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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.

LinkedIn Lookup iOS app aims to replace your company’s awful intranet employee directory

Most large companies have employee directories on their intranet, and most of them have two things in common: the database entries are typically out of date, and the subpar search functionality  justsucks. Professional social network LinkedIn hopes its new Lookup app, launching today, will solve this problem – allowing you to search for people in your own company even if you’re not connected to them on LinkedIn.

Its primary selling-point is that it lets you search by skill or area of expertise, to help make contact with co-workers who might be able to help out with a project … 
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Mailbox for Mac beta updated, but drops Mavericks support and introduces new bugs

If you were a keen Mailbox user on iOS and have been trying the beta version of Mailbox for Mac, you may want to hold off on updating to the latest version. Jumping straight from v0.3 to v0.7, TNW notes that the latest version no longer supports Mavericks – with many other users complaining of new bugs.

Users on Twitter and the Mailbox forum are complaining that the update crashes a lot, buttons are greyed out or emails aren’t showing correctly. Others simply don’t like the new design.

Think I’ll be sticking with Postbox for a while yet …

9to5Toys Last Call: 12-inch 512GB MacBook $1,500, 9-ft. MFi Lightning cable $11, Samsung Portable SSD $180, 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:

Mpow 3-in-1 Lens Photography Kit for iPhone and Android devices: $12 shipped (Orig. $29)

 Apple 12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.2GHz/8GB/512GB in all colors: $1,500 shipped (Reg. $1,599)

Anker 9-foot Apple Certified MFi Lightning to USB cable (black or white): $11 shipped (Orig. $16), more

Samsung T1 500GB USB 3.0 Portable Solid-State Drive: $180 shipped (Reg. $200+)

iTunes gift cards 20% off: $100 for $80, $50 for $40, $25 for $20 shipped

Giveaway: Blackbox Case gives your iPad or MacBook a cozy bamboo home, multiple winners

More new gear from today:

Mackie CR3 powered speakers + Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Pro Headphones: $130 shipped ($199 value)

More deals still alive:

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB in Gold or Silver: $380 shipped (Reg. $499)

iPad Air 2 w/ Retina display 64GB in Silver (open-box) $440 shipped (Reg. $600)

Apple iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi 32GB in Silver (open-box): $270 shipped (Reg. $349)

App Store Free App of the Week: Time Surfer – Endless Arcade Magic ($1 value)

Apple’s Handpicked iOS app sale from 50% off: Day One, Terraria, djay 2, Notability, many more

New products & more:

The “world’s first flexible display product” is set to wrap a screen all the way around your wrist

Review: The Turtle Beach 800X Elite headset brings Xbox One games to life but lacks in one key area

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

SwiftKey for iOS gains new ‘My Top Emoji’ and ‘Emoji State’ features

Earlier this month SwiftKey for iOS gained a new emoji insight feature called “My Signature Emoji,” and now the company is further expanding on its emoji insight offerings. The company announced today that it is rolling out two new emoji insight features to users of its app, called “My Top Emoji” and “Emoji State.”


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What will September’s new iOS 9-based Apple TV bring to the living room?

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Apple plans to hold one of its annual fall media events on Wednesday, September 9th to introduce the new iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus with Force Touch, and after many fits and starts, it appears that the long-awaited next-generation Apple TV will also be unveiled. We’ve been reporting on this upcoming model since 2014, as Apple has been planning to update its set-top-box with support for an App Store for quite some time.

Earlier this year, Apple had locked in a June WWDC debut for both the new Apple TV hardware and software upgrades, but the company ultimately decided to delay the introduction until the fall. While some had speculated that the announcement was pushed back due to a lack of content deals, we are told that the delay was internally attributed to a concern over compromising iOS 9 engineering resources, as the latest OS release is focused at least as much on polish as on new features.

