Apple Archives - Page 9 of 89

Amazon Prime Music Arrives!

After months of rumor and speculation, Amazon Prime Music has arrived. And, as with other Prime benefits, the streaming service is effectively free for existing Prime members ($99/yr). At launch, Amazon’s collection pales in comparison to other streaming music services, such as Spotify. Yet, as The Verge notes, it doesn’t have to compete head-on. Prime Music … Read more

Track Your Stuff With Elgato Smart Key

Intro
Ever misplaced your keys? Or wanted to know when your luggage has arrived at the baggage claim? Maybe marked the spot where you parked the car in the mall lot?

The Elgato Smart Key aims to address all of these situations as a sensor that you either attach or place on different items for tracking. Depending on what you are looking to track, the Smart Key can notify you of certain situations that might need attention. Walk too far away from your keys, it will start to beep. Attach to your luggage and when it comes near to you at baggage claim, your phone will notify you.

Two Apple Software Deep Dives

Any geek (or developer) with even a passing interest in Apple surely is aware that the Cupertino company hosted their annual developer’s conference this past week. And what a doozy it was, with massive, meaningful updates planned this fall in iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, emphasizing continuity and cloud. There’s a lot to digest. But even given a limited, initial analysis, I’m pretty stoked. Here’s an early breakdown of two compelling Apple software initiatives:

T-Mobile: The Uncarrier Hard Stop

My T-Mobile honeymoon has long since passed, with the day-to-day reality of life on a second-rate carrier having set in. Of course, your mileage may vary as cell coverage is highly dependent upon locale (or building composition). For me, T-Mobile has provided an extremely frustrating experience with perhaps, ironically, superior coverage roaming overseas partners versus native networks here at home — with the majority of my calls dropping. On the occasions I have coverage to initiate one.

TiVo App Now Plays YouTube & Facebook Video (TV or Phone)

TiVo continues to execute on their multiscreen strategy, having just cranked out a significant update to their iOS app. In addition to the requisite iPhone and iPad bug fixes, the revised app features: New design for iOS7 New Facebook feed in “What To Watch” New YouTube video feeds in “What To Watch” By linking both my YouTube and … Read more

Major Roku iPhone & Android App Updates

Roku’s mobile apps see significant updates this week, featuring a flatter, more minimalistic appearance and the introduction of universal content search. Sound familiar? The handy universal search isn’t new to Roku, but it is new to the app – which is ultimately a more efficient location. And, beyond video availability, it also looks like we’ll … Read more

After A Million Years, Sonos Begins App UI Refresh

After what seems like a million years, Sonos has begun to refresh their app interfaces with something a bit more modern (and flat). Along with the updated visuals, organization is vastly different as well. And, having only spent a day with the beta Android app, I’m not quite ready to pass judgement. The app opens … Read more