Year: 2014

SwiftKey Note hits iOS, brings enhanced auto-correction and predictions

TouchType, the company behind the popular SwiftKey software keyboard for Android phones, has released a brand new note-taking application for the iPhone and iPad. It leaked earlier in the month and is now finally available free in the App Store.

The note-taking software is interesting because it enhances the traditional iOS virtual keyboard with TouchType's own auto-correction and prediction algorithms.

It also features Evernote synchronization and more. Jump past the fold for the full reveal...

Facebook announces new iPhone app, Paper, coming to App Store next Monday

The rumors were true: the social networking giant Facebook on Thursday officially announced its brand new social newsreader application for the iPhone. Called Paper (not to be confused with this), the app is scheduled to hit the App Store next Monday, February 3, 2014. The company has released a nice video walkthrough, embedded below the fold, which shows off really nicely done - gorgeously, dare I say - layout, fluidly animated interface and some familiar Flipboard-like gestures...

How to add an Apple retail-like demo video to your iOS device

Three weeks ago, reader Sean Webber sent us a tip about enabling the kiosk mode on the iPhone using an extremely simple method. If you've ever been inside an Apple retail store and looked at the iPhones or iPads that have been sitting idle for a while, you know what I'm talking about.

Although we don't have access to the videos that Apple uses, we can still enable the kiosk mode using our own properly named and stored video. Check inside as I show you how to enable iOS' kiosk mode on your device.

SocialRadar is a new take on location-based people discovery

Social media is now a social norm. College students procrastinating homework by connecting with others on Facebook started a massive revolution. First, social media was limited through Facebook to only students with college email addresses. Quickly, Facebook became an open platform for everyone to enjoy.

Twitter took fire and is still gaining in popularity with all age groups. However, unlike Facebook, Twitter users are less scared about their grandmother stalking them down. Of course, there is Foursquare, letting users check in to places around the globe. The first platform to truly push geolocation as a primary factor, Foursquare rustled a few feathers, but like all social media, has become quite mainstream, with users less frequently scared to post their whereabouts.

There are many other less mainstream social media platforms and new ones arise everyday. However, not many new services are instantly successful. SocialRadar, launching today, could be the new major social media platform, destine to hang in the ranks of Facebook and Twitter, or at least complement them nicely...

Atomic Fusion: Particle Collider review – science just got fun

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Quantum Physicist? Probably not. There are not a lot of seven-year-olds running around wishing they could study electrons and protons when they grow up. Think about it, though. Atoms are pretty cool.

Atomic Fusion is a science-based game that is educational, but not the “Oregon Trail” kind of educational. This game is actually fun (I know I’m going to get some flack for that)…

Nintendo confirms it’s working on mobile ‘service’ apps

It's been an interesting week regarding Nintendo news and its plans for the mobile market. With the company expected to report its second straight year of profit loss, and its hardware sales tanking, pundits are hoping to see it enter the mobile space.

Earlier this week, a report from Japan's Nikkei claimed that Nintendo was working on 'mini games' for mobile devices. The company has since denied the rumor, but during a strategy briefing earlier today, it confirmed it is working on mobile apps...

Sunrise Calendar receives security update following backlash

One of our favorite calendar apps, Sunrise Calendar, received a minor but important update today. The app has been reworked to no longer send your Apple credentials—for those who use iCloud Calendar—to their third-party servers.

The update follows a spell of user backlash, spearheaded by a handful of prominent iOS developers who criticized the app for requiring users to offer up their Apple IDs and passwords and then sending them to non-Apple servers...

Springtomize 3 updated with several bug fixes, improvements and new features

On the latest episode of Let's Talk Jailbreak, we discussed our love/hate relationship with the new Springtomize 3 jailbreak tweak. We love all of the customizable options it provides, but we hate a lot of the tiny bugs that came with it.

Well, I'm happy to report that Filippo Bigarella has posted a big update for Springtomize 3 and it appears to squash a lot of these bugs. It also offers other improvements, as well as new features, including no more required re-spring...

Apple pushing to open Arizona sapphire plant to start producing ‘critical’ component

By now, most of you have probably heard that Apple has teamed up with manufacturing partner GT Advanced Technologies to open up a plant in Mesa, Arizona for producing sapphire. The plant is nearly ready to open, and Apple has already begun hiring engineers.

Up until now, though, little has been known about what kind of parts this sapphire factory would be producing. But some new documents just surfaced that may help fill in the blanks. Apparently, Apple is going to use the plant to produce a new 'critical' component...

Let’s Talk Jailbreak 42: The blue screen of death show

Episode 42: Sebastien talks about using his Pebble Smartwatch with several different jailbreak tweaks. Jeff raves about controlling his Philips Hue lighting system via Control Center, and Cody talks about his experience with the new quick reply tweak, Couria. The crew collectively discusses Filippo Bigarella's latest Springtomize installment, and Jeff gushes about using his PS4 controller with jailbroken iOS devices.

Dutch theme park tapping iBeacons to boost visitor engagement times

Apple's indoor positioning technology, iBeacons, is cropping up in some unlikely places. No, I don't mean grocery stores, trade shows, Apple Stores, stadiums and bars. According to a Dutch blog, one of the country's theme park will be deploying iBeacons in March to provide visitors with useful information right on their iOS devices.

It's also interesting that Apple's finance boss felt the urge to mention during yesterday's earnings call that the company is now using iBeacons in a number of its retail outlets to beam relevant product information and promotions as customers get near an iBeacon...

Flipboard updates iOS app, revamps Cover Stories to surface cool content

Flipboard, the wildly successful magazine-format news aggregator, has updated its iPhone and iPad application with a pair of tweaks while announcing a redesign of Cover Stories aimed at making your story highlights resemble newspaper front pages. In addition to some bug fixes and performance improvements, Flipboard 2.2.3 now makes it possible to add bookmarks to your Safari Reading List.

Another minor change: you can now copy an article's URL in your device's browser, then open Flipboard for the option to add it to your magazines. You'll be more interested in the redesign of Cover Stories which Flipboard hopes will surface more relevant content from your subscriptions...