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6,300 'Apps' stories April 2010 - November 2015
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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.

Tweetbot 4.1 for iOS brings the popular Twitter app to Apple Watch

Avatar for Zac Hall Nov 3 2015 - 10:21 am PT
0 Comments

Tapbots is out with Tweetbot 4.1 for iOS, bringing Tweetbot to the Apple Watch for the first time. The update follows the massive Tweetbot 4.0 launch at the start of October which included a redesigned iPad version plus iOS 9-specific features and more.  The new Tweetbot 4.1’s Apple Watch app is made for watchOS 2 and lets users compose new tweets, view recent activity, respond to mentions, and view profiles. Tweetbot for Apple Watch also enhances the way notifications look with a richer, custom appearance.
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9to5Toys Last Call: Pebble Time $150, TP-LINK Travel Router $10, Targus iPad Air Case $7, more

Avatar for Nov 3 2015 - 9:01 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:

Review: How Amazon Echo changed my life + $130 special price ($50 off) for Amazon card holders

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/661597131170557954 align=’center’]

Pebble Time Smartwatch for iOS and Android (multiple colors): $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

This 802.11n pocket wireless router from TP-LINK is a must-have for avid travelers: $10 shipped (Orig. $40)

Targus Ultra Twill Vuscape Case for iPad Air (Black): $7 Prime shipped (83% off list)

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi: 16GB $399 (Reg. $499), 64GB $479 (Reg. $599), 128GB $559 (Reg. $699)

Apple iPad Mini 2, space gray or silver: $199 shipped ($70 off)

eBay calls on Black Friday shoppers to decide which products will get discounted this year

Amazon’s Black Friday Deals store is now open for business

Everything we know so far about this year’s best Black Friday deals and promotions

More new gear from today:

Fashion: 20% off at Amazon – Kenneth Cole Down Jacket $90 (Reg. $113), shoes, accessories, more

More deals still alive:

Buy a pair of PowerBeats 2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones, get a $50 Target gift card: $144 shipped (Orig. $200)

Beats by Dr. Dre Pill 2.0 Portable Bluetooth Speaker (multiple colors) $120 shipped (Orig. $200)

New products & more:

Mogees iPhone-connected sensor turns any object into a playable instrument

Inbox by Gmail app for iPhone will use AI-powered Smart Reply feature to respond to messages for you

Avatar for Cam Bunton Nov 3 2015 - 7:46 am PT
7 Comments

Google’s Inbox by Gmail app for iPhone is one of the best things to happen to personal email management since email was invented (at least, it is for Gmail users). Using Google Now’s power, it can automatically create calendar events, sort out your junk and priority emails and suggest reminders. Now it’s about to get a whole lot smarter.


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Activision acquires the company behind Candy Crush for $5.9 billion

Avatar for Chance Miller Nov 2 2015 - 8:07 pm PT
5 Comments

Activision Blizzard has agreed to acquire the company behind the popular Candy Crush Saga and Farm Hero games, King Digital Entertainment, for $5.9 billion in cash. King Digital’s games consist of a community of more than 340 million unique users. Activision, of course, is the company behind hit console games like the Call of Duty series.


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Official Plex app for Apple TV now available, offers local streaming, playlists, channels, more

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Nov 2 2015 - 1:54 pm PT
57 Comments

The official Plex app for Apple TV is now available in the App Store. Plex is a media server for video, TV shows, music and photos. The app is fully featured, with quick access to search, playlists and more from the top bar. It also tracks your currently playing items so you can quickly pick up with a show or film from where you left off. The app incorporates channel streaming of content like TED, Revision3 and more as well as video queues from YouTube and Vimeo.
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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad mini 2 $199, iPad Air 2 from $399, Beats Pill 2.0 Bluetooth Speaker $120, more

Avatar for Nov 2 2015 - 9:24 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:

Buy a pair of PowerBeats 2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones, get a $50 Target gift card: $144 shipped (Orig. $200)

Apple iPad Mini 2, space gray or silver: $199 shipped ($70 off)

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi: 16GB $399 (Reg. $499), 64GB $479 (Reg. $599), 128GB $559 (Reg. $699)

Beats by Dr. Dre Pill 2.0 Portable Bluetooth Speaker (multiple colors) $120 shipped (Orig. $200)

Amazon’s Black Friday Deals store is now open for business

Everything we know so far about this year’s best Black Friday deals and promotions

More new gear from today:

2 Pack: Mohu Leaf Metro Indoor HDTV Antenna (Refurb) $25 shipped (Orig. $40 value)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/661221136408023040 align=’center’]

More deals still alive:

Freebies: Mighty Mac App Bundle + Brad Paisley album + More!

