Mac|Life - News

Price Drop: The Weekend's Best iOS App Deals, May 24

J Keirn-Swanson — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Holiday weekends usually mean long car rides and time with your family. Distract the kids in the backseat and make music when you're hanging out and do both on the cheap with this week's holiday batch of deals.

Destination: Treasure Island HD

The sequel to Treasure Island has you, Jim Hawkins, seeking out more buried treasure, but this one will only cost you one gold coin (or a buck, whichever).

Jules Verne's Return to Mysterious Island - Deluxe Edition

Since we're talking island trips for only one dollar, pick up Jules Verne's Return to Mysterious Island - Deluxe Edition and find the hidden objects.

Nightfall

A totally different kind of adventure finds you fighting of hordes of bloodthirsty vampires, but still, just one buck puts the adventure in your hands.

The DAILY MONSTER Monster Maker

It's monsters, but a completely different, fun kind, and these monsters are yours to make for free.

Jetpack Junkie

Feel the thrill of jetting around and feel the zero-gravity pull of a no-cost app purchase. Heck yeah!

Angry Birds Space

Of course, it's not a holiday weekend without those darn Angry Birds getting a price cut. Now you can toss those boids for free whether you do it on your iPhone or on your iPad.

The Sims 3

Another big player in the holiday price cut is Electronic Arts, which has tons of apps on sale (55 of them for a buck apiece) including their Sims franchise, like one dollar for The Sims 3.

The Sims™ Medieval

Or for the same price, go medieval on their butts. One dollar.

SimCity™ Deluxe for iPad

Go big with SimCity™ Deluxe for iPad and do it for one dollar.

Freshbox

It's not a game, but then neither is food spoilage. Let your phone keep track of when things are going to go bad and never throw out rotten fruits and veggies again. Theoretically. It's free to try, so give it a whirl.

Songwriter's Pad™

If holiday weekends inspire your songwriting side, then Songwriter's Pad™ is the way to go with rhyming dictionaries, backbeats, and more idea generators than you can shake a Fender at. Just $1.99 for the iPad version and $0.99 for the iPhone one and you get syncing action.

Nota

You say you're more of a piano player, and want tools indispensable for that? Well, then Nota for iPhone and Nota for iPad, both just one dollar, are here to help with chords and scale browsers and more.

AT&T Adding LTE/HSPA+, iPhone Support to GoPhone Prepaid Service

J.R. Bookwalter — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:29:22 +0000

AT&T's prepaid GoPhone service and the iPhone have always had a complicated relationship -- mostly because the carrier limited its service to voice and text. But that's about to change at long last.

MacRumors reported Thursday that AT&T is about to expand its prepaid GoPhone service, which will now include support for the carrier's 4G LTE and HSPA+ network for the first tim ever.

Prepaid and no-contract services have been heating up over the last year or so, particularly now that so many of these carriers now support the iPhone. AT&T has been a curious omission since Apple debuted the handset in 2007, refusing to include cellular data access for that device with its GoPhone service.

That will apparently change for existing GoPhone customers starting June 21, with three service plans available for the iPhone, including a $65 per month package with unlimited voice and text plus 1GB of LTE-capable data. Cheaper $25 and $50 plans are also available, but require a separate data package purchase.

4G LTE via prepaid will be a welcome change, since most services such as Straight Talk are limited to slower data seeds. The report also claims official Visual Voicemail support will be part of the GoPhone package as well.

Although there has been no official announcement from AT&T, the new GoPhone expansion is expected to launch today, but existing customers will need to call the carrier in order to manually be upgraded prior to June 21.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

App Recap: 1Password 4 Mac Beta, Units 2.0, Mailbox Goes Universal

J.R. Bookwalter — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:06:33 +0000

Whether you use a Mac, iPad or iPhone, the last 24 hours or so have produced some welcome updates to your favorite apps -- including universal support for Mailbox, and signups for the next version of 1Password for Mac.

AgileBits announced Thursday that a new beta for the Mac version of 1Password is on the way -- and if you act quickly, you might even be able to help work out any final kinks as a beta tester.

"We're excited to announce that 1Password 4 for Mac will be released later this year!" the brief newsletter signup page reads. "We are expanding the beta gradually and would love for you to join us."

Toss those folks your email address, confirm your interest and you're in -- but it may a couple of months before beta testers actually get their hands on the latest Mac version.

On the iPad front, popular third-party Gmail client Mailbox announced Thursday that a new universal update is now available from the App Store, adding long-awaited iPad support.

"You asked, we listened," the brief blog post reads. "Mailbox is now available for iPad, so you can swipe your way to inbox zero on all your iOS devices."

