iPad

From the latest news to the most comprehensive tutorials, learn how to get the most out of your iPad with our step-by-step guides and expert tips.

Apple issues invites for October 16 media event: ‘it’s been way too long’

Following claims by ReCode's well-informed John Paczkowski that Apple's been prepping to hold an iPad-focused media event on October 16, the Cupertino company on Wednesday morning confirmed the report by issuing invites to select members of the press, The Loop first reported.

Featuring a colorful Apple logo outline adorned by the the tagline “It's been way too long,“ the invite prompts the media to attend the event which begins at 10:00am Pacific / 1pm Eastern at the firm's Town Hall Auditorium in Cupertino, California.

Leaked images show off thinner iPad Air 2 design with Touch ID and no mute switch

Vietnamese blog Tinhte.vn on Wednesday leaked [Google Translate] a fresh batch of images showing off what appears to be a noticeably thinner chassis for Apple's upcoming second-generation iPad Air tablet with Touch ID fingerprint scanning.

Curiously enough, the shots show the recessed volume buttons like on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but no mute switch on the side, in turn prompting watchers to speculate that Apple may have ditched the button due to the tablet's thin profile.

Speaking of thinness, the unit pictured on the photos is said to measure just 7 millimeters. By comparison, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are 6.9mm and 7.1mm thin, respectively, and the iPhone 5s measures 7.6mm in depth.

Google Chrome gains iPhone 6 support, ability to download and open files in Google Drive

The Internet giant Google on Tuesday issued a small update to its Chrome for iOS browser, adding better support for the “Retina HD” iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus screens.

The free download also enables another interesting feature — the ability to download and open files directly in the Google Drive application, if installed on your device. Finally, this release includes customary bug fixes and stability improvements.

Google Chrome is available free in the App Store.

Alternative iOS web browser iCab optimizes for iPhone 6 and iOS 8, 1Password extension and more

iCab Mobile by German developer Alexander Clauss used to be my favorite browser alternative for the iPhone and iPad. Yesterday, Clauss pushed a substantial update bringing out support for Apple's iOS 8 software and the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus “Retina HD” display sizes, along with several improvements such as Bing and Waibo search suggestions, new Bluetooth keyboard features, the ability to use 1Password or Dashlane as external password manager and more.

This update is free for existing users of iCab Mobile.

Amazon updates Instant Video for iOS 8 and iPhone 6, improves playback experience

The online retail giant Amazon on Tuesday refreshed its Instant Video iOS client for the iPhone and iPad with iOS 8 compatibility and native support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus display sizes.

Aside from these compatibility fixes, the release adds a pair of enhancements aimed at improving your video-watching experience.

The latest version 2.9 is available free of charge in the App Store, arriving a month following version 2.8 which brought us a brand new search history feature and quick resume capability.

iOS 8 adoption slows, now tied with iOS 7 at 47%

iOS 8 is now installed on 47% of all compatible devices, according to Apple. The company updated its App Store support page for developers tonight, showing that adoption for the latest major version of iOS is now tied with iOS 7, leaving just 6% of devices on older firmware.

This means that iOS 8 adoption has gone up just a single percentage point in the past two weeks, as Apple reported it installed on 46% of devices on September 21. It's believed that the still-sluggish iOS 8 adoption rate may be due to the number of bugs that have plagued the software.

Google updates Gmail for iOS with iPhone 6 and 6 Plus support

The Internet giant Google has at last gotten around to updating the native Gmail application for iOS with native display support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

As a result, owners of these new devices can finally enjoy crisp typography and user interface while taking full advantage of the bigger canvas to see more of their emails and inbox without scrolling.

Now available in the App Store free of charge, the new Gmail version 3.1415926 only lists native support for the new iPhone display sizes.

1Password updated with iPhone 6 support, Touch ID timeout improvements and more

Developer AgileBits on Monday issued 1Password 5.1 adding native display support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and fixing a number of issues and oversights related to the Touch ID and PIN Code features.

This release also introduces some new capability such as the ability to add brand new tags to your items, enable or disable third-party custom keyboards within the Advanced Settings and more, while fixing “the most popular issues and crashes”.

1Password has recently gone the freemium route and now offers basic features free of charge, with advanced features available through Apple's In-App Purchases mechanism.

Grab Ski Safari: Adventure Time, IGN’s latest free game of the month

IGN has named Cartoon Network's Ski Safari: Adventure Time its Free Game of the Month for October. Simply visit IGN's promo webpage here and click the big red 'Get My Free Game' button in order to redeem your free copy of the iPhone and iPad game, a 99-cent saving.

Filing as a stunt skiing endless runner, this hilarious game features Finn, a silly kid with an awesome hat, and Jake, a brassy dog with a big kind heart.

You'll be skiing with your butt and sliding your way through themed worlds like Ice Kingdom, Fire Kingdom, Candy Kingdom, the Forbidden Dungeon and the Mystery Mountains.

The game features mathematical costumes, algebraic stunts, the ability to hitch a ride with Cartoon Network's popular characters, including Jake, LSP, Flame Princess, Marceline, Princess Bubblegum, Lady Rainicorn, Ice King and Gunter, and much more.

Facebook working on money transfers through Messenger app

As Apple gears up to mainstream mobile payments with the recently announced Apple Pay service launching later this month, the social networking giant Facebook is developing its own peer-to-peer payment service that should allow users of its Messenger software to transfer money between themselves, as discovered by iOS developer Andre Aude.

The solution simplifies money transfers by levering the existing Messenger infrastructure and user interface, allowing users to pay for goods directly in the chat window just like you would attach a photo or a location.

Modern Combat 5: Blackout on sale for first time ever

Great news gamers! Gameloft has placed its hit FPS shooter Modern Combat 5: Blackout on sale for the first time ever this weekend. The game, which has garnered a rating of 4 out of 5 stars on nearly 5000 reviews in iTunes, can be had for $4 for a limited time.

MC5 is, as its name suggests, the fifth iteration in the popular Modern Combat series. This particular entry starts out in Italy, where players have been sent on a special operation to secure a transport of WMDs from a particularly well-armed terrorist group.

Apple to hold iPad event on Thursday, October 16

Apple is planning an iPad event for Thursday, October 16, according to a new report from Recode's John Paczkowski. Citing sources familiar with the plans, Paczkowski says the event will be held in the company's Town Hall Auditorium in Cupertino, and will be used to talk about new iPads, new iMacs and of course, OS X Yosemite.