Apps

Concierge, Scout, and iQueue – Apple’s Internal Apps get a Makeover

Alex Heath ∙ October 26, 2010

The Apple Store app has been updated to support location based check-in and reservation services for customers at Apple Stores. These Foursquare-like check-ins will help customers find Apple employees to assist them while their shopping.

Genius Bar reservations can also be confirmed through location based check-ins from customers. The 1.1 update was pushed this morning. This new feature in the Apple Store app will interface with Apple employee's internal apps, like Concierge.

Macstories recently released an exclusive from an inside source that there has been a major revamp to the Apple Store apps that are used internally by Apple employees. Apparently, this Apple Store app update will help make Apple employees more efficient...

App Review: Super Mega Worm

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

A quick look at ‘Super Mega Worm’ may make you think that this was a ported game from the old-school Nintendo. A closer look at Developer’s website (Deceased Pixel), reveals that their whole concept is developing retro games.

With some of the amazing iPhone games coming out these days, I hope you guys aren’t turned off by retro graphics because with ‘Super Mega Worm’ it offers loads of gratuitous bloody fun in old-skool style!

VLC for iPhone Released

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

VLC media player was just updated as a universal app for iPhone and iPad in the App Store. The popular, open source, cross platform media player has been a favorite on Windows, OS X and Linux for years.

Awhile back, VLC released an iPad app in the App Store, and surprisingly the app was approved. VLC for iPhone allows you to play nearly every kind of video format known to man. The app clearly duplicates (and in my opinion, makes better) the video playback functionality of the the native iPod app. So, it's interesting that Apple has finally approved it.

The developers of the VideoLAN player just got the VLC 1.1.0 update approved, which lets VLC run on the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and recent iPod touch models. I downloaded the app, and I was impressed.

Would You Pay for a Cydia Pro Version?

Guest Author ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Now that I'm running a jailbroken iDevice again, I find myself browsing the Cydia store once again. With the A4 and more memory, Cydia seems a little bit snappier than my previous generation device, but it's still a slow experience. It seems that no matter how much faster Cydia can get, viewing app descriptions will only be as fast as it takes for the sponsored ads to load.

I'm a little curious how much money the repo sites make from the ads in Cydia. It can't be that much, because I've never clicked one; I've also seen devs commenting on how few people click the ads for their free tweaks. But they're still there, so they must make something, right?

GreenPois0n First Impressions: the 4.1 Bugs

Guest Author ∙ October 21, 2010

As soon as the Mac version of GreenPois0n came out, I went ahead and jailbroke my device. It wasn't the same eye-candy that JailbreakMe was, or even Comex's first jailbreak, but it worked and I didn't have to wait long. Here's a few quick things that I immediately noticed.

LockScreen PIN Delay

After a fresh reboot or a respring, I can no longer dive right in to tap the PIN to access my device. The problem is either a delay or the first tap or two is not recognized. But it definitely slows me down a little bit...

Angry Birds Halloween Edition Arrives, Pumpkins Run For Their Lives

Guest Author ∙ Updated May 26, 2017

Who doesn't enjoy smashing pumpkins? I'm not talking about that alt-rock band from the 90s, no, this is more Angry Birds fun! That's right, Angry Birds Halloween edition is here, boasting 45 new levels of pig-squashing, pumpkin-smashing fun. It's .99 cents in the app store, and exclusive to iOS devices. So you know we're special.

I can't help but wonder now... will the holiday season bring us the chance to smash Santas into smithereens?

[Boy Genius Report]

Apple TV Gets Its First App

Sébastien Page ∙ October 20, 2010

Now that we can jailbreak the Apple TV, we just need apps on it. The app is called nitoTV and it's basically a front end for the mplayer media player. It also includes additional capabilities to view RSS feeds, weather forecasts, and more.

I'm not sure how they got this app in there. All I can tell from nitoTV's Twitter account is that the app got copied over using SSH. There's probably going to be more to come in the near future.

[9 to 5 Mac]

Captionfish App Makes It Easier to Find Deaf-Friendly Movie Theaters

Guest Author ∙ Updated April 2, 2018

For the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, it can be difficult to enjoy the movie going experience. Few theaters provide on-screen captions for fear of it distracting the general population, and while new methods of accessibility are emerging (see Rear Window® captioning), finding a theater and showtimes to take advantage of this can be cumbersome.

Not anymore with Captionfish. The free app by DeafCode LLC is slick and simple, using your GPS location to find the closest theaters and showtimes with deaf-accessible movie showings. It also provides trailers of upcoming movies with closed captions (although they acknowledge some users are having trouble accessing this feature and they are working toward a solution)...

Have a Peek Into Someone Else’s Life with SpyCams

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Life's boring? Have a peek into someone else's with SpyCams for iPhone or iPod touch. Search, rate and comment on newly posted or popular security cameras from the comfort of - anywhere, for free.

While the app is simple and easy to use, I found myself looking at the same boring screens. One would have to scroll endlessly to find a gem of an exhibition. A lot of the cams show places like streets, offices, empty lots, hotel cams, city and waterscapes...

Game Center for iPhone: Where’s the Party?

Guest Author ∙ Updated March 18, 2019

I'm a little late to the Game Center party, because I was waiting to jailbreak 4.1. But now that I've arrived, it doesn't feel like much of a party. Apple's much touted Game Center app is supposed to be an "out of the box" focal point for all your iPhone (3GS/4), iPad, and iPod touch (2G-4G) games.

Compare your scores with friends, see how you rank worldwide, and try to achieve game goals to earn bragging rights (or to let people know how much free time you have to waste). You can also challenge friends to matches or play strangers in a multiplayer matchup.

Game Center does everything advertised above, so why am I not having any fun? Because this is what I was greeted with upon logging in:

Apple Trademarks the Phrase “There’s an App For That”

Alex Heath ∙ October 12, 2010

Apple's trademark filing for their famous catchphrase, "There's an App For That" has been approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent is filed under the Advertising, Business and Retail Services, Computer and Software service and Scientific services categories.

The trademark applies to, "Retail store services featuring computer software provided via the Internet and other computer and electronic communication networks; retail store services featuring computer software for use on handheld mobile digital electronic devices and other consumer electronics."

This doesn't mean that there can't be anymore cheesy blog headlines with the catchphrase (which I have been guilty of a couple of times). It does mean that Apple can pursue a commercial infringement of the trademark with much greater ease in court...

Hulu+ App Store Reviews: Fending off the Naysayers

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Hulu+ just updated their app last week, so I thought this would be a good time to address the absurd amount of negative reviews they have in the App Store.

I love Hulu+. I got my invite August 1st and have been using the app on my iPhone 4 several times a week to watch shows — catching up with Glee while at work (shhh!), and watching the first season of Modern Family at the gym (FYI—laughing on the treadmill will immediately provoke stares and glares.) I think the Hulu service is smart and having it readily accessible on my iPhone 4 is convenient.

So why are there so many negative reviews of it in the App Store (It’s currently at 1.5 stars)? Most comments seem to be some variation of these complaints: