Apple Seeds Fourth iOS 8.4 Beta With Revamped Music App to Developers and Public Beta Testers
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of iOS 8.4 to registered developers for testing purposes, nearly a month after seeding the third iOS 8.4 beta and almost two months after launching the first iOS 8.4 beta. iOS 8.4 has been in testing since mid-April, following the early April release of iOS 8.3. Today’s beta is the third that public beta testers have received.
Today’s beta update, build 12H4125a, is available as an over-the-air download and through the iOS Developer Center.
iOS 8.4 beta 4’s release notes still include a number of lingering issues with the new Music app that will need to be resolved before the software can be released to the public. Problems include an inability to use Siri with iTunes Radio, issues with AirPlay streaming, a lack of station sharing, and more.
iOS 8.4’s major feature is an all-new Music app that includes a revamped look, as seen in the walkthrough video below. The Music app’s new design shows pictures of artists in the Artists view and it offers a new MiniPlayer with a redesigned look for “Now Playing.” There are personalized playlists, global search capabilities that make it easier to search within the Music app, and a streamlined design for the radio feature to bolster music discovery.
iOS 8.4’s redesigned Music app comes ahead of the debut of Apple Music, which was introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference yesterday. The upcoming streaming music service is similar to Apple’s existing Beats music service, but it’s been renamed and deeply integrated into the Music app.
We will see the public release of both the new music service and iOS 8.4 on June 30.
Apple Seeds Fifth OS X 10.10.4 Yosemite Beta to Developers and Public Beta Testers
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of OS X 10.10.4 to developers and public beta testers, approximately two weeks after releasing the fourth OS X 10.10.4 beta and two months after releasing the first OS X 10.10.4 beta. OS X 10.10.4 has been in testing since mid-April, following the early April release of OS X 10.10.3, which included the new Photos for OS X app.
The new beta, build 14E33b, can downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store or through the Mac Developer Center.
OS X 10.10.3 brought several consumer-facing changes including the new Photos for OS X app, a redesigned emoji picker, and diversified emoji, but OS X 10.10.4 appears to be an under-the-hood update that brings performance enhancements and bug fixes.
Thus far, OS X 10.10.4 betas have not included outward facing design changes or feature additions, but the last beta introduced a significant behind-the-scenes update that may improve networking performance for users who have experienced issues with OS X Yosemite.
Discoveryd, a somewhat problematic networking process that has been linked to multiple bugs in OS X 10.10, was removed in favor of the older bug-free mDNSresponder.
It is not clear when Apple plans to release OS X 10.10.4 to the public, but the fact that we’ve now received five betas suggests we may be nearing the end of the beta testing period.
Hands-On Look at iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 El Capitan
At yesterday’s WWDC keynote, Apple unveiled its next generation operating systems for Mac and iOS, introducing both OS X 10.11 El Capitan and iOS 9. We’ve done a hands-on overview of the two new operating systems, to give you a look at some of the changes that Apple has implemented.
With iOS 9, there are several underlying improvements that improve battery life and reduce the amount of storage space the operating system takes up, a huge benefit for users with 16GB devices. Siri’s become more intelligent, and the whole OS has been updated with “Proactive” features that help you better manage your life.
A revamped search screen on the left of the home screen offers up a list of commonly used apps, favorite contacts, restaurant and venue recommendations, and important news, all available at a glance. Maps gained Transit directions, Notes has new features, there’s a new News app, and we’re finally getting a much-desired split-screen multitasking feature for the iPad.
And those are just the big changes — check out our roundup of hidden features, too, and visit our iOS 9 forum to learn even more about the new version of iOS.
OS X 10.11 El Capitan is named for a notable mountain within Yosemite, signifying its position as an update that builds on and refines the features introduced with OS X Yosemite. El Capitan includes improved window management features with a new Split view for displaying two full screen windows at once, plus it has an improved Spotlight search with natural language support, and updates to apps like Notes and Maps.
Safari has gained features like Pinned Sites and a mute button that can silence audio from any tab, while Mail supports new gestures and Smart Suggestions. Most importantly, El Capitan improves system performance, making many tasks on the Mac faster than before. It also includes Metal for much improved graphics performance.
Want to know more about El Capitan? Make sure to visit our OS X 10.11 forum, where members are discussing the new update and sharing many smaller changes that went under the radar.
El Capitan and iOS 9 are both available to registered developers, and Apple plans to provide them to public beta testers in July. A public release of both software updates will come in the fall.