Last but not least, Crossroad Solutions released version 2.0 of Units, a unit converter for iPhone first released a mere week after the App Store opened its virtual doors in 2008. In addition to finally adding proper iOS 6 and iPhone 5 support, the completely overhauled app now features an integrated calculator, simplified interface and oodles of shortcuts (users are no longer limited to just three).

Best of all, Units 2.0 is available at the introductory price of only 99 cents, but only for a limited time. The update for iPhone and iPod touch requires iOS 6.0 or later.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

Unofficial Google Music App for iOS Adds Support for All Access Subscriptions

J.R. Bookwalter — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:46:19 +0000

Google may be the enemy in the eyes of many iOS users, but it's hard to deny the search giant has brought most of its coolest toys to Apple's mobile platform -- so why did it take a third-party app to add support for Google Play Music All Access?

Interactive Innovative Solutions LLC released the latest version of its unofficial Google Music app for iOS on Thursday, and gMusic 6.0 is a big one for those looking to take advantage of Google's latest music offering.

That's because gMusic is the only iOS app capable of supporting Google Play Music All Access, the search giant's $9.99 per month answer to Spotify, Rdio and Rhapsody. The service is currently available with a 30-day free trial, and those who sign up before the end of June will only pay $7.99 per month.

With all of the official Google apps available on the App Store, it seems odd that Google Play Music has remained an Android (and web) exclusive, but gMusic has been a great way to unofficially add the service. The universal app includes pretty much all the functionality of Google's offering, and now that package is truly complete with All Access support.

To use this feature, you'll need to first sign up for the free All Access trial, then open gMusic and tap the new Web Search option. Type in the name of a track, album or artist you're looking for, and like magic, you'll be presented with everything Google Play Music All Access has to offer.

gMusic 6.0 is available on the App Store for $1.99; the universal app requires iOS 5.0 or later and also adds the ability to create and play Radio Stations in the app as well as adding All Access music to your library.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

Overnight Recap: WWDC 2013 Keynote, Evernote Reminders, HTC First Pause

J.R. Bookwalter — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

We're heading into a three-day weekend for Memorial Day here in the United States, so we'll be taking a break on Monday, but promise to return on Tuesday with the mother of all weekend recaps. (Provided, of course, that stuff actually happens while we're watching parades and grilling hamburgers over the weekend.) If the separation anxiety is too much to bear, just read our Thursday recap twice, then set your alarm clocks for Tuesday a.m.!

Apple Confirms June 10 Keynote for WWDC 2013

So let it be written, so let it be done: AllThingsD reported Thursday that Apple has confirmed its Worldwide Developer Conference 2013 keynote will be held on Monday, June 10 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Yeah, we know -- this happens every year, so why should 2013 be any different, right? The event kicks off at 10 a.m. PST (1 p.m. EST) as usual, when CEO Tim Cook and his posse will get down to business showing off the next version of both iOS and OS X. Stay tuned to MacLife.com for all the news at it breaks, folks!

Evernote Adds Reminders for iOS, Mac, Web

The Evernote Blog announced a trifecta of updates on Thursday as the company's Mac, iOS and web products received three of features most requested by users: Alarms via email or in-app, quick notes based on to-do lists and the ability to pin notes to the top of a list. Reminders are easily the most welcome addition, which can be added by tapping or clicking on the alarm clock icon, complete with a date and time for when a particular note should be completed. (Not surprisingly, the feature syncs between Evernote clients.) Be sure to hit the link to read some great suggestions on how to use Reminders, which is a good way to spend a few minutes as you're updating the apps.

Chrome for iOS Will Also Get Voice Search

Have you checked out that cool voice search added to the desktop version of Google Chrome? If so, you're probably hoping it will come to mobile versions as well, and you'd be absolutely right. The Google Chrome Blog announced that voice search will be added to the omnibox of its universal iOS app, which will also enable faster reloading of web pages as well as the ability to open links in Chrome and then return back to the app you came from with just a tap. No word on exactly when the update will hit the App Store other than "coming soon."

Facebook Hits Pause on HTC First Rollout

It wouldn't be out of line to call Facebook Home a flop thus far, especially if one were using sales of the HTC First handset as a gauge. According to Engadget, the news has gone from bad to worse, with word that the handset won't launch in the UK — a decision made by Facebook itself. "Following customer feedback, Facebook has decided to focus on adding new customization features to Facebook Home over the coming months," a unnamed spokesperson for UK carrier EE said. "While they are working to make a better Facebook Home experience, they have recommended holding off launching the HTC First in the UK, and so we will shortly be contacting those who registered their interest with us to let them know of this decision." Ouch.

