Apple TV owners will have more to watch today, as AppleInsider reports that Apple has just update the set-top box with HBO Go, Watch ESPN, Sky News and other channels, including Crunchyroll and Qello.

“HBO GO and WatchESPN are some of the most popular iOS apps and are sure to be huge hits on Apple TV,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “We continue to offer Apple TV users great new programming options, combined with access to all of the incredible content they can purchase from the iTunes Store.”

Apple TV users have access to over 60,000 movies and 230,000 TV episodes, as well as iTunes, and the likes of Hulu Plus, Netflix’s streaming catalog, live sports from MLB, NBA, and NHL, plus Internet content from Vimeo, YouTube and Flickr.

According to Apple, iTunes users have downloaded more than one billion TV episodes and 380 million movies from iTunes to date, purchasing more than 800,000 TV episodes and 350,000 movies per day.

Source Apple TV update adds HBO Go, WatchESPN & more channels, Apple,

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I always felt that strategy and RPG games are under-represented especially on mobile devices, but this week brings some good news for fans of this kind of game. June 20 is the date that has been set for the release of turn-based strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown app especially designed for the iPhone and iPad.

The game puts you in charge of a secret paramilitary squad meant to deal with a devastating threat – an alien invasion. The gam​​eplay is quite complex as you will have to resolve multiple and different tasks. You will be in charge of your group as you patrol the environments in order to eliminate any threats posed by alien parties.

You will also be in charge of an underground research facility. This is where you can assign tasks and research projects to scientists who develop weapons to fight the foreign alien population (for example, sending scout satellites to investigate the attackers).

And that’s not all you get to do. You’ll have to make sure that the XCOM facility runs smoothly. For this to happen, you will have to find investors from across the globe. But every helping hand comes at a price. Every country that invested in your research will want to benefit from what technologies you design. To keep the money coming in, you have to figure out a strategy so that no conflicts arise.

The game accommodates perfectly the touch screen of the iDevices, so you won’t be noticing major differences if you played the PC game first.

When the game will hit the App Store later this week, it will become available for purchase for the price of $19.99 for both iPhone and iPad.

Source: GottaBeMobile

A massive segment of the population nowadays is affected with sleep problems which range from the occasional insomnia to more serious and health threatening issues. Gathering from the most advanced sleep research data, the Sleep Genius app for the iOS environment will be released this week to help people all over the world sleep better.

You might think a sleep app is no novelty in the App Store, but the ones you can find in there offer merely white noise or ambient relaxing noises that have yet to prove their efficacy. But Sleep Genius has been tested in rigorous medical studies before it was delivered to the public.

The experts that created the app are also responsible for helping astronauts from NASA go to sleep in space. Sleep Genius has resulted from​​ the interdisciplinary convergence of specialists from different areas of study like neuroscience, sleep, sound and music.

To get you that good night sleep you have been deprived for so long, the app utilizes a complex web of neurosensory algorithms, multiband binaural beats, pink noise and psychoacoustic music. To understand how important it is to get a good night sleep, the makers of the app have also released a commercial for Sleep Genius. In the video, a few examples showcase the importance of sleep – only 7 hours sleep/night might increase heart attack risk 100%, while 6 hours sleep/night might increase the risk of breast cancer 62%.

The designers of the app specify: “Our exclusive sleep algorithms and scientifically composed music ease your brain into its natural sleep rhythms”.

The app for iPhone and iPad will become available in the App Store in a few days and will be free for download for the time being.

Source: ModMyi

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Microsoft has been trying to penetrate the tablet sector for some time now, with no notable success. However, one can’t blame the company for not trying. With the advent of Windows 8, Microsoft has launched a series of very aggressive ads that directly attack Apple and Android products.

With the latest commercial it has released, Microsoft takes on the iPad up front, without the semi-subtle jokes we have seen in the Nokia Lumia 920 video. This is war out in the open.

