Apps

The popular live streaming app Periscope today announced a much-welcomed update to its iOS app. The update, which bumps the app to version 1.1.3, includes a couple of new features and tweaks. For one, users now have the ability to mute notifications on a user-by-user basis. For instance, if you follow someone, you can now go to their Periscope account and turn off notifications for when they initiate a new broadcast.

Power for Apple Watch, the iPhone battery monitor, adds charging and low power alerts

Zac Hall Jul 27 2015 - 1:01 pm PT

12 Comments

We told you last month about a neat Apple Watch utility app called Power, and today it’s learning a handy new trick and becoming even more useful. Power, created in part by jailbreak developer Surenix, lets you check how much battery power your iPhone has remotely from your Apple Watch. As I mentioned before, this is a practical utility as it’s not uncommon to use the Apple Watch to stay on top of notifications while the iPhone charges in another room.

Starting with version 1.1, Power is adding support for notifications. This means you can charge your phone and know when it hits certain percentages in case you’re waiting for that level to take it off the charger and head out the door.
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eBay discontinuing several mobile apps including Fashion and Motors for iOS

Zac Hall Jul 27 2015 - 12:06 pm PT

Commerce company eBay announced today that it will soon retire several of its mobile apps including ones on iPhone and iPad. eBay’s primary iOS app will not be going anyway, however, and several of the discontinued apps will eventually see their features appear in the main eBay app.

In an effort to simply the shopping experience, eBay says it will be shutting down its Valet, Fashion, and Motors apps soon and later integrate their features into eBay’s primary app.
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Pandora’s ‘Sponsored Listening’ rewards ad interactions with commercial-free playback

Jordan Kahn Jul 27 2015 - 11:39 am PT

6 Comments

After a pilot of its new “Sponsored Listening” advertisements last year, streaming music service Pandora Radio announced today that it’s rolling out the feature to all advertisers and listeners in its mobile apps. The feature rewards users with an hour of ad-free, uninterrupted listening as long as they first interact with an ad for at least 15 seconds.
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Apple bringing its Maps vehicles to France, Sweden & more US/UK cities

Jordan Kahn Jul 27 2015 - 9:51 am PT

Apple has announced an expansion of its Apple Maps vehicle program, a fleet of vans equipped with advanced sensors collecting data for an improved Maps experience. Among the new locations, Apple will be bringing the vehicles to France and Sweden for the first time, while it also plans to survey a long list of new cities in the US and UK where it’s already started surveying.

We first reported on the project back in May, noting that Apple was gathering data to reduce its reliance on third-parties, including getting Google Street View-type images of storefronts and other 3D imagery.

For France, Apple lists the following areas already scheduled for surveying: Hauts-de-Seine, Paris (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th), Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne.

For Sweden, the areas the company plans to visit include: Malmö in Skåne County, and Stockholm (Bromma, Enskede-Årsta-Vantör, Farsta, Hägersten-Liljeholmen, Hässelby-Vällingby, Kungsholmen, Norrmalm, Rinkeby-Kista, Skarpnäck, Skärholmen, Spånga-Tensta, Södermalm, Älvsjö, Östermalm).

Apple has also added a number of new areas in the UK and US that it plans to survey from August 17th to August 30th next month. The full list is on its website here along with other dates scheduled for data collection in various locations.

9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air 16GB $300, Samsung EVO 1TB SSD $310, Sony 4K AirPlay Receiver $299, more

Justin Kahn Jul 27 2015 - 9:04 am PT

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 13″ MacBook Pro w/ Retina Display: 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB $1,100 (Reg. $1,299)

Inatech 2.5″ HDD Enclosure Case w/ three USB 3.0 ports: $22 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)
Plantronics new BackBeat Sense Bluetooth headphones are loaded with sensors
Hori’s new Tactical Assault Commander 4 brings PC style controls to the PS4
Make your own miniature 3D printed, Raspberry Pi-powered Game Boy emulator
2K announces Terminator as a playable character for WWE 2K16
Cook your food perfectly with the Range Smart Thermometer: $60 shipped (Orig. $70)
Home: Dyson refurbs – upright vac $180/handheld $75, more

65-inch Vizio 120Hz 1080P HDTV (refurb) $497 shipped/site to store (recommended) at Walmart http://t.co/jo0TeS6Oll pic.twitter.com/AuISUGybIh

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 27, 2015

iPad Air in Silver or Space Gray: 16GB $300 (Reg. $399), 32GB $350 (Reg. $449)

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB in all colors for $400 shipped (Reg. $499) http://t.co/6m0iOdNOIA pic.twitter.com/gqknmZ9WtM

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 27, 2015

Samsung 850 EVO 1TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $310 shipped (Reg. $350)

Sony 7.2-ch. 4K AV Receiver w/ AirPlay and Bluetooth for $299 shipped (Reg. $400), more

QuickRes – the app that changes your resolution in a click: 50% off

Apple’s massive iOS sale w/ 100 apps for $0.99 ea: Rayman, Angry Birds, Pixelmator, Spider-Man, many more

