"If there is an app for that"

Plex Adds Live TV Viewing to iPhone, iPad

June 01, 2017 by RSS Feed

Plex is known for its DVR streaming, and now it’s adding in over the air live viewing for iPhone and iPad users. You’ll need a Plex-compatible DVR device, a digital TV antenna, and a Plex Pass subscription.

Plex’s new features let subscribers with the right mix of gear watch live over the air HD TV channels, which will no doubt make the service more enticing to cord cutters and potential cord cutters ready to ditch their monthly cable TV bill.

There’s a comprehensive list of supported DVR devices on the Plex website along with suggestions for HD antennas, too. And, as if adding over the air HD TV support wasn’t enough, Plex also now lets you record and watch shows at the same time and added in-app DVR management.

What’s missing, at least for now, is Apple TV support. Plex says support for more devices is in the works, so hopefully Apple TV users can get in on the live watching action soon.

Plex Pass is priced at US$4.99 a month, $39.99 a year, or $119.99 for a lifetime license. The Plex app for iPhone and iPad is a free download on Apple’s App Store.

Source link: https://www.macobserver.com/news/product-news/plex-live-tv-viewing-iphone-ipad/

Skype iOS App Gets Redesigned and Adds New Snapchat-Like Features

June 01, 2017 by RSS Feed

Microsoft announced an updated version of its Skype app for iOS today, bringing a big redesign to the fore along with new features inspired by other popular apps.

Skype is now designed on iOS (and Android) to bring a sharp focus on some of its built-in features, including chat bots, conversations with other real people, and even a new Snapchat Stories-like feature baked right in. Of course, camera features also get time to shine in this redesigned app, and users can even decide which colors are prominent throughout the app as Microsoft lets them choose how they want Skype to look.

There is a new “Highlights” feature in Skype, which is accessible just by swiping off the primary Chats screen. Just like we’ve seen in Snapchat and Instagram, Skype users will be able to use the Highlights feature to take a photo or video, add text to it, or emoji and stickers, and then post it to their own Highlights reel. It will disappear after 24 hours. What’s more, only folks who follow you on Skype will be able to see it.

Interestingly enough, Skype’s Corporate Vice President Amritansh Raghav isn’t hesitant about showing the connection, or inspiration, of Skype’s redesign with those other popular apps, as noted by TechCrunch:

“It’s like Facebook has said,” says Raghav, referencing remarks made by Facebook’s VP of messaging David Marcus, who recently argued that Stories “is definitely a format, the same way the feed is a format.”

Raghav agrees. The feed is now commonly used in a range of apps – even those that aren’t personal social networks, like Microsoft’s business communications service Yammer.

“There’s a new medium that has risen,” he says of Stories. “When you think about this new way of interacting, [we want that to be] available also in this application.”

Chat bots are now part of Skype, too, something we’ve seen in apps like Facebook Messenger and many others. That includes Microsot’s digital personal assistant, Cortana. Others include Gfycat, Stubhub, Expedia, YouTube, UpWorthy, and many others.

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Finally, the traditional video calling is still part of Skype, but it’s getting a bit of a modernizing, too. Specifically, while you’re on a video call you’ll be able to send stickers or emoji, and even photos, which will appear in a new overlay over the call for a brief period of time.

It’s worth noting here that Skype’s major redesign is rolling out to the Android platform first, but it’s coming to iOS “in about a month.” For Mac users, and even Windows PC fans, the update will appear within the next few months.

How are you liking all these apps taking after Snapchat?

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[via TechCrunch; Skype Blog]

Source link: http://www.iphonehacks.com/2017/06/skype-snapchat-redesign.html

Socially Aggregate The News To Fit Your Needs With Wavii

June 01, 2017 by RSS Feed

Wavii (Free) by Wavii is a different way to look at the news. Rather than just being a traditional aggregator, Wavii spruces things up by turning the news feed into a stream of easier-to-read status updates. Consume your news as you would your Twitter or Facebook timelines!

In order to use Wavii, you will need to create an account. However, if you link it up with your Twitter or Facebook profile, it should make the process a little easier. If you don’t, you can sign up in the traditional method. Once an account is made, you can choose to link up your social network profiles to gather links from. Otherwise, you can choose from a variety of topics and create a fresh new feed of stories from them, or add these in addition to your social network links.

Wavii has a beautifully polished interface that makes it a pleasure to interact with. There’s a slide-out side panel menu for navigation: Main Feed, Your Profile, Discover Topics, Find Friends, Notifications, Settings and Feedback.

You will more than likely be spending all of your time in Wavii within the Main Feed section. From here, you will get numerous status-update sized bits of news. If you slide your finger along the top header bar, you can browse through different sections: Popular, Technology, Entertainment, Politics, Business, and World.

The news updates will display a category, source, thumbnail images, and whatever other information is available. Each item may vary with what is shown at first, but it is presented in a way that should grab your attention if you’re interested. When you find an item that does actually warrant your consideration, just tap on it to bring up a reading view with a summary of the article. A “read more” link is provided if you want the entire story, which will be shown in an in-app browser.