Why would the new Apple TV potentially take away resources from iOS 9? According to sources, this new Apple TV model, codenamed J34, will be the first model to run a full-blown iOS core. Specifically, the new Apple TV operating system will be a TV-optimized version of iOS 9. In addition to the new hardware inside, running iOS 9 will give the new Apple TV a series of benefits over the current model. Below, we explore what users can expect from Apple’s next-generation living room product.


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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB $380, iTunes Gift Cards 20% off, 11200mAh Power Bank $13, 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:

Anker 9-foot Apple Certified MFi Lightning to USB cable (black or white) $11 shipped (Orig. $16), more

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB in Gold or Silver: $380 shipped (Reg. $499)

Apple iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi 32GB in Silver (open-box): $270 shipped (Reg. $349)

Apple iPhone 6 Plus 16GB unlocked in all three colors: $700 shipped (Reg. $749)

iTunes gift cards 20% off: $100 for $80, $50 for $40, $25 for $20 shipped

Power banks w/ Prime shipping: Intocircuit 11200mAh Dual USB $13 (Reg. $23), Innogie 3200mAh $6 (Reg. $12)

App Store Free App of the Week: Time Surfer – Endless Arcade Magic ($1 value)

Apple’s Handpicked iOS app sale from 50% off: Day One, Terraria, djay 2, Notability, many more

Review: The Turtle Beach 800X Elite headset brings Xbox One games to life but lacks in one key area

Giveaway: Blackbox Case gives your iPad or MacBook a cozy bamboo home, multiple winners

More new gear from today:

Sony MDRV6 Studio Monitor Headphones $55 shipped (Reg. $90), more

Save 30% on the 8GB Kindle Fire HD 6 tablet w/ Wi-Fi: $69 shipped (Reg. $100)

More deals still alive:

Goat Simulator for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

Stream nearly every NFL game for $100 w/ an eligible .edu email address (Reg. $359)

New products & more:

Keen Home’s iOS connected Smart Vents keep you comfortable and save money in the process

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

Getting your app Featured in the App Store may not be good news, suggests noted startup investor

If you submit your brand new app to Apple and they offer to make it a featured app when it hits the the App Store, you might think you’d have to be crazy to refuse. But startup investor M.G. Siegler suggests in a Medium post that you may want to think twice.

If you’re not familiar with the name, Siegler is a guy who ought to know a thing or two about startups. He’s a general partner at Google Ventures, was a founding partner of TechCrunch and has worked with startups since 2005.

There are two problems with having your app get a lot of exposure at launch, he argues. First, if your app is free, you may get the downloads but not the revenue.

Talking to a number of early stage companies that have been featured at launch recently, they all have similar stories: a ton of downloads that resulted in very few users that actually stuck around.

Second, whether free or paid, brand new apps are rarely ready for the big time – and if you leave people disappointed with version 1.0 of your app, you may not get a second chance.

So you’re featured and get all those downloads. Lots of high fives that Thursday afternoon. Come Thursday evening, the first realization sets in: while some of those downloads are converting into initial users, they’re having all sorts of issues actually using your app. Bugs are exposed not by flashlight, but by sunbeam.

The result is that you lose most of those initial users, plus they bad-mouth you and your app.

Of course, Siegler is a guy in a position to help startups get that much-needed publicity later – whereas a lone developer who is lucky enough to catch Apple’s eye at launch may not get a second chance. But if nothing else, it does show the importance of testing your app to death before launch, and getting feedback from as many beta users as possible.

That and not spending too much money on champagne if Apple offers to feature your app, as the evidence shows that fame and fortune may not necessarily follow.

