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Spotify announces Musixmatch lyrics integration in desktop apps and other goodies

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

Spotify, the world's top music-streaming service, on Thursday announced its desktop apps will be soon getting Musixmatch-powered lyrics engine, making it easy for music lovers to access song lyrics on their Mac or Windows PCs and sing along to their favorite tracks.

Established in early 2010 by Massimo Ciociola and a group of co-founders, the startup, which has offices in Italy's Bologna, UK's London and US's New York, has more than seven million lyrics in 38 languages.

In addition to Spotify integration, Musixmatch is also available as a standalone iPhone and iPad application, available at no cost in the App Store.

Apple and other Western firms removed from China’s approved government purchase list

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2016

Apple, along with other leading Western technology companies, has been taken off the list of approved tech companies for state purchases in China, Reuters reported last evening.

Apparently in response to widespread Western cyber-surveillance, companies like Apple, network equipment maker Cisco Systems and chip giant Intel have now been removed from the Central Government Procurement Center's (CGPC) list.

The list, maintained and approved by China's Ministry of Finance, covers regular spending by central ministries.

Tap Heroes review: whether you are active or not, your adventure continues

Lory Gil ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

You may recall my review of Dreeps, which is a role-playing adventure game that plays by itself, even when you don’t have it open. It works great for gamers that just don’t have time to game.

Tap Heroes is similar in that the fighting continues whether you actively participate, or simply watch the action unfold. We have a game review of Tap Heroes for you today.

TWIST3D puts a new spin on the match-three genre

Lory Gil ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

Traditional match-three games are usually presented on a flat screen with some kind of grid. Players usually flip tiles in order to make a match and point scores go up the more matches you make at one time.

TWIST3D is kind of not at all like that. It is a match-three game, but it is played on a rotating cube instead of a flat grid. You can’t flip tiles, but you can flip the entire cube. You earn the most points for matching tiles that have gems inside of them.

Tim Cook to deliver commencement address at George Washington University

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver George Washington University's commencement address at the school's graduation ceremony, the university announced on Wednesday. The ceremony takes place on May 17, at the prestigious 'National Mall' national park in downtown Washington, D.C.

“I am delighted that Tim Cook has accepted our invitation to give this year’s commencement address,” University President Steven Knapp said. "I know our graduating students will be inspired and enlightened by his reflections on the lessons he has garnered from his distinguished career."

Let’s Talk Jailbreak 96: Controversy

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Episode 96: We discuss the recent controversy over our jailbreak tweak coverage, why we don't often review themes, how to jailbreak iOS 8.2 beta, and discuss a whole host of new jailbreak tweaks like Profluence, StickerMe, and Stratos.

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Google Play Music bumps free storage limit from 20,000 to 50,000 songs

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 25, 2015

Google's music locker in the cloud, called Play Music, has just outsmarted every rival service out there by more than doubling its storage limit, letting you store 50,000 songs in the cloud as opposed to the previous 20,000-song limit.

You don't even have to be subscribed to the $9.99 per month Google Play Music All Access subscription service, meaning everyone can take advantage of this offer immediately, without upgrading their Drive storage.

The change, effective immediately, gives Google Play Music more competitive footing against Apple's scan-and-match $25 per year iTunes Match service that supports storing up to 25,000 user-uploaded songs in iCloud (more if songs are purchased from the iTunes Store).

Google reportedly launching Android Pay in May

Jake Smith ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Google plans to launch Android Pay at its Google I/O conference in May, following its purchase of Softcard (formerly known as Isis) earlier this week, according to ArsTechnica citing anonymous sources.

The new Android Pay solution, which ArsTechnica reports will indeed be the name, is set to take on Apple Pay as a revamp to Google's ailing Google Wallet product that's been around since 2011.

Apple says FCPX is ready for the big leagues, showcases its usage in ‘Focus’ movie production

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 2, 2018

Focus, an upcoming movie starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie, has become the first Hollywood flick to have been edited entirely in Apple's Final Cut Pro X software, USA Today reported Wednesday.

In advance of the film's silver screen debut this coming Friday, Apple set up a dedicated webpage on its website to showcase how the romantic comedy was shot and edited using not just Final Cut Pro X, but other standard software readily available to anyone on the Mac App Store.

Apple adds two new Maps data partners: GasBuddy and GreatSchools

Timothy Reavis ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

Apple's acknowledgements page for its Maps service has been recently updated with several new references, MacRumors reports. Among the companies cited are GasBuddy and GreatSchools, both of which are data aggregates that display information about nearby gasoline stations and schools, respectively.

Google says Android is ready for work, launches Android for Work initiative

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 25, 2015

Google on Wednesday announced a new initiative aimed at making greater inroads in enterprise, where Apple's devices are by and large the preferred choice.

Dubbed ‘Android for Work,’ the program revolves around four key technology components: work profiles, the Android for Work app, Google Play for Work and a set of built-in productivity tools. As is its wont, Google has partnered with a number of technology and solutions provider on the initiative.

Third-parties will help ensure consistent enterprise mobility management, Google said, adding it's given devs ability to create a single version of any Google Play app which can then be securely deployed to any Android device without alterations or wrapping.

Director explains how Modern Family episode was filmed using iPhones and iPads

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 22, 2018

The highly anticipated episode of ABC’s popular sitcom "Modern Family" that was shot entirely using iPhone and iPad cameras airs tonight, and to celebrate, BuzzFeed News got in touch with the episode's director Steven Levitan to find out how they pulled it off.

In a video conversation, which you can download here, Levitan explains that the iOS devices were placed in holsters operated by cameramen and held by the actors. This allowed the pros to control the shots, while still appearing as though the actors held the devices.