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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.

Microsoft releases Hub Keyboard for iOS with Office 365 integration

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Microsoft Garage, Microsoft’s experimental projects team, has finally released their much anticipated Hub Keyboard for iOS today. This specific keyboard lacks the expected special one-handed typing mode, along with the previously reported Swype-like typing functionality. The latter feature may have been related to Microsoft’s recent purchase of SwiftKey, although it appears some of SwiftKey’s features made its way into Hub Keyboard in the form of autocompletion suggestions.


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Another month, another Flash vulnerability … Adobe issues emergency update

Less than a month after a critical Flash vulnerability allowed an attacker to take control of a Mac, Adobe has issued an emergency update for yet another critical flaw. The latest one is already being exploited by ransomware that encrypts Windows PCs, but while there’s no known exploit for OS X as yet, Adobe says that the same vulnerability exists on all platforms, and users should update immediately …


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Facebook unveils ‘Messenger Codes,’ will reportedly launch chatbot & live chat APIs next week

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According to a new report from TechCrunch, Facebook is working with developers to build chatbots and Live Chat web plugins for business clients. The tools are said to be officially announced next week at the social network’s F8 conference. Chatbots will allow for businesses to offer automated response systems for responding to inquires from potential customers.


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Microsoft introduces Evernote, Facebook and Wunderlist integration in Outlook with calendar apps

If there is one thing we learned from CEO Satya Nadella’s corporate restructuring of Microsoft over the last couple of years, it’s that he wants its services to be everywhere. And that doesn’t just mean apps like those in Office 365‘s suite keeping your productivity up even on non-Windows systems, but something that aims at a much deeper integration.

With today’s update rolling out for iOS and Android, the Outlook app is adding what the company calls “Calendar Apps”. While you could already see your calendar from within the dedicated tab inside the app, the new addition — which likely comes from the Sunrise acquisition — will allow services like EvernoteFacebook and Wunderlist to integrate as well…


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Activity++ for iPhone and Apple Watch is an alternative dashboard for your fitness goals

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Starting with iOS 9.3, third-party app developers can tap into Apple Watch activity data like move and stand goal progress as well as exercise duration. Developer David Smith has used that new capability to create an alternative dashboard to Apple’s Activity app on iPhone and Apple Watch. The new app is called Activity++ (following Pedometer++ and Sleep++) and it’s out for iPhone and Apple Watch today. Here’s what it offers:


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9to5Toys Last Call: Beats Solo2 Headphones $90, Digits calculator for iOS free, Bluetooth audio adapter $14, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple’s Pay Once & Play 50% off iOS game sale: Transistor, Brothers, Rules!, Implosion, Radiation Island, more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/718161248492380162 align=’center’]

Beats Solo2 Wired On-Ear Headphones (multiple colors) $90 shipped (Orig. $200), more

Digits, the calculator for humans on iOS is now available for free (Reg. $4)

Add Bluetooth to nearly any speaker w/ the Mpow Streambot Mini for $14 Prime shipped

Apple Deals:

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch Wi-Fi 128GB in all colors: $760 shipped (Reg. $949)

Apple 12-inch Retina MacBook 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB: $990 shipped (Reg. $1,299), more

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro (Newest Version) 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,600 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Apple TV 4th gen: 32GB $109 (Reg. $149), 64GB $154 (Reg. $199) w/ VISA Checkout

What if I told you that you could get a great Apple Milanese Loop knockoff for a tenth of the price ($16 Prime shipped)?

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

Cut the Rope Time Travel for iPhone and iPad goes free for the very first time (Reg. $1)

Brothers A Tale of Two Sons iOS puzzle-adventure game gets its first price drop: $2 (Reg. $5)

Transistor action RPG for iOS matching its lowest price ever: $3 (Reg. $10)

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

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

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Audio-Technica’s best selling ATH-M50x studio headphones + FiiO A3 amp $130 shipped ($180+ value)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/718104977198198784 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

iPhone SE and Galaxy S7/Edge cases in a variety of styles/colors from $3 shipped

Walmart launches iPhone SE $100 discount, other Apple/Samsung devices too!

Smartphone Accessories: Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker III $249 shipped (Reg. $300), Aduro 2-Outlet USB Surge Protector $10, more

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Ryobi’s new Ultra Quiet Garage Door Opener has a Bluetooth speaker and more

Reddit’s long-awaited official iOS app finally here w/ three months of free Reddit Gold

It’s been almost 18 months since Reddit acquired the rights to the popular Alien Blue iOS app, stating then that it would be rebranded as an official client, but Reddit: The Official App finally made it to the U.S. App Store today. However, it is not yet available in all countries.

