Apple Store in Upper East Side of Manhattan Opens June 13
Apple overnight added signage to its upcoming retail location in the Upper East Side of Manhattan that confirms the store will open on June 13. The new store will be located at 940 Madison Avenue, on the corner of 74th Street, and remains under construction ahead of opening. The new store will be Apple’s seventh retail location in New York City alongside Fifth Avenue, Grand Central, SoHo, Upper West Side, West 14th Street and Staten Island stores.
Apple Store in Upper East Side at 74th Street and Madison Avenue (Instagram/Krystyl)
Apple updated its retail store list today to reflect the new Upper East Side location, with store hours listed as 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern on Monday through Saturday and 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Eastern on Sunday. Apple likely opted for earlier closing times than some other New York City locations to please Upper East Side residents that have voiced their opposition against the store and large crowds that it could attract.
The upcoming store at 940 Madison Avenue will occupy a former banking complex built in 1921 that most recently housed luxury retailer VBH. The building itself offers a large amount of space, featuring a 4,000 square-foot ground level and 1,000 square-foot mezzanine. Apple leased the building nearly one year ago and the site has been under renovation since at least October 2014.
Readdle Debuts New ‘Spark’ Email App for iPhone and Apple Watch [iOS Blog]
Readdle, the company behind popular apps like Scanner Pro and Documents 5, today introduced a new email client for the iPhone and the Apple Watch, called Spark. Spark is designed to make it easy for users to sort through, organize, and reply to email messages by categorizing them by sender and importance.
In Spark‘s Smart Inbox, email messages are arranged so that personal emails sent by actual people are shown ahead of those sent by automated services, making it easier to get to important messages first. A full list of unsorted emails can be accessed by tapping a small toggle at the top of the screen or by choosing the regular inbox option from Spark‘s sidebar, which also houses pinned emails, sent emails, drafts, trash, archived emails, and attachments.
Pinned emails are a useful Spark feature that lets an important message be pinned to the top of the Smart Inbox so it remains in view even after it’s read. In Gmail, pinning is the same as starring a message. Emails can be pinned with a simple swipe to the left, while a further left swipe deletes an email. A right swipe also has two functions: marking as unread or archiving.
Spark can be heavily personalized to meet each individual’s email needs. Swipes, mentioned above, can be customized to perform different functions, and there’s also a built-in widget feature. Widgets are accessible via a button at the bottom of the screen and add additional features to Spark, like a Calendar, a folder for pinned emails, or a folder for snoozed emails. In the future, widgets will be able to do things like group Amazon purchase emails or offer weather information.
Spark uses a natural language search feature, so users can search for specific email messages with queries like “from John with PDF attachment,” and it integrates with several cloud services for saving and sending attachments. Spark also includes a few other useful features that speed up email management like smart notifications, fast signatures, a list of attachments you’ve received, and the ability to quickly save a message as a PDF.
One of Spark‘s best features, however, may be its included Apple Watch app. Spark delivers Apple Watch notifications whenever an important email is received (it’s customizable to send a notification with every email), and it’s fairly accurate when determining what’s important. Tapping one of these notifications opens up the Spark app on the Apple Watch, with tools to snooze, archive, delete or reply to an email.
The app supports quick pre-written replies like “Thanks,” and it lets users reply to emails via dictation, which is handy for managing emails from the wrist. There’s also a useful main view that displays emails organized into categories based on who they were sent by or whether they were pinned.
According to Readdle, Spark is the most ambitious product they’ve worked on, and their goal is to make it better than any other email client available. In its current iteration, Spark not entirely free from bugs, but as it can be downloaded at no cost, it’s worth checking out to see if it fits into your workflow.
Spark will be free on the App Store and should be rolling out soon.
Todoist for Apple Watch Released With Glance View, Task Notifications and More [iOS Blog]
Todoist today announced the release of Todoist for Apple Watch, after nearly four months of extensive testing and development. The new app brings several task management features of Todoist for iPhone, iPad and Mac to the wrist, with a Glance view for quickly viewing tasks and a Main view that provides access to your Inbox, Today view, Projects, Filters and Labels.
Firmly pressing using Force Touch brings up an option to add tasks using the Apple Watch’s built-in Voice Command dictation, and tasks can be categorized into the main Inbox, assigned to a project or given a timestamp of today, tomorrow or no date. Filters and labels provide additional layers of categorization for your to-do lists, with the latter requiring Todoist Premium for $33 per year.
