Two different tech gear companies have announced two new products for music lovers who want small speakers. Gear4 out of El Segundo are launching the AirZone Series 1 home speaker and iPhone/iPod dock that incorporates AirPlay compatibility for remote sounds and control, while iPod accessory maker iHome is offering two different mini-speakers that stream music and more via Bluetooth connections, one including a mic for speakerphone use.
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Instagram finished the week with a significant update to its app (App Store). The 2.1 update now has Lux, an image adustment option that automatically brings out details in highlights and shadows in a rough equivalent to high dynamic range (HDR) shooting. Similar to the tilt-shift effect, Lux can stack with other filters.
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Fri February 10, 2012 | Posted in: computers, Apple
Today's Deals from DealNN include price breaks on Mac Pros, Flash memory cards, and more. Apple.com has recently lowered the cost of the refurbished 2.8GHz Mac Pro, which includes 3GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive, 18x SuperDrive, and ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor with 1GB GDDR5 memory. Currently featured at DealNN, this Mac Pro is now available for the discounted price of $2119 and delivers savings of up to $380.
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Slidevana, a new template package designed for Keynote, has been launched at the discounted price of $69. More than 130 slides are included in the bundle, ranging from simple lists, tables, and charts, to more complex timelines and business frameworks. Currently, slides are available in both Mac and iOS Keynote optimized formats, however, Slidevana has stated that a PowerPoint template will soon be available.
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Apple has been exploring the idea of a 3D iOS interface that reacts to its surroundings, a newly-published patent application reveals. Called Three Dimensional User Interface Effects on a Display by Using Properties of Motion, the document notes that products like the iPhone have the benefit of numerous different sensors, such as accelerometers, compasses, cameras, and GPS receivers. "However, current systems do not take into account the location and position of the device on which the virtual 3D environment is being rendered," Apple writes. The company also mentions "physical and lighting properties of the user's environment" as factors that could be taken into account for presenting "a more interesting and visually appealing" interface.
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Thu February 9, 2012 | Posted in iphone apps
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Tweetbot is a full-featured Twitter client for the iPhone and iPod touch, with support for multiple services such as Read it Later and Instapaper. The latest 2.0 release delivers an updated timeline view and new direct message view, a redesigned “New Tweets” bar, and improved scrolling performance.
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Backflip Studios has announced the latest in its series of physic-based puzzle games for the iPhone/iPad, Ragdoll Blaster 3. The object of the game is to blast little ragdolls out of a canon at just the right angle and velocity so that they hit a red target. Features range from over 100 playable levels spanning five different worlds, to five distinct ragdoll types each with their own unique abilities.
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jetBlue Airways Corporation recently launched a self-titled iPhone and iPad app that enables users to access their itineraries, flight status information, and more. The program offers check-in reminders that inform users 24 hours before a flight, as well as a built-in city guide that informs users of nearby hotspots. A Pick Me Up feature is also included and helps people plan how and when they will pick someone up from the airport.
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A new 5.0 version of OnSports, the popular mobile sports channel for iOS devices, is now available for download. With this upgrade comes a new easy-to-use interface, which simplifies how users see popular news and live scores for their favorite teams and players. Additionally, users can now add their favorite teams, players, and sports more quickly.
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Raid Leader is a new real-time strategy game where players must guide a small band of heroes through Eldentir and face the demon king. Up to three different classes are available, including Knight, Hunter, and Priest, each with their own unique playing style. The game also offers support for Game Center leaderboards, and over 25 Game Center achievements.
Wed February 8, 2012 | Posted in: industry, audio, Apple
Most people know that iTunes Match, Apple's latest music-related service that offers to backup and make available whole iTunes libraries online, costs $25 year. While many assume the fee is at least in part a "bribe" to record companies to allow unlimited re-downloading, in fact Apple pays rights holders a fee each time a song is re-downloaded -- and for independent distributors who work with iTunes such as BandCamp, CDBaby and TuneCore, the royalty is a windfall for their artists.
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Tapbots revamped its signature Twitter apps in large form on Wednesday, starting with the surprise release of Tweetbot for iPad ($3, App Store). The new version both adapts to the bigger canvas of the tablet and shares its support for creating multiple timelines from one account and gestures to save time. Likewise, it can save content for later through Cloudapp, Instapaper, and Read it Later.
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New digging in the iOS 5.1 beta has given a possible clue as to Apple's target date for the OS. About 11 new carrier profiles all have references to an Apple diagnostic web address with "09Mar2012-Update" in the timeframe, suggesting to YourDailyMac's discoverer that the date was at least being kept in mind for a launch or a milestone. It touched on all existing iOS devices and at least five countries, pointing to a simultaneous release.
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VoIP provider Vonage has just released a new Vonage Mobile app that will allow for free calling and texting between users who have it installed on their smartphones, as well as discounted calling rates to those who don't. It uses Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G data networks and is now available for iOS (free, iTunes) and Android (free, Android Market) devices. The app is meant for frequent travelers, or those who have friends or family abroad and want to use their phones to contact them.
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Evernote has released a new version of its iOS notetaking app, v4.1.8. While relatively minor, the update does make two important changes. These include "predictive" note titles, which will give otherwise untitled items a label based on factors like time, location, and other pieces of contextual data.
