Apple Seeds Fourth iOS 9.2 Beta to Developers and Public Beta Testers
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of iOS 9.2 to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, just over one week after seeding the third iOS 9.2 beta and a full month after releasing iOS 9.1 to the public. As a .1 upgrade, iOS 9.2 will mark the second major update to iOS 9.
The fourth beta of iOS 9.2, build 13C5075, is available as an over-the-air update and through the Apple Developer Center. Public beta testers can download the update over the air. Apple has also released Xcode 7.2 beta 4.
Earlier betas of iOS 9.2 included changes to the Safari View Controller, which is what allows a pop-up Safari window to be used in third-party apps. In iOS 9.2, Safari View Controller supports third-party Action Extensions, letting apps like 1Password to be accessed in the Safari view of other apps like Tweetbot.
Safari View Controller has also been updated with the ability to long tap on the Reload button to reload content without content blockers and it now supports the request desktop site function. The second iOS 9.2 improved Safari View Controller further, introducing support for dismissing it with an edge swipe.
Along with improvements to Safari View Controller, iOS 9.2 also introduces Arabic support for Siri, support for AT&T’s NumberSync Wi-Fi Calling feature and it includes bug fixes for iCloud Keychain, Apple Watch syncing and pairing, audio quality when streaming to stereo systems, and more.
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Apple Releases Third Beta of tvOS 9.1 to Developers
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming update to tvOS, the new operating system that runs on the fourth-generation Apple TV. Today’s beta comes just over one week after Apple seeded the second tvOS 9.1 beta and three weeks since the tvOS was released alongside the fourth-generation Apple TV.
The third tvOS beta is available as an over-the-air update to those who have installed the first two betas. Installing an initial tvOS beta is a more involved process than installing a beta update for iOS or OS X. The update requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes.
We don’t yet know exactly what is included in the new version of tvOS, as most changes thus far appear to be under-the-hood updates. Apple’s release notes for the update include references to networking and scrolling tweaks, and it’s likely tvOS 9.1 will include fixes for bugs and issues that have been discovered in the software since the Apple TV’s official launch. We will include any other external facing changes below.
tvOS 9.1 will mark the first significant update to tvOS and the second update to the operating system. The first tvOS update, tvOS 9.0.1, was released to the public on November 9.
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Apple Releases Third Beta of tvOS 9.1 to Developers
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming update to tvOS, the new operating system that runs on the fourth-generation Apple TV. Today’s beta comes just over one week after Apple seeded the second tvOS 9.1 beta and three weeks since the tvOS was released alongside the fourth-generation Apple TV.
The third tvOS beta is available as an over-the-air update to those who have installed the first two betas. Installing an initial tvOS beta is a more involved process than installing a beta update for iOS or OS X. The update requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes.
We don’t yet know exactly what is included in the new version of tvOS, as most changes thus far appear to be under-the-hood updates. Apple’s release notes for the update include references to networking and scrolling tweaks, and it’s likely tvOS 9.1 will include fixes for bugs and issues that have been discovered in the software since the Apple TV’s official launch. We will include any other external facing changes below.
tvOS 9.1 will mark the first significant update to tvOS and the second update to the operating system. The first tvOS update, tvOS 9.0.1, was released to the public on November 9.
Discuss this article in our forums
Google Search can now dive into app data
Search is one of the foundation functions of Google and recently the company has been working to make improvements to this basic feature. Earlier this week Google revealed that Search could handle complex questions and figure out the meaning of what is being asked. Now they have revealed a tool for the other side of the equation that helps provide better answers. This will be accomplished by being able to dive into the data that is locked away inside of apps instead of just relying on what is available on the web.
Google says they have compiled over 100 billion deep links into apps in their search index to help respond to the 40% of searches that Android users perform on their mobile devices. The apps include platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Airbnb and Pinterest. The data that Google taps into is no longer limited to information that was also available via matching web content. Even if the information is only in the app, Search can still find it.
Even better, users do not even need the source app installed for Search to be able to find it. If a user is on a good WiFi connection Google can now “stream” an app so that users can dig down and view the results as if they had the app installed. Of course, users who like what they find will have easy access to install an app, so there is some incentive for developers to be part of this new tool. At this time, Google has partnered with HotelTonight, Chimani, Daily Horoscope and New York Subway on this new feature, but they expect more partners to come on board.
source: Google Inside Search
Come comment on this article: Google Search can now dive into app data
Sprint offers to cut competitor rates in half to celebrate LTE Plus Network
Sprint continues to struggle financially and it appears the strain is causing the carrier to take some desperate measures. Sprint has been working on some upgrades to its data network, dubbing it the LTE Plus Network, in order to offer faster speeds than competitors. Yesterday Sprint teased a big announcement for today and the details have now been revealed – to help entice consumers to give the new network speeds a try, Sprint is now offering plans that are 50% of the price of competitors for subscribers who move their service over from AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile.