Free PS Plus Games for November: The Walking Dead Season 2, Mass Effect 2, Beyond Good & Evil, more

Free Xbox Live Gold Games for November: Pneuma Breath of Life, Dungeon Siege III, more

PSA: Best Buy and others launch new Apple TV pre-orders, offer potential savings

The best accessories for the new Apple TV: MFi game controllers, keyboards, cables, more

New products & more:

Panasonic has a new line of solar powered products designed for those in need

Another reason you might want to hide one of the iPhone’s default apps: your financial health …

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Nov 2 2015 - 5:41 am PT
5 Comments

With Apple not allowing us to delete its pre-installed iPhone apps, may of us take to hiding them away inside a folder on the ‘back’ screen where they at least don’t get in the way. But a report in the WSJ suggests there’s another reason you may want to hide the Stocks app: using it too often can lead you to make poor investing decisions.

The report references a phenomenon known as myopic loss aversion, in which people are likely to sell stocks when they see frequent downward movements – even if the long-term trend is up.

When people are frequently told how their investments are doing—say, if they are given a daily update on their long-term investments, by smartphone or any other digital device—they are more likely to make poor financial decisions and possibly sell at the wrong time.

The reason frequent checks are risky is that the more often you look, the greater the chance you’re going to see a drop in the price. And that has nothing to do with the stock’s performance, it’s just stats.

If you check every single day, there’s a roughly 47% chance that the market will have gone down, based on its past movements. But what happens if you check once a month? The numbers will start to look a little better, as the market will only have gone down 41% of the time. Years are better still, as the S&P generates a positive return seven years out of every 10. And if you check once a decade, then you’re only going to get bad news about 15% of the time.

So if you want to make the best investment decisions, it seems the smart money is on leaving the Stocks app well alone.

Apple has come under criticism for continuing to offer a 16GB iPhone in 2015, but defended the decision on the basis of cloud storage and app thinning.

Google’s new ‘Who’s Down’ app shows which of your friends are free to hang out

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 30 2015 - 11:55 am PT
13 Comments

Google has just quietly released a new app on the App Store called “Who’s Down”. As you might be able to tell from its name, the app will apparently — once there are people who are actually using it — let you see which of your friends are free to hang out. Currently, the app is invite-only, so the only things we know about its functionality are from the app’s App Store screenshots…
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9to5Toys Last Call: 21″ iMac (newest version) $950, iPhone 6s/Plus cases from $3, iPhone car mount $5, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Oct 30 2015 - 9:02 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:

Everything we know so far about this year’s best Black Friday deals and promotions

Apple 21-inch iMac (newest version) 1.6GHz/8GB/1TB: $950 shipped (Reg. $1,099)

12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,099 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

iPhone 6s/Plus accessories: ULAK cases from $3, Griffin and Case-Mate 20% off, more

Aukey Magnetic Cradle-less Car Air Vent Mount $4.50 Prime shipped (Reg. $7)

PSA: Best Buy and others launch new Apple TV pre-orders, offer potential savings

The best accessories for the new Apple TV: MFi game controllers, keyboards, cables, more

Target ad leak reveals planned Apple Watch discount for iPhone purchasers

Giveaway: Polk Audio’s Omni Whole Home Music System – Soundbar w/ subwoofer and S2 Speaker ($880 value)

More new gear from today:

Headphones: Audio-Technica Over-Ears $100 (Orig. $250), URGE Basics Bluetooth Earbuds $9 (Reg. $19), more

More deals still alive:

Logitech K480 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard (refurb) $20 shipped (Orig. $50)

App Store Free App of the Week: rop mind-bending puzzle game ($1 value)

A Dark Room — the best-selling iPhone/iPad RPG is now available for free (Reg. $1)

New products & more:

GE’s new smart LED lightbulbs tell your brain when it’s time for bed

This life-size R2-D2 refrigerator carries your beer to you…for a price

Video game pioneer betting on the Apple Watch as the ideal platform when online gambling is legalized

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 30 2015 - 5:23 am PT
3 Comments

Video game pioneer Larry DeMar believes that the Apple Watch is the ideal platform for slot machine gaming if and when other U.S. states legalize online gambling. DeMar created the popular arcade machine game Defender, and now works on slot-machine games for casinos.

At present, online gaming for real money is legal only in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware – and the App Store bans gambling apps. But DeMar thinks that will change, reports the Chicago Tribune.

He wants to be ready if more states legalize online gaming, something he and his brother – Steven DeMar, LED Gaming’s director of business development – believe is inevitable.

“The money is going to have to come from somewhere,” Steven DeMar said, referring to states’ need for tax revenue.

