Author Archive for Louis
Google Search app for iOS gets Google Now feature
Google Now has been available to Android phones for several months now, and it has finally arrived for the iPhone and iPad. Described as ”the right information at just the right time”, Google Now is the latest feature found within the Google Search app. Once you sign into your Gmail account, “Cards” will appear at the bottom that provide helpful info like local weather, currency conversion when travel abroad, traffic conditions to your next likely destination, sports scores, flight status and much more.
EA Mobile’s App Store Easter Sale: 55+ games now $0.99
EA has launched their 4th annual “Sweet Deals” iOS sale just ahead of Easter weekend, with nearly all their iPhone and iPad games on sale for $0.99. Big name titles like FIFA SOCCER 13, Need for Speed Most Wanted and Bejeweled HD can all be yours for a buck. Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite word game Bookworm and Chillingo’s Monster Truck Destruction (a subsidiary of EA) are currently free for a limited time. Now would be a great time to stock up on some of the games you’ve had your eye on, or gift them on iOS 6 to someone special for Easter. The full roundup of links after the gap.
Mac Deals: Best time to buy a Mac, iPhone and iPad
Thinking of buying a new iMac, Macbook, iPhone or iPad, but don’t exactly want to pay the full retail price found on launch day? Dealnews has analyzed over a year’s worth of Apple deals to help buyers with when to buy a Mac, or more specially, when they can expect to find the best discounts on Apple hardware. Here’s the quick rundown:
- MacBook Pro 15.4″ with Retina Display - wait 9 months and save $350
- iPhone 5 - wait 3 months and save $73
- iPad (current gen) – wait 1 month and save $59
- iPad mini – wait 3 months and save $29
Since Apple doesn’t normally slash prices on their iDevices (save for perhaps Boxing day and Black Friday), the best places to find discounts are resellers like MacMall, Amazon
CARROT updated to V3.0, now free for a day
CARROT, the quirky todo list “with a personality”, has received its next major update (V3.0) and adds three most-requested features from its users: the ability to set reminders/due dates, repeating tasks and Siri Integration (have Siri add tasks into CARROT for you). But since this is not your ordinary todo app, these first have to be unlocked by actually completing tasks on your list (mark tasks as completed, score points and level up). Think of it as an incentive to get productive. Just don’t expect it be as complex as Things (TMA Review) or OmniFocus; it was designed to be fast, simple and most of all, fun to use. CARROT is now free for a day as well, so grab it for your iPhone, unlock all the goodies and get busy.
$0.99 iOS Gaming deals for the weekend
SEGA has dropped prices on a number of their Sonic themed games for the weekend to just a dollar, and they include Sonic CD, Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Ep. II (both of which were $4.99) and Sonic Dash. Titles from from other publishers – both big and small – have also knocked off a few bucks off their games. Most of the deals are likely good through Monday, so have a look at the full list of app sales after the break.
Hands on with the iKit NuCharge iPhone 5 battery case
Kickstarter has given birth to some really innovative products in the past and the iKit NuCharge is no exemption. Dubbed the most “advanced iPhone battery case ever made”, it’s also the world’s first interchangeable battery and case cover for the iPhone 5. With such a design, users can decide whether to go with a light and minimal case, or pop on the battery for slightly more bulk to juice up the iPhone. I was recently sent a pre-production unti for testing and so far I’m really liking the iKit for its versatility, lightweight and slim 1900mAh battery pack.
iOS 6.1.3 update now available for iDevices
The lastest iOS update – version 6.1.3 – is now available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. This primarily fixes the security hole that was found in 6.1, one that allowed access to the phone module right from the locked screen without entering the correct passcode. The update also brings improvements to Maps for users in Japan. As for jailbreakers, you may want to stay away from 6.1.3 for the time being, as David Wang (one of the devs for the evasi0n and their untethered iOS 6.x jailbreak) told Forbes several weeks ago that the 6.1.3 beta 2 update patched one of the bugs that the Jailbreak exploits. This means that 6.1.3 isn’t likely to work with the only untethered jailbreak solution at this time. For the rest of you though, you can grab the latest iOS update right from within Settings –> General –> Software Update or on your desktop via iTunes.
Game Boy Advance emulator hidden within “Awesome Baby Names” app
An app called Awesome Baby Names has made it through Apple’s approval process and it’s not what you think. Through a series of taps in just the right spots, a hidden Game Boy Advance emulator will be revealed, thus allowing you to play all your favorite GBA roms you might have kept somewhere on an external hard drive. The app costs $1.99 and likely won’t last much longer on the App Store, so if your phone’s not jailbroken and you’d like to play some Mario on your iPhone, you may want to grab it before it’s pulled. Screenshots on how to unlock the emulator from within the app after the break.
Update: It appears the app’s been pulled from the App Store.
ZAGGkeys PROplus in Review – Light that iPad keyboard up!
For many, the iPad has replaced their laptops while away from the office/home or when processor intensive tasks are not required. This is especially true when the bulk of the work involves writing reports or filling out numbers and data in spreadsheets. What better accessory to go with the iPad than an external keyboard case to help you be more productive AND provide your tablet with some form of protection at the same time? I’ve covered keyboard cases in the past, like the ZAGGfolio, and today we’re going to take a closer look at ZAGG’s other product – the ZAGGkeys PROplus, a dandy backlit keyboard that’s both slim and fun to use.
Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 Experience can now be streamed on iTunes
Justin Timberlake’s highly anticipated album The 20/20 Experience drops next week on March 19th and if you simply can’t wait to hear JT’s falsetto vocals, iTunes is now streaming the album in its entirety.
Justin Timberlake rekindles his love affair with music on The 20/20 Experience. JT brings back the sexy synergy with production gurus Timbaland and J-Roc — “Tunnel Vision,” “Spaceship Coupe” and “Don’t Hold the Wall” are at once primal and futuristic pop excursions. He pours his falsetto into soul (“That Girl”) and over Latin beats (“Let the Groove In”). The 20/20 Experience shows Justin in full focus, reunited with his first love and it feels so good.
