Monday, May 25, 2015

Pebble Smart Watch Adds Support for All iOS 7 Notifications New Developer SDK and APIs video


Pebble today announced a significant update to its smart watch that allows any Notification Center alert to be pushed directly to the watch, a big improvement from the prior version which only allowed some notifications like calls and text messages to be sent.

Now, any iOS 7 notification -- whether from Facebook, Google Maps, Calendar or any other app -- will appear directly on the Pebble Smart Watch. The company also announced the next major version of the Pebble SDK for developers, including new APIs for Javascript, the accelerometer, data logging and persistent storage.

A new Pebble app for iOS will enable this functionality and is currently under review by Apple. Expect an update on the iTunes Store soon. Pebble is streaming the announcement live at 10AM Pacific so developers can see the latest updates.
First, were introducing a delightful user experience for Pebble customers using iOS. Pebble is now fully integrated with iOS 7 and works seamlessly with Notification Center. This means that any notifications that youve enabled in Notification Center on your iOS 7 device will appear on your Pebble -- just like that. Its easier than ever to pick and choose which updates you want to see on your watch. This includes notifications beyond calls, texts and emails, such as Calendar, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Flickr, Dropbox, WhatsApp, Flipboard and more. 
Second, were launching Pebble SDK 2.0, which makes it even easier for developers to build awesome Pebble apps. SDK 2.0 opens up an entire universe of rich new watch apps thanks to four new APIs: Javascript, Accelerometer, Data Logging and Persistent Storage. These API allow developers to make Pebble apps that interface directly with the web (real-time weather, transit info, location check-in), access the accelerometer (health/fitness monitoring and gesture-based remote control), log data when disconnected from the phone (health/fitness tracking), and store info on the watch (high scores for games, settings).


The Pebble raised more than $10 million on Kickstarter, potentially proving the viability of the smart watch as a product. Apple is widely rumored to be working on its own iWatch and recently invested hundreds of millions of dollars in a new Arizona factory to make sapphire glass, perhaps for such a product.

Pebble says it has native apps from Foursquare, GoPro and Yelp on the way, with more to come. The Pebble smart watch is available for $150 in five colors from getpebble.com and at Best Buy and AT&T retail stores.


Data source: via MacRumors  (By Jordan Golson)
Origine source: blog.getpebble
To get one: getpebble

Read more »

Sunday, May 24, 2015

know These Six Settings to Enhance Your Privacy on an iPhone or iPad


No doubt the iPhone become provide us several services, whether those services offered by Apple itself or by other third parties, but there are many services may be at expense of your privacy, and may be for entertainment, so most users not needed them. On the other hand there are some precautions you have to do. We will know some of them.


Disable Passwords & Autofill in Safari


The empty fields that you have filled in the internet browsers, like your user names, passwords, E-mail ID, and also your credit card information, all these info usually were stored within your browser, -among its benefits in order not to be retype these info again,- thus the accessing to them will be within reach. Safari in your iPhone or iPad has an option to prevent that.

From Setting app move to Safari, then Passwords & Autofill, and turning off all the options in this section.


Use Private Browsing Mode


Safari browsing in iOS devices also includes a Private browsing mode, which empower you to browse your favorite websites, without leaving any trace. Safari in this case, won’t trac pages you are visited, it will disable autofill, and prevents websites from using cookies to track your browsing history. This feature has many advantages, like if you share your iPhone or iPad with other people at home or work, and if you want to open or browse a website with more than one account on the same device, for example if you would to open two Facebook or Twitter accounts.


To get a private browsing on your iPhone, open Safari, at the bottom right corner tap on the "Show Pages" icon. You will then see "Private" at the bottom left corner, tap on it to start a private browsing session, you will notice that the Safaris color turned to black.


Prevent apps to access your microphone


Apple in iOS devices allows third party apps to access your microphone, thus misuse by these app might be probable. If you dont like that, in the sense, you dont want apps listening to your conversations, you can disable this feature on a per-app basis.

To view a list of these app that have access to your microphone. From Settings app head to Privacy section then Microphone.


Enable Find My iPhone


Find My iPhone is the lonely feature, that give you a chance to retrieve your lost or stolen iPhone, as you give you the ability to erase your iPhones data remotely. iOS 7 has come with a new feature to Find My iPhone called "Activation Lock", which prevent anyone else from using your iPhone, so your Apple ID and password are required if a person attempt to turning off Find My iPhone, erasing your device, or reactivate it, to become you iPhone an useless device. This feature significantly contributed to reduction of the iPhones stealing proportion.



To enable Find My iPhone, head to Settings app then from iCloud section toggle Find My iPhone option to on.


Disable Frequent Locations


Frequent Location is an iOS 7 feature, which tracks where and when you go, to provide these location histories to various apps, that interested in this feature, and Apple introduce many services based on your location. For example, the feature will place "Next Destination" information like drive times on your Notification Center.


To turn the Frequent Location off, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Frequent Locations. And if you want to clear out existing history entries scroll down and tap on "Clear History" button.