Google Maps gains improved photo viewer and rental car information in v9.10 update
We may all be waiting for Maps for Android to receive offline navigation functionality, but Google has just published an update that will help tide us over in the meantime. The update to version 9.10, which is now rolling out to the Play Store, brings rental car information and an improved photo viewer.
For starters, if you happen to have a rental car tied to your Google account, you’ll now be able to view that information when you search for either the pick-up or drop-off location. Maps will give you all of your vital information, such as your reservation number, time of reservation, type of car and more. This seems like one of those features that should have been baked in to Maps some time ago, but wasn’t for some reason.
Google has also improved the photo viewer in the Maps app, which now allows you to view multiple photos at a time when searching for locations with photos. Google has taken more of a gallery approach this time around, as opposed to the old way of showing just one picture at a time. In addition, the “Your Places” screen is getting a bit of a design revamp, and the “shake to send feedback” setting is now disabled by default.
The update is rolling out now in the Google Play Store, so head to the link below to grab the newest version.
New Google Maps update polishes several features, adds car rental info
Google is getting ready to start rolling out a new update to Google Maps, bumping it up to version 9.10, that brings some minor changes to several existing features and adds information on car rental bookings. An early look at the APK reveals updates to the photo gallery view, the Your Places screen, and some tweaks to the Settings available.
In their last update to Maps, Google added the ability for users to upload multiple photos for a location. Expanding on that concept, Google has now updated the viewer so multiple photos are shown at once using a flowing gallery view. Users can still tap into an image to view it standalone, but they will find some new options on the screen for adding photos and reporting inappropriate photos. These replace the overflow menu.
The Your Places screen has been updated to incorporate some Google+ design cues like use of your background image in the header area. On top of this users will find buttons for their reviews and their photos and these buttons replace the blue bar linking to reviews that used to be in place.
For Settings, Google has fixed the “Shake to send feedback” bug by setting the default to be disabled. This should help prevent instances where users were inadvertently triggering the feedback process while doing something like jogging and interrupting something else they were trying to do with their device. Google has also added a new menu option to the Settings screen so that users can turn on the scale and set it so that it is always present instead of disappearing a couple seconds after a zoom action is taken.
Finally, the new search feature that Google added last month for events, flights and hotels has been extended to include rental car reservations. Maps will now show users where they are supposed to pick up and drop off vehicles, times, confirmation number, type of car and other info.
If you do not want to wait for the update to roll around to your device as part of Google’s phased deployment, you can grab the APK file using the link below and sideload it on your device. The APK is signed by Google and will update your existing Maps app.
source: Android Police
Come comment on this article: New Google Maps update polishes several features, adds car rental info
eBay’s Apple Watch app puts auctions on your wrist
If you’re an eBay veteran, you know that every moment of a late-stage auction counts. You don’t want to lose because you couldn’t grab your phone quickly enough to make a counter-bid, after all. Appropriately, eBay is rolling out an Apple Watch app to go with its Pebble and Samsung Gear efforts. The wearable software both gives you alerts for auctions and lets you make quick bids — you might prevent someone from sniping that antique auction without even reaching into your pocket. You can also reply to messages with voice dictation, and keep tabs on your top-level buying and selling activity. The update should hit the App Store today, so check it out if you always have to beat other buyers to the punch.
Filed under: Wearables, Internet
Via: TechCrunch
Source: eBay
CarPlay and Android Auto will be in Cadillac’s 2016 models
Following in the footsteps of sibling Chevrolet, Cadillac has also revealed its plans to support both CarPlay and Android Auto. This is yet another move by the automaker’s parent company, General Motors, to not miss out on the new wave of in-car features from Apple and Google. Cadillac says it’s all part of a major overhaul to CUE, the 8-inch infotainment system that’s been powering its vehicles for the past few years. You can expect to see CarPlay in most 2016 Cadillacs this summer (save for the SRX Crossover), while Android Auto compatibility is scheduled to arrive at a later, undisclosed date.
Filed under: Transportation, Software, Apple, Google
Source: Cadillac
Bionic leg climbs stairs with ease
As advanced as prosthetic feet and legs have become, they’re frequently lousy with stairs. You usually have to reconfigure your limb to make the climb, even if it’s just for a few seconds. That won’t be an issue again if the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s efforts pay off, however. Its researchers have built a new bionic leg that lets you climb stairs, kneel and otherwise move freely without straining yourself. It revolves around a control system that tells what you’re trying to do and adjusts automatically, letting you focus on walking instead of terrain changes. The leg is only in a very limited test run backed by the US Army, but it’s expected to become a commercial product that helps amputees of all stripes.
