Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader review: USB 3.0 brings faster file transfer to iPad Pro

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Of all the products that I've reviewed as of late, this is one of the ones I've been most excited for. Since getting the iPad Pro and trying to establish a video editing workflow with the extra large tablet, I've run into a few bottlenecks. The most obvious bottleneck has to do with transferring video from an SD Card to the iPad Pro's flash storage.

All of the dongles that I had available were of the USB 2.0 variety, so transfer speeds were horrendously slow when trying to get 4K video files from my Panasonic GH4 to my iPad Pro.

Fortunately, the iPad Pro does support USB 3.0, which results in a much faster file transfer experience—it was just a matter of Apple releasing an accessory that supported the extra throughput. The first accessory to do so is Apple's just-launched update to its Lightning to SD Card  Reader. The dongle looks very much like the previous version of the reader that debuted in 2012, but the Late 2015 update has USB 3.0 support in tow.

How is the experience when transferring large files to the iPad Pro with this new reader? Should those of you invested in a video or photo workflow consider dropping the $29.00 asking price for the updated version?

Read More

Google’s search app gains 3D Touch support, Split View multitasking on iPad & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 11, 2015

The search monster Google on Friday issued an update to its mobile search application in the App Store, adding support for 3D Touch gestures on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus and iOS 9's new multitasking modes on select iPads, while improving search results for places and local businesses.

With 3D Touch, hard-pressing on the Google app's icon on the Home screen brings up quick shortcuts for Search, Voice Search and Image Search features.

Read More

Six 3D Touch shortcuts in iBooks for iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 2, 2017

Owners of the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus can now use Peek and Pop gestures in iBooks to speed up common tasks such as checking out their notes and bookmarks, previewing pages in search results and more.

This tutorial takes you on a quick tour of 3D Touch gestures in iBooks, including six ways applying pressure helps you interact with your fav reads.

Read More

iTunes 12.3.2 with Apple Music browsing improvements now available

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 11, 2015

A few days following the release of the iOS 9.2 software update for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with Apple Music improvements and other changes, Apple today posted a matching iTunes update for Macs running OS X El Capitan.

iTunes 12.3.2 makes it easier to browse classical songs on Apple Music with support for works, composers and performers.

Read More

Universal apps with Apple TV support now being recognized on the App Store

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

It looks as if Apple is beginning to roll a feature that will help identify universal apps on the App Store featuring Apple TV compatibility. As first spotted by iFun.de and picked up by MacRumors, the feature appears to still be in the roll out phase.

Apps with Apple TV support are currently displaying a SF.UniversalAppleTV notation on the app's Details page in the App Store, but that appears to be a placeholder that will eventually be replaced with a simple "Apple TV".

Read More

Apple Watch Sport goes on sale at Walmart

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Best Buy, Target, and now...Walmart. Apple Watch is pretty much ubiquitous these days when it comes to American retail stores, and the addition of Walmart as an official retailer is just icing on the cake.

Granted, Apple Watch sales at Walmart are quite limited, with only the Sport model being offered, and further limitations have been placed on available colors.

Nonetheless, having the Apple Watch, in any incarnation, is a big deal and a big win for Apple and potential customers. It turns the visibility level of the popular wearable all the way to level 11.

Read More

Poison Maps makes great use of 3D Touch gestures

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 11, 2015

Poison Maps, a cool map app in the App Store based on the OpenStreetMap database, takes a novel approach to 3D Touch gestures versus most other 3D Touch-enabled apps, which makes it uniquely useful for navigating.

On non-iPhone 6s devices, the app takes advantage of the patent-pending Context Pan gesture letting you pan large distances by using a single touch of a finger instead of the usual two-fingered pinch-zoom gesture.

On devices without 3D Touch, however, context zooming and context panning is implemented using a long touch to control how far the map zooms out, rather then using the force of the press, as shown in a video demonstration further below.

Read More

Apple pushes intrusive iPhone 6s ad to some users inside the App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 11, 2015

Twitter is on fire with reports from disgruntled users who were taken aback after witnessing a full-screen iPhone 6s ad taking over the App Store on their devices. The ad is, of course, from Apple itself and was conceived to persuade owners of pre-iPhone 6s models to upgrade to the ”ridiculously powerful” iPhone 6s.

The pop-up ad is full-screen and asks users to “Learn More,” which takes them to the iPhone 6s webpage on Apple's website, or “Upgrade Now.”

The latter option redirects users to the the Buy iPhone 6s page inside the official Apple Store app, if installed. Want to get back to what your were doing? That'll require tapping a dedicated button to dismiss the ad.

So, what's going on here?

Read More

Google Play Movies & TV gains HD and cellular streaming, AirPlay support, revamped UI & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 11, 2015

Just in time for the holiday season, Google has issued a major update to its official video streaming application in the App Store, Google Play Movies & TV, with several much-needed features and a fresh new design. For starters, you can now stream movies and TV shows rented or purchased on the Play store over your carrier's cellular data network. Moreover, the app has gained the ability to stream video in high-definition.

And if you own a third-generation Apple TV or higher, you can stream your Google Play entertainment right to the big screen with official support for Apple's AirPlay wireless media streaming technology.

Read More

Slash Keyboard review: /find things to share right on your keyboard

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

Sometimes, there is a song or a cat video, or an iDB article that you just have to share with someone. Oh, but you forgot to grab the link before you got into a chat with your buddy in Hangouts.

That's OK. Slash Keyboard makes it possible for you to find and share all manner of content right from your iOS keyboard without having to leave your chat. We took it for a spin and have a review of Slash Keyboard for you right now.

Read More

Apple gives its Apple ID website a fresh new redesign

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Apple's drab-looking Apple ID website, the place where users go to manage everything about their Apple IDs, has been updated with a fresh new coat of paint. Instead of the boring color-less look of old, Apple has adopted an up-to-date bold new look for its hub focused on managing passwords, devices, and other vital account information.

Read More