Create a lock screen passcode


One of the first steps that you have to do when you get an iPhone or iPad, is to create a lock screen passcode, to prevent anyone messing around with it.


To enable Passcode Lock screen or to change it, go to Settings > General > Passcode Lock > Turn Passcode On. You will have the option to make a simple four digit number passcode. But if you want more secure passcode, toggle the "Simple Passcode" option to off, then you will get the ability to type a longer complex passcode.


Enable Touch ID (bonus on iPhone 5s)


Among the salient features that had come with iPhone 5s is the Touch ID, which empower you to open your iPhone by scanning your fingerprint instead of typing an alphanumeric code.

To enable and setup Touch ID, go to Settings > General > Touch ID & Passcode or Passcode & Fingerprint (on iOS 7), and start adding fingerprints.


Read also:
  • Heres How To Create Custom Vibration Patterns To Use As Ringtones In iOS 7
  • 8 Cool Things You Never Knew Your iPhones Headphones Could Do
  • How to Get Google Now on iPhone, and 8 Tips for Setup
  • RoboRoach Lets Kids Turn Real Cockroaches Into iPhone-Controlled Cyborgs
  • These Insane iPhone Cases Are More Expensive Than The iPhones Inside Them

Read more »

Saturday, May 23, 2015

New Job Listings Point to Continued Work on Transit Options in Apple Maps


Apple today posted two new job listings on its website, seeking to fill engineering positions related to public transit. The company is looking for a Maps Public Transit Engineering Manager and a Public Transit Software Engineer, who will join the Maps team to work on building and improving a Transit Routing platform "at a massive scale."
As a member of the Transit Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps. You will design and implement functionality that will be used by millions of users worldwide.
In addition to these job listings, Apple has posted other transit positions on its website over the past few months and has also acquired multiple mapping companies focused on transit, including HopStop and Embark, two companies with apps and tools developed to provide subway, bus, train, taxi, walking and biking directions.

As noted in the job listings, Apple is working to build these services into its own mapping service, incorporating accurate, real-time information on public transportation routes into the Maps apps for iOS and Mac.

Apples lack of public transit information was one of the major criticisms the company faced after its in-house mapping service debuted in 2012. Discontent with the lack of features and the inaccuracy of the Maps app prompted both a reorganization of the company and an apology letter from Tim Cook.

Alongside its work to introduce transit options to Maps, Apple has also aimed to improve the accuracy of the service. Over the past several months, Apple has hired a multitude of Ground Truth experts to fix location-based issues such as the error that caused Australian drivers to become stranded after receiving faulty directions.

Despite Apples efforts, problems with Maps are ongoing. Recently another location-based error caused Maps to direct drivers in Alaska onto an airport taxiway.


Data source: via MacRumors (By Juli Clover)

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Friday, May 22, 2015

Apple begins airing TV spot for gold iPhone 5s


Similar to the flow of the "plastic perfected" TV ad Apple launched last month for iPhone 5c, the new 5s spot depicts a phone materializing out of a liquid material.

For the iPhone 5s, that material is gold, portrayed from the start in a melting form that takes the shape of the device. The spot pauses to admire the camera and dual element True Tone flash (above) before being outfitted with a gold ring highlighting its Touch ID feature, which is immediately used by a finger to login to the newly formed device.



The spot, first noted by The Verge as appearing in U.S. football broadcasts on Fox, and cobranded by carrier Verizon, is a slightly shorter version of the original video Apple showed at its release.

The TV spot is also paired with music from English glam rock band Goldfrapp: "Ohh La La," a disco inspired track that topped the charts in 2005, with punching bass guitar over a sultry synth, reinforcing the flow of the liquid gold. It also cleverly ties in the lyrics "dial up my number" and coordinates "I want to touch you, youre just made for love" with Touch ID, panning out to show the device running iOS 7.

Apples original spot lacked a similar soundtrack, instead presenting a creepier, orchestral accompaniment to the cracking sounds of molten metal. The video also presented the internals of the Home button and its Touch ID sensor in greater detail, and flipped the phone around to present it alongside the Silver and Space Grey versions.




Liquids and Goldfrapp have been used in ads before

Apples new "liquid" ads are reminiscent of an LG ad for its "Chocolate" phone, which presented the device erupting out of liquid chocolate. LGs 2006-era U.S. Chocolate phone was intentionally styled after Apples iPod and played up its ability to play music.



That ad, coincidentally, featured a different track "Strict Machine" from the same artist, Goldfrapp. Motorola later copied LGs flip version of the Chocolate to launch the Moto CRZR, and also used Goldfrapps "Ohh La La" to promote its ability to play music, although it failed to highlight the lyrics of the song, instead just presenting its catchy beat and chorus.


Both companies were hit hard by the launch of the iPhone, which not only played music like an iPod, but also surfed the web and accessed email like a Macintosh.