DeMar’s company LED Gaming is getting ready by offering a slot-machine app for the Watch that currently allows people to play with credits but could be adapted to use real money. When your credits run out, you can either wait an hour to be given more, or ‘buy’ some by watching an ad.

DeMar says the Apple Watch is a great platform for the game thanks to a winning combination of crisp graphics and haptic feedback, allowing users to ‘feel’ the game.

Betting on a combination of changes to both law and Apple’s App Store policy may seem a long-shot, but I guess the gambling mentality comes with the territory for DeMar.

Adobe updates Photoshop Mix & Fix w/ iOS 9 Split View, iPad Pro & Apple Pencil support

Avatar for Chance Miller Oct 29 2015 - 5:15 pm PT
2 Comments

Adobe today has rolled out updates to a pair of its iOS apps, adding support for features introduced in the latest version of Apple’s operating system. Adobe Photoshop Fix and Adobe Photoshop Mix have both been updated this evening, the former being bumped to version 1.1 and the latter to version 2.1.


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Apple TV apps now appearing in tvOS search as first units begin to ship

Avatar for Mike Beasley Oct 29 2015 - 12:49 pm PT
33 Comments

The first Apple TV shipments have started rolling out to customers in preparation for the device’s launch later this week. As seen in the screenshot above, users are now seeing their shipment statuses updated on Apple’s website.

At the same time, Apple has now enabled users with pre-release hardware to search for and find tvOS apps, though the platform’s dedicated App Store has yet to officially launch…


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9to5Toys Last Call: 12″ Retina MacBook $1,099, Portable 3TB HDD $100, Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard $20, more

Avatar for Oct 29 2015 - 9:11 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:

App Store Free App of the Week: rop mind-bending puzzle game ($1 value)

12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,099 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

Toshiba Canvio Connect II 3TB Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drive $100 shipped (Orig. $170)

Logitech K480 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard (refurb) $20 shipped (Orig. $50)

PSA: Best Buy and others launch new Apple TV pre-orders, offer potential savings

The best accessories for the new Apple TV: MFi game controllers, keyboards, cables, more

Target ad leak reveals planned Apple Watch discount for iPhone purchasers

Giveaway: Polk Audio’s Omni Whole Home Music System – Soundbar w/ subwoofer and S2 Speaker ($880 value)

More new gear from today:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 14 (Mac/PC) is on sale for Prime members: $40 shipped (Reg. $70+)

More deals still alive:

Monoprice 15% off sitewide: MFi certified Lightning cables as low as $4, more

A Dark Room — the best-selling iPhone/iPad RPG is now available for free (Reg. $1)

New products & more:

The Altwork Station cures the standing desk blues with its reclining design

Can a $99 Windows PC that connects to your iPad be any good?

BBC iPlayer coming to the new Apple TV

Avatar for Cam Bunton Oct 29 2015 - 2:08 am PT
6 Comments

Fellow Britons, the wait is almost over. iPlayer is finally making its way to the Apple TV. The BBC announced via its official Twitter handle that its popular catch-up and live-streaming service is making its way to the brand new Apple TV in the coming months. The company didn’t confirm exactly when the iPlayer app for new Apple TV would arrive, and from the looks of things, it won’t be coming to the current Apple TV. Although it doesn’t say explicitly that iPlayer won’t be coming to the 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TVs, the fact it states ‘new Apple TV’ suggests pretty strongly that it will only be on the new, 4th gen model.

[tweet https://twitter.com/BBCiPlayer/status/659641075624226816 align=’center’]

For UK Apple TV owners, the lack of a native iPlayer app has been a constant source of frustration. Right now, customers are forced to use AirPlay from their iPhones or iPads if they want to view iPlayer content on their Apple TVs. Once the app launches for tvOS, we’ll be able to put our iPhones and iPads down,  and just watch great programming right from the Apple TV. More important than the convenience is that we’ll undoubtedly save precious battery life.

 

Patent troll goes after Apple & automakers over the use of watch apps to control cars

Avatar for Fred Lambert Oct 28 2015 - 7:27 pm PT
10 Comments

A patent troll is currently suing Apple, Samsung and half the automotive industry – as well as other companies – over the use of a vague, decade old patent that covers operating certain functions of a vehicle, like starting the engine and locking/unlocking doors, through a “watch” – now known as a “smartwatch”.

