Apple has pushed a pair of tiny updates to its two Apple Store clients (iPhone and iPad versions are separate downloads) this afternoon. The updates bring the two apps to version 2.9.2 and 1.1.1 respectively, and include various improvements.
On the iPhone side, Apple has improved notifications for folks using the app in retail stores—users can now view notifications from within the app and on the Lock screen. And as for the iPad, Apple has added the ability to gift card purchases...
Strava Cycling, a biking and cycling tracking app that keeps tabs on your rides and analyzes your performances, has been rechristened Friday to reflect its expanded tracking capabilities. The software shall be known henceforth as Strava Running and Cycling for it can now track your runs, too.
I guess rebranding signals that the existing Strava Run is next on the chopping block. The name change is already reflected in the latest version 4.0 update, now available in the App Store. They have a new icon, too, and of course a set of new features dedicated to tracking your rides...
As you know, the world's most popular mobile messaging software, WhatsApp, is being purchased by the social networking giant Facebook for a staggering $16 billion.
WhatsApp previously promised to introduce VoIP calling in the second quarter of this year, a move poised to turn the tables on competition like Viber, now owned by Rakuten.
While Viber last December unveiled a new Skype-like Viber Out feature for making low-cost outgoing calls to international mobile and landline numbers, a set of screenshots leaked on Friday purportedly depicting what WhatsApp's VoIP calling will look like in its iPhone application, a free download from the App Store...
A new update to the magazine-style social news reading app, Flipboard, has expanded sharing features with a new ability to share articles directly with other Flipboard users.
You've always been able to share stories on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and more, but you can now send an article over to a friend on Flipboard directly.
Your friends will receive the message both inside the Flipboard app and in an email message.
Additionally, you'll receive handy notifications when other people on Flipboard share stories with you. This update is now live and available free of charge right in the App Store so go ahead and grab it now while it's hot...
Good news for Plex users this afternoon. The popular streaming media platform has updated its iOS client, bringing the app to version 3.4. The update brings about a number of changes, including free Chromecast support, as well as support for play queues & shuffle support.
While the Plex app previously supported Google's Chromecast digital media player, the feature required a [paid] Plex Pass subscription. But now, it's available to everyone for free, allowing all users to stream videos, photos and music from their iOS devices to their television sets...
We're pretty big fans of AgileBits's 1Password for iOS and OS X (Jeff and myself are converts). But why bother with a third-party app when Apple's new iCloud Keychain feature in iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks keeps all your website and app passwords, Wi-Fi logins and credit cards synced?
Lots of reasons, mainly because iCloud Keychain won't sync plenty of personal items like private notes, software serial numbers, bank accounts, passports and what not.
That's where 1Password comes in handy. First and foremost, 1Password uses a robust architecture to ensure that your private data remains private. Apps to manage passwords usually tend to be cumbersome, but that's never been the case with 1Password.
The software has been praised for its sleek interface, rich feature set and handy tools like browser extensions and the 1Password mini app which patiently sits in your Mac's menu bar to make remembering new passwords a hassle-free affair.
AgileBits is now introducing a new edition of 1Password for Mac which further refines the experience of using 1Password mini, the AutoSave feature and item editing. Read on for the full reveal...
Google last month introduced some nice new features for its mobile Wallet app, namely the ability to scan your loyalty cards using the iPhone's iSight camera and receive notifications for offers from local merchants.
According to a post Wednesday on the Google Commerce Blog, the Internet giant is rolling out a new version of Wallet for iPhone which uses receipts from Gmail to track your online purchases.
The refreshed software is currently being rolled out to US-based customers so keep an eye on the App Store as the app goes live in the course of this week...
FiftyThree announced a significant update for its popular Paper for iPad drawing app this afternoon, bringing the app to version 1.6.1. The update brings about an iOS 7-inspired redesign with new fonts, buttons and toggles, as well as a handful of other improvements.
Among those improvements are more powerful zoom and ink—when you zoom in on your artwork, your tools do too, giving you finer control over the smaller areas—and better dot control. Now, the dot size in your Draw and Erase tools is linked to how long you press...
Starbucks, the global coffee company and coffeehouse chain, announced Wednesday that new features are coming to its free iPhone application next Wednesday, March 19.
For starters, coffee aficionados in the United States and Canada will be able to use the firm's free iPhone app to tip their baristas in $0.50, $1 and $2 denominations at more than 7,000 company-operated locations in the U.S. This has apparently been a much-requested feature.
And to make mobile payments even easier, the app will include a brand new (and pretty handy) 'Shake to Pay' feature which does exactly that - you can just shake your iPhone to quickly bring the barcode of your Starbucks Card to the front, saving you diving into Apple's Passbook app...
Despite the undeniable usefulness of Apple's iMessage and the massive popularity of WhatsApp, many people still rely a variety of other messaging services, from the Facebook chat to Gtalk to AIM (who still uses AIM?) to Yahoo Messenger and a variety of emerging and lesser-known services with cryptic names.
Verbs by #include tech was released on the iPhone back in January 2011 and instantly won me over with its gorgeous interface that looks like it was designed by Apple itself.
It supports tons of instant messaging services, has a native iPad UI, delivers notifications for incoming messages and lots more. In todays Verbs 3.0 update, now available in the App Store free to existing users, the app is now iOS 7-ready and improved in ways more than one.
For starters, it now uses iCloud to sync your chat archives across devices in real-time - something Apple's iMessage still can't do. Verbs 3.0 integrates with Dropbox for sharing files and photos in chat, supports the Jabber protocol (useful for Hipchat and other Jabber-compliant IM services), while introducing a slew of new notification options.
The full breakdown is right after the break...
Speedtest.net, a free broadband connection analysis service founded by Ookla in 2006, has a nice mobile app for various platforms.
This nifty little piece of software lets anyone easily measure the speed of their Internet connection, be it cellular or Wi-Fi. Released back in January 2009, the app used to run natively on the iPhone and iPod touch only, but not anymore.
Thanks to the latest version 3.2 update, Speedtest.net now runs natively on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad and has support for landscape mode on the Apple tablet. This version of Speedtest.net, available free of charge in the App Store, also comes with a few minor tweaks, listed below the fold...
Fantastical by Flexibits is arguably the most advanced calendar and to-do application on the iPhone - my daily productivity is now dependent on it running on my iOS devices and Macs.
If you're not familiar with the app, it features natural language processing so you can just type in something like 'lunch with Dad in two weeks at Mom's place at 1pm' and it'll automatically create a reminder or an event for you. And yes, it integrates with your iOS Calendar and Reminders database.
Fantastical is even better on the Mac and developers should be praised for keeping their user base loyal by expanding on the feature set with regular refinements and new capabilities. In today's update, now live in the App Store, Fantastical brings out a whole bunch of tweaks and improvements along with a few new features.
Notable highlights include an option to send text messages in WhatsApp, support for opening links in 1Password and the Mercury web browser, a new custom sound they've made for event and reminder notifications and lots more.
The full changelog is right below the fold...