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Google updates Play Books with rentals and sepia mode, starts rolling out textbooks

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 9, 2016

I like Google's Play Books app even though it's severely crippled due to Apple's policy of prohibiting links to external stores, which doesn't make it very useful if you want to browse and download some new reading material to your device (to shop books, visit Google Play in your browser).

Other than that, it's a solid reading app and perhaps a nice gateway drug to Google's other content stores.

It's been a while since Google last updated Play Books so today saw an interesting update which has brought out three useful features. I've included the description and a few nice screenshots right after the break...

Apple’s iPhone activation servers knocked offline, all over again

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 8, 2013

"Your iPhone could not be activated because the activation server is temporarily unavailable," used to be the unmistakable declaration of crazy high demand.

Each time an influx of buyers rushed to simultaneously power on their brand spanking new iPhones on launch day, Apple's iTunes servers struggled to keep up.

Nowadays, it's just plain embarrassing.

Just as Apple is coping with bringing the remaining Dev Center systems back online and less than 24 hours after a two-hour outage had knocked offline Apple's App Store and other iTunes content stores, the Apple cloud is acting up - again.

This time around, users on Twitter and elsewhere are reporting not being able to activate their brand spanking new iPhones because iTunes activation servers are experiencing another outage...

How to add ‘TypographyTime’ to Notification Center

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

If you're a fan of the legendary TypographyTime lock screen add-on for LockInfo, then perhaps you'll be interested in adding a TypographyTime clone to Notification Center? That's the exact premise behind TypographyTime for Notification Center, a jailbreak widget that adds a stylized clock to iOS' pull down information panel.

We've taken some, ahem, time to go hands-on with the widget. Check inside for the full video walkthrough showcasing all of the pertinent details...

New KeyMe app allows you to store, share and duplicate physical keys

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

We've all been there, right? You get home from a long day of work or school, walk up to your front door, reach in your pockets and—you can't find your keys. After some quick backtracking, you realize that they're inside, on the kitchen counter, and you're locked out. What do you do?

Well unless you have a spare hidden in a fake rock or under the doormat, the first step is calling anyone who has or might have a house key. But if that doesn't work, and breaking a window isn't an option, the next step is a $200 call to your local locksmith. That is, unless you have KeyMe...

Vevo Apple TV app reportedly in the works

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Specialized publication AdAge is out with a new report which asserts - based on chit-chats with the obligatory "people familiar with the matter" - that Apple and the Vevo music website (no, I'm not capitalizing the name) have teamed up on providing the official app for the Apple TV to stream music videos 24/7 over the Internet. Akin to the Vevo TV feature found in Vevo's existing iPhone and iPad programs, the Apple TV application would offer non-stop streaming of music videos from Vevo's content partners.

Such a piece of software has the potential to effectively turn your $99 set-top box into the MTV jukebox for the 21st century. Keep in mind Vevo controls a catalog of 75,000 music videos from more than 21,000 artists...

Google starts injecting ‘relevant ads’ in Google Maps app search results

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 8, 2013

In another showing of the key differences between Google and Apple, the Internet giant on Thursday announced that relevant advertising will now start appearing in the native Google Maps app for iOS and Android devices.

Relevant advertising will appear at the bottom of the screen after you perform a search, Google said, adding that ads may include a title, ad text and a link to get directions.

Great, Google, just great! You can go ahead and sell me at a premium to advertisers all you want, but I hate ads and am switching over to Apple Maps as we speak...

Rdio update brings Pandora-style personalized radio stations

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 13, 2018

Adaptive Internet radio is all the rage these days for streaming music service subscribers. At least, that's what you'd think looking at the top players. The feature, which was popularized by Pandora, can be found in Apple's iTunes Radio, Spotify, and now Rdio.

Rdio updated its apps today with a number of improvements, including enhanced Stations, tweaked UI, and more importantly, a new feature called 'You FM' that allows you to listen to personalized radio stations based on your favorite and pertinent tracks...

Apple reportedly setting up R&D center in Taiwan to create future iPhones

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 8, 2013

It is no secret that Apple operates a few research and development centers overseas. In Israel, for instance, the company runs three R&D centers: one in Haifa, another stemming from its acquisition of the flash memory developer Anobit and the third opening soon in the Israeli city of Ra’anana.

Yet another R&D facility is scheduled to open later this year in Pudong, Shanghai and now we learn that an all-new R&D center dedicated to iPhone development will be opening in Taiwan, where most of Apple's suppliers are located...

T-Mobile to carry ‘a whole array of Apple products’, CEO promises

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 28, 2016

I haven't forgotten what T-Mobile said last December about selling Apple products in 2013. “T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together next year,” the carrier's parent Deutsche Telekom wrote in a press statement back then.

Four months later, the nation's fourth-largest telco finally landed the iPhone and is now looking to add additional products to the mix. According to its outspoken CEO John Legere, T-Mobile is looking forward to carrying "a whole array of Apple product."

It's kinda expected that T-Mobile should next start offering iPad and perhaps iPod touch devices as well. The way Legere framed it sounds like the company may be eyeing non-iOS gear, too, such as Mac notebooks and perhaps even Apple's AirPlay wireless appliances...

Microsoft now takes swipes at iPad mini

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 8, 2013

Wow, there's just no stopping Microsoft's marketing people in their anti-iPad crusade. As it’s done several times this summer, the Windows giant yesterday posted a Surface commercial which predictably takes swipes at Apple's full-size iPad, criticizing its $499 asking price, lack of SD card slot and limited Office compatibility (go figure).

You'd have think Microsoft's ad agency would not release another iPad bashing commercial until next week. Much to our surprise, however, a mere 24 hours later a new commercial has surfaced on YouTube, this time on Microsoft's WindowsVideos channel.

And for the first time, the software giant is targeting the iPad mini by pitting Acer's 8.1-inch Iconia W3 tablet against Apple's popular 7.9-inch $329 device. I've included the ad for your viewing pleasure right after the break...

1Password 4 for iOS discounted by more than 50 percent ahead of Dropbox API changes

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 4, 2013

Dropbox retiring its legacy API in favor of a next-generation one on September 1 is inevitably going to break apps which plan to continue syncing data through the popular cloud storage service using the legacy API.

Among them: AgileBits' 1Password 3 for iOS and Mac. Now, this rather useful password management utility has been using Dropbox to sync its secure database across devices for ages.

Users on 1Password 4 are on the safe side because the app already uses the latest version of the Dropbox API so it'll continue to sync with Dropbox just fine. If you're on 1Password version 3.x and sync with Dropbox, however, you'll need to upgrade to the latest version to prevent syncing issues come September 1, or switch to Wi-Fi sync.

So, if you've been thinking about upgrading to the latest version, now's a good time because AgileBits has just sweetened the deal by discounting 1Password 4 by more than 50 percent, for a limited time...

Apple researching audio hyperlinks technology to control devices from podcasts

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 8, 2013

Remember the hokey demonstrations of hypnotism, where people are given commands to honk like a duck when a bell rings? Substitute podcasts for the hypnotists and a hyperlink for a duck quack and you've got Apple's latest patent application.

The application, published Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, outlines a way to encode device commands in audio signals. While Apple uses the example of enhanced podcasts which embed commands to visit a webpage or view an image stored on your device, the technology is also seen as a way to include ads in the upcoming iTunes Radio service...