FxFactory Adds Ripple Tools II for Final Cut Pro X

New Final Cut Pro X plugins! Maybe it's just us, but we can't get enough of them -- especially when they're as useful as Ripple Tools II, a new set of 12 such tools available for the introductory price of only $29 until Monday, May 27. Included in this FxFactory bag of tricks are filters to add glow or rays to text and video, format and animate text along four different path types, use Cloner to remove unwanted pixels, create end title scrolls or crawls, apply retiming effects and even add the popular tilt shift effect to make objects appear smaller in your video frame. But if you snooze, you lose: The price goes back up to $39 on Monday, when you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't save that 10 bucks.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

Deals: Make Your Stills in Stunning Video with Photo Movie Maker Pro

MacLife Staff — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:56:25 +0000

[This is an advertorial. Maclife gets a portion of each unit sold.]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so how much is a collection of pictures with some great music and stylish, professional presentation worth? It's hard to put an exact number on it, but it's definitely worth more than what you can buy it for thanks to our Deals tab. Photo Movie Maker Pro is on sale right now and is a must have.

There are plenty of ways to take your photos and make a simple slideshow with them, but the end result pales in comparison to what Photo Movie Maker Pro is capable of. It takes your photos and presents them with motion-filled transitions and awesome slideshow effects that bring your photos to life. Tons of subtitles, music, and editing options lets you make the slideshows unique to you.

Photo Movie Maker Pro usually retails for $40. If you head to our Deals tab right now, you can save yourself 50% off that price. That brings your total to just $19.99. That's a great value for this app, so grab it today!

Rumor: Many Color Choices Available for 'Budget' iPhones

Leif Johnson — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:13:42 +0000

Keep in mind that we're still in the realm of rumor here, but it's looking more and more like there might be truth to those reports of a plastic iPhone aimed at emerging markets after all. We've yet to get any kind of confirmation on this issue from Apple itself, but according to Japanese blog Macotakara, we might be seeing a limited test run of 1,000 units in June, and in a plethora of colors to boot. If that goes well, we might start seeing them in stores later this year.

According to various unnamed sources that spoke with Macotakara, the budget iPhone will come in a wide variety of colors. What those colors are isn't exactly clear due to conflicting reports from the sources, but taken together, the rumors suggest that the phones will come in navy blue, gold, gray, pink, green, blue, yellow, and orange. What's notable about this list is the absence of a black option, which we at Mac|Life suspect Apple will retain for the higher-end versions available now.

Allegedly the so-called iPhone 5S will also come in green and gold variations, with the possibility of additional variations modeled after the current offerings for the iPod Touch. Aside from the color changes, though, the new iPhone will supposedly look similar to the existing iPhone 5, with the addition of a dual-LED flash and alterations to the rear microphone. Macotakara also passed along the rumor that the iPad 5 will have a new rear microphone as well.

Considering the wide assortment of colors available for the entire iPod line, the idea of multiple color variations for the iPhone doesn't sound inconceivable (although the concept art Macotakara supplied doesn't make them look too appealing). In addition, the news is well in line with other recent rumors, such as BGR's allegedly leaked photos of multicolored SIM trays for the next iPhone.

Follow this article's author, Leif Johnson, on Twitter.

Angry Birds Space Free on App Store for Next Seven Days

Leif Johnson — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:03:49 +0000

With stellar followups like Angry Birds Space, developer Rovio has once again proven that its bird-flinging saga has every reason to deserve its status as the unofficial poster child of mobile gaming, and for the next week, you can download it for free for both the iPhone and the iPad. Considering that it reached 10 million downloads in the first three days after its release last year, there's a good chance you already have it.

Angry Birds Space follows the eponymous birds into space, where they now have to contend with the gravitational pull of planets rather than boring ol' earth gravity as they did in the first release. We reviewed it last year, and while we found that it takes awhile to get moving, the second half presents quite a challenge, as do the new boss fights scattered throughout the playthrough. Since then, Angry Birds Space has witnessed several updates that helped to remedy our initial concerns, and now it ranks as the most downloaded app of all time.

The timing couldn't have been better. Earlier this year famed guitarist Slash teamed up with Rovio to create a rocking new theme song for Angry Birds Space, which now comes with all versions of the game. With the latest update, there's also an honorary Angry Bird modeled after Slash in the game itself. Slash had previously announced his love for the game in a tweet from 2010, which allegedly served as the basis for the collaboration.