App Store Free App of the Week: SpongeBob Moves In ($4 value)

Disney’s award-winning Animated iPad app hits a new all-time low price of $3 (Reg. $10)

Save 50% on the brand new Screenium 3 high-res, high-speed screen capture app for Mac

More new gear from today:

Motorola Refurb DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modems: SB6121 $45 (Orig. $100), SB6141 $55 (Orig. $100)

New! Daily Deals: Lumsing 10400mAh Power Bank $12, LifeCHARGE case $40, more
New! Games/Apps: Zelda Majora’s Mask 3DS $33, 1 yr. PS Plus $40, more
New! Etekcity 8GB Voice recorder and USB Stick: $13 shipped
New! LED light bulbs up to 40% off: 4-pack $17 shipped (Reg. $23+), more
New! Shoot cinematic masterpieces w/ iStabilizer: $39 (Orig. $60)
New! Free McGraw-Hill iOS apps for kids: Monster Squeeze, more (Reg. $2 ea.)
New! Designs for Mail for $9.99 (50% off)
New! Themes for iBooks Author for $9.99 (50% off)

65-inch Vizio 120Hz 1080P HDTV (refurb) $497 shipped/site to store (recommended) at Walmart http://t.co/jo0TeS6Oll pic.twitter.com/AuISUGybIh

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 27, 2015

More deals still alive:

iPhone 6/Plus $100 off w/ VZW or Sprint 2-yr contract: 16GB $100, 64GB $200, 128GB $300

iOttie Easy One Touch 2 iPhone car mount: $17 Prime shipped (Reg. $25)

Anker Bluetooth iPad Keyboards from $20: Folio Case $30 (Reg. $40), more
VIZIO 43-inch 4K 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV: $500 shipped (Reg. $600)
Tweetbot for Mac hits its lowest price ever: $10 (Reg. $13)
Sennheiser Urbanite on-ears for $75 or XL over-ears for $130 (Orig. up to $250), more
Magnetic Air Vent Car Mount Holder for iPhone 6/Plus $6 Prime shipped (Orig. $11)
Timbuk2 Iris Gym Duffel Bag (Black) for $30 shipped (Reg. $54)
Apple-Certified MFi Lightning Cables: 1-ft braided nylon $12, 10-ft $10, 3-ft $5, more
Canon PIXMA Inkjet Photo All-in-One Printer + software $20 shipped (Reg. $40+)
Jabra SOLEMATE Portable Bluetooth Speaker $60 shipped (Reg. $90+), more
Urge Soundbrick $18 shipped, waterproof shower speaker $10 shipped, more
Beats by Dr. Dre Studio Wireless On-Ear Headphones in Titanium: $209 shipped (Orig. $380)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II is now available for Mac: $7 (Reg. $10)
Save 30% on fashion at Amazon: Herschel Supply Co., Lacoste, PUMA, more
Learn to build 11 apps with this exclusive iOS 9 Swift coding course: $59 (Orig. $299)
Blinkist Premium 1-yr Subscription: 1000+ Grasp Nonfiction Books: $30 (Orig. $80)
Spigen’s latest Apple Watch dock is made for watchOS 2, pre-order now for $12
Pay what you want for the 7-course Web Hacker Bundle ($1,043 value, currently $6)
Complete this Chipotle trivia game & receive a buy one, get one free coupon
Sennheiser HD650 + Apogee Groove portable DAC/amp $550 shipped ($755 value)
Bose SoundTouch Portable Series II Wireless Music System from $269 (Reg. $325)
Aukey USB Chargers: 5-Port USB Desktop Charging Station $22, more
JBL Control One 4″ Indoor/Outdoor Speakers: $80 or 2-pairs for $150 shipped (Orig. $180)
Kmashi 10,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank: $9.39 Prime shipped (Orig. $50)
American Express rolls out PayPal competitor, offers $10 statement credit for trying it
Free PS Plus Games for July: Styx Master of Shadows, Rocket League, more
Free Xbox Gold Games for July: Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, more

New products & more:

This Lightning cable cleverly solves an annoyance every iPhone user deals with

JBL details new Flip3 & Xtreme portable Bluetooth speakers w/ fresh designs & features

Converse upgrades its Chuck Taylors with new technology for the first time in 98 years
Dad makes a custom Mario Kart 8-inspired nursery and becomes instant internet sensation
The Panono panoramic camera is filled with 36 lenses that total 108MP, available today
Stary Board cuts the weight to become the “world’s lightest” electric vehicle
Cusby adapters work like LEGO to let you build a custom USB-C hub
ZNAPS gives any Lightning or microUSB charging cable a MagSafe-like connector
Jet.com is ready to battle Amazon and Walmart for your online shopping needs
A-Bike Electric has powered assistance in the “lightest” package in the world
Hot Toys is partnering with Disney to create an 18-foot long Millennium Falcon model
Acer’s $100 Liquid Leap+ Fitness Watch for iOS/Android with a 20% discount
The Remix Mini is a low-cost Android-based PC alternative

Review: Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15 Bluetooth speaker

Review: DODOcase Apple Watch Charging Stand

Review: SanDisk Connect Wireless Stic

Google Spotlight Stories arrives on iOS – beautiful, 360-degree, immersive animations

Ben Lovejoy Jul 24 2015 - 4:07 am PT

10 Comments

There aren’t too many cool apps that launch first on Android, but Google Spotlight Stories is one. It plays sweet, animated stories using a mix of 2D and 3D imagery – the cool part being that you can ‘look around’ the scene simply by rotating your phone.

