02/13, 1:00pm
Star Wars games discounted
Bonobo has released a major update for its realtime automotive analytics app, Zilla. The software can be used to plot a vehicles braking, corning, and acceleration G forces on live graphs, as well as view weight transfer in real time. Version 2 adds five new color schemes that can be added via in-app purchases, as well support for auto-calibrating Zilla on startup, and configuring metric and imperial unites separately. Additionally, the Lateral G display has been corrected and no longer shows inverted data. Zilla is currently being offered at the discounted price of $3 and can be purchased in the App Store.
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02/11, 12:55am
Spotify and Foursquare get special features
Two major mobile apps got updates for special features at the end of the week. Spotify on iOS (App Store) now has the option to both stream and sync audio at 320Kbps, the same quality as it exists on the desktop. While it requires either a more intensive Internet connection or extra storage for cached tracks, it puts the app's audio quality ahead of other on-demand music rivals.
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02/10, 7:45pm
Instagram gets significant visual update
Instagram finished the week with a significant update to its app (App Store). The 2.1 update now has Lux, an image adustment option that automatically brings out details in highlights and shadows in a rough equivalent to high dynamic range (HDR) shooting. Similar to the tilt-shift effect, Lux can stack with other filters.
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02/10, 1:00am
Works with older iPhones, searches outside US
While Android users don't have Siri, some of them have a tenable alternative in Speaktoit, which has just become available on the App Store for iOS devices. While not exactly the same as Siri, it does offer most of the major features, customizable avatars to talk to, is compatible with older iPhones rather than just the iPhone 4S. It also offers some extra functionality Siri doesn't in some areas.
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02/09, 10:00pm
Adds narrative, ties into Mass Effect 3
Electronic Arts has revealed that will soon be bringing a tie-in version of its Mass Effect sci-fi game series to iOS devices with a new game, Mass Effect Infiltrator. The game is an all-combat version of the console Mass Effect games, and ties into the current version, Mass Effect 3, by having the main character feed intelligence to Commander Shepard, the protagonist of ME3. Despite the combat emphasis, MEI will still feature some of the "decision points" of the console games.
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02/09, 7:00pm
Hand wave starts voice recognition reportting
Waze, an Israel-based mobile-apps start-up has issued a new release of its iOS version of its app to let drivers report traffic conditions while still staying focused on the road (free, App Store). The app makes use of the iPhone's proximity detector to activate voice recognition by waving a hand. It then asks a series of questions which helps the driver create and send a traffic report.
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02/09, 2:15pm
Mobile banking from NatWest
Slidevana, a new template package designed for Keynote, has been launched at the discounted price of $69. More than 130 slides are included in the bundle, ranging from simple lists, tables, and charts, to more complex timelines and business frameworks. Currently, slides are available in both Mac and iOS Keynote optimized formats, however, Slidevana has stated that a PowerPoint template will soon be available.
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02/08, 5:40pm
Foursquare 4.2 packs Explore remake and more
Foursquare updated its iOS (App Store) and Android (Market) apps Wednesday to roll in some of the features seen from the web. Explore now has contextual results for locations, such as pushing restaurants to the top at dinnertime, what friends have been doing, and whether they're on lists. A filter lets users skew the results to look for undiscovered places or those friends visit frequently.
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02/08, 4:15pm
Tweetbot gets big overhaul with tablet version
Tapbots revamped its signature Twitter apps in large form on Wednesday, starting with the surprise release of Tweetbot for iPad ($3, App Store). The new version both adapts to the bigger canvas of the tablet and shares its support for creating multiple timelines from one account and gestures to save time. Likewise, it can save content for later through Cloudapp, Instapaper, and Read it Later.
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02/08, 4:10pm
Path deletes user contact lists, outs Path 2.0.6
Smartphone app developer Path has apologized and fixed the tendency of its app to collect user's entire contact lists to its own servers when the app is first launched. The Android app was already fixed, and now, the developers have released an updated iOS app, version 2.0.6 (free, App Store) that won't upload the data without a user's permission. Dave Morin, Path's co-founder and CEO, also explained that the contacts were used only in the Add Friends features to notify users when their contacts log into the app.
