Typing is so iOS 7!
With the introduction of third-party keyboards in iOS 8, you can now tap and swipe your way through words like never before, but really, where is the fun in that? Enters ScribbleBoard, a keyboard that lets you draw little doodles instead of typing words. Your productivity will certainly go down the drain as you activate this keyboard, but what you will lose in efficiency will be gained in fun.
There is an assortment of Bluetooth speakers on the market and almost any accessory maker thinks they should enter the flooded marketplace. With that attitude, your product should bring something a little different to the crowd. Truffol's DuraSound exists somewhere between business professional and outdoor appropriate.
DuraSound has a very conservative, simple, rectangular design, with a flat matte finished front and back grill. This simple design with clean edges and finishes makes it suitable for the office. In contrast, the color-matched silicon bumper allows the device to be toted around for after hour drinks.
Sales of the iPhone 6 Plus are exceeding initial expectations, according to a new report from Digitimes. Citing sources with knowledge of part shipments to Apple manufacturers, the outlet says the 6 Plus is expected to account for 60% of total iPhone 6 shipments.
Apparently, Foxconn has been tasked with handling the bulk of production for the iPhone 6 Plus, and Pegatron has the iPhone 6. Digitimes says that part shipments to both suppliers were similar in early September, but have tipped in Foxconn's favor as of late.
Reservations for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in China have already topped 4 million, reports Tencent. The Chinese media outlet says that demand for the two new handsets is strong in the country, with reservations hitting 2 million in just 6 hours, and 4 million in within the first day.
Note, this number does not include official iPhone 6 pre-orders, which haven't started yet. Apple announced on September 29 that it had picked up the necessary approval to sell its two new smartphones in China, and told customers that pre-orders would begin Tuesday, October 14.
Hulu has posted a major update for its Hulu Plus iOS client, bringing the app to version 4.0. The update features a number of enhancements, including an all new design, new navigation options, and in-app subscriptions, which allows you to subscribe to the Hulu Plus service.
In addition to these changes, the Hulu Plus app also received a new Search function, which now offers contextually grouped results to help you find what you're looking for. The app has also been updated to support iOS 8, and to "run beautifully" on the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
Apple is working to bring down the fees associated with Beats Music, reports Recode. The site says the company is speaking with major record labels about a new set of rights and features it would like to include in a revamped version of the streaming music service for less than $10 per month.
Discussions are in their early stages, as Apple isn't launching the overhauled Beats Music service until next year, but some critics wonder just how successful the firm will be in convincing folks in the music industry to agree to a price cut on a product they never wanted to exist in the first place.
CallBar, the tweak that lets you better manage incoming calls, has received a fairly big update to better suite iOS 7. The tweak now features Notification Center integration, which allows users to handle all telephony needs from a familiar location. The update also features a re-designed incoming call screen, which allows you to use your device more efficiently while your iPhone is ringing.
All in all, CallBar for iOS 7 is a fairly massive upgrade over its predecessors from a visual and usability standpoint. Many of the functions remain the same, but the tweak has been laid out in a manner so that it's easier to use and easier on the eyes. Have a look at our video overview of CallBar for iOS 7 after the jump.
Oscar-nominated actor Leonardo DiCaprio has withdrawn from negotiations to play Steve Jobs in Sony's upcoming movie on the Apple founder, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor was slated to begin work on the film after wrapping up The Revenant, but he has instead decided to take an extended hiatus.
With DiCaprio out, a number of other high profile names have come back into the mix. THR says that top talent including Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper are all on Sony's wish list, but it adds that Affleck seems unlikely given he just signed on to a film with a similar production schedule.
Yoni Heisler gives a detailed look at the security mechanisms of Apple Pay, and explains why it may very well be the safest way to make any type of credit card payment. Based on discussions with a few credit card executives involved in the Apple Pay development process, Heisler paints a great pictures of the various security elements behind Apple Pay.
Halfbrick Studios has released today what it is calling the "biggest update ever" to Fruit Ninja. The popular game, which has garnered nearly 700k reviews on the App Store, has been redesigned from the ground up with new content, gameplay elements and more.
At its core, most of the mechanics are still the same—the game is still about slicing fruit as quickly and efficiently as possible. But there are a lot of additions, such as new experience and currency systems, which are used to buy various upgrades and power ups.
Artistry in iPhone photography can now be in everyone's hands with Fragment, Apple's new Free App of the Week. As you know, each Thursday the App Store editorial team cherry-picks a new app to slash from its regular price to zero bucks, for a week.
Fragment by Pixite is a nifty little iPhone and iPad app that puts cool prismatic effects in your pocket, allowing you to transform your snaps into unique artworks.
It also plays nice with iOS 8 and includes a handy extension to edit your images right within the stock Photos app. Fragment is free until next Thursday, a $1.99 saving.
A pair of videos have surfaced this week offering a good look at real-world multitasking performance of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus relative to competition, while demonstrating the speedy 802.11ac wireless networking Apple's implemented on both devices.
The results suggest that the new iPhones offer nearly three times faster Wi-Fi performance than the iPhone 5s while beating out Samsung's Galaxy S5 and HTC's One M8 handsets in app loading times and task switching.