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‘Activator’ gains custom events triggered by email, invoke shutter actions, and more

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

After a marvelous update that brought us flick icons gestures, Ryan Petrich is still at it. This time, we're all the way to Activator 1.7.5 beta 8. The last couple of Activator beta releases have added a few new handy features to the fold, and I'd like to take the time to tell you about them.

First up to bat is a new gesture that allows you to take advantage of a simultaneous press of the Home button and Sleep button. If that combination sounds a bit familiar to you, it's because that's currently the stock gesture combination for taking Screenshots on iOS. This means that you can basically reassign the stock screenshot gesture to do something completely different.

Secondly, you'll find a new action to invoke the camera shutter for the stock Camera app. If you're already inside of the camera app, this gesture will cause the shutter to fire. If you're not already inside of the Camera app, then the initial gesture will take you there.

Lastly, but certainly not least, is a new custom trigger that allows you to execute an action when you receive an email from a specific sender, subject line, or a combination of the two. Check inside for our full video walkthrough that showcases all of the goods in action.

PebbleActivator: execute Activator actions using your Pebble watch

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

I'm not a Pebble watch owner, but if I was, I'd be all over this like white on rice. PebbleActivator is a new jailbreak tweak from iOS developer Ryan Petrich, and it allows you to execute specific commands via the Pebble Smart watch's physical buttons.

PebbleActivator is basically an Activator add-on, as it runs inside of the Activator app. With that said, the app does feature its own standalone app icon for interfacing with its settings. Take a look inside for a few more details, and why this new tweak is so handy for Pebble watch owners.

Facebook to host event June 20th, says it’s been working on ‘big ideas’

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 21, 2017

It's just June now, and the Facebook team has already had a big year. It's launched major new search tool, rolled out a completely revamped version of its Timeline feature, and oh yeah, it developed its own Android launcher.

But apparently it's not finished yet. The social networking giant just sent out invitations to a media event scheduled for June 20th. Facebook's invite doesn't offer many details, but it does say that it's been working on big ideas...

AT&T’s GoPhone prepaid sevice now available on 4G LTE and HSPA+

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 14, 2013

GoPhone, a prepaid wireless service from U.S. carrier AT&T, used to be a 3G-only affair. But not anymore.

Just like clockwork, the carrier Friday announced that GoPhone customers can now enjoy fast data speeds not only on its third-generation HSPA+ network (unfairly billed as 4G), but also on the fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network.

Compared to 3G, 4G LTE offers ten times higher data throughput. The telco also added Samsung's Galaxy Express to its GoPhone device portfolio and said folks can also bring their own HSPA+ or LTE smartphone...

Apple website graphics shows iOS 7 on iPads

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 20, 2013

Despite CEO Tim Cook's management shakeup last year, Apple's marketing and website departments don't seem to collaborate closely enough. In what could only be attributed to a human error, image files discovered on Apple's website earlier today offered a glimpse into iOS 7 icons different from the current iOS 7 Beta 1.

Another find involves graphics outlining device compatibility, with an image depicting iOS 7 running on the iPad and iPad mini...

Mistake on Apple’s website shows different iOS 7 app icons

Cody Lee ∙ Updated September 26, 2016

This is kind of interesting. New versions of some of the stock app icons in iOS 7 have been spotted on Apple's website. The reason for the changes is not yet known, but the app icons have received the blunt of the criticism thus far regarding Apple's new mobile OS.

Some of the new icons are starkly different than the ones seen in the first developer beta of iOS 7, while others appear to only feature subtle differences. And it's not clear if this was a mistake on Apple's part, or these will be the new app icons in iOS going forward...

A closer look at Messages in iOS 7

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 27, 2013

Messaging is arguably one of the most oft-used features of mobile devices. And with folks overwhelmingly embracing services like WhatsApp, little wonder instant messaging has overtaken traditional SMS by volume. The October 2011 iMessage unveiling signaled an era of frictionless communication between Apple device owners, made convenient by blurring the line between SMS and IM.

iOS 7 elevates that experience by making it prettier while implementing a few evolutionary improvements. That said, the iOS 7 Messages app is nonetheless a pretty big departure from iOS 6. But don't worry - iDB has you covered...

Office Mobile for iPhone review

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated March 14, 2018

As you're likely well aware of by now, Microsoft dropped Office Mobile for iPhone today. The actual name of the app is Office Mobile for Office 365 subscribers, which is a crazy mouthful, so I'll be referring to it as Office Mobile throughout this write up.

As someone who's been an iWork user during most of their Mac tenure, I'm approaching this review from a different perspective than perhaps most. I don't currently use Office 365 on the desktop, because iWork is suitable for all of my needs. Why pay $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year for something that I have no real need for? I know some people argue that the Office suite is superior than iWork, and I do tend to agree in some cases. But for the basic need of editing documents and the occasional spreadsheet, iWork can, for the most part, handle my needs.

So with all of this in mind, I'm approaching this review as someone who's mainly interested in editing and creating new documents on the iPhone. If the iPhone version is superior to the current iWork experience, then I may be interested in making the switch to Office 365 beyond the scope of my free 30 day trial. Take a look inside as I break it down further on video.

‘No More Shadows’ hides the shadow that appears when launching apps

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Every time I'm convinced that there's absolutely nothing new under the sun when it comes to jailbreak development, someone comes with some far out idea that I've never seen before. Case in point? No More Shadows.

This is a jailbreak tweak that hides the shadow that appears on an app icon when tapping the app on the Home screen. Take a look at our video walkthrough inside for a before and after comparison showcasing how No More Shadows works.

‘Smudge’ adds a Gaussian blur to the area above the app switcher

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Some jailbreak tweaks offer awesome new functionality, and some mainly exist for pure aesthetic reasons. Smudge is a jailbreak tweak that falls firmly into the latter category. Smudge allows you to add a simple Gaussian blur to the area above your app switcher when it's invoked. Take a look at our video walkthrough inside for more details on how it works.

Apple still leading apps and profits in iOS-Android horserace

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

From a distance, the horse race between Apple's iOS and Google's Android appears as if the open-source mobile operating system is a clear winner. However, a closer look reveals other levels of competition not so clearly defined.

Android unmistakably is the leader when it comes to the share of mobile devices being shipped. The inexpensive operating system is also ahead in attracting developing nations, such as India and China. But don't cry for Apple, according to mobile advertising network Flurry. The iPhone maker tops Android for app usage, as well as profits...

iOS 6 vs iOS 7: the different UI views

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

iOS developer MPow recently tweeted an interesting comparison image of iOS 6's UI views versus the new elements found in iOS 7. It's a great way to gain a high level overview on the scope of the visual changes occurring with iOS.

The image compares common elements like the toolbar, tabbar, searchbar, switches, sliders, and much more. It's a great way to appreciate some of the widely seen visual changes happening with iOS. If you happen to be a developer, or are at least interested in what it takes to create an app on iOS, you'll especially appreciate this. Take a look inside for the full image.