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02/08, 2:50pm
Vonage Mobile app undercuts Skype in calling
VoIP provider Vonage has just released a new Vonage Mobile app that will allow for free calling and texting between users who have it installed on their smartphones, as well as discounted calling rates to those who don't. It uses Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G data networks and is now available for iOS (free, iTunes) and Android (free, Android Market) devices. The app is meant for frequent travelers, or those who have friends or family abroad and want to use their phones to contact them.
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02/08, 12:35pm
Fixes regular complaints
Evernote has released a new version of its iOS notetaking app, v4.1.8. While relatively minor, the update does make two important changes. These include "predictive" note titles, which will give otherwise untitled items a label based on factors like time, location, and other pieces of contextual data.
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02/07, 9:05pm
Does not reflect possible iPad 3 screen upgrade
Apple has sent out notifications to iOS developers that future updates to apps now require higher-resolution, 960x640 (Retina Display) compatible screenshots or the apps will not be approved. The change is a minor one (previous guidelines suggested, but did not require, Retina Display-level screenshots) and reflects the company's burgeoning base of iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and fourth-generation iPod Touch users, all of whom have higher-resolution screens.
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02/07, 6:30pm
Telus goes all-in on Optik console and mobile
Telus' Optik IPTV service got much more control over non-traditional viewing on Tuesday. Optik TV for Xbox 360 takes advantage of the fall Xbox 360 Dashboard update to use the console as the set-top box, including for remote DVR viewing if there's a traditional DVR on the same network. The support includes full Kinect motion control.
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02/07, 6:00pm
No explanation given, opt-in change coming
The social networking app Path, which provides its own community along with the ability to share statuses and pictures to other popular public networks like Twitter and Facebook, has been discovered to be uploading users' entire address books to its own servers on first use. The undisclosed (and unauthorized) uploading was discovered by developer Arun Thampi and detailed in a blog post. The co-founder of Path responded by saying users would soon have an opt-in on the "feature," but did not explain why opt-in wasn't there from the beginning.
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02/07, 12:15pm
Hasbro, Nerf make Lazer Tag an iPhone, iPod game
Hasbro and Nerf have brought Lazer Tag back with iOS as its cornerstone. While the blasters can work in multiplayer without any device, mounting an iPhone or iPod touch in a special holder gives them an app that both extends the firing range to 250 feet and introduces a HUD that shows the trajectory and ongoing stats. As many as 24 people can play at once with leaderboards that can update mid-match.
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02/06, 11:30pm
Using bots to drive up rankings results in banning
On the heels of a drive to kick out "copycat apps" that rely on name confusing and similar graphics to get sales intended for original apps, Apple is also warning developers to avoid using third-party marketing services that are known to employ "bots" to automatically download free apps that rely on in-app purchasing for monetization to push up rankings, AppleInsider reports. Simply hiring a third-party marketer that uses such tactics can get the developer banned, Apple says.
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02/06, 4:55pm
Pedal can be programmed using iPad, iPhone or iPod
Harman has started delivering its DigiTech iStomp programmable effects pedal. Users can program the the guitar stompbox using their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to make potentially any sound, not just distortion or other effects associated with filters. Twenty alternative sound effects are available for download.
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02/06, 4:25pm
Facebook photo sharing app is in development
The leaked images of a Facebook app last summer will not result in a photo-sharing app after all, Business Insider has learned. The photos were simply meant to showcase of what such an app could look like and in fact little development work was done on the app. Also, the source revealed that Facebook is still working on improving the mobile photo-sharing experience, but the team assigned to it is different from the one in the summer.
