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• reeder 3

Reeder 3 now available for iOS with iPad Pro optimization, 3D Touch & Split View support, more

Chance Miller Nov 24 2015 - 4:36 pm PT

5 Comments

Popular RSS client Reeder has today released the third major iteration of its app on iOS. The availability of Reeder 3 for iOS follows the release of Reeder 3 for OS X back in September alongside the launch of El Capitan. Reeder 3 introduces a handful of new features and capabilities, including support for new services, interface tweaks, and more.

First off, the update adds support for using Instapaper as a sync service. Instapaper joins services like Feedbin, Feedly, and Feed Wrangler as services supported by Reeder. The update also introduces a Safari View Controller, meaning that you no longer have to exit the Reeder app itself to view links. Instead, they will open directly within the app, making for a much more seamless experience.

Reeder 3 also adds support for Split View multitasking for iOS 9 users, as well as support for iPad Pro. 3D Touch support is also now supported for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus users. You can now press harder on articles in the article list to preview them without actually tapping on them.

Various other interface tweaks have been made, as well. There are now font size options, unread and starred counts for smart folders, a new archive folder, font options for the article viewer, and more.

Below is the full changelog and Reeder 3 is available for free in the App Store now.

• Apps & Updates
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• keyboard
• SwiftKey

SwiftKey for iOS updated w/ new “Bubble Gum” keyboard theme, more

Chance Miller Nov 24 2015 - 9:00 am PT

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SwiftKey, the popular third-party keyboard app for iOS, has today been updated with a few changes and tweaks that users of the app will certainly welcome. First off, the update adds a new dynamic theme for the keyboard. Called “Bubble Gum,” this new keyboard design offers light blue keys with pink keys. Every time you tap on it, pick, blue, and yellow bubbles float behind the keyboard.

Bubble Gum is the second “dynamic theme” SwiftKey has introduced on iOS, following “Shooting Stars” earlier this year. “Bubble Gum” is available under the “Design” tab in the app for $1.99.

Today’s SwiftKey update also refreshes the settings screen interface with a completely new design. The company says it’s now “easier than ever” to find information like usage stats and change your keyboard theme.

See your typos float away with SwiftKey Keyboard for iPhone’s new Bubble Gum theme (plus more!)

Today’s update for SwiftKey for iPhone brings two new exciting changes to our iOS app: a new ‘Bubble Gum’ dynamic theme, and a big makeover to the settings menu within the SwiftKey app on your homescreen.

Bubble Gum is a light and airy theme with pale blue and pink keys. With each tap, pink, blue and yellow bubbles float behind the keyboard, and fall with real gravity depending on how the phone is tilted – give it a try! Bubble Gum joins Shooting Stars as our second dynamic theme on SwiftKey for iOS, you can grab it for $1.99 now under “Design” in the container app.

The settings menu, found in the SwiftKey app on your homescreen, has been completely redesigned with an updated new look. It’s now easier than ever before to find the setting you want and tune SwiftKey to exactly how you like it. You’ll find that your usage stats – showing you just how productive and quick SwiftKey is making you, also for bragging rights – are now on the home screen you can get your data fix faster than ever before.

• Apps & Updates
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• Apple Maps
• update

Apple adds Foursquare business listings to Apple Maps

Jordan Kahn Nov 16 2015 - 11:51 am PT

3 Comments

Apple has quietly confirmed that it’s adding business listing information from Foursquare to Apple Maps. The addition was spotted on Apple’s acknowledgements page for Maps listing the various contributors of data for Apple’s mapping service (via Apple Maps Marketing).

It’s unclear exactly how Apple is using Foursquare data, but it’s likely users will begin to notice points of interest related data from the service appearing soon. Apple already partners with various companies for the data and other features it uses in Maps including TomTom, booking.com, TripAdvisor, Yelp and others.

Apple uses Yelp and booking.com, for example, to show reviews for local points of interest like restaurants and hotels, and it’s possible Apple will be tapping into Foursquare for similar features.

Foursquare claims to have over 2 million businesses using the service and over 70 million tips, which are essentially reviews and comments for local businesses, submitted by users.

• Apps
• iOS
• Apple News
• update
• Fandango

Fandango for iOS updated with Apple Pay integration

Chance Miller Nov 9 2015 - 5:18 pm PT

4 Comments

Popular movie ticket service Fandango has today updated its iOS with a highly requested feature. Bumping the app to version 7.1, Fandango for iOS has added support for Apple’s mobile payment solution, Apple Pay.

