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Apple sets a May 1st cutoff for new apps that use UDIDs, don't support iPhone 5 and Retina screens
Apple has been weaning app developers away from UDID and its privacy concerns for more than a year, but it looks like the company's about to put its foot down -- and up the hardware support requirements in the process. As of May 1st, the company will stop accepting new app submissions that demand a UDID to single out individual devices; creators will have to use the ad and vendor identifiers that came with iOS 6. They'll also have to develop apps for Retina displays as a matter of course, including the taller iPhone 5 screen. We can't imagine that the news will please those who have a need for legacy UDID support, or can't easily update a long-serving app for Retina screens, but Apple clearly feels it's time to move on.
Crafter converts Atari 2600 systems into two-of-a-kind iOS speaker docks
There's few things more heartbreaking to gamers than an Atari 2600 whose original components have given up the ghost. UK craftsman Peter Morris must not want all that faux wood to go to waste, as he recently converted two broken 2600 systems into speaker docks for the iPad and iPhone. Both include digital amps to improve the tunes, a line-in jack and both on-device as well as remote controls. We'd love to have either of them providing the soundtrack to our Pong sessions, although pure logistics may work against us: the iPad and iPhone docks are unique examples that ship from Morris' UK homeland at respective prices of £180 ($269) and £150 ($224). As such, there will likely be just a few Brits who'll get to mix modern sound with their childhood Combat memories.
Apple starts offering paid iBookstore content in Japan
While Apple's iBookstore is available in numerous countries, readers who sit outside of a certain privileged zone have had to make do with public domain e-books at best. The Japanese won't have to settle as of today: a low-key iBookstore expansion gives them access to paid content, including manga and other more localized material. Accordingly, there's an iBooks 3.1 app update rolling out that both unlocks "hundreds of thousands" of titles in the Japanese store and improves support for Asian languages as a whole. Residents who've been looking for the most official means of reading JoJolion on their iPads just need to grab the refreshed iBooks at the source.
YouTube for iOS adds send-to-TV pairing, lets you skip the media hub
Those running the dedicated YouTube app for iOS have had TV streaming for awhile... as long as there was an Apple TV in between. Google's video division is cutting out that middleman with its newly available app update. Similar to what we've seen in the Android software, iOS device owners can at last pair directly with some TVs, the PS3 or Xbox 360 to play and queue videos, even if there's multiple iPads and iPhones jockeying for attention on the same WiFi network. If your set is left out, YouTube still offers reasons to upgrade -- there's a connection to YouTube Capture for recording, and better playback on a pokey WiFi connection. As long as you're at least curious about TV streaming beyond Apple's set-top box, it's arguably worth trying.
Spotify for iOS gets a much-appreciated interface makeover
Spotify gave its Android app a very overdue interface overhaul last year. The iOS version wasn't in quite as dire straits, but we'd still call today's redesign a long-needed modernization that pulls out some of the clutter. Its 0.6 update mostly brings in useful concepts from the Android version, including the always-on Now Playing strip and the seemingly inescapable navigation sidebar. The update also solves a handful of stand-out flaws, such as reflecting the right track on the lock screen -- about time, really. Listeners will need a Premium subscription for more than just radio, but everyone in Spotify-supported countries can grab the update today.
Brass instruments make custom iPad amplifiers
Speaker and amplifier choice is a personal thing, with some focusing on sound quality and others preferring form over function. If you are looking for something unique, then you should check out this Analog Tele-Phonographer spotted by Boing Boing and crafted by Christopher Locke. Each unit is handmade from salvaged trumpets and other brass instruments. It's technically an amplifier so it doesn't need any external power source to fill a small room with music. Because of how they are made, each one is unique both in appearance and performance. [Via Boing Boing]
Facebook's main app for iOS adds free voice calls inside North America
Facebook has been spreading voice messaging throughout its mobile apps for awhile, but it's clear the Palo Alto crew is no longer happy leaving interaction to canned speeches. Following a quiet rollout of live voice calls to Facebook Messenger earlier in the year, a version 5.5 update to Facebook's core iOS app is giving social networkers a similar chance to talk to each other for free. The only stipulations are that users have the bandwidth to burn and live in either the US or Canada. Otherwise, the interface and functionality are dead ringers for the Messenger equivalents we tried in January. There's still no word on when full voice calls will reach Android or other platforms, although they typically get feature parity before too long.