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02/06, 2:10pm
Where To? expands navigation integration
Future Tap has updated Where To?, its iOS tool that can help find the closest and best rated restaurants, shops, and services, with support for five additional navigation apps. Building upon existing support, version 4.1 adds integration with Sygic, Waze, Navfree, Navmii, and Navigon Urban. Additionally, the update includes multiple images for listings, additional reviews, and landscape support for the homepage viewer. Where To? 4.1 can be purchased in the App Store for $3, with the option to add a 3D Augmented Reality mode through a $1 in app purchase.
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02/06, 1:10pm
Interface should avoid web limitations
Microsoft is at work on several mobile app versions of its Dynamics CRM platform, a preview (PDF) reveals. This includes an app for iOS devices, which will require iOS 5, but have access to native iPad and iPhone interfaces. Other apps are planned for Microsoft's own Windows Phone platform, as well as Android and BlackBerry.
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02/05, 7:15pm
Best Buy kicks off tech-driven Super Bowl ads
Best Buy as part of a promo has started the run of tech-focused Super Bowl ads with a segment pitching its mobile stores. The ad unites both the inventors of phone technology, such as Philippe Kahn (the camera phone) and Ray Kurzweil (text to voice synthesis) with those making newer hardware and software. Key inventors behind Instagram, Shazam, Square, Words With Friends, and others find their way into the 30-second clip.
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02/03, 7:15pm
Takes another shot at widespread problem
Users who have been recommended to get a certain game but are not totally clear on the name of the app are the target market of "copycat" games that have similar names and borrow gameplay and other elements from more successful apps, hoping to cash in on brand confusion, TechCrunch reports. Titles like "Plants Vs. Zombie" and "Tiny Birds" are "fast fakes" of real apps. Apple is again removing such apps from the App Store, highlighting an ongoing problem.
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02/03, 7:00pm
Offers reviews as well as link to download
Yahoo has launched an app filtering tool to its search engine. Yahoo's main page now gives a user a tab for Apps as well as the traditional Web, Images, Video, Local and More. With it, users can get app only search results and filter them for either iOS or Android apps.
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02/03, 1:10pm
Tech, opt-ins withheld Foursquare auto check-ins
Foursquare product head Alex Rainert disclosed in a quick interview Friday that the app would be getting automatic check-ins over time. He explained to Business Insider that the team had wanted people to check in simply by going to a location but that it was matter of "technical restraints" and design. The Radar feature for iOS 5 users was a step in that direction, according to Rainert.
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02/02, 8:00pm
Free app guides attendees around Indianapolis
The NFL has released its official app for Super Bowl XLVI. The app provides fans attending Sunday's upcoming contest between the New England Patriots and New York Giants a guide to Lucas Oil Stadium and the surrounding areas of Indianapolis (free, App Store, Android Market). The app provide viewers with a virtual 3D view of the stadium as well as a guide to nightlife and official NFL events.
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02/02, 3:00pm
iPad training courses from FMC
Quest Visual has updated its augmented reality translation tool, Word Lens, with the ability to translate between French and English. The software uses the device's built-in camera to identify text, and is capable of performing real-time translations without an internet connection. The app itself is available as a free download in the App Store, however, individual language packs are sold as $10 in-app purchases.
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02/01, 9:15pm
Easier checklists, tables, more
Cloud-based snippet and document storage system Evernote has updated its free Mac client to version 3.0.6, which includes a complete redesign of the note panel for viewing previously-stored documents. According to a blog post announcing the new version, the update also makes creating checklists and tables easier, with automatic continuation of checkboxes with each new line after the first one and the ability to add or remove rows and columns in tables.
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01/31, 10:00pm
Intended for portfolios, galleries, presentations
Appafolio is a new app for the iPad and iPhone that enables users to create gallery-type portfolio apps in order to share photos, videos, artwork, catalog or product images or other presentations with other iOS users. Developer Treemo Labs has used the same tools found in Appafolio to develop apps for Beyoncé, The Roots and other clients. The resulting apps are not sold on the App Store but are available via the free Appafolio app itself or through the Appafolio web site.