Sprint provides several examples of how they will price match at 50% of competitor plans in their announcement. For example, a 2 line T-Mobile plan that includes 10GB of data will only cost $60 per month instead of the $120 that T-Mobile charges. Similar savings are available on Verizon and AT&T where Sprint helps even more by cutting the device access fee in half as well. In addition to the major carriers, Sprint will also offer 50 percent off for Cricket and MetroPCS customers.
The offer is valid for new activations made between November 20, 2015 and January 7, 2016 and the special pricing will remain in effect until January 8, 2018. To make things even more enticing, Sprint is offering to pay switching fees of up to $650 per line through an American Express Reward Card if a customer trades in their old phone.
Sprint also wants to try to take care of their existing customers who are unable to take advantage of this deal, so they are offering existing customers a free tablet with one year of free service if the customer signs up for a two-year contract on the device.
Check out the video announcing the new deals below. You can hit the source link if you want more details.
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: Sprint
Come comment on this article: Sprint offers to cut competitor rates in half to celebrate LTE Plus Network
Dear Veronica: Picking your penguin
Welcome back to another episode of Dear Veronica! This week, we have some great responses from you guys from our most recent “Question to the Crowd” from Tiyana. Watch to see how you guys think we should handle cross-timezone texting!
Viewer David also has a question about which Linux distro is the best in terms of privacy and usability, and to answer that one we have Engadget editor Terrence O’Brien on give us the details.
To wrap everything up, we have a Lightning Round! Make sure you keep sending on in those questions to me via Twitter using the hashtag #DearVeronica, or send me in a video question! See you next time.
Dunkin’ Donuts takes aim at Starbucks with mobile ordering and delivery
You can already order your coffee from Starbucks before you get there, and soon you may be able to do the same from another popular purveyor of the brew. Dunkin’ Donuts is testing mobile ordering through its app at 124 locations in Portland, Maine. What’s more, a few stores in Dallas are trying their hand at delivery and some in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington will begin coffee drop-offs soon. The move follows coffee giant Starbucks getting into both ordering ahead and delivery, so it’s likely Dunkin’ Donuts is looking to keep pace by offering its customers an easier way to get their caffeine and sugar fix. Of course, a number of other restaurants also offer similar services, including the likes of Chipotle and Taco Bell. As both ordering and delivery are in the trial phase, there’s no word on when the services will expand nationwide in the US or to the company’s limited footprint in the UK and other countries.
[Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: Bloomberg Business
6 futuristic cars powered entirely by the sun
By Cat DiStasio
Innovators around the world are obsessed with harnessing the power of the sun. Solar energy has been used to power lamps that light up the night, to run desalinators that create clean drinking water, and to offset fossil fuels on utility grids. But what about solar cars? The world hasn’t seen many sun-powered vehicles, but it’s not for lack of innovation or competition. In fact, many such cars have competed against one another in the World Solar Challenge, which goes down in Australia. The race has spurred the creation of some of the world’s fastest and most efficient sun-powered vehicles, but there’s more out there. Some are born purely from a love for clean tech and the rush of innovation that comes from creating something once dismissed as impossible.Slideshow-341721
Too good to survive: The rise and fall of Rdio
Spotify is probably how most Americans were introduced to streaming music over the last four years or so — the service has grown by leaps and bounds since it launched in the US in July of 2011. But a relatively small group of music fans were enjoying pretty much all that Spotify had to offer months before it hit the US. That group was using Rdio, and we’ll now have to find a new option: Rdio will be dead soon, sold off to Pandora in a bankruptcy deal. The service will remain a cautionary tale about the brutality of survival in the streaming music world. A great product is important, but it’s clearly not enough.
Deal: get an LG G3 and a whole year of service for only $289.99
Looking for a good phone? We know how limiting budgets can be, but in this day and age you can get some pretty awesome smartphones for a low price. You could get a mid-end handset or an older generation high-end device. Today the AA Deals Store is offering the latter at a very good price.
You can now grab an LG G3 for only $289.99. That may not sound like that great of a deal at first, as you can actually get the same phone for slightly cheaper on Amazon, but you are not getting just a phone here. This deal comes with a year of unlimited text & talk, as well as 500 MB per month from FreedomPop. In addition you get premier service, which includes premium voice, voicemail, data rollover, tethering, usage alerts, internet security, VPN and more.
It’s going to save you a bunch of cash! This happens to be a 72% discount over the original value, so you are definitely in for a treat here. There is one thing to keep in mind, though. Coverage is not everywhere, especially if you want 4G LTE. Your best bet is to check out FreedomPop’s website to see if you are covered (they use Sprint’s network). You can also learn all about FreedomPop in there. It’s actually a very interesting wireless service provider, and some casual users could even handle using it for free after that year.
If you are sold on the service, you should also read the great review we gave the LG G3. It’s actually a hell of a phone, even if it’s a previous generation handset. Specs include a 5.5-inch 2560x1440p display, a Snapdragon 801 processor, 2 GB of RAM (or 3 GB for the 32 GB version), 16/32 GB of internal storage, a 13 MP rear camera and a 2.1 MP front shooter, as well as a 3000 mAh battery.
Want in? A year of free service is always good, so I say you should jump on this deal if your area is covered by FreedomPop. Just hit the link below to sign up!
AIVAnet 