iOS 8 AirPlay broadcasts to Apple TV without Wi-Fi

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 3, 2014

Apple's current implementation of AirPlay, its media streaming technology, requires a Mac or iOS device to be on the same Wi-Fi network as an AirPlay receiver, which in most scenarios is the Apple TV. While seamless, AirPlay in its current form makes it impossible to use in places where you don't have access to a local Wi-Fi network.

Feeling your pain, Apple in iOS 8 has implemented zero-configuration peer-to-peer networking between AirPlay devices. This lets you broadcast whatever content from an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to your Apple TV, even if these devices are not on the same local network...

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OS X Yosemite lets you video capture iOS 8 devices with a Lightning cable

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 3, 2014

Capturing a real-time screencast of apps and games running on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad used to require juggling with various devices/cables.

As our own Jeff Benjamin would explain, a typical solution would involve using a pro camcorder to physically record the screen of an iOS device and taking advantage of one of Lightning digital A/V adapters to feed live video from your iOS device to a computer or a specialized video capture device.

Starting this Fall, iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite will greatly simplify the process by allowing you to capture a screencast by connecting an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to a computer using a Lightning cable, no A/V adapters or HDMI capture cards needed whatsoever...

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iOS 8 adds Handoff feature for completing tasks across multiple devices

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 3, 2014

Apple has introduced a handy new feature in iOS 8 called Handoff, which lets you start a task on one Apple device and pick up right where you left off on another. For instance, you might start composing a long email on your iPhone and sit down at your desk to finish it on your Mac later. Or perhaps you are browsing the web on your Mac, and then keep looking at the same link from your iPad… 

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Volvo confirms XC90 SUV is its first CarPlay vehicle

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 3, 2014

Aside from Mercedes-Benz and Ferari, Volvo is another launch partner for Apple's in-car software feature, dubbed CarPlay. After recently announcing a new version of its popular XC90 SUV, the Swedish company today confirmed the vehicle files as its first car model with native CarPlay integration.

CarPlay on the XC90 is provided alongside Volvo's built-in technology from Here and it enables familiar features like phone, navigation, music, Siri and more - all within an arm's reach via the vehicle's centre console touchscreen display...

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Swype, Fleksy and SwiftKey working on custom iOS 8 keyboards as we speak

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 30, 2017

In announcing iOS 8 and Yosemite yesterday, Apple dedicated some stage time to highlighting a new system-wide keyboard with context-aware predictive typing suggestions, called QuickType. But Apple also wooed developers by relaxing its rules to permit users to install third-party keyboards distributed through the App Store when iOS 8 officially releases this Fall.

Needless to say, makers of popular Android keyboards jumped with joy. The likes of Swype, Fleksy and SwiftKey have immediately confirmed they will be releasing their software keyboards for iOS 8...

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iOS 8 makes it easy to detect battery hog apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 3, 2014

iOS 8, when it releases for public consumption this Fall, will make it real easy to identify apps that are battery hogs.

That's because among a flurry of new iOS 8 features introduced during the WWDC keynote yesterday was a brand new per-app battery usage indicator in the Settings app.

It allows you to identify apps that suck your battery dry so you could stop using them and improve your device's battery performance...

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Alfred still has a future on OS X Yosemite

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 3, 2014

Apple has greatly improved Spotlight search in OS X Yosemite, making it accessible front and center on the desktop with more intelligent search results from Wikipedia and other sources. In doing so, it essentially brought most of the functionality of the popular third-party productivity app Alfred to stock OS X. But while the general consensus among the Apple community yesterday was "poor Alfred," the creators of the app remain optimistic… 

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Google+ for iOS gains Stories support, adds new photo editor with filters and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

Following a stream of ongoing WWDC keynote coverage yesterday, the Internet giant Google issued an update to its Google+ iOS client containing some newsworthy new features.

The free iPhone and iPad app has been bumped to version 4.7.0 and now offers support for nice-looking digital travelogues, called Stories, that Google unveiled last month.

For those unfamiliar with Google+ Stories, it's an album feature that works by combining your photos, videos and location data into interactive presentations. And now the iOS client lets you create this beautiful trip summaries. Other changes, refinements and feature additions are listed right after the break...

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Apple reportedly solves battery issue with 5.5-inch iPhone 6

Cody Lee ∙ Updated August 30, 2016

In the world of iPhone 6 rumors, the narrative thus far has been that Apple is working on two models: one with a 4.7-inch display and one with a 5.5-inch display. Both would feature similar specs, much like the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini.

Unfortunately, for those wanting the latter model, supply chain chatter has indicated that battery issues may push the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 launch into next year. But according to a new report, Apple has solved the issues and is back on track...

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Apple updates its App Store guidelines to allow for virtual currency apps

Cody Lee ∙ June 3, 2014

Good news for iPhone and iPad users that are into cryptocurrencies. Following the unveiling of iOS 8 during Apple's WWDC keynote yesterday, the company has updated its App Store review guidelines with a new section dedicated specifically to virtual currencies.

It seems that after pulling the Bitcoin wallet app Blockchain, and other crypto wallet-related titles from the App Store, Apple has had a change of heart. It's now ready to accept applications that deal in the transmission of virtual currencies—at least to a limited degree...

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Apple announces 2014 Design Awards winners

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated January 26, 2018

Apple has selected twelve apps that it feels "combine design and technology in creative, compelling, and powerful ways" as its 2014 Design Awards winners. The company announced the winners as part of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco this afternoon.

The winners are as follows: Sky Guide: View Stars Night or Day, Cinemagraph Pro, Storehouse - Visual Storytelling, Monument Valley, Threes!, DEVICE 6, Blek, Leo's Fortune, Day One, Yahoo News Digest, Teachley: Addimals Adventure and PanoPerfect. Read ahead for a rundown of each app…

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The ultimate WWDC 2014 keynote roundup

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 2, 2014

Ladies and gentleman, we have survived the onslaught of announcements surrounding the WWDC keynote. We have already posted roundups of the major features in iOS 8 and major features in OS X Yosemite, but there is so much other news about the event that it can be overwhelming. That is why we have prepared this concise roundup of everything that has been covered since this afternoon. Take a look…

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