OS X is great at running lots apps at once, many of which can interact with one another. Of course we have Exposé to handle switching between windows, but what happens if you don't want to switch to another window, but rather maintain the focus of your current window while doing something in another. Michael Johnston has some tips on working with background windows, and he's happy to share.
The Mac Observer Spin:
Verizon’s iPhone activations in Q2 this year grew 44 percent to reach 3.9 million, beating analyst predictions of 3.5 million. The iPhone continued to be responsible for more than half of Verizon’s sales. Overall smartphone penetration increased from 50 percent last year to 64 percent this year …
Verizon reported modest 4.3 percent year-on-year revenue growth, reaching $29.8B in Q2 2013. Adjusted EPS growth (discounting gains from pension growth and similar) was stronger at 14.1 percent to reach $0.73, while postpaid ARPA (average revenue per account) was up 6.4 percent at $152.50.
The...
| Read more »Maintenance release to the free text editor that mirrors many of the fixes in BBEdit 10.5.5. (Free, 9.8 MB)
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| Read more »Maintenance release with over 30 fixes and improvements. ($49.99 new, free update, 12.6 MB)
Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an ad-free version of our Web site, email delivery of individual articles, the ability to make long comments with live links, and discounts on Take Control orders and other Apple-related products.
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AT&T's new smartphone service plan is misguided and dumb, at least for iPhone owners. Still, I'm quite pleased to see AT&T's plan. Let me explain. Anything that decouples the cost of an iPhone from a long-term contract and service plan is good for the industry. Consumers need to know that smartphones don't cost $199. They also need to know that the only business model isn't one that has you pay a low cost up front in favor of big monthly payments tied to a two-year contract.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday published one of the first AuthenTec patent applications assigned to Apple, with the property describing an advanced method of fingerprint identification that can be embedded into a mobile device's display. ...
| Read more »Today, HalfPeeled has released a third party client for Reddit, Ruby for Reddit, that makes the already unique experience of browsing the community-based entertainment website extremely simple. The company, which is headed up by WWDC Student Scholarship recipient Nate Chiger, is also responsible for the neat panoramic photo sharing app, PanoPerfect, as well as a few other interesting apps that are worth checking out. Before we jump into the app’s functionality, let’s take a moment to talk a bit about Reddit. If you’re already familiar with what Reddit is, feel free to skip this paragraph below and jump down to the review.
For those who are unfamiliar,...
| Read more »A report for a stock analysis site who is based in India is challenging the findings of market researcher IDC on Apple's success -- or lack thereof -- in India. The data, reported in the Economic Times, claims the company sold only 120,000 iPhones between January and March 2013 -- however IDC's own estimate of Apple's marketshare in the country suggests that in fact it sold nearly double that number, around 210,000 iPhones (using total handset sales figures from Strategy Analytics). A report from Credit Suisse in May said Apple was selling nearly 400,000 iPhones per month during the same perio... ...
| Read more »Two rumors regarding Apple's supply chain activities surfaced on Wednesday, one claiming the company has recently stepped up IC orders, while another has the company in talks with LG over "Ultra HDTV" screens. ...
| Read more »Agenda from savvy apps is a super calendaring app, and Agenda 4 ($1.99) offers great improvements. In fact, savvy apps considers it a whole new app. There's certainly a lot of good stuff here, such as new views, impressive sharing options, UI changes and a lot more. Here's my look at Agenda 4 for iPhone.
New views
There's so much that's new with this app that I've got to just pick a place to start and jump right in. Agenda 4 offers two new views, for a total of five. My favorite, pictured above, lets you see the date, month and current appointments all at once. To use it, simply grab the bumpy "handle" on the right and slide it up. I think it's very handsome and useful. I don't have to squint to see the day's date on that tiny calendar, and every color-coded event is clearly legible. I've been using...
| Read more »Sometimes-accurate Taiwanese trade journal DigiTimes is reporting that Apple has recently doubled integrated chip component orders compared to the prior quarter, according to sources within its supply chain partners. If true, the move is not unexpected and would indicate that the ramp-up for production of the next iPhone and iPad models will begin shortly, aiming for an already-expected fall release. The site also reports on a rumor that Apple is talking to LG and AU Optronics about high-end 4K "Ultra HD" display panels.... ...
| Read more »It's pretty obvious when you are using your iPhone to take a picture. You have to hold the phone in front of your face to focus it correctly and, unless you have it silenced, the camera app makes that recognizable shutter sound when you snap a picture. If you want to be a bit more covert with your photo-taking, you should check out SneakyPix from Skidmore Apps.
SneakyPix is a camera app that hides the fact that you are taking a picture. It automatically takes photos or videos while you pretend to be talking on the phone. It even displays a fake calling screen so the casual onlooker will think you are on a call.
