Sunday, December 22, 2013

AirWeb puts a browser on your Apple TV

AirWeb puts a browser on your Apple TV - Let's get this out of the way right now -- this post is not about a web browser app for your Apple TV. Apple doesn't have one of those yet, as the company still doesn't allow open access to third-party apps on the little black box. But AirWeb ...

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Here's how to check your Apple TV's Netflix bandwidth using a hidden built-in tool

Here's how to check your Apple TV's Netflix bandwidth using a hidden built-in tool -

Having problems with Netflix on Apple TV, or simply want to know how much bandwidth is available to your on-demand movie portal? Well lucky for you: There's a built-in video quality tool that you can use to see exactly how many kilobits per second ...

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Evernote for iOS update brings business card contact scanning

Evernote for iOS update brings business card contact scanning - Popular notetaking app Evernote saw an update on Thursday, bringing it to version 7.2.0. The new version of Evernote gives users limited access to a Premium feature with the ability to scan business cards into their iOS devices and have the app automatically log the information on the card as a contact. Added contacts can then be synced to a user's LinkedIn, Facebook, or Address Book ...

(Via MacNN | The Macintosh News Network.)

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Apple TV Roundup: Apple's Plans for Television

Apple TV Roundup: Apple's Plans for Television - apple_tv_roundupFollowing last week's addition of an iPhone 6 roundup, MacRumors today is publishing a new Apple TV roundup covering not only Apple's current set-top box and rumors for future enhancements, but also long-running rumors of a dedicated Apple television set.

While Apple has been busy increasing the amount of content available through the current Apple TV, there is still uncertainty about timing for new television-related hardware from the company. A dedicated Apple television set has been rumored for a number of years, with Steve Jobs having been quoted in his 2011 biography as saying "I finally cracked it" with regard to a television interface concept, but signs continue to suggest that release is not yet imminent.

Apple has also been rumored to be working on Kinect-like motion control for the Apple TV, and Apple's acquisition of PrimeSense, the company behind the original Microsoft Kinect motion control technology, last month has continued to fuel that speculation. But whether that technology will make its way into the next Apple TV as part of a radical revamp or if the next-generation box will primarily be an iterative update based on improved internals remains to be seen.

(Via MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors.)

The first 6 things you need to do with your new Android tablet

The first 6 things you need to do with your new Android tablet - Here's a look at the first six things you should do with your tablet right after purchase.

(Via CNET News.com.)

How These 5 Dirtbags Radically Advanced Your Digital Rights

How These 5 Dirtbags Radically Advanced Your Digital Rights - Bad facts make bad law, the saying goes. But sometimes, bad people make good law.

(Via Wired Top Stories.)

Monday, December 9, 2013

Apple Remembers Nelson Mandela on Its Homepage

Apple Remembers Nelson Mandela on Its Homepage - Apple has removed all product placements on its homepage tonight and has instead replaced them with an image of Nelson Mandela, honoring the late South African president's life a day after he passed at the age of 95.

applemandela
Apple executives had previously commented on Mandela's death on Twitter, with SVP Phil Schiller tweeting a quote from Mandela. CEO Tim Cook also tweeted a quote, but offered thoughts on the passing of Mandela as well:

Amazing human being. Champion of freedom and human dignity. He set an example for all of the world. RIP Nelson Mandela. We miss you already.
This is one of the few times Apple has honored someone's life on its homepage, with the others being people such as Rosa Parks, board member Jerry York and Steve Jobs.

(Via MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors.)

More than 1 million apps are now available on the US App Store

More than 1 million apps are now available on the US App Store -

Apple's US App Store now has more than 1 million apps available for download, according to app-discovery platform Appsfire and confirmed by AppShopper (via MacRumors). As of the time of this writing, there are now 1,006,557 iOS apps available for download in the US, with 473,000 of those optimized for the iPad.

Back in October, Apple announced it had more than 1 million apps in its worldwide App Store catalog, but this is the first time the number of apps available in the United States App Store has hit the seven-figure mark. As MacRumors notes, its sister site AppShopper, which tracks all iOS apps, says that there have been a total of 1,439,451 iOS apps approved by Apple since the launch of the App Store back in 2008.

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

Square credit card reader loses weight, gains accuracy

Square credit card reader loses weight, gains accuracy -

The Square credit card reader is already a huge hit with small businesses, so an upgrade to the hardware is definitely cause for a little early holiday celebration. The company revealed an all-new version of its iconic register peripheral today, showing off a sleeker design that cuts its width by 45 percent. The company also boasts that the new reader is more accurate than any previous model.

As always, small businesses and anyone else that need an easy way to take mobile payments can score a free card reader by signing up with Square online, but the newest model won't be available in retail stores until 2014.

[via Engadget]

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

Pandora for iOS Gets Alarm Clock Mode, iOS 7 Facelift

Pandora for iOS Gets Alarm Clock Mode, iOS 7 Facelift -

To its great credit, Pandora refuses to go gentle into that good night despite the recent competition from iTunes Radio (not to mention other competitors such as Google Play Music). To that end, the venerable streaming music site updated its iOS app today to support using Pandora stations as alarm clocks rather than the default tones you get with the iPhone.

Numerous apps already support the option to play music from your library as an alarm clock, but this marks the first time that we've seen it through Pandora's own widely used service. For my part, I find that a little bit of unpredictability helps me get up earlier in the morning, and Pandora's new option should allow me to wake with the former ease I once knew from the bygone days when I used a traditional alarm clock with built-in radio to wake up.

(Via Mac|Life all.)

How Apple's Lightning-Plug Guru Reinvented Square's Card Reader

How Apple's Lightning-Plug Guru Reinvented Square's Card Reader - Jesse Dorogusker is used to working tiny.

(Via Wired Top Stories.)

Obama Says Everyone Should Learn How to Hack

Obama Says Everyone Should Learn How to Hack - President Barack Obama kicked off Computer Science Education Week on Monday with a simple message: "Don't just play on your phone. Program it."

(Via Wired Top Stories.)