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01/31, 9:00pm
Chip giant will sponsor Technology section
Zite, the magazine-style feed aggregator for the iPad, iPhone and HP Touchpad has announced in a blog post that chipmaker Intel will be sponsoring the Technology section of the app, the second such sponsor the magazine has had. The company says the sponsorship will last "a few months" and will consist of the usual assortment of tech articles along with "promoted" news stories.
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01/31, 4:35pm
Invites no longer equired
After a brief period of exclusivity, Valve has opened up the Steam Mobile beta to the general public. Previously just a select group of Steam users were allowed to try the beta, although invites handed out to testers gradually increased the userbase. Free Android and iPhone versions of the mobile client are available.
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01/31, 3:30pm
Keeps logins, other data in sync across devices
Norton has begun a beta of a new cloud-based security service, Identify Safe. The technology is meant to save and sync private web form data across multiple browsers and devices, primarily logins and credit card information. So far the only computer platform to support the Identify Safe client is Windows, but test apps are already available for iOS and Android.
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01/30, 4:45pm
Obama campaign takes on Square for donations
The Obama campaign has began using the wallet-free and wireless payment technology from Square for its fundraising purposes. Readers are being given to staff who work on the campaign, who can then use their Android smartphones, iPhones, and iPads to collect donations. This should make the process more streamlined, as the alternative involves filling out a form and writing a check or giving out credit card information or cash to the fundraiser.
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01/30, 4:45pm
US plans unknown
Remastered versions of the first three Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney games are coming to iOS, reports say. Players assume the role of Wright, a defense attorney who must both investigate the facts of cases and then challenge prosecution during trial. The series is already present in the App Store, but the new ports will sport better graphics.
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01/30, 2:40pm
Function buried within file management title
(Updated for app's removal) Another iPhone app allowing unofficial tethering has slipped into the App Store. Called QuasiDisk, the title is mainly a file manager, enabling local and remote transfer. A January 28th update, though, is said to have quietly enabled tethering using a proxy. As of this writing, QuasiDisk is still on sale for $2.
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01/30, 1:20pm
Provides account, device data
Several months after launching the iPhone on its network, Sprint has released a first-party app for subscribers. Called Mobile Zone, the app mainly supplies personal account information. It also incorporates news and promotions from Sprint, though, and various help functions, such as access to support staff.
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01/27, 12:00am
Navigation company embraces social networking
Although Garmin would seem to fit in better at CES rather than the Macworld iWorld expo, the navigation company brought its latest iOS apps to San Francisco this week to show off the latest features. MacNN played around with the updated version of StreetPilot onDemand, which now enables users to take advantage of social networking features.
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01/26, 11:00pm
New in-app purchasing, video output support
Id Software's non-franchise game for iOS devices, Rage HD, has now been updated to version 2.0. The game, which puts players in the middle of a "reality TV" show called Mutant Bash, is a first-person rail shooter that now includes in-app purchasing of additional episodes, higher-resolution player and weapon graphics, better video out support for VGA, component cables and HDMI under iOS 5, and various performance enhancements for controlling the game.
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01/26, 10:00pm
Forthcoming app very bare-bones, gesture-centric
UK-based RealMac Software, known for titles like Rapidweaver and Little Snapper, will be releasing a new to-do app in the next few weeks called Clear. The app is a collaboration with MacHeist organizer Phill Ryu, engineer Milen Dzhumerov and artist David Lanham, and puts an iPhone-centric, gesture-oriented but minimalist spin on the idea of a to-do list, focusing on visual design rather than excessive features.
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01/26, 7:45pm
Tracker now lets users share links to live maps
New social media functions, new apps and new features for its iOS apps mark navigation software and hardware maker Garmin's presence at MacWorld/iWorld, currently going on in San Francisco. Among the other features, updates will let users "check in" using social services via their navigation apps, integrate their exercise with Garmin tools, go on a digital treasure hunt, plan private-plane flights and send out map links to a live tracking map to others.
