Apple Music Revamp in iOS 10 Introduces Colorful Design and Simpler Interface
At WWDC today, Apple revealed an all-new Apple Music redesign while also confirming that the service has officially reached 15 million paid subscribers. The redesign introduces a bright and simplistic aesthetic and a new “Library” launch tab on the bottom left.
According to Apple, the new design language brings “greater clarity and simplicity to every aspect of the experience.” The Library, For You, Browse and Radio tabs have gone through a design change that will give the user “an even greater sense of place.”
The company has also begun to better differentiate streaming and downloaded songs in the new iOS 10 version of Apple Music, with a specifically designated “Downloaded Music” section located within the app. A few other minor additions include a new lyrics feature and revamped “For You” tab with daily curated playlists aimed at each Apple Music user.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Apple Announces Enhanced ‘QuickType’ Keyboard Functions in iOS 10
Apple has unveiled extensive new functionality, multiple language support, and Siri-enhanced features for the QuickType keyboard in iOS 10.
The update brings significantly expanded contextual awareness to the QuickType keyboard when responding to messages, with a number of suggested replies offered directly from Siri.
For example, if someone texts you a question like “Where are you?” Siri can offer to send your current location. Likewise, if you receive a message like “What’s Sue’s address?”, Siri can offer to send the information with a single tap.
Intelligent scheduling has also been improved, while users can now switch between multiple languages on the fly without having to manually change keyboards.
Other Siri assistive keyboard features include contact information, calendar availability, recent addresses, and contextual lookup options.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Apple Announces New HomeKit-Enabled ‘Home’ App in iOS 10
Apple today revealed an all-new HomeKit-centric app called “Home,” which will make its debut in iOS 10 this fall. The app will act as a hub for a user’s HomeKit-enabled devices, regardless of their manufacturer, letting users control everything from smart light bulbs to garage door openers from one app. HomeKit will be built into Control Center now as well, letting users tap through their smart home devices without unlocking their iPhone.
Support for HomeKit™ continues to expand globally with nearly 100 home automation products adopting HomeKit this year, bringing support for thermostats, lights, window shades, door locks, video cameras and more to the Home app. Later this year, leading home builders, including Brookfield Residential, KB Home, Lennar Homes and R&F Properties, will begin integrating many of these HomeKit devices into new homes.
Users can group accessories into “scenes,” or control them individually, and each device will be able to react to Siri voice commands. Apple confirmed that each device can be controlled remotely or even set up for home automation on Apple TV, “and can respond with automatic triggers set by time of day, location or action.”
Check out our iOS 10 WWDC keynote recap for more information on HomeKit, Messages, Apple Music, and more.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Apple News Gets Redesign With Simpler Interface, Subscriptions and More
Today at its WWDC keynote, Apple announced a redesigned version of Apple News, which the company says has 60 million monthly active users and over 2,000 publications. The new Apple News includes a simpler, bolder interface similar to the Apple Music redesign. It also includes new features like subscriptions, breaking news alerts and more.
Image via ArsTechnica
Apple News now includes subscriptions, allowing users to read news from select publications within the News app. The For You section also comes broken up into smaller sections to make it easier to follow, including a trending news section and the topics a user follows. News can also create new topic sections based on what you read. There are also featured stories hand-picked by Apple’s editors.
The new app can also send breaking news alerts to a user’s lock screen, allowing readers to quickly and easily get the news they need.
The new Apple News will be a part of iOS 10, which will debut in the fall.
Related Roundup: iOS 10
Tag: Apple News
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Apple Reveals ‘Swift Playgrounds’ Educational Coding App for iPad
Apple today revealed an all-new “Swift Playgrounds” app that aims to introduce users to “a new way to learn to code with Swift on iPad.” The app — which will be a free download — is aimed for a public release on the App Store when iOS 10 launches this fall.
The library of Apple-developed programming lessons helps students learn core coding concepts, such as issuing commands, creating functions, performing loops and using conditional code and variables, and allows them to progressively build confidence and skill. Apple will regularly release new standalone challenges so students can continue to refine their coding abilities as their skills and interests grow. Educators and developers can also use Xcode® to create their own unique challenges for the app.
Along with other features, the app has custom “learn to code” lessons from Apple that focus on crafting visual cues around numeric coding data to slowly introduce kids into the world of coding. Multi-touch on the iPad helps coding in the app more straightforward, but Apple also crafted a new coding keyboard to add in new code in just a few keystrokes.