The new broadcast is an advertisement for a Dell ​​tablet running Windows 8. The back story of the commercial is very minimalistic. The Windows 8 tablet and the iPad are placed next to one another, and a user is trying to perform various tasks on both gadgets. In the background, one can hear a Siri like voice commenting on the actions the user is trying to perform.

So how does Microsoft try to persuade us that Windows tablets are better? Well, if one is used to pinching when trying to zoom, they will naturally feel more at ease with the Dell tablet, but not with the iPad. The robotic voice coming from the iPad says “I’m sorry, I don’t zoom like that. Ouch! Ouch!” Then the person demonstrating in the video naturally slides an SD card into the Windows 8 gadget, but there’s no SD slot located anywhere on the Apple tablet.

The last part of the commercial showcases the fact that with the Dell computer, one can perform two actions at once (like watching a video and checking the calendar). Siri says “You can do two things at once? That’s cool!” Last but not least, there’s a price comparison between the Apple tablet and the Windows tablet - $599 versus $399.

Leaving aside the price, the iPad offers tons of functionalities the Windows one does not, but of course, a commercial made by the competition will only highlight the so called weaknesses. But honestly, is it that vital to be able to insert your SD card into your tablet, that you should judge an overall product by this feature?

Source: WinSuperSite

Apple is the latest addition to the US National Security Agency program PRISM which will be investigating private user information held by the tech giant. Other major companies have previously disclosed such intelligence, the most notable being Facebook and Microsoft last week.

Apple followed in their footsteps and today announced that it has received somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 requests from U.S law enforcement regarding the surveillance of customer private data. The requests were filled between the 1st of December 2​​012 and 31st of May 2013.

"Between 9,000 and 10,000 accounts or devices were specified in those requests, which came from federal, state and local authorities and included both criminal investigations and national security matters."

Compared to social media giant, Facebook – Apple’s numbers don’t seem that huge. The website took in 9,000 to 10,000 requests just in the second half of 2012. Microsoft got even more demands, with up to 31,000 customer accounts being surveyed in the second half of 2012.

You might be wondering which specific governmental establishments tried to dig into private information of users. The answer will probably ease the minds of those worrying about privacy. Most of the requests were made by police forces trying to solve cases, search for missing persons which include Alzheimer’s patients and so on.

Nevertheless, not all information relayed through Apple’s servers can become available. For example, iMessages and FaceTime benefit from end-to-end encryption. That means that only the sender and the receiver can have access to the data.

Source: The Next Web

Phone Arena reports today that new pictures have emerged online showing what appears to be the back cover of a new prototype version of the next iPad, which seem to show that the rear camera has been moved slightly. It’s not sure whether or not this is a full-size iPad or an iPad mini, but as Phone Arena points out, rumours have been circulating that Apple is soon to announce a full-sized iPad 5 and second-gen iPad mini, and this could be either of those. In fact, it’s been a good few days for iPad leaks, as Phone Arena also points out that what are said to be cases for the full-sized iPad 5 have also appeared online, with these pictures seeming to confirm recent rumours that have the next iPad being 15% thinner and one-third lighter than the current iPad. Most interestingly, Phone Arena says that these cases also show that the rear camera is sited in a slightly different position, as well as showing a new hole in the casing that could be for an additional microphone, possibly for spatial sound recording purposes.


Source New iPad prototype leaks out, alongside cases hinting at a slimmer tablet

So far, the film industry has failed in providing a detailed portrayal of the life and works of the former Apple CEO and visionary Steve Jobs. But hold on tight, because this is not going to be the case for long.

„Jobs” has been announced for some time now and movie fans have been waiting for its appearance since four months ago, but the production was somehow delayed. Rumors have suggested that the producers of the documentary movie wanted to spark a buzz and draw attention to their film. Well, it worked. Keeping aside such details, we now have an official and fix launch date which has been set for the 16th of August.​​

„Jobs” is the story of young college drop out Steve and details the events which lead to the founding of one of the world’s greatest tech companies – Apple INC. Playing Steve Jobs is Asthon Kutcher and Josh Gad steps in as his partner Steve Wozniak.