Immerse yourself in a world of storytelling made just for mobile. Engineers and critically-acclaimed filmmakers are bringing stories to life using the latest advances in mobile technology. Using 3D and 2D animation, 360° spherical cinema-quality video, sound sphere audio and sensor fusion techniques, the screen is now a window into a story that unfolds all around you. Look anywhere, follow individual characters, watch it over again and again. It’s a little different each time. Google Spotlight Stories is your mobile movie theatre.

There’s some heavy-duty talent behind the creation of the stories, the debut story Windy Days being created by former Pixar animators, and Help by Justin Lin, director of The Fast and the Furious …

YouTube for iOS updated w/ support for fullscreen vertical videos, mobile notifications

Chance Miller Jul 23 2015 - 7:47 pm PT

On the same night that VidCon kicks off in Los Angeles, Google has released a new version of YouTube for iOS. Earlier this week, the Android version of the app was updated with a fix for those annoying videos filmed vertically. Now, that update is making its way to iOS.

Apple highlighting Accessibility apps to celebrate anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act

Chance Miller Jul 23 2015 - 2:47 pm PT

Apple today has launched a new page on the App Store dedicated to showcasing apps that take advantage of the Accessibility features on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Apple says that the section is meant to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Accessibility featured page on the App Store is further broken down into sections for Vision, Hearing, Speech, Learning and Literacy, and Physical and Motor Skill.

Apple launches massive iOS sale w/ 100 apps for $0.99 ea: Rayman, Angry Birds, Pixelmator, Spider-Man, many more

Justin Kahn Jul 23 2015 - 1:53 pm PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

Unlike most App Store promos, Apple has now quietly kicked off one the largest iOS game/app sales we have seen this year. The news comes courtesy of participating app developer Readdle.

The sale includes 100 apps and games at “new low prices”, most of which are $0.99. While we have posted some of these titles over the past week in our daily/game app roundups, this is the first time they’ve all appeared together in one giant sale. Now is your chance to fill up your app library, as we are seeing all-time lows on games, productivity apps, photography apps and much more.

A couple standouts are Pixelmator (Reg. $5), GoodReader (Reg. $5), The Room Two (Reg. $3), Rayman Jungle Run (Reg. $3), BADLAND (Reg. $4), Real Racing (Reg. $5), Angry Birds titles, and well, far too many to mention here. Not even including the insanely popular Angry Birds games, just these apps alone combine for a 4+ star rating from 100,000 reviews.

If there is still a couple apps you can’t find in this sale, then be sure to hit our daily roundups for even more discounted options and the new Free App of the Week.

You can also download Screenium 3 on Mac for 50% off (Reg. $50) for a limited time.

Meerkat teaming up with GoPro to offer live streaming from action cameras

Zac Hall Jul 23 2015 - 1:40 pm PT

Twitter’s Periscope app may have taken a lot of the attention from Meerkat after the live video streaming competitor launched, but the first live streaming service to capture everyone’s attention this year isn’t giving up yet.

Meerkat announced an interesting partnership with GoPro today at VidCon, CNBC says. The partnership will allow GoPro users to live stream on the Meerkat service using action cameras. Previously streaming was limited to using either the front or rear smartphone camera so adding GoPro cameras as a source should result in some interesting streams for viewers.

The integration between GoPro and Meerkat is currently supported on GoPro3 cameras while a future update will add support for GoPro4 cameras. Meerkat and GoPro for iOS available for free on the App Store. Meerkat shared these instructions today for setting up the new feature:

[tweet https://twitter.com/AppMeerkat/status/624271796867592192 align=’center’]

Microsoft Office iOS apps add Outlook integration, improved sharing, protected documents, & more

Jordan Kahn Jul 23 2015 - 1:25 pm PT

1 Comment

Microsoft is rolling out an update to some its Office iOS apps today that includes a handful of new features for the Word, PowerPoint, and Excel iPhone and iPad apps.

Among the new features, all three apps get support for viewing protected documents and Outlook integration. For Outlook, users now have the ability to “send a document as an attachment in Outlook. Or directly edit a document attached to or linked from an Outlook email message.”

In addition, all three apps get support for bi-directional and script languages, including Thai, Hebrew, and Arabic.

The updated apps will also now let users invite others to edit a document and configure permissions for those collaborators.

The updated Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) are available on the App Store now.

Pinterest for iOS updated with enhanced Pin button extension

Zac Hall Jul 23 2015 - 11:59 am PT

The iOS 8 update last year introduced the ability for third-party apps to extend their apps to share sheets in other apps just like Messages, Mail, Facebook, and other apps. Pinterest was ready on day one with an iOS app extension in the form of a Pin button that allowed you to “pin” content from Safari to your account.

