Year: 2014

‘Hold2Speak’ now allows you to initiate calls from the speaker phone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ May 4, 2014

Hold2Speak has been updated with a brand new feature that has been heavily requested since the tweak originally debuted on Cydia. It now comes with the ability to initiate calls directly from the speaker phone.

As you might have heard, Hold2Speak is a concept that I envisioned, which was brought to fruition by a couple of super-nice and super-smart developers. The original version allowed users to receive calls directly in speaker phone mode, but this latest version takes the tweak to the next level. Full video walkthrough inside.

AllDrop: upload any file to Dropbox

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

AllDrop is a brand new jailbreak tweak that just recently appeared on Cydia's BigBoss repo. It's a tweak that unlocks access to the native iOS filesystem for uploading to Dropbox.

By default, you can only upload photos or videos from the file picker in the Dropbox app, but with AllDrop installed, any file that you have on your device is uploadable. AllDrop is a powerful tweak, especially if you're a heavy Dropbox user. Take a look at our video walkthrough after the break.

Botanicula review: a humor-filled adventure game with an engaging storyline

Lory Gil ∙ May 4, 2014

Fans of puzzle games will likely remember the stunning and bizarre world of Machinarium. The game was acclaimed for its beautiful landscapes, intricate puzzles, and overall immersive gameplay.

Amanita Design is back with another incredible contribution to the puzzle game genre for the iPad. In Botanicula, the world is more natural with trees, bugs, and moving plant life. The world also has a creepy unnatural element to it with the likes of the photosynthesis-sucking spiders that are terrorizing the residents of the tranquil community…

Game of Thrones wallpapers for iPhone and iPad

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

If you are a regular reader, on Sunday you look forward to new wallpapers. Customizing your device is made simple by downloading a fresh set of digital paint. With your input, we are hearing you really like an occasional theme week. To please the readers, this week is one of those weeks.

Last Wallpapers of the Week post featured a Breaking Bad wallpaper set, which was well received. Today, assorted Game of Thrones wallpapers grace the section with cunning avarice. The sombre collection captures the series' emotional depth and unpredictable plot turns...

The best apps for learning how to code

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

These days, kids in elementary school are already learning how to code. It can be really intimidating for someone who doesn’t even know what HTML is. Even though computer knowledge is much better for the average person than it was 20 years ago, there are still a lot of secrets hidden behind those cool programs we use.

If you are too old to have learned code in school, too young to have started yet, or just want to practice the basics you learned so long ago you’ve forgotten, we’ve got a list of some of the best apps to learn how to code…

Apogee MiC review: the mic for people serious about audio on the go

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Have you ever tried to record audio from your MacBook on your iPhone or iPad's built-in microphone? The result is audio that's serviceable—you can hear it—but the sound is pitiful. Built-in microphones on pretty much every hardware device, whether it be computers, tablets, or even cameras, are sorely lacking from a sound quality perspective. With a minimal investment, you can significantly upgrade the quality of your sound with a decent external microphone.

There are some awesome external microphones for a variety of applications out there, but if you're primarily concerned with recording on your Mac or iOS device while on the go, there is one mic that should be squarely at the top of your consideration list.

The Apogee MiC is an extremely minuscule external microphone that can make your recordings sound great while traveling. Have a look at our Apogee MiC review and video walkthrough + sound test.

This week on iDB: 119 million dollars

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Like every Sunday, we bring you the stories that were the most popular on iDB during this past week. Whether it is a news piece, an editorial, a tutorial, a new jailbreak tweak, or an accessory review, we sum it all up in one convenient place.

If you like what you're reading, please make sure to spread the love by sharing our posts on your favorite social network.

We're usually hanging out a lot on Twitter and Facebook, more rarely on Google+.

Apps of the week: Intake, Bicolor, Mingle, and more Wallpapers of last week: Breaking Bad edition Verdict: Samsung ordered to pay Apple $119.6M in damages iOS 7: the ultimate Weather app guide The best expense tracking apps for iPhone SmartTap: unlock your iPhone just by double-tapping its screen Stride 2: unlock your iPhone with style on iOS 7 Appellancy: unlock your device using facial recognition Snapchat picks up live video chatting and text messaging How to take a screenshot of Snapchat Images of alleged white and silver iPhone 6 dummy unit surface New photos of alleged iPhone 6 dummy unit show larger, slimmer device Lunecase for iPhone uses electromagnetic energy to display LED alerts Quickdraw is a sturdy, magnetic Lightning cable alternative

Don't forget to listen to the latest episode of our new podcast, Let's Talk iOS:

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We’re social! Find iDB on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, App.net, YouTube, and in your RSS reader. Also make sure to subscribe to our new podcast!

How to unlock your iPhone using a slide-up gesture

Jeff Benjamin ∙ May 3, 2014

Do you ever tire of the same old swipe-from-left-to-right gesture when unlocking your phone? Are you looking for a way to switch up the phone-unlocking experience? If so, then perhaps you should look into this brand new jailbreak tweak.

SlideUP2Unlock allows you to swipe up on the Lock screen to unlock your phone. It gets rid of the Lock screen camera shortcut in favor of a vertical unlocking gesture. As always, we have video of this tweak in action. Take a look inside to see it in full detail.

How to group your Notification Center items together using NCFold

Jeff Benjamin ∙ May 3, 2014

NCFold is a brand new jailbreak tweak that allows users to group together sections of Notification Center into a folder-like structure. The purpose of the tweak, as stated in its Cydia description, is to make Notification Center more simple and efficient.

For the most part, the Cydia description rings true. NCFold does allow for a simplified Notification Center view, yet you can easily expand the folded sections that it creates with just a tap. Check out our walkthrough of NCFold after the break.

Watch maker Swatch not happy about Apple’s yet to be announced iWatch

Sébastien Page ∙ May 3, 2014

Swiss watch maker Swatch is not happy about Apple's iWatch. To be more specific, the company is not happy about the fact that Apple's wearable may be called iWatch, a name that definitely sounds a lot like iSwatch, a trademark registered by the watch maker for one of its lines of watches.

Nevermind the fact that Apple has yet to unveil the iWatch, which by the way might not even be called iWatch, Swatch is going on the offensive...

Auki 1.2 update adds new dark mode and additional features

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

The popular quick reply tweak Auki has been updated to version 1.2, and it brings some notable new features to the table. The big feature with version 1.2 is without a doubt the new dark mode, which is great when texting in low light conditions.

While it's possible to toggle directly between dark and light mode via Auki's settings, the tweak also features the ability to schedule when dark mode is enabled and disabled, which its designer, Surenix, subtly hinted to in this clever tweet.

But that's not all of the new features that you should expect from the new Auki. The update includes a variety of bug fixes and a few subtle additions as well. Check out our video as we walk through Auki 1.2's new features...

IGN names ‘The Wolf Among Us′ its Free Game of the Month

Cody Lee ∙ May 3, 2014

Great news gamers, IGN has named Telltale Game's 'The Wolf Among Us' its Free Game of the Month. We named the game one of our 'Apps of the Week' for the iPhone and iPad back in February, and it normally retails for $4.99.

For those unfamiliar with the title, The Wolf Among Us is a violent, mature thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic books. It's made by the same team behind The Walking Dead, and features similar gameplay mechanics...