With the official Reddit app, you can:

  • Browse all of Reddit, wherever you are
  • Search and discover communities by topic or interest
  • Submit your own comments, images, links, and stories for others to view and discuss
  • Customize Reddit with themes (including night theme)
  • View in either compact view or card view
  • Stay up to date with your orangereds with Inbox: messages, comment replies, post replies, and mentions … 


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The best iOS apps for taking notes with Apple Pencil + iPad Pro

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After resisting the temptation for several months, I finally broke down this week and bought an Apple Pencil. I purchased the initial iPad Pro back in November when it first came out, but sold it and switched to the 9.7-inch model last week, and so far I’ve been very happy with that choice. Figuring that I’ll probably stick with this size iPad Pro for at least a year, I decided the Apple Pencil would be a worthwhile investment. And I was right.

I was skeptical of the Apple Pencil when it was first announced, as I assumed it would just be the same as the tacky styluses third-parties had been making for years, but after using it I’ve realized just how wrong I was. The thing that I noticed very early on in my time with the Apple Pencil though, was how crazy good the palm rejection is. Writing with an Apple Pencil on an iPad Pro is nearly as easy as writing on actual paper. As a student, this is a huge factor for me when it comes to note taking, so I decided to dive a little deeper into the apps on iOS that are made for taking notes and are optimized for iPad Pro. Here are some of the ones I would recommend…


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Facebook Live update brings ability to go live in Groups, interactive features, more

It was perhaps unimaginable just a few years ago, but live streaming has become particularly popular thanks to apps like Meerkat and, most notoriously, Twitter-acquired Periscope. Not to be left out, Facebook joined the race last summer — albeit initially only for public figures via the dedicated Mentions app — and then pushed beyond earlier this year with the open introduction of “Facebook Live” in the US, a feature within the mobile app that allows anyone to live stream to their friends.

The experiment seems to be working well, and with the app update — which begins its rollout today — Facebook is adding a variety of features to enhance the Facebook Live experience; according to the company, adding a dedicated tab for finding live as well as archived video will “give you more ways to discover, share, and interact with live video, and more ways to personalize your live broadcasts”…


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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Pro 12.9″ 128GB $760, MacBook $990, Milanese Loop Apple Watch Bands $16, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Spigen Accessories Sale: Rugged Apple Watch Band $10, iPhone 6/s/Plus Screen Protectors $2, much more

Cut the Rope Time Travel for iPhone and iPad goes free for the very first time (Reg. $1)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/717805550696697856 align=’center’]

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch Wi-Fi 128GB in all colors: $760 shipped (Reg. $949)

Apple 12-inch Retina MacBook 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB: $990 shipped (Reg. $1,299), more

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro (Newest Version) 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,600 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

What if I told you that you could get a great Apple Milanese Loop knockoff for a tenth of the price ($16 Prime shipped)?

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

iPhone SE and Galaxy S7/Edge cases in a variety of styles/colors from $3 shipped

Walmart launches iPhone SE $100 discount, other Apple/Samsung devices too!

Apple TV 4th gen: 32GB $109 (Reg. $149), 64GB $154 (Reg. $199) w/ VISA Checkout

Transistor action RPG for iOS matching its lowest price ever: $3 (Reg. $10)

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

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

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Smartphone Accessories: Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker III $249 shipped (Reg. $300), Aduro 2-Outlet USB Surge Protector $10, more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Lifeproof FRĒ SERIES Waterproof Case for iPhone 6/s Plus: $41 Prime shipped (Reg. $65)

AT&T buy 3 accessories, save 20%: iPad Pro Smart Keyboard $143 (Reg. $169), Apple Pencil $87 (Reg. $99), more

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

NEW PRODUCTS & 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

iTunes metadata suggests ability to hide stock apps on iPhone and iPad coming soon

A very common complaint from iOS users is that unused stock apps cannot be hidden or removed from the Home screen, so ‘less useful’ apps like Tips or Stocks have to be hidden in a folder somewhere to get them off the Home screen. As noted by AppAdvice, the internal App Store JSON data source has added a couple of new interesting keys in the last few weeks, which suggests that Apple is in fact adding the ability to hide stock apps soon …


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9to5Toys Last Call: Apple TV 4th gen $109, Spigen Apple Watch dock $3, 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $1,600, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 12-Inch Retina MacBook 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB: $990 shipped (Reg. $1,050), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/717412710355439617 align=’center’]

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/717456772840038400 align=’center’]

Apple TV 4th gen: 32GB $109 (Reg. $149), 64GB $154 (Reg. $199) w/ VISA Checkout

Apple Watch Docks: Spigen w/ support for Nightstand Mode $3, Native Union ANCHOR $15, more

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro (Newest Version) 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,600 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch Wi-Fi 128GB in all colors: $760 shipped (Reg. $949)

Walmart launches iPhone SE $100 discount, other Apple/Samsung devices too!

