Apple Working to Boost iCloud Integration with Preview and TextEdit Document Viewer Apps for iOS 8
Apple may be expanding iCloud in iOS 8 by releasing iOS versions of Preview and TextEdit that use iCloud for document retrieval and storage. It also is developing tools that will make it easier for developers to create iCloud-based applications. These improvements are expected to arrive later this year, reports 9to5Mac.
Apple is developing versions of the Mac operating system’s Preview and TextEdit applications that are optimized for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The applications are said to not be designed to actually edit PDFs, images, or text documents. Instead, the apps are built to serve as tools to view Preview and TextEdit files stored in iCloud by OS X. Apple added iCloud synchronization for Preview and TextEdit with OS X Mountain Lion, but has not yet released iOS counterparts to actually view the synchronized content.
These new Preview and TextEdit apps will be document viewers only and won’t include editing functionality. iPhone and iPad owners will be encouraged to use iWork applications to edit common document types and iBooks to manipulate PDFs.
These changes reflect a new development strategy championed by Apple Senior VP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi. Instead of two separate teams with one focusing on iOS and the other dedicated to OS X, Federighi has merged the teams so the same group of developers work on both the iOS and OS X versions.
Apple also is exploring ways to make iCloud app development easier for developers. Details are sparse, but Apple may provide new iCloud storage tools that allow developers to use iCloud as a file system for sharing data across iOS and OS X platforms.
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1Password for Mac Gets Updated with 30 New Features, 1Password Mini Item Editing [Mac Blog]
AgileBits today has updated its popular password manager app, 1Password for Mac, to version 4.2, bringing 30 new features, including significant improvements for 1Password Mini, the app’s menu bar extension (via Cult of Mac).
1Password mini– You can now edit items directly within 1Password mini!
– Edit generated passwords in 1Password mini, too
– Greatly improved URL matching makes logging in to sites with sub domains easy
– Configure URL matching for sub domains in 1Password > Preferences > Browser
– Improved support for multiple Chrome profiles
– By popular request, 1Password mini now shows Secure Notes!
– 1Password mini now supports fuzzy search. For example: “oogle” will now return items named “Google”
Other improvements include refinements to the app’s AutoSave functionality, as the app now searches all vaults before asking to save or update Logins and will prompt users to save Logins in their primary vaults by default. Additionally, item editing has been streamlined, allowing users to edit when 1Password locks or quits in the middle of a change as well as the ability to switch vaults while editing.
The update is currently available for download on AgileBit’s website, and will be available in the Mac App Store once the update is approved.
1Password for Mac is available in the Mac App Store for $50. [Direct Link]
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Apple TV Update 6.1 Allows AirPlay Discoverability Over Bluetooth [Mac Blog]
When the Apple TV was updated to version 6.1 earlier this week, it was initially thought that there were minimal changes outside of the ability to hide icons in the main menu. However, a new report from AFP548 (via Daring Fireball) indicates that Apple also enabled AirPlay device discovery over Bluetooth as well.
Here’s one that will make educators and education network administrators realllllly happy. There’s a hidden gem in the AppleTV 6.1 update that was released today.
In addition to bonjour negotiation for AirPlay, iOS 7.1 devices will also look for AirPlay sources over bluetooth when doing it’s scan! This means you do NOT need bonjour to AirPlay.
Image via AFP548
This change allows Apple TV to search for connectable devices over Bluetooth, bypassing Bonjour and making it easier for education and business administrators to set up iOS device and Apple TV pairings. Previously, Apple TVs could have a difficult time discovering devices on networks that might block Bonjour.
The new feature has three requirements: an Apple TV updated to 6.1, an iOS device updated to 7.1, and IP connectivity between both devices. AFP548 found during its testing that the feature doesn’t yet support Macs, but that the ability could be added in a future update.
Apple TVs have become an important replacement for traditional projectors in both educational and business settings, and these changes are likely to make it even easier for administrators to consider switching to Apple’s solution.
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United Airlines to Debut In-Flight Movie Service for iPad and iPhone in April [iOS Blog]
United Airlines will be introducing a new in-flight movie service for both iPhone and iPad this April, allowing flyers to watch over 150 movies and 200 TV shows on their device, according to PatentlyApple.