Starting today, Swift Playgrounds is available to Apple Developer Program members, and will additionally be available in the iOS 10 public beta this July. The final version of the app is expected to launch for free on the App Store sometime in the fall. All iPad Air and iPad Pro models will be compatible with the app, as well as iPad mini 2-and-later devices.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Apple Unveils Multiple New ‘Messages’ App Features Coming in iOS 10
Apple has announced a number of new features for the Messages app in iOS 10, including Digital Touch videos and new chat bubble effects.
Messages now shows shared media inside chat transcripts, so that link and image thumbnail previews display, Apple Music tracks can be listened to, and videos can be played without leaving the app.
The camera functionality has also been enhanced inside Messages, allowing users to see what the camera lens is focusing on, while recently taken photos can be browsed alongside the lens view.
iOS 10 also brings emoji predictions as you type, and Messages will highlight words that have corresponding emoji characters, allowing users to tap them and instantly turn them into images. Emojis are also displayed three times bigger than previously in chat transcripts.
Another new feature is called “Bubble Effects”, which enable users to expand or deflate chat bubbles in the transcript screen for emphasis. Bubbles can also be made to reveal their contents gradually for dramatic effect.
In addition, Messages in iOS 10 will support handwritten message bubbles, and includes a Digital Touch feature similar to on the Apple Watch, allowing users to sketch responses, share their heartbeat, and more.
Fullscreen animated background effects are also included in the new Messages app, such as disco lights and fireworks, while new third-party ‘iMessage apps’ can be added in a dedicated app drawer similar to that found in Facebook Messenger, where stickers, seals and animations reside for quick access.
iOS 10 supports all iOS 9 devices except the iPhone 4s and iPad 2, and is available to developers in beta today, while the public beta comes in July, followed by a full release in the fall.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Many Preinstalled iOS Apps Such as ‘Stocks’ Now Deletable in iOS 10
During today’s keynote, Apple released several new apps into the App Store under their developer account. The apps are all stock iOS apps that presently come pre-installed under iOS 9.
The list includes:
– Weather
– Stocks
– Mail
– Maps
– Notes
– Voice Memos
– Watch
– Music
– FaceTime
– iTunes Store
– Calendar
– Contacts
– Videos
– Calculator
– Compass
– Tips
If you try to download an existing iOS app, the “Get” button is greyed out, indicating you already have the app. Several readers have confirmed that you can now delete these apps in iOS 10, and later redownload them from the App Store. Apple could also choose to upgrade the apps from the App Store rather than waiting for iOS updates.
Related Roundup: iOS 10
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List of iOS 10 Compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch Models
Apple today announced iOS 10, the next major version of its mobile operating system. The software update is compatible with all iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models currently capable of running iOS 9, except for the iPhone 4s.
iOS 10 is available in beta for registered Apple developers starting today, while the update will be seeded to public beta testers in July. The free software update will officially launch in the fall, presumably alongside the iPhone 7 in early to mid September.
iOS 10 features redesigned Messages, Apple News, Apple Music, and Photos apps with several new features, a brand new Home app for controlling HomeKit accessories, a Siri SDK for third-party app developers, and much more. Read our WWDC 2016 liveblog and coverage for a recap of today’s announcements.
The complete list of iOS 10 compatible devices:
iPhone
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 5s
- iPhone 5c
- iPhone 5
iPad
- iPad Pro (12.9-inch)
- iPad Pro (9.7-inch)
- iPad Air 2
- iPad Air
- iPad (4th generation)
- iPad (3rd generation)
- iPad 2
- iPad mini 4
- iPad mini 3
- iPad mini 2
- iPad mini
iPod touch
- iPod touch (6th generation)
- iPod touch (5th generation)
Apple has shared the full video of its WWDC 2016 keynote, where it also introduced macOS Sierra alongside new versions of watchOS and tvOS.
Related Roundups: WWDC 2016, iOS 10
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Rivers Casino Pittsburgh: Casino gaming & fun (review)
Overview
Casinos are known for a lack of clocks and windows. They understand that once you are preoccupied with the sounds and lights of slot machines and gaming tables, you will lose track of time and hopefully, lose track of your cash.
It is strange to say it, but that is how playing Rivers Casino Pittsburgh, a casino gaming app, felt. If you have ever been to a Vegas casino, you will understand what I mean.
The app games felt exactly like their casino counterparts with all the flashing lights, sounds and bells and whistles announcing every win.
