Apps

A running list of major iOS 7 app updates

With Apple releasing iOS 7 today, a number of popular apps have posted updates in order to make sure they work properly with the new firmware. Some are just minor compatibility updates, and others are complete redesigns.

Instead of trying to do individual posts about each of these updates, we've decided to keep a running list of all of them so that you can get an idea of which applications have been updated and what the new versions look like...

BlackBerry Messenger to reportedly hit the App Store September 21 [updated]

Folks looking forward to the release of BlackBerry's Messenger app on iOS will be happy to hear that the long wait may almost be over. A new report suggests that BBM will hit the App Store this Saturday, September 21.

BlackBerry first announced that its popular messenger app would be landing on iOS and Android back in May. And earlier this month, one of its developers confirmed on Twitter that it had been submitted to Apple for review...

iTunes 11.1 is out with iTunes Radio, Podcast Stations, Genius Shuffle

In another sign that iOS 7 release is imminent, Apple has just posted the iTunes 11.1 update which brings out not only iOS 7 compatibility, but a few new features, including the long-expected, ad-supported iTunes Radio streaming, in addition to Podcast Stations, the new Genius Shuffle capability, support for iOS 7 device sync and more.

You're going to love Genius Shuffle, "a magical new way to experience your music library" that plays songs that go great together from iCloud.

And if you're into podcasts, iTunes 11.1 lets you create automagically-updated custom stations of your favorite podcasts. I've included the full changelog right after the break...

TapeACall Pro review: record phone conversations on your iPhone

I record telephone conversations a lot. It is part of my business as a media writer. I regularly interview people for stories and oftentimes, they don’t live anywhere near me, so I record the interview over the phone. Normally, I use a 10-year-old digital recorder connected to an adapter that is connected to my landline. I’ve always wanted to be able to use my iPhone for interviews.

TapeACall Pro lets you record your telephone conversations on your iPhone and share your audio files through Dropbox, Evernote, and more. Just be sure to tell the person you are talking to that you are recording the conversation. It's the law...

App Store now lets you grab the last compatible app version on legacy devices

Apple has updated the App Store backend to allow for legacy app downloads, per tips we received this morning and this Reddit thread.

Starting today, trying to grab an app on the App Store from one of the unsupported iOS devices now presents users with a prompt offering to download the last compatible version available for their legacy hardware.

Previously, a developer posting a new app build would render older versions unavailable on the App Store. This improvement should be especially useful after iOS 7 arrives on Wednesday as owners of unsupported devices are now permitted to access the last compatible build on their outdated device...

Amazon Instant Video iOS app now does AirPlay

Amazon released its Instant Video client for the iPhone and iPad in August 2012 as a way for Apple customers to access its growing library of movies and television shows from their iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. The online retail giant hasn't been updating the software much, apart from June's update with visual tweaks and personal recommendations for movies and television shows based on your past viewing habits.

My biggest gripe with any type of software that does video is the absence of AirPlay streaming support. If you get your entertainment from Amazon, you should update your Amazon Instant Video installation to the latest version which not only enables Apple's AirPlay technology, but also includes a few other nice-to-haves...

Top 10 endless runner games for iOS

These days, it seems like runner games are a dime a dozen. I guess it is more like they are about $20 a dozen since they are usually between one and three dollars a piece. There are so many auto-run till you die games that it is difficult to know which are the best.

Apple has a list of their favorite “Fun Runner” games, but even that list is too big. We’ve narrowed down a list of our favorites, plus added a couple that Apple didn’t think to include…

Shake App makes your agreements binding

I’m a freelancer. If I don’t sign an agreement with someone, I am risking the possibility of losing any income I’ve earned. If I have a disagreement with a business over payment, and I don’t have anything in writing to prove the arrangement, I have nothing to support me if I end up having to go to court.

Shake App makes it possible to create a binding agreement for all kinds of arrangements. It doesn’t have to be complex and full of legalese to be legal...

Apple approving games with iOS 7 controller support

User excitement for iOS 7 continues to mount, as we are now less than 48 hours away from the public release. The update includes a number of new features, like AirDrop and Control Center, as well as an all-new UI design.

But there's one big change coming in iOS 7 that continues to fly under the radar, and that's support for third-party game controllers. In fact, it's been discovered that Apple is already approving games with controller support...

Path updated with Premium subscription, private sharing, inner circles and more

Path, the increasingly popular private social network, has released a major new update to its iPhone and iPad application which enables paid accounts while bringing a couple other improvements like private sharing, the ability to engage with your inner circles, a bunch of new stickers and more. You will also love the ability to manage your friends in-app more easily, thanks to the friends list in the left menu and messages in the right menu. Previously, accessing your friends list was a multi-tap affair, which used to drive me nuts...

Apple to devs: we want your 64-bit apps ASAP

With its new flagship iPhone 5s, Apple is ushering in an era of 64-bit computing on smartphones, an unexpected move which has left rivals such as Samsung scrambling to release mobile devices running 64-bit processors at some point in 2014 - with absolutely no clear idea of how the hardware and software will work together to improve their apps.

In the meantime, Apple is now asking its registered iOS developers to optimize and submit their warez for the device's 64-bit A7 chip...

Faster Facebook Messenger with improved scrolling now available

It's been over a month since we've stumbled upon any solid piece of news concerning Facebook's standalone Messenger iPhone app. Last time we heard, Facebook has added the ability to pick photos from your Instagram albums to send to Messenger friends.

Actually, that was the only major development concerning the software since May 2012. In response to Wednesday's launch of iOS 7, the social networking giant on Monday pushed an iOS 7-ready version of Messenger with improved scrolling, faster startup times and more...