Today its introducing an enhanced version of that Pin button just as functional as the web version with the ability to “edit descriptions of Pins, create new boards and choose from multiple images in a new grid format.” This should make it easier to save content for viewing later, tagging it with a proper description, and putting in somewhere where you can find it safely later when using the service.

You can download the latest version of Pinterest with the enhanced Pin button share extension for free from the App Store, and Pinterest has created a helpful image that shows how to enable any supported extension on iOS 8 for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

9to5Toys Last Call: GoPro HERO4 Black $399, Bluetooth iPad Keyboards from $20, 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $1,750, more

Justin Kahn Jul 23 2015 - 9:06 am PT

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: SpongeBob Moves In ($4 value)

Apple launches massive iOS sale w/ 100 apps for $0.99 ea: Rayman, more
Disney’s award-winning Animated iPad app hits a new all-time low price of $3 (Reg. $10)
Apple-Certified MFi Lightning Cables: 1-ft braided nylon $12, 10-ft $10, 3-ft $5, more
Converse upgrades its Chuck Taylors with new technology for the first time in 98 years
Canon PIXMA Inkjet Photo All-in-One Printer + software $20 shipped (Reg. $40+)
Dad makes a custom Mario Kart 8-inspired nursery and becomes instant internet sensation
The Panono panoramic camera is filled with 36 lenses that total 108MP, available today
Home: Amazon Gold Box – up to 55% off Ninja blenders, more

GoPro HERO4 Black 4K Action Camera for $399 shipped (Reg. $500)

Anker Bluetooth iPad Keyboards from $20: Folio Case for iPad Air/2 $30 Prime Shipped (Reg. $40), more

Current generation 15-inch 1256GB Retina MacBook Pro for $1,750 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Get early access to Best Buy’s Black Friday in July sale and save $125 on all iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi models, 16GB $375

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 128GB in Gold, Silver, or Space Gray for $590 shipped (Reg. $699)

Tweetbot for Mac hits its lowest price ever: $10 (Reg. $13)

iPhone 6/Plus $100 off w/ VZW or Sprint 2-yr contract: 16GB $100, 64GB $200, 128GB $300

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 128GB in Silver or Space Gray for $450 shipped (Reg. $599)

Review: Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15 Bluetooth speaker

Review: DODOcase Apple Watch Charging Stand

Review: SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick

Giveaway: Grain Audio OEHP.01 Over-Ear Headphones are an ideal daily set of cans, $199 value

More new gear from today:

Sennheiser Urbanite on-ears for $75 or XL over-ears for $130 (Orig. up to $250), more
Magnetic Air Vent Car Mount Holder for iPhone 6/Plus $6 Prime shipped (Orig. $11)
Daily Deals: Power bank/Bluetooth speaker $23, Foscam IP Cam (refurb) $55, more
Games/Apps: DuckTales from $10, iBeer Pro & Toy Defense go free, more
Timbuk2 Iris Gym Duffel Bag (Black) for $30 shipped (Reg. $54)

More deals still alive:

VIZIO 43-inch 4K 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV: $500 shipped (Reg. $600)

Jabra SOLEMATE Wireless Portable Bluetooth Speaker in black $60 shipped (Reg. $90+), more

Urge Soundbrick $18 shipped, waterproof shower speaker $10 shipped, more
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5″ Internal SSD: $85 shipped (Orig. $140), more
Sharkk Ultra-Slim Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard $15 Prime shipped, more
Beats by Dr. Dre Studio Wireless On-Ear Headphones in Titanium: $209 shipped (Orig. $380)
ZAGG iPhone 6 Case w/ built-in Bluetooth speake $60 shipped (Reg. $100)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II is now available for Mac: $7 (Reg. $10)
Save 30% on fashion at Amazon: Herschel Supply Co., Lacoste, PUMA, more
Learn to build 11 apps with this exclusive iOS 9 Swift coding course: $59 (Orig. $299)
Blinkist Premium 1-yr Subscription: 1000+ Grasp Nonfiction Books: $30 (Orig. $80)
Spigen’s latest Apple Watch dock is made for watchOS 2, pre-order now for $12
App Store Amazing Apps/Games for $1: Blek, Spider Man, Goat Sim, more
App Store Free App of the Week: Angry Birds Space ($1 value)
Pay what you want for the 7-course Web Hacker Bundle ($1,043 value, currently $6)
Complete this Chipotle trivia game & receive a buy one, get one free coupon
Sennheiser HD650 + Apogee Groove portable DAC/amp $550 shipped ($755 value)
Bose SoundTouch Portable Series II Wireless Music System from $269 (Reg. $325)
Media: Blu-ray/DVD combos from $8 including Interstellar & Lucy, $1 HD Rentals, more
Router Roundup: Linksys dual-band Smart Wi-Fi Router (refurb) $28 (Orig. $50), more
Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear Headphones in black $65 shipped (Reg. $80)
Aukey USB Chargers: 5-Port USB Desktop Charging Station $22, more
JBL Control One 4″ Indoor/Outdoor Speakers: $80 or 2-pairs for $150 shipped (Orig. $180)
Kmashi 10,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank: $9.39 Prime shipped (Orig. $50)
Seagate 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop HDD $125, WD Elements 2TB Portable HDD $70, more
Discounted gift cards up to 20% off: JCPenney, and more
4K A/V Receivers: Denon w/ AirPlay $499 (Orig. $999), Onkyo 5.2-ch $200 (Reg. $250)
SoundPEATS Qy7 Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless In-Ears: $20 (Reg. $30)
Jabra MOVE wireless on-ears $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more
Spigen iPhone 6/Plus Cases in a variety of styles and colors from $7 shipped
Nordstrom’s massive Anniversary Sale: Michael Kors non-iron dress shirt $39, more
RAVPower 3,200mAh External Battery Pack w/ Flashlight: $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $13)
American Express rolls out PayPal competitor, offers $10 statement credit for trying it
Free PS Plus Games for July: Styx Master of Shadows, Rocket League, more
Free Xbox Gold Games for July: Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, more