Apple pushes iOS 6.1.2 with Exchange bug fix
Apple said it was working on a solution for the Exchange bug in iOS 6.1, and that's what it delivered: iOS 6.1.2 has appeared for all devices to address the calendar flaw. The release is targeted and doesn't appear to fix much if anything else, but we'll keep our ears to the ground for more. For now, check for an update in iTunes or on-device to cure at least some of your iOS gear's recent battery woes.
Haze for iOS launches, clears the visual clutter of weather apps (hands-on)
RoboCat and Taptanium aren't fans of the typical weather app, which tends to bombard the user with numbers when they just need a heads-up as to whether it's warm or likely to rain. Its newly launched Haze, then, is the potential antidote. The iOS app initially shows just the core temperature, humidity and hours of sunlight in different sections, with its namesake haze effect giving a clue as to whether conditions are trending up or down. If you need to know more, a tap expands the details, and a swipe down shows a 5-day forecast. There's also a handful of elements that we seldom see in these apps, such as a direction-relative wind indicator, optional motion-driven navigation and visual themes. RoboCat hints to us that an iPad version might be on the way, although ports to Android and other platforms are more likely to depend on the early response. We had the chance to give Haze a spin ahead of launch. It's at least a refreshing take: there's an appeal to exposing only the weather we want to see, and in a colorful way that never needs more than one hand to navigate. Compared to Apple's default app, though, it's at once providing more information and less. Haze is much better at supplying the current day's conditions, but its forecasts don't always reveal what's happening -- you'll know the humidity is shifting on Tuesday, but not the likelihood of snow. Consider the app more of a single-day weather specialist in its current form and the 99-cent price ($3 after a promo period ends) is easy to justify.
Toy Fair 2013: Ubooly is soft, squishy and smart thanks to the iPhone
Like Macworld/iWorld, Toy Fair 2013 is filled with products that began life as Kickstarter crowdfunding efforts; Ubooly is one of them. This combo of a plush bear and an iOS app received more than US$28,000 in funding on Kickstarter in April 2012. It later received $1.5 million in seed funding. The Ubooly plush is an orange bear that appears to be missing its face. Users download the free app and activate it, then insert an iOS device into the plush upside-down to add a face. From there, a child can interact with the Ubooly in a number of ways, ranging from playing various games to telling jokes to simple stories. The plush is padded with memory foam, so it can handle being thrown or dropped and you don't have to worry about damaging your iOS device by accident. Still, as with a lot of the toys that Mike Rose and I saw at Toy Fair yesterday, it's best to use an older iPhone or iPod touch with Ubooly. You can use iPhone models going back to the 3GS and iPod touches starting with the fourth generation. The app also can be used on its own without the Ubooly pet. Outside of the plush, there are a number of mini-games that can be played and rooms for Uboolies that can be decorated using using in-app purchases. This is a great way to test the Ubooly with your child before investing in the plush toy. As with all situations with children using apps with in-app purchases, you should lock out store access so your child doesn't go overboard buying extras without your approval. Ubooly is $29.99 through its website, but is currently on sale for $19.99 at ThinkGeek.
