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Microsoft Needs To Hire Jonathan Ive–The XBox One Is Just Plain Fugly

Rob LeFebvre — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:29:00 -0400

Where do I put the betamax? Ok, so if you've been paying attention to the gaming space today, you'll know that Microsoft unveiled its new gaming console, the XBox One. This next generation console is going to play video games, control your TV (sort of), and act as a DVD/Blue-Ray player. It's got a Kinect motion sensor box on top, which can not be disconnected and it won't play XBox 360 discs. This is all well and good, and represents a step forward in Microsoft's quest to own the living room, even though a lot of us don't have the time, space, or extra cash to spend on a huge . . .

Burstly restructures, now offers three services for code-to-ship functionality

Mike Schramm — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:12:13 -0400

Burstly acquired the beta testing service TestFlight just a few months ago, and TestFlight released a mobile analytics service called FlightPath soon after that. Now, Burstly has announced that it is restructuring its offerings, to set up a full set of services to take developers from developing and testing their app with TestFlight, to preforming analytics with FlightPath, and then monetizing with Burstly's tools, now rebranded as SkyRocket. This is a smart bit of revamping -- TestFlight is very popular, but FlightPath has just started out and SkyRocket's name is brand new to most developers, . . .

→ Infinitesimal Bits of Time

Federico Viticci — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:57:00 -0400

Adam C. Engst, in his overview of Keyboard Maestro 6: In fact, many of my macros are utterly simple and obvious - I could type "cheers . . . -Adam" at the end of every email message I send, or I could press Control-period. Just because I'm saving only a few seconds doesn't mean that it's not worthwhile, when added up over tens of thousands of messages. Similarly, much as I love LaunchBar and use it heavily for many things, because I set F1 to open BBEdit via Keyboard Maestro, switching to BBEdit via F1 is a third of the work of LaunchBar's Command-Space, B, Return. Those . . .

Hipstamatic Oggl makes social photography fun again

Lory Gil — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:24:00 -0400

As you probably already know, we love iPhone photography. If there is an app for it, we will probably try it. If there is a camera-related accessory, we will probably get our hands on it eventually. We especially love to share our snapshots in any way possible. We aren't shy with our pictures. Oggl is Hipstamatic's new social networking app for the iPhone that allows users to share their hyper-filtered photo creations with others in a supercharged version of Instagram. You can only participate after you've been invited, but don't worry. The cool kids at Hipstamatic are not elitist. If . . .

Unity makes mobile tools free for small devs

Mike Schramm — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:12:12 -0400

Unity has announced that it's making its mobile game development tools free to use for most independent and small studios. Unity has always been a popular engine both for mobile game development and for cross-platform game creation, but up until now, you had to pay about $800 to actually publish Unity-created apps on the iOS or Android stores. Those basic add-ons have now been made free, so anyone can now download Unity, and then use it to publish an app for iOS or Android without paying a fee for the engine. Unity still has pro versions available for sale to both iOS and Android developers, . . .

Walmart-Owned Vudu iOS App Update Now Includes Offline Viewing

Rob LeFebvre — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:08:00 -0400

Walmart's video on demand service, Vudu, just rolled out a new update for its iOS app. Version 2.0 of Vudu now lets you download videos from the service, and then watch them even if you're offline. The player itself is streamlined, and Closed Captioning–already supported on the iPad version of the Vudu app–is now available on the iPhone, too. Vudi is a Netflix-style video on demand service that is owned by Walmart that lets users stream videos to Mac, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Roku, various Blu-Ray players, Android phones, and iOS devices. Vudu claims its advantage over Netflix is . . .

Ready for an all-new iMore show? It's coming your way tomorrow!

Rene Ritchie — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:26:00 -0400

The iMore show has been an overwhelming success, reaching more of you, in more ways, then many of us here on the site could have possibly imagined. However, it didn't include you as much as any of us have wanted. Increasingly the iMore show had become more about awesome interviews and less about our even more awesome community. So, tomorrow, we're changing that. A lot. Now, the current iMore show isn't going to go away. It too will change. It'll get a new name, and become something closer akin to Dubug and Iterate. More on that later, though! For now, here's what's happening with the NEW iMore . . .

Vudu Player for iOS update brings movie and TV show download support

AppleInsider — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:25:00 -0400

Video-on-demand service Vudu on Monday rolled out a major update to its Vudu Player iOS app, granting users the ability to download movies and TV shows directly onto an Apple device for offline viewing.