- Developer: Rivers App Team
- App link: Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
- Cost: Free
Review
Upon launching the app, you are welcomed by a home screen that allows you to play casino games or checkout the services and amenities offered by the app creators, Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, PA.
Because there is a physical Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, you can do more than just play games with the app. Once you create an account, you can check your messages, see the latest casino promotions, check your rewards, see what entertainment and specials are being offered at the casino or what food is being served at the restaurants.
Let’s play!
To launch the gaming machines, you click on the “Play for Fun” icon on top of the app. Once clicked, you have a choice of between a couple of unlocked games. The main gaming screen lets you know how many points you need to accumulate to unlock one of the next stages. In all, you can unlock 375 stages.
Pick from the unlocked games.
Gameplay is simple. You choose one of the unlocked games, enter how much to bet and then you play. Slot machine action is accompanied by typical gaming sounds: bells, whistles and, when playing the KISS game, guitars, bass and drums.
We got a winner!
Once you have accumulated enough points, you can proceed to open an unlocked stage. Play differs slightly from game to game, so it’s up to the player’s preference.
Conclusion
If you like playing slots machines (and can decipher all the different ways to win), you will like Rivers Casino Pittsburgh. Casino players are the main demographic for this game so it makes sense that the game sponsors have tied the app to the physical location.
The gaming is fun but also repetitive and limited; the main variance is how much you are willing to bet. Therefore, unless you just enjoy accumulating points for the fun of it, playing will also be limited. Once I got the gist of the app, I was done with it.
If I lived in Pittsburgh, then maybe I’d use it more.
Download and install Rivers Casino Pittsburgh from the Google Play Store.
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EasyAcc 28W Solar Charger: This should be in your charger inventory (Review)
Overview
We live in an ever-changing world where our electronic devices have become everyday necessities. While tech has enabled us to do things beyond our wildest imagination just a decade ago, the downside is portable devices need to be recharged. Most on a daily basis. For those of us considered power users, devices with terrible battery lives are the bane of our existence. This means we need to charge those devices all too frequently, and unfortunately, there isn’t always an outlet around to help us refuel. You could use a power bank, but those need charging too.
For the times we don’t have access to power banks or wall outlets, we have the EasyAcc 28W Solar Charger.
In the box
- Portable solar charger
- MicroUSB cable
- Two carabiner clips
- Backpack rope
- Travel pouch
- User manual
Review
A few years ago while on vacation, I was telling my wife I wished there was a solar charging battery case. I had horrible battery life and needed to charge my phone up to three times a day. While on vacation, this can prove to be quite the chore, and you can easily become a wall hugger. You could say I was excited to find out about the next best thing. Yes, I know I could have used a power bank, but I didn’t have one.
The EasyAcc 28W Solar Charger is a 28 watt, four-port USB charger that is compatible with most 5V input devices. It can harness the energy from the sun and can provide you with a full charge within two to three hours. It’s made up of a durable, weatherproof material that can handle just about any type of weather while still looking charming.
The pouch is equipped with the four-port charging station. The charging station is armed with two 2.4 amp Smart Charge ports and two one amp ports. The Smart Charge ports are designed to detect how much current your device needs to charge to prevent overcharging. In the event that your devices get too hot, the charger will pause until the battery cools down to prevent a nasty fire or other internal damage.
Although there are four ports to hook devices up to, there isn’t much room inside the pouch. There’s enough room for two large smartphones, or a regular size tablet and small phone. There is room to throw in small Bluetooth headphones too, but you’re not getting too much else in there. Unless you’re sitting still for a while, don’t plan to charge a lot of devices on the go.
Four solar panels open to lay out flat to collect as much sunlight as possible. The more direct sunlight you get, the stronger the charge your charge will be. I would suggest tucking the pouch under the panels during hotter days to reduce heat exposure to your electronic devices.
Of course, there are many times when you’re not sitting still. If you’re always on the go, you can attach the solar charger to your backpack with the included clips or rope. Or you can get creative with the attachments, just make sure you maintain direct contact with the sun to get the best charge.
Conclusion
For those of you enjoying the great outdoors this summer, the EasyAcc 28W solar charger is a great option for staying powered and on the go when you’re away from an outlet. Even if you bring power banks on your camping trips, they still need charging. With the EasyAcc solar charger, you could charge your power bank during the day and use your power bank to charge your phones when the sun is down at night. For the price of $60, it is a solid investment for any outdoorsman or for those who wish to preserve the environment by harnessing the free energy from the sun.
Buy the EasyAcc 28W Solar Charger at Amazon for $59.99 with free shipping included.
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