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6,284 'Apps' stories April 2010 - July 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.

Dozens of popular apps found ‘vulnerable to password cracking’

Avatar for Cam Bunton Jul 17 2015 - 9:13 am PT
5 Comments

Image: n3rdabl3.co.uk

Popular iOS and Android apps from companies like Walmart, ESPN, Slack and SoundCloud have been found vulnerable to password cracking, according to a recent report from AppBugs. The security firm found that dozens of the most popular apps are lacking, in that they allow you to make any number of attempts to login without restriction. These clearly opens up a gap for attackers who have the means to guess those passwords and gain access to your accounts.

The most secure apps will force you to reset your password if you don’t enter it correctly, or they’ll lock you out after you’ve made a certain number of attempts.

AppBugs tested the most popular apps to see how they stacked up. It checked 100 popular apps which support password-protected web accounts and limited themselves to apps which had been downloaded at least 1 million times. Of those 100 apps, 53 were found to have the vulnerability.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Bose SoundTrue headphones $80, 3200mAh power bank w/ MFi Lightning cable $10, more

Avatar for Jul 17 2015 - 9:09 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: The DODOcase Apple Watch Charging Stand is a luxurious nightstand accessory

Bose SoundTrue On-Ear Headphones in multiple colors: $80 shipped (Reg. $140)

SoundPEATS Qy7 Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless In-Ear Headphones: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)

Jabra MOVE wireless on-ear headphones $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more

3200mAh Battery/Flashlight with MFi Lightning cable: $10 shipped

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)

Games/Apps: Zelda Wind Waker for Wii U $39, Mobile Mouse Pro $1, METAL SLUG sale $1 ea

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

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

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

Giveaway: Win one of SanDisk’s newly released massive 200GB microSD cards ($250 value)

Small States: A-Lamp Design fashions charming lights for your home from US materials, multiple giveaways (Last chance to enter!)

More new gear from today:

Nordstrom’s massive Anniversary Sale: Nike DRI-FIT t-shirt $16, Michael Kors non-iron dress shirt $39, more

Media: Dexter Complete Series $85 (Reg. $125), Tarantino XX 8 Film Collection $58 (Reg. $80)

Daily Deals: Mongoose Detour Full Suspension Bike $200, Sony Cyber-shot 20.4MP Camera + $50 gift card $300, more

More deals still alive:

Charge a 12-inch MacBook on the road w/ this Anker 25600mAh 3-port Battery: $50 shipped (Reg. $80), more

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB in all colors $500 shipped (Reg. $599)

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 16GB: $300 shipped (Reg. $399)

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

New products & more:

The new slimmer MOOV NOW fitness tracker coaches you through your workouts

Grado’s new Heritage Series headphones are made from native Brooklyn trees

New ‘Misfit Link’ app brings iPhone camera control, music remote, and more to Flash hardware

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jul 16 2015 - 12:19 pm PT
0 Comments
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Misfit, makers of the popular Flash and Shine wearables for fitness and sleep tracking, today launched a new iOS app that turns its Flash hardware into a remote control for a connected iPhone’s camera, music functions, and more.
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9to5Toys Last Call: Bluetooth 4.1 in-ear headphones $20, Brother Wireless Printer $80, Apple TV $60, more

Avatar for Jul 16 2015 - 9:03 am PT
2 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:

SoundPEATS Qy7 Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless In-Ear Headphones: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)

Daily Deals: Brother color inkjet wireless printer $80, D-Link pan/tilt day/night IP camera $60, more

Apple TV 1080p Streaming Media Player (newest version): $60 shipped (Reg. $69)

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

SONOS announces new limited edition solid color PLAY:1 speakers

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

Giveaway: Win one of SanDisk’s newly released massive 200GB microSD cards ($250 value)

Small States: A-Lamp Design fashions charming lights for your home from US materials, multiple giveaways

More new gear from today:

Charge a 12-inch MacBook on the road w/ this Anker 25600mAh 3-port Battery: $50 shipped (Reg. $80), more

More deals still alive:

Pixelmator image editor and painting app for iOS: $1 (Reg. $5)

Games/Apps: Rayman, Tetris, Blek, BADLAND, Mass Effect, $1 each, more

Rovio iOS sale: Angry Birds Space for iPhone goes free for the first time, more

R.B.I. Baseball 15 for iOS gets its very first price drop: $2 (Reg. $5), more

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

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB in all colors $500 shipped (Reg. $599)

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 16GB: $300 shipped (Reg. $399)

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

New products & more:

Grado’s new Heritage Series headphones are made from native Brooklyn trees

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Microsoft’s OneNote iOS app goes universal, bringing Notification Center widget and more to iPad

Avatar for Zac Hall Jul 16 2015 - 8:41 am PT
3 Comments

Microsoft today released a new update to OneNote for iPhone that makes it a universal app, now OneNote for iOS. That means that the existing OneNote for iPad app is being replaced by a single, universal app that runs on both iPhone and iPad.

The benefit, aside from having a single version, is that the iPad app is gaining some recent features introduced in the iPhone app including a OneNote widget in the today view of Notification Center. iPad users will also notice a new “recent notes” section for notes made on either device, and landscape mode on the iPad now presents a column of page previews.

Catch the full release notes below:

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Researchers are developing apps to diagnose coughs, sleep apnea, & detect bipolar episodes

Avatar for Zac Hall Jul 16 2015 - 7:32 am PT
9 Comments
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First pitched by Steve Jobs in 2007 as “an iPod, a phone, and an Internet communicator,” the iPhone has since evolved into a medical device of sorts as software has gotten smarter and sensors have become more advanced in recent years.

Apple embraced this with iOS 8 and the rollout of HealthKit, a framework which allows medical and health apps to share data with each other and your doctors with your permission. Apple’s open source ResearchKit took it a step further by allowing developers to turn apps into scientific health and medical research tests.

Scientific American recently profiled three smartphone apps in development that point to how the iPhone could become even better at monitoring our health. The apps in development aim to determine what a patient’s cough means, diagnose sleep apnea, and even predict a bipolar episode before it starts…
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It’s official – Angry Birds 2 is coming on July 30th

Avatar for Cam Bunton Jul 16 2015 - 6:11 am PT
0 Comments

It seems an age since Angry Birds first rose to prominence as the best-selling mobile game going. After countless spin-offs and movie tie-ins, it’s about to get its first proper sequel. Rovio announced in a blog post this morning that Angry Birds 2 will officially launch on July 30th.

With 3 billion game downloads, millions of fans across the globe, multiple mashups and spin-offs, collaborations with A-list celebrities and much more, we’re really proud that Angry Birds is the mother of all mobile game apps. And now we’re proud to announce the mother of all sequels – Angry Birds 2!

Rovio hasn’t announced exactly what to expect or which platforms it’ll be available on, but it does say that it will make its way to “app stores worldwide” in two weeks, suggesting that it will almost certainly be available on the most popular platforms: Android and iOS.

Hit the Angry Birds 2 website to sign up and be notified as soon as it’s available. In the mean time, you can grab a bunch of the more popular Angry Birds titles for free, or just $1 in Rovio’s iOS sale.

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Hulu for iPhone updated w/ Apple Watch remote app for controlling playback, Chromcasting, more

Avatar for Zac Hall Jul 15 2015 - 11:25 am PT
3 Comments

Hulu is out today with a neat update to its iPhone app that puts a remote for controlling playback and more right on your Apple Watch. Like most Apple Watch apps, the Hulu remote app is limited in what it can do on its own, but it becomes a handy utility once you start video playback on Hulu from your iPhone.
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Twitter for iPhone adopts native iOS share sheet over custom menu

