Hasta La Gadget!

WhatsApp is arguably one of the most popular cross-platform messenger apps available out there. Though until now, WhatsApp hasn’t been free on iOS. You had to shell out $0.99 to get it on your iPhone. Well, for a limited time, WhatsApp is free.

Other platforms could use WhatsApp for free, but for some reason iOS users had to pay up. This change will probably make many users download it, and it will boost the users of the service, which isn’t a bad thing. I wonder how the WhatsApp network will handle the additional load, though.

There are many other messengers, like Viber, Kik, Line, and more that are also free. These days, when you’re in range of a Wi-Fi network, you can definitely save money compared to your carrier’s messaging services, since these sort of messengers replace text and voice messaging very efficiently.

[via AppAdvice]

It’s time to get your transitional period on with an update the the specifications accessory makers much follows in order to get official support from Apple. In the wake of an issue with having both the Lightning cable and the legacy 30-pin connector working on one device, Apple has come forth with a tweak to the rules. While it’s not entirely clear if it was the POP Kickstarter incident from earlier this week that made this change in Apple’s policies a reality, the result is clear: you’ll be able to work with a single accessory in the future with both types of connectors, no sweat.

Word of an update to the policies Apple has for accessories working with their mobile devices came down today via CNET where Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr made just the past crystal clear. The actual “we’ve changed” part of the equation was left to the author to elaborate on himself with a simple “the company added that the guidelines have since been updated.” Neumayr spoke thusly:

“Our technical specifications provide clear guidelines for developing accessories and they are available to MFi licensees for free. We support accessories that integrate USB and Lightning connectors, but there were technical issues that prevented accessories from integrating 30-pin and Lightning connectors so our guidelines did not allow this.” – Neumayr

What we’re talking about here is not Apple telling the world that they may not have cords coming from devices with the Lightning connector as well as the 30-pin iPod connector in one, but that if they do, they’ll not be speaking kindly with them any time soon. Accessory makers around the world speak with Apple on a regular basis to get official licenses from the company so that they can get approval for the cords Apple designed. With the dawn of the Lightning cable, many accessory makers had to re-think their entire iDevice strategy.

Have a peek at the timeline below to see some of the brief history of the Lightning connector and make sure you’ve got your eyes open for the first dual-connector accessories in the very, very near future. Expect some Apple-approved dual-wielding docks by the middle of 2013, without a doubt.

30-pin Lightning combo docks coming soon as Apple tweaks spec is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Here you are yet another compact Bluetooth Keyboard for portable devices. Designed to be used regardless of the operating system you are running (Windows, OSX, Android and iOS) this new TK-FBP052 Series comes in two colors (Black and White) and features Bluetooth 3.0. Announced at around 4,830 Yen this keyboard weight 169g for 237x127x21mm.

Braven has announced its new portable Bluetooth speaker, the Braven 570. Although the speaker has quite a few features to boast of, its perhaps most immediately distinguishing feature is the multiple colors in which it is available. The unit is slated for release on December 16 (that’s this Sunday) for a cool $99.99.

You can grab the Braven 570 in Lunar Black, Sahara Red, Monaco Blue, Rio Purple, Arctic White, and Fiji Green. The device features an integrated power reserve that can be charged and then used for emergency smartphone charging, and can be paired with any smartphone that supports Bluetooth, including the iPhone and your favorite Android handset.

The speaker offers 10 hour of playback, and has a connectivity range of about 33-feet while pulling 6W of juice. The device is made to be impact-resistant via a polymer chassis. The 570 is priced at $129.99 if you don’t get it through QVC, which will offer it starting Sunday at $99.99. If you don’t fancy ordering from QVC, you’ll be able to nab the speaker in black or white from stores starting in January.

Braven’s CEO Warren Osborn offered this statement. “We designed the 570 to appeal to a different audience than we’ve ever reached before. With the bright, colorful options and new exterior, the 570 is an important part of expanding our line to offer a high-quality BRAVEN Bluetooth speaker that matches any style, need, or cost.”

Braven announces Bluetooth-equipped Braven 570 portable speaker is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Dropbox just released a huge update for its iOS app, and it comes with a complete redesign of the user interface, as well as the addition of a new Photos tab that comes with a timeline view of all your automatically uploaded photos and videos. They’ve also streamlined the way that you can upload files to your Dropbox from your iOS devices.

First off, Dropbox went for a more modern UI in its redesign, and everything looks a lot more flatter and square-shaped than before. This certainly isn’t a bad thing, though — it gives the app a more simpler look. However, Dropbox has stuck with their traditional blue interface, which has been around ever since its inception, and we don’t see that changing anytime soon.

The new Photos tab brings up a gallery of images that you uploaded from anywhere and lets you scroll through them and view the thumbnails. That tab, which was added earlier in the Android version, has replaced the Uploads tab, and all uploads are now done through an icon at the top of each folder.

Speaking of uploads and the new upload button, you can navigate to a specific folder and then either send files directly into it or create a new folder for the upload. The new + icon at the top of every page in the app allows you to do this, and frankly, it’s extremely nice to have that feature now, which is probably one of the greatest changes in this UI update.

Dropbox for iOS updates with complete redesign is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.