The film has already been screened to a selected audience and has received mixed reviews so far. Even co-founder Steve Wozniak had a say, feeling that the movie over-dramatizes some bits and pieces of what happened in Apple’s infancy.

And if until now, we tech fans, had no movies that covered the Apple topic to delight ourselves with, it appears that another autobiographical film is in the make. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin is also working to bring to the big screen the life of the former CEO in a motion picture entitled simply „Steve Jobs”.

Source: Deadline

For those who love looking at the sky at night and wonder about the mysteries of the expanding universe, you should know that even if you don’t own an expensive telescope, you can still take a glimpse at galaxies.

The single condition is to own an iPad. And to download a special little app called Slooh Space Camera. By installing this software, you basically turn your tablet into a telescope that’s able to take pictures of galaxies and stars right from the comfort of your own home. You don’t even need to visit the Observatory.

This app is truly amazing because it allows the user to actually control via the tablet a network of space telescopes. Now each and ​​every one of us can be in charge of maneuvering space cameras in order to instruct them to take high-quality images. The most important thing is that the images are taken in real time and the dates and times of your intergalactic wanderings are saved within the app.

Slooth's president, Patrick Paolucci, explained why the app will prove extremely exciting for science lovers and not only:

„Much of the fun will be „filling out” your own sky to build your collection, in the sky. It starts out blank until you command a Slooh Space Camera. It’s truly your own image, not a photo taken months or years earlier by some unknown facility or astro geek.”

Also, the app provides the opportunity, for just anybody, to shoot their very own celestial events such as solar flares or supernova explosions. If you want to start exploring the universe, you can download the iPad app for free. However, setting off a mission will not be free of charge. The starting price is set for $1.99.

Source: Space

Yesterday was Apple's big software announcement at their WWDC event, and obviously the launch of iOS 7 stole the show. The new OS from Apple takes on a number of new features, enhancements and general tweaks. Across the web there has been a wave of hyperbole thrown at the new OS ranging from glowing praise to damning vitriol. The truth is, (as usual), somewhere in between, and we wanted to share an article across our own network of mobile phone websites which attempts to distill it down to as fair a comparison as possible. Below we will share the primary new features which debuted in iOS 7 and will compare them as closely as possible to their Android 4.2/Jelly Bean equivalent (if one exists yet). This breakdown is in no particular order.

First: The Control Center in iOS 7 vs. System Setting Quick Toggles in Android 4.2/Jelly Bean - Even though it took a while for this feature to show up in stock Android, it has been a standard feature already on Android for quite some time already. Apple's iOS 7 control center is definitely a great new feature and it has some added functionality which Android's version does not. For the most part though, most of the functions are the same, but the text included with the buttons makes the Android version a bit easier to use. One could argue this is subjective, but ultimately there are a great deal of average consumers out there who might have a problem memorizing the icons for the system settings buttons on iOS 7 whereas that is not a problem on Android.

Second: The iOS New Home Screen and Lock Screen vs. Android's version - the trademarked and patented Lockscreen for iOS is now gone. Apple is definitely focusing on a minimalist approach for this now. You still have some valuable info, like the time, date, day and charge icon of the battery. You also have the text "Slide to Unlock." We aren't sure why Apple abandoned their previous lockscreen, but their new approach definitely does hold to their minimalist design aesthetic. It's obvious they want you to be able to get to your home screen as quickly as possible. The lock screen on Android 4.2 can be customized and can have widgets added. It also depends a bit on which phone you have from which manufacturer. With Android, since several OEMs do their own custom Android UI skin, there is a greater range of customized options on the lock screen. Some of these features are relatively handy if you need a quick glance at information without having to go all the way into your home screen.