Avatar for Zac Hall Jul 14 2015 - 1:45 pm PT
14 Comments
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Twitter has quietly added support for iOS 8’s native, customizable share sheet, replacing its own limited share menu previously used. Custom share sheet support enables users to send URLs and other items to various apps and services on iOS without ever leaving the Twitter app.
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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad mini 2 $230, SanDisk 128GB microSD $60, iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB $500, more

Avatar for Jul 14 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:

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB in all colors $500 shipped (Reg. $599)

Amazon Gold Box – SanDisk Flash Storage up to 50% off: 128GB microSD $60, 32GB Ultra Fit Flash Drive $11, more

iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi 16GB: $230 2-day shipped (Reg. $299)

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 16GB: $300 shipped (Reg. $399)

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

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

15-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch $1,819 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Amazon Prime Day Hub, monster sales announced: Fire Stick $24, 32-inch TV $75, and 40-inch TV $115, more

Walmart CEO blasts Amazon’s Prime Day, promises a week-long sales event with “some special atomic deals”

Amazon is throwing itself a birthday party so big it’ll make you forget about Black Friday

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

Giveaway: Win one of SanDisk’s newly released massive 200GB microSD cards ($250 value)

Small States: A-Lamp Design fashions charming lights for your home from US materials, multiple giveaways

More new gear from today:

Beats by Dre 1-Day Sale: Powerbeats2 Bluetooth Headphones, Pill 2.0 Portable Speaker $130 ea (Reg. $200)

RAVPower Portable 3,200mAh External Battery Pack w/ Flashlight: $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $13)

More deals still alive:

Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD $90 shipped (Orig. $140)

New products & more:

The Lemunati CS1 coverts your iPhone 6 into a Super 8 style camcorder for an “upgraded” filming experience

This TIE Fighter look-alike music machine plays your favorite action theme songs

 

TiVo’s AirPlay blockade ends as iOS app adds streaming to Apple TVs

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jul 14 2015 - 5:00 am PT
1 Comment
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One of the long-running complaints among TiVo users has been the company’s decision to block Apple’s AirPlay mirroring feature, preventing users from streaming content from the TiVo iOS app to an Apple TV. That’s all changing today as the company plans an update to the app that enables the functionality for the first time, allowing TiVo hardware owners to stream any content accessible via the iOS app to an Apple TV connected to the same network.
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BBC iPlayer Radio app for iOS and Android gets offline listening at last

Avatar for Cam Bunton Jul 14 2015 - 3:30 am PT
4 Comments

 

The BBC announced in a blog post this morning that mobile downloads are coming to its iPlayer Radio app just in time for the BBC Proms. For the first time – using the iPlayer Radio app – customers will be able to download radio shows (and the Proms) to listen offline and keep them for up to 30 days.  To make use of this new service, all you need to do is ensure you have the latest version of the BBC iPlayer Radio smartphone or tablet app for iOS, Android or Kindle.


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Pixelmator for iPhone and iPad adds ‘Dynamic Touch’ brush strokes, better Repair Tool, more

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jul 14 2015 - 2:07 am PT
0 Comments
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Pixelmator for iPhone and iPad has today been updated to version 2.0.2 bringing even more features to the popular image editor for iOS and Mac. This update adds a new kind of brush stroke called Dynamic Touch, which simulates pressure sensitivity by examining the size of the finger input that touches the screen. Larger surface area produces thicker strokes on the canvas. Similarly, using just the tip of a finger results in fine lines in the app.


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Apple releases iTunes 12.2.1 w/ fixes for Match and Beats 1 issues

Avatar for Zac Hall Jul 13 2015 - 10:18 am PT
20 Comments
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Apple has released a maintenance update to iTunes 12.2 that addresses issues related to Apple Music, iTunes Match, and Beats 1. The release specifically mentions resolving an issue where songs from iTunes Match would become classified as songs from Apple Music, which would result in unnecessary DRM being added.
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NASA’s Mac (and PC) app lets you join New Horizons spacecraft on its Pluto flypast

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jul 13 2015 - 6:57 am PT
1 Comment

The low bit-rate forced by the extreme distance of the New Horizons spacecraft from Earth means that live video isn’t feasible, but a new Mac and PC app from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory offers the next best thing. The app provides a simulated view of what New Horizons is doing, and allows you to preview the flypast.

