It looks like paying for burgers using your iPhone is the next big trend in fast food.
Following Burger King’s announcement last week that it would be releasing a dedicate mobile app, Wendy’s has followed suit, unveiling their own iPhone-based payment app that will allow you to pay for Big Bacon Classics at any of Wendy’s 5,800 locations.
A curious download hit Apple’s App Store this week: a messaging app called FireChat.
It’s a new kind of app because it uses an iOS feature unavailable until version 7: the Multipeer Connectivity Framework. The app was developed by the crowdsourced connectivity provider Open Garden and this is their first iOS app.
The Multipeer Connectivity Framework enables users to flexibly use WiFi and Bluetooth peer-to-peer connections to chat and share photos even without an Internet connection. Big deal, right?
But here’s the really big deal — it can enable two users to chat not only without an Internet connection, but also when they are far beyond WiFi and Bluetooth range from each other — connected with a chain of peer-to-peer users between one user and a far-away Internet connection.
It’s called wireless mesh networking. And Apple has mainstreamed it in iOS 7. It’s going to change everything. Here’s why.
Secret sauce—it’s the reason Apple keeps winning where others fail, and on our newest CultCast, we discuss the recipe that keeps Apple ahead of the pack. Plus, iOS 8 rumors detail some powerful new features; whispers of an impossibly thin iPhone 6; A-list musicians praise Pono as the digital music player for audiophiles; iPad 4 makes a comeback; and we reveal our favorite Cult movies on a all-new Get To Know Your Cultist!
Guffaw your way through each week’s best Apple stories! Stream or download new and past episodes of The CultCast now on your Mac or iDevice by subscribing on iTunes, or hit play below and let the uproarious good time commence.
And thanks to FreshBooks for sponsoring this episode! That’s right, Fresbooks the simple online accounting solution built for small business owners – just like you – who want to skip the headache of tax time. For a limited time, try FreshBooks free 60 days, and enter “CultCast” in the “How Did You Hear About Us” section.
Show notes up next!
Leave your comments, topics, or suggestions on our new Facebook page! We always try to include them in the show. Facebook.com/TheCultCast.
CultCast #118 – The Secret Sauce
Leander Kahney – Cult of Mac Editor-in-Chief, loyal subject of the Queen.
Erfon Elijah – Cult of Mac writer and host of The CultCast.
Buster Heine – Cult of Mac writer and community manager.
iOS 8 Apple considers Notification Center Messages tweaks removing Game Center app (Discussion)
Pegatron And Foxconn Gearing Up For iPhone 6 Production [Rumor]
Apple Retires iPad 2, Replaces It With Retina Display Model
Apple Confirms The 8GB iPhone 5c Will Not Be Sold In The U.S.
This Cult of Mac Deals offer is going to do its part to keep everyone energized. all oyu ave to do is pick one up to make that happen.
The PowerShare Charging Bundle includes the PowerShare Reactor and the PowerShare Adapter. Like its name suggests, the PowerShare Reactor provides ample power to your Apple, Android, or otherwise USB-charged devices, simultaneously. The PowerShare Adapter is a great home and away companion to help save outlet space. Being able to charge two (2) devices from one iPhone charger is critical sometimes. And when that happens, the Adapter comes through. And you can get both of these handy little devices for only $49.99 during this limited time offer.
Want to take good night photos using your iPhone, but find that the device’s in-built flash — consisting of a couple of LEDs — doesn’t result in the kind of pictures you want?
If so, you may be interested in this Kickstarter campaign to build a new iPhone 5/5s case, packing a whopping 56 LEDs into a hard case to provide a bright panel of lights for all your nocturnal photographic needs.
Medium, the publishing platform from Twitter co-founder Ev Williams, has finally released its official iPhone app. As you would expect from a site that prides itself on clean, minimalistic aesthetics, the app is quite nice.
It is also incredibly limited.
There are no editing or posting options for actually sharing content on Medium. The app is solely for reading, at least for now.
Amazon has been rumored for years to be making its own smartphone, but now, according to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, it’s actually going to happen.
But the weirdest thing isn’t that Amazon’s planning on releasing a smartphone… it’s that they are going to release a smartphone with six cameras per unit. What what?
Q) What’s safer than keeping your iPhone in a soft case to protect against unexpected falls and impacts? A) a soft case that just happens to give you accidental damage insurance.
That’s the neat concept behind iSkin’s new Claro GearCare combo, which combines the clarity of a hard plastic case, the protection of a soft-gel case and the security of, well, a good warranty service — thanks to an included GearCare Accidental Damage Warranty Service.
The diffr3nt|sleeve is going to be your MacBook Pro’s best friend.
The ideal combination of minimal design and durable protection, these sleeves keep your MacBook safe from the daily torment of scratches from desks, notebooks, purses and backpacks alike. And Cult of Mac Deals has the diffr3nt|sleeve for just $29.99 for a limited time.
Last month, Sir Lancelot’s Armor, a maker of screen protectors for smartphones, emailed Ars Technica and asked them if they would review the “first reusable screen protector for iPhones and iPads made out of bulletproof glass.”