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Wed February 8, 2012 | Posted in iphone apps
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Evernote 4.1.8 is an upgraded version of the note creation and productivity app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. With this release comes new predictive note titles, meaning untitled notes are now assigned a title based on location, time, and other contextual info. Other changes include editing performance improvements, and the ability to apply styles, edit, copy, and paste within notes.
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Yelp 5.6 enables users to search for nearby places of interest such as restaurants, bars, and cafes, as well as look up addresses and phone numbers for thousands of different businesses. An update has recently been announced for this app, which offers a series of bug fixes and performance enhancements, along with support for “liking” photos that were taken from other users.
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Rayark has unveiled a new 1.1.0 version of its note-tapping music game, Cytus. The updated program offers two new tracks, one of which is a secret track, along with a new charts arrangement for some tracks for better playing experience. Improved performance for the iPad is also included, and the auto-rotation function now works during the title screen.
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Dragon Keeper is a new game for the iPhone and iPad where players must enlist the help of dragons in order to save their wife-to-be, as well as all the people who were captured by the evil witch. In order to succeed players will need to breed, feed, and take care of baby dragons, while defending against enemy attacks. Up to 15 different creatures are available, and players can explore up to four different caves.
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iStain provides users with information on how to deal with over 100 different types of stains that can be accumulated throughout the day. Designed for iOS devices, the app suggests what kind of cleaning agents to use for different types of clothes, and explains how to deal with unusually persistent stains. The app supports a wide variety of categories from food to glue, and even includes information on chemical and cosmetic stains.
Wed February 8, 2012 | Posted in: Apple
Pop musician Paul McCartney will host a live, streaming concert through iTunes on February 9th at 7PM Pacific time, according to an announcement. The event is being hosted at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, and is meant to promote Kisses on the Bottom, a new McCartney album released on Tuesday. Backing him live will be Tommy LiPuma, as well as Diana Krall and her band, all of which contributed to the record.
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Wed February 8, 2012 | Posted in: audio
Electronista has had the opportunity to go hands-on with the forthcoming Sony Walkman Z
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) media player and its core range of high-end Balanced Armature in-ear headphones. Although both product lines were announced late last year, due to the natural disasters in Japan and Thailand, Sony are only now in a position to bring them to the US and other markets. We came away impressed, but particularly with the new Balanced Armature earphones, which are the best in-ear headphones Sony has released.
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Wed February 8, 2012 | Posted in: iPod, accessories
Further taking advantage of the iPod nano's "clock face" watch app which has spawned an entire mini-industry of wrist straps for it, accessory maker Hex has expanded its own lineup of sixth-generation Nano wristbands to include the new Vision Classic Leather band, which uses genuine leather and top-stitched embroidered edges in the classic styling. It's available in four color choices: black white, British tan and gray, and also sports a patented clip-based, coated stainless steel plate for removing or inserting the Nano without scratching.
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Apple has sent out notifications to iOS developers that future updates to apps now require higher-resolution, 960x640 (Retina Display) compatible screenshots or the apps will not be approved. The change is a minor one (previous guidelines suggested, but did not require, Retina Display-level screenshots) and reflects the company's burgeoning base of iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and fourth-generation iPod Touch users, all of whom have higher-resolution screens.
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Tue February 7, 2012 | Posted in iphone apps
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FutureTap GmbH has announced a new 4.1 version of Where To?, its GPS-based search tool that enables users to locate a wide range of different destinations. With this upgrade comes landscape support for the homepage viewer, the ability to view multiple pictures for each place, and the addition of several new categories. The new version of the app also requires iOS 4.0 or later.
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Paper Monsters 1.1 is an upgraded version of the platforming adventure game for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Features of the update range from a free bonus level pack for Valentines Day to the addition of 30 new achievements. Several performance enhancements are included as well, and checkpoints are now designed to save buttons, paperclips, and the score.
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Grooh for the iPhone and iPad puts players in control of a unique monster that loves pineapples and is searching the abandoned Feilong Castle for a hidden treasure. In order to succeed players will need to overcome 99 challenging rooms, and collect gold medals to help improve Grooh's statistics. Players can also use boxes, teleporters, explosive fields, and ice in order to solve puzzles.
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Foodspotting works as a visual guide to good food and where to find it. It allows users to rate dishes, see what friends prefer, and find where those dishes are located. The latest 3.0 upgrade offers major improvements to the app, such as a re-designed user interface, support for voting up dishes you like, and the ability to both bookmark dishes and hide dishes from within the new Explorer tab.
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The Decide.com app provides users with deals on consumer electronics, and not only shows the best online and local prices, but predicts whether the prices will go up or down in the near future. The new 1.1 version adds support for tracking product prices within your app, and allows users to set and manage alerts for products they are tracking. Lastly, pages now load faster than before.
Tue February 7, 2012 | Posted in: digital imaging
Today's deals from DealNN include discounted cameras, printers, and more. Ecost.com has recently lowered the price of the refurbished Olympus 14MP Digital Camera, complete with 3-inch LCD display, 5x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom, HD movie mode, and SD/SDHC memory card slot. Currently featured at DealNN, this camera has now dropped to $69.99 in price and offers savings of up to $110.
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Hasbro and Nerf have brought Lazer Tag back with iOS as its cornerstone. While the blasters can work in multiplayer without any device, mounting an iPhone or iPod touch in a special holder gives them an app that both extends the firing range to 250 feet and introduces a HUD that shows the trajectory and ongoing stats. As many as 24 people can play at once with leaderboards that can update mid-match.
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