Apps

iTunes 11.2 hits: improves podcast browsing, fixes Genius unresponsiveness and more

To go along with the just-released OS X Mavericks 10.9.3 Software Update, Apple has also issued a second major update to iTunes 11. The new version 11.2 is now available for download and includes several improvements to the in-app podcast browsing experience.

For starters, there are now all-new Unplayed and Feed tabs which collate episodes you haven't listened to yet and new ones that have become available.

iTunes now lets you save a podcast episode to keep on your computer and resolves a few annoying issues, including one where Genius would hang when updating itself. Jump past the fold for the full breakdown...

Foursquare’s new Swarm app now available

Earlier this morning, I diligently informed you that the crowd-sourced location platform Foursquare has updated its free iPhone check-in software ahead of the impending launch of a brand new Swarm app later today.

Now available free in the App Store, Swarm for iPhone integrates gamified features from the main Foursquare app to “help people keep up and meet up with their friends”.

It combines all-new mayorships, while introducing intriguing new stuff such as popular stickers. Basically, the app offers detailed insights about your life and lets you connect to friends in your neighborhood to explore their activities.

Swarm arrives ahead of Foursquare's search-focused revamp due this summer. And when it drops, the Foursquare app will no longer let you check-in to places. If you have updated to the new Foursquare 7.0.8 and have Swarm installed, you should be able to peek at some of the upcoming changes inside the Foursquare app...

Official 9/11 Memorial Museum iOS app launches

Ahead of its public opening on May 21, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum has released an official iOS app. The 9/11 Museum Audio Guide app for the iPhone and iPad, available free in the App Store, honors the 2,983 people killed in 9/11 terrorist attacks on Twin Towers.

Basically an audio guide designed to aid tourists and museum attendees, the app includes three main tours to choose from such as Witnessing History and Discovering History and features 13 sections, each accompanied by description and narration...

Sentry teases Apex 2, the tweak that lets you group apps together

Sentry, the designer behind Auxo 2 and a bevy of other jailbreak releases, has teased a sequel to another one of his popular tweaks. Apex—the jailbreak tweak that allowed users to group app icons and reveal them using swipe gestures—has received the iOS 7 treatment, and it comes in the form of Apex 2.

If you're someone who likes to avoid using folders, then Apex is a jailbreak tweak that should pique your interest. The idea behind the tweak was good, but it was the implementation, with its smooth animations, that made Apex stand out.

Needless to say, it's good to see Apex running on iOS 7, as it evokes fond memories. Check out the full review of the original version, and a sneak peak at the new iOS 7 update.

Foursquare updated ahead of Swarm app launch

Foursquare, the popular location-based social platform, is set to release a brand new Swarm app today which will "help people keep up and meet up with their friends".

As a result, the existing free iOS client has just been updated with some changes you should know about. Announced two weeks ago, Swarm combines new mayorships, introduces stickers, offers detailed insights about your life and much more.

If you have Swarm installed, the new Foursquare 7.0.8 update includes a peek at some of the upcoming changes to Foursquare ahead of a major search-focused revamp due this summer...

Shazam updated with new results page, Line integration and more

Shazam updated its mobile app this afternoon, bringing the iOS client to version 7.6. The update brings about a handful of improvements for the song ID software, including a new results page and support for LINE messaging.

The new results page makes for a better experience while 'shazaming' TV shows, as you'll now be able to see a full cast list, as well as catch up on story lines and gossip. And you can then share those new results via the LINE app...

Boximize review: turn your notes into personal databases

When I think of note taking apps, I assume that their main function is to allow you to jot down important information so you can easily access it later. Good note taking apps let you organize entries by date or category. Everything else is just gravy.

Boximize turns the whole note-taking production and turns it on its head. Now, you can organize notes into collections with customizable fields so your thoughts and ideas become a complex database. We have a detailed Boximize review for you below…

Facebook app gains offline posts, drafts/previews and snappier News Feed

Facebook has issued a major version 10.0 update to its free iOS client which now allows you to create posts even when you're without an Internet connection. Posts created in the offline mode will be saved as drafts and the app will automatically publish them when you're back online.

Moreover, the refreshed iPhone and iPad application now makes it easy to see what your posts will look like on Facebook before publishing.

This edition of the software also includes certain News Feed improvements. Facebook 10.0 is now live in the App Store so grab it free now and check out the new features...

Presentation Mode is now available in Evernote

Evernote, the hugely successful note-taking and productivity platform, today rolled out a new Presentation Mode to its mobile and desktop apps across Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad devices.

Presentation mode allows you to connect your computer to an external monitor or projector to present your notes in style as beautiful full-screen scrollable layouts.

And if you're using Evernote for iOS, AirPlay will wirelessly beam the presentation to an external display through Apple's $99 Apple TV media-streaming box...

Last Inua review: iOS platform games just keep getting better and better

A few weeks ago, we reviewed Leo’s Fortune and found it to be one of the best platform games to ever come out on iOS. It is proof that mobile gaming really can be impressive

Last Inua – An Arctic Adventure is another impressive platform game that looks great and offers an interesting level of challenging puzzles. We spent some time with the platformer and have a Last Inua review for you below…

Carrot Fit update adds 7 Minutes in Hell workout

CARROT is a pretentious, mouthy artificial intelligence being that loves to berate humans in order to motivate them to get things done. A few months ago, we reviewed CARROT Fit, the verbally abusive weight loss app. In it, CARROT calls you a meatbag and tells you she will punish you if you don’t drop a few pounds.

Today CARROT Fit received a major update that basically turns it into an entirely new app. Now, instead of only tracking your weight, you can participate in a seven-minute workout filled with all manner of insults from the charmingly funny AI assistant…

Student research project brings native iOS apps to Android devices

This is pretty interesting. A group of six PhD students from Columbia University's Department of Computer Science have developed 'Cider,' an OS compatibility architecture capable of running iOS apps on Android.

The research project utilizes binary compatibility techniques to run both domestic and foreign binaries on the same device. So essentially it can trick an app's code into thinking it's running on Apple's XNU kernel...