iPod Touch

Yahoo updates Flickr app with the obligatory Instagram-like filters

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 29, 2012

Following Instagram's update that added a new Willow filter and yesterday's big refresh of Twitter's iOS client that now lets you crop a photo and apply up to eight brand new filters before tweeting it out, Yahoo too has joined the fray by revamping its aging Flickr iOS client this morning. And guess what? The redesigned app also touts filters as Yahoo attempts to stay relevant in the social photography space. There are sixteen unique camera filters to choose from, twice as much as in Twitter's app (and also powered by Aviary). More features and screenies right after the break...

Shazam redesigns its fugly apps: larger artwork, Google+ sharing, offline tagging

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 11, 2012

Shazam, a music identification service popular with smartphone owners, today issued a nice update to both its free and paid iPhone apps. For starters, Shazam version 5.5 integrates better with iOS 6 by invoking the standard system sheet when sharing tags to Facebook (really, what took so long?). More importantly, you can now record audio snippets offline for later matching, something I've been yearning for since the dawn of time.

Google+ sharing is also supported, as is searching by name, title, tag date or location. Last, but certainly not the least, the app's fugly interface has been overhauled with larger artwork for music, TV ads, or shows, a prettier listening screen and generally nicer-looking interface that's easy on the eyes and more in line with Apple's iOS Human Interface Guidelines.

These features are in addition to September's update (when Shazam raised $32 million in funding), which has brought out the interesting ability to tag any television show on any channel in the United States...

Find My iPhone, now with driving directions to lost devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 11, 2012

A small but noteworthy update to Apple's Find My iPhone software has just surfaced on iTunes. The iPhone and iPad app which lets you locate stolen or misplaced devices on a world map has gained ability to provide driving directions to your lost gear. This capability requires the new Find My iPhone app version 2.0.1 or later and iOS 6 or later. Apple has also enabled another tweak where Play Sound, Lost Mode and Erase buttons appear separately from the main map view. Unfortunately, the repugnant stitched leather theme is still all over the app...

Yahoo releases brand new Mail app for the iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 11, 2012

Surely you must remember Yahoo! Mail? The more than 310 million people who still use it swear it's the best webmail service out there, bar none. If you're a fan of Yahoo's email offering, you'll be delighted to learn that the search firm today released a brand new iOS email client. It's got the basic you'd want from an email app nailed: the clean inbox view with infinite scrolling, auto-complete for email addresses you type, notifications for incoming email messages, multiple message selection, swiping left and right for quick access to options, in-line images, search across folders and more...

How to easily adjust brightness on iPhone and iPod touch with BrightVol

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

BrightVol is a new jailbreak tweak, which allows you to adjust the brightness settings of an iPhone or iPod touch using the device's hardware volume buttons.

While similar tweaks have been created in the past, none of them, to my knowledge, allows you to dynamically switch between brightness settings and traditional volume settings as easy. BrightVol allows you to do just that, and that's what really separates it from the rest of the pack. Take a look inside for our full video walkthrough...

Conceivable concept tidies up the Notification Center mess

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 10, 2012

Notification Center, a feature Apple borrowed from the jailbreak community, continues to be artists' favorite playground, if numerous concepts are anything to go by. I'm especially liking a new concept by Alex Saretzky, a designer who is proposing a better use of the screen real estate in Apple's implementation of the Notification Center.

The redesigned feature helps convey more information compared to Apple's version of the Notification Center. Specifically, Alex says Apple should drop the linen background (we're looking at you, Jony Ive) and re-think some of the design decision that clash with its own Human Interface Guidelines...

iDB 2012 holiday gift guide: Jim’s budget saver picks

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

As we barrel into the holiday season at an alarming rate, I am assuming that you, like I, have not finished purchasing gifts. As an iDB reader, you know that tech gifts are the best gifts and we are hoping to make choosing a little easier. When I was little, I always preferred something cool and new under the Christmas tree. Thanks to iOS devices, there are many new ways to pick up a new innovative or interactive gift for the kids or kids-at-heart.

My guide is split between age groups and all suggestions fall into the stocking-stuffer category, thanks to their sub $75 price tags. Why spend huge bucks when there are decent options for less? With the bargain shopper in mind, the following might not be the best toy or accessory money can buy, but they are great deals for the dollar...

Final Fantasy IV hitting iOS on December 20

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2012

Square Enix announced it will be bringing Final Fantasy IV to both iOS and Android. Apple's platform will enjoy a preferential treatment with the Final Fantasy IV release on Thursday, December 20, just days before Christmas. As for the Android build, it's gonna arrive some time in 2013. Final Fantasy IV is a remake of the 2008 Nintendo DS game, with visual improvements and a few nice mini-games, among other perks, which should be enough to keep fans of the franchise glued to their devices...

Apple reportedly looking to move mobile chip business to Intel

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

As crazy as things have been getting between Apple and Samsung in their ongoing patent war, you knew it was only a matter of time before the fight spilled outside of the court room. We continue to hear rumors and reports that Apple is looking to move away from the Korean company as a component manufacturer — it's already doing this with displays, and could soon start doing it with processors...

Goal Zero’s solar charger kit is perfect for zombie apocalypse

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

A city-slicker that fancies himself an outdoorsman, I had been on a quest to find an iOS device solar charger for a couple months. After stumbling into an REI, the GOAL ZERO product line piqued my interest. When hiking, camping, hunting, traveling, or when the world ends, finding a power source may be difficult. If we are all Denzel Washingtons, rocking out to our iPods while we hunt for the Book of Eli, then a consistent source of USB power is as important as our favorite post-apocalyptic weapon...

Apple’s Remote app gains iTunes 11 support, Up Next, revamped iPad UI and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 29, 2012

Following the official release of iTunes 11 for Mac and Windows and an incremental Apple TV firmware update, today's update bonanza continues with the release of a minor update to Apple's Remote iOS app. It now plays nice with iTunes 11, of course, and includes a redesigned interface on iPad tablets that takes design cues from the new iTunes, just as the previous version was reminiscent of desktop iTunes. As for iTunes 11 support, the updated Remote app now includes overhauled library views, an expanded view for your media, improved search results, the new UpNext feature and more...

Fantastical for iPhone is here and it’s a thing of beauty

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 7, 2018

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-orFmHPTH0&feature=plcp

As promised, Flexibits today launched Fantastical for the iPhone. The app makes a leap from the Mac, where it's been deemed the most popular calendar software for the platform. And one of its trademark features - the natural-language engine which parses entries, allowing one to just type in full sentences to create events - is now available on the iPhone and is just as effective as on the Mac. And for those that don't like to type, Fantastical also supports dictation so you can speak the details for your event...