Video

A closer look at Safari Power Saver in Mavericks

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 1, 2023

Have you ever opened a web page, and somewhere on the page a Flash video starts blasting sound? I'm sure almost everyone who's used a computer in the last few years has experienced that unfortunate occurrence. There are browser plugins and extensions to prevent such a thing, but Apple is now waging a direct assault on rogue plugins.

Safari Power Saver is a new feature exclusive to OS X Mavericks, and its job is to prevent plugins from auto starting while surfing the web. While that sounds good on paper, in practice this could potentially cause problems when you want to watch legit content that utilize certain plugins like Flash. The good news is that Safari Power Saver is smart enough to know which content is legit content that you want to use, and which content is stuff that you probably don't care to use.

I took a few minutes to put together a video demonstration of Safari Power Saver. Check inside for the full video walkthrough and detailed analysis.

Preview: Stopwatch Pro

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Interested in saving your lap times from the stock Clock app's Stopwatch tab? If so, then perhaps this upcoming jailbreak tweak might garner your interest. Stopwatch Pro is a tweak that modifies the stock Clock app to be able to save stopwatch times for later viewing. You can even reorder the saved times, and created named sections to sort your times. Take a look at our brief preview video demonstration for more details.

‘PredictiveKeyboard’ adds a predictive fifth row to the iOS keyboard

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

PredictiveKeyboard is a recently released jailbreak tweak that allows you to use a SwiftKey inspired 5th row for predictive key entry. The tweak, which is available right now on Cydia's BigBoss repo for $2.39, is capable of speeding up typing by remembering words and phrases. Want to see how PredictiveKeyboard works in action? Then check out our full video walkthrough after the break...

‘Keyboard Control Pro’ lends enhanced control over the iOS keyboard

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Keyboard Control Pro is an upgrade to a tweak that we discussed a while back called The Quick Brown Fox. It's a jailbreak release aimed at the iOS keyboard, and it allows for enhanced control over the keyboard's basic functionality.

While very similar to the Quick Brown Fox, Keyboard Control Pro does include a few new features and refinements that might make it worth your while. Take a look at our full video walkthrough inside for more details.

Microsoft’s fourth iPad-bashing ad touts Windows 8 multitasking

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

iPad-bashing is becoming the recurring theme for Microsoft as the once dominant force in computing struggles to reclaim its relevancy in the post-PC world. Nowhere is this more evident that in Microsoft's inability to hit the ground running with Windows 8 on tablets.

With a few notable exceptions, you can tell an also-ran has run out of ideas when it puts together a television commercial advertising its contender against the industry leader.

Sometimes the strategy of piggy-backing on the top dog's popularity can do wonders (case in point: Samsung), but often times it just backfires. The latter appears to be happening with Microsoft's anti-iPad ads. I'll let you be the judge of that: the latest iPad-dissing 30-second spot sporting two baseball scouts is below the fold...

Plants vs. Zombies 2 lands in Australia and New Zealand App Stores

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Good news this afternoon for those looking forward to the highly anticipated Plants vs. Zombie sequel. Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time has started hitting App Stores around the world, despite EA's warning that the game wouldn't make its July 18th deadline.

Don't get too excited though. Apparently, today's release is just a limited soft launch to help the developers fine-tune the game's new free-to-play experience. For now, only folks in Australia and New Zealand (or with iTunes accounts in either country) can download it...

Samsung’s concept makes the case for wearables

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2013

Young Sohn, who started at Samsung in August 2012 as President and Chief Strategy Officer, showed this intriguing concept video at MobileBeat 2013, VentureBeat’s sixth annual flagship conference on the future of mobile. In it, the Galaxy maker lays out its vision for wearable computing that calls for new kinds of bendable displays.

The video focuses on a scene depicting a woman using her smartphone of the future outfitted with health sensors to share health data with her doctor. According to Bloomberg, Apple's rumored iWatch includes a pedometer for counting steps and sensors for monitoring health-related data, such as heart rates...

Deus Ex: The Fall coming to iOS this Thursday

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Deus Ex fans will be happy to hear that Square Enix and its development subsidiary Eidos Montreal have just announced that the latest iteration of the popular franchise, 'Deus Ex: The Fall,' will be arriving in the App Store this Thursday, July 11.

The game will launch exclusively on the iPhone and iPad, and its story line will take place after 'Deux Ex: The Icarus Effect' novel, which acted as a prequel to the nanopunk/cyberpunk franchise. And yes, we have a gameplay trailer after the fold...

Activate Link: launch predefined links using Activator gestures

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Activate Link is a new jailbreak tweak that allows you to launch predefined URLs using an Activator gesture. Up to five different URLs can be customized within the preferences for the tweak; launching them via Activator invokes's iOS default Safari browser.

I've put together a brief video tutorial that showcases how to use Activate Link. Take a look past the break for the full enchilada.

Company selling Android handsets based on budget iPhone design

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Over the weekend, a small electronics company named Techdy posted several photos and high quality video of, what is believed to be, the shell of Apple's long rumored budget iPhone. Similar to previous reports, it described the device as a cross between the iPhone 5 and first-gen iPod touch.

Interestingly enough, folks who want to see what the phone looks like for themselves can actually order it. Techdy has announced that it is now selling an Android smartphone, the 'Basic Bear,' for $199 that has a 4-inch Retina display and features a hardware design based on the the budget iPhone...

Preview: StatusHUD

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 12, 2018

StatusHUD is an upcoming jailbreak tweak that promises to integrate the iPhone's volume HUD with the status bar. This allows you to view the volume level meter from within the confines of the iOS status bar, keeping the middle of the screen free from the stock HUD.

Scheduled to touchdown on Cydia's BigBoss repo in the near future, StatusHUD works on all jailbroken iOS devices, including the iPad. Developer, Alan Yip, the same developer behind tweaks such as Tap to Widgets and Overview, has allowed us to go hands on with a finished copy of the tweak. Check out our preview video after the break...

Instagram update adds front-cam stabilization, landscape support

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 8, 2013

Like it or not, video on Instagram video is here to stay. And with five million videos uploaded to Instagram in the first 24 hours and given the Instagram brand strength, small wonder that Vine shares on Twitter have plummeted since Instagram video debut.

Not resting on its laurels, just this past weekend Instagram received a small update adding support for the Cinema video stabilization feature for your iPhone's front camera, previously available on the rear camera only. Not only that, you can now shot video holding the Instagram camera in landscape orientation...