Typo’s truce with BlackBerry stops it from selling phone keyboards
Typo started fending off lawsuits from BlackBerry almost as soon as its lookalike iPhone keyboards went on sale, but it’s at last getting a break… well, sort of. The Ryan Seacrest-backed company has reached a settlement with BlackBerry that ends all lawsuits, but requires that it “permanently discontinue” selling keyboards for any device with a screen 7.9 inches or smaller (that is, phones). Effectively, the crew in Waterloo is asking Typo to drop its very reason for being — it was formed by executives who wanted to ditch their BlackBerrys for iPhones without having to type on glass. While Typo will stick around and sell iPad keyboards, there’s no doubt that it’s a shell of its former self.
Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Mobile, Blackberry
Via: N4BB
Source: BlackBerry
iPhones can be Google VR viewers, too
As we walked out of today’s Google I/O keynote, we — and all other keynote attendees — were handed the second-generation version of Cardboard, Google’s low-tech effort at a VR headset. As was announced at the keynote itself, the new Cardboard is designed to fit phones that are 6-inches or larger, which makes sense given the size of Google’s own Nexus 6. It’s also now much easier to set up; in just three easy steps. Another improvement is that it no longer has the magnetic ring trigger of the original, which apparently didn’t work with all phones. Now it has a simple top button that when pressed, activates a lever coated in capacitive tape — think of it as a cardboard finger touching the phone’s screen. This, of course, makes the Cardboard viewer compatible with a lot more phones — including, yes, the iPhone.
I had the chance to try out the new viewer with both a Nexus 6 and an iPhone 6, and well, it certainly is easy to put together. Just snap out the velcro, fold the pre-scored pieces of cardboard, put in your phone, and voila — you’ve got a VR headset. The top button is also far easier to push down, giving it a very ViewMaster feel. As for content, Google also announced the new Cardboard app for iOS today, along with an updated Cardboard SDK for developers to build VR apps for Apple’s mobile OS as well. The demo apps for iOS are a little different — there’s an Exhibit app of different museums plus a colorful kaleidoscope — but the experience is very similar to the one on Android. Images are surprisingly colorful and sharp, though I did experience a bit of lag when transitioning between different screens.
As ever, Cardboard won’t have the same fidelity and immersiveness as something like the Oculus Rift or Gear VR — there’s no danger of light leaking through, for example — but it’s pretty great for what is essentially just a piece of cardboard and some lenses. If you want one for yourself, you’ll have to either make it yourself from Google’s own specs, or get one from Dodocase for around $25. Oh, and that Cardboard app for iOS? It’s out already, so go on and try it out if you have an iPhone and that new Cardboard viewer lying around.
Filed under: Google
Source: Cardboard (iTunes)
Pixelmator’s photo-editing app is coming to the iPhone
After testing the waters on Mac and iPad successfully, Pixelmator is now bringing its highly rated image editor to Apple’s iPhone. Finally. Most notably, the application will feature new editing elements to assist while you’re on the go, including a distort tool that lets you warp a photo to your liking and see the changes in real-time. The soon-to-be universal iOS app is going to be available for $5 starting tomorrow, or as a free update to people who already own the iPad version. Oddly enough, the Pixelmator app seems to have disappeared from the App Store in recent hours, but we’re sure it’ll be back there in time for tomorrow’s scheduled launch.
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Software, Mobile, Apple
Via: The Verge
Source: Pixelmator, App Store
Apple is fixing a bug that crashes your iPhone with a text message
Beware if you have any jokester friends with iOS devices — they might just have a way to ruin your day if you have any iOS gadgets of your own. Apple has confirmed that it’s fixing a recently discovered bug that crashes iPhones and other iOS 8 hardware the moment you get a carefully crafted set of Unicode characters in iMessage and other communication apps with notification previews. It’s not clear when that fix will be available, but the only existing safeguard is to turn off those previews. Otherwise, you may have to bend over backwards to make sure that those rogue messages don’t cause further chaos. While this isn’t the biggest iOS glitch we’ve seen lately, it’s definitely the most annoying.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
Apple is reportedly working on its answer to Google Now
Apple has made some efforts to give you relevant info when you need it (such as iOS’ Today screen), but it hasn’t really had a response to Google Now, which brings you everything from timely directions to cheap flights. According to 9to5Mac‘s sources, however, that’s going to change soon. The crew at 1 Infinite Loop is reportedly working on Proactive, an effort to unite Siri, contacts, schedules and apps in a way that surfaces info at just the right time. A revamped Spotlight search screen in iOS will automatically fill with content based on your schedule and habits. If you’re going on a trip, for example, it’ll pop up your Passbook ticket when it’s time to go; if you always check Facebook in the morning, you’ll get an app shortcut. There are also promises of restaurant suggestions showing up at meal time.
There are other projects in the works that could help out Proactive, too. Maps is believed to be getting an augmented reality tool, Browse Around Me, that will help you learn more about points of interest — look at a coffee shop and you’d get its menu. There would also be a shrunk-down version of Siri’s voice recognition service that would let it dive into apps without risking the privacy issues that arise when you’re sending personal data to third-party software.