Data source: via AppleInsider (By Daniel Eran Dilger)

Read more »

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Protect Your iPhone From Theft and Damages With Kenu Highline Case


Some of us love to take a picture or a video on a public places or on a public transportation, but the fear from the theft prevent him to achieve that.
Also the concern about the fall of the iPhone when we are practicing some hobbies such as rock climbing or riding a bike... could prevent us to carrying the Phone as well as to taking a picture.

The Highline case for iPhone 5 and 5S can help you to carry out these tasks so that is provide the protection for your iPhone.
Highline for iPhone 5/5s is a clever security leash and protective case system that provides peace of mind while capturing photos and video in the most precarious situations. Whether you are on a chairlift, whale watching, zip–lining, rock climbing, or entertaining your child, Highline will be there to provide the ultimate protection for your iPhone.
The Highline case features a security leash. Attaching directly to the Lightning port, the connection can just be clicked in or out. The actual leash is reinforced with braided Kevlar that can go from fully extended and back in a snap. A Kevlar loop attachment can wrap around many items like belt loops, stroller straps, zippers, purse handles, and more.


You can pre-order your Highline case here for $34.95.


Source: Kenu

Read also: 
  • How to Use Find My iPhone Pre and After the Losing of Your iPhone
  • Luxi light Meter: a Good Stocking Stuffer for Photographers
  • Best iPhone 5S cases: Keeping it stylish
  • RoboRoach Lets Kids Turn Real Cockroaches Into iPhone-Controlled Cyborgs

Read more »

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Rumor The Public iOS 7 1 Release in March

A new report from 9to5Mac that according to "reliable sources" Apple plans to release iOS 7.1 in March, representing the first major revision since iOS 7 was launched to the public in September of last year.

This report indicated that iOS 7.1 will contain user-interface tweaks and bug fixes, without any "secret features".
While recent reports are pegging a launch sooner than later, reliable sources say that Apple is currently planning to ship iOS 7.1, the first significant update to iOS 7, in March. The iOS 7.1 update is said to not have any “secret features,” and it will basically be what we have been told to expect by the past five betas: some user-interface tweaks in the Phone app, an improved Calendar app, speed improvements, and numerous bug-fixes.
The report ending by suggesting that Apple could unveil iOS 7.1 at media event “which would possibly be centered around the next-generation Apple TV.”

Back in Decembre a report from BGR claimed March release date for iOS 7.1, but last week a follow-up report retracts this intial date to "comming weeks".

The latest iOS 7.1 beta launched to developer last week, there are a number of the new feature and improvements have discovered so far in the five beta versions:
  • iOS 7.1 beta 5
  • iOS 7.1 beta 4
  • iOS 7.1 beta 3
  • iOS 7.1 beta 2
  • iOS 7.1 beta 1

Read more »

Monday, May 18, 2015

iPhone 5ses Are Bending In People’s Pockets


Back when the iPhone 5 first came out, there were a surprising number of reports of people whose iPhones suddenly bent themselves.

This did not seem to be an issue with accidental damage en masse: most of the people who reported the issue noted that their iPhones bent back at the volume button, and hadn’t been kept in a back pocket or sat on.

It seems with the iPhone 5s, this mysterious predilection towards bending has returned.

Over at French site Nowherelse.fr, our good friend Steve Hemmerstoffer points out that bent iPhone 5s devices already seem to be popping up. And boy, are they bent.

On one hand, you’d expect for the iPhone 5s — which shares the same chassis as the iPhone 5 — to have the same structural issues as its predecessor. But this is a big structural fault to leave unfixed between two generations. Even if you do keep your iPhone in your back pocket and sit on it regularly, an iPhone made out of metal and glass folding in on itself like a bent boner is an engineering issue.

Has your iPhone 5s bent in your pocket since you purchased it? Let us know in the comments.


Data source: via CultofMac (By John Brownlee)       

Origine source:  Nowherelse.fr

Read more »

Friday, May 15, 2015

These Are The Secret Little Tools Apple Uses To Repair The iPhone 5s


A lot of fuss has been made about the iPhone’s lack of repairability ever since it debuted in 2007 without *gasp* a removeable battery. Six years of design updates later and the iPhone is still as hard to tinker with as ever, unless of course you work at Apple.

Yesterday, Cult of Mac revealed a few pictures of the new tools Apple created to make iPhone 5s and 5c repairs easier than ever for Geniuses. Now our tipster is back with a bunch of GIFs of Apple’s fancy new toys in action, straight from Apple’s official iPhone 5s and 5c repair training videos.

Along with detailed animations of the new iPhone 5s and 5c components, the exclusive shots below show the exact methods Apple staff use to repair broken iPhone 5s, thanks to an array of tools created to make the process more efficient, including a new Universal Display Removal Fixture and an iPhone Battery Fixture Apple keeps hidden in the back of Apple Stores.

Want to know how fix your iPhone the Apple way? Study the GIFs below and you’ll be swapping out batteries like a Genius in no time:

Universal Display Removal Fixture

Rather than use just a single suction cup and pry the display open, Apple created the Universal Display Removal Fixture to provide quicker access to the iPhone’s internals without putting components at risk in the process.

