Apps

Vimeo updated with iOS 9 Spotlight support, iPad multitasking, picture-in-picture & more

The popular video-sharing service Vimeo has refreshed its iPhone and iPad application in the App Store with full support for iOS 9 technologies. For starters, videos you upload to the service and other content can now be found through iOS 9's much improved Spotlight Search engine.

Moreover, the new Vimeo 5.6 for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad now lets you multitask like a boss on the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 in side-by-side Split View and Slide Over modes while enjoying video in iOS 9's picture-in-picture mode.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint for iOS gain comment editing, file renaming, fonts and much more

Microsoft on Monday issued a refresh to its mobile office programs on the App Store: Word, Excel and PowerPoint. These productivity applications now feature on-the-go comment editing, file renaming, quickly jumping to a page and much more.

Last month, the Windows giant has rolled out matching updates to Word, Excel and PowerPoint with full support for iOS 9's new Slide Over and Split View multitasking modes on the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4. In addition, the apps have gained useful shortcuts on iPads with wireless keyboards, Vietnamese localization and other perks.

Facebook updates iOS app with 3D Touch support

Facebook's mobile iPhone and iPad application has received a quick update today, adding support for 3D Touch shortcuts on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, but not the Peek and Pop in-app features.

Still, you can now press firmly Facebook's icon on the Home screen for quick access to the following shortcuts: Take Photo/Video, Upload Photo/Video and Write Post.

Day One journaling app updated for iOS 9 with 3D Touch support and native watchOS 2 app

Day One by Bloom Built, my go-to journaling app for iOS and the Mac, has had an app for the Apple Watch since April 2015, but it used to be hampered by the limitations of watchOS.

With watchOS 2, apps can now run directly on the wearable device and more independently of its connected iPhone, resulting in better responsiveness and faster execution. A brand new release of Day One now includes a native watchOS 2 app, support for 3D Touch Home screen shortcuts on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus and more.

Super Sharp review: simple physics make this game fun and challenging

Finger-swiping games really stand out on touch-screen devices. Before smartphones, there really wasn't such a thing. Now, slicing and dicing with your finger has become its own category.

Super Sharp is one such game, but it adds a nice physics-based mechanic to a minimalist puzzle that is quite entertaining. We've got a full game review of Super Sharp below. See if it is something you'd like.

Leave me Alone, Assembly, Pause, and more apps to check out this weekend

This week, we were pleasantly surprised by AT&T's Wi-Fi calling support, Adobe's decision to make Lightroom for iOS free, and the fact that we may get our hands on the iPad Pro as early as the first week of November.

We were also disappointed to discover that malware was targeting iOS devices, some of our iPhone 6s chips weren't as good as others, and we may not get our hands on the newest Apple TV until as late as the first week of November.

If you are tired of the rollercoaster of tech-based emotions you've been through this week and just want some apps and games to relax you, check out our weekend list.

Review: Overcast 2.0 brings streaming support and new price—free (no IAPs whatsoever)

Developer Marco Arment today issued a major update to Overcast, its praised podcast player and manager app for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Apple Watch. Going from the freemium to free model, Overcast 2.0 is now a free app without In-App Purchases, advertising or other limitations.

Instead, you can now support the continued development of Overcast, if you want, by becoming a patron which entails a recurring subscription.

If not, enjoy everything Overcast hast to offer absolutely free of charge.

One of the major new features in Overcast 2.0 is streaming, which can now be used with Smart Speed and Voice Boost effects to save time when listening to podcasts by shortening moments of silence without having to download new episodes first.

Some of the previously pulled apps and games now returning to App Store’s Purchased history

Many of the iPhone and iPad applications that have vanished from users' Purchased histories are now returning to the App Store, TouchArcade reports, suggesting the whole brouhaha was but a glitch in the App Store.

Not all of the pulled games have returned, however, though some classics like Ngmoco's games and Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 can now be re-downloaded through the App Store's Purchased tab again.

Wake Alarm Clock goes free as Apple’s App of the Week

Heads-up deal seekers. Apple has named Tiny Hearts Limited's "Wake Alarm Clock" its App of the Week for this week. This means that from now through next Thursday, you'll be able to pick up the popular alarm clock app for free for both iPhone and iPad—a solid savings of $4.

For those unfamiliar with the app, Wake is highly regarded for its beautiful and intuitive design, and its range of various alarm modes. You can slap your phone to activate a short snooze, flip it to turn off all alarms, or you can set it so you have to shake your phone to turn all alarms off.

Adobe makes Lightroom for iOS free for everyone, no subscription needed

Since its April 2014 debut, Adobe's Lightroom mobile app has required you to subscribe to Adobe’s Cloud service in order to use the app, but not any longer. As first noted by The Next Web, both Lightroom for iPhone and Lightroom for iPad are now available for everyone without the desktop app, without a Creative Cloud Photography Plan subscription and even without an Adobe ID.

Fantastical gains iOS 9’s productivity-enhancing features, Apple Watch complication and more

Hot off the heels of its big Mac update, developer Flexibits today issued an update to Fantastical for iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch. The new software takes advantage of the new productivity-enhancing features provided by iOS 9 and watchOS 2.

These include 3D Touch support for iPhone 6s owners, a dedicated Fantastical complication for Apple Watch wearers, Slide Over and Split View multitasking modes on the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 and much more.