Whether or not Proactive and its companion features show up in iOS 9 isn’t clear. The tipsters understand that Apple is still focused on quality for the next mobile OS release, and it may cut back on features for the initial launch in favor of expanding them over time. It won’t be shocking if Tim Cook and company show up at next month’s Worldwide Developer Conference with only a few Proactive features, if they even discuss it at all. Given how rough iOS 8 was in its early days, we wouldn’t blame the iPhone maker for holding off.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Apple
Source: 9to5Mac
Galaxy S6 to gain better manual exposure control in Android 5.1 update
Whether you’re an Apple fan or a Samsung fan, one thing is certain – the iPhone has offered one of the best camera experiences on a smartphone for quite some time now. Though, just recently, that may have changed for some users after the launch of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Samsung’s two newest flagships not only brought a much-improved camera experience over their predecessor, but they were arguably the first Android phones to give the current iPhone offering a run for its money. To make the experience even better, Samsung is supposedly bringing a handy feature to the Galaxy S6’s camera that has only been implemented on iPhone cameras so far.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge camera shootout
Just about every smartphone camera out there has an option to adjust exposure, but on Apple devices, users have the ability to manually adjust the exposure at the point of focus in the viewfinder. For instance, when there is an abundance of light behind the subject of the photo, using the stock camera on the iPhone will let you increase or decrease the exposure amount by simply dragging your finger up or down on the subject. According to SamMobile, this easier method of adjusting exposure is making its way to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge in the update to Android 5.1 Lollipop. The publication has been testing out an early build of the software for a little while now, and they have confirmed that the feature is in fact present in the 5.1 update.
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Along with an easier way to control exposure, both Samsung devices should also receive support for RAW image capture and shutter speed control in the update to Android 5.1. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are expected to receive the update sometime in June, so users don’t have much longer to wait.
Microsoft unveils Cortana voice assistant for Android and iPhone
Yes, it’s official: Microsoft is bringing Windows’ Cortana voice assistant to Android and iPhone. Both platforms will get a dedicated app that, much like you see on Windows Phone today, will let you dictate reminders, track flights and otherwise keep your life organized. Cortana’s Notebook, which remembers what you like, will also sync across all your platforms. This won’t be a one-for-one recreation of what you get right now, though — since Microsoft can’t tap directly into the operating system like it can on Windows devices, you won’t get hands-free activation through “hey Cortana” or options to launch apps or settings. Still, it’ll be worth seeing what this Halo-inspired helper can do when it reaches Android in late June, and iPhones sometime later this year — and we’d add that it’s not the only treat Microsoft has in store for your smartphone, either.
The Redmond crew is also unveiling Phone Companion, a Windows 10 app (due in the OS preview within a few weeks) that helps you sync your Android, iOS or Windows handset with your PC. It’ll mostly entail loading apps for Microsoft’s services if you’re using non-Windows hardware, but it should take the challenge out of accessing your computer’s content when you’re on the road. And yes, this includes music on all platforms. The company is promising an updated version of Xbox Music for Android and iOS that, like on Windows, will stream your OneDrive music for free. This doesn’t arrive in beta form until July, but it’ll be worthwhile if you thrive in Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Source: Blogging Windows
Firefox browser for iOS is almost ready for testing
It’s been a long time coming, but Firefox for iOS is nearly here… in a manner of speaking. Mozilla has revealed that it’s about to conduct a “limited” beta test of the web browser, and has already posted source code for early testers. The organization would like to have an open beta that gives everyone an early peek (à la Android), but that’s not really possible with Apple’s current testing mechanism. Still, a public release is likely close behind — if you’re not a fan of your iPhone’s existing web surfing options, you’ll have another major alternative before long.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile
Source: Mozilla
Apple Transit maps could be coming to iOS 9
9to5Mac, citing unnamed sources, reports that Apple is potentially gearing up to release its updated Transit service — the same one it nixed immediately before last year’s WWDC event — with iOS 9. Transit acts as an add-on layer to Apple’s existing Maps program providing accurate navigation instructions for public transportation systems. This functionality hasn’t been available as a part of the official built-in app ever since Apple switched to its own service instead of using Google’s.
Transit will reportedly also offer a host of additional UI tweaks when it’s released, in addition to those bus, train and subway routes. That includes larger icons, a trip-planning feature and “transit view” — an alternative to the existing Standard, Hybrid, and Satellite/Flyover shots. iOS 9 is scheduled to debut at WWDC 2015 so we’ll have to wait until June to see if Transit actually does make the cut this year.
Filed under: Internet, Mobile, Apple
Source: 9to5 Mac
Twitch brings on-demand video streaming to its mobile apps
Missed out on a live game tournament stream when you were at home, but want to catch up when you’re on the road? As of now, you can. Twitch is pushing out updated Android and iOS apps that include video on demand, giving you highlights and past broadcasts when you’re stuck on the bus. Both releases are available today, although it’s important to note that you can’t simply update the Android version — a security fix requires that you install a brand new app, and the old one will stop working as of today.
Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Internet, Mobile
Source: Twitch, App Store, Google Play
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