To open a device for repair Apple has mounted Universal Display Removal Fixtures with four suction cups to gently pry the display from the body.


Insert the iPhone. Plop the suction cups down. Pull the spring-loaded-lever up. Voilà! An open iPhone 5s, no prying required.



Battery Removal

iFixit’s teardown of the iPhone 5s recommends prying the battery right off its adhesive, but Apple’s official guide says you should cut the adhesive strip with scissors, and then slowly pull the adhesive out underneath the battery before using a black stick to lift it out.


Apple says to be patient when pulling out the adhesive stip, keep it tight, and just pull it all the way around the battery.


You only need to use a black stick to lift the battery out the iPhone case after the adhesive is gone. Prying the battery off the top before removing the adhesive could cause you to damage some of the internal components.


Once they remove the battery, Geniuses pick off an extra adhesive and then apply these simple adhesive strips to keep the iPhone battery in place.



Speaker Replacement

We’re told Geniuses can replace seven components on the iPhone 5s at the the store – the speaker, receiver, vibration motor, iSight camera module, battery, sim ejector tool, and the display.

Speaker replacements are pretty straightforward. Unscrew the broken component, then pop in a new one like so:



SIM Ejector Tool

You probably never think about your SIM Ejector, but it fails a lot. The fix is pretty quick though and only requires an extra set of tweezers.



iPhone Battery Fixture

To make sure Geniuses apply the perfect amount of pressure between the new battery and adhesive strips, Apple created the iPhone Battery Fixture.


The device lines up your iPhone in preparation for the pressure roller to be dropped.


Press the red lever down and the pressure roller lands gently on the new battery to make sure the adhesive keeps it firmly in place.


Slide the tray back through the vertical tower a couple times and the pressure roller secures the the battery to the new adhesive strip.




Image: Michael Tompert


Data source: via CultofMac (By Buster Heine)

Read more »

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Best free iPhone games


Did you just get an iPhone? Maybe you’re looking for a new, cheap way to kill time? You’re in luck - we’ve got some games here that look and play great on the big and small screen alike, and they’re all available for the low, low price of free.

It’s worth keeping in mind that just about all of these employ in-app purchases of some kind or another. We know there are lots of you that would willingly pay up-front for a quality game, but there are plenty of good free games out there too. We’re trying to avoid “lite” games, since you won’t get a lot of replay value by only having the first couple of levels and being pestered to upgrade (pay) for the rest. That said, if the freemium model is a dealbreaker, this probably isn’t the round-up for you. Developers gotta eat.

Without further ado, here’s our list of the best free iPhone games. Don’t be shy to sing out in the comments with your favorite free games for iPhone.


Dead Trigger 2

 iPhone Screenshot 1

Dead Trigger 2 brings back rootin’-tootin’ first-person-shootin’ to the zombie apocalypse. Despite the altogether realistic visuals, Dead Trigger 2 remains chock-full of tongue-in-cheek humor. Controls now use a fast and natural auto-fire mechanism which keeps the focus on moving and aiming. More notably, there’s a robust hideout and crafting system where you get various assistants to build stuff for you, though it takes time. There is a premium currency in place, but it’s used almost exclusively to speed up building times; all weapons can be created and upgraded using the currency you earn throughout gameplay. Regular events bring players to new parts of the world, with collective rewards if goals are met.

If you’re looking for a high-quality shooter for your iPhone, you’ll have a hard time finding something better than Dead Trigger 2.

Download Dead Trigger 2 now for free


Dots

iPhone Screenshot 2

Dots is a light, casual, and addictive puzzle game where players need to line up same-colored dots as quickly as possible. You’ve got a limited number of time or moves to gather up these dots by matching them and get bonuses for tracing closed loops. Once you run out of time and tries, the dots you’ve matched can be spent on consumable power-ups. There’s also a local multiplayer mode if you want to see how your friends stack up.

Dots is fun, sharply designed and highly accessible - give it a shot!

Download Dots now for free


Dungeon Hunter 4

iPhone Screenshot 2

Dungeon Hunter 4 is a fast-paced action-RPG that plays like butter. Players hack and slash their way through an extensive single-player campaign, gather loot and gear, level up their abilities, and eventually take the fight into online multiplayer, both co-operatively and competitively. The graphics, particularly during boss battles, are sure to suck you in to the world. For those that get particularly enamored, there’s a premium currency available if you want to pick up the swankiest gear.

Dungeon Hunter 4 brings some of the best action-RPG gameplay you’ll find on iOS.

Download Dungeon Hunter 4 now for free

Learn How You Too Can EARN MONEY by Playing NEWEST Video Games!


Galaxy on Fire 2

iPhone Screenshot 1

Galaxy on Fire 2 is a sci-fi RPG that has players blasting through a beautifully-rendered universe. Quests range from hunting down space pirates to mining asteroids — and everything in between. There’s plenty of trading to do, and you can always upgrade your ship and buy new rides with the riches you amass. There’s an in-depth storyline to enjoy, and expansions available through in-app purchases.

