News

iHeartRadio launches two on-demand subscription tiers in beta

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2016

iHeartRadio started out in April 2008 as a simple Internet radio service at the website iheartmusic.com before becoming both a music recommendations system and a radio network that aggregates content from hundreds of local radio stations across the U.S. On Thursday, the company stepped into on-demand streaming with a pair of subscription tiers, launching in beta, that let listeners create playlists from tracks, listen to music offline, play songs in any order, skip tracks and more.

Google Santa Tracker goes live

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2016

Google today launched its Santa Tracker in Google Maps. If you find NORAD's own Santa Tracker lacking in terms of visuals and overall design, Google's web app may be right up your alley. By visiting santatracker.google.com from any device, you can take a peek at at Santa's Village as the white-bearded man gets ready for the big day.

Unfortunately, the Santa Tracker does not work in Apple's Safari browser so use Chrome instead or another browser of your choice.

Google updates Docs, Sheets and Slides with Trash view

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2016

Google has updated its productivity mobile apps on the App Store—Docs, Sheets and Slides—that act as alternatives to Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The new versions of these apps have added a brand new Trash view which lets you easily recover previously deleted documents, spreadsheets and presentations. In addition to Trash, the most recent updates to Docs, Sheets and Slides come with the usual bug fixes and performance improvements.

iPhone 7 demand reportedly starts fading as iPhone 8 rumors continue picking up steam

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2016

Apple has enjoyed success with the new iPhone 7 family as the Jet Black iPhone 7 Plus models saw strong demand, in some part due to Samsung's Note 7 debacle. But demand for latest iPhones may have started to fade recently, forcing Apple to cut back on orders, Taiwanese supply chain sources told trade publication DigiTimes.

That's especially true with the rumor-mill in high gear regarding next year's massive iPhone 8 upgrade and all the talk of the so-called Tenth Anniversary iPhone gaining all-glass, bezel-free industrial design and a wraparound OLED displays akin to that on the Galaxy S7 edge.

Here is how to find out if your iPhone 6s is eligible for a free battery replacement

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2016

After launching a repair program two weeks ago for iPhone 6s devices experiencing unexpected shutdowns due to a faulty battery, Apple has now updated its support document with a web tool that lets you check if your iPhone 6s is eligible for a free battery, MacRumors reported Thursday. You only need to enter your device's serial number to see if you're eligible for a battery replacement service.

Spotify could finally turn a profit in 2017, expand to China, Russia & South Korea

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 8, 2016

Apple Music rival Spotify could finally turn a profit in 2107, one of its board members told the media Thursday. Asked if the Swedish music service could become profitable soon, Par-Jorgen Parson, one of Spotify's first investors, told Reuters that it was “absolutely” the case.

Spotify currently operates in 60 markets and has more than 40 million paid subscribers. Apple Music is available in 115 markets and has 17 million paying customers and over 30 million songs in its catalog.

Plex Media Player app is now free to everyone, Plex for Kodi add-on launches

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2016

Media management service Plex announced yesterday that its Plex Media Player app is now free to everyone. Previously, using Plex Media Player required a paid Plex Pass subscription, a $5 per month value.

In addition, Plex announced an extension for competitive player Kodi which lets users of Plex Media Server stream their media content to the Kodi app.

Bloomberg: Apple plans to use drones and new indoor navigation features to improve Maps

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2016

Apple is assembling a team of robotics and mapping experts that will use data-collecting drones to capture and update Maps information faster than its existing fleet of minivans that use cameras and other sensors to collect Maps data.

The company has reportedly hired at least one person from Amazon's Prime Air division to help run the drone team, which is being assembled in Seattle. In addition, Apple is working on a brand new indoor view in Maps.

Indoor features would use pressure sensors, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in latest iPhones to let users easily navigate indoor areas such as airports, museums and other high-traffic buildings, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Alan Levin reported Thursday.

Remember Tiny Wings? You can now play it on your Apple TV!

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 24, 2018

Tiny Wings, an addictive iPhone game with simple gameplay and subtle charm, is now available on the fourth-generation Apple TV more than five years since its App Store debut in February 2011. Developer Andreas Illiger released the Apple TV game as a new $2.99 app, called Tiny Wings TV.

Like its iOS counterpart, Tiny Wings TV has you playing as a cute little bird with aerial navigation issues. You must escape the darkness of night, but the hills in your way hinder your speed so you must have good reflexes and a good sense of timing.

Apple Pay launches in Spain

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2016

Apple Pay today launched in Spain, the thirteenth market for the mobile payments service since its inception more than two years ago. According to Apple's website and the official Apple Pay support document, the service is available in the 46 million people country with launch support for debit and credit cards from Banco de Santander, Carrefour, Ticket Restaurant and American Express.

Fitbit said to be buying Pebble for around $40 million

Cody Lee ∙ November 30, 2016

Fitbit is set to acquire troubled smartwatch-maker Pebble, according to a report from The Information. The deal is said to be mainly about the company's intellectual property and software, and will likely result in the end of Pebble hardware.

In a subsequent report, TechCrunch says a source close to the startup pegged the deal in the neighborhood of $34 to $40 million, and it will just barely cover its debts. In the past, it was rumored Pebble received offers as high as $740 million.