YouTube is a major video platform owned by Google — and it has grown to be one of the most famous social media destinations on the web.
When it comes to Apple and iOS, YouTube has a storied history. When Apple first launched the iPhone and iPod touch, it infamously had a first-party YouTube viewing application which was deprecated after the launch of the App Store.
Now, YouTube is one of the most popular apps on the App Store, and we regularly cover news and updates. There’s also a YouTube app for Apple TV, and of course, there are always privacy conversations to had at the intersection of any Apple product and a Google service.
Gmail for iOS received an update that includes the ability to open links in Gmail directly to YouTube, Google Maps, and Chrome, assuming the apps are installed.
The feature can be turned off if you prefer.
What’s New in Version 2.2.7182
– YouTube, Google Maps and Chrome links go directly to the app instead of the mobile web, if installed. You can turn this off using the in-app settings.
– Added support for signing out of a single account instead of having to sign out of all accounts at once.
YouTube’s Capture app for filming and sharing video to YouTube was updated today to version 1.3 bringing a few new features alongside performance enhancements. The updated app now includes high definition previews of enhancements, an option to “Only upload on Wi-Fi”, and more:
What’s New:
✓ HD preview of enhancements
✓ “Only upload on Wi-Fi” option
✓ Upload shows time remaining
✓ Faster launch speed
Things We Fixed:
☂ Misbehaving when low on storage space
☂ Misbehaving while uploading
After several strong quarters of growth, Netflix now has 29.2 million people in the US subscribed to its $8-a-month streaming plan, which is, for the first time, greater than HBO’s domestic subscription base of 28.7 million.
Quartz notes that Netflix, while not a cable network in the traditional sense, is now viewed more than any traditional U.S. cable market.
From an internet service standpoint, Netflix is also fairing quite impressively, making up 33% of all downstream traffic, which is more than services like YouTube, Amazon Video, and most impressively, iTunes.
As part of the earnings announcement, Netflix also noted that it would begin offering a $12 monthly family plan that would allow 4 simultaneous streams.
Additionally, the interface has been updated for quicker access to subscriptions via the My Subscriptions feed. TV queuing, another notable addition, will allow users to create a queue of videos to watch later on their TV.
Spring is finally here and it is time to bring our music and speakerphones outside. There’s no better way to enjoy sound outside than with a portable bluetooth speaker. But as Jordan noted to me during our CES coverage, there must be 100,000 Bluetooth speakers to choose from including a growing horde of no name brands OEM’ed from fly-by-night Chinese companies.
We’re here to help you pick the right speaker with the right features on the right budget. (Update: We’ve since reviewed the JBL Charge and Bose Soundlink Mini, both of which merit attention.) Expand Expanding Close
The bundle includes 10 HIGH-QUALITY Mac apps valued at over $390 for an EXCLUSIVE price of $50!
This all-inclusive bundle has just about something for everyone.
The Mac Apps Include:
Roxio Toast 11 ($100) – Titanium makes it easier than ever to capture, burn, convert, copy and share digital media.
Set for iWork ($69) – Over 1100 unique designs for Pages, 100 spreadsheet templates for Numbers, 50 first-class slideshow themes for Keynote, and 1300 images for illustrating your content. All templates are available in the US and international paper sizes.
LaunchBar ($35) – Get instant access to applications, documents, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, media libraries, search engines and so much more – just by typing short abbreviations.
TasksBox ($25) – TasksBox is a simple and beautiful task manager that helps you to easily manage your daily tasks so that you can spend more time on what you love.
Animationist ($30) – Create perfect title art animations for your YouTube videos, iMovie or Final Cut projects, showcase videos and even TV broadcasts.
iFinance ($30) – Start recording your income and expenses right now, be it a coffee during lunch break or a brand new car – finally, you’ll get a clear overview of what exactly you spend your money on.
Habits ($20) – Habits is based on the scientifically proven principle that it takes a continuous chain or repetition of an activity to create a new habit, make a habit out of a resolution or replace an existing habit with a new one.
MainMenu Pro ($10) – Run daily, weekly and monthly maintenance scripts to keep your Mac strong.
Corel Paint it! ($40) – This photo painting software includes multiple painting styles, brushes and realistic effects that let you add a personal touch to any creative project.
Stationery Pack 2 ($25) – Turn your favorite photos into greeting cards and send them with Mail.
Plus a BONUS App if You Buy Right Now!
That’s right, if you buy this bundle RIGHT NOW, you’ll also get Trickster as an added bonus!
Trickster ($10) – Trickster is the ultimate productivity booster for you.
