Apps

This Mac app tracks how often you slack off

A lot of us use our Macs not only for our daily lives, but also for our work. The problem is, with all of the internet at our fingertips, it can be hard to stay focused when the allure of social networking, like Facebook and Twitter, as well as other things you can do to slack off, are no more than just a click away.

That's the idea behind the creation of an awesome free app for your Mac called Escape by FocusList, which tracks how much you slack off each day and provides you with a daily report for your viewing pleasure.

In this piece, we'll give you a look at the software and how it works; you might even find interest in trying it out for yourself!

Instagram increasing video time limit to 60 seconds

Instagram on Tuesday announced that it's increasing the time limit on videos from 15 seconds to 60 seconds. The move is part of a broader effort to give users "more fun, flexible and creative ways to create and watch video content" on IG.

The social network says that within the last 6 months, time users spent watching video increased by more than 40%. And it's hoping that the increased clip length, along with reenabling multi-clip uploads, will help it continue that growth.

Snapchat unveils stickers, video notes, Auto-Advance Stories & other chat improvements

Snapchat is rolling out a bunch of new capabilities destined for its second-generation chat feature, in addition to other improvements like stickers, all-new Auto-Advance Stories capability and updated privacy terms.

The Venice Beach-headquartered maker of the popular ephemeral messaging software has confirmed that more than 200 stickers are now available within the app, based on its $100 million purchase of Bitstrips.

Draw your own typeface in minutes and use it in your favorite iOS apps with iFontMaker for iPad

Your iPad is a great consumption device, but you can also create all kinds of content on it. With iFontMaker for iPad, for example, anyone can create their own hand font in minutes and start using it on their iOS devices, Mac or Windows PCs, in creative apps like Adobe CreativeSuite, Microsoft Office or in any other app that renders fonts in the TTF file format. And to think that not that long time ago creating homemade fonts used to require a full-on desktop computer or laptop and apps that cost hundreds of bucks...

SoundCloud launches ad-free $9.99 subscription service with offline playback

SoundCloud, a Berlin, Germany-based global online audio distribution platform, today pushed a major update to its free audio streaming application for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad which includes support for the company's freshly announced paid subscription music service, dubbed Go.

Priced at $12.99 per month through Apple's In-App Purchase mechanism or $9.99 on the web, Go offers SoundCloud listeners an expanded catalog of tracks, as well as new features and new functionality in the app.

Go is now available in the U.S. via the updated SoundCloud app and on the web.

Miitomo, Nintendo’s first iOS game, launches in US and other countries this Thursday

Following its soft-launch in Japan, Nintendo's first mobile game for iOS and Android, Miitomo, will be hitting the United States and other countries this coming Thursday, March 31, the Japanese gaming giant announced in a media release issued this morning. A free-to-start social experience, Miitomo lets users spark one-of-a-kind conversations with friends in a whole new way using Mii characters, which first appeared on Nintendo’s original Wii console.

The game was downloaded more than one million times in its first three days of availability in Japan, becoming the top free app on the Japanese App Store.

FreeChat for WhatsApp brings a free native desktop app for WhatsApp to Mac

Anyone who uses WhatsApp Messenger who has been looking for a truly free native-style desktop app experience on their Mac has been hard-pressed to find a really good client that didn't have hidden costs and worked extremely well in the same package.

Fortunately, FreeChat for WhatsApp is an app on the Mac App Store that you can download on your Mac at no cost whatsoever, and it will work exactly how you would expect a WhatsApp Messenger client to work on your Mac without any hidden costs, ads, or caveats

OLO Kickstarter campaign promises first practical 3D Printer for iPhone

3D printing is the wave of the future, and soon, you'll be able to do it right from your smartphone, whether it's an iPhone, Windows phone, or Android phone.

OLO 3D has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a super affordable 3D printer for your smartphone starting at $99, and within just a week, the campaign has gone viral and user response for the idea has excelled at an incredible rate. Out of the $80,000 goal, the campaign has already raised well over $1,100,000 as of this writing.

So how does it work?

Apps to check out this weekend: Noted, How Many Saturdays? and more

It's been a long week. Apple introduced a new iPhone, a new iPad, new Apple Watch accessories and it also released several software updates for its various platforms. So now that it's the weekend, it's time to kick up your feet, relax and check out some new apps and games. And as usual, we've put together a great list of suggestions for you.

Apple is making a TV show about app economy starring Will.i.am

Apple has recently been the subject of speculation that it's plunging into TV show production and today the company has confirmed that its first foray into original TV is a brand new series about app economy starring music artist Will.i.am.

In an interview with The New York Times, Apple's Vice President of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue, said that its working with rap artist Will.i.am and TV executives Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens on the nonscripted series about apps.

Motorsport Manager is Apple’s new Free App of the Week

Right on cue, the App Store was refreshed this morning with new apps and games, revealing Apple's new Free App of the Week: Motorsport Manager. Created by Christian West and originally released in August 2014, Motorsport Manager makes an immediately striking impression.

Arguably one of the best racing simulations available on the iPhone and iPad, Motorsport Manager is available free of charge until next Thursday, good for a cool $1.99 savings.

Infinite Skater, a gorgeous endless runner, has gone free in the App Store

Infinite Skater, a drop dead gorgeous endless runner has been slashed to zero bucks temporarily in the App Store. Regularly $2.99, this visually stunning game can now be yours at no charge. Available for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and—yes—the fourth-generation Apple TV, Infinite Skater is “a magic adventure like nothing you've ever seen” and that's not just marketing talk.