Cody Fink

1547 posts on MacStories since January 2010

Former MacStories contributor.

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Localscope 1.1 Integrates Navigon MobileNavigator For The Ultimate Find & Drive Combo

Localscope is well known for its location based discovery prowess, helping you gather information about your current location thanks to the combination of augmented reality, geo-meta-search, and social driven capabilities. Comparable to Google’s Places, Localscope enables users to find the nearest hotspots for coffee, movies, and more. As of Localscope 1.1, you can not only find the hip new club in your city, but you can navigate to it as well thanks to Navigon MobileNavigator integration. Swipe across your destination, tap the map, and bring up MobileNavigator so you can quickly reach your destination. Localscope with MobileNavigator brings the functionality that Android has delivered with Places and Navigation Beta to the iPhone: if you own both the applications, the combo presents a terrific way to traverse new landscapes without getting lost.

Localscope can be downloaded from the App Store for $2.99, and Navigon MobileNavigator (USA version) can be downloaded for $39.99.


Cubetastic, A Superb Puzzler Now On The Mac & iPad App Stores

Which one of you was the jerk who’d take a Rubik’s Cube, mix it all up, and make it almost impossible for the average human being to solve? I have terrible memories of those things – spending hours trying to figure out what it would take my senior high buddy about five minutes. Of course, fate would have it that some awesome group of developers would take the Rubik’s Cube and completely base it on one of the most twisted brain teasers ever. When we say twisted, we literally mean these puzzles take a few turns to solve.

The folks from doPanic have created a multidimensional puzzle game that focuses on getting a glowing orb (your light) to a goal. It sounds pretty easy, and skilled players will solve puzzles in as few moves as possible, but once you start spinning the cube…things get a little Cubetastic.

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Skype 5 Out Of Beta, Group Calling Part Of Premium Package

Skype 5 is official this morning, delivering an enhanced interface and group video calling, which is part of a paid premium package and available with a seven day trial. Otherwise, expect to pay $4.99 a day or $8.99 a month for access to the bandwidth hogging feature. Video calls are also seeing the return of the much requested full screen mode. Trimming down the interface, Skype has reduced whitespace and tightened visual accessibility, and have plans to launch a contest where Skype users can design the perfect interface for the Mac.

You can download the latest update by visiting the announcement post on Skype.com, or by visiting this direct link.


The AppSumo MEGA Mac Sumo Bundle Giveaway

We’ve given away some AppSumo bundles as of late that include everything from productive power plants to apps that allow you to just sit down and relax. What if we combined all of those previous bundles, and added must-have utilities like Skitch, Yummy FTP, and IconBox2? The MEGA Mac Sumo Bundle might initially sound like a character out of Mega Man, but it’s really just the latest bundle we’re giving away to another five lucky readers.

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AT&T May Offer Unlimited Data To Previous Customers To Keep iPhone Users

As news spreads about Verizon’s unlimited data plan being available for the iPhone, AT&T could fight back by rewarding previous customers (who had an unlimited data plan before AT&T’s new policies took effect) with the option to subscribe to an unlimited plan. For AT&T customers who switched off the unlimited data plan, they’ll have the option to attain it once again.

From the Associated Press,

Verizon Wireless will start offering the iPhone on Feb. 10 with a draw that AT&T no longer offers to new subscribers: a plan with unlimited data usage. But The Associated Press has learned that some AT&T iPhone users on limited plans won’t need to move to Verizon for unlimited data.

In an unadvertised loophole, AT&T Inc. has allowed subscribers who have had an unlimited data plan in the past to switch back. That includes anyone who had an iPhone before June, when the limited plans took effect.

You’d never see this kind of fighting over an Android phone - I don’t see AT&T extending their policies for the upcoming Motorola Atrix, which has a laptop dock available for greater productivity. Clearly the iPhone is more important to these carriers than its competitors. Between AT&T changing eligibility dates, and their previous mudslinging before the iPhone 4 launch, AT&T is vying to keep customers on their network.