Olloclip Quick-Flip Case and Pro-Photo Adapter add protection, tripod mount

Steven Sande — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:12:19 -0400

The team at Olloclip has taken the wraps off of their newest product, a case for the iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5 called the Quick-Flip Case (US$49.99) that works with the Olloclip 3-in-one lenses to produce a lightweight solution for all-purpose iPhoneography. Let's take a look! Design At first glance, this doesn't look like much of a case. It's made out of a smoked translucent black or opaque white polyurethane material and looks like any of a thousand other slip-on hard cases for iPhone. But then the little features start to appear and you realize how the Quick-Flip case can be used to assist . . .

Newsletter Hints that 'Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic' is Coming to iPad

Jared Nelson — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:41:00 -0400

According to some accidentally revealed evidence spotted by IGN, it looks like BioWare and LucasArts' classic Star Wars role-playing game Knights of the Old Republic is getting set for release on the iPad. The snippet of info comes by way of an email newsletter announcing a sale on Call of Duty games. In the header is the text "The critically-acclaimed Star Wars RPG is now available on iPad..." which seems most likely to be referring to a Knights of the Old Republic game. Here's a screen cap of the newsletter taken by IGN: The newsletter is from Aspyr Media, and as IGN notes they're no . . .

Vudu adds ability to download movies for offline viewing to iOS apps

John-Michael Bond — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:36:15 -0400

Wal-Mart owned video-on-demand service Vudu has updated its iOS apps to allow movie downloads for offline viewing. The Android phone version of the app has had this feature for awhile, but Android tablets are still unable to download and view their Vudu/Ultraviolet collection on their tablets. Other additions to the update include a reworked player to make the app easier to use, as well as support for closed captions on the iPhone. It's worth noting that the Flixter iOS app already allowed for Ultraviolet downloads. Ultraviolet is a digital rights authentication service that allows DVD and . . .

Remains of the Day: Death and taxes

Macworld — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:30:00 -0400

Apple's executives speak before congress, Ireland doesn't think it has a taxation problem, and iOS 7 looks to share and share alike. The remainders for Tuesday, May 21, 2013 are certain. Tim Cook's Opening Statement Before The Permanent Subcommittee On Investigations (Apple) In case you missed Tuesday's riveting Senate subcommittee action, you can now read the opening remarks from CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer on Apple's site. But that does mean you'll miss out on the full effect of the Tim Cook appearing before the body in a purple velour track suit. Ireland says not to . . .

Google to bring Chrome app launcher to OS X

Steven Sande — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:12:11 -0400

Those of us who use Google's Chrome browser for OS X are familiar with how Chrome web apps can be installed and launched from within the browser. Now it appears that Google is working on a way to bring those Chrome apps even closer to the heart of your Mac by creating a Chrome apps launcher for OS X. Google engineer François Beaufort detailed the plans in a Google+ post, noting that OS X users can actually try out a beta of the Chrome OS app launcher right now. To do so, you need to install the most recent build of Chromium, then set the --show-app-list switch through the CLI. After . . .

TextExpander 2 for iOS is out with new features and improvements

Cody Lee — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:07:00 -0400

Fans of Smile's TextExpander, the app that allows you to type lengthy words or phrases using text shortcuts, will be happy to hear that version 2 is out for iOS. The update includes a number of new features and improvements, and brings the mobile app more in line with its highly-regarded Mac sibling . . . (...)Read the rest of TextExpander 2 for iOS is out with new features and improvements "TextExpander 2 for iOS is out with new features and improvements" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

'Survivalcraft' is a Better Mobile 'Minecraft' than the Actual Mobile 'Minecraft'

Jared Nelson — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:00 -0400

There's no doubt that Mojang's Minecraft has become a nearly unfathomable success over the past few years, and as with anything that becomes popular there's a seemingly unending line of people that rush to ride the coattails of that success. Not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with taking heavy inspiration from a game. I mean heck, even Minecraft was inspired by similar games that came before it. But in the mobile space especially, 99% of anything that gets released that's reminiscent of Minecraft is just a crappy knock-off and cash-in attempt that's of little value to anyone. . . .

Xbox One unveiled: Apple should be worried

Christian Zibreg — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:45:00 -0400

Today's the new Xbox day. After Sony on February 20 revealed its PlayStation 4 without actually showing anything in way of the hardware, the Windows giant during a special event at its Redmond headquarters announced a next-generation Xbox console dubbed the Xbox One. The system is billed as an "all-in-one entertainment system" which promises to "put you at the center of a new generation of the living room." Key features include a built-in Blu-ray drive, Skype, voice input and live TV functionality, the new gamepad and an enhanced Kinect camera sensor with 1080p resolution. On the . . .

