Tag - Note-taking

Hands On: Textkraft Professional 4.1 (iOS)

We're late to another party: previously we've spoken of note-taking apps, text editors, and word processors. Now, though, we have to recognise that there is a fourth class of apps that you type into: the writing studio. Once you come up with a name for something, you realize it has been applied to apps for ages: Scrivener and Ulysses, amongst others, are like this. They are software apps intended to be a complete writing environment. Add to that list the newly-updated Textkraft Professional 4.1.

Hands On: Textkraft Pocket 3.0 (iPhone)

With the load of apps in the App Store, you don't expect to know them all and you do expect that there will be entire classes and genres of software that you're unaware of. Yet we're obsessed with word processors, text editors and note taking apps and still we missed TextKraft Pocket 3.0 for iPhone. More, we missed six other versions for iPad. It's a startling comment on the App Store that people actively looking for a type of app can fail to find what they search for.

Hands On: Curio 10 (OS X)

You should probably get some coffee: this may take a while. We've previously reviewed Curio Express 9.4.7 and found it so swimming in features that it was hard to really grasp all that it can do and we ended up inadequately summarising it as a notetaking app. However, the Express one is like a Lite, cutdown edition and now there's the full-blown Curio 10. It has so many features it can't contain them all and needs to spill out into an extra, free Curiota 1.0.

Hands On: Apple's Notes 4.0 (OS X, iOS)

We're all for Apple disrupting industries but, honestly, we were fine here. No disruption needed, but we got it anyway. You got Pages if you wanted to write anything serious, you got Microsoft Word if you had to, and you used Apple Notes if you didn't know any better. It was ever thus -- until now. As of OS X El Capitan and iOS 9, we have Apple Notes 4.0 and it is just about world-changing. The only problem that, possibly not your world, though.

Hands On: Intellie Notes 1.0.5 (OS X)

There is definitely a case of just having someplace you can scribble down a thought, a phone message, a shopping list. There is also definitely an entire industry devoted to creating such note taking apps and it's a mightily productive one. Search on the word 'note' in the Mac App Store and you get nearly 600 results. Do it on an iPhone and you get just under 9,000. This is the world Intellie Notes 1.0.5 is stepping in, and it's no criticism to say that it has about as much reason to buy it as most of the others do.

Hands On: Vesper 2.005 (iOS)

We have come such a long way from the original iPhone's yellow Notes app with its very yellow pages and Comic Sans font. Did we mention yellow? Today's Vesper, from Q Branch, does the same job -- yet comes from the opposite end of the design spectrum with a plain, tasteful look and typography control. It's also much faster than Notes ever was, and its syncing of individual notes is quicker than Evernote's.

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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

Developer  92d

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]

 92d

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

Industry  92d

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

Troubleshooting  92d

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

Upgrades/storage  92d

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

Investor  93d

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

IPhone apps  94d