Todoist for Apple Watch also features notifications for new comments on shared tasks, when you are invited to a new project, when you are near a certain location or at the exact date and time when a task is due. Tapping on a notification will bring you to the full app, where you can view or edit the task at hand.
Todoist for Apple Watch is free on the App Store.
Goo.gl URLs can now deep link to Android and iOS apps
When it comes to sharing web links, the goo.gl URL shortening service is one of the best options out there. Now Google is improving the service further by making it possible for app developers to create links that will take users to specific places within their apps. Simply put, these deep links will automatically detect if a person clicking on them is an iOS or Android user, and it will then see if the correct app is installed on their device. If it is, it will open the app and take you to the specific page/section that the link is associated with. If the app isn’t installed, the link will default to the browser and a website instead.
To better highlight how this works, Google provided an example involving Maps: goo.gl/maps/xlWFj. Clicking on this link on a desktop will open your browser, but clicking on it through your Android device will bring you to the right area of the Google Maps app. Of course, developers will have to do a few things before these special links will work, such as participating in App Indexing for Android and iOS.
Here’s instructions straight from Google on how to setup app deep linking on goo.gl:
- Complete the necessary steps to participate in App Indexing for Android and iOS at g.co/AppIndexing. Note that goo.gl deep links are open to all iOS developers, unlike deep links from Search currently. After this step, existing goo.gl short links will start deep linking to your app.
- Optionally integrate the URL Shortener API with your app’s share flow, your email campaigns, etc. to programmatically generate links that will deep link directly back to your app.
- When opened, the link auto-detects the user’s platform and if they have Maps installed. If the user has the app installed, the short link opens the content directly in the Android or iOS Maps app. If the user doesn’t have the app installed or is on desktop, the short link opens the page on the Maps website.
What do you think of Google’s new deep linking option? Let us know in the comments. For even more details, you’ll want to head over to Google’s official blog post.
Google updates Android TV Remote Control app
Just hours before Google takes to the stage at I/O, the search engine giant has started pushing out an update for its Android TV Remote Control app. This leads us to believe that their is likely to be an announcement advising us of Google’s big plans for the media-streaming platform at the conference.
In terms of added functionality, this upgrade brings a complete visual overhaul as well as compatibility for tablets. Users will now notice that there’s a permanent play/pause button within the app, in addition to a sliding Hamburger menu for easy access to the touchpad.
Check it out in the screenshots below:
What Android TV-related services do you think Google will unveil at its I/O conference later today? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Come comment on this article: Google updates Android TV Remote Control app
Motorola launches Moto Maker in China
Motorola has just announced that it will start offering its device personalization service, Moto Maker, in China next month, where the platform will be available for the Moto X at the cost of RMB2,699 ($435), the Moto X Pro for RMB3,999 ($645) and the Moto G for RMB999 ($161).
For those unaware, Moto Maker allows its users to create a custom design for their smartphone by selecting a color together with the material for the rear panel, a color for the accent on the side of the handset and an engraving for the back.
If you’re based in China and would like to find out more about Moto Maker, hit the source link below.
Source: Motorola
Come comment on this article: Motorola launches Moto Maker in China
Sprint’s CEO expects the carrier to be in the top 2 within 18-24 months
Sprint’s Chief Executive Officer, Marcelo Claure, hasn’t been in charge of the U.S. carrier for a full year yet, but he’s optimistic that Sprint will become either No.1 or 2 in the next 18-24 months. At the Code Conference at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, the CEO was bullish about Sprint’s prospects and future strategies.
The Bolivian-born Marcelo Claure said that he’s spent a lot of time developing a strategy to re-energise Sprint’s network with its major backer, SoftBank. Claure believes that while Sprint is blessed with its allocation of wireless spectrum, the company is let down by poor service.
Despite third-party analytics companies marking Sprint down as dead last in terms of network performance, Claure has stated that Sprint is committed to overhauling its network.
“We have 124 first-place awards, compared to 12 last year,” Claure said. “I can tell you we’re making progress, and I can tell you the area of focus will be the continued building of our network.”
When Re/code’s Ina Fried asked how Sprint can afford such investments in its network at a time revenue is reduced thanks to sales promotions, Claure said that Sprint’s major back, SoftBank, was committed to the network overhaul.
