Month: April 2013

Apple bans smileys and other special characters from app descriptions

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 23, 2013

From time to time, Apple updates its iTunes marketing requirements. The goal is to provide the most accurate and reliable descriptions for the mobile applications, movies, television shows, songs and other media content types customers download from iTunes.

In the most recent example, the iPhone maker has reportedly taken issue with app blurbs. Long story short, Apple is no longer willing to turn a blind eye on luring would-be buyers with "enhanced" app descriptions that contain exclamation marks, stars, smileys and other special characters.

The change was communicated via the iTunes Connect web portal, a venue registered iOS developers use exclusively to upload their submissions and iTunes marketing materials...

TinyUmbrella updated with support for iOS 6.1.3

Cody Lee ∙ April 23, 2013

Good news jailbreakers. Notcom has finally updated his popular SHSH blob-saver to support iOS 6.1.3. Apple seeded the update to users more than a month ago with a fix for the latest Lock screen security bug and Maps improvements.

Unfortunately, 6.1.3 also killed several of the exploits that the evad3rs were using in evasi0n, effectively killing the iOS 6 jailbreak. But for those of you who upgraded to it, whether by accident or choice, here's TinyUmbrella version 6.13.00...

Google releases Fiber TV iPad app

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 23, 2013

Google's Fiber, a broadband network infrastructure using fiber-optic communication, has gone live in Kansas City which became the first U.S. community where the Internet giant deployed this promising technology.

Just a quick recap: the most obvious benefit of Google Fiber is the hundred times faster data rates, in both downlink and uplink, compared to the traditional broadband services.

Following last month's release of the Fiber TV app for Android devices, the search monster today issued a build for Apple's iPad tablet. Should you happen to live in select areas of Kansas City, go download the Fiber TV iPad app and start browsing, buying and watching television shows and movies that are airing live, right on your iPad...

Atom now available for download on Cydia

Jeff Benjamin ∙ April 23, 2013

Atom — the gorgeously animated Lock screen launcher for iOS has finally landed on Cydia's BigBoss repo. We brought you an initial in-depth preview of Atom last week, but the tweak has since been updated and features a few new visual cues for the final build.

This time around you'll find new animations. In the initial version of Atom that I previewed, there were no animations present when you placed the Lock screen numb over an app you wished to launch. Now, along with the animations that happen when you first touch the nub, you get a better sense of when you slide your finger over one of the apps located on the Lock screen.

Check out our brand new video of the final version of Atom...

We’re giving away 200 App.net invites

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 24, 2017

App.net recently started offering free, invite-only accounts to those who were not completely sold on the idea and wanted to try the service before financially committing. In order to get one of those freemium accounts, you must be invited by a paid user. Once you are, you get access to all the goodies ADN has to offer, but in a limited version (ie. you only have 5o0 MB of file storage vs 10 GB for paid users).

The fine folks at App.net recently reached out to us to see if we'd be interested in giving away 200 invites to their freemium service. We thought it'd be a good idea to introduce some iDB readers to ADN, so here we are, offering 200 invitations to those of you who haven't had a chance to try this service yet...

TweetBot 2.8 released with Media Timeline and overhauled image viewer

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

TapBot's TweetBot isn't the most affordable Twitter client on iOS, but the download is definitely worth every cent, at least as far as I'm concerned.

And with Twitter killing off its TweetDeck software on iOS, Android and AIR platforms beginning May 7, the selection of free Twitter clients on the App Store is about to become a little less comprehensive.

If you were looking for an excuse to treat yourself to a copy of TweetBot - which costs three bucks for the iPhone/iPod touch and an additional $3 for the iPad edition - you'll be wise to consider taking the plunge following today's update, TweetBot 2.8. Check out the new features right after the break...

Apple now offering refurbished 7th-gen iPod nano online

Cody Lee ∙ April 23, 2013

Apple has been very active lately in the refurbished department of its web store. Last week it posted fifth generation iPod touch models to the page for the first time. And just weeks before that, it began offering fourth-generation iPads and iPad minis.

Today, the company has added refurbished 7th generation iPod nano models to its website, bringing its reconditioned offerings for iOS devices it introduced last fall full circle. You can now find nearly every late-model iPhone, iPad or iPod at a discount...

T-Mobile planning to leapfrog LTE competition with 3x faster LTE Advanced

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 23, 2013

T-Mobile is the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the United States and also the furthest behind of the four major telcos in terms of deployment of the fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) cellular technology.

You'll recall T-Mobile has only begun testing its LTE last month, ahead of its April 12 iPhone distribution deal with Apple.

Right now, T-Mobile has LTE towers in just seven cities and their coverage plans call for 100 million LTE users by the end of the summer and 200 million by the end of the year.

Despite the slow pace of LTE deployment, the carrier thinks it can do better and take its rivals by surprise by deploying LTE Advanced fast, tapping its existing hardware already in place...

Surprise, Apple continues to lead the pack in US online movie rentals and purchases

Cody Lee ∙ April 23, 2013

Most folks are in agreement that Apple revolutionized the digital music industry, and the music industry as a whole, when it launched its iTunes store in April of 2003. At the time, there was no other service offering easy access to digital tracks for $0.99.

And I would argue that it did the same thing for digital movies and TV shows when it added them to iTunes in 2005 and 2006. No one came close to what Apple was doing in the space back then. And judging by the latest numbers, that still holds true today...

Logitech unveils Surface-like $149 FabricSkin Keyboard Folio

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 6, 2013

A month ago, accessory maker Logitech launched colorful new Keyboard Folios for iPads. Prior to that, the company announced the Ultrathin Keyboard for the iPad mini (our own Jeff Benjamin liked it) and a solar-powered Bluetooth keyboard which doubles as an iPad protective sleeve.

Tapping all that expertise and knowledge and taking a page from Microsoft's book, logitech today announced new iPad keyboard covers which behave a lot like Microsoft's Touch Cover and Type Cover for the Surface tablet.

These new covers are available with or without built-in keyboard, come in a range of colors and are billed as the first Bluetooth keyboard solution with keys seamlessly fused into its interior fabric.

I've included more information and two nice promo clips so jump past the fold to learn more about these Surface-like iPad cases...

Discovery Channel and TLC apps gain new ‘Plus’ second-screen experience

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

This is pretty cool. Discovery Channel Communications has released updates today for both the Discovery Channel and TLC iOS apps with a new interactive second-screen experience called 'Plus,' that promises to make TV watching more enjoyable.

For those unfamiliar with second-screen apps, they essentially allow users to sync their smartphones or tablets with TV shows/movies to serve up additional—meaning more than what's being offered through the show itself—content to them in real-time...