Angry Birds Space for the iPhone is normally priced 99 cents. The HD version for the iPad is normally priced at $2.99.

Follow this article's author, Leif Johnson, on Twitter.

The Week's Best Deals for Your Mac and iOS Device, May 23

J Keirn-Swanson — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:02:58 +0000

Sometimes you want all new Mac goodness, and sometimes you want a little upgrade or accessory action for that Mac. We've got you covered in both cases this week, along with the usual bevy of iOS accessories, one of which is especially useful if you drive a car from the 1990s.

Macs

15.4" Retina Display MacBook Pro Quad-core Intel Core i7 2.7GHz

Holy smokes, this brand new machine is a beauty, and its price has been cut by $499, bringing it down to $2,699.

13.3" Retina Display MacBook Pro Dual-core Intel Core i5 2.5GHz

$519 off the cover price of this slightly smaller but super powered device takes it down to $1,479.

13.3" Retina Display MacBook Pro Dual-core Intel Core i7 2.9GHz

When you save $399, you get this steal of a deal for $1,799.

13.3" MacBook Pro Dual-core Intel Core i5 2.5GHz

Sure, it's only $86 off, but this still is a honey of a deal at $1,112.

Onde Screen Capture for Mac and W3Capture

Screen capture goes awesome with this accessory, nailing you some full page screenshots and more. Down from $43 to just $10.

The Mega Design Bundle Upgrade

Save over one cool grand with this bundle that will give you design tools like nobody's business, all for only $49.

Tunes Cleaner For Mac

Over time, your iTunes library gets a bit messy, and so Tunes Cleaner comes to the rescue for a fraction of its normal cost at $7.

Optical to SATA Drive Converter Bracket Solution

Now here's an interesting deal. We like the idea of swapping out our MacBook's optical drive with a second hard drive, but we're a little leery of doing so — but with all the right tools and instructions? Now that's a different matter, and for $45, this kit will set you up.

iOS Accessories

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad mini

Only $79 and you are good to go for typing not on a screen, but a real clickety-clack keyboard.

URGE Basics Sliding Bluetooth Keyboard Case - iPhone 5

For just $25, you can grab this keyboard that will give you that tactile sensation that on-screen typing just can't replicate.

iPhone 4 / 4S Bluetooth Keyboard Case

"But-but-but," you say, "I only have an iPhone 4S!" Never fear: for $15, you too can hear the soothing tickety-tack of keys.

F22mm Extended Telephoto Lens

Hook up the shutterbug action of this telephoto lens for more than half off at $24.95.

HD Accessory Bundle Kit for iPad Mini

Everything you need to keep your iPad mini alive and filled up to the brim with full battery power is right here for only $22.95.

Luxury Quilted Leather Portfolio Smart Case for iPad Mini

Go fancy, but do it on the cheap with this $20.95 leather portfolio protector for your little guy.

Digital Sound Generation Car Cassette Adapter

Someone out there is simultaneously rocking it old school and new, and needs this 20th century cassette adapter for their 21st century phone. $4 hooks you up, time traveler.

Really Darn Cheap

Motorola Stereo Wired Headset

It's one of our regular comments, but you really do need to take advantage of headphone deals when they come along, like this pair for $2.95.

Logitech Announces Wired iPad Keyboard for Classroom Use

J.R. Bookwalter — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:44:17 +0000

We live in a mostly wireless world these days, but there are times when a good old-fashioned wired accessory works best -- such as an external keyboard for the iPad when used in the classroom.

Logitech announced its Wired Keyboard for iPad this week, a first of its kind accessory targeted for the classroom. Available with either Lightning or 30-pin connectors to support all iPad models, the keyboard will retail for $59.99.

But why have a wired keyboard at all when the iPad is clearly such a mobile, wireless-centric device in the first place?

“Schools are increasingly purchasing iPads for use in the classroom,” said Mike Culver, vice president and general manager of mobility at Logitech. “While tablets are enabling new ways of teaching and testing, there’s a challenge when a teacher needs to simultaneously pair multiple iPads with multiple wireless Bluetooth keyboards. We developed the Logitech Wired Keyboard for iPad to specifically solve this problem, so students can now simply plug it in and start typing.”

But the Logitech Wired Keyboard for iPad doesn't just solve a problem: It's also built to be durable enough to withstand students spilling drinks on it or even banging away at the keys for long periods of time. (Logitech claims it has a key lifespan of more than five million strokes.)

The Logitech Wired Keyboard for iPad with the Lightning Connector will be available first in August, with the Logitech Wired Keyboard for iPad with the 30-pin Connector following closely behind in October.

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