9/25/2013

iDownloadBlog.com

iDownloadBlog.com


How to set up your Apple TV using an iOS device

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 04:08 PM PDT

Apple TV (tap to setup 001)

Yesterday, I let you in on a trick to selectively show or hide unwanted app icons from your Apple TV’s Home screen. Today, I want to talk about another great Apple TV enhancement, one just implemented as part of the newly-released Apple TV 6.0 software update: tap-to-setup. In a nutshell, you can now use an iOS device to quickly set up your $99 hockey puck.

Sure, the third-generation Apple TV does allow for greater flexibility by letting folks pair a Bluetooth keyboard in order to quickly type in any pertinent information during the setup procedure (or afterwards). Tap-to-setup, however, takes easy to the next level by automatically transferring common settings from your iOS device…(...)
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AT&T announces Pebble partnership, will start selling smartwatch Friday

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 03:46 PM PDT

pebble

Despite all of its missteps following its record-breaking Kickstarter run, Pebble has done quite well for itself post-crowd-funding. In addition to landing a retail deal with Best Buy, it announced in July that it had surpassed 275k pre-orders.

And now it’s taking things to a whole new level. AT&T, currently the United States’ second largest wireless carrier, announced today that it will begin offering the popular smartwatch online and in select brick-and-mortar stores this week…(...)
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Amazon introduces new Kindle Fire HDX tablets

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 02:35 PM PDT

amazon

Amazon today unveiled a slew of new tablets, all based around its third generation Kindle Fire: the Kindle Fire HDX. As before, there’s a 7-inch model, an 8.9-inch model, and both of them come in Wi-Fi-only and 4G configurations.

The new slates are lighter, thanks to an internal redesign, and 3x faster, thanks to Snapdragon’s quad-core 2.2 GHz processor. And they feature various other hardware and software improvements. Much more details after the fold…(...)
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Apple posts iOS 7 Tech Talks schedule, agenda

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 02:15 PM PDT

Apple iOS 7 Tech Talks (teaser 001)

Back in April, Apple announced it will be holding a series of Tech Talks focused on iOS 7 some time this Fall. With the software now out in the wild and the iPhone 5s/5c officially released, the company today moved to announce a tour schedule for a bunch of technical sessions which are set to take place across major cities the world over.

It’s a unique opportunity for developers to convene with Apple engineers and evangelists outside the jam-packed WWDC and discuss developing for iOS 7 in a more personal setting and with hands-on labs targeting both iOS 7 app and game developers…(...)
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Apple launches internal website to showcase iTunes content by employees

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 12:26 PM PDT

eddy cue

Since Apple’s inception, Steve Jobs very intentionally positioned his baby as the underdog, one that builds the ultimate tools for the creative types. These days, Apple is powerfully corporate and anything but the underdog of the pre-2000 era. One thing hasn’t changed: the tools Apple builds nowadays are still aimed at creatives, with a heavy focus on prosumers.

It takes talented engineers to come up with such sticky devices and Apple happens to hire some of the brightest minds in the industry.

And guess what?

Like us regular fans, Apple’s employees rely on company products to create interesting videos, compose music, write electronic books and so forth so Apple though it’d be cool to highlight their work via a private website…(...)
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Apple wins right to use iPhone name in Brazil

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 11:55 AM PDT

IGB Electronica iPhone (image 002)

A Brazil judge Wednesday ruled that Apple can use the iPhone name, clearing the way for the tech giant to compete in South America’s burgeoning smartphone market. The ruling reverses an earlier finding that gave a Brazilian company exclusive rights to the iPhone trademark. In his ruling, the judge declared Apple and IGB Electronica must share the iPhone name, writing the U.S. company had built a well-known line of iDevices…(...)
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Following user backlash, Realmac Software reinstates original ‘Clear’ app

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 11:45 AM PDT

clear ios 7

Realmac Software has decided to reverse course, and reinstate its original ‘Clear’ todo list app to sell alongside its all-new universal app it released for iOS 7. It originally planned to discontinue the iPhone-only app.

But that plan has obviously changed over the last week or so, following user backlash. Original Clear purchasers were upset they’d have to pay again for the app, despite the fact that they didn’t need an iPad version…(...)
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Instagram updated with iOS 7 style UI, larger and higher resolution photos

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 11:23 AM PDT

Instagram 4.2 for iOS (iPhone screenshot 003)Instagram 4.2 for iOS (iPhone screenshot 004)

Joining the growing trend of revamping App Store software for iOS 7 look and feel, Facebook-owned Instagram just rushed out a new version of its iPhone and iPod touch app. It’s bringing with it flattened, minimalistic design focused on edge-to-edge images and videos. On the downside, this Instagram release skimps on headline new frameworks (that’s why it feels rushed out) which Apple created to help developers tap new iOS 7 technologies.

Nonetheless, it’s a nice little update and fans should be happy that Instagram no longer looks out of place and behaves like a good citizen on iOS 7…(...)
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Nine regional U.S. telcos announce October 1 iPhone 5s/5c availability

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 11:10 AM PDT

Web

Weeks into its September 2012 debut, Apple started gradually rolling out the iPhone 5 to more than two dozen regional wireless carriers in the United States. The move signaled a change in the company’s longtime strategy of offering the iPhones only through major U.S. telcos such as AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA and Sprint Nextel.