Intellectual Capital Consulting (LCC), the plaintiff in the lawsuit (which we embed below), claims that the defendants are using patented technology in smartwatch products and software that they are selling or contributing to sell.
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Introducing the 9to5Mac app for iPhone and iPad

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Oct 28 2015 - 2:29 pm PT
75 Comments

Earlier in the year, we released a major redesign for all of the 9to5 sites and we continue to roll out improvements to this design. However, we’ve also been working on something else for 9to5Mac … today we are releasing the 9to5Mac app for iPhone and iPad. As a complement to the website, you can now read our latest stories directly from your Home screen.

Download the app from the App Store for free right now. The app runs on iPhone and iPad with custom layouts for the respective screen sizes. It’s the essence of our website, the news stories, reflowed into a format that’s optimized for iOS.

We love the website, but the app allows us to offer you many additional features to further the 9to5Mac experience for our readers. You can subscribe to breaking news notifications, jump into Dark Mode for late night reading and add our latest headlines to the Today view with the included widget. More details after the break …


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App Store ‘temporarily unavailable’ error preventing downloads and updates for some [U: Resolved]

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 28 2015 - 1:17 pm PT
27 Comments

[Update 5:30 PM ET: Apple has acknowledged a 4+ hour issue on its system status dashboard with “slower than usual performance when using iCloud Drive, Photos, and Backup” but not App Store issues although the outage appears to be resolved.]

The App Store on both iOS and the Mac appears to currently be experiencing issues with downloading new and previously purchased apps as well as app updates for some but not all users. Apple’s system status board for Apple Services, Stores, and iCloud doesn’t mention the service interruption in the detailed timeline section at the time of writing, but several readers have pointed out the issue with the App Store on iPhone and iPad and within iTunes on the desktop.

The service interruption comes as Apple prepares to launch a new App Store on tvOS with the new Apple TV launching on Friday, which could explain the issues many are experiencing on the backend. Some users have reported seeing the issues only intermittently but the problems appear to be widespread and consistent for many. We’ll monitor the issue and update if Apple addresses the issue or it appears resolved.

[tweet https://twitter.com/cue/status/659244692479963136 align=’center’]

Nintendo set to reveal first smartphone game a day before Apple TV gaming hits the living room

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 28 2015 - 11:32 am PT
13 Comments

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo is expected to show off its very first mobile games for smartphones tomorrow, The Wall Street Journal reports. The news comes after first announcing plans to bring new games with classic Nintendo characters like Mario to iPhones earlier this year. Nintendo famously resisted making games for mobile platforms like iOS and Android for years, focusing solely on its own Nintendo hardware gaming consoles to push its titles.

Now as Apple is set to make its first serious move into gaming in the living room with the new Apple TV launching Friday, Nintendo appears ready to give fans what they’ve been waiting for.
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Sunrise app officially sunsetted as Outlook steals its thunder

Avatar for Cam Bunton Oct 28 2015 - 10:33 am PT
7 Comments

When Microsoft purchased Sunrise, things didn’t look good for the popular iOS calendar app. There were fears Microsoft would take its talent and shut the app down. Fears — it seems — that were completely justified. Sunrise announced in a blog post today that the app will no longer receive any updates. If you are an avid user of Sunrise (like me), you’ll now need to go hunting for a new calendar app if you expect new features.

As the entire team is completely focused on the Outlook for iOS and Android apps, we won’t be updating the Sunrise apps anymore. We won’t lie, it’s tough for us to leave behind the apps we’ve been working on so passionately for the past years.

Sunrise’s technology and expertise haven’t completely vanished, however. Microsoft and Sunrise were both keen to let us know that a lot of the stuff that made Sunrise great has made its way in to the new Outlook app for iOS. On the Outlook blog you’ll see exactly what the two companies have been working on over the past few weeks and months.

The Outlook app for iOS has a brand new look and features new navigation for email attachments, while the ‘Calendar’ navigation basically looks like some of the Sunrise calendar was absorbed in to the app. And Microsoft will continue to absorb all of Sunrise until nothing’s left, and the calendar app can be terminated:

The Sunrise team is now officially a part of the broader Outlook product team, bringing a fresh approach to calendaring and combining it with Microsoft’s deep expertise in both email and calendar. Better Outlook calendaring gives you more ability to manage your personal and professional life from a single, powerful app. Over the coming months, you’ll see richer calendar experiences come to Outlook from Sunrise—including Interesting Calendars and connections to your favorite apps and services. You will also see improvements to Outlook’s ability to create meetings while on the go and handle meetings across time zones. All of this means Outlook will eventually replace the current Sunrise app. We will leave Sunrise in market until its features are fully integrated into Outlook, the exact timing of which we will communicate in advance.

It’s a shame to see Sunrise vanish from the app scene, but if Outlook for iOS becomes a fantastic email and calendar app, those of us who used Sunrise may not miss it for long.