Apps

Google Photos for iOS gains Live Photos stabilization feature

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 9, 2016

iPhone photography fans who use Google Photos for iOS as their go-to photo management and backup solution will be delighted to learn that the latest version of the iPhone and iPad application now integrates advanced stabilization and rendering features that can make Live Photos smoother. Borrowed from Google's Motion Stills app which debuted in June 2016, this feature can freeze the background in your Live Photos or create sweeping cinematic pans.

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Apple’s free app of the week: Blek

Cody Lee ∙ September 8, 2016

Apple on Thursday updated its App of the Week promotion with the game Blek. This critically-acclaimed title is an Apple Design Award-Winner, and for the next few days you can get it for free on both iPhone and iPad—a solid savings of $3.

The goal in Blek is simple: shape a line that collects all colored circles while avoiding black holes on its route. There are no specific moves to master, and potential level solutions range from delightfully simple to exceptionally deep and complex.

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Instagram is removing GPS-aggregating Photo Maps from user profiles

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 7, 2016

Mashable is reporting that photo-sharing service Instagram has begun taking away Photo Maps from user profiles, a feature that renders photos on a world map based on where you took them as determined by the embedded GPS data. An Instagram spokesperson said they've begun ditching Photo Maps because they didn't prove popular with users (your individual Instagram posts remain geotagged). Photo Maps will remain on your profile tab for now though Instagram plans to remove them from there, too.

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iOS 9 adoption increases to 88 percent of devices ahead of iPhone 7 and iOS 10 release

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 6, 2016

Eighty-eight percent of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices are currently using iOS 9, a one-point increase over the iOS 9 adoption rate of 87 percent which was recorded about three weeks ago.

During the same timeframe, iOS 8 has gone from ten percent of devices in August 15 to nine percent of devices. 'Earlier' versions continue to power three percent of older devices out there, as per newest stats on the App Store dashboard for developers.

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Airmail 1.2 for iOS is out with notification enhancements & other improvements

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 6, 2016

Airmail, a powerful email client for iOS and macOS, has received a feature-packed update on the App Store, bringing a number of new capabilities to iPhone and iPad owners. Airmail 1.2 for iOS, a free update, is more useful with a brand new Apple Watch complication for your watch face, Dynamic Type support on iPhone and iPad, smart notifications with a scheduler, alerts based on location, auto-refreshing Read status in alerts and more.

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Apple’s free app of the week: Noodles!

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Apple on Thursday updated its App of the Week promotion with the game Noodles!. This means from now through next Thursday, you’ll be able to pick up the addictive puzzler for free for both iPhone and iPad, a solid savings of $2.

For those who aren't familiar with it, Noodles! is a strategic game in which you must connect tube-like objects to create a desired shape. Your score depends on how fast you can solve the level, and it gets more complex as you progress.

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Apple to impose 50-character limit on app names, remove poorly maintained apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 1, 2016

Apple just sent an email blast to its registered developers to inform them that it's implementing two suggestions from the developer community starting September 7, 2016, the same day the iPhone 7 event is scheduled to take place. The first concerns “abandoned” apps that no longer function as advertised and the other deals with funny tricks some developers resort to in an effort to game the system.

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Facebook Messenger picks up live-streaming feature, called Instant Video

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 1, 2016

Facebook today announced a new live-streaming feature on the mobile Messenger app, dubbed “Instant Video”. Similar to the live-streaming feature built into the mobile Facebook app, Instant Video allows you to start streaming live video with a friend on Messenger by tapping a new button found in chat windows. The video streams in a small window so that you can continue chatting while streaming.

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Apple shares examples of Siri’s third-party app integration on iOS 10

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 1, 2016

Following first hands-on demonstrations of Siri's app integration that select developers gave to The Wall Street Journal's Nathan Olivarez-Giles last week, Apple on Thursday published an article of its own to share more details regarding Siri integrations for payments, messaging apps and more.

As a quick backgrounder, Siri on iOS 10 will work with your apps thanks to Apple's new SiriKit framework which was designed to help developers integrate Siri functionality into their own apps.

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Plex can now record free over-the-air and cable broadcasts using HDHomeRun devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 1, 2016

Available today as a beta release for Plex Pass subscribers, a new DVR feature allows Plex users to record both free over-the-air shows and cable broadcasts using their own digital antenna and HDHomeRun devices from Silicon Dust. As a bonus, it also supports non-DRM CableCARD channels on the HDHomeRun PRIME network attached digital tuner. This is a great feature addition that will put more television into your Plex-powered media center.

Plex is available for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV, as well as for the Mac, Windows, Linux and a host of other media-streamers and other devices and platforms.

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