Since Claure took over at Sprint, the carrier has gone from losing 700,000 customers every quarter to gaining 1.2 million in the last quarter. Despite this increase in its customer base, Sprint is still losing money, although Claure is adamant that “The patient (Sprint) is in stable condition.”
Remember to check out our complete Google I/O 2015 coverage here.
Source: recode
Come comment on this article: Sprint’s CEO expects the carrier to be in the top 2 within 18-24 months
Where to buy LG’s G4 in the UK
If we were to ask what your current smartphone is lacking above all, you’d probably cite a shortage of leather, right? OK, so maybe not, but with the launch of the LG G4 in the UK, a leather-backed handset is now well within your grasp. LG’s latest flagship, which is also available in vegetarian flavours with metallic effect rear shells, isn’t a huge evolution from last year’s G3. That said, it’s still crammed full of top-tier components, particularly in the display and camera departments, with excellent battery life to keep you tapping your way through those long days. Now, let’s say you’re interested, but aren’t sure of the best way to go about acquiring one. Well, then, let us walk you through your options.
| O2 | Carphone Warehouse | Buymobiles | Mobiles .co.uk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest contract (with upfront) | £13.50 (£480) | £25 on Voda (£140) | £15 on EE (£370) | £23.50 on O2 (£100) |
| Cheapest contract (no upfront) | £33.50 | £35 on Voda | £40 on EE | £32 on Voda |
| Pay-as-you-go | £480 | — | — | — |
| Unlocked (SIM-free) | — | £520 | £551 | — |
Typically when a new flagship handset launches, carriers are jostling for your business from day one. It doesn’t seem the UK’s big four have a great deal of faith in the LG G4’s success, however, since O2 is the only provider currently ranging the device. Three’s said it’ll offer the handset from tomorrow, but EE and Vodafone are yet to reveal their launch timelines. Carphone Warehouse was quick on the draw yesterday, and a couple of familiar online resellers now also have contract options available. It’s relatively slim pickings at the moment, though, so keep an eye on this page, where we’ll add pricing information for the other big carriers when it comes through.
True to form, giffgaff is so far the only MVNO openly committed to the LG G4, though it’s showing as “out of stock” online right now. When handsets do become available, though, you can expect to pay £22.62 per month with a £25 upfront payment, or £519 on pay-as-you-go. Surprisingly, not a great deal of unlocked handset merchants have the LG G4 in stock right now. Amazon is matching Carphone Warehouse’s price of £520, and Unlocked Mobiles will sell you a non-leather handset for £500. The best deal we can find currently is with Clove, however, which will kit you out with a grey or gold handset for £490, or a brown leather model for £510.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG
Runtastic’s latest workout app puts more junk in your trunk
Runtastic already offers dedicated apps for ab and bun workouts, and now the company takes aim at your lower half. Leg Trainer delivers over 50 exercise videos that’ll allow you to select activity based on goals and fitness level. There are pre-selected routines — like the 7-Minute Workout or Junk in the Trunk (yes, seriously) — or you can choose individual exercises to build your own. Get ready to squat, lunge and kick your way to toned legs. Similar to the Six Pack and Butt Trainer apps, a 3D avatar guides you through the process so you know exactly what you should be doing. The Leg Trainer app also works with the Apple Watch, so you can follow the virtual trainer there or keep tabs on progress and workout stats. It also leverages the wearable to let you know when to start/stop a set and when the rest time between sets is over on tops of tracking heart rate. Perhaps the real question is what you gon’ do with all that junk? All that junk inside your trunk?
British Museum to give live tours over Periscope
Live-streaming apps may have become a new way for social types to show their vanity, but they’re also great tools for delivering slices of world culture to people’s mobile phones. That’s exactly what the British Museum hopes to do with its popular exhibit Defining beauty: the body in ancient Greek art, which will be the focus of a live tour over Twitter’s Periscope app. The museum has British historian and broadcaster Dan Snow on hand to lead a 30 minute journey through the exhibition’s white marble statues, terracotta works, bronzes and ornate vases. There’ll also be the chance to post questions using the iOS and Android app.
If Greek art is your thing, or you’re simply interested in learning more, the British Museum will share the Periscope link on its official Twitter account at around 1:30pm ET (6:30pm BST) today. If it comes at a bad time, the Periscope tour will remain available for 24 hours and will also be posted to the Museum’s Facebook and YouTube channel the day after.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile
Via: British Museum
Source: Live Tour With Dan Snow, @BritishMuseum
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