Year: 2014

Direct mobile app installs coming to your Twitter timeline soon

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2014

Micro-blogging platform Twitter on Thursday announced a full suite of targeting, creative and measurement tools that enable Twitter advertisers to promote their mobile apps, both on and off-Twitter.

One particular native ad unit takes advantage of Twitter Cards and Promoted Tweets technologies to allow users to easily install and engage with apps, directly from their Twitter timeline.

Currently, tapping an App Store link in a tweet in Twitter's free iPhone and iPad application opens the link in an in-app browser which then redirects the request to the App Store app. Direct app installs from Twitter timelines is limited to this new ad unit and it's not clear if Twitter plans on enabling the feature for common app store links in people's tweets...

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Apple Stores and corporate campus to celebrate 2014 Earth Day

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2014

Apple's brick-and-mortar stores in the United States and around the world will celebrate the upcoming Earth Day next Tuesday, April 22. According to a new report Thursday, Apple's Cupertino, California campus will also join the celebration with a major internal event on April 22 focused on 2014 Earth Day.

This year's Earth Day, prefixed with Green Cities, is focused on environment-friendly buildings, transportation and cities. Apple Stores will change their logo color to green to mark the occasion. More info right after the break...

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Twitterrific for iOS now lets you edit tweets after they’ve been published

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2014

What if you could edit a tweet that's already been tweeted out? A new Twitterrific for iOS update by Iconfactory lets you do just that! Now available free in the App Store, Twitterrific for the iPhone and iPad now lets you edit previously published tweet in your timeline.

This is a rather interesting development as even Twitter's own iOS app won't let you edit a tweet after it's been posted. So, how did Iconfactory accomplish this? Read on for the full reveal...

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Upcoming ‘Castaway Paradise’ is an Animal Crossing-like game for iPad

Cody Lee ∙ April 17, 2014

It doesn't look like Nintendo is going be bringing any of its games over to iOS anytime soon—despite pleas from both fans and critics—so iPhone and iPad gamers are going to have to make do with the titles they have. Fortunately, that list will soon include Castaway Paradise, which looks and plays a lot like Animal Crossing.

For those unfamiliar with Animal Crossing, it's a cluster of community simulation games developed by Nintendo. Set in a village of talking animals, players are tasked with carrying out a variety of activities in an open-ended storyline. And if you consider yourself a fan, you should check out Stolen Couch's 'Castaway Paradise.'

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Apple reportedly building song-identification feature for iOS, partnering with Shazam

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Apple is working on a song-identification feature within its iOS software, in an effort to continue building out its Music offering to combat streaming services and declining iTunes sales, according to Bloomberg.

Apple is said to be partnering with Shazam, a third-party service on the App Store that allows users to press a button and recognize music and media playing around them. On the iPhone and iPad in a future iOS update, users will be able to identify songs and artists without having to download an app, the report says.

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Analyst says Apple plans to increase stock buyback plan by $30 billion next week

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Apple plans to impress investors on its earnings call next week with an announcement to increase its stock buyback to return more cash to shareholders, according to Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconagh.

Sacconagh believes Apple will add $30 billion to its current stock repurchase plan, where it has already said $60 billion will be repurchased by the end of 2015. 

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SideSwype mixes the mechanics of ‘Threes’ and the match-three genre

Lory Gil ∙ April 16, 2014

When you look at the picture above, your first thought may be, “this looks like another clone of Threes.” I know that I thought so when I took my first glance at the game. Although the basic mechanics are the same, the game is not a clone.

SideSwype is a match-three game that doesn’t act like it. Unlike traditional gem matching puzzles, players don’t have nearly as much control over what matches are made or when…

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Knights of Pen & Paper turns an RPG into a tabletop adventure

Lory Gil ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Have I told you yet that I play Dungeons & Dragons? I have a group of friends that introduced me to the game back in 2002 and we’ve managed to keep the group together for 12 years through moves, marriages, kids, and everything else that might normally destroy a good gaming group.

Knights of Pen & Paper is a satirical role-playing game that lets you play a tabletop adventure, complete with dungeon master and unhealthy snacks. In this version, you want the cat to jump on the table. You’ll get a power buff…

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‘Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft’ for iPad now available worldwide

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Back in March, Blizzard launched its digital card trading game ‘Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft’ on the Mac, and as promised, it has brought the game to iOS. The title soft-launched for iPad earlier this month, and now it's available in App Stores worldwide.

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, for those unfamiliar with it, is a strategy card game set in the Warcraft universe. Players compete in 1v1 battles—either against the computer or via Battle.net—in an effort to grow the size and power of their card collections…

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Google using Apple’s PrimeSense in ‘Project Tango’ smartphone, beating Apple to the punch

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Google has beat Apple to the punch by using PrimeSense's Capri PS1200 3D imaging system-on-a-chip in the Project Tango smartphone, before Apple could in its iPhone line-up, the teardown specialists over at iFixit found.

PrimeSense is the 3D technology sensing company Apple acquired for $350 million late-November 2013, and its chips weren't expected to be found in Google's Project Tango smartphone given the fierce competition between the two companies. Only Movidius Myriad 1 3D-sensing chips were expected, but Apple's PrimeSense showed up as well...

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