Apple

Facebook launches Graph Search on iPhone

Facebook on Monday confirmed that it's at last gearing up to launch Graph Search in its mobile application for the iPhone and iPad this week following what has turned to be an incredibly extensive period of testing.

Tapping Facebook's vast database, Graph Search uses natural language queries to surface content information from within a user's network of friends that would be impractical or impossible using the standard and fairly limited search feature.

Another way to describe Open Graph: this tremendously powerful tool makes it easy and fun to explore the world through the eyes of your friends.

Legendary Grim Fandango adventure has been remastered, coming to Mac in January

Grim Fandango, the legendary neo-noir adventure game that LucasArts released back in 1998 for Windows, with Tim Schafer as the game's project leader, is getting a thorough makeover soon. This classic dark comedy style game made history as the first LucasArts' adventure to use 3D computer graphics overlaid on pre-rendered backgrounds.

According to DoubleFine Productions, Tim Schaffer's publishing company established in July 2000 after his departure from LucasArts, the game will be launching next year on January 27 across the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, PC, Mac and Linux.

Featuring revamped graphics optimized for today's high-resolution screens, Grim Fandango Remastered sticks to the original vision. The game takes place in an afterworld called the Land of the Dead, through which recently departed souls must travel before they reach their final destination, the Ninth Underworld.

App Recap: Facebook’s Graph Search launches on iPhone, MasterCard’s Apple Pay ad and more

App Recap welcomes you to Monday. Our daily column that helps make sense of the latest iPhone, iPad and Mac apps, games and media on iTunes is back with tons of goodies, discounts, software news and more.

We also feature a new Apple Pay television commercial by MasterCard featuring Gwen Stefani and a huge update to Paper by Fifty-Three while casting spotlight on a holiday-themed update to The Sims FreePlay and the latest Star Wars: Commander refresh that features Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

Poll: did you donate to (RED)?

Apple's (RED) campaign to help raise funds to fight AIDS in recognition of the World AIDS Day 2014 is over now and we wanted to ask if you had taken an opportunity to donate to the charity.

You donated to the Global Fund to fight AIDS if you purchased one or more (RED) apps in the App Store or made In-App Purchases in (RED) apps from Monday, November 24 through Sunday, December 7; bought PRODUCT(RED) merchandize at Apple’s retail and online stores on Monday, December 1; bought select Apple products in the U.S. retail stores on Friday, November 28 and received a special edition (RED) iTunes gift card; made a donation through a special page on App Store/iTunes; or donated directly through RED.org.

Apple posts iTunes Best of 2014 charts

Like in years past, Apple ahead of the holidays published its list of the best and most popular apps, movies, TV shows, music and books available on iTunes. In the category of the top paid iPhone app, Heads Up! came in first. Facebook's Messenger is Apple's top free iPhone app and Clash of Clans emerged as the top grossing iPhone app, respectively. On the iPad side, Minecraft, YouTube and Clash of Clans have been rated as the App Store's top paid, free and grossing apps, respectively.

Without further ado, here's the rest of Apple's most popular apps and media in 2014.

Fantastical 2 can now change days in Today widget and more

Flexibits' calendar and reminders application, Fantastical, has received a small update today in both iPhone and iPad edition which has brought out an enhanced search feature and the ability to change days in its Today widget on iOS 8.

Moreover, the team has fixed an issue when snoozing Exchange alerts and you'll also notice that the app now handles latitude and longitude coordinates for event locations better than before.

Night at the Museum: Hidden Treasures hits iOS

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, the third and final installment in the “Night at the Museum” movie series, is premiering later this month and an official tie-in iOS game is now available for download in the App Store.

Night at the Museum: Hidden Treasures for the iPhone and iPad is a hidden object adventure game that puts you in the shoes of Larry, a night guard from the movie who gets to explore the museum's hidden secrets, exhibits from Camelot, ancient Egypt, imperial China and more.

In his quest, Larry will team up with some of the most significant figures in human history such as Teddy Roosevelt, Atilla the Hun and Joan of Arc. If you're a fan of the movie, this tie-in game should be a no-brainer.

Apple planning big retail push in India with 500 new reseller stores

Apple doesn't operate its own retail stores in India, home to 1.3 billion people, and instead relies on a network of resellers.

And apparently the company has decided to go big in India with a network of 500 new reseller stores, The Times of India newspaper reported Friday.

The move is part of a plan to expand Apple's presence in smaller towns and cities. The upcoming stores are said to be iOS-centric, focusing on Apple's tremendously popular mobile devices such as iPads and iPhones.

Apple spending $161 million on Campus 2 auditorium, $74 million on fitness center

In addition to the now-iconic "spaceship" building, Apple's upcoming Campus 2 will also feature a state-of-the-art auditorium and fitness center. And according to building permits recently obtained by BuildZoom, the Cupertino firm is spending a fortune on the two spaces.

The permits show that the 120,000 square foot auditorium where Apple will hold future press events is being constructed by BNBT Builders, and is costing the company around $161 million. Additionally, the 100,000 square foot fitness center is costing them $74 million.

Apple Maps team working to improve community crowdsourcing

A new job listing hints the Apple Maps team is working on improving community crowdsourcing, as well as better Siri and Passbook integration. First spotted by 9to5Mac, the listing calls for a 'Maps Community Client Software Engineer' to join the Cupertino firm's growing Maps group.

According to the position's description, the engineer will focus on "high level UI development of the 'Report a Problem' feature." They'll also be working on the frameworks and plugins that enable Maps to "integrate deeply and seamlessly with other applications" such as Siri and Passbook.

App Recap: app-packed Thursday

Welcome to this action-packed edition of App Recap, iDownloadBlog's daily column which highlights some of the best new apps, games, updates, media and other digital goodies found on iTunes. Most developers release major new apps on Thursdays and today was no exception.

From noteworthy discounts and Facebook's Slingshot update to Square's food ordering app, a new and fully-themable iOS 8 keyboard, Tomb Raider II, the official Game of Thrones game and more, App Recap helps you make sense of it all via an easily digestible form so you don't need to waste your precious time finding that needle in the haystack in the App Store.

Facebook’s Slingshot goes 2.0, hopes you’ll use it

Remember Slingshot? Yeah, me neither. If it's been a while since you last fired up Facebook's app that many folks deem pointless, you may want to give it another try as the social networking giant on Thursday pushed a major 2.0 update, bringing out half a dozen new features.

The app's been rebuilt from the ground up to be “simpler, faster and more fun to share life as it happens”, bringing out private reactions, photo filters, drawings and emojis.

There are also instant notifications on a per-contact basis and you can now share fav shots out to other apps, among other new additions.