Apps

How to Quickly Launch Apps With Siri

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 6, 2017

One of the glaring features that Apple left out of Siri is the ability to integrate with and launch apps. You can do all sorts of things with your voice and Siri, but you can't use third-party apps (short of a few exceptions and the services Apple officially partnered with for launch) or open apps with a voice command.

Thanks to the widely undocumented world of iOS URL schemes, you can actually trigger app shortcuts with Siri on your iPhone 4S. While it's not the cleanest method, there are tons of possibilities for quickly launching apps with Siri. Let's take a closer look...

A Look at Yahoo’s New Livestand iPad App

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 19, 2018

Yahoo was once the most visited web portal on the internet, but it has had a rough last couple of years. In an industry where companies are transitioning into the mobile arena at breakneck speeds, Yahoo has struggled to stay relevant.

But that doesn't mean it's not trying. Yahoo recently unveiled several new mobile applications at its Product Runway event. There were a couple of notable titles, but the star of the show had to be the Flipboard-like app for the iPad, Livestand...

Angry Birds Reaches 500 Million Downloads Worldwide

Oliver Haslam ∙ November 3, 2011

It seems we just can't get enough of those Angry Birds, with developer Rovio announcing that the game has been downloaded a whopping 500 million times worldwide.

The half a billion downloads are made up of the three Angry Birds games currently available: Angry Birds, Angry Birds Rio, and Angry Birds Seasons.

Key to the game's success is its cross-platform nature, with Angry Birds available to download on most platforms you could care to name, with iOS, Android, web, Mac, and Windows all present, and versions also set to come to the Nokia Asha 300 and 303 phones...

WhatsApp Now Sending 1 Billion Messages a Day, Gives iMessage a Mountain to Climb

Oliver Haslam ∙ November 3, 2011

WhatsApp, one of the most loved cross-platform messaging services, has reached a real milestone, with the news that its collection of apps are sending 1 billion messages per day.

Covering iOS, Android, and just about every other mobile platform out there, WhatsApp has one massive advantage over the likes of BlackBerry Messenger and iMessage, and that's its cross-platform roots...

Apple’s New In-Store Self-Checkout Plan Revealed

Cody Lee ∙ November 2, 2011

A few days ago, MacRumors reported that Apple was going to be unveiling a new version of its iOS retail app in the very near future. The update is expected to bring multiple new features, including an in-store self-checkout option for accessories.

As crazy as the idea sounds, it's starting to seem more and more legitimate. Now, BGR is claiming that it can confirm that an Apple Store app update is indeed on the way. And it has even obtained details of how the new services will work...

Apple Stores Looking to Enable Self-Checkouts Via iOS App

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2011

Apple Stores are already considered trendsetters in the retail space. From their awe-inspiring architecture to their product-focused environments, the Cupertino company's world-wide chain has other retailers turning green with envy.

Now it seems like the Mac-makers are looking to start another fad: self-checkout. No, we're not talking about those big machines at your local Walmart. We're talking about customers paying for items using their iPhones without the help of a sales clerk...

Apps Aren’t the New Channels

Sébastien Page ∙ October 28, 2011

Since we first heard that Steve Jobs had 'cracked' the code for an integrated Apple TV set, rumors have been going crazy about what Apple has planned.

News came out this week that Jeff Robin, the guy who helped develop the iPod and iTunes, is currently leading Apple's secret TV project – let's just call this Apple TV set the "iTV." Our imaginations then started running wild at the prospect of a TV that could be controlled using Siri, or maybe even 3D gestures.

While there is no doubt Siri would be part of an iTV, one big question remains: how will the content get there?

Best Buy Offering 15% Off iTunes Gift Cards For a Limited Time

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 26, 2017

Everyone loves a good app sale, and we've seen quite a few of those over the past couple of weeks. But what about an app, music, iBook, and video sale? That's what's going on at Best Buy right now.

9to5Toys, a site dedicated to finding the best deals in electronics, points to a Best Buy sale that ends this weekend. Apparently, the nation-wide retail chain is selling iTunes gift cards at a nice discount...

iOS-Controlled Helicopter Gets Launchable Missiles

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 25, 2016

Tired of flying animated helicopters and shooting digital missiles? Why not try the real thing? The folks behind the popular iHelicopter line just released a new iOS-controlled helicopter that is sure to cure your boredom.

The new Cobra from iHelicopter comes complete with all of the typical RC helicopter features. It has a durable frame to prevent crash-damage, a self-stabilizer to help with flying, and oh yeah, two on-board launchable missiles...

How Jailbreakers Helped Create the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ October 21, 2011

The Associated Press seems to have gotten its hands on the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson. The highly anticipated book is due out later this month, but excerpts have been surfacing on the web over the last 48 hours.

One of the more interesting tidbits that has come to light is a passage regarding Jobs' thoughts and comments on third-party applications. Apparently at one point, Jobs thought that web apps were the wave of the future...

First Google Music App Now Available in the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 19, 2018

Remember Google Music? Back in May, Google unveiled a beta version of its cloud-based music service that allows users to upload up to 20,000 songs to its servers. Users can then access that music from almost any device with a web connection.

A major downside to the service is that it hasn't had a native iOS app. It's had a web app of sorts, but never an actual application. Until now. Macgasm is reporting that gMusic, a native Google Music app, has just surfaced in the App Store...