Apple seeds first betas of iOS 11.1, macOS 10.13.1, and tvOS 11.1 to public testers

Cody Lee ∙ September 28, 2017

Apple on Thursday seeded the first betas of iOS 11.1, macOS 10.13.1, and tvOS 11.1 to public testers. The updates come just a day after the arrival of the developer betas, and shortly after iOS 11, macOS 10.13 and tvOS 11 hit consumer devices.

Public betas are available to those who are enrolled in Apple's free Beta Software Program. Once you're signed up, and your devices are registered, you can access future iOS, macOS and tvOS betas using each platform's over-the-air Update mechanism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLZiWzXp0fo

Subscribe to iDownloadBlog on YouTube

In yesterday's developer beta, we discovered iOS 11.1 includes some small changes, such as no more haptic feedback on wrong passcode entry on the Lock screen, and multiple emoji keyboard suggestions. There's also new animations and Health app UI tweaks.

As for macOS 10.13.1 and tvOS 11.1, the updates seem even less significant. But as usual, if we spot any notable changes in the software, we'll be sure to pass them along.

Read More

This tweak brings the iPhone’s Camera app user interface to the iPad

Anthony Bouchard ∙ September 28, 2017

If you have both an iPhone and an iPad, then you should already know that each device's Camera app has a different look and feel to it.

The iPad’s Camera app interface is built with a larger display in mind, making some tools more readily accessible. On the other hand, many use their iPhone for photography more often and would prefer having the same familiar experience on their iPad.

Enter a new free jailbreak tweak called iPhone Cam for iPad by iOS developer Adel Hammoud. As the name implies, this tweak ports the iPhone-style Camera user interface to your jailbroken iPad so that the photography experience feels one and the same across your devices.

Read More

Add new privacy and aesthetic options to WhatsApp Messenger with ABetterPrivacyforWhatsApp

Anthony Bouchard ∙ September 28, 2017

WhatsApp Messenger is one of the most popular third-party messaging platforms used on the iOS platform today, but there are countless ways it could be improved.

With a new free jailbreak tweak called ABetterPrivacyforWhatsApp, iOS developer CydiaGeek provides jailbroken WhatsApp Messenger users with the means of customizing their experience, allowing for better privacy and aesthetics in the app.

Read More

Amazon unveils new Echo speaker, 4K Fire TV, and other hardware

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

At a special event on Wednesday, Amazon unveiled a slew of new hardware featuring its Alexa voice assistant. The products include a new Echo speaker, with a more refined design and cheaper price tag, a new 4K Fire TV with HDR support, and an all-new Echo Spot device. We'll break them down for you below.

Echo 2

The new Echo looks like a smaller version of its predecessor, with a refreshed design that resembles that of Google Home and Apple's HomePod speaker. It does everything the first generation model did—connects to Alexa to play music, make calls, set alarms, control smart home devices, answer questions and much more—plus it has a dedicated bass speaker, improved mic design, and multi-room capabilities.

Launches October 31. Pre-order for $100.

Echo Spot

The Echo Spot is essentially a mini Echo Show. Measuring just 4 inches tall, the Spot was designed to fit anywhere in your home. Its features include Alexa with 2nd generation far-field voice recognition, a built-in speaker, a crisp color 2.5-inch screen, a built-in camera for video calls, and much more. Use it as an alarm clock and wake up to video news briefings or in the kitchen as a high-tech timer and cooking assistant.

Launches December 19. Pre-order for $130.

Fire TV with 4K

The all-new Fire TV looks more like a dongle, but is powerful enough to be considered a set-top box. Its features include support for 4K Ultra HD (up to 60 fps), HDR, and Dolby Atmos Audio, access to the most popular streaming services and Amazon's ecosystem, and of course it has Alexa to help you do everything from order pizza to controlling your lights. It also has an ultra-fast processor and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, so you can expect smooth and responsive performance.

Launches October 25. Pre-order for $70.

Other Tidbits Echo Plus - looks more like the original Echo, shares similar features with the Echo 2, plus it can act as a ZigBee hub, allowing it to quickly discover and pair with compatible devices. Launches October 31. Pre-order for $150. Echo Connect - connects your home phone to a compatible Echo device to call any phone number, just by using your voice. Launches December 13. Pre-order for $35. Echo Buttons - hockey puck-shaped devices that consist of a single large, light-up button. Owners can use them to play games in conjunction with an Echo device—think of a buzzer for trivia-type games. Comes in packs of two. Amazon says these are coming later this holiday season.

The new Echo speaker is set to arrive ahead of Apple's HomePod speaker launch, and will cost less than a third of its price. The new 4K Fire TV also undercuts Apple's recently unveiled 4K Apple TV quite a bit on price. It'll be interesting to see how consumers vote with their wallets this holiday season.

What do you make of Amazon's new products? Plan on purchasing any?

Read More