Apps

Facebook Messenger update prevents scammers from racking up your phone bill

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Facebook has begun rolling out an important update to its Facebook Messenger application on Monday, after it was found the app was susceptible to a security flaw forcing users’ iPhones to place expensive calls automatically - racking up a large bill.

Developer Andrei Neculaesei was first to identify the issue last week, saying scammers use the Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) scheme called ”tel” to trigger a call without a user knowing. Usually clicking on a link containing a phone number will take a user to Safari and then prompt them to confirm the call. However, apps like Facebook Messenger, Google+, Gmail, and FaceTime, make the call without asking the user.

Spotify now lets you save whole albums to Your Music and access more album info

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 25, 2014

Spotify, arguably the most popular subscription-based music streaming service, on Monday refreshed its free iOS client with a few improvements.

In addition to adding Finnish language support that recently appeared in Spotify's Android client, the updated software now makes it possible to save albums to Your Music, from any album page. Moreover, you can now easily check out album release dates and total play time, too.

The best apps for learning a new language

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

I’ve learned three languages in addition to my native English over my lifetime. I took three years of Spanish in high school, two semesters of Mandarin in junior college, and four semesters of French in college. Guess what? I forgot everything. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Seriously.

If you used to know multiple languages but forgot everything, want to brush up on a language you don't get to use very often, or just want to learn a new one, we’ve got a list of what we think are the best apps for learning a new language.

Apps of the week: Star Walk 2, The Firm, PAC-MAN Friends, and more…

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

This has been a great week for discounts on great apps and games. We saw Tydlig drop in price to zero from $2.99 and the exciting arcade runner Atom Run is this week’s Free App Of The Week. There were some sweet updates as well, like Vine’s new camera roll upload feature and the SoundHound-Rdio integration.

We also saw the launch of some fantastic new titles. If you are looking for some great new content for your iPhone, we’ve got a great list of new apps and games for you to check out this weekend.

DotEmu discounts ‘Double Dragon Trilogy’ and other titles to $0.99 in summer sale

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Great news this afternoon for retro gaming fans. DotEmu has discounted 'Double Dragon Trilogy,' and several other hit iOS titles from its library down to $0.99. That's good for a savings of up to 80%, and all of the games support iPhone and iPad.

There appears to be a total of 7 DotEmu games on sale at the $1 mark, covering a wide range of genres. Double Dragon is perhaps the most recognizable, having seen dozens of releases, across several platforms, since 1987. We have the full list below.

Pako – Car Chase Simulator will give you a run for your money

Lory Gil ∙ August 22, 2014

Car chase scenes are some of my favorites in action flicks. You really don’t see enough of them anymore. My favorite is when buildings and vehicles randomly explode with little or no reason why.

Pako – Car Chase Simulator is another in the recent influx of simulation games. Players try to keep their car on the road while avoiding the cops that are closing in, random explosions included…

Over-the-air update adds new tip to iOS 8 Tips app

Sébastien Page ∙ August 21, 2014

Apple just updated the Tips app that is present in iOS 8, explaining users how to quickly access their favorite contacts. The update, which happened over the air, is the first such update to the Tips app since it was introduced in iOS 8 beta 4.

Apple updates Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and iMovie to improve iCloud compatibility

Sébastien Page ∙ August 21, 2014

Apple just updated several of its applications for both iOS and OS X with the usual "stability improvements and bug fixes", but after looking into it more closely, it seems there is more to the updates than the changelog shows, with apparent iCloud compatibility improvements.

Pages, Numbers, and Keynote have all been updated for both iOS and OS X, while iMovie has only been updated for OS X so far. All updates show as "stability improvements and bug fixes," except iMovie for Mac, which "includes iCloud compatiblity improvements for iMovie Theater."

If these update look benign on the surface, it seems they do improve iCloud compatibility...

Sci-fi robot platformer Atom Run goes free as Apple’s new Free App of the Week

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 21, 2014

It's Thursday and you know what that means, don't you? That's right, today is the day Apple editors get to pick another paid app to go free for seven days, as part of the App Store's ongoing Free App of the Week promotion.

Reminder: last week's freebie was Uppercut Games' excellent post-apocalyptic shooter, Epoch 2.

This week's free app is Atom Run by Fingerlab.

Normally costing three bucks a pop, this retro-futuristic platformer set in a mechanical-dynamic environment will be free until next Thursday so best thing you save yourself $2.99 and download Atom Run for free right now...

Tempo becomes the first iPhone calendar app with Uber integration

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

After adding in Reminders and Waze integration, Mailbox support and other new features to Tempo earlier in the summer, now developers behind the smart iOS calendar application have issued another update making it the first iPhone calendar app that integrates with Uber, the tremendously popular ride-sharing service.

Uber integration is another way Tempo ensures that you’re never late to that crucial meeting.

Unlike the vast majority of alternatives to the stock iOS Calendar app offered in the App Store, Tempo sets itself apart with a built-in smart assistant which anticipates what you need and surfaces that information right in the calendar, when you need it most...

Google Play Music update improves music management, accessibility and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 21, 2014

A month and a half ago, the Internet giant Google pushed a nice update which added several useful enhancements to its Play Music for iOS client, including support for gapless playback, playlist downloading and other nice-to-haves.

Today, another Play Music update has dropped. Available free in the App Store, the new 1.3.2.2559 build brings out even more useful stuff like ability to remove cloud tracks on the go, improved playback and accessibility features and more...

Sequel to exquisite stargazing tool Star Walk now available in App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

Yours truly used to be an amateur astronomer during his education years. And while I'm saddened because no longer do I have the time to set out to stargazing trips, my love for the stars has never waned.

And who could blame me?

Even nowadays, I'd sneak outside on a clear night whenever I feel like reliving the excitement of spotting breathtaking comets or gazing up at the shimmering Milky Way.

But instead of lugging around astronomy binoculars, compact telescopes and other heavy gear, you can see me exploring the night skies using just my iPhone and specialized astronomy apps such as Night Sky 2 and Star Walk.

The latter, by Vito Technology, is one of the best stargazing apps in business. Used used by over ten million people and the winner of Apple Design Award, Star Walk is beyond doubt among the best astronomy apps in the App Store.

As of today, a sequel to Star Walk, predictably called Star Walk 2, is now available on iOS as a $2.99 download for the iPhone and iPad...