Now that the artist known as Jay-Z has gone instantly platinum before his next record has even been released due to a Samsung deal that’ll push said title to the masses for free, his every move is being watched extra closely by the technology publications of the world as well. Magna Carta Holy Grail has
Apple surely loves its third-party app developers, but it doesn’t love them equally. The company reserves special affection for those who optimize their apps for the latest version of iOS and its integrated services (Passbook, Game Center, Maps etc.), and we guess that’s why the official iOS Dev Center has published the chart above. Based on two weeks’ worth of recent data, it shows that 93 percent of iOS users who visited the App Store were on iOS 6, while just one in a hundred were on something lower than iOS 5, implying that fragmentation isn’t something for devs to fret over. Of course, as Appleinsider points out, Cupertino may have had other reasons for choosing this specific style of presentation, since it begs to be compared against Android’s fortnightly pie chart (shown below).
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Apple
Via: Appleinsider
Source: iOS Dev Center
Zeebox is making good on its cooperation with Gracenote today with the announcement that the second screen app can now automatically identify what you’re watching through analysis of the show’s “audio fingerprint.” Several second screen TV apps use similar technology to sync up with what’s on TV, although this implementation is more closely matched to what we’ve seen from IntoNow. Naturally, use of the latest feature is entirely optional, which includes the ability to automatically listen in when you start the app, along the with ability to manually activate the function by tapping a microphone icon. Gracenote reps tell us that Zeebox records a short, Vine-length audio clip, and then generates an audio profile based on that, which is recognized by Gracenote’s Entourage system — the audio recording itself never leaves your device. The new functionality is available on all versions of Zeebox, which includes Android, BlackBerry and iOS, but the ability for Gracenote to automatically identify shows is limited to programs that’ve aired in the past seven days.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD
Source: Zeebox (App Store), Google Play, BlackBerry World
Relax. Take it easy.
For some people, those words are easier said than done. I mean, how hard can it be to relax and just bum around? Apparently, it’s hard if you’re stressed out at work or have to broker deals that just aren’t coming together.
That’s what PIP is for. It’s a biosensor and app system that encourages you to relax by turning it into a video game.
The PIP biosensor is supposed to be held between the player’s thumb and forefinger. It communicates to your iOS or Android device via Bluetooth to work with the games that it comes with. PIP works by measuring the user’s galvanic skin response, which is a natural reaction to stress.
The games encourage you to reduce this stress and relax through app’s gameplay.
For example, “Relax & Race” will have the player control a flying dragon through a race course. The more relaxed the user is, the faster the dragon flies. If the player is all tense and wound up, then the dragon will fly slower. Its makers plan on offering three games when the system first comes out.
The PIP biosensor system is currently up for funding on Kickstarter, where a minimum pledge of $99(USD) will get you one of your very own, plus a game of your choice.
[via C|NET]
A simple swipe down to reveal your notifications menu is now all you’ll need to futz with in order to skip around that Spotify playlist on Android. Thanks to an update, the Google-flavored version of the app now allows playback maneuvering from that screen in addition to a pair of bug fixes and improved radio performance. There’s also a fabled feature that allows for navigating the kit using telepathy to boot (completely true, ’cause it’s totally in the change log). If your device hasn’t already pinged you to do so, you can beam the update from the source link that follows.
Source: Google Play
Twitter isn’t quite done refining TweetDeck’s interface following recent web and desktop overhauls — there’s still a little tweaking left in store. The company has just updated the Chrome and web versions of its social app with grab handles that let users drag and drop columns at will. It’s also easier to jump back to the top of a column when there are unread tweets, and a selected column now snaps to the sidebar when there are fewer than three total columns on the screen. While the fresh interface is web-only for now, those who prefer the native Mac and Windows apps should get matching upgrades in the near future.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Twitter
Rockmelt brought its social news browsing to iOS back in 2012, with promises that the Android version was on the way. The company took its sweet time with the port, but it’s here at last — and with a few Android-only perks in return for the wait. While the core news aggregation remains intact, there’s a new set of thumb navigation controls that makes sure tablet owners (or just those with giant smartphones) can read in comfort. Phone owners also get a landscape view similar to what their tablet brethren see and a set of elevator-like buttons help users of all kinds get back to articles after a refresh. The interface extras may not seal the deal by themselves, but they could tip the balance for those still undecided on a Google Reader alternative.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet
Source: Rockmelt
If Vine still leaves you pining for the choppiness of GIFs, Microsoft’s got you covered — on Windows Phone 8, at least. Redmond’s Blink app, which helps smartphone photographers capture bursts of images, has hit version 2.0 and scored the ability to create short animated clips, aptly dubbed Blinks. In addition to the bite-sized videos, the latest update bakes in camera settings in capture mode, sharing to social networks and web galleries for shared creations. Microsoft Research also released Blink Cliplets for Windows 8 and RT, which allows users to layer static and dynamic elements atop footage. Hit the break to check out the new release of Blink in action, or jab the first source link for the download.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: Windows Phone Blog
Source: Blink (Windows Phone Store), Blink Cliplets (Windows Store)
No need to envy your iPhone- and iPad-toting friends anymore just because they can catch the latest episodes of Bates Motel or Dance Moms on the go. Streaming apps from A&E, History Channel and Lifetime have just arrived on Android, and you can access content even if you’re not a cable subscriber. Naturally, the entire roster of shows and episodes isn’t available — in some cases, you can only watch clips instead of full episodes — but Comcast or DirecTV subscribers who log in will have more to choose from. Should you need new companions for solitary nights, hit the source links below to download the apps on your device.
Via: Android Police
Source: Google Play 1, 2, 3
Cats are techie creatures. From playing games to wearing headphones (okay, so this was just an April Fools’ Day joke, but hey, I can totally see it happening), cats can do it all.
And now a developer has created an app intended for use by your frisky kitty so it can take its own selfies.
It’s aptly called Snapcat and it’ll snap pictures of your cat based on its movements. Once the app is fired up, a red dot appears on the screen. You cat will, in theory, be attracted to the red dot and will attempt to take a swipe at it. This swiping motion triggers the front-facing camera, which then takes a candid shot of your cat.
Once the photo has been taken, you can apply filters or add stickers to the image. When you’re done, you can share the image on social networks like EyeEm, Facebook, and Twitter – with the approval of your cat, of course. You can even post a snap on your cat’s Social Petwork page, if it has one.
Snapcat can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.
[via Chip Chick]
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