Year: 2014

Badland updated with new ‘Doomsday’ level pack offered on try-before-buy basis

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 25, 2014

Badland, one of the best mobile games out there, has been updated today with a set of thirty brand new 'Doomsday' levels, but with a twist. Breaking away from the common practice of updating Badland with new content offered free of charge to those who've previously purchased the game, its two-person development team has decided to provide the new levels on a paid basis as it explores fair new monetization models.

This also marks the first time this iPhone and iPad game has offered in-app purchases. Badland is available for $3.99 in the App Store, with the Doomsday level pack available on a try-before-buy basis as a one-time $0.99 in-app purchase...

Activator beta updated with exciting new Profiles feature

Jeff Benjamin ∙ April 25, 2014

A brand new feature has been added to the beta version of Activator, and it's a pretty big deal. You can now set up differing profiles for groups of Activator assignments, making it possible to have different Activator assignments based on various circumstances.

The new Profiles panel, which is accessible at the bottom of the main page of Activator's preferences, allows you to quickly add, name, edit and remove custom profiles. You can then switch to a custom profile and begin setting up assignments that only pertain to that profile.

Making the rabbit hole go even deeper, you can actually assign Activator gestures to switch to a Profile, which opens up a whole new arena of possibilities for automation and activation. Needless to say, it's all pretty exciting stuff. Check out our new video walkthrough of Activator's new profiles feature in action after the break.

Touch ID coming to iPads, iOS code hooks suggest

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

There's hardly any doubt at this point that Apple will roll out its Touch ID fingerprint reader to all iOS devices sooner than later. As you know, the sophisticated fingerprint sensor debuted last September as an iPhone 5s exclusive and is based on technologies from Israeli startup AuthenTec that got acquired by Apple for the reported $356 million in the summer of 2012.

While Apple was originally rumored to bring fingerprint-scanning to its tablet lineup, its manufacturing partner TSMC was unable to build enough of the sensors for the iPhone 5s alone, causing handset shortages after the launch.

Notable mentions of Touch ID for the iPad have been discovered in the iOS code, indicating an upcoming iPad hardware refresh might include the fingerprint sensor. It's worth pointing out that iOS code frequently contains placeholders and hooks for unreleased features that never see the light of day. This is not the first time Apple's code references Touch ID for iPads but we felt you should know about this...

Mobile Safari creator on iPhone development and meeting Steve’s exacting standards

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2018

Francisco Tolmasky was only twenty years old back in 2006 when Apple hired him straight out of college. The whiz kid was immediately thrown into a big job at the famously secretive company that demands nothing but excellence from its employees.

Specifically, the young engineer was one of the early members of the team that created mobile Safari and Maps on the iPhone. The New York Times sat down with Tolmasky to discuss the challenges of developing desktop-class mobile software and meeting Steve's exacting standards when it comes to ease of use, here are the juiciest bits...

Hulu Plus app updated with remote control support for game consoles

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 27, 2017

Hulu posted a significant update for its Plus iOS client this morning, bringing the app to version 3.5.2. The release includes a new remote control feature that will enable users to control the Hulu Plus experience on their Xbox One, PS3 or PS4 console using an iPhone or iPad.

Setup is a breeze. Simply launch the Hulu Plus app on your iOS (or Android) device, and it will automatically detect your gaming console. Once detected, a 'Cast' button will appear in the app, allowing you to pair your smartphone or tablet to the selected console and take control...

Pinterest app updated with new ‘Guided Search’ feature

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Pinterest users may be interested to know that the photo-sharing site rolled out a major new feature to its mobile apps this morning. It's called 'Guided Search,' and it comes via an App Store update, which brings both the iPhone and iPad client to version 3.6.

Guided Search is a tool made for exploring Pinterest when you don't know exactly what you're looking for. So for example, if you enter a vague search time like 'vacation,' the tool will help you hone in on a category (i.e. camping, beach, etc) or specific location...

NBC’s ‘Today’ offers peek inside Apple’s North Carolina data center

Cody Lee ∙ April 25, 2014

Continuing with its recent 'green' marketing push, Apple offered folks a rare look inside its Maiden, North Carolina data center last night. The company paired up with NBC chief environmental correspondent Anne Thompson to do a spot on Thursday's edition of the 'Today' show regarding its various environmental initiatives.

The piece is fairly short—just under 3 minutes—but it's interesting because it gives you a peek inside Apple's data center operations, and details some of the equipment used to power the large buildings. Also, it features a brief appearance by the company's newly-appointed Vice President of Environmental Initiatives Lisa Jackson...

Pioneer exec talks CarPlay and what it’s like to work with Apple

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Since Apple announced CarPlay last month, the most common question has been about aftermarket products. Most folks don't have the money to just go out and buy a brand new car, so they want to know when they'll be able to install the system in their current vehicle.

Initially, the prognoses didn't look very good, but Apple confirmed last week that both Alpine and Pioneer are working on aftermarket CarPlay solutions to be released this year. And recently, MacRumors sat down with Pioneer's Ted Cardenas to talk about the project...

Addictive slicing game KingHunt goes free as Apple’s App of the Week

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 24, 2014

A week ago, Apple's App Store editorial team slashed Horn, a noteworthy third-person action adventure game with great graphics, to zero bucks.

Today is Thursday, which means that another paid iOS app or game has gone temporarily free as part of Apple's ongoing Free App of the Week promotion. This time around, it's KingHunt by renowned publisher MountainSheep.

A great time killer that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has played Fruit Ninja for a few brief seconds, KingHunt is being billed as the next-generation slicing game. The game is now available free of charge until next Thursday, down from its usual asking price of four bucks for the universal iPhone and iPad download, so grab it now while it's hot...

Some users seeing significant battery life improvement with iOS 7.1.1

Cody Lee ∙ April 24, 2014

In addition to Touch ID enhancements and bug fixes, it looks like iOS 7.1.1 also brings about battery life improvements. Several users are reporting seeing markedly-improved battery life since installing the update, which Apple seeded to the public on Tuesday.

ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes says that battery performance on his iPhone 5 dropped significantly following last month's iOS 7.1 release. But since updating to 7.1.1, Hughes says that it's gone back up to just as good, if not better, than it was when he first got it...

Apple offers resolution for FaceTime woes but you may not like it

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 24, 2014

After some folks on iOS 6 and older versions of OS X started complaining about being unable to make or receive FaceTime calls on their devices, Apple has responded by releasing an emergency fix for the FaceTime app on OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Getting to the root of the problem, the company on Thursday published a support document that casts more light on the issue.

People have apparently been experiencing FaceTime connection problems due to a bug resulting from a device certificate that expired on April 16, 2014. Luckily, there's a simple resolution for the problem, one which you may not necessarily like. Hit the jump for the full reveal...

Apple engineer explains how FaceTime came out of work done for Game Center

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 24, 2014

When Apple was unveiling a new video-calling capability on the then new iPhone 4 at the WWDC 2010 keynote, Steve Jobs presented the feature as one of his famous 'one more thing' moments.

FaceTime debuted as a hassle-free video calling service between iPhone 4 devices and was initially Wi-Fi-only, but Apple eventually rolled it out across the lineup so it's available across Mac, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices on both Wi-Fi and cellular.

The engineer behind the feature, Roberto Garcia, was forced to spill the beans on how FaceTime came out of work done for Game Center in his testimony during the fourth week of the second Apple vs. Samsung trial in California, here are the juiciest bits...