This bundle has been hand-picked to ensure that quality apps make it onto your desktop. There’s no better opportunity to start enhancing your Mac that with this Spring 2013 Bundle.
Real Racing 3:The highly anticipated third installment in EA’s Real Racing iOS series has officially arrived in the US App Store today (via 9to5Toys). Available now for free, the game’s new in-app purchase model is getting a little bit of negative attention, but otherwise reviews of the game have been quite positive.
Trailblazing new features include officially licensed tracks, an expanded 22-car grid, and over 45 meticulously detailed cars from makers like Porsche, Lamborghini, Dodge, Bugatti, and Audi. Plus, racing with friends gets kicked into another dimension with the reality-bending Time Shifted Multiplayer™ (TSM) technology.
AVP: Evolution:Fox has released another app in the Alien vs Predators series with the release of AVP: Evolution. The game was developed by Angry Mob Games, makers of PREDATORS and Guerrilla Bob iOS titles, and takes cues from multiplayer modes in recent AVP console releases.
*Two distinct gaming experiences as you engage in the ultimate battle as both the Alien and Predator
*Vicious attacks and brutal finishing moves give players a lethal arsenal to wreak havoc on the enemy
Socialcam version 5.0: Autodesk is making some major improvements to its popular Socialcam app, which has now reached 20 million downloads, with the release of version 5 on the App Store today. The update should be hitting the App Store shortly and with it will come “a complete redesign of visual effects, 720p HD video, video High Dynamic Range (HDR), and a new icon for Socialcam.”
Major new features on the iOS platform include a complete redesign of visual effects, 720p HD video, video High Dynamic Range (HDR), and a new icon for Socialcam…Developed in collaboration with Autodesk’s expert professional video effects teams, the new 720p HD video and video HDR with one click real-time mapping and color correction enables Socialcam—with more than 20 million downloads—to continue to break through barriers to mobile video adoption by making it easy to express creativity and individuality wherever inspiration strikes—anytime, anywhere, and on any device.
Day One version 1.10:The well reviewed journal/diary app known as Day One gets new features today including new options for PDF Export and Printing, historical weather reports for 30 days, a new reminder sound, Sanchez font option, and improvements to HTML styling. There are also a number of performance enhancements include for startup time, Dropbox syncing, and more. An update for the Mac app is coming soon.
Cycloramic version 2.1: The app that received much attention for its unique use of the iPhone’s vibrating motor to snap hands-free 360 degree video gets new features today. Among them is the ability to “convert panoramic photos to 24 second panoramic HD movies.”
YouTube 1.2.1: Google updated its YouTube app for iOS bringing the Send to TV feature that it originally introduced on Android devices back in November. The app will allow users to send YouTube videos from their iOS devices to a Google TV, PS3, or Xbox and Google confirmed back in January that the feature would be coming to even more smart TVs this year. Expand Expanding Close
With the recent departure of longtime iOS chief Scott Forstall, many expect some big changes in iOS 7. Not only is Jony Ive taking over design responsibilities related to iOS, but also Apple is increasingly coming under criticism for its aging core iOS apps and highly requested features already available on other platforms that it has yet to implement. We discussed some of the big software features iOS 7 might have in store, but today we present a roundup of the best iOS 7 concepts we could find starting with a new one from the creator of jailbreak tweak Auxo.
Sentry, the original designer behind the popular Auxo jailbreak tweak, yesterday posted the new Quick App Switching concept above (via iFun). While Auxo provided a screenshot of running apps integrated into the iOS multitasking tray, the concept above takes a different approach and aims to add speed to the app switching process.
This next concept comes from YouTube user imjeanmarc and shows a tray accessible from the lock screen, providing quick toggles for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.:
Update (Feb 21st): This has been fixed according to a reader. The iTunes and App Stores use HTML on the backend so Apple can “push” updates via backend code changes:
As of this morning, the bug is gone! No update required! Looks
like the somehow they pushed the update! I can no longer change the
account in the App Store or iTunes store! This reminds me when I was
beta testing 6.0 and Apple changed the behavior of downloading updates
not requiring a password (they also allowed free apps with no password
for a short while). That didn’t need an update to change either.
They seem to have ways of fixing App Store behavior without needing to
update iOS. I’m still running 6.1 on my devices, haven’t gone to
6.1.2 yet.
Would be nice for an official answer from Apple, but so far, it’s
working correctly! Also, I see redeem and send gift are grayed out
also, at the bottom of the App Store. Same for iTunes Store.