To use SneakyPix, you have to silence your phone and remember to turn off the flash in the camera app. If you forget this second item, your cover will be blown when your flash starts firing while you are on your fake call. With SneakyPix you have the option to take pictures every few...
| Read more »Naturally, giving something away for free when it normally costs money is bound to increase your popularity. During last week's App Store Fifth Anniversary celebration, Apple discounted five games and five non-game apps to free, when they normally sold for between $1 and $20. MacNN reported yesterday on the results from Infinity Blade 2, one of the chosen games that saw a spike in users. Indie game Badland has now come forward to add its experience, jumping from a typical 280,000 downloads per week to 7.4 million during the promotion.... ...
| Read more »These days, you can walk into any of the big national mobile carriers and walk out with an iPhone. But, as Fortune reports, things are quite different in Russia. The country's three largest wireless companies - MTS, VimpelCom (through its Beeline brand), and MegaFon - now refuse to stock the devices, instead pointing customers to comparable Android or Windows Phone handsets.
So is this some sort of anti-Apple conspiracy? Not quite - It's all about dollars and cents. Under the country's mobile phone licensing guidelines, carriers cannot offer the same type of subsidized pricing that the U.S. and Europe are used to. Combine that with steep import charges and taxes and the iPhone quickly becomes extremely unaffordable.
Even if you don't take carrier subsidization into account, Apple's smartphone costs quite...
| Read more »AllThingsD has obtained a copy of a letter being sent by Apple and a collection of 62 other technology companies, investors, and civil liberties groups to the US government demanding more transparency in US surveillance efforts. According to all things D the letter will:
...call upon President Obama and congressional leaders to allow Internet, telephone, and Web-based service providers to report national security-related requests for information with greater specificity. Specifically, they ask that they are allowed to regularly report:
o. The number of government requests for information about their users
o. The number of individuals, accounts, or devices for which information was requested
o. The number of requests that sought communications content, basic subscriber information, and/or other information.
The...
| Read more »It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring a handy list from Dealnews and our own hand-picked selections that include some sweet deals on iOS and OS X software (all prices are USD and subject to change).
Deals from Dealnews
A growing coalition of technology companies are reportedly petitioning the President and the US government to demand information and increased transparency of intelligence service communications monitoring. The letter declares the intent to regularly reveal information to the public about government surveillance requests, and is demanding the government also report the number of requests about users, the number of accounts or devices for which information was requested, and the volume of requests seeking content or other subscriber information.... ...
| Read more »Apple, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and 59 other tech companies, investors, non-profits and trade organizations have formed an alliance asking the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) for greater transparency in U.S. surveillance operations.
What do people most use the internet for? Corresponding with loved ones? Reading news? Buying useless things on eBay? None of the above. The correct answer, of course, is to look at pictures of adorable animals. The creators of the website Peterest - and its new iOS companion app - have clearly stumbled upon this fact long ago, using the knowledge to create an app with the sole purpose of letting people share photos of their pets.
As the name suggests, Peterest is very much a Pinterest clone with added furry flavor, letting users favorite photos from other users and create a collection of cute pets pics. You can save and store the names of your pets within the app and use that info to tag each photo you submit. All of your submitted pictures are linked to either your Peterest account (which you can sign up...
| Read more »Logic Pro X, the latest version of Apple's professional recording software, has hit stores with a smorgasbord of new features and options. At $200 the software is decidedly less expensive than its competitor Pro Tools, making it a great budget choice for cash strapped music producers.
However new software has a learning curve, especially complicated software like a multitrack recording program with programable instruments, pitch editing, and other tools you wont know how to use your first time at bat. Thankfully macProVideo.com has posted an exclusive set of online courses for Logic Pro X consisting of videos that allow you to see every step of the process.
Courses are available in Logic Remote, ...
| Read more »Photographs of what a Chinese news site claims are iPhone 5S parts appeared on Weibo—a microblogging service like Twitter that is popular in China—and were subsequently published by a Chinese news site. The images show a device similar to the iPhone 5, but the report said it will have more RAM, a faster processor, NFC, fingerprint sensors, and more.
The NSA’s $2b data centre in Bluffdale, Utah (source: businessweek.com)
After having their reputation damaged by the National Security Agency controversy earlier this year, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and many more are joining forces to demand more transparency regarding NSA requests and surveillance (via AllThingsD).
