Posts tagged with "iOS 7"

Velocity→

I never got into the idea of catching up on my read later queue through speed reading, but, for those who did, Velocity is a great choice.

I have been testing Velocity for the past month, and it comes with a clean, elegant UI made for iOS 7, Pocket and Instapaper integration, and even a built-in browser to add articles without leaving the app. In the speed reading view, you can tweak words per minute, switch themes (black is my favorite), and see how many minutes you have left in the title bar. It’s an extremely well-considered and functional app, which isn’t a surprise considering that the Quotebook guys made it.

If you like speed reading, Velocity is $2.99 on the App Store.

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iOS 7 Updates: Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo Weather, and Google Chrome

Yesterday saw the release of thousands of apps optimized, enhanced, or, in some cases, completely redesigned for iOS 7. At MacStories, we highlighted several apps that were ready for the OS’ rollout such as Pocket, OmniFocus 2, or Instacast 4, and then we fired up iTunes – or simply waited for automatic updates to do their magic on iOS 7 – and checked out all the other apps that were also released yesterday. In this post, I thought I could offer a quick overview of iOS 7 updates from four big-name companies: Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo, and Google. Read more

Apple Launches “Kids” App Store Category

Following iOS 7’s public launch yesterday, Apple today officially opened a new “Kids” App Store category that parents and teachers can use to “quickly find apps that are perfect for children”. The category is available now by browsing the App Store on an iOS device or computer running iTunes.

First announced at WWDC in June alongside iOS 7’s developer debut, the Kids category is aimed at facilitating the process of finding apps and games based on age ratings. The category is curated by Apple editors, who, according to the company, “search the App Store for the best apps in each age group — up to 11 years old”.

The Kids category is, unlike other App Store categories, divided in age ratings: at the top, there’s Apple’s typical carousel of featured apps and sections, with shortcuts to “Best for Ages 5 & Under”, “Best for Ages 6-8”, and “Best for Ages 9-11” areas listed below. According to developers we contacted earlier this month, Apple started requesting additional artwork for promotional materials for the Kids category in the summer, and there is, indeed, a rich selection of games and apps already available in the category today.

Besides featured apps and age ratings, Apple has also created Kids-specific sections to group related apps and games, such as “Create & Play”, “Shapes & Colors”, and “First Words & Numbers”. Each section comes with custom graphics and a selection of apps curated by Apple editors.

Apple’s focus on making iOS devices more accessible for younger generations, teachers, and parents isn’t new, and the Kids category is the culmination of Apple’s efforts to curate App Store software suitable for children.

Instapaper 5.0: Sorting and Filtering Options, Tweaked Interface for iOS 7

The first major update since the app was sold by original founder and developer Marco Arment to Betaworks earlier this year, Instapaper 5.0 has been released today on the App Store as a free update for existing owners of the app. Instapaper 5.0 doesn’t add any new major functionality to the app, which is still largely similar to the version 4.0 that was first released two years ago. Betaworks made the app ready for iOS 7, polished the interface, and added some new minor functionalities that, however, nicely complement the reading experience. I’ve been testing Instapaper for the past week on my iPhone 5 and iPad mini running the iOS 7 GM seed. Read more

Pocket Adds Instant Sync, Improved Reading Experience with iOS 7 Update

Pocket for iOS 7

Pocket for iOS 7

When Read It Later relaunched as Pocket last year, I was intrigued by the service’s focus on allowing users to “save everything for later”. In the months that followed, Pocket received a native Mac app, better browser extensions, deeper integration with iOS apps thanks to a new SDK, and started expanding to more devices and OSes, following Nate Weiner’s original strategy to bring Pocket to as many platforms as possible. Today, Pocket is updating its iOS app to take advantage of iOS 7 and ensuring that content is always available on an iPhone or iPad, even if the app isn’t running. The new Pocket is a good example of developers using the new iOS 7 APIs to enhance existing apps. Read more

Instacast 4: Revamped for iOS 7

While Instacast 3 had a bumpy start, in time it matured into a solid app. Not only were the kinks worked out, but the new syncing engine enabled Vemedio to later launch a brand new version of Instacast for Macs running Mountain Lion. Together, this makes Instacast one of only three apps that can sync and play podcasts across desktops and iOS devices (the other two being Apple’s Podcasts + iTunes, and Downcast).

Intacast 4 is by far Vemedio’s best version of Instacast yet, and it’s a free update to those who’ve already purchased Instacast 3. Not only has the app been updated to adopt the look and feel of Apple’s translucency and flat iconography, it’s been significantly improved with the introduction of a sidebar and simpler now playing controls. Significant sounds funny, especially in light of a sidebar, but it makes Instacast much easier to navigate, less cluttered, and all around much more friendly to newcomers. Read more

OmniOutliner 2: Refined for iOS 7, Now With External Keyboard Support

When OmniOutliner originally launched on the iPad, I remember spending a lot of time figuring out its nuances, going so far as creating a tutorial so people could see how to customize documents and organize their outlines. While it won’t replace your spreadsheets, it will organize your data under collapsible headings and columns that neatly keeps related piece of information in their place. It works well as an alternative mind mapping tool, for students who are taking notes, or for someone creating that big holiday wish list. Read more

OmniFocus 2 for iPhone: Background Sync and a Bold Redesign

When I pictured what OmniFocus 2 for the iPhone would look like on iOS 7, I pictured simplified monotone icons in a table-view structure that the app has had since it was first released. The reason is probably because when I think of OmniFocus I think of powerful and quality software, however a bold interface is not a characteristic that would ever come to mind. When I opened OmniFocus 2 for the first time, I was shocked. Not to sound dramatic – I did not fall out of my chair – but it honestly took me a few seconds to absorb what I was looking at. Read more

Screens 3 Review

Edovia’s Screens is a MacStories favorite because it’s so ridiculously easy to use. In short, Screens lets you access your Mac or PC from your touchscreen iOS device. You can remotely connect to any of your computers, launch apps, and remotely control your personal computers at home or across the Internet. It’s great for troubleshooting a friend’s computer, accessing headless servers, or simply for moving important documents into Dropbox when you’ve forgotten to do so before heading to work.

For Screens 3, I tested the app with a desktop PC running Windows 8 and a MacBook Air running OS X Mountain Lion. Connecting to a Mac is pretty straightforward, but connecting to a PC can be tricky depending on its configuration.

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