Tag - Hands on
Hands On: macOS Sierra, part one
Apple's latest version of its desktop OS has picked up a rebrand, bringing it into alignment with its tvOS, watchOS, and iOS lowercase stablemates. The rebrand also suggests that Apple is going to settle into a pattern of continually evolving its desktop OS iteratively -- OS X is now macOS in perpetuity, with the internal codename now taking top billing. While it naturally picks up several new marquee features, the arrival of Siri on the Mac is by far the biggest news in macOS Sierra. Read on for our initial thoughts.
Hands On: Biff 1.0.16 (OS X)
We are all graphic designers now, even if just saying that makes real ones twitch. So many times we want or need to produce a small graphic item like a icon or a logo, and for some reason the people who do this professionally need to charge a living wage. Bizarre. If you're expecting us to now say that Biff 1.0.16 means anyone can now make professional art, then we do have a bridge to sell you.
Hands On: Yoink 3.2 (OS X)
We're a funny bunch. We say we want full screen apps but when we get them, we're not satisfied. We want split screen now, we want multiple workplace Spaces, virtual desktops that we can swap to for different jobs. Apple does all that and still we're not grateful. Mind you, this may be a little to do with how OS X is oddly clunky when you want to change the two apps in split screen –– and how you drag items between the windows. Yoink 3.2 is an itch-scratching utility that means to at least make it easier to copy items from one split screen app to another or one desktop to the next.
Hands On: Flowpaper 1.5.0
Whether it's a rainy Sunday afternoon or a stressful morning at the DMV, having fun, stress-free apps on your iPhone or iPad can really change the mood of your day. Today, we're going to highlight a relaxing drawing app called Flowpaper that lets you draw your way to a stress-free state of mind.
Hands On: Out of the Park Baseball 17 (OS X, Windows)
We're a couple of months into the regular baseball season, and for baseball fans, that means taking in games and poring over box scores either in the paper for the old-timers, or on the MLB website for the Sabermetrics crowd. For some fans, it also means fantasy baseball bets with those around the office or the in-laws. This year, you should include that it's time to get a comfortable chair, a cold drink, and start up Out of the Park Baseball 17.
Hands On: Tangled FX 2.1 (iOS)
We've reviewed a lot of photo apps here, ranging from the practical, Photoshop-esque effects that photographers can make use of, to artistic effects for social media, to the just plain fun. Today, we're looking at a photo app that certainly falls more on the fun spectrum, a clever little app called Tangled FX.
Hands On: Azzl 1.1 (iOS)
If you're a fan of jigsaw-style puzzle games, today we're going to show you one of our all-time favorite takes on the genre. It's a different sort of puzzle, one that is "crafted to extract the most yays per minute" as touted by the developer, a game known only as Azzl.
Hands On: SeatGuru 3.1 (iOS)
You can't predict whether you're going to be sitting next to children on a flight or, as has happened to us, a group of local radio DJs who would not shut up. For everything else, though, there are seat maps you can study, and there are crowd-sourced details-- and that's why there's SeatGuru 3.1.
Hands On: 99check 1.6 (iPhone)
No doubt, Apple's Find My Friends is a smart way to know where everyone you care about is right now. At least, it is if they all have iPhones, and it is if neither you nor they think this is beyond creepy. You're not going to be following their every move, but you could -- and if that doesn't give you pause, this should: they'd be able to follow your every move, too. The newly-updated 99check 1.6 gives you the benefits of Find My Friends, without the Big Brother don't-stray-from-the-path problems of Apple's solution.
Hands On: Brigador 1.0 (cross-platform)
Every so often, we're presented with a game so crazy, so wacky, so over-the-top that it takes us back to the morally questionable, yet undoubtedly awesome, '80s. Today is one of those days, with the release of mecha-action-strategy game Brigador, a game that is designed to capture the essence of a '80s-styled cyberpunk action flick.
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Cirrus creates Lightning-headphone dev kit
Apple supplier Cirrus Logic has introduced a MFi-compliant new development kit for companies interested in using Cirrus' chips to create Lightning-based headphones, which -- regardless of whether rumors about Apple dropping the analog headphone jack in its iPhone this fall -- can offer advantages to music-loving iOS device users. The kit mentions some of the advantages of an all-digital headset or headphone connector, including higher-bitrate support, a more customizable experience, and support for power and data transfer into headphone hardware. Several companies already make Lightning headphones, and Apple has supported the concept since June 2014. http://bit.ly/29giiZj
Apple Store app offers Procreate Pocket
The Apple Store app for iPhone, which periodically rewards users with free app gifts, is now offering the iPhone "Pocket" version of drawing app Procreate for those who have the free Apple Store app until July 28. Users who have redeemed the offer by navigating to the "Stores" tab of the app and swiping past the "iPhone Upgrade Program" banner to the "Procreate" banner have noted that only the limited Pocket (iPhone) version of the app is available free, even if the Apple Store app is installed and the offer redeemed on an iPad. The Pocket version currently sells for $3 on the iOS App Store. [32.4MB]
Porsche adds CarPlay to 2017 Panamera
Porsche has added a fifth model of vehicle to its CarPlay-supported lineup, announcing that the 2017 Panamera -- which will arrive in the US in January -- will include Apple's infotainment technology, and be seen on a giant 12.3-inch touchscreen as part of an all-new Porsche Communication Management system. The luxury sedan starts at $99,900 for the 4S model, and scales up to the Panamera Turbo, which sells for $146,900. Other vehicles that currently support CarPlay include the 2016 911 and the 2017 models of Macan, 718 Boxster, and 718 Cayman. The company did not mention support for Google's corresponding Android Auto in its announcement. http://bit.ly/295ZQ94
Apple employees testing wheelchair features
New features included in the forthcoming watchOS 3 are being tested by Apple retail store employees, including a new activity-tracking feature that has been designed with wheelchair users in mind. The move is slightly unusual in that, while retail employees have previously been used to test pre-release versions of OS X and iOS, this marks the first time they've been included in the otherwise developer-only watchOS betas. The company is said to have gone to great lengths to modify the activity tracker for wheelchair users, including changing the "time to stand" notification to "time to roll" and including two wheelchair-centric workout apps. http://bit.ly/2955JDa
SanDisk reveals two 256GB microSDXC cards
SanDisk has introduced two 256GB microSDXC cards. Arriving in August for $150, the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Premium Edition card offers transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s for reading data. The Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card can read at a fast 100MB/s and write at up to 90MB/s, and will be shipping sometime in the fourth quarter for $200. http://bit.ly/294Q1If
Apple's third-quarter results due July 26
Apple has advised it will be issuing its third-quarter results on July 26, with a conference call to answer investor and analyst queries about the earnings set to take place later that day. The stream of the call will go live at 2pm PT (5pm ET) via Apple's investor site, with the results themselves expected to be released roughly 30 minutes before the call commences. Apple's guidance for the quarter put revenue at between $41 billion and $43 billion. http://apple.co/1oi1Pbm
Twitter stickers slowly roll out to users
Twitter has introduced "stickers," allowing users to add extra graphical elements to their photos before uploading them to the micro-blogging service. A library of hundreds of accessories, props, and emoji will be available to use as stickers, which can be resized, rotated, and placed anywhere on the photograph. Images with stickers will also become searchable with viewers able to select a sticker to see how others use the same graphic in their own posts. Twitter advises stickers will be rolling out to users over the next few weeks, and will work on both the mobile apps and through the browser. http://bit.ly/29bbwUE