The 63 companies, investors, and non-profit organizations are pleading with the U.S. government to allow Internet, phone, and other service providers to share the requests that they receive for user data, including:
Apple's fiscal third-quarter results will be revealed on July 23, but analysis consensus estimates are already in from Wall Street and independent analysts, and as usual predictions vary widely. However, the averages reveal that across the spectrum analysts predict modest growth for Apple's two most popular products, with an opportunity for the company to beat consensus estimates. A group of 48 analysts both traditional and independent surveyed by Fortune believe Apple will sell 27 million iPhones and 18 million iPads.... ...
| Read more »Logitech has announced another in a series of Apple-compatible accessories, this time a pair of Bluetooth speakers that will compliment any MacBook or iPad. The Logitech Bluetooth Speakers Z600 (US$149.99) are currently available for pre-order on the Logitech website, and will be widely available in the US and Europe in August.
The speakers resemble stretched power plant cooling towers, which sounds weird but actually looks good. On the back of one of the "towers" you can find controls, and both speakers are connected to the power adapter and each other by specially designed lie-flat cables. The circular top of one speaker acts as a touch-sensitive volume control, and up to three devices can be paired to the speakers at any time.
If you happen to be one of those folks who has an old Mac that you purchased in the pre-Bluetooth years, don't worry. The Bluetooth...
| Read more »Sometimes CSS can be frustrating. Learn about some tricky properties, the common issues they can cause and how to solve them.
As a side note: Everyone should have one of those coffee mugs.
| Read more »Kirk McElhearn makes an interesting case for Apple leading the way to DRM-free books. I especially like the part about Steve Jobs’ open letter to music companies back in the day.
| Read more »Following hot on the heels of today's update to Google Maps, Google has updated Chrome for iOS. The updated app features a number of enhancements including the option to open links to YouTube, Maps, G+ and Drive in those apps instead of in the Chrome browser; fullscreen support for the iPad; and enhancements to voice search. Here are the full release notes:
o. Interoperability with other Google Apps
◦ Option to open links for YouTube, Maps, G+ and Drive in the app instead of the browser.
o. Enhancements to voice search
◦ Text-to-speech for all variations of English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, and Korean.
◦ Toolbar controls are always available when using voice search
o. Fullscreen on iPad
o. Data cost savings
◦ Reduce data usage and speed up...
A group of tech titans, including Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook, threw their substantial weight behind a civil rights alliance that will reportedly demand greater transparency regarding the U.S. government's surveillance programs. ...
| Read more »A PC built with the specific purpose of running Pro Tools. I can’t help thinking the new Mac Pro will eat this thing for lunch.
| Read more »What happens when you want to get crosstown in Manhattan but only have a child’s toy? Will you go faster than the bus?
| Read more »Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft are part of a broad alliance of technology companies and civil liberties groups that will tomorrow demand dramatically increased transparency around U.S. government surveillance efforts.
In a letter to be published Thursday, the alliance — whose members include 63 companies, investors, non-profits and trade organizations — will call upon President Obama and congressional leaders to allow Internet, telephone, and Web-based service providers to report national security-related requests for information with greater specificity. Specifically, they ask that they are allowed to regularly report:
• The number of government requests for information about their users
• The number of individuals, accounts, or devices for which information was requested
• The number of requests that sought communications content, basic subscriber information, and/or other information.
The coalition also asks that the government begin issuing...
| Read more »In this Apple Context Machine podcast, Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet note that Apple has been showing some Mac love to the pro market this year with the new Mac Pro computer and on the release of Logic Pro X. They talk about Apple's commitment to the pro market, even while some pro users get left out. They also talk about Google Maps 2.0 and what it means to Apple's commitment to its own Maps service.
The last thing students want to think about in July is their rapidly dwindling freedom from the shackles of those hallowed halls, but it’s time to start thinking ahead to the fall semester.
Apple on Tuesday launched the latest incarnation of its annual back to school promotion. When customers purchase a Mac for college, they’ll receive a $100 App Store Gift Card, alongside the usual educational pricing discounts—up to $200—that the company offers.
As with last year, customers can also pick up a $50 gift card when they buy an iPad, and, for the first time, the iPhone is included in the promotion as well. Like its tablet sibling, the smartphone will come with a $50 gift card to spend in the App Store. The downside to purchasing an iOS device, however, is that...
| Read more »The Vatican is modernizing an old tradition on Twitter. Followers of the Papal Twitter account are being offered "indulgences," thereby reducing the amount of time Catholics believe they will have to spend in Purgatory after absolution of sin. Attendance to the upcoming Rio World Youth Day is normally required for such special dispensation, but those following the "rites and pious exercises" of the event through television, radio and social media will be granted the indulgence.... ...
| Read more »From 9to5Toys.com:
A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+
Today’s Featured deals...
| Read more »Oh no! Another Weather app. Actually, I'm thrilled at all the competition. WeatherPro has a great deal of information, far more than I see in most other weather apps. It is also very graphical in its approach, and a quick glance will show you a lot about the area your are interested in. WeahterPro for iPhone is on sale for US$1.99 (regular $3.99), and the iPad version is $2.99 (normally $4.99).
