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Valve updates Steam Mobile for iOS with new UI and more social options
Since Valve introduced Steam Mobile last year, you didn't need to be tethered to your desktop to purchase games or stay connected. Now there's a new version for iPad and iPhone, with the UI specifically tweaked for iOS 7. Notable features include offline chat, improved push notifications, and a streamlined friend interface that makes it easier to see invites, nicknames, mobile or Big Picture status and Facebook friend suggestions. There's also the ubiquitous stability and performance fixes, so if you just can't interrupt that Half Life 3 discussion while out buying milk, hit the source.
Razer may be making its first iPhone gamepad
If an image from prolific bean-spiller @evleaks pans out, it looks like Razer is set to join the iPhone gamepad brigade with the Kazuyo. We've already seen the Moga Ace Power and Logitech's Powershell for the iPhone 5 or 5s so far, thanks to Apple's inclusion of a controller API for iOS 7. Razer's offering appears to have a similar case and button layout as the latter model, but also brings a unique tilting ability, judging by the image above. There's no other details, of course, because it's still just a leak -- so keep the salt handy until you see a real product.
Apple says 74 percent of App Store users are running iOS 7
Two can play the OS statistics game, it seems. Just a couple of days after Google noted that 1.1 percent of Android devices visiting Google Play are running KitKat, Apple has revealed that 74 percent of recent App Store customers are using iOS 7. That's a healthy 10-point improvement over what we saw in October, when 64 percent were running Cupertino's newest platform. The differences in OS adoption rates aren't totally surprising, mind you. Apple is targeting a narrower pool of hardware, doesn't have to wait for third-party approvals and recently launched two new iPads that could easily boost iOS 7 adoption. Android by its nature targets a wider range of devices and software interfaces that won't always receive updates at the same time. We wouldn't expect a big spike in KitKat use until larger phone makers like HTC and Samsung throw their full weight behind Google's latest platform.
Plex multimedia app gets a new UI to match iOS 7
Plex might be a straggler in the iOS 7 app update parade, but as they say: better late than never. The refreshed app comes with a new look for Apple's latest mobile platform, but since it retains most of the old interface's elements, you can't exactly call it a complete overhaul. Other than this mostly skin-deep change, this release also brings a new video player, an "improved music player" and the ability to sniff out URLs from the clipboard for queuing to its myPlex cloud-synced platform. Finally, its creators peppered in a bunch of bug fixes, including ones for random freezes and syncing errors, to make version 3.3 more palatable and perhaps more worth its $5 price in the App Store.
WhatsApp Messenger gets its long-awaited iOS 7 makeover
WhatsApp is more than a little late to the iOS 7 app update party, but it's making up for the long delay with a sweeping upgrade to its Messenger client. In addition to sporting an appropriately flatter interface, the new version introduces broadcast lists -- you can now address large groups of people at once, such as an entire class. The refresh also improves location sharing with a 3D map, while shutterbugs can crop images and see larger thumbnails. It's easier to manage blocked contacts, too. Chatty iPhone owners can grab the WhatsApp update for free from the App Store, although they'll eventually need to fork over 99 cents per year.
Dropbox gets an iOS 7 makeover with AirDrop sharing
Dropbox may be late to the iOS 7 app update party, but it's making up for lost time with an abundance of new features in the just-launched version 3.0 release for Apple's platform. The refresh brings the expected iOS 7-friendly look and includes AirDrop, making it easy to share links or whole files with nearby friends. It's also easier to send files to other apps or save videos to the device library, and iPad owners can quickly open files in a full-screen view. If your cloud storage revolves around Dropbox, we'd strongly recommend swinging by the App Store for an upgrade.
Hands-on with Logitech's PowerShell Controller, an iOS 7 gamepad that charges your phone
Remember that fuzzy-looking iOS 7 gamepad that leaked back in June? Turns out it's called the Logitech PowerShell Controller + Battery (a mouthful, right?), and it's one of the first iOS 7 certified gamepads on the market. Compatible with Lightning-equipped iPhones and iPods, the controller juts off of your device's top and bottom edges, adding four face buttons, a d-pad, two shoulder buttons and a 1,500 mAh battery that charges your phone while you game. It's also one of the least obstructive gamepad accessories we've ever used.
Autodesk's 123D Catch app updated with enhanced capture and Photo Compass assistance
Autodesk's 123D Catch app has been snapping photos and turning them into 3D models on iOS for about a year and a half. Now, the software has been updated with a new UI for browsing, shooting and transforming those photographs with iOS 7 compatibility. The refresh also adds community access from within for sharing, enhanced processing tech for better captures and a Photo Compass feature that lends a hand with those reference shots. Users are then able to store 3D wares in the cloud for access across devices and export to other 3D-compatible applications. As for us, we're starting a three-dimensional burrito log -- you know, for science.