According to United, “Most planes will be equipped with the new system very soon, and we’ll have it installed on most domestic aircraft by the end of 2014. We’ll begin on Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Boeing 747-400 and select 777-200 aircraft, followed by additional fleets. In the end, all United-operated flights will have some form of entertainment.
The free-of-charge service will only require flyers to download the latest version of the United Airlines app, although United will also let people download the app without the purchase of its Wi-Fi plan.
Users will have full control of the service’s content, having the ability to stop, pause, rewind, and switch between movies and TV shows at any time. In addition, flyers will be able to access the service on their laptops, although a browser plug-in will be required. Once on their flight, flyers need to only open the app to be presented with their entertainment options.
United Airlines is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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Apple’s iTunes, App Store, and iCloud Experiencing Issues [Mac Blog]
iCloud, iTunes, and other Apple websites are currently experiencing issues, with many users indicating an inability to access Apple services. Some users also appear to be having trouble loading Apple’s System Status page, iTunes is displaying error messages, and the App Store appears to be down as well.
The services appear to have been down for approximately 20 minutes at the time of posting and it is unclear how long the outage might last. At the current time, iMessage appears to be working fine.
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Daily Roundup: SXSW wrap-up, touring the Sony Archives in Tokyo and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Touring the Sony Archives in Tokyo
From robot dogs, to Walkman Cassette players, to, yes, a golden guinea pig, Sony’s Archive building outlines 60 years of the company’s history. Read on as Engadget’s Matt Smith travels to Tokyo and visits some of Sony’s most fundamental products during a tour of the facility.
Life in 140 characters or less: My first eight years on Twitter
Back in 2006, Engadget’s Nicole Lee wasn’t sure “tweeting” would ever catch on. The social network’s early days were simple, full of seemingly boring conversations and awkward third-person updates. Much to her surprise, the charm of Twitter prevailed in the test of time.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 review
Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 stands just a little taller that its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab 3, packing a full HD display. And while the Tab Pro 8.4 does have a sleek, premium feel, its seven hour battery life leaves us wanting. But if you’re not worried about power, this $400 tablet is a worthy alternative to the iPad mini.
SXSW 2014 wrap-up: Snoop Dogg, stun copter, Snowden, Mario Kart and more!
SXSW 2014 was full of awesome gear like IBM’s Watson-powered food truck and Chaotic Moon’s stun copter, but today we’re saying farewell. It’s not too late to catch up on the action, though. Check out some of our favorite highlight photos from the event right here.
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Filed under: Misc
Eddy Cue on iTunes Festival: ‘It’s All About the Artists and the Music’
For several years, Apple has put on a month-long concert series in London called the iTunes Festival. This year’s series included performances from a number of artists, across a variety of genres, including Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Elton John, Ludovico Einaudi and many more.
Even with the huge success of the festival in London, Apple was hesitant to put on a similar series in the United States. This month, however, at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, Apple presented an iTunes Festival with a number of different artists including Willie Nelson, Soundgarden and Coldplay. Apple journalist Jim Dalrymple sat down with Apple’s iTunes chief Eddy Cue to discuss the concert and why it took so long to bring it to the States.
“I wasn’t sure we would ever bring it to the U.S.,” Cue said. “We have something so special at the festival in London that you had the feeling that if you did it anywhere else, it just wasn’t going to be quite good enough. You have to have the right place. The combination of Austin, which has a culture of music, and this venue is fantastic — it’s made for music.”
Cue went on to note that Apple is “not trying to pitch our products”, instead the company wants to focus on “the emotion of the artists and the fans.”
Dalrymple says that it’s not just the fans who like to enjoy the music — after playing its opening performance, the band Imagine Dragons went offstage and then sat in the balcony to watch Coldplay, an atypical thing for a major musical act. Apple doesn’t choose huge stadiums for its musical events, though it could probably sell out. Instead, Apple chooses small venues like the 2750-seat Moody Theater in Austin that it used at SXSW. It also gives away tickets for free, allowing all fans an equal opportunity to see their favorite acts, regardless of their ability to pay for tickets.
He also mentions the production behind the iTunes Festival, saying that the sound quality is the best he’s ever heard at a live event. With concerts being streamed live around the world on iPhones, iPads and the Apple TV, quality is important. Cue says that Apple takes a lot of pride in the iTunes Festival because the company has “such an admiration for what the artists do.”
