Apps

Have you seen this Steve Jobs tribute in Gmail app screenshots?

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 10, 2012

I was a little surprised realizing the blogosphere today reported on a nice little nugget I discovered nearly a month ago, but here it goes. If you visit the iTunes Preview page on the web for Google's Gmail iOS app and check out the screenshots, you will notice a nice tribute to Apple's late CEO Steve Jobs in two screenies. The images depict an email message with the subject line “Your favorite Steve Jobs quotes” and contain the following text in the message body...

Google keeps promise, updates Snapseed with iOS 6 and iPhone 5 support

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 20, 2017

When Google announced last month it was acquiring Nik Software, the brains behind Snapseed, a popular Photoshop alternative on the iOS platform, Senior Vice President of Engineering Vic Gundotra made a promise on Google+ that "we’re going to continue offering and improving Nik’s high-end tools and plug-ins". The search giant has kept its word as it pushed an update to Snapseed for the iPhone and iPad on the App Store, bringing long-awaited iOS 6 and iPhone 5 compatibility...

Microsoft (again) mentions Office for iOS and Android

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 10, 2012

We've been receiving vague hints that Microsoft, which is currently busy for the big Windows 8 launch scheduled for October 26, is also working on bringing the Office suite to the iPad. Today, a new report quotes a Microsoft executive as confirming that the software giant is in fact hard at work developing a native Microsoft Office suite for both iOS and Android. The software should hit the two mobile platforms "sometime after March 2013"...

BBC launches iPlayer Radio streaming app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 29, 2017

BBC has previously made available its fine (I'd dare say, the finest) television programming, documentaries and news channels on the iPhone and today the London, United Kingdom-headquartered public service broadcasting corporation revealed a new radio streaming app.

The BBC iPlayer Radio app allows you to stream live shows and download already-broadcast shows. It sports a nice dial interface akin to Apple's Podcast app, letting one quickly scan available shows and enjoy BBC's radio programmes on the go, even if it's limited only to UK residents (there's a way to bypass that)...

iOS 6 no longer lets you gift apps on iOS devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 8, 2012

It's been widely reported that Apple dropped stock YouTube and Google Maps app in iOS 6. I'm not really sure how nobody noticed this before, but it's been reported that Apple did kill another handy feature: the ability to gift apps.

The removal of the gifting capability affects mobile App Store storefronts running on iPhones, iPads and iPod touches as users can still gift apps using desktop iTunes on a Mac or PC. Apple itself confirmed the change and it's unknown when (or if, for that matter) the feature will return to iOS 6...

Camera Awesome hits iPad, Camera+ gains iPhone 5 low-light boost mode

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 13, 2018

Taptaptap's Camera+ and SmugMug's Camera Awesome are like the two most important photography and image editing apps in my arsenal. Both have been refreshed this morning, but don't let a minor version update fool you as each app enables major enhancements that add help add flair to iPhone photography.

Following in the footsteps of Taptaptap, SmugMug's Camera Awesome has been updated with native iPad support. At the same time, Taptaptap (which recently released CAmera+ for iPad and gave the iPhone version iCloud sync and other new features) has updated Camera+ for iPhone with the cool low-light boost mode Apple debuted on the iPhone 5...

Lockitron lets you lock and unlock your door with your iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ October 4, 2012

Shortly after introducing the App Store in 2008, Apple started running an ad campaign with the tag line "there's an app for that." It produced a series of TV commercials that highlighted iPhone apps that made otherwise arduous tasks, like counting calories and apartment hunting, a lot easier.

But in 2012, apps are doing a lot more than diet tracking and crawling rental property listings. Now they're parking cars, making coffee, and thanks to Apigy's new Lockitron deadbolt cover, they're locking and unlocking doors...

Facebook Messenger refreshed with chat bubbles, iPhone 5 support, Favorites

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 29, 2012

Facebook's standalone chat client called Messenger has been updated yesterday to version 2.0. In addition to bug fixes and support for iOS 6 and the iPhone 5's taller four-inch display (so you can see more messages with less scrolling), the app comes with the handy new Favorites feature and the interface has been tweaked around chat bubbles. I also weigh in on why you'll want to keep the chat app and the full-blown Facebook client both running on your device...

Apple highlights Maps alternatives via a new App Store section

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 19, 2018

Apple's really determined to right the mapping wrongs. In addition to posting a public apology on its web site and offering instructions on accessing mapping web apps from Google and Nokia, the Cupertino, California-headquartered designer of gadgets just posted a curated recommendations section in the App Store, listing third-party Maps alternatives for the iPhone and iPad...

Google updates Gmail app for the iPhone 5

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Google's been on a roll these days. They brought as the official YouTube app and the awesome Chrome browser, have improved Google Contacts sync in iOS, are working on a standalone Maps app and Street View on the web and will soon launch an interesting traveling companion app called Field Trip. Plus, Google's nice Gmail app for the iPhone and iPad is getting better with each iteration.

And earlier this morning, a minor update went live bringing support for the iPhone 5's taller four-inch dispay, so you can see more of your messages in the list view and more content in the message view without needing to scroll quite as much. Another benefit of the taller display: typing gets easier as the virtual keyboard in landscape mode is a bit wider.

Also, this...

New app from Google hitting iOS soon: Field Trip

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

So much about distancing from Apple. Google just recently launched very nice YouTube client and Chrome browser for iOS, it's said to be working on a standalone Maps app and now introduced a new software that runs in the background analyzing your environment to give you facts about the places around you.

It pops up a nice card when you get close to something interesting and will even read the info to you if you have a headset or Bluetooth connected. Best thing you check it out in a video I've included right below...

Camera+ updated with iCloud sync, Facebook single sign-on, taller iPhone 5 interface

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Taptaptap's Camera+ sold over nine million copies since its inception in June of 2010 and it's remained my favorite go-to photography app ever since. A major new version just hit the App Store this morning, bringing several new features.

Most notably, version 3.5 enables iCloud sync and Facebook sharing with single sign-on. The former lets you automatically sync your Lightbox between devices and the latter simplifies Facebook authorization.

And best of all, the team confirms that Camera+ for iPad is around the corner. Count us excited!