9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB $449, Free App of the Week, Brother AirPrint Laser $80, 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:

Review: The Turtle Beach 800X Elite headset brings Xbox One games to life but lacks in one key area

Apple iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB in Silver: $449 shipped (Orig. $929)

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB $399 (Reg. $499) or 64GB $500 (Reg. $500) in Gold, Silver or Space Gray

App Store Free App of the Week: Time Surfer – Endless Arcade Magic ($1 value)

Apple’s Handpicked iOS app sale from 50% off: Day One, Terraria, djay 2, Notability, many more

Goat Simulator for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

Save 50% on the entire Infinity Blade Trilogy: $5 (Reg. $10)

Brother Wireless Laser Printer with AirPrint $80 shipped (Orig. $130)

Giveaway: Olio Model One Black Collection Connected Timepiece for iOS and Android ($795 value)

More new gear from today:

F-Color Apple-Certified MFi 6-foot Braided Lightning Cable: $11 Prime shipped (Reg. $15)

Daily Deals: Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX $45, D-Link Wireless Cloud IP Camera $55, more

More deals still alive:

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina Display (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,100 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

Apple 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K Display 3.3GHz/1TB/8GB: $1,850 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Spigen: Air Vent Mount for iPhone 6/Plus & Android Devices $7 (Reg. $16), iPhone 6 MFi 3100mAh Battery Case $35 (Reg. $60)

New products & more:

Make nearly any HDTV a giant Android touchscreen tablet with the Touchjet WAVE

JayBird’s new Apple Watch compatible X2 in-ears sport enhanced Bluetooth audio

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

9to5Toys Last Call: 13″ Retina MacBook Pro $1,100, Wireless Travel Router $5, iPhone 6/Plus Car Mount $7, 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:

App Store Free App of the Week: Time Surfer – Endless Arcade Magic ($1 value)

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina Display (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,100 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

Apple 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K Display 3.3GHz/1TB/8GB: $1,850 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Apple 13.3-inch MacBook Air 1.6 GHz/4GB/128GB: $830 shipped (Reg. $900)

Aukey Wireless Portable Travel Router/1800mAh power bank: $5 Prime shipped (add on)

Spigen: Air Vent Mount for iPhone 6/Plus & Android Devices $7 (Reg. $16), iPhone 6 MFi 3100mAh Battery Case $35 (Reg. $60)

 

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB $399 (Reg. $499) or 64GB $500 (Reg. $500) in Gold, Silver or Space Gray

Giveaway: Olio Model One Black Collection Connected Timepiece for iOS and Android ($795 value)

More new gear from today:

Canon PIXMA MX922 Wireless AirPrint All-in-One Printer $70 shipped (Reg. $97+), more

USB roundup: Anker 60W 6-Port USB Charging Hub $24 (Reg. $36), Imneed Power bank + MFi Lightning cable $10 (Reg. $22), more

More deals still alive:

Spigen 3.3-foot Apple Certified MFi Lightning to USB Cable $5 Prime shipped (Reg. $20)

Goat Simulator for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

New products & more:

JayBird’s new Apple Watch compatible X2 in-ears sport enhanced Bluetooth audio

WalkCar looks like a four-wheeled MacBook that you can ride

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, & Excel for iOS updated w/ improved Outlook integration, more

Microsoft today has rolled out updates to its trio of Office apps including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. The updates bump each app to version 1.12 and while relatively minor, include a new feature that will be significantly useful for the Microsoft Office power users out there…


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9to5Toys Last Call: Spigen 3-ft. MFi Lightning Cable $5, iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB $399, 1-Yr. Adobe CC $100, 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:

JayBird’s new Apple Watch compatible X2 in-ears sport enhanced Bluetooth audio

Spigen 3.3-foot Apple Certified MFi Lightning to USB Cable $5 Prime shipped (Reg. $20)

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB $399 (Reg. $499) or 64GB $500 (Reg. $500) in Gold, Silver or Space Gray

Get 12 months of Adobe’s Photography Creative Cloud plan for $100 ($20 savings)

Goat Simulator for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

Giveaway: Olio Model One Black Collection Connected Timepiece for iOS and Android ($795 value)

More new gear from today:

Samsung 850 Pro 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drives: 256GB $115 shipped (Reg. $150+), 1TB $430 shipped (Reg. $465)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/631488898313662464 align=’center’]

More deals still alive:

Charge your Apple Watch and iPhone with this Bamboo Dock for $11.50 Prime shipped (Reg. $17)

D-Link DCS-5029L 720p HD Pan & Tilt Day/Night Wi-Fi Camera: $100 shipped (Reg. $150)

New products & more:

WalkCar looks like a four-wheeled MacBook that you can ride

Solenica’s solar-powered Lucy lamp shines light into the dark spaces in your home

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

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Microsoft announces preview of new Skype for Business iOS app with simplified UI & better navigation

If you’ve felt that Microsoft’s Skype for Business iOS app was lagging behind the consumer app in terms of visual appeal and ease of use, the company has been working on correcting that. Microsoft says that the latest version of its enterprise-oriented app is now available for preview, before its rollout later in the year.

  • Larger buttons make it easier to mute, add participants and manage your call.
  • Video, which now fills the screen, brings you closer to your colleagues.
  • We made it easier to navigate between video and content with just one tap by simplifying the IM, video and content panes. While you can still view content in full screen, you can now also view content and see the speaker’s video at the same time!
  • Contact search bar—Search your Global Address List by first name, last name, email alias or even a phone number! On iOS, your phone contacts are also included in the search.
  • Upcoming appointments—Here you can see your current and next meetings in your calendar. You can either click through to read more about the meeting or click the Quick Join icon to join the meeting right away.
  • Recent conversations—Makes it easy to refer back to your most recent chats, phone calls and meetings.

Only a handful of users per company can get access to the preview, however, admins able to nominate up to four iOS users to trial it. IT administrators can visit www.skypepreview.com to take part in the preview program.

Via Engadget

Rdio iOS app live-streaming 460 traditional AM/FM radio stations as of today, more to come

Rdio has likely been feeling the squeeze from the launch of Apple Music, and is today adding live streams of 460 traditional AM/FM radio stations, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The rollout, which starts Wednesday, includes 460 stations owned and operated by stakeholder Atlanta-based Cumulus Media Inc [including] long-running stations such as Cumulus’ KLOS-FM (95.5) in Los Angeles and KFOG-FM (104.5) in San Francisco, along with talk radio and sports outlets … 


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Apple Store app finally updated with the option to use gift cards at checkout

The Apple Store app for iOS has finally gained the ability to checkout using gift cards. The feature has been inexplicably missing since the app debuted, but with the latest version users will now be able to import new Apple Store gift cards using their device’s camera or pull in existing cards from Passbook. The new option can be found at checkout and requires first entering the gift card’s PIN.

The feature also drops the old shopping cart icon and terminology in favor of the new “shopping bag” introduced with the recent overhaul of Apple’s website and online store.

The Apple Store app is available for free on the App Store.

Facebook is reportedly developing a Twitter-like breaking news app

Notification system reportedly being tested (via <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-mobile-notification-breaking-news-app-2015-8?op=1" target="_blank">BI</a>)

Update: A Facebook spokesperson has issued a statement to 9to5Mac, saying “We don’t comment on rumors or speculation.”

Facebook is currently developing a new standalone mobile app geared toward breaking news, Business Insider reports. The mobile app in testing is said to be Twitter-like in a news sense as its focus is said to be around allowing partnered publications to push alerts to users. Another Twitter-like aspect is the character limit of alerts being tested. According to the report, publications will have 100 characters plus an article link for users to click in each alert; similarly, tweets are limited to 140 characters in total.
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9to5Toys Last Call: Goat Simulator goes free, Logitech iPad Air 2 Keyboard $50, Powerbeats 2 Wireless $110, 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:

D-Link DCS-5029L 720p HD Pan & Tilt Day/Night Wi-Fi Camera: $100 shipped (Reg. $150)

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Goat Simulator for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

Amazon Gold Box – iPad accessories + other gadgets up to 50% off: Logitech iPad Air 2 Bluetooth Keyboard Case $50 (Reg. $100)