Galaxy on Fire 2 is a rich, exciting, wide-open RPG perfect for sci-fi fans.

Download Galaxy on Fire 2 now for free


Injustice: Gods Among Us

iPhone Screenshot 1

Injustice: Gods Among Us pits all of the biggest heroes and villains of the DC universe against each other in a brutal 3-on-3 brawler. Taps and swipes get players to move around and throw basic attacks while certain gesture combinations execute devastating signature moves. Heroes gain levels over time, learn new abilities, and with the help of in-app purchases, you can unlock alternate costumes.

The selection of characters available in Injustice is boggling, and the exceptional graphics make this a great game for comic and fighting fans alike.

Download Injustice: Gods Among Us now for free


Plants vs. Zombies 2

iPhone Screenshot 1

Plants vs. Zombies is a venerable iOS franchise for a good reason. The bizarre premise of protecting your back lawn from hordes of undead by using sunflowers and pea shooters (literally, pea plants) is certainly part of that, but there’s a lot of tactical thinking in terms of plant choices before the attack begins and placement once its under way. In Plants vs. Zombies 2, you’re taken back in time to defend against zombies dressed in era garb, and try out all sorts of new mechanics. The zombies are getting smarter, and challenge your reaction speed in a number of ways, though you also have a whole new complement of plants to use. Stages also have new terrain features to keep every round fresh. Plant food can be collected to super-charge any plant when things get especially hairy.

All in all, Plants vs. Zombies 2 presents deep strategic gameplay in a fun, colorful package.

Download Plants vs. Zombies 2 now for free


RAD Soldiers

iPhone Screenshot 2

RAD Soldiers is our favorite turn-based strategy game thanks to its modern feel and deep customization options. Players build out a squad of deadly mercenaries and fight over missile crash sites at locales across the globe (for some reason), earn cash, and spend it on recruiting new members. Game maps are sectioned off as a grid, and are riddled with low cover and high cover locations which can mitigate incoming fire. Each character has a certain number of action points they can use in a turn, a selection of special abilities, and health bar that varies in size by character. You can chew on single-player challenges for awhile to earn rewards, or you can take the fight online against other players. Expansion packs can be bought through in-app purchases, or you can pick up the in-game currency to fast track your mercenary outfit’s gear.

RAD Soldiers is a fine mix of strategy and action, with plenty of progression and customizability to boot.

Download RAD Soldiers now for free


Learn How You Too Can EARN MONEY by Playing NEWEST Video Games!


Real Racing 3

iPhone Screenshot 2

Real Racing 3 is bound to keep gearheads entertained. It brings real brand-name cars to real-world tracks - hence the name. Though you won’t find live multiplayer races here, it features an interesting asynchronous multiplayer system whereby lap times are recorded from your friends, and you race against a bot that’s driving at that time. Of course you can bump them out and affect their track time, though there’s always a single-player career worth playing through too. Over time, players get new cars and upgrade various parts with their winnings.

Real Racing 3 is absolutely gorgeous, and the white-knuckled racing action will keep you coming back for more.

Download Real Racing 3 now for free


Spaceteam

iPhone Screenshot 1

Spaceteam is a decidedly unique local multiplayer game. Players gather together with their various iOS devices and connect over either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. They’re then presented with ridiculously-labeled spaceship consoles, with all manner of sliders, knobs, switches, and buttons. Each player then has a message flashing telling them which control needs to be tweaked in order to save their ship from exploding. The thing is, that control could be on anybody’s device, so what ends up happening is everybody starts barking ludicrous orders at one another with straight-faced urgency. Random events can have players in a panic trying to wipe goop off their controls while going through these episodes.

Spaceteam will be one of the most fun party games you play, and thanks to cross-platform compatibility, everybody gets to join in the fun.

Download Spaceteam now for free


You Don’t Know Jack

iPhone Screenshot 1

You Don’t Know Jack is an amazingly-written trivia game with a long-standing tradition of bizarre wordplay and general smart-assery. Players compete against Facebook friends for the high scores in themed episodes. Many of the questions adopt a standard multiple-choice format, but there are also Dis or Dat questions where you have to categorize terms, and the harrowing Jack Attack in the final round. The tokens earned through gameplay can unlock new hilarious parody commercials in between rounds or be spent on consumable performance enhancers. In-app purchases can get rid of ads and give you all the tokens you could want. On top of the core Facebook-centric game, there’s a separate party version of You Don’t Know Jack with AirPlay support where multiple iOS devices can act as buzzers for local games displayed on your TV.

You Don’t Know Jack is an absolutely hilarious game, even for those of us that are way too dumb to do well with trivia titles.

Download You Don’t Know Jack now for free
Download You Don’t Know Jack Party now for free

  • Read also: Top 10 best retro games for iPhone and iPad


Honorable Mentions


FIFA 2014

iPhone Screenshot 1

Absolutely gorgeous footie experience.


Into the Dead

iPhone Screenshot 1

Run endlessly with the zombies.


Learn How You Too Can EARN MONEY by Playing NEWEST Video Games!



