Scanbot overhauls iPad UI, adds iCloud Photo Library support, per-scan settings and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 20, 2015

Scanbot, a freemium document scanner and QR reader for the iPhone and iPad, was bumped to version 3.8 this morning. The refreshed app adds several new features while overhauling the user interface on iPads, which now supports any orientation as well as collapsible document list.

All users now get to enjoy direct uploading to Evernote with PDF, Images or Text option available through a reworked sharing interface, the ability to delete documents after upload and apply quick per-scan settings with a touch of their finger.

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New iPhone Lightning Dock requires iOS 8 for audio out via Apple headset with remote control

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 20, 2015

Apple yesterday surprised fans by releasing a $40 Lightning dock for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus which works with official Apple cases. A $10 pricier than Apple's previous docks, it can be used to listen to music and sync your device with a computer while charging your iPhone’s battery at the same time.

What the spec sheet available on the Online Apple Store doesn't tell you is that the dock requires iOS 8 or later for audio out. The requirement is listed in a support document for Apple’s Lightning docks, as noted by 9to5Mac.

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Olloclip launches new telephoto and ultra wide-angle Active Lens for latest iPhones

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

Joining its existing range of various lens attachments and special cases for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Olloclip on Wednesday announced a new Active Lens accessory that combines a telephoto lens with an ultra wide-angle lens.

The pocket-sized accessory requires no extra parts, can be snapped on both front and rear-facing cameras and ships with three wearable pendants to keep your lens safe and within arm’s reach.

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Meet Flow, Samsung’s cool take on Apple’s Continuity and Handoff features

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 have brought out a set of features dubbed Continuity which allow users to easily transition between their Macs and iOS devices without skipping a beat. Now Samsung has responded with a feature of its own.

They're calling it Flow and it's pretty cool. With Flow, you can change devices in the midst of an activity or pause an activity until you're ready.

Now available in beta as a free download from the Google Play Store, Flow currently supports select Samsung tablets and smartphones: the Galaxy S5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy Alpha, Note 4, Note Edge and the Galaxy Tab S.

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Seagate Backup Plus Fast: a good external drive for Mac users?

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

As a MacBook Pro with Retina Display owner, disk space is at a premium. My MacBook features 256GB of SSD flash storage, which isn't exactly tiny in most use cases, but is downright microscopic when it comes to editing video and audio.

My video files are extra large due to the fact that I shoot in 4K the majority of the time. In fact, simply gathering the footage for this video review was somewhere in the neighborhood of 25GB, and that's not even an in-depth video like an iPad review or an Apple Watch review.

With this in mind, it became apparently clear that I was going to need an external storage solution. But I also needed something that was fast enough to adequately handle the throughput required by 4K video.

After lots of research, I ended up purchasing the Seagate Backup Plus Fast drive. It's a 4TB RAID 0 drive, so it's fairly fast. A couple of weeks into my purchase, I've accumulated several hours of hands-on experience with this drive. Does it live up to my expectations?

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Automatic debuts new vehicle adapter and developer SDK

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Automatic, the makers of the adapter that allows cars to talk to smartphones, debuted new hardware and third-party app support on Tuesday. The new hardware comes in the form of a second-gen Automatic adapter that supports real-time data, and third-party app support in the form of a new SDK.

More specifically, the new adapter supports dual Bluetooth data streams: one to the Automatic mobile app and one to a third-party app. This allows both apps to receive data from the adapter simultaneously over an encrypted Bluetooth connection. It also features built-in GPS, and MFi certification.

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How security technology and data protection are implemented within Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

In the refreshed iOS Security Guide, Apple has for the first time detailed security technologies pertaining to the Apple Watch.

As it turns out, the wrist-worn device borrows the many security features and technology built for iOS, including hardware-encrypted storage and data protection, keychain access control, protection of wireless data exchange with its paired iPhone and much more.

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How to fix a “referencing media on the camera” error in Final Cut Pro X

Jeff Benjamin ∙ May 19, 2015

Every now and then, you may run into an issue with Final Cut Pro X where a file doesn't successfully import. Due to this, the media that you're working with in your project is still referencing the location where the file originally was (i.e. SD Card, Camera HDD, etc.).

When this happens, and you try to share/export a project, you'll receive an error message that says "This item cannot be shared while it is still referencing media on the camera."

To fix this problem, you'll need to reimport your footage from the original source using the File menu. It's fairly straightforward, but it's not exactly obvious as to what you should do when you first encounter this issue. Inside, we'll show you the error message and the quick fix in our brief video tutorial.

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PCalc for Apple Watch released with Glance, Send to iPhone, tip calc, RPN support and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 19, 2015

Thanks to independent iOS and Mac developer James Thomson, you can now wear PCalc on your $400+ Apple Watch. The award-winning $9.99 calculator app for the iPhone and iPad was updated today with WatchKit support.

The app is very nicely done and feels native. It puts the full calculator with RPN Support on your wrist, along with a Glance to see the result of your most recent calculations from your watch face, a tip calculator and other goodies.

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Google and Twitter team up to provide Tweets in mobile search results

Cody Lee ∙ May 19, 2015

Google and Twitter announced on Tuesday that they are partnering up to bring Tweets to Google Search on mobile devices. The move means that now, anytime you perform a search using the Google app (iOS or Android) or mobile browser, you'll see real-time content from Twitter in your results.

The search results are triggered by “Twitter” keyword searches, and include both hashtags and accounts. So you can either search for feedback on the new #TaylorSwift album or #MadMenFinale, or you can track down NASA's Twitter account, and view their recent Tweets without leaving Google.

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First Apple Watch software update launches with performance improvements for Siri, fitness tracking, apps and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 11, 2025

Following its April 2015 launch, the first software update for the Apple Watch is now available for download through the companion Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Release notes for Apple Watch OS 1.0.1 cite several performance improvements related to Siri, third-party apps, activity tracking and more.

In addition, the software update delivers display support for new emoji characters and more than half a dozen new languages.

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