Of course WeatherPro has a 7-day forecast, with dynamic short term forecasts, 2 million reporting locations from almost anywhere in the world, alerts and warning for extreme weather, sunrise and sunset time (a detail many apps leave out), animated radar and satellite maps that are zoomable, iCloud sync if you are running the app on multiple iOS devices, no limit to the number of locations you can display, and the ability to use GPS to figure out your current location so you don't have to look it up.
...
| Read more »Google has released Maps 2.0 for iOS with special emphasis on a new design for iPad. It's faster, has more personalized options, and makes better use of the display.
This week on TUAW TV Live, I will be joined by the other doctor from the cast of regulars Dr. Allgood. We will be talking about Logic Pro X, Final Cut X and Aperture also know as Apple Pro Apps.
To join in to watch the live feed and participate in the chat, just click here. You'll join us on the AOL On Network. If you can't watch the entire show today, come back to this page within 24 hours to see the video or visit http://tuaw.com/tuawtvlive to see the latest show. Past shows are also available on the TUAW YouTube channel.
...
| Read more »Farhad Manjoo for Slate:
It’s hard to call Android anything other than a resounding success.
Well, except for one small thing: Most Android phones are crap. As part of a New Year’s resolution, I promised to trade in my beloved iPhone 5 for an Android phone sometime in 2013. I reasoned that, as a tech writer, I should spend more time with the world’s most popular operating system. Phone makers and carriers have regularly sent me Android phones to test out in the past, but I’d never given most of them more than a passing look—I’d open them up, turn them on, get aggravated by their bad keyboards or poor touchscreens or frustrating add-on software, and I immediately package them up and send them back.
Pretty damning article for Android.
...
| Read more »Apple is now seeding a fifth beta of OS X 10.8.5 to developers. The latest build, 12F23, is just a few version numbers advanced since the previous one, 12F20. That could mean that v10.8.5 will reach the public by the end of the month.... ...
| Read more »We in the tech press tend to think of the summer as a slower time for technology news. This week seems to be the exception, thanks to three interesting Apple stories that crossed our desk. I'm joined by senior writer Lex Friedman to discuss these happenings in the world of Apple.
Download Episode #364
Show Notes
Apple released Logic Pro X, priced at $200 for new customers, while existing owners of the app get it for the discounted price of … $200. Contributor Marco Tabini wondered whether Apple is killing paid upgrades.
We also discuss the ongoing rumors suggesting that...
| Read more »The end of Breaking Bad is coming in just under a month, with the final episode airing this season. To help fans celebrate the series, Sony has released what it calls “the ultimate interactive fan experience,” with a new digital book available exclusively on the iBookstore.
| Read more »OS X has a built-in screen capture function, but it is pretty limited. For example, Command-Shift-4 lets you define a rectangle to capture. Command-Shift-4 followed by the spacebar will capture a window. You can also capture your entire desktop with Command-Shift-3, and other commands will save the result to your clipboard.
Sometimes, those basic features are not enough. Apple bundles a utility called Grab with OS X that adds more features, but it still falls short for many users. Enter Screenshot FX, a very handy US$1.99 utility (on sale now) that lets you capture irregular objects by clicking on points and then dragging those points to create a curve.
...
| Read more »Google has pushed out an important update for the iOS version of Chrome. Users can now choose to open Google-related links in appropriate apps, including Drive, Maps, YouTube, and Google+. Previously, tapping links would take people to the content's web counterparts.... ...
| Read more »The screen sizes are different, and sometimes the stuff on the screen is different, too. But beyond that, watching video on the Web is the same as watching it on TV: You pick a thing to watch, click a button and then watch the thing.
But what would happen if you kept playing with the video while you were watching it? That is, leaning in instead of leaning back?
We saw one version of this idea last month, when TouchCast launched its interactive iPad app. You can see another one right now over at ESPN.com, where the sports site is featuring an interactive interview with Jon Hamm.
The idea, for anyone who doesn’t want to click over or is using a mobile device: ESPN host Stuart Scott chats up the “Mad Men” star, who is hosting the...
| Read more »An update’s an update.
Microsoft on Wednesday released version 14.3.6 of its Microsoft Office 2011 suite for the Mac. The update, a 113 megabyte download, features the following changes:
- This update fixes an issue in which Outlook repeatedly tried to send messages that exceeded certain server-side size limits from the Outbox. Now, messages that exceed these size limits are put in the local Drafts folder after three unsuccessful attempts to send the messages.