Gmail for iOS adds full screen views, background refresh and new nav bar
Google is giving Apple users a little love today, with an updated version of its Gmail app designed specifically with iOS 7 in mind. Perhaps the biggest addition, and one oddly missing from Google's release notes, is support for the new background refresh API. That might not be the sexiest or most immediately obvious change, but it does solve many of the headaches associated with iOS's limited background process support. Scrolling through messages has been made smoother, which will be especially nice in the new fullscreen message and compose views. On the iPad, that means getting all the clutter out of the way in portrait mode so you can focus on the content of those all-important incoming missives. There's also a redesigned navigation bar on the left-hand side of the iPad version (when viewed in landscape) that puts the new social, promotion and other smart labels just a tap away. You can hit up the App Store now to update.
MapQuest updates iOS 7 and Android apps with modern UI, route status bar
With Google, Apple and Nokia making so much fuss about navigation these days, it's easy to forget good 'ol MapQuest. That doesn't mean it isn't still going strong, though, as evidenced by the service's plans to launch updated apps for iOS 7 and Android sometime today. The apps will get a completely redone user interface that looks much more modern and takes advantage of higher-res displays. Although most of MapQuest's features may not be all that different from what you'd find on other map services, the app introduces one particular feature we've never seen before: a status bar on the top of the app that shows your full route at a glance and indicates time and distance to your destination as well as which parts (and how much) of your commute will involve heavy traffic. The service is still working on adding directions for transit and bikes, and should be in the next version; we're told that these, along with more travel integrations and product enhancements, are on the roadmap for 2014. As a sidenote, users of iOS 6 and below won't get today's update, and instead will continue using the same version they've already become accustomed to. If you're on iOS 7 or Android, however, it will show up as an update to the current versions already in the App Store and Play Store.
Pebble update for iOS 7 brings Notification Center support
The improved Notification Center has been a highlight of iOS 7 for many users, and now it's a highlight for Pebble smartwatch owners as well. Last Monday, the Pebble team released an update for the watch that brings full Notification Center support. In a blog post the company boasted about the update: Pebble is now fully integrated with iOS 7 and works seamlessly with Notification Center. This means that any notifications you've enabled in Notification Center on your iOS 7 device will appear on your Pebble -- just like that. It's easier than ever to pick and choose which updates you want to see on your watch. This includes notifications beyond calls, texts and emails, such as Calendar, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Flickr, Dropbox, WhatsApp, Flipboard and more. A new Pebble app for iOS will enable this functionality and is under review by Apple. Expect an update in the iTunes Store soon. You can watch a video of how the new iOS 7 integration works below. Pebble iOS Notifications from Pebble Technology on Vimeo.
The physics of iOS 7
As soon as iOS 7 made it into the hands of millions of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users, we began to hear scattered reports of people becoming physically sick when watching the parallax view and zoom in/out animations. Apple quickly responded with a way to turn off the animations to help those who were getting motion sickness, but the fact remains that the animation was very real to some people. John Herman and Jake Levy at BuzzFeed FWD decided to look into how fast those icons and apps appear to be moving towards or away from you, and their results are quite fascinating. Levy notes that items further away from you appear smaller and calculated that an icon before a zoom appears to be about 5.33 feet away. Timing how long it takes an icon to zoom into a full screen app and vice-versa (0.8 second), Levy was able to calculate that the icon appears to move towards you or away at 6.6 feet per second or about 4.5 mph -- about the speed of a slow jog. Next, Levy looked at icons placed in folders, and determined that they appear to be 24.62 feet away. That means that they "move" about 19.29 virtual feet in the same 0.8 second, or are zooming in or out at a virtual 16.4 miles per hour. iOS developer and brony Steve Streza responded via Twitter to the BuzzFeed post, and noted that, "Those animations are based on spring physics. So it's like you stretched a spring from you to the folder and then let go... Animations pre-iOS 7 were based on sine wave curves. iOS 7 animations have a more gradual decay." With all of this animated movement, it's no wonder that some people seriously want to hurl while they're using their iOS 7-equipped devices. Be sure to take a gander at the BuzzFeed animations that demonstrate exactly what they're talking about. [via The Verge]
Apple updates Remote app for iOS 7
Apple has released Remote 4.0 for iOS. As could be expected, the latest version of Apple's Remote app that lets users control iTunes and Apple TVs from their iOS devices has received a new icon and iOS 7-style makeover. So far, it appears Apple hasn't introduced any new features to the app. From its release notes: What's New in Version 4.0 This version of Remote has been completely redesigned for iOS 7 and adds support for iTunes 11.1. Remote for iOS is a free download.
Rhapsody changes its look for iOS 7, enhances radio experience with new features
It may be a little late to the party, but Rhapsody today updated its app to meet the looks of Apple's iOS 7. Aside from going the flat route on the overall design, the application has also been improved with a number of handy features throughout. Listeners will now see a swipe-to-reveal menu (much like on Android), as well as a revamped radio experience which includes brand new stations from different artists and the option to thumb tracks up or down. In addition, this version lets you favorite any song being played, making it easy to access them at any point from the My Music section. If you're a Rhapsody subscriber, expect more things to come to the web and mobile apps in the near future -- the music service says it has "a lot of great things cooking."