Seagate Expansion 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive: $110 shipped (Reg. $130), more http://t.co/MX0Sx068Qb pic.twitter.com/iI1LeOQUPW

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 22, 2015

New products & more:

Stary Board cuts the weight to become the “world’s lightest” electric vehicle

Cusby adapters work like LEGO to let you build a custom USB-C hub
ZNAPS gives any Lightning or microUSB charging cable a MagSafe-like connector
Jet.com is ready to battle Amazon and Walmart for your online shopping needs
A-Bike Electric has powered assistance in the “lightest” package in the world
Hot Toys is partnering with Disney to create an 18-foot long Millennium Falcon model
Acer’s $100 Liquid Leap+ Fitness Watch for iOS/Android with a 20% discount
The Remix Mini is a low-cost Android-based PC alternative
The new slimmer MOOV NOW fitness tracker coaches you through your workouts
Grado’s new Heritage Series headphones are made from native Brooklyn trees
Sling Media introduces the new Slingbox M2 bundled w/ free downloads of the app
SONOS announces new limited edition solid color PLAY:1 speakers

How-To: Screen record in full 4K/5K resolution at 60fps on Mac w/ the new Screenium 3 app (+ giveaway)

Gameplay recording platform Kamcord brings live game streams to mobile apps

Jordan Kahn Jul 23 2015 - 7:03 am PT

Kamcord, a popular platform that lets game developers add gameplay recording features to their mobile apps, is today taking its first step into live streaming. The move is a notable one as competitors such as live game streaming service Twitch, now owned by Amazon, move into the mobile space and live streaming apps like Periscope and Meerkat begin to gain traction among users.
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Chrome 44 for iOS brings beacon-powered Physical Web closer to reality, new gestures

Tom Maxwell Jul 22 2015 - 12:02 pm PT

The Physical Web is an open source web specification from Google released last year with the aim to make interacting with smart devices in the real world as easy as clicking a link, just as we do on the web. Now with the company having released its Eddystone beacon technology and APIs for making this communication between devices in the same proximity easier, it’s integrating Physical Web directly into Chrome for iOS.

The latest version of Chrome for iOS, version 44 available now in the App Store, brings Physical Web content to the “Today” view. The Today view, for those who don’t know, is a section within the iOS Notification Center panel, accessed by dragging down from the top of the screen, which contains quick glance information that you may want to access often, such as weather information, calendar events, etc. But developers can also make their own widgets for this section which could include this same sort of quick glance information pulled from their own apps, as well as action buttons to perform quick tasks – like checking into a location on Swarm, for example.

What this means for Physical Web is better visibility and increased potential for adoption. While beacons have yet to heavily saturate the world, they face a chicken and egg problem: without a way for end-users to actually receive information from devices they pass by in the physical world, developers and manufacturers don’t have the same kind of incentive to design, manufacturer, and sell, and invest in beacons, and vice-versa. Physical Web, though, takes advantage of Eddystone-URL, a language that Google’s Eddystone beacon technology can send information to end-user devices in. Now that the company has a full end-to-end beacon solution – the beacon software that device manufacturers can use in their beacon hardware, as well as deeper integration into end-user devices – it will be possible for web developers to get more native-like proximity functionality out of their apps.

In addition to support for Physical Web, today’s Chrome for iOS update also adds new swipe gestures for making navigation throughout the app easier. The app is available now in the App Store.

