Gmail for iOS Updated with a New Notification Sound, Better Labeling, and a Whiteboard

By Cody Fink

Google’s official Gmail app for iOS is was quickly taken off the App Store when it first launched due to a notification bug, and while many of us are still waiting for a proper implementation (banners anyone?), Google’s decided to tweak the default chime for something more recognizable in the meantime. Instead of one iOS’ default dings, Gmail’s notification alert has been replaced with a chime that sounds like you’ve collected a coin from a 16-bit video game. Perhaps that’s the only thing to love about Gmail’s latest update if you’re a consistent user, as the addition of mobile signature support and a vacation responder aren’t too exciting. These features can be accessed via the gear icon at the top of the menu view.

Google’s gone ahead an improved labels with nested label support, better organizing the collection of labels you’ve set-up for the mobile interface.

But perhaps the oddball new feature (which doesn’t make much sense to me) is the addition of a whiteboard (Google calls it a canvas) that you can doodle on. Anything you draw, sketch, or write can be customized with different colors, brush sizes, lines, and paint. When finished, you can attach these doodles to your outgoing message.

Google does address one of my main complaints:

Behind the scenes, we’re continuing to work on highly requested features like banner notifications, multiple login support and the ability to send-as from any account already configured in Gmail. We want to make sure these are done right as we continue to improve the Gmail app.

Now that’s the update we’re looking forward to. I don’t know if the whiteboard is something we needed, but bug fixes and a more recognizable notification chime are certainly welcome.

[via the Official Gmail Blog]

Apple Brings Concept Artist Jan-Michael Cart Aboard as an Intern

By Cody Fink

You’ve probably seen at least one of Jan-Michael Cart iOS concept videos in the past, including this fantastic iMessage app concept for the Mac, or his conceptualization of dictation on the iPhone 4S. His YouTube channel is full of bright ideas on how iOS can progress with a variety of new features, and it seems his impressive repertoire of concept videos have landed him a gig at Apple itself. “It’s Official. UI/UX design.” Cart will begin at Apple as an intern while keeping his friends and family updated on his WordPress blog.

Welcome to the new blog section of my website. Soon I will be embarking to California, where I will be interning at a fruit company for seven months. I will be updating this to chronicle my adventures and misadventures in the Bay Area for my family, friends, and followers online. Stay tuned, I leave in less than a month!

This isn’t the first time Apple has acquired talent from the iOS community, hiring the developer of MobileNotifier, Peter Hajas, earlier this year. Congratulations to Cart for a splendid invite at Apple. Hopefully we’ll see his ideas permeate in future iOS updates sooner than later!

[via iPhoneinCanada]

Microsoft Continues iOS App Rollout with OneNote for iPad and SkyDrive for iPhone

By Cody Fink

Microsoft has been rolling out quite a few apps lately, now introducing Microsoft OneNote for the iPad and SkyDrive for the iPhone (and Windows Phone). It looks like Microsoft really is bringing Microsoft Office to the iPad with these notable releases, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. OneNote is a mobile companion for the desktop app (not an addition to), and SkyDrive is Dropbox-esque in its execution. Handy to have with you? You bet. Alternative replacements for the real things? Probably not so much.

Microsoft Releases their First iOS Game: Kinectimals Now Available in the App Store

By Cody Fink

Coinciding with the launch of their official Xbox LIVE application for iOS, Microsoft has brought Kinectimals to iOS, giving Xbox 360 owners an opportunity to play the iOS version and unlock up to five new cubs for the Kinect version. Kinectimals, only $2.99 on the App Store, allows gamers to explore the island of Lemuria while caring for and playing with their own virtual cub. At the beginning of the game, players will choose their very own cub to care for, feed, and interact with. Available for the iPhone, iPod touch, and the iPad, Kinectimals brings the same visual flavor of the Xbox 360 version to your mobile devices.

Kinectimals is the first game that Microsoft has brought to iOS, with the incentive that it unlocks more content for the parent game. Kinectimals is its own stand-alone adventure, however, and can be downloaded as a universal app from the App Store.