Headphones: Powerbeats2: $110 (Reg. $200), JBL J56BT Bluetooth on-ears $42 (Reg. $60)more

The best-selling Brother Monochrome Laser Printer is on sale for $43 shipped (Orig. $120), more

Giveaway: Olio Model One Black Collection Connected Timepiece for iOS and Android ($795 value)

App Store Free App of the Week: Matter 3D photo effects goes free for the first time ($3 value)

More new gear from today:

Charge your Apple Watch and iPhone with this Bamboo Dock for $11.50 Prime shipped (Reg. $17)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/631117498646183940 align=’center’]

More deals still alive:

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB in Gold, Silver or Space Gray for $500 shipped (Reg. $599)

NomadPlus converts your iPhone USB wall charger into a 1800mAh power bank: $20 shipped (Orig. $40)

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

New products & more:

Solenica’s solar-powered Lucy lamp shines light into the dark spaces in your home

Thermos’ latest water bottle will nag you with iOS notifications to make sure you stay hydrated

 

LastPass password manager now free on mobile, but Touch ID users will want to pay

LastPass, which claims to be the world’s most popular password manager, now offers the choice of free usage on either mobile or desktop platforms. Previously, desktop use was free while use on a mobile device required a $12 annual subscription.

You can now use it for free on either platform – but still need to pay to get both mobile and desktop usage. LastPass told us that, seven years in, it was time to change its freemium pricing model … 
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9to5Toys Last Call: PNY 64GB USB3 Flash Drive $16, iPad Air 2 64GB $490, Olio Smartwatch giveaway, 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:

Goat Simulator for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

Amazon Gold Box – PNY storage up to 50% off: 64GB USB3 Flash Drive $16, 128GB microSD $52, 64GB SDXC $22, more

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB in Gold, Silver or Space Gray for $490 shipped (Reg. $599)

Giveaway: Olio Model One Black Collection Connected Timepiece for iOS and Android ($795 value)

NomadPlus converts your iPhone USB wall charger into a 1800mAh power bank: $20 shipped (Orig. $40)

App Store Free App of the Week: Matter 3D photo effects goes free for the first time ($3 value)

Pay What You Want For The 10 App Mac Power User Bundle (Orig. $383)

More new gear from today:

VIZIO 49-inch 4K 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV $650 shipped (Reg. $770), more

More deals still alive:

Back to school essentials you may have overlooked: Litographs tees, dorm decor, GE alarm kit, more

Bose SoundTrue On-Ear Headphones in black or white: $90 shipped (Reg. $120)

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

New products & more:

Thermos’ latest water bottle will nag you with iOS notifications to make sure you stay hydrated

The new Graava action camera uses your heartbeat to capture the best moments and make a highlight reel

 

9to5Toys Last Call: Bose SoundTrue On-Ear Headphones $90, 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:

NomadPlus converts your iPhone USB wall charger into a 1800mAh power bank: $20 shipped (Orig. $40)

Bose SoundTrue On-Ear Headphones in black or white: $90 shipped (Reg. $120)

App Store Free App of the Week: Matter 3D photo effects goes free for the first time ($3 value)

Save 50% on the entire Infinity Blade Trilogy: $5 (Reg. $10)

Pay What You Want For The 10 App Mac Power User Bundle (Orig. $383)

$50 iTunes gift card for $40 w/ email delivery from PayPal (20% savings)

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

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

More new gear from today:

Games/Apps: LEGO Marvel Super Heroes from $14, Hunger Games goes free, Korg iOS sale, more

More deals still alive:

Canon’s refurbished T5 DSLR w/ 18-55mm lens kit is on sale for $252 shipped (Orig. $549)

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 128GB in all colors: $590 shipped (Reg. $699)

Two Philips Hue connected light bulbs (multiple styles) for $100 shipped (~$120 value)

New products & more:

The new Graava action camera uses your heartbeat to capture the best moments and make a highlight reel

The CydeKick uses renewable energy to charge your iPhone while you ride