9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 128GB $590, Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard $15, Seagate 5TB USB 3.0 HDD $110, more

Jul 22 2015 - 9:05 am PT

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 iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 128GB in Gold, Silver, or Space Gray for $590 shipped (Reg. $699)

Sharkk Ultra-Slim Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard $15 Prime shipped, more
Stary Board cuts the weight to become the “world’s lightest” electric vehicle
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive: $85 shipped (Orig. $140), more
Home: Culina salad spinners from $16 (40% off), Yukon Outfitters hammocks from $30, more

Seagate Expansion 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive: $110 shipped (Reg. $130), more http://t.co/MX0Sx068Qb pic.twitter.com/iI1LeOQUPW

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 22, 2015

Amazon Gold Box – MEElectronics Air Fi Runaway Bluetooth Headphones in multiple colors: $35 Prime shipped (Reg. $60)

Beats by Dr. Dre Studio Wireless On-Ear Headphones in Titanium: $209 shipped (Orig. $380)

VIZIO 43-inch 4K 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV: $500 shipped (Reg. $600)

Jabra SOLEMATE Wireless Portable Bluetooth Speaker in black $60 shipped (Reg. $90+), more

Bluetooth speakers: Urge Basics Soundbrick $18 shipped, Liger waterproof shower speaker $10 shipped, more

Tweetbot for Mac hits its lowest price ever: $10 (Reg. $13)

iPhone 6/Plus $100 off w/ VZW or Sprint 2-yr contract: 16GB $100, 64GB $200, 128GB $300

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 128GB in Silver or Space Gray for $450 shipped (Reg. $599)

Review: Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15 Bluetooth speaker

Review: DODOcase Apple Watch Charging Stand

Review: SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick

Giveaway: Grain Audio OEHP.01 Over-Ear Headphones are an ideal daily set of cans, $199 value

More new gear from today:

ZAGG iPhone 6 Speaker Case w/ built-in Bluetooth speaker, battery and mic $60 shipped (Reg. $100)

Daily Deals: Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat $90, Griffin Retractable MFi Lightning Cable $8
Games/Apps: DmC Devil May Cry $30, Game of Thrones for iOS goes free, more
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II is now available for Mac: $7 (Reg. $10)
Monoprice Power Bank + Two MFi Lightning Cables: $15 shipped (~$40 value)
Save 30% on fashion at Amazon: Herschel Supply Co., Lacoste, PUMA, more
Learn to build 11 apps with this exclusive iOS 9 Swift coding course: $59 (Orig. $299)
Blinkist Premium 1-yr Subscription: 1000+ Grasp Nonfiction Books: $30 (Orig. $80)

More deals still alive:

Spigen’s latest Apple Watch dock is made for watchOS 2 Nightstand mode, pre-order now for $12

App Store Amazing Apps/Games for $1: Blek, Spider Man, Goat Sim, more

App Store Free App of the Week: Angry Birds Space ($1 value)

Pay what you want for the 7-course Web Hacker Bundle ($1,043 value, currently $6)

Complete this Chipotle trivia game & receive a buy one, get one free coupon
Sennheiser HD650 + Apogee Groove portable DAC/amp $550 shipped ($755 value)
Bose SoundTouch Portable Series II Wireless Music System from $269 (Reg. $325)
Media: Blu-ray/DVD combos from $8 including Interstellar & Lucy, $1 HD Rentals, more
Router Roundup: Linksys dual-band Smart Wi-Fi Router (refurb) $28 (Orig. $50), more
Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear Headphones in black $65 shipped (Reg. $80)
Aukey USB Chargers: 5-Port USB Desktop Charging Station $22, more
JBL Control One 4″ Indoor/Outdoor Speakers: $80 or 2-pairs for $150 shipped (Orig. $180)
Kmashi 10,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank: $9.39 Prime shipped (Orig. $50)
Seagate 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop HDD $125, WD Elements 2TB Portable HDD $70, more
Discounted gift cards up to 20% off: Staples, Gamestop, Toys R Us, iTunes, and more
TRENDnet Powerline 500AV Nano Adapter Kit: $20 Prime shipped (Orig. $65)
4K A/V Receivers: Denon w/ AirPlay $499 (Orig. $999), Onkyo 5.2-ch $200 (Reg. $250)
Fremo 3200mAh Battery/Flashlight with MFi Lightning cable: $10 shipped
SoundPEATS Qy7 Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless In-Ears: $20 (Reg. $30)
Jabra MOVE wireless on-ears $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more
Spigen iPhone 6/Plus Cases in a variety of styles and colors from $7 shipped
Nordstrom’s massive Anniversary Sale: Michael Kors non-iron dress shirt $39, more
RAVPower 3,200mAh External Battery Pack w/ Flashlight: $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $13)
American Express rolls out PayPal competitor, offers $10 statement credit for trying it
Free PS Plus Games for July: Styx Master of Shadows, Rocket League, more
Free Xbox Gold Games for July: Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, more

WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive: $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more http://t.co/MX0Sx068Qb pic.twitter.com/XppZTF5hGu

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 21, 2015

New products & more:

Cusby adapters work like LEGO to let you build a custom USB-C hub

ZNAPS gives any Lightning or microUSB charging cable a MagSafe-like connector

Jet.com is ready to battle Amazon and Walmart for your online shopping needs
A-Bike Electric has powered assistance in the “lightest” package in the world
Hot Toys is partnering with Disney to create an 18-foot long Millennium Falcon model
Acer’s $100 Liquid Leap+ Fitness Watch for iOS/Android with a 20% discount
The Remix Mini is a low-cost Android-based PC alternative
The new slimmer MOOV NOW fitness tracker coaches you through your workouts
Grado’s new Heritage Series headphones are made from native Brooklyn trees
Sling Media introduces the new Slingbox M2 bundled w/ free downloads of the app
SONOS announces new limited edition solid color PLAY:1 speakers

Microsoft pilots hybrid not-quite-email, not-quite-IM iPhone app – ahead of Windows Phone

Ben Lovejoy Jul 22 2015 - 7:37 am PT

7 Comments

Microsoft has today launched Send, an experimental iPhone app that offers a kind of cross between email and instant messaging. Microsoft says that it is designed for “brief, snappy communications” where you want an instant response but also want to retain a record of what was said within Outlook. The app was previously leaked as Flow by Outlook.