[Major Nelson (Twitter) via The Verge]

Google Chrome Updates to Support Multiple Users by “Signing In to Chrome”

By Cody Fink

Before today’s Google Chrome update, the browser was limited to a single user and a basic syncing feature that kept apps, extensions, and bookmarks mirrored between different computers. Today, the sync feature is getting attention in the form of a “Chrome Sign In” that enables Chrome users to instantly sync their session in real time to Google’s cloud. As a replacement for the previous sync, Signing In to Chrome allows you to maintain your own personal Chrome workspace without interfering with someone else’s browser preferences.

Multiple users can Sign In to Chrome, and instantly the browser changes to reflect their setup. However, this doesn’t protect your significant other or nosey roommate from snooping around in your stuff. Signing In to Chrome simply makes convenient the ability to quickly load one’s settings, but it doesn’t protect the workspace from being used by someone else (as anyone can simply click to switch between users). It’s certainly intended to be used in a family setting where multiple people are sharing the computer, not on a public computer in a library.

You’ll likely have the latest Google Chrome update when you either restart or launch your browser this afternoon, and you can manually check for the update by visiting About in the Wrench menu. You can read more about Google Chrome’s latest update on the official Google Chrome Blog.

TextMate 2 Alpha Now Publicly Available for Download

By Cody Fink

MacroMate’s first alpha build of TextMate 2 is available for download this morning, immediately usable for all registered users who have TextMate licenses. TextMate’s last stable release (1.5.10) was made available on November 18th, 2010, following a September announcement that work had begun on TextMate 2. Michael Sheets promised the the availability of TextMate 2 before the end of December, noting MacroMates was pleased with how it was turning out. With the TextMate 2 release, Allan Odgaard notes that “performance is fine” outside of a few edge cases, and gives a fair warning that TextMate settings and the proof-of-concept bundle editor are currently works-in-progress.

Odgaard writes:

It’s important to stress though that being an alpha release; it is not complete. It has reached a point where it may suit some early adopters and provide some relief to those who have been questioning TextMate’s future. For the time being, the alpha builds are only for people who already have a TextMate license and an Intel Mac.

A list of changes since 1.5.10 can be viewed via the included release notes.

You can download TextMate 2 from the MacroMate’s blog.

iOS 5.1 Beta 2 Now Available For Download

By Cody Fink

The second iOS 5.1 beta (build 9B5127c) is now available for developers to download from Apple’s developer portal. Of interest in iOS 5.1 beta 2, Apple has made an update to Photo Stream which should please photographers.

Photos taken using iOS 5.1 can be deleted from Photo Stream on your device and will be removed automatically from Photo Stream on your other iOS 5.1 devices. Older photos can be manually deleted from your iOS 5.1 devices.

Also available for download is the second Xcode Developer Preview, and a new Apple TV beta.

Twitterrific 4.4.4 Gains Support for Readability

By Cody Fink

In light of the Twitter news yesterday, we missed a small but important update for Twitterrific! Fans of the Readability subscription service will find an update (4.4.4) waiting for them in the Mac and iTunes App Stores. Readability can be chosen as a read later services from the Services tab in Preferences on the Mac, and via Twitterrific in the Settings app on iOS. Readability, a bookmarking service that gives back to the authors you enjoy, also offers a customizable web and mobile reading experience, an easy to use article queue that can be shared with others, and bookmarklets to send articles directly to your Kindle.

The previous Twitterrific 4.4.3 update brought in a lot of extra refinements such as the addition of a load more button in profile pop-overs. In 4.4.4, the load more button has been added to timeline searches as well! In addition, 4.4.4 fixes some bugs with the Magic Mouse (no more missed clicks), and fixed a bug that would cause the timeline to jump to the top of the timeline when retweeting. Overall a small but noteworthy update!

Twitterrific is a free download on iOS, with a $4.99 in-app purchase removing ads and adding translations. Twitterrific for the desktop is $4.99 from the Mac App Store.

TweetDeck for the Mac: A Shorter Review

By Cody Fink

TweetDeck has always been looked up to as the power-user’s go-to Twitter app thanks to a huge feature set, its multi-column layout, quick filtering, and its availability across platforms thanks to Adobe Air. When Twitter acquired TweetDeck back in May, many questioned whether Twitter would continue to maintain the client, and whether Twitter would rebrand the app to better fit into their ecosystem. Yesterday, TweetDeck launched natively on Mac and Windows, bringing with it a brand new experience in-line with #NewNewTwitter’s focus. Like Twitter, it’s another big change many will have a hard time adjusting to.

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