Letterpress

iPhone Screenshot 1

A sharp multiplayer word game.


Major Mayhem

iPhone Screenshot 1

A fast and furious senseless shoot ‘em up.


Pocket Trains

iPhone Screenshot 1

Expand an 8-bit rail empire.


Those are our picks, but what are you really enjoying playing on your new iPhone? Do you prefer paid games, or are the free ones good enough for you?

  • Read also: Top 10 best horror games for iPhone and iPad


Data source: via iMore (by Simon Sage)

Read more »

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

FAA to allow passenger use of iPhones iPads other electronics during all phases of flight


The rule change will allow passengers to be able to read e-books, play games, and watch videos during all phases of flight, including landing and takeoff, with very limited exceptions. Previously, passengers had to wait until their plane was at a high enough altitude — 10,000 feet — before they could turn on their devices.

The FAA will require that electronic items, books and magazines be held or put in the seat-back pocket during actual takeoff and landing. Cell phones must be kept in airplane mode or have cellular service disabled, and they will not be able to be used for cellular voice calls.

The FAAs decision means that by the end of the year, passengers will be able to use their portable electronic devices in airplane mode during all phases of flight, with a few rare exceptions.

If a carrier offers Wi-Fi service during a flight, that may be accessed. In addition, short-range Bluetooth connections are also allowed.

"We believe todays decision honors both our commitment to safety and consumers increasing desire to use their electronic devices during all phases of their flights," said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "These guidelines reflect input from passengers, pilots, manufacturers, and flight attendants, and I look forward to seeing airlines implement these much anticipated guidelines in the near future."

The FAAs advisory board recommended to the agency in September that they loosen regulations on electronic device use during flights. Critics of the previous regulations said the rules are baseless, pointing out that newer aircraft are adequately equipped to deal with interference that may be caused by a portable electronic device.

In response, the FAA put together a PED Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which concluded most commercial airplanes can tolerate radio interference from consumer electronics. It recommended that handheld, lightweight devices such as iPhones and iPads should be allowed for use in airplane mode at all altitudes, once an airline verifies the tolerance of its fleet.


A flights crew can instruct passengers to turn their devices off in rare instances, such as low-visibility. The committee also recommended that heavier electronic devices should be safely stowed under seats or in overhead bins during takeoff and landing.

"I commend the dedication and excellent work of all the experts who spent the past year working together to give us a solid report so we can now move forward with a safety-based decision on when passengers can use PEDs on airplanes," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.

The FAA on Thursday also provided passengers with a list of 10 things it says they should know about the expanded use of electronic devices on flights:
  • 1. Make safety your first priority.
  • 2. Changes to PED policies will not happen immediately and will vary by airline. Check with your airline to see if and when you can use your PED.
  • 3. Current PED policies remain in effect until an airline completes a safety assessment, gets FAA approval, and changes its PED policy.
  • 4. Cell phones may not be used for voice communications.
  • 5. Devices must be used in airplane mode or with the cellular connection disabled. You may use the WiFi connection on your device if the plane has an installed WiFi system and the airline allows its use. You can also continue to use short-range Bluetooth accessories, like wireless keyboards.
  • 6. Properly stow heavier devices under seats or in the overhead bins during takeoff and landing. These items could impede evacuation of an aircraft or may injure you or someone else in the event of turbulence or an accident. 
  • 7. During the safety briefing, put down electronic devices, books and newspapers and listen to the crewmembers instructions.
  • 8. It only takes a few minutes to secure items according to the crews instructions during takeoff and landing.
  • 9. In some instances of low visibility - about one percent of flights - some landing systems may not be proved PED tolerant, so you may be asked to turn off your device.
  • 10. Always follow crew instructions and immediately turn off your device if asked.


Data source: via AppleInsider (By Neil Hughes)

Read more »

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Apple Post Fourth Quarter Earnings With Record 33 8 Million iPhones Sold In September Quarter


Apple just announced its earning for the final fiscal quarter of 2014 and compared to the year-ago quarter the results are pretty good. The company reports that it made $36 billion in revenue with $8.2 billion the net profit. Along with the 9 million iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c units it sold during launch weekend, Apple says it sold 33.8 million iPhones, along with 14.1 million iPads – both an improvement from the same quarter last year.

Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer will hold an earnings call with investors at 5PM EST to discuss its results, until then dive right into the full press release below:
CUPERTINO, California—October 28, 2013—Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2013 fourth quarter ended September 28, 2013. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $37.5 billion and quarterly net profit of $7.5 billion, or $8.26 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $36 billion and net profit of $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 37 percent compared to 40 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 60 percent of the quarter’s revenue.
The Company sold 33.8 million iPhones, a record for the September quarter, compared to 26.9 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple also sold 14.1 million iPads during the quarter, compared to 14 million in the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 4.6 million Macs, compared to 4.9 million in the year-ago quarter.
Apple’s Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $3.05 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on November 14, 2013, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 11, 2013.
“We’re pleased to report a strong finish to an amazing year with record fourth quarter revenue, including sales of almost 34 million iPhones,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’re excited to go into the holidays with our new iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, iOS 7, the new iPad mini with Retina Display and the incredibly thin and light iPad Air, new MacBook Pros, the radical new Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks and the next generation iWork and iLife apps for OS X and iOS.”
“We generated $9.9 billion in cash flow from operations and returned an additional $7.8 billion in cash to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the September quarter, bringing cumulative payments under our capital return program to $36 billion,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO.
Apple is providing the following guidance for its fiscal 2014 first quarter:
  • revenue between $55 billion and $58 billion
  • gross margin between 36.5 percent and 37.5 percent
  • operating expenses between $4.4 billion and $4.5 billion
  • other income/(expense) of $200 million
  • tax rate of 26.25 percent