While tools like text messaging and IM are great for short messages, you often don’t have your co-worker’s cell phone number or an IM app on your work phone. And we’ve heard loud and clear from people at work, they want all their communications available in Outlook—even if they send them from other apps. This is where Send comes in! Send gives you the simple, quick text message-like experience while allowing you to reach all co-workers and have all of your communications in Outlook for reference later.

Tellingly, Microsoft is launching first for iPhone – ahead of not just Android, but also its own Windows Phone platform …
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Realmac Deep Dreamer public beta for Mac turns your images into nightmares

Cam Bunton Jul 22 2015 - 7:27 am PT

1 Comment

Deep Dream has caused something of a stir online in recent weeks. Google’s neural imaging network has an uncanny ability of taking ordinary images and turning them in to something you’d normally only see if you were sleeping (or under the influence of banned substances). Now, creating your own fun and trippy images is simple.

Realmac just announced that its Deep Dreamer public beta is available to download for Mac, so you can create your own weird pics using a native app. While in its beta state you can buy a full license for $14.99. Once out of beta, a license will set you back $24.99.

If you’d rather use a free service, Dreamscope is a web app which lets you upload any photo or picture and run it through one of its many Deep Dream patterns. The end results is normally weird, scary, or both. There are 20 filters to choose from in total, some scarier than others. Depending on the size of your image, the time it takes to process your nightmare varies. I experienced anything from a few seconds to around half a minute. For extra-trippy effects, re-upload your Dreamscope’d image several times and see what happens.

Take a look at our gallery below and you’ll see some of the virtual hallucinations it conjured up for us:

If you want to create your own, head on over to DreamScopeApp.com and start uploading or check out Deep Dreamer for Mac. There’s also a gallery to look through of images created by others. Some might be NSFW, so be careful where you view them and who you view them in front of. You have been warned…

Designer details how Apple’s iAd Producer can be used to prototype iOS & Mac apps

Zac Hall Jul 21 2015 - 9:18 am PT

Linda Dong, a former Prototyping Team member at Apple, shared a fascinating blog post this week that highlights an interesting use case for developers and designers using Apple’s iAd Producer app.

Think of it as “advanced Keynote”, or “actually accessible Interface Builder”. Alas the app is meant for not-so-popular content like iAds and iBooks widgets, but it can easily be repurposed to prototype iOS and Mac apps. It handles UI elements, screen flow, and animation really well.

Writing that iAd Producer is targeted toward creating iAds and iBook widgets, which makes it a rather underrated app considering the utility it offers, she notes that iAd Producer bases projects in “HTML5, CSS3, and javascript which a lot of designers are already familiar with.”

She goes on to explain how you can remove the default iAd UI overlays when using iAd Producer for iOS and Mac app prototyping, while explaining how the drag-and-drop nature of the app makes it easy to use.

Her write-up continues by detailing how iAd Producer incorporates animations that will be familiar to Keynote users, event triggers on objects within apps, supports CSS filters, and even previewing app designs and interactions on real devices for testing.

You can read her full blog post and see some of her work here, and grab iAd Producer from Apple’s developer center if you’re a member. Have you used iAd Producer for any interesting app prototyping or other ways that vary from iAd and iBook widget creation?

9to5Toys Last Call: Mac Developer App Bundle $60, 256GB Retina MacBook Pro $1,280, Tweetbot for Mac $10, more

Jul 21 2015 - 9:12 am PT

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: The Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15 is a big-ticket Bluetooth speaker with a lavish design

Spigen’s latest Apple Watch dock is made for watchOS 2 Nightstand mode, pre-order now
Cusby adapters work like LEGO to let you build a custom USB-C hub
Jet.com is ready to battle Amazon and Walmart for your online shopping needs
Router Roundup: Linksys dual-band Smart Wi-Fi Router (refurb) $28 (Orig. $50), more
Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear Headphones in black $65 shipped (Reg. $80)
Aukey USB Chargers: 5-Port USB Desktop Charging Station $22, more
JBL Control One 4″ Indoor/Outdoor Speakers: $80 or 2-pairs for $150 shipped (Orig. $180)
Home: Hoover’s best selling upright vac $100 (Orig. $180), more

Mac Developer App Bundle for $60: Hype, Forklift, Coderunner, Dash, more ($366 value)

Pay what you want for the 7-course Web Hacker Bundle ($1,043 value, currently $6)