GetGlue update brings personalized guides, feeds and new ads to iPhone
Conspicuously timed just after a Super Bowl dubbed by some (mostly marketing types) as the "most social ever", GetGlue has pushed a new version of its app for iPhones. Version 4.0 for Apple's smaller iOS devices brings many of the social features recently added to the iPad app, as the guides gain personalized recommendations of shows you might enjoy. The main feed brings in even more information about shows being watched by your friends plus a way to easily chat with them within the app. Also improved is the amount of background info available for each show, and reminders for major events, premieres and finales -- similar upgrades are listed as coming soon for Android and its mobile website. Like Foursquare and other location services have shifted focus towards discovery, GetGlue (among others) is doing the same for TV while also improving its profile for businesses. In a move it unveiled with Pepsi during the big game last Sunday, it offers advertisers the opportunity for promoted tied to a particular brand or show, that may pop into your feed if your friends like them. With Twitter itself making a major move into TV experiences it will be interesting how the recently downsized pool of social TV competitors reacts, and who comes out on top. According to GetGlue, 15 percent of all tweets about Pepsi during the Super Bowl came from its app. You can find out if these additions are good ones -- your friends wouldn't share any particularly annoying ads, would they? -- by snagging the new update from iTunes.
Zoom iQ5 professional stereo microphone hands-on
Earlier at CES, we got our hands on the Rode iXY 30-pin stereo microphone iPhone add-on that left our Lightning users a bit sad. Cheer up! The folks over at Zoom got us over to their booth to take a peek at the company's new iQ5 professional stereo microphone. The iQ5 is a different beast than its aforementioned competition in that it works in conjunction with native iOS applications. What this means is that you can use it while recording video on your iOS device. The microphone itself rotates for this specific purpose, allowing for both horizontal and vertical audio recording in raw, 90- and 120-degree field positions. The recording resolution is capped at a respectable 16-bit/44.1kHz -- though slightly less than we were hoping. We didn't get a chance to actually hear an audio sample from the iQ5, but we're pretty confident it'll sound better than the standard mic equipped on any of the supported devices. The Zoom iQ5 lacks a bit in customization department as well as build quality -- we're generally not fans of the cheap plastic construction, which is unlike most other Zoom products. The spec sheet certainly leaves us wanting, but it's a start in the right direction for current-gen iOS devices. The iQ5 will set you back $100 and will start shipping Q2 of this year -- until then check out the gallery to hold you over.
FreedomPop pals up with TextPlus to offer free SMS
FreedomPop's made a name for itself by selling cases that enable iPod Touch users to get at least 500MB of data each month for free, and now the company has partnered with TextPlus to give users the ability to send SMS messages as well. Along with a basic free plan, FreedomPop will offer three pricing tiers, maxing out at $15 for unlimited text and 1,000 voice minutes. The partnership will come to full fruition sometime in the first quarter, though the company doesn't specify any additional details. We have the press release ready for your perusal below the break.
G-Form drops an iPod touch in a case from 100,000 feet, rivals Felix's antics (video)
Just because Felix Baumgartner set records by jumping from 128,000 feet doesn't mean he has a lock on stratospheric freefall stunts: see G-Form's latest video (after the break) as proof. In keeping with the tradition of launching a case line and then subjecting it to abuse on camera, the company dropped a new Xtreme iPhone 5 case from a balloon that reached 100,000 feet before it and its payload -- which actually happened to be a 5th gen iPod touch -- fell to the Nevada desert. Not surprisingly, that we're hearing about the story means the drop went as planned -- apart from needing some time to warm up after a plunge through -60F skies, the MP3 player emerged in fine shape. Is the freefall a publicity play that won't affect how anyone uses an Xtreme in real life? You bet. Still, it's one of the more dramatic drop tests we'll witness, and evidence the case can take some exceptional abuse; after all, it's not every day that our mobile devices reach terminal velocity.
Apple granted design patent for fourth-gen iPod touch, reminds us of the shorter, plumper past
Merry Christmas! The USPTO is celebrating in a big way, with the copyright stamp making some pretty big rounds today. First up is a design patent for an iPod touch, which Cupertino filed back in August of 2011. It looks to be the fourth-gen model from 2010, especially given that the patent focuses on the very rounded edges. This iPod touch was the first version to include both front- and rear-facing cameras, and in any case, the design is miles thicker and shorter than this year's touch. As Patently Apple points out, this document also happens to be one of the last to list Steve Jobs as an inventor.