Da
ta source via CultofMac (By Buster Heine)
Origine source: Apple

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Monday, May 11, 2015

iOS 8 Features


As we have followed Apple announced iOS 8 at the keynote event of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, revealing many new features and a number of significant changes to the platform, like the iOS integrates with OS X, and the support for third-party keyboards.

Notification Center



Now you can interact with any notification without leaving the current open app like to respond to a text messages or comment on a Facebook publication, that through pull down notifications, or complete actions from notifications shown on the lock screen. Apple is also going to allow you to place widgets inside the Notification Center.


Keyboard Enhancements



iOS 8 will bring a new feature to the iOS keyboard called QuickType, shows word suggestions as you type, based on your past conversations and writing style, aswell on the person you’re communicating with. Predictive text is available in 14 countries. Which means as you type, you’ll see suggested words and phrases that are commonly used in your region.

For the first time ever, Apple with iOS 8 opens up the keyboard to developers, which means keyboards like Swype can be used natively on the operating system. instead of the original.


Messages Improvements 




Messages comes with several improvements that should make the most frequently used app in iOS all the more useful. The most feature that can grabbing your attention is “tap-to-talk” feature, which will let you to capture any sound — your voice, a song, or a big laugh — and make it part of the conversation. Simply touch and hold the new microphone button to record your message. Then swipe to send it, as you can see above. Do your part if you want to hear a message, simply by raising the iPhone to your ear or just tap the Play button. You can also send quickly short video messages.

The other welcome addition to Messages in iOS 8 is that gives users more control on the group text conversations, so you can name the thread, easily add and remove people, and leave the conversation whenever you want. Or turn on Do Not Disturb and then read through the messages when you have time.

The up coming Messages gives you the ability to quickly share your location with friends, also the ability to see all the photos and videos within a thread, without having to scroll through earlier messages. As well the ability to send multiple photos and videos concurrently.


Health



Health app is a centralized place where many health and fitness apps can send your health information, so you can monitor all of your health metrics from your weight to blood pressure to calories burned, from a single hub, instead to access each app separately, such as those from Nike and Fitbit. For this process Apple created a new tool for developer called HealthKit, which allows all the incredible health and fitness apps to work together.


Apple is also working with the Mayo Clinic, letting patients and doctors work together using HealthKit to get personalized thresholds for readings, notifying doctors automatically when something is wrong. The Mayo Clinics CEO Dr. John H. Noseworthy commented to that "We believe Apples HealthKit will revolutionize how the health industry interacts with people." In addition to Mayo Clinic Apple working with leaders in health care apps like Epic Systems to allow similar integration with major hospitals. This will help doctors to access the required information of their visitors seamlessly.


Siri



Siri in iOS 8 gets several updates. You can now activate Siri without touching you iPhone, by simply saying “Hey Siri.” Siri now has the ability to identify songs via Shazam functionality, purchase content from iTunes via voice commands, streaming voice recognition to show users search results as they speak, and can now dictate in 22 new languages.


Family Sharing



Family Sharing might considered a great feature on the upcoming iOS 8, despite its simplicity but might provide many nice things and makes family more cohesion. The Family Sharing feature will let families (up to six family members) share purchases from iTunes, iBooks, and the App Store without sharing accounts, using the same credit card. When a child attempts to purchase an app, a parent’s device will get a popup right now asking him to approve or decline the purchase.


When you set up your Family Sharing all family members can immediate access to each other’s music, movies, TV shows, books, and apps. The feature is also allowed easily to share photos, a family calendar, and reminders.
One shared family calendar equals one happy, organized family. Now everybody in the family can add events to one calendar. You can even set up family reminders that will appear on everyone’s devices at the exact time or place you choose. So when it’s school picture day, pizza night, or just a trip to the beach, everyone’s in the know.
Family Sharing can automatically share your location with others family members. And with Find My iPhone app, family members can use their devices to locate thats lost.