Following the September 10 iPhone 5s/5c announcement and subsequent September 20 availability, nine regional carriers today announced that both new iPhones will land on their respective networks next Tuesday, October 1, 2013…(...)
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EA denies reports that Apple paid to delay Android version of Plants vs. Zombies 2

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 11:04 AM PDT

Plants vss Zombies 2 (teaser 001)

Electronic Arts-owned studio PopCap released the highly anticipated sequel to its popular Plants vs. Zombies game on the 16th of August, and it only took them two weeks to rack up a staggering 25 million downloads.

As you can imagine, this played out very well for Apple, as the game has been and still is an iOS-exclusive. And according to a report, the Cupertino company paid EA a ‘truckload’ of money to make that happen…(...)
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iOS 7 user experience beats Android and Windows Phone, survey says

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 10:21 AM PDT

iOS 7 teaser (iPhone 5s ad 001)

After being available for just one week, Apple’s new iOS 7 is making daily headlines. The latest kudo to the revamped mobile operating system is a win for best user experience. Measuring how iOS 7 performs for everyday users, the software handily defeats Android, Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry 10.

Apple’s mobile software rated 73.25, placing it far ahead of Google’s Android with 57.25. The version of Android available on Samsung smartphones ranked third, just behind Apple’s previous mobile software, iOS 6…(...)
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No, THIS is the first app to take advantage of the iPhone 5s’ M7 coprocessor

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 09:56 AM PDT

Argus Motion Activity setting

Earlier today we ran a story about Strava Run, a fitness tracking app that tracks your runs and analyses your performances. Like many other media outlet, we believed Strava was the first app available in the App Store to take full advantage of the iPhone 5s new M7 coprocessor.

As it turns out, we were wrong. As many readers were quick to point out, Strava was not the first app available in the App Store to fully use the M7.

The first app to do bring Motion Activity M7 support to an app is Argus, an all around health and fitness tracker that has been been available for quite some time…(...)
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France probes Apple’s iPhone contracts with carrier partners

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 08:18 AM PDT

Apple Store (France, Paris, Opera exterior 001)

Apple is yet again under investigation. An arm of France’s finance ministry is probing how the iPhone maker contracts with French cell phone carriers.The examination comes less than a week after Apple released two new smartphones, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the administrative section of the country’s finance department is “investigating the terms of contracts between cellphone suppliers and French phone operators for the sale of devices such as the iPhone.”…(...)
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Samsung shockingly launches gold Galaxy S4

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 07:53 AM PDT

Galaxy S4 Gold Edition (image 002)

It’s not surprising the slightest bit that gold colorway is becoming all the rage in cellphones. That’s almost single-handedly due to Apple offering its flagship iPhone 5s in gold, in addition to silver and space gray finishes.

Somewhat surprising: Samsung following in Apple’s footsteps by offering the flagship Galaxy S4 in gold – after the fact. “Elegance is a touch of gold,” reads Samsung’s tagline for a phone “style that’s uniquely yours”.

Fast follower, indeed…(...)
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Microsoft to trade-in your iPhone if you switch

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 07:21 AM PDT

Microsoft iPad trade-in

Microsoft has been running its #timetoswitch campaign for some time, to mixed results. The multi-pronged effort spans television, print, online and social media channels as Microsoft positions Windows Phone as the next big thing.

Part of that effort is a recent iPad trade-in campaign seeking to steal sales from Apple by inviting iPad users to trade-in their tablet for up to $200 in Microsoft Store credits. That’s just the tip of the iceberg: Forbes writes today that Redmond is prepping to add the iPhone to the promotion…(...)
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Apple Maps and Siri woes again make headlines

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 06:42 AM PDT

photo 4

Just when you thought the dust has settled over Apple’s digital personal assistant, Siri, and the company’s Google Maps replacement software in iOS, latest reports once again pan the two services over gross inaccuracies.

Worse, these stories paint Apple Maps and Siri in a not-so-favorable light – and very publicly, too.

The first report comes from Alaska and warns about people looking for directions to the Fairbanks International Airport, only to be instructed to drive onto an airport taxiway, which is located directly across the runway where airplanes take off and land….(...)
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Uttr review: get today’s headlines without looking at your iPhone

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 05:00 AM PDT

Uttr 3If you are always on the move and don't have the time to sit down to read the day's headlines, there is a way to find out what your favorite RSS feeds are reporting without having to take your eyes off the road.

Uttr is an RSS feed app that does the reading for you. Instead of taking the time to sit down with a cup of coffee and your iPhone, let Uttr read the headlines while you go on about your business…(...)
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Tower of Fortune 2 brings slot machine RPGs to iOS

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 04:00 AM PDT

Tower of Fortune 2 1What is the one thing you would love to see added to a typical role-playing adventure game? I already know what you are going to say. Gambling, right?

Tower of Fortune 2 (ToF2) makes your dreams come true in this sequel of adventure gaming based on a roll of the dice, or actually a pull of the slot machine arm…(...)
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Hi-res photos of alleged ‘Space Gray’ iPad 5 shell surface

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 02:04 AM PDT

spacegray ipad

With the new iPhones now unveiled and shipping, the rumor mill’s attention of course turns to Apple’s tablet lines. It’s widely believed that we’ll see a media event for a new iPad and iPad mini next month.

And as with the new iPhones, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect. The new mini is said to look a lot like its predecessor, with a Retina display, and the new full-sized iPad should look like, well, this…(...)
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Echofon Twitter client redesigned in iOS 7 update

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 01:23 AM PDT

echofon 72

Those keeping track of major iOS 7 app updates can add another one to the list this morning. The popular Twitter client Echofon has received a major redesign in its 7.0 update.

For the most part, the app acts and runs like its predecessor. But the UI has received a fresh coat of iOS 7-inspired paint with flat blue text and icons, and ample empty white space…(...)
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