Year: 2014

US Online Apple Store starts offering iPhones on AT&T’s Next installment plans

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 27, 2014

As previously rumored, Apple's started offering the iPhone on AT&T's Next program on its webstore in the United States, 9to5Mac reported this morning.

The much-needed change allows cash-strapped customers who prefer buying their devices full price to spread the cost of hardware with fixed monthly payments. This marks the first time the Cupertino firm has supported any carrier's installment plan online.

After the nation's #4 carrier, T-Mobile, last year killed contracts and unbundled the cost of hardware from the wireless service, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint followed suit by unveiling their own financing and early upgrade offers.

As we doubt this offer is exclusive to AT&T, we're expecting the firm to start offering the popular smartphone on Verizon's and T-Mobile's installment plans sooner than later.

The Incipio Focal case will turn your iPhone into a point-and-shoot camera

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Despite smart devices replacing point-and-shoot cameras in the mainstream, there still seems to be many people confused by the transition to an app-based camera. Every time I am out and ask someone to take a picture of my wife and me, it seems to be a shot in the dark, so to speak. People always fumble around with the screen, trying to zoom, or change the flash, or even take the picture.

I run into people that push the software button to take the picture instead of using the volume button. Either way, there always seems to still be an unfamiliarity with the way an iPhone takes pictures. Unless you were born in 2007 when the iPhone launched, there is a transition from point-and-shoot cameras to the iPhone, and it continues to be a struggle for some.

In that light, Incipio developed an app and hardware combination bringing point-and-shoot characteristics to iPhone. Focal is a camera case providing easy snap picture taking. Dedicated shutter and zoom buttons prevent screen pecking while trying to setup the perfect shot.

Bik – A Space Adventure is a fun point-and-click game for iOS

Lory Gil ∙ August 27, 2014

Director Steven Spielberg made such magical sci-fi movies as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T. The Extraterrestrial,” and “War of the Worlds.” Thanks to films like these, I am always looking to the stars, wondering whether there really is something out there.

Bik – A Space Adventure has the perfect plot for a Spielberg movie. Boy goes camping. Boy gets abducted by aliens. Boy saves the world. Help Bik survive with the aid of his new alien buddy Ammut.

‘Madden NFL Mobile’ is now available in the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ August 26, 2014

Just in time for NFL season, EA Sports has released a mobile version of its latest Madden NFL game, aptly-named 'Madden NFL Mobile.' The release coincides with the game's highly-anticipated console release, which began hitting store shelves early this morning.

The good news is, it appears that EA has really improved graphics and animations over last year's mobile Madden title. The bad news, however, is that not much else has changed. The game still requires an Internet connection, and it's littered with in-app purchases.

This is NOT the iPhone 6, or is it?

Jake Smith ∙ August 26, 2014

We have to interrupt original programming this afternoon with a breaking exclusive mega scoop from YouTuber Doldo411. Likely from a covert mission into Apple's Cupertino campus, the scoop master has gotten his hands on the iPhone 6 before the rest of the world - and it looks like a doozie.

New ad formats coming to iAd: pre-roll video and full-screen interstitials

Cody Lee ∙ August 26, 2014

Apple announced to iOS developers today that it has enabled new ad formats that could help them generate more revenue. Developers can now add pre-roll video and full-screen advertisements to their apps, via iAd.

The news makes good on a report from back in March, which said the ads would be capable of interrupting a user in-app. It's more likely, however, that the ads will play at moments of transition, such as at the end of a level.

Stop typing so much: QuickBoard for iOS 8 will save text you’ve been typing over and over

Jake Smith ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

A new third-party keyboard called QuickBoard wants to stop you from drone-lessly typing out the same information over and over. These iPhones have tiny screens, after all!

Set to launch this fall with iOS 8's new third-party keyboard support, QuickBoard has three separate keyboard entities, TextBoard, MeBoard, and LocationBoard, that allows you to store snippets of text instead of typing it out over and over again.

Belkin WeMo Insight Switch review: control home appliances and electronics from your iPhone

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Growing up as a child, anytime my family would venture out of town for more than a couple days, my father would run around the house trying to locate "the timers." The timers, with which anyone is familiar, were the timer switches for the lamps in the house. They were old brown boxes with a beige turn wheel and a little switch, think I/O, for each of 24 hours. After manually selecting each switch to either turn on or off the receptacle, off you go for vacation. Now your lights magically turn on while you are away.

Even in the late '80's, I remember those timers looking dated, even acting dated. But, they worked and continue to be the same technology most people use today. Thankfully, Belkin is putting a stop to this archaic fumbling system with a modern appeal. The WeMo line of home automated devices gives you the power, literally, in a carefully crafted app and hardware unit.

Apple CEO Tim Cook thinks slow down in iPad sales is just a ‘speed bump’

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Apple CEO Tim Cook isn't worried about the company's tablet sales, even when industry analysts and consumers have been yammering on about it being a slowing market. Words from the Apple boss came in a brief interview with ReCode's Walt Mossberg, moments before a report went live detailing plans for a larger iPad out of Cupertino.

You can now send money via text message for free with Square Cash

Cody Lee ∙ August 26, 2014

Square has released a big update for its Cash app this afternoon, bringing it to version 2.0. The app, first released in October of last year, facilitates the quick transfer of money from one user to another via e-mail, and today's update makes the process even faster.

The UI for sending and contact screens has been optimized in Square Cash 2.0, making it easier to send money, and you can also now add notes to your payments. But perhaps the biggest addition in today's update is the ability to send cash to anyone via text message.

Minneapolis school district deploys iPads for 40,000 students, as LA schools suspend rollout

Jake Smith ∙ August 26, 2014

The St. Paul School District in Minneapolis has announced plans to rollout iPads to 40,000 students in its district, all payed for by taxpayer dollars. The school district has chosen a suite of apps that will be used by students, teachers, and administrators for enhanced learning in the classroom, including an app called Nearpod that can project images and videos, and gather instant responses from students to enhance engagement.