- This update fixes an issue in which syncing a folder from which many messages were deleted on another client frequently caused Microsoft...
| Read more »All three major Russian phone carriers have stopped selling the iPhone at their stores, leaving people to buy from Apple directly, Svyaznoy outlets, or else the black/gray market, says Fortune. The last holdout was VimpleCom, whose Beeline brand severed its ties with Apple last week, replacing the iPhone 5 in its lineup with the Samsung Galaxy S4. Beeline blames the switch on "draconian [Apple] contracts" and "harsh conditions...especially in the marketing department." Previously, MTS CEO Andrei Dubovskov stated that "Apple wants operators to pay them huge money subsidizing iPhones and thei... ...
| Read more »Exactly one week after the last build, Apple has released Build 12F23 of OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5 to developers. The new build is only three builds newer than the last, and this could mean that Apple is winding down on the development cycle for 10.8.5. This could mean a public release in the next couple of weeks (based on past development history). Apple continues to say that 10.8.5 includes no known issues, and asks developers to focus on WiFi, Graphics, Wake from Sleep, PDF viewing and Accessibility, and Mobile Device Management during testing. Thanks, D!
...
| Read more »As long as you’re in the App Store updating to the latest version of Google Maps, you might as well stick around for the new iteration of Chrome for iOS while you’re at it. The search giant’s mobile browser has even more features to recommend it now.
While there are some small but significant improvements, in the form of an accessible history (better late than never), better voice search and text-to-speech capabilities, and a fullscreen mode on the iPad, a couple of the enhancements are of particular interest.
A new option now lets you choose to have links to specific Google services—currently Google Maps, YouTube, Google+ and Google Drive—open in those apps, if they’re installed, rather than in the browser. You can even choose to enable that support on an app-by-app...
| Read more »Since I'm on the high seas right now cruising about the polar regions on a cruise ship, I wanted to make sure that I had access to the Internet from just about anywhere. The cruise ship I'm on uses the standard satellite-based connectivity from MTN, but I felt like it would be nice to have a faster connection while we were in ports. So to test out the state of 3G/4G mobile hotspot service in Europe, I decided to put Xcom Global's service to the test on my own dime. Xcom Global is a US-based company that rents out mobile hotspots with unlimited data service for the foreign location that you're visiting.
I signed up for the service about a week prior to my trip. It's a very easy process; you just tell Xcom Global where you'll be and how many days you'll be traveling, and then they throw an estimated price at you. If you decide to go with the pricing, you consummate the transaction and the company ships you a MiFi (or two...) with the...
| Read more »Is it worth paying a monthly fee to upgrade your smartphone or tablet more often? Maybe. Josh Centers analyzes what the new T-Mobile and AT&T plans mean for Apple users.
Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an ad-free version of our Web site, email delivery of individual articles, the ability to make long comments with live links, and discounts on Take Control orders and other Apple-related products.
| Read more »New Trent has released Airbender Mini ($40), a new protective keyboard case for iPad mini. Attractively priced relative to rivals, Airbender Mini features a rugged hardshell body and a Bluetooth 2.0 wireless keyboard. An adjustable arm lets users move the iPad mini into a horizontal or vertical viewing position.…
| Read more »Users aren't the only ones to benefit from the latest release of Google Maps for iOS. Today Google released the 1.4 version of its Google Maps SDK for iOS.
The update allows developers to take advantage of several new features of Google Maps, including adding indoor floor plan maps or integrating Street View into their apps, and taking advantage of the new look of Google Maps.
Developers are urged to read the latest release notes of the Google Maps SDK to find out about all the goodies, but those who would like a quick overview can check out the...
| Read more »The Hone device, small and key-sized, placed on your keyring, in conjunction with the iOS app and an iPhone or iPad will allow even the most absent-minded to track down their keys within a 160 foot range. It's simple to use and reliable.
Google on Wednesday updated its Chrome browser for iPhone and iPad, giving users the ability to open links by default in the company's other native apps, such as Gmail, Google Maps, and YouTube. ...
| Read more »Scott is such a great singer and songwriter.
| Read more »In the past, Apple was able to sneak Liquidmetal into production by building the SIM ejector tool using the material. Now, it looks like Apple and Liquidmetal Technologies’ joint venture company, Crucible Intellectual Property, is preparing for mass volume production through manufacturing techniques found in a new patent called “Bulk amorphous alloy sheet forming processes”.
Since the metal is expensive, liquidmetal won’t be replacing the aluminum shells of iOS or OS X devices anytime soon. However, it could easily replace glass in some areas, since it is strong and radio transparent.
No matter the case, it’s intriguing to see the progress with this new technology and this patent seems to indicate its high-volume debut may be nearing....
| Read more »After several months as an alpha release, BitTorrent brings new features to its decentralized file synchronization service.
| Read more »Speaker maker Soundfreaq has announced the Sound Spot, an upcoming portable Bluetooth model. The unit's lithium-ion battery can run for up to seven hours without a recharge. One notable difference is that the speaker includes a USB port, which can be used to charge any USB-equipped device, even when the speaker is running on internal power.... ...
| Read more »Google has just issued a big update to its Chrome app for iPhone and iPad that brings new “interoperability with other Google Apps” and a number of other notable features. That means that you’ll now be able to open all links for YouTube, Maps, Google+ and Drive in their native apps instead of in the browser. You’ll also now be able to access the apps with a single tap from within Chrome.
