Apps

Potentially disruptive live-streaming app from ABC in the works

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 19, 2013

After CBS last week unveiled its free iOS app that gives you access to the network’s popular shows 24 hours or more after they air, we learn now that ABC is working on its own app for tablets and smartphones, one potentially making ABC the first of the American broadcasters to provide a live Internet stream of national and local programming, potentially very disruptive given the incumbent's existing business models. Of course, you won't get to stream premium ABC programming free of charge as a paid cable or satellite subscription will be required to use the app.

Nevertheless, the ability to watch such ABC shows as 'Good Morning America' and 'Nashville' on your iPhone or iPad as they broadcast could finally blur the artificial line between mobile devices and the traditional venues through which content providers distribute their linear programming...

14 Google Reader alternatives

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 21, 2018

Google sent shockwaves throughout the tech world yesterday when it announced that it would be killing off Google Reader this summer. Despite a recent decline in usage, a number of people, and apps, still depend on the service.

But never fear, as usual, iDB has you covered. We've done all of the leg work, and put together a list of 10 Google Reader alternatives. And by the time you get done reading through them, you'll be saying "Google what?"

How to bring your Google Reader feeds over to Flipboard

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 14, 2013

Some of us are adamant that a bright future lies ahead of RSS. Though the majority of my news discovery happens on Twitter and Facebook these days, I still rely on RSS feeds every now and then. In fact, you could say I am a regular Google Reader user.

But with the impending shutdown of the service, loyal fans like myself have no other choice but find a new home for their feeds.

Cody has put together a useful list of the ten most popular Reader alternatives and there's also that upcoming Digg Reader app. People who happen to manage their news sources in the excellent Flipboard app can bring their Google Reader feeds quite easily, here's how...

CBS releases free iOS streaming app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Eager to watch episodes of CSI or Survivor on your iPhone, iPod or iPad? Now you can, as CBC this morning released a major new streaming software which gives Apple's iOS devices free access to the network's popular shows like The Late Show with David Letterman, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Survivor, Catch NCIS, How I Met Your Mother, The Young and the Restless and Elementary. Some of the shows will stream via the app 24 hours after they air, but most of the shows are being offered eight days following their initial broadcast...

Apple posts new ‘Brilliant’ and ‘Discover’ iPhone ads

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 27, 2019

Apple has posted two new iPhone commercials this evening. The first one is entitled 'Brilliant,' and the second is 'Discover,' and both of them follow the Cupertino company's recent marketing trend for its iOS devices.

The spots start out with a slew of quickly flashing descriptive words, landing on a final one just before jumping into a quick app demo. And they repeat this a couple of times to an upbeat soundtrack. Check them out...

HiddenApps lets you disable iAds and hide stock Apple apps, no jailbreak required

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Occasionally, an app escapes the watchful eye of Apple's review team and gets released on the App Store despite ignoring Apple's stringent rules for third-party iOS development. HiddenApps by David Goelzhaeuser, a 15-year-old German iOS developer, is one such example.

The whole point of this free application is to let you hide Apple's stock apps from your Home screen, like Passbook, Newsstand or Stocks - no jailbreak required.

It can also disable Apple's iAds altogether and give you access to a Field Test mode which gives you precise readings of your cellular signal strength. You better download as it's going down in 5, 4, 3, 2...

Social apps become the third highest App Store category in terms of revenue

Ed Sutherland ∙ March 8, 2013

Last year saw the rise of social networking apps. While not as dominant as games, apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Skype helped revenue for the category skyrocket nearly 90 percent, compared to the previous year. Likewise, social networking apps flew to third place on Apple's App Store, behind only games and productivity. That's a notable jump from 2011, when social apps ranked only twelveth.

Revenues for the category on the App Store jumped 87 percent year-over-year in January 2013, with a 30 percent rise in monthly downloads now accounting for fiver percent of total downloads. On Google Play, social networking apps became the number one category, besides games, an app research firm announced Friday...

Judge orders Apple to reveal app review process

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Are reviewers of entries to Apple's App Store being threatened with death? That is the implication lawyers for the iPhone maker gave a California federal court earlier this week.

Despite the allegation, a judge overseeing a privacy lawsuit against Apple ordered the company to reveal how it reviews submitted apps, as well as condemned a three-month wait for internal documents.

Today is the deadline for Apple to turn over to U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal its process for gathering documents it must submit to plaintiffs. Attorneys for the plaintiffs charge the firm with collecting location data of iPhone owners without their permission. Earlier this week, Grewal issued the order, writing he cannot rely on Apple to turn over documents first requested in November 2012...

Facebook Messenger improved with updates to group chats

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

Facebook has just updated its Messenger iOS app with a few new features and "other improvements and bug fixes." The new Facebook Messenger version 2.3 is all about enhancements to group conversations, says the social networking behemoth. It contains one feature I've been yearning for ever since the program's debut on the iPhone: you can finally name a group by tapping on the top of your active conversation.

And just like Facebook's main iOS client (and a growing number of other third-party apps for the Apple platform, for that matter), you can now get to your active group conversations by swipe left, which reveals them in your sidebar. I've included a few screenies along with other nice tweaks right after the break...

Twitter refines iOS app search, but also removes Vodpod, Posterous and Mobypicture

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 6, 2013

After discontinuing its mobile TweetDeck apps for iPhone and Android in favor of the web client, the micro-blogging service Twitter today refreshed its iOS client with better search, refined layouts, support for traditional Chinese and other perks.

Unfortunately, this update also kills off support for external video services like Mobypicture, Vodpod and Posterous as the company supposedly is building a rumored video uploading service of its own.

Note that Posterous, a micro-blogging platform Twitter bought a year ago, is shutting down for good on April 30. Twitter also recently acquired Vine and launched a corresponding brand new app for recording and sharing short 6-second clips that can be easily tweeted out and viewed in-line on Twitter. With this update, TwitVid and yFrog are now your only video uploading choices in Twitter’s iOS app...

Apple asks judge to dismiss iPhone monopoly lawsuit

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Is Apple operating a monopoly? That's the question before an Oakland, California judge. Tuesday, the iPhone and iPad maker urged the court to dismiss a lawsuit filed in 2011, alleging the company runs a monopoly by offering apps for the smartphone only on the App Store. Apple underscores it doesn't set prices for third-party software and argues charging developers 30 percent to distribute items for iPhones, iPods and iPads on its App Store does not violate antitrust laws...

Google Maps for iPhone updated with faster local search, Google Contacts integration and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 5, 2013

Google Tuesday morning pushed a new version of its native Google Maps application for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's the first update since the Internet giant released a standalone Maps software for Apple's platform in December 2012, racketing up ten million downloads in just two days and becoming the App Store's top free iPhone app in no time. New features in Google Maps version 1.1 for iOS include integration with Google Contacts, local search icons that make finding places of interest faster and easier and more...