Year: 2014

iPhone 6 cases: a look at OtterBox’s lineup

Jim Gresham ∙ September 27, 2014

For more than a decade, Apple users have entrusted their precious devices to OtterBox. The company has established itself within the smartphone community as the go-to source for ultimate protection. One of the first to market with extremely high protective capability, it seems other case makers are still trying to play catchup.

iPhone 6 launched last week and so did OtterBox' protective series. Making sure iPhone owners do not leave their new devices open for damage, OtterBox debuted four complete protective case solutions and two screen protectors. Inside, we take a deeper look at the line up.

A first look at TouchPal keyboard for iOS 8

Lory Gil ∙ September 27, 2014

I’ve gone through a handful of the most popular third-party keyboards for iOS 8 and each one has a little special something that makes it stand out from the rest. We’re not talking about simple color changes (although I do like those), but real functions that push them beyond the norm.

TouchPal Keyboard is another such app that promises unique functionality and delivers the goods. Whether you prefer tapping or swiping, this is a well-rounded keyboard with plenty of useful features.

Apps of the week: GIF Keyboard, Fist of Fury, Fotograf, and more

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

This week could not have been worse for Apple. The company felt the heat from users with bent iPhones, bugged iOS updates, and security exploits that can directly affect OS X. I’d be three bottles deep in whiskey by now. Not really. I’m so small that three bottles of whiskey would kill me.

Thank goodness for new apps and games to distract us from a crappy week. You can dive into a story-heavy game, reorganize your life with a productivity app, or simply check out a new way to share photos. If you are looking for some kind of distraction, or maybe you just want to have a reason to play with your new iPhone, we’ve got a list of apps and games you might enjoy.

New iPhones use two accelerometers for better power management

Cody Lee ∙ September 27, 2014

Apple is using two accelerometers in both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Chipworks has discovered in its extensive teardowns of the two handsets. The first is the three-axis BMA280 accelerometer, made by Bosch, and the second is believed to be InvenSense's six-axis MPU-6700.

Why two? Interestingly enough, Chipworks believes that Apple decided to go with two accelerometers to improve power management and overall user experience. The InvenSense is more sensitive, and can do more things, than the Bosch, but it also draws a lot more power.

Consumer Reports: new iPhones ‘not as bendy as believed’

Cody Lee ∙ September 27, 2014

Consumer Reports says the new iPhones "aren't as bendy as believed," after testing both handsets, alongside other top smartphones. Using a three-point flexural test, the outlet found that the iPhone 6 can withstand 70 pounds of pressure before deforming, and the 6 Plus can take up to 90.

That was good enough to beat HTC's One (M8)—which makes this bendgate tweet a bit ironic—but both iPhones still finished well behind the LG G3 and Samsung's Note 3. The bottom line, though, is Consumer Reports says it expects "that any of these phones should stand up to typical use."

MLB live streaming every World Series game, select postseason games via At Bat app

Cody Lee ∙ September 26, 2014

Baseball fans rejoice, the MLB.com At Bat app has just been updated with some great new features in time for October. For the first time, the League will be live streaming every World Series game and select postseason games to mobile devices.

Obviously, you'll need to be an MLB.TV Premium subscriber to access the new content, but it'll cost you $3.99 to get in for the rest of the season. And if you want to watch Major League Baseball on your iPhone or iPad, there's no better way to do it.

FitPort wants to be your health & fitness dashboard

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2014

I briefly touched upon FitPort in my article about HealthKit apps. The app debuted today as the App Store's first HealthKit-enabled application following yesterday's iOS 8.0.2 software update that fixed a bug in iOS 8.0 which prevented HealthKit apps from functioning properly.

Created by Flask, FitPort isn't yet another daily activity, health and fitness tracker, but a wannabe replacement for Apple's stock Health app in iOS 8.

Having spent an hour or so playing with it, I can safely conclude that FitPort deserves your attention so let me discuss it in greater detail.

iPhone 6 reportedly nearing approval for sale in China

Cody Lee ∙ September 26, 2014

Apple is in the final stages of securing regulatory approval for the iPhone 6 in China, reports Tenacent, meaning it could soon go on sale in the country. It's a major market for the Cupertino firm, as it contains two of the largest carriers in the world.

The news outlet quoted China's Ministry of Industry and Information technology as saying "it's just a matter of time" before regulators complete the approval process for Apple's new handsets, which have already gone on sale in several countries.

Just Dance Now uses your iOS device as a motion controller

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2014

App Store games that use your iPhone as a motion controller are few and far between. Aside from the interesting Motion Tennis and the quite addictive Dance Party, both produced by Rolocule Games, I haven't played any other game that would AirPlay action through the Apple TV and turn my iOS device into a Wii-like controller.

That's why I was so excited about Ubisoft's Just Dance Now, a new take on the world's #1 rhythm-based dance game in which you're challenged to use an iPhone as your motion controller. Just Dance Now is available on a freemium basis so In-App Purchases are unavoidable. Jump past the fold for the full reveal.

Apple no longer signing iOS 7.1.2, closing the downgrade window

Cody Lee ∙ September 26, 2014

Apple has finally ceased signing iOS 7.1.2 today, notes hacker iH8sn0w, more than a week after releasing iOS 8 . This means that you can no longer downgrade to the older firmware from iOS 8.x, or upgrade to it from older versions.

This is a big deal for jailbreakers, as 7.1.2 is the latest firmware that can be jailbroken, and there won't be one on iOS 8 for the foreseeable future. But it also affects average users too, as those not happy with iOS 8 can no longer revert.

How to refresh the App Store app

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated February 6, 2017

Have you ever ventured into the App Store expecting a new update, only to find that the update has not yet appeared? Since the App Store has no refresh button, I used to force close the app, and reopen it to check for new updates.

There’s an even easier way to refresh the App Store. I’m not sure if it was purposely done, or if it’s a bug, or what. All I know is that this refresh trick works on iOS 8 and newer versions of the software, but it doesn’t appear to work on lesser firmware.

Inside, I’ll show you how to quickly refresh the App Store and check for new updates in a flash. Check out the video.

How to customize or hide contacts shown in the App Switcher

Sébastien Page ∙ September 26, 2014

Along with iOS 8, Apple introduced a new feature in the App Switcher that allows you to have quick access to your recently contacted contacts, as well as your favorite contacts. In essence, this is a great feature that can save you time, but it arguably also is a feature that has nothing to do in the App Switcher to begin with. What if you only want to see your favorites in there? Or what if you don't want to see any contact at all in the App Switcher? There is a solution.

In this post, we'll show you how to select what kind of contacts you want to show in the App Switcher (favorites and/or recents) or how to hide these contacts altogether.