In addition to releasing the iOS 8.4.1 software update for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with Apple Music fixes and enhancements, and the OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 software update with a crucial patch for the dangerous DYLD exploit and more, Apple today also posted a new version of iTunes with a bunch of fixes and improvements.
Among other things, iTunes 12.2 for Mac and Windows contains improvements for Beats 1, Apple Music and Connect features while fixing a few issues with the software.
Microsoft today issued refreshed Word, Excel and PowerPoint applications for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad in the App Store. The new versions of these mobile productivity apps include several new features, most notably tighter integration with Microsoft's Outlook for iOS app.
In addition to richer Outlook integration across all three apps, you can now change selected text in Word to uppercase, lowercase, sentence case and more, as well as view comments in PowerPoint next to the slide in a task pane.
It's been a while since Google last refreshed its native search application for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with meaningful new features, but today Google for iOS got bumped to version 7.0 in the App Store.
Most notably, the app now supports the always-on “Ok Google” feature within in-app browser, but not only that—it understands what you're searching for in the context of the webpage you're browsing.
Before today, “Ok Google” was only available on the app's search screen and you weren't able to use it if you navigated away from search results.
CurrentC, the mobile payments app back by a consortium of major retailers known as MCX, may not launch until 2016, Recode reports. The outlet spoke with MCX CEO Brian Mooney yesterday, and he says that the app may not be ready to go this year like originally planned.
A public pilot of the app will go live in Ohio next month, and Mooney says that MCX won't push for a wider rollout if it's not ready. "This is a long game," he said said. “Certainly going faster is always better — that’s not necessarily a debatable point. But we’re going to do it right."
Two months into the announcement that it would remove the archaic 140-character limit from Direct Messages, Twitter today officially made the move in the hope of taking on popular instant messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, Skype, iMessage and others.
For people who use Direct Messages to communicate with their Twitter followers privately, this change couldn't have come sooner because they can now chat on in a single Direct Message without restrictions and “likely still have some characters left over.”
Internet radio services like Pandora, Rdio, iHeartRadio, Deezer and many others have been feeling the heat following the launch of Apple Music with free 24/7 Internet radio, called Beats 1. Responding to competitive pressure, Rdio announced Wednesday that it is bringing live-broadcast radio stations to its iOS app, beginning with 500 stations owned and operated by its partner, Cumulus Media.
Apple on Tuesday pushed out an update to its Apple Store app, bringing the mobile client for its online store to version 3.4. The update adds support for making purchases using gift cards.
In the change log, Apple says "you can now make purchases with an Apple Store Gift Card. Use the built-in Camera to scan new Gift Cards, or import existing Gift Cards from the Passbook app.
Facebook is working on a standalone mobile news applications, Business Insider reported on Tuesday. The site says the app looks similar to Twitter, in that it will allow publications to blast short, 100 character push notifications to their "followers" when they have urgent news to share.
"Business Insider has reviewed screenshots of the new product and spoken to a source who has been playing around with the Facebook for Business platform." The outlet believes the app is part of Facebook for Business, but different than the Facebook at Work initiative we saw last year.
Plex, the popular cross-platform media player and management software, on Monday introduced a thoroughly refreshed mobile application for the iPhone and iPad.
Not only has the app been completely rewritten from the ground up, but features a thoroughly revamped user interface and several new features, improvements and enhancements.
If you're a Snapchat fan and a frequent traveller who doesn't use the service abroad due to exorbitant international data roaming charges (or are simply on a budget plan), Snapchat has some good news for you.
Their latest update, now live in the App Store, brings an all-new Travel mode designed specifically to reduce mobile data usage when roaming. In addition to Travel mode, Snapchat's iPhone application now lets you see who viewed your Story and puts more emoji characters at your fingertips.
As a writer for iDB, sometimes, it gets difficult to stay focused on my work. I am easily distracted by chats with friends, social media, and playing games on my iPhone. The best way to combat distraction is to time my tasks and finish on deadline.
Today: Pomodoro Timer is a task manager that helps keep you focused by timing your daily tasks and giving you much needed breaks in between. You can get more done if you are aware of the time ticking away while you work.
The big news this week is that iOS 9 and WatchOS 2 got their fifth beta versions. While developers and beta testers are checking out all of the new features that the general public won't get to use until the fall, the rest of us have to find some interesting new content to keep us occupied.
Whether you are looking for an old-school tabletop style game, or want to go on a virtual vacation, we've got a list of apps and games we think you should check out this weekend.