The update also brings enhancements to the newly introduced voice search capabilities, including: always visible controls from the toolbar and text-to-speech support for “all variations of English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, and Korean.”
Other improvements in today’s update include fullscreen support on iPad, easier access to browser history, and, according to Google, data cost...
| Read more »Noom Weight for iPhone is a simple, free app that lets you log calorie intake, weight and exercise. It's based on the Noom Weight Coach app for Android, but doesn't have all the bells and whistles that the Android app has.
The idea behind the Noom Weight app is that by logging your daily food and exercise, you become more aware of your eating habits, which in turn should motivate you to eat more healthily and exercise more regularly.
When you first open Noom Weight, you fill out a profile of yourself based on your gender, your current and target weight, your height, and how quickly you would like to reach your target weight. The app then determines approximately what your daily calorie intake should be. From there, each day you log your exercise and food intake, starting with breakfast and working your way through to dinner, aiming for your target calorie...
| Read more »Yesterday, we noted that the high-profile mobile game Infinity Blade 2 added 5.7 million players in a week, thanks to an Apple App Store promotion that offered paid games for free. Today, indie studio Frogmind, whose first game, Badland, was also free during the promotion, told AllThingsD that it saw an even bigger lift: Downloads of the game, normally $3.99, jumped from 280,000 to 7,400,000 in a week. Co-founder Johannes Vuorinen said the “eerie sidescroller” was the No. 1 free iPhone game during the promotion.
| Read more »Interesting chart from Philip Elmer-Dewitt. So Apple’s hobby device is doing better than most people thought. Roku is doing very well too, but they make some great products.
| Read more »While Apple has yet to employ the unique amorphous alloy known as Liquidmetal in any of its products in a meaningful way, a newly granted patent details a way to mass produce the material in thin sheets. ...
| Read more »Snow Leopard has expanded their collection of heavy-duty cases, offering waterproof protection as well as battery charge supplementing to a users' iPhone 5 and iPad. The SLXtreme case for iPhone, the SLXtreme 5, has an integrated 2250mAh battery, powered by a solar panel, doubling the battery capacity of the phone. The case is designed to be waterproof down to six feet while maintaining full functionality. SLXtreme for iPad protects the iPad 2 or later, and offers waterproof protection for underwater and splash-prone environments. Optionally available is a built-in 1150mAh battery, complete wi... ...
| Read more »Logitech, which makes a number of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market for your iOS devices and other high quality audio products, today announced a new set of Bluetooth speakers made specifically to match the sleek exterior of your aluminum...
| Read more »One day after its release and MacProVideo has posted more than 7 hours of videos on Logic Pro X.
| Read more »Bare Bone Software has released updates for two of its desktop apps, TextWrangler 4.5.3 and BBEdit 10.5.5. Both updates are focused maintenance releases that include fixes for numerous reported issues. Now, when starting either application from somewhere other than the default Applications folder, users will be asked if they want to relocate the software to /Applications. Additionally, when starting either app. holding down Command, Control, and Shift will give users the option to discard and existing auto-save state. Some cosmetic changes have also been made to the Line Numbers bar and Cursor... ...
| Read more »It's my pleasure to welcome Digiarty as this week's sponsor at TMO. The focus for this sponsorship is Digiarty's MacX Video Converter Pro v4.0.0, and you can get it for free this week. Yep, this giveaway is for everyone!
A patent granted to Crucible Intellectual Property, the technology partnership formed by Apple and Liquidmetal Technologies, could enable mass production of amorphous metal alloys — otherwise known as metallic glass — in the fabrication of devices. The patent involves the creation of molten metal sheets that could be formed…
| Read more »Little League Baseball and Softball has announced that it will use 35 iPads to be the official scorekeepers of the 2013 Little League Baseball and Softball World Series. The iPads will be running an app called GameChanger, which allows scorekeepers to track scores and stats for baseball, softball, and basketball.
Announcing the iPad's use and the latest World Series, Little League Baseball and Softball said:
"With 2.4 million Little Leaguers(R) around the world, modern technology is a great asset in communicating with all our players, coaches, families, volunteers and fans," said Stephen D. Keener, Little League Baseball and Softball President and CEO. "Utilizing GameChanger for scorekeeping and live game updates, will bring the Little League experience to life to an online and mobile audience like never before."