13″ 256GB Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

Tweetbot for Mac hits its lowest price ever: $10 (Reg. $13)

Amazon Gold Box – up to 60% off Logitech gear: M320 wireless mouse $10 Prime shipped, UE MINI BOOM $55 shipped, more

iPhone 6/Plus $100 off w/ VZW or Sprint 2-yr contract: 16GB $100, 64GB $200, 128GB $300

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 128GB in Silver or Space Gray for $450 shipped (Reg. $599)

Review: The DODOcase Apple Watch Charging Stand is a luxurious nightstand accessory

Review: SanDisk’s new Connect Wireless Stick is one of the easiest ways to expand your iPhone’s storage

Giveaway: Grain Audio OEHP.01 Over-Ear Headphones are an ideal daily set of cans, $199 value

More new gear from today:

Rain Design’s gorgeous aluminum mStand for MacBooks: $35 Prime shipped (Reg. $50)

Complete this Chipotle trivia game & receive a buy one, get one free coupon
Blue Microphones Snowball USB Mic $40 shipped (Reg. up to $60)
Games/Apps: Borderlands The Pre-Sequel for Mac $20, Spark Camera goes free
Sennheiser HD650 + Apogee Groove portable DAC/amp $550 shipped ($755 value)
Bose SoundTouch Portable Series II Wireless Music System from $269 (Reg. $325)
Media: Blu-ray/DVD combos from $8 including Interstellar & Lucy, $1 HD Rentals, more
Daily Deals: Dell UltraSharp 24″ IPS LED-Backlit LCD Monitor $240, Two Cheerson Mini Quadcopters $27, more

WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive: $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more http://t.co/MX0Sx068Qb pic.twitter.com/XppZTF5hGu

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 21, 2015

More deals still alive:

Kmashi 10,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank: $9.39 Prime shipped (Orig. $50)

App Store Amazing Apps/Games for $1: Blek, Spider Man, Goat Sim, more

App Store Free App of the Week: Angry Birds Space ($1 value)

$75 iTunes gift card for $65 shipped: save 13% on apps, music, movies and more

Seagate 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop HDD $125, WD Elements 2TB Portable HDD $70, more
Discounted gift cards up to 20% off: Staples, Gamestop, Toys R Us, iTunes, and more
TRENDnet Powerline 500AV Nano Adapter Kit: $20 Prime shipped (Orig. $65)
4K A/V Receivers: Denon w/ AirPlay $499 (Orig. $999), Onkyo 5.2-ch $200 (Reg. $250)
Chromecast offers: 1 free movie rental, more
Fremo 3200mAh Battery/Flashlight with MFi Lightning cable: $10 shipped
SoundPEATS Qy7 Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless In-Ears: $20 (Reg. $30)
Jabra MOVE wireless on-ears $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more
Spigen iPhone 6/Plus Cases in a variety of styles and colors from $7 shipped
Nordstrom’s massive Anniversary Sale: Michael Kors non-iron dress shirt $39, more
Women’s fashion: Nordstrom Sale – Topshop sweater $33, Vince Camuto bag $99, more
TaoTronics TT-BR02 Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Receiver $10 Prime shipped (Reg. $25)
Griffin WatchStand Dual Charging Dock for Apple Watch & iPhone $25 shipped (Reg. $30)
This USB-C hub adds four USB-A ports to your 12-inch MacBook: $14 Prime shipped
Acer 11-inch Chromebook 2.16GHz/2GB/16GB: $129 shipped (Orig. $200)
RAVPower 3,200mAh External Battery Pack w/ Flashlight: $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $13)
American Express rolls out PayPal competitor, offers $10 statement credit for trying it
Free PS Plus Games for July: Styx Master of Shadows, Rocket League, more
Free Xbox Gold Games for July: Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, more

New products & more:

ZNAPS gives any Lightning or microUSB charging cable a MagSafe-like connector

A-Bike Electric has powered assistance in the “lightest” package in the world

Hot Toys is partnering with Disney to create an 18-foot long Millennium Falcon model
Acer’s $100 Liquid Leap+ Fitness Watch for iOS/Android with a 20% discount
The Remix Mini is a low-cost Android-based PC alternative
The new slimmer MOOV NOW fitness tracker coaches you through your workouts
Grado’s new Heritage Series headphones are made from native Brooklyn trees
Sling Media introduces the new Slingbox M2 bundled w/ free downloads of the app
SONOS announces new limited edition solid color PLAY:1 speakers

Instagram rolling out user, location, and hashtag search on the web

Zac Hall Jul 20 2015 - 10:29 am PT

5 Comments

Nice Yosemite reference, Instagram

Instagram first started as an iPhone-only photo sharing social network and has since expanded to other smartphone platforms, but the experience for interacting with Instagram on the Mac never been at feature parity. Today Instagram is making small steps to improve the experience with using the service on the web by introducing the ability to search for content using the official Instagram website.
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9to5Toys Last Call: iPhone 6/Plus $100 off w/ contract, iPad mini 3 128GB $450, 10,000mAh USB Power bank $9, more

Justin Kahn Jul 20 2015 - 9:12 am PT