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.

Twitter now lets you receive DMs from anyone

Twitter apps for mobiles are getting a small yet significant update Monday, bringing out the ability to receive direct messages (DMs) from anyone. The company originally rolled out this feature as an experiment in October 2013 only to pull it the following month because it was unfinished and not ready for prime time yet. You opt-in to use the new feature by ticking a box next to “Receive Direct Messages from anyone” in the settings.

This lets anyone on Twitter send you a private message, regardless of whether or not they're following you. Previously, direct messaging has only been possible between users who follow each other.

The current implementation doesn't pose a major threat to established messaging services due to an account limit of 1,000 DMs sent per day. Once you hit this limit, you won't be able to send any more DMs for the day. The update is currently rolling out to App Stores around the world so check back in a few hours if it's not live yet.

Lost Within, LiquidSpace, Tiny Guardians and more hit the App Store this week

As the flow of updates geared towards the Apple Watch continues to increase, you may be feeling a little left out as you look down at your iPhone. There’s no need to be quite so despondent though, because a bevy of exciting new iPhone and iPad apps also exploded onto the App Store this week.

Whether you’re in the mood for a thrilling adventure, a perplexing puzzle, or something in-between, this list has you covered. If you somehow still find yourself wanting more after reading through this article, remember to keep checking back. We make lists of App Store releases and updates almost every day.

How to enable battery charging chime on MacBook

Illustration for battery charging chime on MacBook

Learn how to use this simple Terminal command to make your MacBook play a confirmation sound when you plug it into a charger.

Note: Owners of recent MacBook models need not even finish reading this article because their machines come with the power-charging chime enabled by default.

Twitterrific hits Apple Watch

Twitterrific developer The Iconfactory last evening announced immediate availability of Twitterrific for Apple Watch.

The company's freemium Twitter client for the iPhone and iPad was refreshed on the App Store with all-new Apple Watch functionality in the form of Glances, Notifications and the recent activity view. Twitterrific's Glances put retweets, favorites and new followers you’ve received over the past 24 hours, in addition to the current unread tweet count, right on your wrist.

But don't you worry, you'll be able to fine-tune which Twitter notifications appear on your Watch so you don't get inundated with unwanted alerts. Interestingly enough, The Iconfactory has opted for an unusual route of by requiring you to upgrade to Twitterrific's push notifications via a one-time $1.99 In-App Purchase in order to unlock the full Apple Watch functionality.

Amazon launches survival horror game ‘Lost Within’ for iOS

Amazon's Game Studios made good on its promise today to bring mobile games to iOS, launching Lost Within in the App Store. The title falls in the 'survival horror' genre, costs $6.99, and supports both the iPhone and iPad.

Set within an abandoned asylum that “holds a horrific secret,” Lost Within tasks players with solving mysteries, fighting monstrous inhabitants and using stealth tactics to sneak down haunted hallways in an effort to survive.

Grab Pursuit of Light, Apple’s new Free App of the Week on the App Store

It's Thursday and you know what that means, no? That's right, another previously paid app has gone free for a week as part of Apple's ongoing Free App of the Week promotion.

This time around, it's Pursuit of Light, a cool action adventure game set in a mystery world created by developer Lemon Jam Studio and released by publisher Zhipeng Wang.

Regularly a 99-cent download, Pursuit of Light features intuitive touch controls, eighty challenging dreams, beautiful music and design, Game Center support and other perks. The game has you playing as a little girl who strives desperately to find the light and get out of the endless dream she's found herself in.

LAUSD asking Apple for multimillion-dollar refund for failed iPad program

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) told Apple on Wednesday that it will not spend another dollar on the Pearson software installed on its iPads, reports local public radio station KPCC. Additionally, the school district is seeking a multimillion-dollar refund from the Cupertino giant for its failed technology initiative to put a tablet in the hands of each of its 650,000 students.

Chrome for iOS gains Today widget, 1Password and LastPass support, pull to reload and more

Google on Thursday issued an update to its Chrome browser for the iPhone and iPad. Available free of charge on the App Store, Chrome now lets you start using the app faster by providing a nifty little Today widget in the Notification Center with handy shortcuts to quickly access the voice search feature and tab creation functionality.

Moreover, the browser now plays nice with iOS 8's App Extensions, starting with support for 1Password and LastPass extensions so you can use your previously stored passwords on websites.

Microsoft’s Halo: Spartan Strike and Halo: Spartan Assault hit iOS

Thursday, Microsoft Studios unleashed a pair of new triple-A games for the iPhone and iPad unto the App Store. Both Halo: Spartan Strike and Halo: Spartan Assault pit you against an insurmountable Covenant force and are now available at $5.99 each.

Spartan Strike files as a top-down shooter which makes you a Spartan supersoldier tasked with battling evil forces.

Spartan Assault is the original Halo top-down shooter that plays through the historic first missions of the Spartan Ops program featured in Halo 4 as Commander Palmer.

Search images faster without typing in Bing

Windows maker Microsoft today announced that Bing for iPhone and Android now makes it easy to find images faster than before, without typing or by typing less.

The new search experience is now live on iPhone and Android devices in mobile browsers and lets you search images with “no typing required to discover more”.

Astropad now works with FiftyThree’s Pencil stylus

Astropad, an awesome iPad application which turns your Apple tablet into a professional-grade graphics tablet for your Mac, now works with the Pencil stylus by FiftyThree.

A major update, Astropad 1.1 includes major accuracy and wavy line improvements for the Jot Touch Pixelpoint stylus, improved palm rejection for Adonit styluses, support for Adobe Ink (choose Adonit when pairing), new settings and built-in help.

Google launches new features in Docs, Sheets and Slides mobile productivity apps

Google's suite of free of charge productivity services and applications, collectively marketed under the Google Docs brand, has been refreshed Thursday with new features.

As announced Thursday on the official Google Apps Updates blog, new versions of document editor Docs, presentation software Slides and spreadsheet application Sheets are now available in the App Store.

Among other changes, these applications now include such enhancements as object reordering on a slide, table editing in spreadsheets, tracking changes and accepting suggestions in Docs, faster loading and scrolling of PowerPoint documents and more.