Fandango’s Apple Pay integration works just the same as it does with other third-party. When you go to purchase a ticket, you can now choose Apple Pay as a checkout option, significantly expediting the process.

Fandango’s addition of Apple Pay comes just a week after the iOS App Store added a new Shopping category to showcase apps like Fandango. Fandango’s support for Apple Pay has been a long time coming. Apple and Fandango have seemingly had a solid relationship thus far. Fandango powers database powers Siri’s support for movie times and reviews, so it’s odd that it took so long for the app itself to support Apple Pay. Fandango was also one of the first companies to release an Apple Watch app.

Fandango version 7.1 with Apple Pay support is available now on the App Store for free.

• Mac
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• Xcode

Apple releases Xcode 7.1.1 w/ fixes for critical Interface builder, debugging, and UI testing issues

Chance Miller Nov 9 2015 - 2:38 pm PT

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Three weeks after the release of Xcode 7.1 to developers, Apple today has released Xcode 7.1.1 to the Mac App Store. The update brings about a handful of under-the-hood fixes relating to the new features added with the more significant 7.1 update last month.

Apple says that Xcode 7.1.1 improves the overall stability of the app, making for an improved developer experience. Apple also says the update fixes “critical issues” in the Interface Builder, debugging, and UI testing.

Last month, Xcode 7.1 added support for the new Apple TV’s tvOS, as well as storyboard support for 3D Touch gestures, a new workflow to add a devices for development and testing, and a handful of other minor changes.

Xcode 7.1.1 is available now from the Mac App Store.

• Apps & Updates
• iOS
• Google
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• Google Maps

Google Maps on iOS will now give spoken traffic alerts as you drive

Chance Miller Nov 4 2015 - 5:16 pm PT

2 Comments

Google today has rolled out an update its Maps application on iOS, bringing with it a pair of new features. The update bumps the app to version 4.12.0 and includes support for adding missing businesses to the app’s database and spoken traffic alerts.

The latter of the two is the far more interesting addition of this update. Spoken traffic alerts mean that Google Maps will now alert you about upcoming traffic congestion and traffic incidents as you use the Navigation feature of the app. It does so via voice so you aren’t distracted while you drive. Traffic descriptions provide the same information, but in both text and verbal forms before you start to move.

Google Maps version 4.12.0 is available via the App Store now for free. The full changelog can be seen below:

• Apps & Updates
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• Google Drive
• notifications

Google Drive for iOS gets improved sharing experience w/ notifications & more

Jordan Kahn Nov 4 2015 - 12:00 pm PT

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Google Drive updates arriving today include new features for the service’s iOS app including sharing notifications and what Google promises will be a ‘consistent sharing experience across platforms.”

As part of its Drive mobile app updates today, both users of the iOS and Android apps can now enable notifications for when files are shared with them. Not only is it a notification, but it also acts as a quick link to jump right into the file or folder. And in addition, Google notes that “If a file/folder owner has notifications turned on and someone requests access to their content, the owner will be notified of the request instantly on their mobile device so they can quickly grant access.”

Another feature in the update for the Google Drive iOS app is what Google describes as a new consistent sharing experience, which essentially means the iOS app sharing experience is now on par with the Drive app on other platforms. You’ll notice the addition of an option to add a custom message when sharing:

We’re implementing a more consistent sharing experience in Drive (and the Docs editor apps too!) across platforms, including the ability for people using the Drive iOS app to add custom messages to recipients directly from the app when sharing a file.

The updated Google Drive app for iPhone and iPad is available now.

• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• iOS
• iPad
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• iMessage

Skype for iOS adds 3D Touch & video filters in latest update

Jordan Kahn Oct 28 2015 - 8:58 am PT

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Skype is rolling out an update for its iPhone and iPad mobile apps today that introduces a number of ways to use Apple’s new 3D Touch feature on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, as well as support for video filters not unlike competitive video chat services.

For 3D Touch, iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users will find a few ways to use the feature including the usual quick-start actions by firmly touching the Home screen icon. In addition, you can “press on a Recent conversation to Peek the latest IMs or a live video call” and “Force Touch shared locations, photos, contacts and URLs to Peek the content.”