But why is AT&T worried? While it isn’t clear to the public yet on how Apple will update the iPhone 4 on Verizon, customers can expect that the next generation iPhone will appear on AT&T’s network this summer. Does AT&T know something we don’t? Customers may stick around on AT&T just to have the latest hardware: I don’t expect many to pay a large termination fee on AT&T when Verizon launches their iPhone 4 - that switch would more likely happen when those contracts finally run out. I’m not in the camp that exclaims AT&T would suddenly lose a massive base of their customers…unless Verizon would get the next generation iPhone at the same time as well. I doubt it: I’d like to think Apple purposely misaligned their launch dates between carriers so Apple could maintain (and protect) their relationship with AT&T, while carefully extending their phone to a base of new customers. It’s not AT&T that should be worried about mass defection, it’s Android manufacturers selling phones on Verizon that should be worried.

[Associated Press via MacRumors]


Assero Defender And Protector Frontpacks For iPad

At only one and a half pounds, you’d think the iPad would be fine on its own being slipped in and out of a messenger bag. If the iPad isn’t portable enough for your day job (or you’re ultra-paranoid about pickpockets), Assero has slimmed down a backpack so you can wear it over your chest. Opening out and presenting the iPad as a typing surface, they’re designed to be mobile “offices” where you can quickly access your most used gadgets and accessories. Of the two models, the Protector is a slim version at $89.99 that can be worn underneath clothes (the aluminum iPad would make for good body armor), and the Defender is a more expensive workhorse that has more pouches and pockets for $129.99. You can preorder the cases at Assero’s landing page, but I can’t say I’m jumping at the opportunity to actually get one.

[via CNET]


Superstash For iPad Snaps And Annotates Web Clippings: Review & Giveaway!

More and more time is seemingly spent on the iPad than the Mac as of late, and it’s funny that I’d forgo the comfort and speed of a laptop for the wrist-destroying aluminum slate. Maybe it’s because of all the great apps developers keep sending us! Casually my iPad resides in a proper case (the Macally Bookstand) that allows me to prop the iPad at a slight typing angle, complete with the “kitchen lean” where I ruin the back legs of my favorite wooden chair. I’ll swipe through Flipboard, pinch into Reeder, and browse Safari before starting my work & school day over a couple hot cups of coffee. Those moments in the morning are often spent finishing the previous evening’s Instapaper & Read It Later queues, then spending the remaining free time looking for new content. On the Mac I’m accustomed to saving bits and pieces of pictures and web pages I find to LittleSnapper, and I haven’t had that luxury on the iPad without some manual work dragging content out of iPhoto.

Superstash for the iPad solves this dilemma: it is the web browser for web hoarders, creative thinkers, and anyone looking to collect, annotate, file, and share good ideas. You’d never think about collecting pictures and web clippings in a browser, but Superstash arrives on the iPad with every intention to reshape those ideas, and to get us thinking about using our iPads as a proper discovery and collection bin.

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Verizon iPhone Will Have $30 Unlimited Option: Bon Appétit [Update]

Having been a Verizon customer for roughly a year now, I can say that a benefit of being on the Big Red would have to be their $30 unlimited plan. I’m not certain why a special case would be made for the iPhone where people couldn’t get an unlimited plan, but if those worries were keeping you up at night, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Verizon iPhone will have an unlimited plan available.

The carrier’s heir apparent and chief operating officer, Lowell McAdam, told us the news ahead of the company’s meeting with investors.

“I’m not going to shoot myself in the foot,” he said. Not offering an unlimited plan would put up a barrier for customers who might otherwise switch from AT&T, he said.

I don’t find it interesting that the iPhone will have an unlimited data plan (though skeptical wannabe-AT&T converts can now jump for joy): it’s more interesting that the $30 plan may be the only option available. Verizon does have a $15 plan at 150 MB a month for smartphones, but that will be axed in favor of upcharging customers with to the lure of LTE (the irony in our case being the iPhone 4 is CDMA only). Engadget reports that only feature phones would have the option of a 75 MB data plan for $10.

Update: As Verizon giveth… Verizon taketh away. An update via WSJ admits:

But you’d better act fast. Speaking later Tuesday morning, Mr. McAdam said the iPhone unlimited plan will be a temporary offer and that the carrier will follow AT&T’s move to tiered pricing in the not too distant future.

The axing of the unlimited plan shouldn’t exclusive to the iPhone: all phones available on Verizon’s network would move to tiered pricing.

[via WSJ, Engadget]