Let's Talk iOS 180: Non-event event
March 28, 2017 by RSS Feed
Apple just released a bunch of new software updates for iOS, watchOS, macOS, and tvOS, so Cody and Sebastien touch briefly on those. The guys also talk about everything Apple announced last week, including the red iPhone 7, a new iPad, and more. Finally, the two co-hosts discuss Apple’s recent acquisition of Workflow app.
Support Let's Talk iOS: Get $50 towards any mattress purchase by going to Casper.com/ios and using code IOS at checkout.
How to listen:
Show Notes
Apple releases iOS 10.3 with Find My AirPods and other new features
watchOS 3.2 with Theater Mode, Siri in apps & more now available for Apple Watch
tvOS 10.2 for Apple TV now available with accelerated scrolling & other enhancements
macOS Sierra 10.12.4 with Night Shift for Mac launches
Rumor: iOS 11's Siri will learn from user behaviors, gain iMessage integration & iCloud syncing
FT: Apple stepping up efforts in augmented reality eyewear
Everything Apple announced last week
Apple acquires powerful automation app Workflow
Make sure to follow your hosts on Twitter: @SebastienPage, and @melvco, Send a tweet to @LTiOS_fm if you’d like your question to be answered at the end of next week’s podcast. Be sure to share your thoughts, comments, and suggestions below. Talk to you next week!
Source link: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2017/03/28/lets-talk-ios-180-non-event-event/credit : idownloadblog
TypeShift is a Different Kind of Word Game
March 27, 2017 by RSS Feed
TypeShift (Free) by Zach Gage is a modernized word puzzle game that will keep your brain stimulated for quite some time. If you enjoyed unique word games like Letterpress and Alpha Omega, then you will like what TypeShift has in store.
As a writer, I have a thing for words, so it should come as a surprise to no one that I enjoy my fair share of word games, especially on iOS. While I’m not as good as other people I know, I find word games to be fun, challenging, and they’re great at stimulating my mind and expanding my vocabulary. I’ve gone through a good amount of these puzzles while at AppAdvice, but I can’t help it — I’m always on the lookout for exciting new ones that pop up. So when I got the news of TypeShift, the latest game from Zach Gage, who made Spelltower (another excellent word game), Ridiculous Fishing, and Sage Solitaire, I knew that it was something I had to try out. And without a doubt in my mind, TypeShift is another great title from Gage that won’t disappoint.
TypeShift features a super minimal aesthetic that will appeal to anyone who craves simplicity. Since this is a word game, there isn’t too much in terms of graphics, but the sans serif typeface used for the puzzles is rather bold and makes an impact while being easily legible. There are simple icons that should be easily recognizable for daily completed puzzles and the section of your favorite words, which is handy for referring back to at a later point. The default color palette is nice, as it features a dark blue background with a nice range of soft pastels to richer tones. TypeShift has smooth and fluid animations, and there is plenty of haptic feedback if you are playing on an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus. There are even soothing click noises as you slide the columns of tiles, which is oddly satisfying.
If you prefer something different, you can unlock all of the color themes in the game by making any in-app purchase, which also gets rid of ads and lets you view your statistics. I opted for the “Chocolate” puzzle pack to unlock the extras, and the additional color themes are well done and make the game stand out more. Plus, there’s a handful of different options available, so there will be a theme for everyone. Just like his other games, Gage has done a great job with the look and feel of TypeShift.
Like other word games, TypeShift is level-based, with hundreds of puzzles spread out across a myriad of “packs,” which are essentially chapters with tasty names. With the initial free download, players will find over 100 puzzles already available from the get-go. On top of that, there will be daily puzzles each day, and these are a great way to compete for the fastest times across the globe if you’re the competitive type. However, if all of that is not enough, you can purchase additional puzzle packs at about $0.99 to $1.99 a pop, or go for the Starter Bundle that includes three packs at a discount rate. As I mentioned, any in-app purchase gets rid of the ads and grants you access to the color themes and statistics. Each pack tells you the type of puzzles it contains, whether they’re quick or require a bit more thinking, small, medium, or large, and whether they have clues or not (think crosswords). Regardless, the goal in TypeShift is simple enough: spell out words in the center row until you’ve used all of the letters at least once.
The control scheme in TypeShift is easy and intuitive. Each puzzle features several rows and columns of letter tiles. However, the only way to spell something out is if it is done in the center row, which is highlighted and stands out from the rest. To move letters, you’ll have to slide a column vertically with your finger, similar to a padlock dial. When you spell out a proper word, the letters will change color and bounce, which is a nice and subtle indication that you’re making progress. Repeat this process until you find all of the words and use up all of the letter tiles. If you’re curious about your progress on a puzzle, just check the upper right corner, where you can see a percentage of how complete it is.
If you get stuck, the game does have a hint system, but you only have a few free ones to start out with. When you’re out of hints, you’ll have to buy more through in-app purchases. Otherwise, another option to consider is to ask your friends through the iOS Share Sheet. A lot of the puzzles can be solved by trial-and-error though, so don’t worry if you get stuck — just give it a few moments and come back to it. At least that worked for me.
As mentioned earlier, TypeShift is an anagram-type of word game with a dash of word search thrown into the mix. However, some puzzle packs that you can purchase are “Clue” puzzles, which means that there are short clues to the words that you can find in a puzzle, similar to a crossword. These offer a nice variety to the typical puzzle that you find in this game, and make it less random when it comes to the words that are hidden in the level. However, the only negative is the fact that these puzzles come at a premium, since there are no Clue stages available with the initial download.
