Month: July 2015

Xenowerk review: a top-down shooter with an ever-expanding arsenal

If you are a fan of top-down arcade shooters, then you know how much fun it can be to run from room to room, killing things and blowing up stuff with wild abandon. Pixelbite, the team that brought us the Sci-Fi western Space Marshals is back with a new adventure in space.

Xenowerk is an action shooter that puts players in charge of cleaning up a mutant mess left by a biological experiment gone bad. We've got a hands-on game review of Xenowerk for you today.

The UE Boom Bluetooth speaker offers 360 degrees of immersive sound

Apple's new streaming service is a big hit. While it may still need some polishing, it is an excellent music player that houses an immense collection of tunes for you to listen to both on and off line. Now, you just need something to play music through that is better than the iPhone 6's tiny speakers.

If you are looking for a little more power than just a personal, portable speaker, the UE Boom is the best in its class. It is small enough to fit in your drink holder, rugged enough to take camping, and powerful enough to be heard in a room full of partiers.

100 apps and games discounted to $0.99 in massive App Store sale

Apple is running a massive sale in the App Store right now, marking down the prices of 100 notable apps and games. The promotion includes titles from a variety of genres, and everything has been discounted down to $0.99.

The promo has been split up into 6 sections: Apps for Photography Lovers, Apps for Kids, Smart Tools for Everyone, Game Hits, App Store Veterans, and More Games to Explore. We've listed some of our favorite deals below.

28 new jailbreak tweaks showcased on video

The pace of jailbreak tweak releases is still fairly high, even a month after the iOS 8.3/8.4 jailbreak. In this latest video, I showcase 28 new jailbreak tweaks.

The tweaks range from app backgrounding tweaks, to Apple Music tweaks, to volume HUD tweaks. There's a large variety shown off in this latest video. Take a look, and see what you may have missed.

YouTube app updated with support for fullscreen vertical videos

Google's YouTube updated its iOS client today, bringing the app to version 10.28. The update brings about two major enhancements: support for fullscreen playback of vertical videos and push notifications.

The former is fairly significant. Users can now view vertically-filmed videos in fullscreen when in portrait mode—a big improvement over previous versions, which would shrink content between two black bars.

Apple highlights apps for anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Apple has begun highlighting apps with specialized accessibility features. The curated section features apps such as TapTapSee, Color Identifier and more.

Apple has long been praised for its efforts to ensure iOS devices can be used by those with various disabilities, including vision, hearing and motor skill impairments. It also regularly spotlights third-party accessibility applications.

Apple pulls Nest products from its website and retail stores

Apple has stopped selling the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Protect smoke alarm online and in its retail stores, reports Mashable. A search for the products on Apple's website now redirects customers to HomeKit-compatible devices.

The move comes a month after Apple debuted HomeKit, a platform that aims to streamline communication between iOS devices and smart home accessories. Among the compatible products available at launch was the ecobee3 thermostat.

Honda announces CarPlay support for 2016 Accord

Honda on Thursday debuted the 2016 Accord at its research facility in Mountain View. While car makers typically reserve new car unveilings for major auto shows, Honda says that it chose the location to highlight the role Silicon Valley is playing in the industry.

The ninth-generation Accord features a thorough refresh for 2016, with a big focus on technology. All EX and above models will include a Display Audio infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen display and support for both CarPlay and Android Auto platforms.

Apple working on TV remote with built-in fingerprint sensor

The US Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday published three patent applications from Apple relating to biometric input devices. As noted by AppleInsider, all the filings mention a device with a built-in fingerprint sensor that could be used in a future TV remote.

It's not hard to imagine the biometric possibilities of a remote control for a TV or set-top box. The device would be able to identify users—paving the way for custom profiles, settings and parental controls—and could support multi-finger shortcuts and simple gestures.

Could this be a front panel for iPhone 6s?

According to the rumor-mill, Apple's suppliers have recently begun volume production of key components for the upcoming iPhones, such as an Apple-designed 'A9’ processor and chassis. These parts will be soon, or already are, all over the place in Asia so little wonder we're now starting to see first component leaks.

The leakage kicked off with a claimed rear housing which has seemingly confirmed minuscule changes to the interior and a stronger body. The leaks now continue with a photo of a rumored front panel of the 'iPhone 6s,' published Thursday by French blog NowhereElse.fr.

Live-streaming from GoPro through Meerkat just became a reality

Don't you dare write Meerkat off yet!

As reported by CNBC, the real-time mobile video broadcasting service has just teamed up with GoPro, the maker of tremendously popular action cameras, to allow its users to broadcast their action footage on the Meerkat service, in real-time.

Meerkat's live streaming technology is the perfect fit for owners of GoPro cameras, especially  given that GoPro's mobile apps are not built for streaming and only offer barebone features.

Meerkat has made the official announcement regarding its partnership with GoPro at VidCon, the online video creators conference.

Save $125 on iPad Air 2 in Best Buy’s ‘Black Friday in July’ sale

In an effort to drum up sales during the summer slump, Best Buy has announced that it will be hosting a "Black Friday in July" sale this weekend where it will be discounting iPads, MacBooks and a number of other products.

The promotion begins on July 24 and runs through the 25th, but those with a My Best Buy account can access the deals today. You can sign up for My Best Buy, for free, though it does require an email and phone number.