Alexa for iPhone now lets you check the weather, get sports scores, control smart home accessories, ask questions and more—all by using just your voice.
Alexa for iPhone picks up voice controls
Apps
Kiwi for Gmail makes using email an even better experience on Mac
With Kiwi for Gmail, you can experience your favorite Google products outside of the browser. In doing so, accessing these services has never been easier. Here’s a look at why you should use this third-party app on your Mac.
Chirp for Apple Watch picks up where the official Twitter client left off
After Twitter pulled its watchOS app, Apple Watch owners were left seeking alternative apps such as Tweetbot, Twitterrific and Bluebird. Enter Chirp, a tiny little wrist-based Twitter app developed by the young Australian developer Will Bishop, who is just 16 years old.
Explore real-size paintings in augmented reality via Google’s Arts & Culture app
Google today refreshed its excellent Arts & Culture app with all-new augmented reality features so you can see real-size artworks in front of you and explore paintings in your own room.
Apple releases Schoolwork app for iPad for teachers and students
Apple has announced the immediate availability of the Schoolwork app for iPad. The free app allows teachers to create assignments, collaborate one-on-one with students, tap into the power of apps for learning, and view and understand student progress. It was announced earlier this year at Apple's education-based "Field Trip" event.
How to customize default alert times for Calendar events on iPhone and iPad
When you create events in the iOS Calendar app, you can easily set an alert to remind you of that event. But you’ll also notice that a time for the alert pops into your event alert automatically. This is the default time in your Calendar app, and you can change it to suit your preference.
Once you set the default alert time you want, you won’t have to change it when creating the event unless you really need to, and here’s how.
Facebook is testing Screen Time-like digital wellbeing features for its mobile app
Digital wellbeing is coming into full view with Silicon Valley giants like Apple and Google having unveiled a set of brand new tools recently that show customers how many minutes they've spent on their devices, and now Facebook is following in their footsteps.
Pixelmator for Mac update brings the HEIF export option for half-size images
The Pixelmator team today pushed a 3.7.1 update to its awesome Photoshop replacement app on Mac App Store, adding support for exporting images in Apple's new HEIF format introduced alongside iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra last year, plus some new effects and a bunch of fixes.
Apple News launches a section dedicated to providing coverage of the US midterm elections
Apple today launched a new section in the News app featuring detailed coverage of the US midterm elections, with reporting from trusted sources curated by Apple News editors.
Placr, Pixel Weather, Views, and other apps to check out this weekend
This week's edition of our Apps of the Week roundup features a new app for spicing up your selfies, a powerful weather app with nostalgic graphics, and a new kind of news app. And as always, we've selected two great new games for you to check out.
Warner Bros. launches official Westworld simulation game
Just in time for this weekend's season 2 finale, Warner Bros. has released an official game based on the popular HBO series, "Westworld." The simulation game allows you to take on the role of a newly hired Delos employee who is granted access to the Delos Park Training Simulation, or DPTS.
In the game, which was written by those of the series, you’ll meet some familiar characters, including Bernard, Delores, and Maeve. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to control all aspects of Westworld park operations including manufacturing, managing, and upgrading AI-based Hosts, as well as satisfying a wide range of Guest desires.
The game’s initial content spans the first season of the series but will include more once season two ends.
https://www.facebook.com/WestworldMobile/videos/2590048347887234/
According to Jonathan Knight, vice president, studio head at WB Games San Francisco:
We are excited for Westworld players to experience what it’s like to manage a complex theme park powered by human desires and artificial life. The game features a compelling, unfolding narrative and multi-layered gameplay while remaining highly approachable and intuitive to play.
The Westworld game offers a combination of construction and management elements with roleplaying game RPG style character development. Gameplay takes place on two levels: Aboveground, where there is the western-themed world visitors experience, and Belowground, the high-tech Delos facility where Hosts are manufactured, repaired and upgraded.
"Westworld" first arrived on the scene in October 2016 and is based on the 1973 film of the same name. The story takes place in a fictional, technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populated by android “hosts.” High-paying “guests” may indulge their wildest fantasies within the park.
The series stars Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, and James Marsden.
As a long-time “Westworld” fan, this official game looks like a lot of fun; I can’t wait to try it out further in the coming days. The season finale of "Westworld" airs on HBO this Sunday, June 24.
You can download the game on the App Store and watch the series on the HBO Now app.
Instagram announces new IGTV app for long-form content
Instagram on Wednesday announced that it has developed a new app called IGTV. The app is aimed squarely at YouTube and other long-form video services, allowing creators to upload full-screen, vertical videos up to 1-hour in length.