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

The classic-style Doom and Destiny RPG games drop to just $1 each on iOS (Reg. $3 ea)

Game Dev Story for iOS now matching its lowest price ever: $1 (Reg. $5)

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

Take It Easy iOS puzzler/brain teaser goes free for the first time in years (Reg. $2)

Zentomino HD puzzler for iPad drops to $1 (Reg. $5) or entire trilogy for $2 (up to $15 value)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Daily Deals: Logitech Canvas Keyboard Case for iPad Air in Red (Refurb) $19, more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/717364460986482688 align=’center’]
[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/717330247352508416 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

AT&T buy 3 accessories, save 20%: iPad Pro Smart Keyboard $143 (Reg. $169), Apple Pencil $87 (Reg. $99), more

UE BOOM 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker in all colors: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

The Yecup 365 travel mug uses your iPhone to heat or cool your drink

Following Apple’s lead with iMessage, WhatsApp rolls out end-to-end encryption for all communication

Although the battle over encryption between the FBI and Apple has currently subsided, the issue of privacy and security in technology continues. Today, WhatsApp is announcing that all messages, photos, phone calls and videos sent over its messaging app will be encrypted end-to-end. This means that no one can access any communications apart from the people in the conversation. This means if WhatsApp is subpoenaed by government for information, WhatsApp will not be able to help them as it simply cannot help them.


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Starz hits Apple TV with $8.99/month package, Twitter scores live NFL “Thursday Night Football” streams

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Tim Cook’s pitch for the fourth generation Apple TV so far has been largely that “the future of TV is apps”, and this week yet another premium cable and satellite network is launching a standalone version of its network for cord cutters. Starz, which before now has required a traditional cable or satellite package for access, is launching a streaming version of its network for a monthly rate competitive to HBO and Netflix. The new Starz app is available on iPhone, iPad, and the fourth generation Apple TV for $8.99/month if you don’t have the network in your cable package. Also in the streaming space, we learned today that Twitter has emerged victorious is scoring the rights to stream 10 NFL “Thursday Night Football” games in the next season…


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T-Mobile adds 16 more services to Binge On & Music Freedom data-free streaming incl. Amazon Music, EPSN Radio, Spike, more

T-Mobile is adding more services to its Binge On and Music Freedom features, which allow its customers to stream video and audio content from certain apps without eating into their wireless plan’s data allowance.

“It’s a fact … Un-carrier Data is different than Carrier Data. It’s better! Nobody does data like T-Mobile!” said Legere. “Un-carrier Data is not only faster, it lasts a lot longer than the other guys… As of today, you stream unlimited music and video from over 100 providers – without ever touching your Un-carrier Data or worrying about overages—and you can stash what you don’t use for later. Try that with Carrier Data. It’s gone in a flash, and you’re getting hit with penalties—or they repossess it after a month or two. Ridiculous!”

Among the 16 total new services being added today, users can now stream audio data-free from Amazon Music, Chilltrax, ESPN Radio, OHIO.FM, PreDanz and Uforia.

And for video, services officially added to the list today include  Dailymotion, EPIX, OVGuide, OWNZONES, Viki, YipTV, 120 Sports, Nickelodeon, Spike, and TV Land.

T-Mobile shared some stats about the Binge On and Music Freedom initiatives noting that users have streamed approximately 90 billion songs without using data since launch (around 210 million songs a day). It also pointed out that its users “are watching 2x more from free streaming sites on plans with limited data and have streamed over 190 million hours of video for free.”

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP5k4aGDm_0]

The addition of the new services today brings up the number of audio and video services supported by Binge On and Music Freedom to 100 total. You can view a full list of supported services on T-Mobile’s website.

Facebook’s iOS app uses AI and VoiceOver to describe the contents of photos to blind users

At a time when so many Facebook posts comprise a photo and a brief comment, there’s one group of people who get rather left out of the picture: those who are blind and partially sighted. That’s a problem Facebook is fixing, starting from today. The iOS app now uses artificial intelligence to figure out the content of photos, and Apple’s VoiceOver feature to read aloud a description of them.

The Verge got a demo of the feature, which Facebook calls ‘automatic alt text.’