For those unaware, iOS 6 received some beefed up Restriction settings when it was released that allowed users to select “Don’t Allow Changes” for an entire account linked to an iOS device. This option was particularly useful for schools and organizations that wanted to limit a device to a specific account and keep students and others from installing apps not approved by the institution. Without the restriction, students or employees could easily change the iTunes account linked to the iOS device. Unfortunately, as noticed by one frustrated 9to5Mac reader, it seems there are several backdoor methods of bypassing the setting…
YouTube Capture version 1.1: Google has updated its newly released YouTube Capture app with some welcomed features including 1080p video uploads:
· 1080p uploads!
· Improved audio sync
· More detailed upload feedback
· Share to networks after uploading
· Bug fixes & stability improvements
Vine — Make a scene version 1.0.2: Just released yesterday, the app for sharing short video clips (and recently acquired by Twitter) today updated with improvements to profiles and more reliable Twitter integration:
* Logging in through Twitter is more reliable
* You can now update your profile photo from your Camera Roll
* Character limit for usernames and bio field
* International keyboards have better support
* Various bugs that caused crashes have been fixed
Google Currents version 2.0: Google is updating another one of its apps today, its magazine style news reader for tablets and smartphones now sports a new catalog design. The update also includes an Edition sidebar for quick access to categories, a new fast scan feature (Vertical swipe to scan an edition, horizontal swipe advances to next edition), and a new breaking stories section ranked by Google News. You can also now star to save stories for future reading: Expand Expanding Close
Barack Obama’s second United States Presidential Inauguration will be held this morning at 11:30 a.m. EST in Washington DC. The event will feature music headliners like Beyoncé (National Anthem), James Taylor, and Kelly Clarkson. The President was actually sworn into office yesterday, but all festivities will be held today. There will also be a parade to round out the day’s celebrations. You can stream the event on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with the Inaugural 2013 iOS app. The app was created by AT&T, but you can use it on any cellular carrier.
As a special offer to close out the year, Apple is offering the bestselling albums of 2012 on iTunes for $6.99. The promotion is running from Dec. 31 to Jan. 3 only and includes some pretty nice offerings for you hip music listeners in the crowd:
Since the removal of YouTube, and Maps as preloaded Google apps within iOS, Google has been especially adept at developing its own set of iOS apps. We previously detailed how Google wants to own the iOS ecosystem on the apps level, providing users with an alternative universe to most of the core features of Apple’s mobile operating system. It appears Google now has a dedicated iOS app team which builds cohesive apps rather than having each business unit build its own apps. Expand Expanding Close
Autodesk Inc. announced today that it is now shipping the latest version of its professional video-editing suite for Mac, Autodesk Smoke 2013, starting at $3,495 SRP per license*. The latest version of Smoke provides a new user interface that combines Autodesk’s creative tools and effects with its track-based editing: ConnectFX for high-end effects, and Creative Tools—featuring “a robust toolset with proven high-end finishing tools.”
While noting a successful run for the trial download of the software, Autodesk said it implemented even more features and enhancements based on user recommendations. The new features include the ability to drag and drop a clip from the source player into the timeline, ability to expand/collapse the timeline FX pipeline area, and a redesign and streamlining of the UI and interface elements to speed up workflows.
“The anticipation for Smoke, since its thrilling announcement at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Vegas in April, has continued to build throughout the community of creative professionals. As a leader in high-end effects and 3D, Autodesk is committed to making that technology increasingly available to a new generation, and the new Smoke is case in point. The Smoke team has fielded thousands of inquiries and product recommendations in the process of developing Smoke 2013. I’m so excited to announce it’s here,” said Mark Strassman, Autodesk Media & Entertainment vice president strategy and marketing.
To accompany the launch today, Autodesk posted over a dozen videos showing off some of the features of Smoke 2013 to its YouTube page. We posted a few of the videos below that walk through the new user interface, ConnectFX, editing, and powerful 3D visual effects.
NBC just posted official clips from its exclusive interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier today. The interview aired at 10 p.m. ET tonight, and now the full video of the interview has already made its way to YouTube. In the interview, Cook talked about product design, Apple’s plans to bring production of some Macs back to the United States in 2013, his thoughts on Apple, being CEO post-Steve Jobs, and his “intense interest” in TV. We’ll update this post when the official high quality versions hit the web. Part 2 of the interview is continued below: Expand Expanding Close
As the television race heats up, Google said it is working on an open alternative to Apple’s AirPlay—a technology first introduced in iOS 4.2 that allowed users to share photo, audio, and video to the Apple TV.
Google had a similar streaming product to the Apple TV this summer—the Nexus Q— that allowed for sharing of content via an Android device to the TV. However, the product flopped and didn’t see the light of day for many customers. Additionally, in Google’s move to try to compliment streaming to the TV, the folks at YouTube launched an AirPlay-like feature last week that allows users to beam YouTube videos from their Android device straight to the television.