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01/26, 7:00pm
Shaderlight accurately renders lighting fixtures
iPhonso has announced that its mobile financial tool, Gekko, will be launched in the App Store on January 31. The universal app is fully customizable and allows users to follow financial news from their favorite websites. Gekko also includes a smart caching system and built-in ad blocking to help improve page load times, as well as raw financial data for every stock. Other features include Evernote, Read It Later, and Instapaper integration, as well as support for sharing content via e-mail, SMS, and Twitter. Pricing has not yet been announced.
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01/26, 3:50pm
Seamless viewing expanded to iOS devices
SoundCloud has dropped Flash in favor of HTML5. The cloud-based social sound sharing service has added a widget which lets subscribers across multiple platforms leverage the app. Previously, while most Android users were fine, iPad and iPhone users were at a loss when they came across a song or sound sample using Adobe's plugin.
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01/26, 3:25pm
Steam Mobile live for iOS and Android
Valve has partly fulfilled one of the most common wishes of gamers Thursday by posting Steam Mobile. Versions for both iOS (App Store) and Android (Market) lets users both keep up with their Steam chats and groups while away. They can go so far as to buy games for the Mac or Windows that they can start downloading immediately when they get home.
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01/26, 12:45pm
New Sam & Max episode includes extra iOS content
Adventure developer Telltale Games has released two new titles for Apple platforms. One is the first iOS episode in a new Sam & Max season, Beyond Time and Space. In Episode 1: Ice Station Santa, Sam & Max face off against Santa Claus in a bid to save the world's children. Story and design are by the creator of the Sam & Max comics, Steve Purcell, and the iOS version includes a soundboard plus a "Whack da Ratz" minigame.
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01/26, 6:15am
SpotON Radio out now for iPod touch, iPhone
The first app to take advantage of Spotify’s move to allow third-party app support to its mobile APIs has been made available on the iTunes store. SpotON Radio has been launched as a free app initially, although it may shift to a $2 asking price after its launch window. As expected, to access Spotify’s music library users must hold a Spotify Premium membership ($10/month) to use it.
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01/25, 8:50am
EU makes data protection rights official
The European Commission on Wednesday formally outlined its new data protection rules and touched on Google's own decisions. As hinted earlier, the rules would require plain, explicit permission for data, require data portability between services, and enforce a "right to be forgotten" for those who want to purge their data entirely. If a company saw a breach of information, they had 24 hours in most circumstances to notify both the regulators of affected countries and the European citizens they affected.
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01/24, 7:40pm
Digital versions offer limited viewing options
Paramount has become the first movie distributor to sell movies using the UltraViolet digital distribution system directly to customers. Up until now, UltraViolet digital downloads were available only as part of a DVD/Blu-Ray disc
package deal or from a retailer such as Amazon.
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01/23, 7:10pm
Evi promises to answer complex questions by voice
True Knowledge has developed a voice command app that promises to beat Apple's Siri in key areas. Evi on iOS (99 cents, App Store) and Android (free during beta, Android Market) can answer typical Siri quesitons, such as restaurant recommendations, but specializes in answering answering the less immediate questions that would normally have Siri perform a generic web search. A deep knowledge class system lets it answer age comparisons, provide recipes, and otherwise answer directly.
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01/23, 6:30pm
Counterfeit apps an even larger issue for Android
While Apple screens submitted apps for "reliability, technical, content and design criteria" according to its own developer page, the company does not yet seem to have found a foolproof way to prevent "counterfeit" apps from gaining approval. Recently a copycat version of Tap Tap Tap's Camera+ was spotted at the App Store, though it was pulled after being reported to Apple. The issue has also been seen on the Android platform on a larger scale.
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01/23, 4:05pm
Rocketboost sound gets iOS and Android apps
Best Buy gave owners of its Rocketboost wireless audio system a way to steer it independently with both desktop and mobile apps. Both a Windows controller (above) and an iOS app (free, App Store) let users pipe audio from a Rocketboost host device to any Rocketboost audio system on the same local network, including Insignia TVs and soundbars. It lets users mix and match sources and destinations, also giving them a signal strength for each device to give a hint of how reliably it will play.
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