Automatic alt text, which is coming to iOS today and later to Android and the web, recognizes objects in photos using machine learning […] While still in its early stages, the technology can reliably identify concepts in categories including transportation (“car,” “boat,” “airplane”), nature (“snow,” “ocean,” “sunset”), sports (“basketball court”), and food (“sushi”). The technology can also describe people (“baby,” “smiling,” beard”), and identify a selfie.

Facebook said that there were two approaches it could have taken to the problem, and it chose the one it believed would be most successful …


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Disqus releases first iPhone app w/ support for tracking comments & discussions, more

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Popular commenting service Disqus today has announced its first ever iOS app. The app is available now in the App Store for free and allows users to track notifications relating to their comments as well as discussions from channels and websites they follow. The app’s interface is pretty standard, with home, channel, notification, and profile tabs along the bottom.


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1Password 6.2 for Mac adds automatic login naming + upgraded data importer

Juggling passwords for all the digital services we manage these days is no easy task with varying rules and expiring credentials all the time, but 1Password makes the process both more secure and way more convenient. Rather than using a version of a few passwords that you can actually remember, 1Password easily lets you generate strong, randomized passwords for each service that you protect behind a single secure password, then browser extensions and action extensions on OS X and iOS make password entry super simple.

The latest update to 1Password for Mac, version 6.2, adds a couple of minor but useful enhancements to the desktop experience. First, intelligence behind the automatic login and password filler is smarter in the new version, which means using the keyboard shortcut or browser extension to fill in your info will fail fewer times. The database upgrade also means that naming new logins will be easier as 1Password will be smarter about guessing what website you’re new login is for.

If you’re new to 1Password or setting up friends or family, 1Password 6.2 for Mac also includes a more intelligent data importer for users moving from other password management apps. This follows the introduction of new features like 1Password for Families and Teams, which are also improved in this version, as well as 1Password mini for the Menu Bar on OS X.

Check out the full release notes below:


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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Pro Smart Keyboard $143, olloclip iPhone Lens $50, Kindle eReader $50, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro (Newest Version) 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,600 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

AT&T buy 3 accessories, save 20%: iPad Pro Smart Keyboard $143 (Reg. $169), Apple Pencil $87 (Reg. $99), more

olloclip 4-in-1 Photo Lens for iPhone 6/s & Plus $50 shipped (Reg. $80)

Amazon’s popular Kindle e-readers are up to 37% off for Prime members w/ prices starting at $50 shipped

Walmart launches iPhone SE $100 discount, other Apple/Samsung devices too!

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

The classic-style Doom and Destiny RPG games drop to just $1 each on iOS (Reg. $3 ea)

Game Dev Story for iOS now matching its lowest price ever: $1 (Reg. $5)

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

Take It Easy iOS puzzler/brain teaser goes free for the first time in years (Reg. $2)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Browse the web anonymously with a Private Internet Access VPN 2-year subscription: $60 (Orig. $80)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

UE BOOM 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker in all colors: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

ROAM-e follows you around in the sky and takes selfies on demand

Sprint customers can now (but probably shouldn’t) pay monthly for Amazon Prime

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The TSA paid $336k (or maybe $1.4M) for a random number generator app for an iPad

Gotta love government IT projects. When you want to randomly pick airline travelers for reduced security screening, it makes sense to use a random number generator to choose those people, so you can show there’s no discrimination involved.

What makes rather less sense is to pay $336k for the app. Or maybe even as much as $1.4M …


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9to5Toys Last Call: UE BOOM 2 Bluetooth Speaker $150, DJI Phantom 3 Drone $399, Free App of the Week, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version): $800 shipped (Reg. $999)

UE BOOM 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker in all colors: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

DJI Phantom 3 Standard Drone w/ 2.7K HD Camera drops to $399 shipped (Reg. $450+)

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

Game Dev Story for iOS now matching its lowest price ever: $1 (Reg. $5)

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

Take It Easy iOS puzzler/brain teaser goes free for the first time in years (Reg. $2)

Sprint customers can now (but probably shouldn’t) pay monthly for Amazon Prime

Apple 21-inch Retina 4K iMac 3.1GHz/8GB/1TB (newest version): $1,300 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Smartphone Accessories: BYTECH 14,000mAh Power Bank $17 shipped (Orig. $40), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/715887017247313921 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

iOttie Car Mounts for iPhone/Android Devices: Easy One Touch 2 $13 (Reg. $20), w/ Qi Charger $40 (Reg. $55)


Hit the road w/ TP-LINK’s 802.11n Portable Travel Router
for $8 Prime Shipped (Reg. $13)

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Seagate unveils the “world’s first” USB-powered 8TB desktop hard drive