Speaking to GigaOm, Google Product Manager Timbo Drayson made it clear that Google has big plans in the space and wants to move forward. “We really want to move the whole industry forward,” Drayson told the publication.
With Android now on 75 percent of all smartphones sold, and Apple and Samsung battling in and out of court for the top vendor position, the smartphone wars usually come down to units sold. Apple vs. Samsung. Android vs. iOS. Less of a focus has been Google’s steady invasion of iOS, providing users with an alternative universe to most of the core features of Apple’s mobile operating system. The importance of Google’s ecosystem of iOS apps has never been more apparent than following the recent controversy over the removal of YouTube and Google Maps as default features of iOS. Apple realized the necessity of controlling key experiences on iOS, such as Maps, but it is running into a backlash from users in the process. It is not just facing competition from Android vendors; it is also now engaged in a struggle to keep Google from creating its own layer on top of iOS.
Google’s iOS apps are not just driving iPhone and iPad users to use Google services instead of Apple’s; they are increasingly an important aspect of the iOS experience for a large amount of users. Sixty-one percent of iOS users in our own polls said they were hesitant to even update to iOS 6 because of Apple’s new Maps app, many of which are still waiting for a standalone Google Maps app that Apple has yet to approve. Some say the Maps fiasco coupled with Siri might have even led to the departure of long-time iOS chief Scott Forstall, which many think could result in a new direction for iOS. What this means for Google’s presence on iOS going forward remains to be seen, but Apple does not appear to be ignoring the control Google’s apps have over its users.
The iPad mini has only officially been on sale since 8 a.m. this morning, but one 9to5 reader was already able install the device in the dashboard of a car. Soundwaves of Tampa custom-built a dash in a 2012 Toyota Corolla, allowing folks to easily slide the iPad mini in and out. Soundwaves has more images of the build on its Facebook page.
AT&T just announced its version of Dropbox, Google Drive, Cloud Drive, etc., with the introduction of AT&T Locker for iOS.
The cloud storage app, as one might assume, essentially allows folks to automatically sync and save photos, videos, and other data to the cloud, and it offers 5 GB of free storage to new users. The content is accessible via the mobile app or on a computer through Locker’s website.
AT&T is just getting around to lifting the cloak off its new service, but the app has already been available on the App Store for six days. A list of key features, according to the app’s description:
Photos and videos can be automatically uploaded to your AT&T Locker from your phone
Easily access your photos, videos and documents from your phone and computer
Easy to share to email, Facebook and Twitter
Your content is secure and backed up in the cloud
Store your favorite memories in a safe and convenient place
Store music from your computer to your AT&T Locker
AT&T offers storage space upgrades to 30GB for $3.99 per month or 100GB for $9.99 per month. The free iOS app is available for the iPhone 3GS or higher. It is worth noting the Android version of Locker launched in September.
You might have seen past “banned” Apple promo videos from John Elerick and crew on YouTube. The guys are out with their latest spoof Apple commercial today, but this time it is for the iPad mini. On a serious note, Amazon is taking note of some of the iPad mini’s shortcomings, as pointed out in the video, by posting a comparison of the Kindle Fire HD and the iPad mini on its website. Amazon already included the comparison in its recent earnings release, but today it posted a large graphic on its homepage that reads “Much more for much less” while comparing specs of the two devices:
Elerick’s recent banned iPhone 5 promo, also worth a watch, is below:
Bad Piggies version 1.1.0: Rovio has updated its new Bad Piggies title with 15 new levels today, as well as a new free sandbox level. The update also includes its biggest sandbox level yet, called “Field of Dreams”, as an in-app purchase.
The Bad piggies finally did it — they finally got the eggs! But can they hold on to them with the Angry Birds in hot pursuit? Even under the cover of darkness, they’ll need all of their best machines to stay ahead!
-Fly through 15 tricky new levels with the birds on your tail!
-Take cover in a brand new moonlit theme!
-Unleash your creativity on a free new sandbox level!
-Introducing the Field of Dreams: Our biggest sandbox level yet, now available for purchase!
Kindle version 3.4: A nice update to the Kindle iOS app comes following Apple releasing new features for iBooks. The app now supports Japanese with vertical text & Manga, an option to read books in the publisher suggested font, and a new “Caecilia” font choice. Also included is X-Ray for Textbooks:
X-Ray for Textbooks gives you instant access to all the most important terms and concepts in a book, with glossary definitions, links to relevant textbook pages, and related content from Wikipedia and YouTube (available on many of the most popular print replica textbooks)
YouTube’s Capture app