App icons don't have to suck
The days of skeuomorphic icons are gone and in their place are clean, flat icons designs that, in theory, offer an attractive and modern feel. But when the desire for something simple comes at the cost of relevance, icons take a turn for the worse. Instead of overly elaborate and detailed icons that produced a busy and cluttered feel, the App Store is now overrun with icons that mean absolutely nothing and only serve to harm the appeal of the apps and confuse potential customers. To help illustrate this, I grabbed a handful of these too-vague-for-their-own-good icons and tossed them into our TUAW team chatroom. I asked what, if anything, each icon tells the user about the app itself -- or, if nothing else, simply what the graphic resembles. To be clear: This is in no way a commentary on the quality of the apps themselves (and indeed some of these are extremely popular and well-liked) but simply a call for developers to put some more thought into the most public face of their own products. What is it? A charging utility An app about Alton Brown's bow tie A soundboard with nothing but Gomer Pyle saying "Shazam!" What it actually is: Prompts, an app to help writers find inspiration. What is it? A fingerpainting app, but with only one color choice A Smurf penis A blue tampon applicator What it actually is: Vesper, a note-taking and archiving app. What is it? A how-to-make popsicles app (seriously, the fact that it's not this is a crime) Wild mushroom locator and index A ghost with diarrhea What it actually is: Fancy, a crowd-sourced shopping app with a social twist. And no, it doesn't tell you how to make popsicles. What is it? A digital pregnancy test A calculator... obviously "The Green Cross" for horrible people who don't like the Red Cross What it actually is: Gneo, a productivity app. What is it? A bacteria guide app A camera app that gives everyone in the photo green chickenpox A Yoshi ovulation tracking app What it actually is: thredUP, a clothing marketplace for women, kids and teens. What is it? An app that tells you when it's near sunset if you're on a cruise ship An orange juice review aggregator An app that lists all the words that rhyme with orange What it actually is: Level Money, a budgeting app. See what I mean? I get it; Creating a nice icon without an established brand logo to draw from isn't easy, but I promise you it can be done. Here are a few fantastic examples of app icons that are not only clean and attractive, but also offer a hint as to what the app actually does. What it is: Chefs Feed, a restaurant guide curated by actual chefs. What it is: Elixr, a social network and rating service for drink lovers. What it is: The Converted, an easy-to-use unit conversion tool. See the difference? Now please, put some more effort into your app's most important symbol before the App Store is filled with icons that are nothing more than simple gradients. Oh god, it's happening already.
Protests in Taiwan over Apple Maps
Apple's Maps app continues to aggravate some iPhone users. This time, customers in Taiwan are offended that the software describes their country as a province of China. iPhone users in the island country noticed the issue and reported it to local media. Eventually Taiwan's foreign ministry noticed the error, and pointed it out to Apple, who has not yet commented on the matter. This is most likely an innocent mistake, and certainly not political commentary. We expect Apple will address the issue.
iOS daylight savings time bug strikes again
Several TUAW readers have reported that iOS 7 features a Daylight Saving Time bug that could cause the Calendar app to show the wrong "current time" line in Day view. The bug was first noticed this weekend here in the UK when British Summer Time officially ended at 2AM Sunday morning. Though iOS 7 devices did indeed roll back the clocks automatically as they were supposed to, when users open the Calendar app and look at Day view the current time line appears one hour after the actual time -- even though it displays the right time. For example, in the image above you'll notice that the red current time line reads 9:18 PM (which is correct), but it appears one hour later than it should (18 minutes past the grey 10PM time line). This isn't the first time Apple has had DST bugs in iOS. Back in 2010 a different bug caused alarms to go off an hour early. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
This week on gdgt: Surface Pro 2, Nintendo 2DS, and software updates
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Apple gives trio of apps iOS 7 makeovers, Podcasts nabs background downloads
iOS 7 has a slew of new features, but perhaps its most convenient is that it allows applications to pull data from the cloud in the background -- and now one of Apple's most derided apps is getting some of that love. In its latest incarnation, the Podcasts app can grab new episodes of your favorite talk shows automatically, and there's a setting governing how often it checks for new episodes, so your data cap and battery should be safe. Among other tweaks to the app, iCloud will now sync play positions, stations and subscriptions with iTunes and Apple TV. What's more, Cupertino has made cosmetic changes to Podcasts as well as Find My iPhone and iTunes Trailers that match its redesigned mobile OS. If you want a glimpse of how this trio looks in flatter duds, check out the source links below.
Evernote iOS app adds Places feature, lets Premium users edit their home screen
Last month, Evernote rolled out a revamped Skitch app, giving it a fresh coat of paint to fit in with iOS 7. Today, the main Evernote app for iPhones and iPads has gotten similar aesthetic treatment, and added a couple of new features to boot. First up is the Places feature for both free and paid users, which shows you the locations of any geo-tagged notes and photos on a map, and also makes those notes searchable by location. Next, Premium Evernoters will now have the option to customize their home screen -- meaning you can change the order of your buttons or remove those you never use. Naturally, the update also brings some general performance improvements and bug fixes as well, so head on over to the source to see for yourself all the new app has to offer.