Dropbox 2.0 launches for iOS with new Photos tab and a streamlined UI
Most of us would call the Dropbox mobile app very utilitarian, built for browsing files and not much else. It's becoming more of a media viewer in its own right with its just-arrived Dropbox 2.0 for iOS users. The cloud storage service gains a dedicated Photos tab that takes advantage of all those automatic uploads from the past few months: the panel organizes photos by the time taken and offers an unintrusive full-screen mode for reliving memories. Hitting the major milestone has also given Dropbox an incentive to rework the interface as a whole, simplifying uploads to specific folders alongside removing the visual clutter. The developer hasn't yet given Android the same treatment, although the company's tendency to keep its major apps on an equal footing suggests it won't be too long before everyone gets a clearer view of their images in the cloud.
Amazon Instant Video streaming app now available for iPhone and iPod touch
iPad owners have had access since early August, and at long last, iPod touch and iPhone users can say "Us too." The second major reason to crack open the App Store today has just surfaced, with Amazon confirming that its Instant Video app is now available for two of Apple's more bantam iOS products. Much like the iPad version, this one provides access to over 30,000 titles from Prime Instant Video available to Prime members for no extra cost, while the roaming public at large can tap into some 140,000 titles at various price points. To watch movies or TV episodes from Amazon Instant Video on iPhone and iPod touch, customers can simply search for the content they've already rented or purchased from Amazon Instant Video, and the company's also throwing in "Your Watchlist" and "Your Video Library" features, too. Per usual, the app itself is free to download, and there's a link to the App Store over there in the source section. Oh, and for those wondering about AirPlay support? Unfortunately, it remains audio-only. We just tested the new build using a 3rd-generation iPad as well as an iPhone 4S to an Apple TV, and while the app happily passed audio from a film to our television, the video remained on the device itself. This, of course, is a particular bummer given that there's no Amazon Instant Video app for Apple TV.
Google Maps for iOS hands-on
After a surprise launch, Google Maps for iOS is at last available, at least for those of us who leapt on the release as soon as the download hit the servers. In theory, it's the panacea for every iOS user who's been missing advanced mass transit directions or just Google's well-known map accuracy and turn-by-turn navigation. But is it really enough to make up for the current state of Maps, or kick alternatives like Nokia Here to the curb? Or keep those of us on the fence from switching platforms just for a better map service? Read after the break for our quick tour. %Gallery-173294%
Shazam for iOS gets a new UI, shares our lack of music knowledge with Google+
Some Shazam users run the app to discover new music; for us, it's an all-too-frequent admission that we're out of touch with the kids' music these days. We can at least take comfort in the 5.5 update for iOS giving us a friendlier interface for catching up on our culture. Along with a new listening screen that reacts to the tunes, there's bigger album artwork as well as automatic resubmissions if the connection gets sketchy. Those of us unafraid to reveal our tastes in music can also share to Google+, and listeners with visual impairments now just have to double-tap to start sampling tracks whenever VoiceOver is turned on. We have yet to see a matching Android update, but any iPhone or iPod touch owner who can live with a little musical humility can hit the source for the new release.
Bose SoundDock III embraces Lightning-equipped iPhones and iPods for $250
The last significant upgrade to Bose's core SoundDock model was seemingly eons ago -- distant enough in time that the iPod classic still showed up in press images. We might be thankful, then, that the arrival of the Lightning connector has prompted the arguably overdue SoundDock III. As you'd expect, the primary (and really, only) change to the speaker dock is a switch to the much smaller Apple plug for charging and playing music from that new iPhone 5, iPod touch or iPod nano. The system will otherwise seem uncannily familiar, right down to its remote control and aux-in jack. The SoundDock III is on sale today for $250; while that's a lower initial price than its 2008-era ancestor, the if-it-ain't-broke design philosophy may face a tough battle when much of the competition has since gone wireless.