As a fan of word games, I’ve found TypeShift to be a delightful gem among the recent flood of big indie game titles on the App Store. The visuals are simple and clean, the sound effects are fun to hear, the haptic feedback is nice, and the game mechanic is different enough to stand out among the word game market. I just wish that the game gave you some Clue puzzles to try out first before dropping cash on in-app purchases, and honestly I would have preferred a “complete bundle” type of in-app purchase to get everything (including future premium packs) for a set price, rather than individually. Plus, the amount of ads that are included prior to making a purchase was a tad too frequent for me. I did notice that sometimes solving a puzzle through trial-and-error made me spell out words that I never heard of before, so there are definitely some obscure terms in TypeShift.
I still recommend giving TypeShift a try if you’re in the mood for some stimulating word puzzles and want something that is distinctive. TypeShift is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free with in-app purchases.
Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews
credit : appadvice
Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 03/27/2017
March 27, 2017 by RSS Feed
Eighty-Eight , Shark Puzzles for Kids Jigsaw Wonder Collection , Find My Fitbit - Fitbit Finder For Lost Fitbits and more
Universal:
Eighty-Eight ( $0.99 → Free ) Premiere Liaison You're presented with numbered blocks that must be dropped into the grid below. A block is scored and removed only when its number equals the number of contiguous blocks in the same row or column. This allows you to strategically place blocks to create chain reactions and score big points. Just don't let the blocks reach the top of the grid or it's game over. The game includes two modes, stat tracking, and achievements and leaderboards via Game Center.
Shark Puzzles for Kids Jigsaw Wonder Collection ( $1.99 → Free ) Eggroll Games LLC You won’t be able to resist the wonder of this jigsaw puzzle game. Each of the 44 jigsaw puzzles features a breathtaking shark photo to reconstruct. The jigsaw puzzles can be broken up into as few as four pieces and as many as 24. You’re also able to choose whether or not you want a colored background and outline hints. What more could you ask for?
Find My Fitbit - Fitbit Finder For Lost Fitbits ( $5.99 → Free ) Cloforce LLC Lost your Fitbit or just worried you might lose it someday? Fitbit Finder is here to assist. Simply launch the app and it will automatically discover any Fitbit units nearby. As you move around, the app will indicate how close you are via cold and hot colors. When you’re about two to four feet away, the indicator will display a fiery red. It’s basically a game of cold and hot.
Musemage - Professional Video Camera and Editor ( $3.99 → Free ) Paraken Technology Co., Ltd. Musemage is the ultimate all-in-one camera app. What sets it apart from every other app is its slick user interface and real-time effects. Every shooting mode, every photo adjustment, and every effect can be accessed by swiping across wheels. This makes it remarkably easy to fiddle with the seven shooting modes, 33 lens filters and special effects, and 44 color filters. The app also offers a variety of editing options like the ability to stitch together video clips, cut out unwanted moments, attach music, and add watermarks.Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free
credit : appadvice
Apple releases iOS 10.3 with Find My AirPods and other new features
March 27, 2017 by RSS Feed
Apple today released for public consumption the third major software update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. iOS 10.3 is now available via the Software Update mechanism in Settings more than six months since iOS 10 made its debut in September 2016 and more than two months following the current iOS 10.2.1 update.
iOS 10.3 brings about a number of new features and improvements, including Find My AirPods for locating misplaced earbuds, a brand new file system, a new App Compatibility page in settings to identify 32 bit apps, a redesigned iCloud section in Settings and much more.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the more useful new features in iOS 10.3
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We’ll be soon posting our full overview of everything new in iOS 10.3.
In the meantime, do you plan on installing iOS 10.3?
Source link: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2017/03/27/apple-releases-ios-10-3/credit : idownloadblog
Apple releases annual Supplier Responsibility report, here are the highlights
March 27, 2017 by RSS Feed
Apple on Monday announced that its eleventh Supplier Responsibility report is now available, highlighting how its supply chain companies are treating workers and what they have done to improve working conditions at their facilities. In 2016, Apple trained more than 2.4 million workers on their rights as employees. Since 2008, over two million people have participated in Apple’s Supplier Employee Education and Development (SEED) program. The company audited 705 suppliers last year, saying that compliance with 60-hour maximum work week for employees has reached 98 percent, the highest ever.
The company believes that everyone in its supply chain deserves dignity and respect. To achieve this, the company has been working for years on enforcing stricter standards, improving working conditions and protecting the planet.
Here are some of the highlights in the new Supplier Responsibility progress report.
- Compliance with a 60-hour maximum work week reached 98 percent, an all-time high
- 200,000+ metric tons of waste were diverted from landfills in 2016
- Suppliers reduced carbon emissions by 150,000 metric tons
- Apple trained 2.4+ million workers on their rights as employees in 2016
The company’s suppliers for the fist time achieved 100 percent UL Zero Waste to Landfill validation for all final assembly sites in China. The iPhone maker's responsible sourcing efforts expanded beyond conflict minerals to include cobalt for the first time.
The company explains.
For the second year in a row, 100% of Apple's tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold (3TG) smelters and refiners are participating in independent third-party audits. Apple has also partnered with numerous NGOs to drive positive change on the ground, including Pact who are working to provide essential health and safety training to artisanal mining, and are building programs to help children stay in school.
Apple also tripled the number of supplier sites in the Energy Efficiency program and its Clean Water program since 2013 saved over 3.8 billion gallons of fresh water, “enough to provide every person on the planet with eighteen glasses of water.”
To learn more about Apple's progress, visit apple.com/supplier-responsibility.
Source: Apple
Source link: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2017/03/27/apple-releases-annual-supplier-responsibility-report-here-are-the-highlights/credit : idownloadblog
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