Alexa-enabled Echo is on sale for $154 (Reg. $180), Tap Bluetooth Speaker $111 (Reg. $130)

Smartphone Accessories: Arc-shaped Apple Watch Charging Stand $21, AUKEY Magnetic Air Vent Mount $6, more

Review: Are these third-party $11 Apple Watch Sport bands any good? Turns out, they aren’t too bad.

App Store Free App of the Week: Space Marshals goes free for the very first time ($5 value)

Upgrade Your Mac with 3 Great Apps: Scapple $9 (Orig. $15), STAMP Premium $5 (Orig. $10), Ghostnote $7 (Orig. $10)

BADLAND 1 & 2 for iOS now matching lowest prices ever from $1 (Reg. $5)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

SanDisk Storage: Ultra II 960GB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive $200 (Reg. $232+), 256GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive $50, more

Smartphone Accessories: Pad & Quill Timber Catchall Stand for Apple Watch in cherry wood finish $64 (Reg. $99), more

Daily Deals: JBL Synchros Over-Ear Headphones $99, Dell Laser Printer w/ AirPrint $70, more
Games/Apps: Plants vs. Zombies GW 2 $40, Guitar Hero Live from $38, iOS freebies, more
Fashion: Banana Republic 50% off sale items, 50% off Dockers Pants/Shirts, more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

DODOcase 40% off sitewide: iPad Pro Two Tone Case from $49 shipped, iPhone & Apple Watch accessories, more

Samsung 55-inch 4K 120Hz Smart UHDTVs: $1,200 (Reg. $1,500), 3D $1,375 (Reg. $1,800)

Displays: Dell 24-inch 4K $361 (Reg. $400+), LG Ultra-Thin Bezel 27-inch 1080p $180 (Reg. $299)

Gift Cards up to 20% off: Babies/Toys R Us, Old Navy, Lowe’s, CVS, more
DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter w/ 2.7K Camera: $399 shipped (Reg. $499)
GoPro HERO4 Silver Action Camera w/ Accessories Bundle: $280 w/ .edu ($375 value)
Panasonic eneloop 8-pack of rechargeable AA batteries: $18 Prime shipped (Reg. $22+)
Amazon launches standalone $9/month Prime Video subscription, but it isn’t really a deal
Grab a $5 Kindle eBook credit at Amazon w/ download of select free Android titles
Green Deals: Anker’s new PowerHouse 400Wh Inverter $400 (Reg. $500), more
Slayin endless action RPG for iOS is now available for free (Reg. $1)
Google Chromebook Pixel Touchscreen 1.8GHz/4GB/32GB: $400 (Reg. 650+)
Jackery USB Power Banks: 6000mAh w/ MFi Lightning Cable $20 (Reg. $30), more
LG Music Flow P7 20W 2-Channel Bluetooth Speaker: $43 shipped (Orig. $150)
Grab this RCA 32-inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV for only $150 shipped (Orig. $209)
Give Google Express a try with this $30 credit for $15 w/ email delivery (50% savings)
LEGO Star Wars Buildable Figurines from $17 including Luke Skywalker, more
Google Play MP3 albums for $1: Notorious B.I.G. Life After Death (Remastered), Fetty Wap, more
Pebble Time iOS/Android Smartwatch with color e-paper display: $105 shipped (Reg. $130+)
Philips Hue Starter Kits (1st gen): Lux $56 (Orig. $80), White & Color $135 (Orig. $170)
Philips Hue discounted bundles: 4-pack A19 white & color bulbs $199 (Reg. $240), more
Stay online when the power goes out with the APC Back-UPS Power Supply for $20 (Reg. $30)
TarDisk Pear solid-state expansion drive for MacBook 15% off
BenQ 1080p 3D DLP Home Theater Projector (Refurb) $500 (Orig, $1,199)
Free two-month Audible trial for new customers (Reg. $15/mo.), more
Green Deals: Aukey 12000mAh Solar Dual-USB Power Bank $25 (Reg. $30+), more
Samsung 48-inch Smart 4K UHDTV w/ 3 HDMI + 2 USB ports: $450 (Reg. $800)
QNAP 2-Bay Personal Cloud NAS w/ DLNA & PLEX: $139 shipped (Reg. $179)
Get your first month free of the comic subscription service Marvel Unlimited ($10 value)
Enhance your computer audio w/ Mackie’s CR4 50W Reference Speakers for $115 (Reg. $150)
Fashion: Patagonia up to 50% off – 1/4 Zip Pullover $64, Board shorts $39, more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

DJI’s new professional-grade drone is incredibly powerful and intelligent

Samsung goes big with the “world’s first” bezel-less curved 4K Ultra HDTV
LEGO reveals a massive 1,600 piece Minecraft set loaded with zombies, more
Improve your kitchen skills with the best under $10 utensils
Some of the best SNES games of all-time hit Nintendo’s 3DS eShop
Amazon’s new $290 Kindle Oasis is a slim, luxury e-reader with months of battery life
The Lycan Powerbox is a robust solar generator with a swappable battery system
Impossible Project reveals its Polaroid-style analog camera with iOS connectivity
JBL’s new Reflect Aware C noise cancelling headphones are powered by USB Type-C
You probably won’t own Lytro’s new 755MP Cinema Camera but you’ll enjoy its benefits
GoPro’s new Omni Virtual Reality rig leverages six HERO4 Black action cameras
Epson’s latest ‘Small-in-One’ printer weighs in at a fraction of the competition
Twelve South introduces new TimePorter capsule for Apple Watch and charger
Ryobi’s new Ultra Quiet Garage Door Opener has a Bluetooth speaker and more
Roku introduces a new quad-core streaming stick with a slimmed down design
Apogee releases its most affordable full-featured Mac recording interface yet
The Yecup 365 travel mug uses your iPhone to heat or cool your drink
ROAM-e follows you around in the sky and takes selfies on demand

Review: Break this Safe, a creatively frustrating Apple Watch game

Greg Barbosa Apr 19 2016 - 7:00 am PT

11 Comments

We’re nearing the one year mark of the Apple Watch’s original release. When Apple first announced the Watch I was excited to see all the creative applications, tools, and games developers would make for it. The watch was a new product category begging for creative development. After a full year, I believe we’re finally starting to see what that means, starting with Rafael Conde’s Break this Safe Apple Watch game.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apps

Apple unveils redesigned webpage sharing details on how to succeed in the App Store

Chance Miller Apr 18 2016 - 4:40 pm PT

3 Comments

Alongside officially announcing details for its Word Wide Developer Conference, Apple this evening has launched an entirely redesigned webpage with guides on how to make “great apps for the App Store.” On the webpage, Apple details how interested users can join the Apple Developer Program, manage applications, promote applications, and much more.

The App Store makes it simple for users around the world to discover, download and enjoy your apps. Grow your business with resources designed to help you create great apps and reach more users.

Expand
Expanding
Close