Apps

Instagram for iPhone introduces Lux filter slider

Facebook-owned Instagram has introduced the popular Lux filter via a free update back in February 2012. Lux is admittedly a nice new way to enhance your photos, but there's just one slight problem: Instagram's one-touch implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

For starters, the effect has no options to fiddle with. For those unaware of Lux, it reduces overexposure and uses sharpening and fill light tweaks to make your shots warmer and people prettier.

It's quite handy in low-light and low-contrast situations, even more so if you take lots of selfies using the iPhone's sub-par front-facing camera. Realizing folks need more control over Lux, Instagram has updated its free iPhone app with a custom Lux slider...

Yahoo Search app updated with new iOS 7 design

Yahoo has updated its official Search client for iOS this morning, bringing the app to version 3.1. The update doesn't include much, but is instantly noticeable thanks to the all new design. Yahoo calls it 'minimalist,' but we often refer to this as iOS 7-style.

For those who aren't familiar with it, the app is pretty much your standard web engine with a built-in browser, but of course with Yahoo's services. So for folks invested in the ecosystem with either Mail or Tumblr, it could offer more than Google or Bing...

Rovio teases yet another new Angry Birds game

It hasn't even been a month yet since Rovio unveiled its new game 'Angry Birds Stella,' and the studio has already begun to tease a new title for its hit franchise. A 30-second clip showing a bird wearing a suit of armor popped up on Rovio's YouTube channel over the weekend.

The trailer instructs users to prepare for the most 'epic soft launch ever,' suggesting that the new game will be launching in the near future. It also tells us that the game will be arriving in Australia and Canada first, with other countries to follow shortly after. View the clip below...

Apple updates Remote app with better iTunes Radio control, purchased content support, more

You're probably aware by now that Apple today released iOS 7.1 with CarPlay support and improvements to Siri, Touch ID and more (jailbreakers should stay away from this update, for now).

Additionally, the firm's unleashed a companion Apple TV 6.1 software update with a new way to hide Home screen icons and seeded Xcode 5.1 and iAd Producer 4.1.2 (both with iOS 7.1 compatibility) to its registered iOS devs.

And now, the iPhone maker's free Remote app for the iPhone and iPad has received an update with support for accessing your past TV show and movie purchases and more. Remote 4.2 is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch free in the App Store...

Tweetbot 3.3 is out with larger images, Avenir font, mute enhancements and more

Just in time for the SXSW conference, Tweetbot developer Tapbots has just issued a new version of its popular Twitter client for the iPhone and iPod touch. Tweetbot 3.3 is now available as a free update to existing owners and includes a larger image thumbnail option, another option to hide current tweets after muting, the ability to use Avenir as a new font option in the display settings and more. I've included some additional tidbits, the screenies and your official changelog right after the break...

Medium iPhone app is coming next week

Medium, a rising blog publishing platform dedicated to high-quality writing, is launching its native iPhone application next week, The New York Times' Bits Blog reported yesterday. Filing as Medium's first mobile application since the service's inception in 2012, the app will initially be strictly focused on reading Medium posts and won't include editing functionality akin to, say, WordPress's free iOS app.

The service already has a great mobile site that looks business on small form-factor devices and releasing a native iPhone app could go a long way toward boosting its appeal among mainstream users...

‘Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame’ named IGN’s Free Game of the Month

Good news gamers, IGN has named Ubisoft's 'Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame' its Free Game of the Month. This is one of the first times that the game, which normally retails for $2.99, has ever been made available at no cost.

For those unfamiliar with the title, Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame originally landed in the App Store in 2013. It's the follow up to Ubisoft's Prince of Persia Classic remake with new controls, a new combat system and more...

Pebble gains official Evernote, eBay and Time Warner apps

Last month, Pebble launched its dedicated smartwatch app store with over 1,000 apps and watch faces. Few of the apps were noteworthy, but the company promised that it was working on landing titles from high profile developers.

And today it made good on that promise, as its launched 3 new smartwatch apps from well-known tech giants. Pebble owners can now access their eBay and Evernote accounts, as well as their TWC equipment, right from their wrists...

Xbox One SmartGlass app updated with new UI, dedicated game clip hub

Good news Xbox One owners, Microsoft has posted an update to its iOS SmartGlass client for the console this morning, bringing the app to version 2.3. The update includes a number of improvements, as well as a dedicated hub for clips you make with Game DVR.

The dedicated hub for Game DVR clips is a nice addition, as it allows you to view all of your gameplay clips in one spot. Want to show a friend that sweet kill you had in Call of Duty last night, or show them that awesome volley you had in FIFA? It's all right there...

Amazon releases new app for Amazon sellers

Amazon quietly launched a new mobile application yesterday called Amazon Seller. As the name suggests, the app was designed to help individuals and businesses manage their product listings on Amazon's Marketplace and communicate with their customers.

The app offers a suite of mobile tools that will allow sellers to perform a wide range of functions on their mobile phones. These functions include the scanning of barcodes on items, price checking, viewing sales ranking and reviews and even the listing of products...

Jawbone’s new ‘UP Coffee’ app tracks how caffeine affects your sleep patterns

Popular accessory and wearables maker Jawbone has released an interesting new app for iPhone today. It's called 'UP Coffee,' and it's the first product from product from Jawbone Labs—an initiative that allows Jawbone employees get experimental with personal projects.

The purpose of UP Coffee is to help users understand how caffeine affects their sleep. Despite its name, users won't need an UP band to use the app, and they don't have to drink coffee. You can enter in virtually any caffeinated liquid you want, and watch the app do its thing...

Developers say CarPlay is fairly easy to integrate into third-party apps

Since Apple introduced CarPlay earlier this week, it seems like it's all anyone can talk about. We know that the feature runs on BlackBerry's QNX platform, we know that it's going to launch first in Volvo, Ferrari and Mercedes Benz vehicles, and we know that aftermarket solutions will be available.

But what about third-party software support? According to a new report, driver safety is Apple's main concern right now, so it's taking a “slow and steady” approach with the CarPlay API. But the good news is, when it does grant devs access, the feature will be fairly easy to integrate into existing apps...