[Image credit: Ann Simon/Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago]
Filed under: Wearables, Science
Via: Motherboard
Source: JAMA
PornTime is Popcorn Time’s naughty cousin, and it’s coming to Android
Last year we saw Popcorn Time hit the scene, offering a Netflix-like solution to pirating movies with support for PCs, Macs, Linux, and even Android. The service basically made it easy to stream movies using technology that utilized BitTorrents to get the job done. Now it looks like the same platform and technology are being utilized to bring easy streaming of high-quality porno movies via the aptly named Porn Time. Porn Time currently only offers support for Windows, Mac, and Linux but Android and iOS versions are expected to arrive sometime in the next week or two.
Porn Time currently only offers support for Windows, Mac, and Linux but Android and iOS versions are expected to arrive sometime in the next week or two. Just like with Popcorn Time, don’t expect this one to be officially offered on Google Play, though you’ll be able to download it directly from PornTime’s website.
Tech wise, there’s not much different here than with Popcorn Time: the app grabs torrent files, and then both downloads and streams the torrents on the fly.
Tech wise, there’s not much different here than with Popcorn Time: the app grabs torrent files, and then both downloads and streams the torrents on the fly.
As the service’s lead developer told VentureBeat earlier this week:
Porn Time works exactly the same as Popcorn Time does, only the content is all porn. Porn Time users can enjoy the latest, hottest porn movies instantly and in HD quality, with just a click of a button. Just like with Popcorn Time, the content can be cast directly to the big screen with Chromecast or Airplay.
We can’t say we are surprised to see the same Bittorent-based tech being used to make porn consumption easier but, unlike Popcorn Time, free porn already has a lot of competition. There are an innumerable amount of sites around these days that make it easy to watch quality pornos for free (not that’d I know …..), though we suppose for those that actually like porn movie for the stories (so like two or three people on the planet) some of the even higher caliber titles might be available on PornTime that aren’t as easy to acquire elsewhere.
Considering most sites don’t require downloading or Bittorents, and instead use more traditional embedded videos for porn watching, we can’t imagine that Porn Time will find nearly as much success among pirates as Popcorn Time has. That said, support for things like Chromecast could certainly make the platform a bit more appealing, especially if the upcoming Android app supports the feature, which we imagine it will.
ZTE to be first phone maker to win the 4K race with Star 3?
The ZTE Star 2.
While there are a number of rumors suggesting that the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 may be among the first smartphones to break the QHD barrier, a new rumor out of China suggests that ZTE might be the very first player to embraced a higher-than-QHD resolution for the upcoming Star 3.
As the rumor goes, the ZTE Star 3 will be equipped with a 5.5-inch UHD display with an impressively high resolution of 2160 x 3840 and a PPI of 806. While Sharp already has a 5.5-inch display that matches this size and resolution, it won’t be ready for mass production until 2016 and so the rumor mill claims that China-based BOE will be the maker behind the high-res screen. It needs to be said that this rumor could very easily prove to be nothing more than unfounded gossip.
The big question here is if UHD (or 4K) offers a noticeable difference when compared to QHD, or even 1080p for that matter.
All that said, for just about every major jump in resolution we’ve seen at least one Chinese company among the first to offer a bleeding edge display. For example, the jump to 1080p saw the Oppo Find 5 as one of the very first contenders, even if the HTC Butterfly (aka Droid DNA) actually was the first to make it to market. With QHD, Vivo and Oppo (with the Find 7) were among the very first, followed closely by LG with the G3.
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The big question here is if UHD (or 4K) offers a noticeable difference when compared to QHD, or even 1080p for that matter. After all, many have criticized QHD for offering a negligible difference when compared to 1080p, while causing a very noticeable difference in terms of battery drain and processor strain. With UHD, the same negatives will apply but with possibly even less to gain, with only the sharpest eye likely to note the difference.
Of course, tech will continue to march forward and even if the gain isn’t that noticeable, we are sure the display will look absolutely stunning, provided the rumor is accurate. It is also worth mentioning that ZTE will reportedly use a TFT panel with a special crystal structure that is designed to reduce power consumption while improving the display’s durability, which could help somewhat resolve the battery strain issues that come with a higher resolution display.
What do you think, are you excited to see the first UHD/4K smartphones, or do you feel QHD (or even 1080p) is more than good enough?
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