... | Read more »Evidence continues to mount that the market for high-end smartphones in the U.S. may have reached a saturation point, meaning that a mid-range iPhone offering from Apple could be the best way for the Cupertino company to ensure future growth. ...
| Read more »Have you ever had the unquenchable urge to return to the days of olde? To program in the BASIC language, the language of the Apple II, on your iOS device? We just discovered BASIC! for iOS from MiSoft, and now it's up to version 3.5.1. We hadn't seen this app before, and it's a nice find. There's even a BASIC support forum where you can download code and explore Mandelbrot sets, games, mortgage calculators and more. It's also been featured as an Apple staff favorite.
A Rolling Stone magazine cover featuring Boston bomb suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has caused outrage online.
Thousands of people posted on social media networks calling it “tasteless” and “disgusting”.
| Read more »You may not love it, but your workplace does and Microsoft finally released a native version for iOS.
Per The Unofficial Apple Weblog, Microsoft has released two different native versions of its Outlook Web Application for iOS, one for iPhone and one for iPad. OWA for iOS connects to the email, calendar, and contacts of Office 365 of business subscribers giving them complete access to their Outlook on the go. Beyond those basic tools the app features push notifications and a powerful voice search that can access your contacts or bring up your calendar.
iOS for iPhone and...
| Read more »Apple may be delaying the launch of the iPhone 5S until the end of the year, owing to a late decision to switch to a 4.3-inch display, Taiwan's Commercial Times claims. The paper's sources in the semiconductor industry say the phone was previously scheduled to ship in September or October. The paper adds that TSMC may only deliver chips for the 5S in August, but that another device -- the low-cost iPhone -- is still on track to ship towards the end of the September quarter, its own chips having arrived in June.... ...
| Read more »With Apple’s Q3 2013 financial call set to take place later this month on July 23rd and Wall Street expecting near zero revenue growth, today we get a look at what analysts are expecting for iPad sales. With no major product announcements since the introduction of iPad mini and iPad 4 last fall (and only a minor upgrade with the 128GB iPad 4 in January), it’s not all that surprising the consensus from 48 analysts polled by Fortune is that Apple will experience a big drop in growth year-over-year for iPad during the June quarter.
The average estimate of 18.1 million iPad units during...
| Read more »Good article by Ash Furrow, the developer of the 500px app, on the importance of bringing your app to iOS 7 quickly.
| Read more »Uber-popular cross-platform messaging app WhatsApp received a significant update for iPhone today. The most immediately noticeable new feature is that now users can send multiple photos at the same time. WhatsApp now also offers the ability to back up all your chats via iCloud. In addition the company has added support for URL hooks so developers of third-party apps can easily integrate their apps with WhatsApp.
But there's also a much more significant change for WhatsApp today. Previously the iPhone app cost $0.99, but now it is a free download with free use for the first year and a $0.99 subscription fee for each additional year. Current users who originally paid for the app will be able to use the app for free for the rest of their lives. Here's what WhatsApp...
| Read more »If you’re headed to Russia and need to pick up an iPhone, your options may have become a bit more limited, comrade.
According to Fortune, three major Russian wireless providers have stopped carrying Apple’s iPhone, with the largest telecom, MTS, dropping the handset due to the high subsidy costs associated with being an Apple partner carrier.
As reported last week, Russia’s largest provider by subscribership, MTS, announced that it would be dropping the iPhone from its lineup, saying subsidies and marketing costs were to blame.
“Apple wants operators to pay them huge money, subsidizing iPhones and their promotion in Russia...
| Read more »The executive arm of the European Union has indicated that Google will need to do more in order to satisfy an ongoing antitrust case against the search giant. ...
| Read more »We have just released a very important security update for our iPhone and iPad apps addressing an issue that allowed passwords to be compromised in certain circumstances¹. Please download the update now.
If you’ve been using these apps, you should also update your password on Tumblr and anywhere else you may have been using the same password.
That doesn’t sound good.
| Read more »The new version tends to offer something cool.
Per 9to5Mac, Google began rolling out version 2.0 of Google Maps for iOS on Wednesday. Most notably, the new application includes support for the large touch screens found on the iPad and iPad mini.
Additionally, like with the recent update to the Android version, enhanced navigation with incident reports and live traffic updates are included.
Also new is an “Explore” function to browse popular places such as restaurants, shopping, playing, and sleeping. This feature is integrated with Zagat ratings and deals via Google Offers.
The 2.0 update also includes indoor mapping functionality for malls, transit stations, and airports, according to Google. The new update has begun rolling out to some countries in Asia, but is not yet available in the United States....
| Read more »A report out of China is claiming to have access to both specifications and production photos of the iPhone 5S, typically expected to ship this September. The former allegedly include an NFC reader, a fingerprint sensor, a 4-inch 1136x640 IGZO display, and a 12-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash. Inside the the phone is predicted to have 2GB of RAM, and a slightly improved processor -- while the main CPU is expected to remain dual-core, graphics are forecast to switch from a tri-core PowerVR SGX543MP3 architecture to the quad-core SGX554MP4.... ...
| Read more »While there have been plenty of third party options available for connecting iOS users to their Outlook accounts there has never been an official app from Microsoft. It's an oversight that has finally been corrected with the Outlook Web App (OWA) for iOS.
