Apple

Pixelmator 3.2 ‘Sandstone’ coming with Repair tool, app goes half price for entire week

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2018

As Peter Cohen put it, Pixelmator is to Photoshop as Sketch 3 is to Adobe Illustrator and I couldn't agree more.

I don't use the most advanced Photoshop features and Pixelmator ($29.99 in the Mac App Store) has served me well as more than a very capable alternative to Adobe's image editing application. I use Pixelmator on a daily basis to edit press photographs, optimize images for web distribution, touch up snaps taken on my iPhone, create various compositions, convert between different formats and what not.

After issuing a major 3.1 update back in January with Mac Pro GPU acceleration and other goodies, the team is now teasing another forthcoming update, this one code-named Sandstone...

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Direct mobile app installs coming to your Twitter timeline soon

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2014

Micro-blogging platform Twitter on Thursday announced a full suite of targeting, creative and measurement tools that enable Twitter advertisers to promote their mobile apps, both on and off-Twitter.

One particular native ad unit takes advantage of Twitter Cards and Promoted Tweets technologies to allow users to easily install and engage with apps, directly from their Twitter timeline.

Currently, tapping an App Store link in a tweet in Twitter's free iPhone and iPad application opens the link in an in-app browser which then redirects the request to the App Store app. Direct app installs from Twitter timelines is limited to this new ad unit and it's not clear if Twitter plans on enabling the feature for common app store links in people's tweets...

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Apple Stores and corporate campus to celebrate 2014 Earth Day

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2014

Apple's brick-and-mortar stores in the United States and around the world will celebrate the upcoming Earth Day next Tuesday, April 22. According to a new report Thursday, Apple's Cupertino, California campus will also join the celebration with a major internal event on April 22 focused on 2014 Earth Day.

This year's Earth Day, prefixed with Green Cities, is focused on environment-friendly buildings, transportation and cities. Apple Stores will change their logo color to green to mark the occasion. More info right after the break...

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Twitterrific for iOS now lets you edit tweets after they’ve been published

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2014

What if you could edit a tweet that's already been tweeted out? A new Twitterrific for iOS update by Iconfactory lets you do just that! Now available free in the App Store, Twitterrific for the iPhone and iPad now lets you edit previously published tweet in your timeline.

This is a rather interesting development as even Twitter's own iOS app won't let you edit a tweet after it's been posted. So, how did Iconfactory accomplish this? Read on for the full reveal...

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Apple reportedly building song-identification feature for iOS, partnering with Shazam

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Apple is working on a song-identification feature within its iOS software, in an effort to continue building out its Music offering to combat streaming services and declining iTunes sales, according to Bloomberg.

Apple is said to be partnering with Shazam, a third-party service on the App Store that allows users to press a button and recognize music and media playing around them. On the iPhone and iPad in a future iOS update, users will be able to identify songs and artists without having to download an app, the report says.

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Google using Apple’s PrimeSense in ‘Project Tango’ smartphone, beating Apple to the punch

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Google has beat Apple to the punch by using PrimeSense's Capri PS1200 3D imaging system-on-a-chip in the Project Tango smartphone, before Apple could in its iPhone line-up, the teardown specialists over at iFixit found.

PrimeSense is the 3D technology sensing company Apple acquired for $350 million late-November 2013, and its chips weren't expected to be found in Google's Project Tango smartphone given the fierce competition between the two companies. Only Movidius Myriad 1 3D-sensing chips were expected, but Apple's PrimeSense showed up as well...

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Texas Instruments pledges support for iBeacon tech in several Bluetooth products

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

It's been almost a year now since Apple unveiled its iBeacon geolocation technology, and I really don't think it could have hoped for better results. The tech has been implemented in a number of settings including retail and grocery stores, MLB ballparks, and more, and it seems to get more popular every day.

As evidence of that, Texas Instruments pledged its faith in iBeacon today, announcing support for the tech across its Bluetooth low energy portfolio including chips for embedded and automotive applications. The company also launched a new iBeacon-location app that works with its SensorTag development kit...

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Case makers betting on relocated power button on iPhone 6

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 16, 2014

It's still too early for case makers to receive design specifications for Apple's upcoming bigger iPhones, but that's not stopping them from commissioning cases, molds and mockups based on the flurry of iPhone 6 rumors.

One particular report seems to have captured the case makers' attention: according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the next iPhone will have a relocated power button, moving from the top of the device to the upper right side.

Kuo is regarded as one of the most accurate analysts out there so it's no surprise that Chinese vendors are already showing off their cases with cutouts in the right places...

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Hyundai confirms CarPlay functionality on all-new 2015 Sonatas

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 28, 2017

Japanese car maker Hyundai today officially confirmed that CarPlay functionality will be available in its upcoming 2015 Sonata vehicles. CarPlay launch partners include Volvo, Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz, but many other manufacturers have pledged to support Apple's in-car system later this year, Hyundai being one of them.

The new version of the mid-size Sonata sedan was unveiled at the New York International Auto Show earlier today with premium design, a stiffer body structure, improved ride quality, a quieter cabin and "class-above safety features."

It's slated to hit dealerships early this summer...

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Instagram and Facebook stepping up fight against spammers

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 16, 2014

Facebook-owned Instagram has responded to complaints from users who have noticed a sharp increase in the number of fake accounts and followers that are spamming them. If you fire up Instagram's free iPhone app and hit the Following button, you'll see a message about changes in followers.

"We've removed deactivated and spam accounts," the message reads. "Your list of followers and people you follow may have changed" as a result.

This is a welcomed albeit way overdue change.

I've been a frequent victim of spammers on Instagram. Some of these guys are really smart in how they get on your Following list with the ultimate goal of populating your feed with spammy posts often disguised as so-called viral images and videos...

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