Photos



The Photos app also has known some updates, so far Apple’s Photo Stream has only allowed for 1,000 photos, but with new iCloud Photo Library all your photos and videos will be storage automatically in your iCloud account, once you’ve enabled the setting. You get 5GB of iCloud storage free, you can upgrade to 20GB for 0.99 cents per month or other high-premium. With this way you can access and edit your photos from any device, notably with the presence of new Smart Editing features, photos filters, and composition tools, as well the option to revert back to the original photos elements.
Crop, straighten, enhance, or add filters to your pictures using Photos in iOS 8. Your changes are immediately uploaded to iCloud and visible on your other devices. And the edits are nondestructive, so you can always revert back to your original if you change your mind.
In addition to these improvements, to find your photos became more simplified, now you can select the search by the date, time, location, or album name. Apple enhanced the photos search with smart suggestion, so you will get choices based on whats important to you. 



The Camera has also got a new mode called "Time-lapse" videos. 
Capture the experience of the sun setting, a city street bustling, or a flower blooming with the new Time-lapse mode in Camera. iOS 8 does all the work, snapping photos at dynamically selected intervals. The result is a video showing an accelerated sequence of the photos over time. Just set up your device to shoot what you want. Swipe to select Time-lapse mode, tap the Record button, and let Camera record as long as you choose.

Handoff



Expansion of the AirDrop feature that can through it the Apples devices communicate with each other. Apple announced a new feature more streamlined and efficient, so is stretched to include even the conversations. The Handoff feature allowing you to continue or finish your work that you have begun in the first device like your iPad into the other like your Mac, iPhone, or vice versa. These works or activities could include web browsing, Mail, Safari, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Maps, Messages, Reminders, Calendar, and Contacts. The matter has also opened to developers to add Handoff into their apps. the communication process happens automatic when your devices are signed in to the same iCloud account.

As has been pointed the feature also support the possibility to transfer calls between your Apples devices, allowing you to make and receive phone calls from your Mac, or iPad. That means with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite you can now answer the iPhone calls smoothly from your Mac or iPad, this done on the same Wi-Fi network. That may also happened when your iPad or Mac are connected in the same hotspot with your iPhone, that across a new feature called Instant Hotspot, so you’ll see the name of your iPhone in the list of Wi-Fi networks. In addition to that you can also send and receive SMS and MMS text messages right from your iPad or Mac, from any kind of phone.


HomeKit



On the same approach that we have seen in the HealthKit, Apple has taken the initiative again to organize what are existing, more to could be considered as a new innovation. HomeKit is a center where you can control by your iPhone all smart or supported devices in your home.

As is well known there are many devices you can control them through the iOS devices like a smart lock from August company, the Hue connected light bulb from Philips, Skybell, and others. Currently each of these services are used its networking security manner and controlled by their own apps. Apple with HomeKit will make the connection with these devices more secure and centralised, by introducing a common network protocol, and Apple will also run a certification program to go along with HomeKit.

With HomeKit iPhone or iPad users will be able to control their smart devices such as locks, doors, lights, thermostats, cameras, doors, plugs.... The services can be controlled individually or grouped together as "scenes." Theyll all be controllable through Siri too, users will be able to speak a command like "get ready for bed", and a smart home could automatically dim its lights, lock its doors, and the thermostat lowered to a nice cool sleeping temperature.


Developers


iOS 8 opens many prospects for developers to provide you the best products, it gives developers over 4000 new APIs and services that can enable new categories of apps and features. One of these is the Extensibility that allows apps within iOS 8 to share information with each other and with the Notification Center.

Many capabilities have been opened to developers, like Sharing Options, which means you’ll have more places to share what matters to you. This also applies to Photo Editing, Custom Actions, Notification Center, Keyboard, and Documents.
We’re expanding how iOS handles documents to enable you to open and edit documents using more apps, and to share documents between apps without creating unnecessary copies.
In addition to what we have mentioned, Apple has also unlocked several new capabilities, such as the Touch ID, so you can using it to sign in to third-party apps without need to enter a password, in the same time these apps cannot access to your fingerprint data, Apple has also provided APIs for Cameras which gives more manual controls to third-party apps, besides PhotoKit, which gives developers the possibilities for their apps to edit photos directly in the Camera Roll without having to import them first. Apple has been published some of these unlocking capabilities and new advanced tools for game developers on its website, you can view them.

In the same context Apple introduced a new programming language called Swift, designed from the ground up by the company’s developer tools team. which might be considered, -at least for developers- the most surprising and significant announcement at the WWDC 2014.
Swift is an innovative new programming language for Cocoa and Cocoa Touch. Writing code is interactive and fun, the syntax is concise yet expressive, and apps run lightning-fast. Swift is ready for your next iOS and OS X project — or for addition into your current app — because Swift code works side-by-side with Objective-C.

In addition to what has been mentioned on iOS 8 features, there are several features and tidbits well talk about them in the feature. iOS 8 is available to developers as a beta and it will be released to the public in the fall, you can also get it but is not recommended. 

Read also:

  • iOS 8 Brings New Option "Send Last Location" To Find My iPhone or iPad
  • Take a Look of Some Hidden Features in iOS 8 (Video)
  • Interesting Features and Changes in Both Betas of iOS 8 
  • Photos App in iOS 8
  • A List of User Interface Changes in iOS 8 Beta 3
  • A Comprehensive List of Changes in iOS 8 Beta 4

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