App Updates

App Recap: 8 apps to look at for iPhone and iPad

It's hard to believe that the sixth anniversary of the App Store is in just one month. I still fondly remember being a fourteen-year-old kid and downloading Super Monkey Ball on my original iPod touch. It's unbelievable how quick time flies, but we've certainly come a long way since those days. The quality of apps, and especially games, on the App Store is unparalleled compared to what was available six years ago. Look no further than this edition of App Recap, which covers the best new, updated and discounted apps for iPhone and iPad. We've got 8 apps to look at today…

This is Skype’s upcoming iPhone facelift

Microsoft-owned Skype is putting finishing touches on a major new version of its free iPhone messaging and VoIP calling software. The software giant has just announced some of the new features making their way to the upcoming 5.0 iPhone release soon and boy are we excited.

The sleeker UI is only part of the story because Skype 5.0 focuses on speed. In fact, in redesigning the app developers have rewritten much of the code with iOS in mind.

As a result, Skype 5.0 for iPhone is up to five times faster than before. Additional tidbits and a cool promo video can be found right after the jump...

App Recap: 10 apps to setup your weekend

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the weekend has arrived. Better yet, the fifth and final edition of App Recap is here. If you're unfamiliar with this column, it covers the best new, updated and discounted apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Instead of endlessly browsing through the App Store trying to find the latest and greatest apps and games, leave the job to us. Read ahead for 10 apps to check out over the weekend… 

FIFA updates official iOS app for the 2014 World Cup Brazil, another refresh due soon

The official FIFA app for iOS has been updated ahead of the upcoming 2014 World Cup, which kicks off with a match between the Brazilian host team and Croatia (my home country) next Tuesday, June 12.

In addition to keeping you in the loop on the latest news concerning the upcoming matches, the free iPhone and iPod touch application, now bumped to version 2.0, offers detailed information about players and coaches from all 32 competing teams, a schedule of all 64 games, trivia about the stadiums and cities and much more...

1Password for Mac gains WhiteHat Aviator browser support, tons of fixes

AgileBits has updated 1Password for Mac with support for the WhiteHat Aviator browser, adding several minor improvements as well. The new 1Password for Mac version 4.4.1 is now live in the App Store and you should update your copy now because the new version comes with a ton of bug fixes, too.

Additionally, AgileBits has reflected on Apple's technological announcements announced during the WWDC keynote.

Developers have touched on such hot topics as Apple opening up the Touch ID fingerprint scanner to third-party developers and allowing apps to install system-wide extensions, explaining what it all could mean for 1Password...

Xbox One SmartGlass app is now your universal remote for TV and cable boxes

Microsoft's Xbox One companion app, SmartGlass, has been bumped to version 2.5 earlier today, bringing out a handful of new features that improve your living room experience and interactions with the console itself.

Most importantly, the app now features a remote control functionality similar to Apple's free Remote software. But as Microsoft's console lets you hook up a cable or satellite box to it, you can now basically channel surf from across the room using your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.

The update is now live in the App Store and I have a full list of features for your right after the break...

Instagram 6.0 rolls out with 10 new photo editing tools and other features

iPhone photography buffs, pay notice: Facebook-owned Instagram is rolling out a major version 6.0 update to its mobile apps. Available free in the App Store, Instagram's iPhone app now comes with ten new tools making photo editing before posting a lot easier.

There are also other features in this update, including more efficient video sharing, an improved design and bug fixes. Jump past the fold for details...

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

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...

Item printing resurrected in 1Password for iOS, iTunes backups added

1Password by AgileBits, one of the finest password management utilities on iOS and OS X, has received an update in the App Store today.

For starters, the new version 4.5.2 brings back the item printing feature after previously being removed. Next, this edition of 1Password adds another syncing option, in addition to Dropbox and iCloud: iTunes.

This allows you to store backups of your passwords, notes, credit cards and other private information as local files that can be accessed and copied to your computer using the iTunes File Sharing feature. You should also experience faster syncing and more reliable performance overall.

1Password for the iPhone and iPad is $17.99 in the App Store...

Google Play Music adds Downloaded Only filter, playlist editing, Shuffle Artist and more

Google's iOS client for its Play Music service has received a little update today bringing a few useful enhancement to make the experience better and less frictionless. For starters, the new Google Play Music version 1.2.1.1787 has removed a major annoyance: you can now finally edit playlists on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Needless to say, any changes made to a playlist on one device instantly reflect on all your others.

And when sorting through your cloud music library, the app now makes it dead simple to filter only the tracks that you've downloaded to your device for offline listening. There are two other additions, explained after the break.

Google Play Music is free in the App Store...

Rdio gains push notifications

Rdio has updated its free radio streaming app for the iPhone and iPad with some bug fixes and a brand new, albeit long overdue, feature: push notifications. That's right, you can now elect to received push alerts for various social activities going on in your stream.

The Internet radio app offers a catalog of 25 million songs and now you can get notified when someone shares a song with you, follows you on the service, subscribes to your playlist and more.

Push alerts settings are granular so you can choose to receive alerts for specific events and mute alerts for the others. For example, you could tell Rdio to send notifications to your device only for new songs shared with you...