While the view is simulated, it uses realistic data to show you what it would be like to track the spacecraft in real or accelerated time, including a “live” mode to show you what New Horizons is doing right now.

Visit the Eyes on Pluto page to install the helper app, then return to the page and click the Launch button to open it. It opens in live mode, and you can click the Preview button to skip ahead, adjusting the time using the buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Via TNW

Google releases ‘Ivy’ app for iOS, an experimental big number calculator

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jul 10 2015 - 12:09 pm PT
7 Comments
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Google has quietly launched a new iOS app today called Ivy that it describes as an experimental big number calculator.
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9to5Toys Last Call: 32GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive $30, Car Jump Starter/Power Bank $60, Newegg student 10%, more

Avatar for Jul 10 2015 - 9:08 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:

3rd party Apple Watch bands prices are dropping: stainless steel $37 + exclusive 15% discount

SanDisk Connect 32GB Wireless iOS/Android Flash Drive $30 shipped (Orig. $60)

SanDisk Connect Wireless Media Drive: 32GB $40 (Reg. $80), 64GB $55 (Reg. $120)

RAVPower Portable Car Jump Starter w/ Dual USB Charging Ports: $60 shipped (Reg. $75)

Newegg 10% off sitewide w/ .edu email: VIZIO 43-inch 4K 120Hz Smart UHDTV $538 (Reg. $598), more

App Store Free App of the Week: Card Wars – Adventure Time goes free ($4 value)

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 128GB in all colors for $600 shipped (Reg. $699)

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB $359, iPhone 6/Plus w/ free $150 GC on installment, more

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

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch from $1,819 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (newest model) 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB: $830 shipped (Reg. $999)

American Express rolls out PayPal competitor, offers $10 statement credit for trying it out

Amazon is throwing itself a birthday party so big it’ll make you forget about Black Friday

Amazon is now treating its Prime members to extra savings on new/upcoming video game

It’s now possible to 3D print customized video game characters right from Amazon

More new gear from today:

Logitech Z506 75W 5.1-channel Surround Sound System $50 or $40 shipped (refurb) (Orig. $100)

The Call of Duty Black Ops 3 Juggernog Edition comes with a mini fridge to keep you frosty

More deals still alive:

WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Hard Drive $70 shipped (Orig. $100)

Beats Headphones: Solo HD Drenched on-ears $100 (Reg. $139+), Studio wireless $250 (Reg. $300), more

Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Headphones (multiple colors): $140 shipped (Reg. $200)

New products & more:

Become the Knight Rider with the K.I.T.T. USB Car Charger

Microsoft HoloLens partners with Case Western to make medical school like a video game

9to5Toys Last Call iPad Air 2 128GB $600, 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $1819, App Store Free App of the Week, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Jul 9 2015 - 9:09 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: Card Wars – Adventure Time goes free ($4 value)

 

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 128GB in all colors for $600 shipped (Reg. $699)

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB $359, iPhone 6/Plus w/ free $150 GC on installment, more

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

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch from $1,819 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (newest model) 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB: $830 shipped (Reg. $999)

Networking: D-Link 802.11ac Wireless Router (refurb) $30 (Orig. $130), TP-LINK AV500 Powerline Kit $30 (Orig. $60), more

It’s now possible to 3D print customized video game characters right from Amazon

Review: JBL’s new Charge 2+ and Clip+ deliver big sound in a portable Bluetooth package designed for outdoor activity

GoPro’s new HERO4 Session waterproof action camera is the size of an ice cube with an iceberg-sized price

Amazon is throwing itself a birthday party so big it’ll make you forget about Black Friday

More new gear from today:

American Express rolls out PayPal competitor, offers $10 statement credit for trying it out

More deals still alive:

WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Hard Drive $70, Samsung 850 EVO 500GB SSD $150, more

GoPro HERO4 Action Cameras: Silver $350 shipped (Reg. $400), Black $399 shipped (Reg. $500)

Beats Headphones: Solo HD Drenched on-ears $100 (Reg. $139+), Studio wireless $250 (Reg. $300), more

Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Headphones (multiple colors): $140 shipped (Reg. $200)

iTunes gift cards 10% off w/ email delivery: $50 for $45, $100 for $90, more

Apple is giving away free downloads of iOS cooking app Green Kitchen ($5 value)

App Store Free App of the Week: Star Walk 2 goes free for the first time ($3 value)

Bloons Tower Defense 5 for iPhone/iPad goes free (Reg. $3/$5)

App Store promo – Great Games 50% off: Halo Spartan Strike $3 (Reg. $6), more

Readdle launches Scanner Pro 6 for iOS w/ release day pricing: $3 (Reg. $6)

New products & more:

Dot is the “world’s smallest” set of Bluetooth earphones with a battery life to match

Slip Cup Beer Pong inserts keep your balls clean and your cups full

Capcom’s official life-size Mega Man helmet includes working LED lights

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YoVivo is a new iPhone app that stores your photos from various cloud services in a central library

Avatar for Chance Miller Jul 9 2015 - 9:00 am PT
0 Comments

YoVivo is a new iOS app that allows users to easily manage their photos stored across different cloud services. For instance, you can access pictures stored on Instagram, then download them and upload them directly to Dropbox, all via one app. The app also supports the ability to create slideshows using your images from a variety of online sources, set it to music, and share it with everyone.


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Facebook finally letting you control your newsfeed, coming first to iOS app today

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jul 9 2015 - 6:19 am PT
17 Comments
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One of the things we all love to hate about Facebook is the way that it thinks it knows better than we do which posts we want to see. Facebook uses unspecified algorithms to assign rankings to posts, boosting the visibility of those it thinks we want to see, and demoting those it thinks will interest us less.

A new iOS Facebook app rolling out later today will for the first time allow us to choose for ourselves whose posts get bumped to the top of our feeds. Three additional features also allow us to control what we do and don’t see further down those feeds … 
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Spotify tries to nix Apple’s 30% “tax” by directing Premium customers to $10 web option

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jul 8 2015 - 9:43 am PT
22 Comments
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Faced with a direct challenge from Apple Music, rival Spotify will contact App Store subscribers to its Premium music service to suggest that they switch to $10/month web billing rather than $13/month iTunes billing, reports The Verge. Spotify is marketing the switch as a way for Apple users to save $3 per month on its Premium service, giving Spotify a greater ability to compete with Apple Music’s $10/month offering.


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Pinterest announces IFTTT & Polyvore apps as first developer platform integrations

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jul 8 2015 - 9:34 am PT
0 Comments

After introducing a new developers platform and SDK in May, Pinterest is today announcing a couple of the first integrations developers have come up with starting with popular automation platform IFTTT and community based shopping/fashion site Polyvore.

For IFTTT, the service that lets users automate common web and app-based tasks based on a set of rules known as “recipes”, users will now be able to link products and devices on Pinterest to their automated workflows. The company shared some examples: automatically save Pins to a board from simple actions in other apps such as liking a photo on Instagram, upvoting a post on Reddit or favoriting an item on Etsy. There are more than 20 Recipes to choose from starting today. The Pinterest integration for IFTTT is available through desktop and the service’s mobile apps.

For Polyvore, users can login to the site using their Pinterest account to quickly and easily get access to pinning items from the fashion community/shopping site to Pinterest boards via the company’s iOS app.

In addition, Pinterest noted that new SDKs and documentation for developers are available to all through the company’s new developers site. The new SDKs give devs access to the Pin It button and JS and OAuth support.