The app is being released in two different native versions, one for iPhone and one for iPad. OWA for iOS connects to the email, calendar, and contacts of Office 365 of business subscribers giving them complete access to their Outlook on the go. Beyond those basic tools the app features push notifications and a powerful voice search that can access your contacts or bring up your calendar.
Head of to iTunes for the iPhone and iPad versions.
Microsoft Outlook app hits iOS originally appeared on...
| Read more »Cypress Semiconductor has announced a new development kit that allows companies to quickly create audio accessories for iOS Lightning devices. The CY8CKIT-033A PSoC® 3 MFi Digital Audio Development Kit for Lightning is being offered to developers for $199, and as the name suggests, it streamlines the process of designing…
| Read more »The arrival of Google Maps for iPhone late last year was heralded with much fanfare, due in large part to Apple’s own underwhelming Maps. But one shortcoming in Google’s offering was the lack of any support for the iPad. Earlier this year, at its annual I/O developer conference, Google demoed an update that included support for Apple’s tablet, which it said would arrive later this summer—and, judging by the sweltering heat I’m sitting in, the company hit its mark.
The update, which drops for both iPhones and iPads on Wednesday, brings most of the same improvements that rolled out to Android...
| Read more »Apple likes simplicity and uniformity, but it is not so good and board or executive level. The business case for Apple getting women on their board is a strong one. Charlotte Henry explains why.
Google has released version 2.0 of its popular free Google Maps app for iOS today. The update most notably includes an all-new interface for iPad users, which has been absent from the app since its release late last year. Navigation has been enhanced to include live traffic updates and…
| Read more »While companies like Roku and TiVo are fighting to control the streaming content market, Apple's little hobby -- the Apple TV -- is currently the clear winner. Roku has 21.5 percent of IP streaming device market, TiVo has 6.5 percent, and Apple TV holds 56.1 percent of the market.
Everybody loves a fun auto-correct snapshot, and while some of the more popular examples floating around the web do seem a little bit too hilarious to actually be real, you'd be surprised as to what iOS will come up with when it thinks your spelling is in need of a little guidance.
As a personal example, a friend recently wanted to invite me to a local spot called "Melrose Diner." Instead, I received a invite via text to a place comically called the "Metrosexual Diner." A few seconds later, I received an invite to a place called the "Meal Rose Diner."
Funny stuff. Auto-correct had struck again.
So while auto-correct in iOS will do its darndest to either correct a misspelling or, at the very least, give you something to laugh about, there are a slew of words that iOS will simply not auto-correct, no matter how close the typed word is to the real thing.
What's more, there are a number of misspelled words that Apple will not even proffer complete...
| Read more »You may have heard that the Tumblr app inadvertently transmitted passwords in the clear on Wi-Fi networks, but what else might be at risk? Over at PCWorld, Eric Geier performed an experiment to see what he could intercept over an unsecured Wi-Fi network at a coffee shop. Using a Windows laptop with a wireless network analyzer and a rooted Android phone, he was able to see the Web pages other connected users were viewing, as well as email and unsecure logins. Geier offers a number of tips to improve Wi-Fi security while in public, including always using SSL connections to Web sites, when available.
Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an ad-free version of our Web site, email delivery of individual...
| Read more »Bloomberg has picked up on a wildly unlikely Commercial Times (Taiwanese newspaper) report that claims production of the iPhone 5S has been delayed due to a late decision by Apple to switch from a 4-inch to 4.3-inch screen. This is the same paper that told us back in January that an even larger 4.8-inch iPhone would be arriving last month.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) may delay the introduction of the iPhone 5S until the end of the year after the design was changed to feature a bigger 4.3-inch retina display screen, the Commercial Times reported.
The company previously scheduled the release for September or October, the Taiwanese newspaper reported … ...
| Read more »Tumblr has released an emergency update for its iOS app to fix a bug that allowed people to sniff out passwords. Tumblr was notified of the security vulnerability today. The company says that if you have been using its iOS apps you should also update your Tumblr password and your password on any sites that you use the same password for. From the company's blog:
Important security update for iPhone/iPad users
We have just released a very important security update for our iPhone and iPad apps addressing an issue that allowed passwords to be compromised in certain circumstances¹. Please download the update now.
If you've been using these apps, you should also update your password on Tumblr and anywhere else you may have been using the same password. It's also good practice to use different passwords across different services by using an app like 1Password...
| Read more »
