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App updates not showing up in iTunes? I’m in the same boat!

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 16, 2013

I've noticed this morning that app updates stopped showing up in desktop iTunes on Mac and Windows. It's interesting that the App Store on my iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices still notifies me of available updates like before. For instance, tapping the Updates tab in the App Store storefront app on iDevices shows all of the available updates.

Not so much in desktop iTunes, unfortunately.

Individual app updates are still available by visiting an app's page in iTunes and hitting the Update button, they just won't show up in the Updates tab section section. Twitter says a growing number of users are now experiencing this hiccup, with early reports of the issue dating as far back as a week ago...

Sprint’s LTE network is now live in 300 cities

Cody Lee ∙ December 16, 2013

Good news for Sprint users with LTE-enabled devices today. The carrier announced this morning that it has flipped out the 4G tech for a handful of major new markets including San Diego and St. Louis, and several smaller ones.

Today's rollout pushes Sprint's LTE network into over 300 US cities, covering close to 200 million people—a significant milestone for the company, although it's still well behind its much larger competitors Verizon and AT&T...

Apple says Beyoncé has become the fastest selling album ever on iTunes

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 16, 2013

CNBC is reporting on Twitter that Beyoncé's fifth self-named album, released as an iTunes exclusive three days ago, has become the fastest selling album ever on iTunes. Apple has confirmed the news via a press release this morning, saying Beyoncé has gone down in history as the fastest selling album ever on the iTunes Store worldwide.

The surprise album has racketed up a whopping 828,773 sales in just its first three days exclusive availability on iTunes. It also broke the US first-week album sales record with 617,213 sold and proved to be a global success going to number one in 104 countries...

Apple supplier Pegatron using facial recognition to scan for underage workers

Cody Lee ∙ December 16, 2013

Following the death of a 15 year-old factory worker, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Pegatron is using facial recognition technology to screen applicants for its iPhone plant. Pegatron manufactures the iPhone 5c and other products for Apple.

The company is using the tech to match real faces with those on government-issued IDs. This form of authentication helps to weed out those with borrowed or forged IDs, which is believed to be how the 15 year-old was able to get past initial screening...

Meet Tydlig, gorgeous new free-form iOS calculator

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 16, 2013

Apple's stock Calculator app hasn't changed much since the iPhone's inception, except for a light new interface introduced as part of the overall iOS 7 makeover.

It gets the job done, for the most part, and is good enough for average users who just need to perform simple on the go calculations every now and then. On the downside, Apple's inexplicably refused to make its Calculator app available on the iPad.

Worse, the company's refrained from implementing new features to make complex math or stringing calculations together easier. Enter Tydlig by Andreas Karlsson, a beautiful free-form calculator app for the iPhone and iPad which debuted earlier this month.

Not only is Tydlig a fine piece of software that reminds us what the stock app should have been, it actually tries to re-imagine what a mobile calculator app designed for touch interfaces should be like.

Yes, the world actually needs a calculator app done right...

Yahoo Screen gains watch-later queue, channel personalization and search suggestions

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 1, 2018

Yahoo's Screen for iPhone and iPad app debuted in September as your one-stop shop for an endless world of web video, as well a Yahoo's own premium and licensed video library. It's a nice app which puts not only the world of kitten videos, but also such TV shows as Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report - along with Yahoo Originals featuring Jack Black, Ed Helms, Zachary Levi, Cheryl Hines, Rachael Harris and more - under your fingertips.

The struggling Internet giant on Monday gave Screen for iOS a nice little update with new features like the handy ability to personalize your channels, save videos for later viewing, as-you-type search suggestions and other goodies...

Philips Hue updated for iOS 7, adds new features

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

Philips Hue, the pricey iPhone-controlled personal wireless lighting system, has captured Jeff's imagination with its ability to control lighting when away from the house, turn on lights when pulling into the driveway, set timers to adjust lighting at certain periods during the day, etc.

The companion Hue app, a free download from the App Store, allows you to easily control your Hue lighting through your iPhone with just a few setup steps.

The software was originally designed around a non-standard interface and today got refreshed for the iOS 7 look and feel while adding sidebar navigation, introduction demo and a few other nice-to-haves...

iPhone 5s price dropped to $119 at Sam’s Club through January

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 16, 2013

Sam's Club, Walmart-owned chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs in the United States, is offering up Apple's entry-level iPhone 5s with sixteen gigabytes of storage for just $119 with a two-year contract, down from Apple's normal asking price of $199 and Sam's usual $147 price point.

The deal is good through January 2014 and requires a two-year contract with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile or US Cellular, though you have to be a member of Sam's Club to take advantage of the discount...

Ecoute music player receives major iOS 7 makeover, gains Last.fm scrobbling

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 21, 2018

Ecoute by Louka Desroziers and Julien Sagot of PixiApps used to be my fav third-party iPhone music player - MacStories editor Federico Viticci even named it his best iOS music player following its August 2012 debut.

A couple other alternative music players have been released since, most recently the gesture-based Beat and the $1.99 Panamp (formerly Couch Music Player).

This past weekend, PixiApps have piqued my interest all over again with Ecoute 2.0 for iPhone and iPod touch, a major rethinking of the software with iOS 7-optimized appearance, song scrobbling via Last.fm and more...

Delightful concept videos envision iPhone 6c and iPhone Air

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 31, 2017

It's been a while since we've been treated to a compelling concept regarding Apple's next iPhone. SET Solution, which specializes in visual effects, 3D graphics and animation and video editing saw to that with a pair of rather incredible video concepts that try to envision Apple's next 'c' iPhone, the iPhone 6c, and the ultra-thin iPhablet dubbed iPhone Air.

As its name suggests, Italy-based SET thinks the next major iPhone revision should be ultra-thin and of course incorporate Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner. I've included both videos for your viewing pleasure right after the break so have a look and join us in comments...

The Walk review: a fitness app disguised as a game

Lory Gil ∙ December 16, 2013

One of the most fun ways to get in shape came in the form of a clever fitness app disguised as a game called Zombies, Run! With it, users would follow a story that involved saving peoples lives and escaping brain eaters by sprinting and jogging while the app was running in the background.

The Walk is a very similar fitness app. Users complete a certain amount of exercise in order to unlock the next piece of the story. Only with this app, you don’t have to run and if you hate zombies, you won’t have to listen to them moaning as they chase you…

Gist intelligently summarizes your news articles

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated March 16, 2018

Many people turn to their iOS devices as a way to catch up on news and consume reading materials, keeping updated with daily happenings. Other than Twitter, there are few options to instantly give a short synopsis of a story or news blurb.

Personally, I use Flipboard, but even it utilizes the entire article. If you are pressed for time or only want the key points of an otherwise much larger article, a new app called Gist is aiming to provide only the quick details of news articles...