Google's Chrome team developing app launcher for Mac

AppleInsider — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:40:00 -0400

Google is looking to bring a version of its Chrome OS app launcher to the Mac, possibly as an add-on to the Chrome browser, allowing users to access a slew of Web apps normally available only from within the

Today's Best Apps: Video Filters And Pixit App

Casey Tschida — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:38:00 -0400

The App Store takes delivery of hundreds of new apps per day. The overwhelming scene makes it possible to easily overlook an exciting game, valuable productivity suite, etc. However, we have a solution. Today's Best Apps tackles this problem by providing you with a handpicked and tested list of apps that are truly worth your consideration each and everyday. Remember: Even though in-app purchases typically require your iTunes Store password for processing, you can further prevent them and other unauthorized actions by enabling local restrictions using the passcode locked iOS parental . . .

Microsoft announces Xbox One, with more Smart Glass and TV integration

Mike Schramm — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:36:11 -0400

Microsoft has announced a brand new game console today, though the company would probably disappointed to hear that I called it that. The Xbox One is really more of an entertainment center all-in-one -- it's designed to connect your games, your streaming media, and cable television all together in one set-top box. In some ways, it's a competitor to Apple TV. The Xbox One will also include a new Kinect camera, which will boast Siri-like voice control over all of its functions, and allow users to switch back and forth between live games, live TV, or any of the console's various apps. Obviously, . . .

→ Behind the Scenes of Paper's Zoom

Cody Fink — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:20:00 -0400

FiftyThree gives us a closer look at Zoom, explaining why they chose to use a loupe instead of expanding the entire drawing. Our team spent many hours with the accessibility zoom, and looked at the best implementations of zoom across a range of apps. One thing that became clear in our testing and observation was that the time spent in zoom while drawing is typically pretty short. You go in and add the eyelashes or write something funny on your character's t-shirt, and you're out. In the vast majority of cases, zoom is task specific and tasks are region specific. This discovery supported . . .

The Finn Men's Leather Wallet Holds Your iPhone 5 And Would Be Perfect For Dad

Bryan M. Wolfe — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:19:00 -0400

San Francisco, Calif.-based WaterField Designs has announced a new addition to its wallet line – the Finn Leather Wallet. Available in two sizes, the accessory is ideal for carrying cash and cards. One of the models also can hold an iPhone 5. Priced at $35, the Finn is available in black, camel, gray, red, forest green, and brown. Size 25, the smaller of the two, holds up to 20 credit cards. The size 27 model holds the iPhone 5, or similar sized smartphone, plus up to 15 cards. According to Gary Waterfield, owner of WaterField Designs: The Finn is amazing because it holds so much yet remains . . .

Apple still most valuable global brand

Steven Sande — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:12:14 -0400

Every year, Millward Brown Optimor produces the BrandZ list, a listing of the 100 most valuable brands. As with last year, Apple is at the top of the list with a 2013 brand value of just over US$185 billion. Apple's brand value rose only 1 percent this year, but that number is still well over #2 Google at $113.7 billion. How much of a gap lies in the brand value between Apple and Google? How about almost the value of the venerable Coca-Cola brand at $78.4 billion (the soft drink company is at #5 on the list). Another tech brand rounded out the top three, with IBM coming in just behind Google . . .

Apple posts opening statements from Senate hearing on tax evasion

Christian Zibreg — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:12:00 -0400

Apple CEO Tim Cook, along with the company's finance boss Peter Oppenheimer and Tax Operations head Phillip Bullock, earlier this morning took the witness table at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill to face U.S. senators who grilled the three men on Apple's offshore tax practices. This also means today was the day many Apple bloggers got to become experts on tax reform. We live-blogged the whole thing, but if you had better things to do than sift through the back and forth between Apple execs and senators John McCain and Carl Levin, Apple's got you covered. Right on cure, the . . .

→ ChewingPencils' Evernote Workflows for Alfred

Federico Viticci — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:00:00 -0400

This is a great collection of Evernote workflows by my friend Sean Korzdorfer. I have been trying them for the past hour, and I'm impressed by the search workflows with filters for note content, attachments, and dates. Make sure to read the documentation to see all the options Sean considered. ∞ Read this on MacStories

Still want an iCEO plushy? Throwboy gives you one last chance on Kickstarter!

Rene Ritchie — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:52:00 -0400

Remember that iCEO plush toy that was all the geek rage awhile back? Turns out there are a few hundred of the little jobbies left, but the only way you can get one is by backing Throwboy's new Chat Pillows on Kickstarter. Supporting us doesn't come without geeky perks. From a handwritten note direct from Roberto to our insanely great iCEOs out of our secret stash(!), you're in for amazing rewards as a Throwboy backer. Check em' out below! iCEO comes in at the $100 mark, and, of course, I just backed exactly that. But there's a wide range of options and price points, and some fairly . . .