Extension

TwitShot spices up your tweets with an image

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how many characters does that equal to? I'll let you do the math while I introduce you to TwitShot, a new app that automatically extract images from links and attach them to your tweets, offering a perfect illustration of what you're tweeting about.

You might have noticed that tweets that contain an image can grab more attention when scrolling through your timeline, and that is exactly what TwitShot is capitalizing on. It just wants to make your tweets more attention-grabbing by attaching an image extracted from the link you want to tweet.

The best Notification Center widgets of 2014

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

When Apple first revealed that iOS users would be able to access information from the Lock screen in iOS 8, I wasn’t that excited. I’ve never had a problem just unlocking my iPhone and opening the app I want to get information from. However, once Notification Center extensions became available, I was hooked. Now, I’ve got to-do lists, weather forecasts, news updates, and all kinds of widgets sitting on my Today view.

Everyone at iDB is excited about widgets, so it was pretty easy to come up with a big list of nominations. However, it was hard to narrow it down to the best one. With much hair pulling involved, we came to a final vote. The list below reveals our winner for best Notification Center widget, as well as the runner-ups. Since the feature has only existed for a few months, we are not going to name any “best ever” widget this year.

Glimpse lets you check your favorite webpages from Notification Center

Sébastien Page ∙ December 18, 2014

Glimpse is a new app that lets you pin one or more favorite webpages to the Today tab of Notification Center, allowing to have a quick glance at your most visited websites, without having to launch Safari. The Notification Center extension is particularly handy to check news-focused websites where information is often time sensitive, and where a quick look is usually enough to get an idea of what is going on, without necessarily unlocking the device and opening up the full web browser.

My Verizon Mobile app lets you track your data usage from Notification Center

Sébastien Page ∙ December 9, 2014

Verizon customers who use the official My Verizon Mobile app can now track their data usage directly from the Today tab of Notification Center. The app was updated yesterday with this new feature that should allow users to keep their data usage in check. The widget is updated automatically based on users' plan and usage, showing the total data allocation as well as currently used data.

Weather Or Not provides weather forecast for your upcoming calendar events

Lory Gil ∙ November 25, 2014

When the weather gets colder, I get grouchier. Even though the crisp autumn air clears the city of pollen and reminds me that the holidays are just around the corner, I still find myself wanting to hide out under a warm blanket for the next four months.

Weather Or Not is a weather app that connects to your calendar to tell you just how cold (or warm) it will be right during events, so you can plan your winter garb accordingly. No more showing up at picnics without an umbrella. Plus, the iOS 8 extension gives you the forecast at a glance.

Music Center lets you view your entire music library from Notification Center

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

If you've ever wanted to be able to browse your entire music library from Notification Center, then you should check out Music Center in the App Store. Developed by jailbreak alumni Akhil Tolani, Music Center is a great idea that is unfortunately handicapped by Apple's restrictions on what you can do with Notification Center extensions.

Tapping iOS 8 Extensions to offload Apple Watch app processing to iPhone is a smart move

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 19, 2014

In conceiving a feasible solution to running third-party apps in the extremely constrained power environment of the Apple Watch, Apple has come up with a rather peculiar yet familiar idea.

Initially, any third-party app processing will be offloaded to an iPhone in your pocket until the Cupertino firm begins accepting fully native Watch apps late next year.

Such an approach leaves only the app's storyboards and user interface resources running directly on the Watch, with everything else happening on an iPhone.

The only exception that proves the rule are Apple's stock apps which get executed on the Watch itself. In addition to acting as a viewport for third-party apps running on na iPhone, the Watch also manages Notifications and Glances and performs other lightweight housekeeping operations that don't tax the battery much.

To accomplish this feat, Apple is leveraging App Extensions in iOS 8 to run third-party Watch apps in a split mode.

Apple asks ‘Neato’ to remove keyboard in ongoing war on widgets

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple is once again going after a Notification Center widget for overstepping its bounds. Neato, a popular note-taking widget with a built-in keyboard and share controls, says the Cupertino firm has threatened to remove the app for violating its App Review Guidelines.

More specifically, the developers behind Neato told Gizmodo that Apple has asked them to remove the keyboard from their widget, or else. The team tried to appeal, but Apple wasn't going to budge, and gave them two weeks to submit an update to correct their issue.

Fleksy Keyboard can now use iOS typing shortcuts

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 3, 2017

Despite not being an avid user of third-party keyboards in iOS 8, I'm always eager to try out any new soft-keyboard that hits the App Store.

Fleksy's recent update caught my attention by making me realize that I didn't know everything there is about the scope and limitations of third-party keyboards under iOS 8.

For example, did you know soft-keyboards are allowed to use your typing shortcuts defined in Settings > General > Keyboard > Shortcuts? Fleksy's latest update has implemented just that and it works like a charm.

Fleksy Keyboard costs $0.99 in the App Store.

Google Drive gains Touch ID, iPhone 6/6 Plus support, Storage extension and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 6, 2014

After adding passcode protection to Google Drive for the iPhone and iPad half a year ago, Google on Thursday added more coolness to the software.

First and foremost, the app now includes full support for iOS 8 technologies and can finally lock itself behind Touch ID fingerprint authentication.

And should you happen to own one of the new 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus devices, Google Drive will take full advantage of the increased resolutions to show more files and content.

They've also added a new option to save videos from Drive to your device and implemented a handy system-wide Storage extension allowing you to access your Drive in almost any iOS 8 app.

Google Drive is available at no cost in the App Store.

Neato lets you jot quick notes directly from Notification Center

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Neato is a new application that mostly consists of a Notification Center extension that lets you quickly jot down quick notes from anywhere on iOS. After installing the free app from the App Store, simply add the Notification Center extension to start typing in notes from the Lock screen, Home screen, or directly from within an application.

Notes can be synced with Evernote or with Dropbox. Additionally, whatever you type can be easily shared to Twitter, or via email or text message.

Apple doesn’t want calculator widgets on iOS 8

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 30, 2014

Apple today asked PCalc developer to remove its Notification Center widget after it was previously approved in the App Store. The reason? Notification Center's Today widgets are apparently prohibited from performing any calculations, according to the company's email to developer James Thomson.

Thomson took to Twitter where he shared the news with the world. “Apple has told me that Notification Center widgets on iOS cannot perform any calculations, and the current PCalc widget must be removed,” reads the tweet.

It's somewhat surprising Apple would take an issue with PCalc's Today widget after approving the app more than a month ago. Besides, PCalc's iOS 8 update, along with the widget, has been widely covered in media and Apple itself has featured it in two sections on the App Store, “Extend Your Apps” and “Great Apps and Games for iOS 8”.

So what's going on here?