And for both iPhone and iPad users, Skype is adding filters for video messages with various effects to choose from:

Get started by tapping the filter wand at the bottom left of the video message window. Choose a filter to see it in action then, when you’re ready, hit the record button. Add balloons to your video message to celebrate any occasion. If you’re feeling goofy, change the appearance of your face to make it look rounder or longer – we love this one! Or, if you’re sending a video message showing off your Halloween costume, add some ghosts or use the negative filter to set a spooky mood.

And lastly, both the iPhone and iPad apps add improvements to conversations and contacts:

– Hide conversations from your Recent list with a swipe.
– Completely delete a conversation’s history from the chat menu or Recent list.
– Easily share Skype contacts.

The updated Skype for iPad and Skype for iPhone apps are available on the App Store now.

• AAPL Company
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• iOS
• iPhone
• Apple News

Facebook bolstering iOS Notifications tab with sports scores, birthdays, more

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 11:46 am PT

3 Comments

If you’re a Facebook user, you’re definitely familiar with the Notifications tab in the company’s iOS app. Although it has barely evolved from being a simple stream of your notifications since its introduction many years ago, Facebook has today come out to outline some changes on the way to make it more useful and personalized.

Assumably since most of us rarely use or view notifications that are more than a day old, Facebook has decided to use the space in the Notifications tab in other, more useful, ways. With the new version, you’ll find the 5 or so most recent activity notifications at the top, with handfuls of additional — and hopefully useful — information below.

Among the things that Facebook says it is adding to the Notifications tab are friends and family “milestones” (which include birthdays, major life events, and the like), sports scores and television notifications based on the pages you have already liked, as well as events that are around the corner (but, seemingly, only those that you’ve already joined).

Facebook says that if you head into the app settings and allow it to see your location history (which many users already have), you can see things like local events based on your physical location, as well as weather updates, movies that are playing at nearby theaters, and even places to eat. Unsurprisingly, most of these features will connect you with many locations’ Facebook pages.

Facebook says that the update is rolling out “gradually,” so it should appear on your device sometime in the next few days.

• Apps & Updates
• iOS
• iPad
• Apple Watch
• iPhone
• Apple News

Sprint enables iPhone Wi-Fi Calling for all with today’s iOS 9.1 release

Jordan Kahn Oct 21 2015 - 1:37 pm PT

6 Comments

Alongside the release of iOS 9.1 today, Sprint announced that the update officially enables access to the iPhone’s Wi-Fi calling feature for all of its users. That means Sprint users will join T-Mobile and AT&T customers in the US in being able to take advantage of the feature that offers Wi-Fi-assisted voice calling for poor coverage areas and the ability to accept calls on other Apple devices including iPods, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watch.

Following today’s release of iOS 9.1, iPhone customers on Sprint will gain access to Apple’s enhanced Wi-Fi calling feature… “Customers already enjoy seamlessly responding to texts and email from a variety of great Apple devices,” said David Owens, senior vice president, Product Development at Sprint. “Now they can bring that flexibility to the primary phone number their friends, family and colleagues know best. This great feature puts the power of device choice in our customers’ hands.”

Sprint customers will have to update their iPhones to iOS 9.1, released earlier today, make sure Wi-Fi Calling is enabled in the iPhone’s Settings, and sign into the same Apple ID and iCloud account across devices.

Apple’s iOS 9.1 release includes enhancements to its Live Photos feature, over 150 new emoji, refreshed wallpapers, and the usual fixes and improvements for a long list of other features and bugs. We have the full rundown here.

• Apps & Updates
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• iOS
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• iPhone 6s

Apple Store app on iOS updated with iPhone 6s support, iOS 9 bug fixes

Chance Miller Sep 24 2015 - 2:43 pm PT

1 Comment

As the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus gradually become available around the world, Apple this evening has rolled out an update to the Apple Store app on iOS. The update brings the app to version 3.5 and includes a couple of minor changes.

First off, Apple says the update is an “iOS compatibility update,” meaning that it fixes any issues that may have arisen with the launch of iOS 9 to the public last week and the subsequent release of iOS 9.0.1. Furthermore, the update adds support for the iPhone 6s. At this point, it’s unclear what specifically this means. We’ll have to wait until we get our hands on an iPhone 6s tomorrow to be sure, but it could mean support for features like 3D Touch. Or it could something more minor, such as simple compatibility updates.

Nevertheless, the latest version of the Apple Store app for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store now for free.