iCloud

iWork for iCloud apps updated with Retina support and other improvements

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Hot on the heels of Microsoft's Office for iPad release, Apple has updated its iWork for iCloud apps with a number of improvements. The web versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote have each received new features, and it looks the changes will soon be hitting the Mac and iOS apps as well.

As a group, all three apps have been updated with Retina display support, as well as the ability to share view-only documents and the option to open documents directly from iCloud Mail. Individually, each app has received updated designs for their respective editors and other enhancements...

Google cuts prices for Drive storage, putting pressure on Dropbox and others

Cody Lee ∙ March 13, 2014

Google announced some drastic price cuts for its Drive cloud storage today, dropping its 100GB plan down to just $1.99 per month. The service now significantly undercuts rivals like Dropbox, which charges $10 per month for 100GB, and iCloud, which doesn't even offer a 100GB option.

To be fair, Google's Drive pricing was already lower than Dropbox, with a 100GB plan costing $4.99 per month vs. $9.99. But that extra $3 per-month savings equates out to $36 per year, making it even more attractive. Don't mind paying $9.99 monthly? Drive now offers 1TB at that price...

iOS 8: Apple apparently working on TextEdit and Preview apps with iCloud integration

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 13, 2014

After reporting yesterday that Apple is considering moving iTunes Radio to its own standalone app in iOS 8, the same reliable blogger is now citing sources with knowledge of Apple's initiatives as claiming that the next major revision to Apple's mobile operating system will bring two apps over from the Mac - Preview and TextEdit - both supporting Documents in the Cloud, a feature that lets software store documents in iCloud to be readily available on all devices.

Preview and TextEdit in OS X Mavericks already have support for iCloud documents so this development indicates Apple's intent to make iOS 8 and OS X even more tightly integrated...

Star Wars KOTOR goes half price, now with iOS 7 controller support and iCloud saves

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 7, 2014

Mac games developer Aspyr released Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) for iPad last May and today the app has received its second major update while slashing the retail price in half. Previously costing ten bucks a pop, the game is now available 50 percent off celebrating this update, or just $4.99 a pop in the App Store. The price drop is valid for a limited time only so bargain hunters should grab the game now before the price goes back up.

As for the new features, the freshly updated versions has an improved support for iOS 7 'Made for iPhone' controllers, such as Steel's Series Stratus, Moga's Ace Power Controller and Logitech's PowerShell. Both extended and standard controllers are fully supported. There are also new languages in this KOTOR update as well as iCloud saves for keeping your progress synchronized across all devices...

This free Mac util lets you open iCloud Tabs in any web browser

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 5, 2014

Apple's iCloud is a great way to keep your content synchronized across any number of Macs, iPhones, iPads and iPod touches.

It keeps your photos, calendar items, contacts, passwords and more up to date across devices, including Safari items like bookmarks and open tabs.

This useful feature, called iCloud Tabs, unfortunately is limited to the Apple ecosystem and only works with the company's own Safari browser for the Mac and iOS. As a result, people who rely on a non-Apple browser such as Mozilla's Firefox or Google's Chrome are unable to access the tabs they have open on their other devices.

That is, unless they consider CloudyTabs, a nifty little utility by Josh Parnham that puts iCloud Tabs right in the Mac’s menu bar...

Apple once again expanding its North Carolina data center

Cody Lee ∙ February 20, 2014

According to permits filed with Catawba County, Apple is once again expanding its data center facilities in Maiden North Carolina. The plans say the new data center building will cover 14,246 square feet with walls 25 feet tall, made of concrete panels and steel columns.

The building will look very similar to the 'tactical' data center that Apple added to the site in 2012, and have a similar layout with banks of computers in the main portion of it and 11 air units to cool it. It will also feature various security measures, including a 'man-trap' door...

Bug in iCloud web portal hints at future Bookmarks support

Cody Lee ∙ January 29, 2014

It's been discovered today that an error on Apple's iCloud web portal displays a "Coming Soon" message for iCloud Bookmarks, suggesting that the feature may soon be available on the website. This would allow users to remotely access their bookmarks using virtually any browser.

The page, which you can see in the screenshot above, appears briefly when visiting this URL from your computer. It was originally accessed by installing the Chrome extension for the iCloud Control Panel for Windows on a PC, and so far, no one is quite sure what to make of it...

New features added to Keynote, Pages and Numbers for iOS/OS X, iMovie gets bug fixes

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 23, 2014

Apple is on a roll today in terms of software updates. The company has just seeded the third OS X 10.9.2 beta to its registered Mac developers and revamped Pages, Keynote and Numbers on the web (excuse me, iCloud) with a slew of new capabilities, including - finally! - password protection for your iWork documents. Earlier in the day, Apple has managed to post a minor Podcasts app refresh and a bug fix focused update to iMovie for Mac.

And now, new versions of Pages and Numbers for iOS and OS X have arrived plus an enhanced version of Apple's presentation software Keynote with new transitions, improved presenter display options, better Microsoft PowerPoint and iCloud compatibility and more.

These software updates allow for a nice feature parity across Apple's iWork suite of apps on the web, iOS and OS X platforms...

Apple updates iWork for iCloud with iOS 7 design, new features and more

Cody Lee ∙ January 23, 2014

Apple posted a major update for its iWork for iCloud app suite today. The web versions of Pages, Keynote, and Numbers all received a makeover with a flattened, iOS 7-inspired design, a handful of new features, and various other improvements.

Among the new features is the ability to add passwords to iWork documents, and to share those password-protected documents with others. You can also now view a master list of iWork documents that others have shared with you, and more...

Sunrise Calendar criticized over request for iCloud credentials

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 31, 2017

We're big fans of the Sunrise Calendar app here at iDB. We named it one of our Apps of the Week in October of last year, and it has a permanent spot on our list of Best iPhone apps. It's a great-looking, full-featured alternative to Apple's stock Calendar.

But Sunrise has been taking a lot of heat lately for one of its newer features: iCloud support. You see, in order for you to add your iCloud account, the app requires you to enter your Apple ID and password. And some people see this as a huge security risk...

How to prevent iOS screenshots from being uploaded to Photo Stream

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

On any given week, I take dozens of screenshots of my iPhone or iPad for either personal reason, or as part of my workflow at iDB. For each post I publish involving an app for example, there are at least two screenshots, as you can see above.

Of course, every time you take a screenshot on your iOS device, it is automatically uploaded to your iCloud Photo Stream. Over time, these screenshots can be really annoying and distracting, especially if, like me, you use your Photo Stream as the screen saver of your Apple TV.

Thankfully, a jailbreak tweak called Screenshot Dam is available to stop screenshots from uploading to Photo Stream automatically...

Apple believed to have acquired mapping firm BroadMap, note-taking app Catch

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

During Apple's latest earnings call, Tim Cook noted that the company made 15 'strategic acquisitions' during its fiscal 2013. But out of those 15 purchases, we've only heard about 9 or 10 of them, begging the question: who else did Apple buy this year?

Mark Gurman over at 9to5Mac has a pretty good theory about at least two of them. Citing sources inside Apple, as well as evidence from LinkedIn and other sites, Gurman is reporting that Apple also acquired mapping firm BroadMap and Catch this year...