The cool thing about Wavii is that you can share your thoughts on headlines through the use of emoticons. Think of how you “react” to Path posts — you will do the same in Wavii. Just tap on the space underneath an update to bring up a popover menu with various reactions, and select one to be what you think of the story. The “?” button allows you to write down a comment instead. Stories can be shared via Facebook, Twitter, and email if needed as well, with a link to the story on Wavii.

As you browse through your feeds, Wavii may have a box with related topics to the ones that are currently shown. If you’re interested in any of the suggested topics, there is a “+” button that allows you to follow it, and stories regarding it will be shown in your feeds.

Need more content? Navigate to the Discover Feeds section in the menu and add topics to your heart’s content. There is also a search feature, which allows users to search for topics and people.

Since Wavii is a social way to get your news, you are able to find friends to follow, seeing their reactions and what they’re reading. I noticed that I was following some of my Twitter friends who are already using the service, which can be a good and bad thing, since there’s no opt-in to it, but you already have some friends to get content from. There isn’t a way to invite Facebook friends, though, as the only way to invite currently is through your address book and email. If there is any activity, like new follows, you can see them in the Notifications view.

I consider myself to be a news junkie, and I think that Wavii is a great way to aggregate the content into an easier-to-digest way. The interface is beautiful, though at times I felt it was unresponsive, but I believe that has something to do with their servers. It’s a nice spin on the news, and the status update-like way they are delivered really makes it easier to find stuff you like or don’t like.

It may not be for everyone, but if you’re looking for an easier, more fun way to get content that interests you, then I suggest checking out Wavii. Get it for free for your iPhone in the App Store.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

credit : appadvice

from : Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc.

Apple’s free app of the week: The Robot Factory

June 01, 2017 by RSS Feed

Apple on Thursday updated its App of the Week promotion with The Robot Factory by Tinybop. For the next 7 days, you can pick up the popular title for free on both iPhone and iPad—a solid savings of $4.

From the App Store Editors’ Notes:

Kids (and kids at heart) can unleash their inner scientists with this captivatingly clever robot-creation kit, which features millions of different combinations for mechanical inventions. Whether you’re assembling a wheeled bot with laser guns for arms or a jolly jumping automation with pogo-stick legs, taking your new bot on a walk through the woods will highlight the success—or the rough edges—of your design. While The Robot Factory teaches some nifty physics basics, we like to play around just for the pure fun of it.

And here’s a clip of the app in action:

The Robot Factory is available in the App Store for free.

Source link: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2017/06/01/free-app-of-week-robot-factory/

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 06/01/2017

June 01, 2017 by RSS Feed

Daniel Tiger’s Day & Night , Easy Spending - Money tracker, Budget Planner , Magic Sorter: 10 learning games for toddlers, kids and more

Universal:

Daniel Tiger’s Day & Night ( $2.99 → Free ) PBS KIDS PBS Kids’ Daniel Tiger will help your child practice important daily routines through mini-games. The four morning games will have your child dressing Daniel, helping him set the table for breakfast, brushing his teeth, and choosing a pair of shoes and tying them. The four good night games have them bathing Daniel, brushing his teeth again, putting on his pajamas, and guiding him through a bedtime story. Sing-along songs help make the routines more engaging.

Easy Spending - Money tracker, Budget Planner ( $1.99 → Free ) Tekton Technologies (P) Ltd. Most finance apps are all cluttered up with unnecessary options and data, but not Easy Spending Expense Tracker. The app’s home screen only displays your current account balance and two buttons: Add Income and Add Expense. When adding income or an expense, you simply have to define an amount and choose a category. The amount will automatically be added to or subtracted from your total. You’re able to look back through your transaction history, and create reports from all of the data.

Magic Sorter: 10 learning games for toddlers, kids ( $2.99 → Free ) Kindermatica Ltd. The 10 included games and activities will teach your child about colors, shapes, sizes, counting, and matching. The vibrant animations and upbeat music will keep them engaged for hours, and the uncluttered interface makes it easy for them to enjoy the app entirely on their own.

Merry Cubes HD - 3d cube fruit puzzles to develop fine motor skills ( $0.99 → Free ) Kindermatica Ltd. Merry Cubes HD provides a vibrant environment for your child to learn and play in. All they have to do is swipe across the cubes to reveal different sides and rotate two fingers to spin their faces. Once a fruity character has been reconstructed, they will begin to dance and are marked off the list at the bottom of the screen. The game includes six characters, two difficulty levels, and upbeat background music.

PirTie ( $0.99 → Free ) Complexity Visions PirTie is a color explosion mapped onto a sphere. You’re able to swipe to move the sphere and pinch to zoom in and out. A single tap will change the colors. A double tap will change the pattern. A triple tap will capture a photo. PirTie also supports TV-out.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free