Apple updated both the iTunes Festival iOS app and the companion Apple TV channel ahead of this week’s iTunes Festival. On-demand streams of the Austin concerts will be available for a limited time, while concerts will also stream live through Saturday.
Tonight, Isaiah Rashad, ScHoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar will appear, with Capital Cities, Band of Skulls and Soundgarden on stage on Thursday. Friday will see G.R.L, Zedd and Pitbull, with Mickey Guyton, Willie Nelson and Keith Urban wrapping up the festival on Saturday. The full lineup is also available on the iTunes Festival website.
iTunes Festival can be downloaded free from the App Store. [Direct Link]
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Apple now warns users of in-app purchase settings in iOS 7.1
Sure, Apple’s legal scuffle over in-app purchases made by misbehaving youngsters has ended, but the firm’s added a precautionary measure to avoid additional costly mishaps. Among other changes included in iOS 7.1, Cook and Co. snuck in an alert after micro-transactions that tells users similar payments can be made for the next 15 minutes without entering their password. Of course, the notice also directs the wielder of the iOS device to adjust the restriction if it’s not to their liking. The 15-minute policy is far from new, but the message is likely a welcome — albeit tiny — addition for parents with shopping spree-prone offspring.
Source: CNET
Pioneer Working on Aftermarket CarPlay Compatibility
Pioneer Electronics, a company that manufacturers many in-car electronic systems, is looking into the possibility of implementing CarPlay compatibility with both its existing and future products. The news comes courtesy of a Pioneer customer service representative and was relayed to MacRumors via a reader.
Introduced in early March, CarPlay is Apple’s iOS vehicle integration system that allows an iPhone to take over the in-dash display of a car, providing Siri-controlled voice access to features like Maps, phone functions, messages, and music.
While the service initially debuted solely in new cars from Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo, it appears CarPlay could be introduced into a wide range of existing vehicles through Pioneer, which offers aftermarket navigation and audio systems for cars.
Because Apple has thus far only announced CarPlay partnerships with specific car manufacturers for new 2014 models, it has been unclear whether the service is compatible with older vehicles. CarPlay does, however, work in conjunction with BlackBerry’s QNX Car Platform, which is used to power many existing in-car infotainment systems installed in a wide variety of automobiles, suggesting aftermarket solutions are indeed a possibility.
Mercedes-Benz, one of Apple’s official CarPlay partners, has also indicated that it is working on aftermarket installations, but Pioneer’s potential solution is more promising as it would be available in a wider range of existing vehicles.
Apple has officially announced deals with several different vehicle manufacturers including Honda, Ford, GM, Jaguar, and Hyundai, in addition to Volvo, Ferrari, and Mercedes-Benz, but it appears the company is also striking deals with accessory manufacturers like Pioneer, suggesting CarPlay could be widely distributed to vehicle owners over the course of the next few months.
(Thanks, Matt!)
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iOS 7.1 Includes Warning Message About 15-Minute In-App Purchase Window
Along with several visual tweaks, CarPlay support, and Touch ID enhancements, iOS 7.1 also brought some changes to the way in-app purchases work. When making an in-app purchase for the first time after updating, users are notified via a pop-up window that additional in-app purchases can be made for 15 minutes without reentering a password.
The message also points to an existing option in the Settings menu that allows users to require a password with every in-app purchase.
First uncovered by AppleInsider, the new message is likely the result of an agreement between Apple and the Federal Trade Commission, which required the company to implement measures to obtain express consent from consumers before billing them for an in-app purchase.
According to the consent decree that was initially signed in January, Apple had until March 31 to make the necessary changes, which may or may not be completed with the inclusion of the new message that requires users to acknowledge the possibility of additional in-app purchases.
While the pop-up is new, Apple has always had a 15-minute purchase window allowing additional in-app purchases to be made without reentering a password, a policy that landed the company in hot water in 2011 after parental complaints about children over-spending in apps sparked the FTC’s interest.
Apple made some changes to in-app purchases following the complaints, requiring a separate password entry specifically for in-app purchases, but the company was still forced by the FTC to to provide full refunds to parents whose children purchased unauthorized in-app items.
In addition to implementing the required changes to the App Store, Apple will refund approximately $32 million to parents.
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