Speaking of the home screen, this is where Apple has brought several changes, although at a precursory glance, the differences are not readily apparent to a person who is... [Read More]

Just as had been rumoured for many weeks, Apple today launched iTunes Radio at an action-packed WWDC in San Francisco. iTunes Radio is a free Internet radio service featuring over 200 stations and a massive catalog of music courtesy of the iTunes Store, which you’ll be able to access via your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC or Apple TV. The new service will offer music fans access to thousands of new songs every week, according to Apple, as well as exclusive music from new and popular artists alike, before they are available anywhere else, including exclusive singles from new artists, or even a pre-release stream of an entire album. You’ll also be able to listen to special events via iTunes Radio, including live streams direct from the iTunes Festival in London this fall, which is coincidentally when the new service will be up and running.

“iTunes Radio is an incredible way to listen to personalized radio stations which have been created just for you,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “It’s the music you love most and the music you’re going to love, and you can easily buy it from the iTunes Store with just one click.”

iTunes Radio will even enable you to build a station entirely around songs you like from the service or from your library, and Siri will also be getting involved, as you might expect. You can ask Siri questions, such as “Who plays that song?” or say, “Play more like this,” and Siri will answer you or do what you ask. You can also get Siri to create a radio station for you from your likes and dislikes, or add songs to your Wish List to download later.

iTunes Radio will be free, and supported by ads. And if you’re an iTunes Match user, it will be ad-free. An iTunes Match subscription costs $24.99 for one year.


Source: Apple

Aside from the radical new design look for iOS 7, Apple has today revealed many new features that are ushered in by the new OS. We're going to attempt to tell you about some of them here! First up we have Control Center, whereby all the controls that you want to access are bundled together in one easy-to-locate place that can be accessed with just one swipe from the bottom of your screen. Doing so will bring up controls for Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Do Not Disturb, as well as other features such as the screen brightness control, or AirPlay streaming, not to mention instant access to your Clock, Camera, and Calculator.


Next up, a very popular move, with Notification Center now available directly from the Lock screen, so all you have to do is swipe to see all your notifications. A new feature called Today has been added to Notification Center, giving you an at-a-glance view of your day, and a summary of the most important details, such as weather, traffic, meetings and events.

iOS 7 also brings with it improvements to multitasking via a new API for developers, so that any app can now be programmed to multitask in the background. Users will be able to switch between their apps in a more visual and intuitive way. iOS 7 will also keep an eye on the apps that you use the most and automatically keep your content updated in the background. Nice touch!

AirDrop is another new feature, a new way to quickly and easily share content with contacts that are nearby. Transfers are fully encrypted to ensure your content is private and protected.

Possibly one of the most exciting of the new features is the new Camera app, complete with Instagram-style filters with which you can add real-time photo effects, as well as a square camera option to add to the video, photo, and panorama options, complete with the ability to switch between all four options with just a swipe.

Other new features in an already long list are a redesigned Photos app with new Moments feature, which enables you to automatically organize your photos and videos based on time and location, and a redesigned Safari user interface.


Siri also gets a look in, with new male and female voices, and Twitter search integration, so you can now ask Siri to search Twitter mentions, and Siri also now has Wikipedia integration.

... [Read More]

Apple has just announced iOS 7 during the keynote speech to herald the beginning of WWDC in San Francisco today. Presenting the new iOS, the first one to be designed by Sir Jony Ive, Apple CEO Tim Cook said it was “the biggest change to iOS since the iPhone.” Which is an understatement! Just has been expected, the keynote revealed that the new iOS is indeed very different to what went before, looking much flatter. As AppleInsider reports, pretty much everything about the interface has been changed, including new typography, all new icons, and a very bright colour scheme. Among the new features on display is the parallax feature, which sees the wallpaper moving around as you move your iPhone in your hand, so that you can see behind the icons. All of the built-in apps have been completely redesigned with new looks, from Messages to Calendar and beyond. Also of note is the new Weather app, which Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi demonstrated, showing the dynamic weather effects appear in the background (just like on Android!) A new gesture has also been introduced to make it easier to control your phone with one hand, whereby you can swipe from the left of the screen to go back. Folders have also been made bigger to include more apps and multiple pages. So what does everyone think of the new look?


Source: Apple WWDC 2013 liveblog!
Apple reveals overhauled iOS 7 with flatter, more colorful design