So how bulletproof was their screen protector? Ars Technica put it to the test the only way they knew how… by firing a full clip from a Beretta into it at the range. Here’s how it did.
Have you ever seen this message when you’ve bought a third party cable for your iOS device?
“This cable or accessory is not certified and may not work reliably with this iPhone.”
This Cult of Mac Deals offer is delivering a cable and charger combination that is MFi-Certified so you know the quality is up to Apple standards. The Apple-Approved Lightning Cable and AC Charger is the ideal solution for your iOS charging needs – and Cult of Mac Deals has it for only $26.99.
Want to be able to order and pay for burgers using your iPhone?
Burger King has announced that it will be releasing a dedicated mobile app, featuring a Passbook-style virtual card that allows users to load on cash and then use this to make payments.
According to an article published by Bloomberg, the Burger King app will also include “coupons for deals, such as $1 any-size drinks and free fries, as well as nutrition facts.” A feature allowing you to place an order for pick-up at a later time will additionally be included.
We first glimpsed the Highline way back in 2012, when we reviewed the 30-pin-dock-connector version of the leash for iDevices. Now, back in the future, the Lightning Highline has just launched, helping to save the butterfingered and terminally distracted from losing or smashing their iPhone.
When playing games on your devices it’s common for the most challenging to be the most played. The game Bouncing Slime: Impossible Levels is an arcade game that boasts incredibly challenging levels. Simply tap to help the ball of slime surpass dangerous platforms and enemies to reach a checkered flag. Do you think you can pass every level?
Take a look at Bouncing Slime: Impossible Levels and find out what you think.
This is a Cult Of Mac video review of the iOS application Bouncing Slime: Impossible Levels brought to you by Joshua Smith of “TechBytes W/Jsmith.”
Jot is an iOS text editor that adds a red trackball nubbin to the iPhone keyboard. No kidding – it’s just like a ThinkPad, only in software not hardware. And it also looks like a fantastic way to solve the frustrations of iPhone text selection.
Ever “hefted” the standard North American iPhone charging cube in your hand and thought, “Boy, this thing would be way better if the prongs would fold up, and maybe if the thing could juice an iPad as well as my iPhone. And hey, why not make it black so I can lose it more easily too?”
Well, you’re not alone, because somebody at Scosche thought the exact same thing, and the superCUBE flip was born.
LifePrint might finally have invented a printer that you’ll want to use. It’s a wireless, internet-connected box that lets you print pictures from your iPhone (or Android phone), and you can also send photos direct to the printers of your friends and family.
Did your mother ask you to send her your baby photos? You can just print them out on the LifePrint she has sat in the hallway, on top of that lace doily.
Asphalt 8: Airborne for iOS has become the first mobile title to adopt Twitch in-game streaming. The feature allows players to beam their gameplay to Twitch viewers all over the world, and all that’s required is an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
To celebrate the update, developer Gameloft is live-streaming the game for 24 hours.
This time ’round on The CultCast: all that we love about iOS 7.1; more rumors swirl of a 4.7 and 5.7-inch iPhone 6; an intriguing new iPod challenger gets a ton of buzz; why Flappy Bird might fly back into the App Store; 2014 brings a new MS Office; and iTunes Radio is more popular than you thought…
Guffaw your way through each week’s best Apple stories! Stream or download new and past episodes of The CultCast now on your Mac or iDevice by subscribing on iTunes, or hit play below and let the uproarious good time commence.
And thanks to Lynda.com for sponsoring this episode. Learn at your own pace from expert-taught video tutorials at Lynda.com.
This Cult of Mac Deals promotion features the perfect in-depth course to take you from a tech beginner to a tech expert without having to attend a university and go through all the class and homework. You can do it yourself, for less money and learn the same techniques at your own pace.
This course can truly teach an eager beginner how to develop websites from top to bottom. Stone River eLearning only provides the highest quality courses to teach beginners and seasoned veterans. And now you can have this video course – regularly priced at $299 – for just $39!
Apple stuck to its guns when it came to expanding into China: refusing to compromise its brand equity by selling lower cost iPhones to compete with low-end smartphone manufacturers.
That decision seems to be paying off, since a new study in China by app and mobile advertising analytics firm Umeng shwes that Apple’s targeting of affluent users has already seen it capture more than 80% of the Chinese smartphone market, who spend upwards of $500 on their phones.
Three out of every four smartphones sold in Japan are reportedly iPhones, but how did the Apple devices get there to start with?
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son shed some light on that question during a television interview with Charlie Rose which aired earlier this week, in which he told the story of how he landed the iPhone back in 2008.
Apple has chopped its iPhone return policy from 30 to 14 days, according to leaked document uncovered by 9to5Mac. The updated policy officially goes into effect on March 13th, but Apple’s website is already showing the change.
The change sounds like an effort to clear up return policy confusion.
In the past, customers could bring an iPhone back to Apple within 30 days of purchase, but the carrier would still charge an early termination fee if the iPhone was returned after 14 days. iPhone carrier partners have always offered a 14-day return window, and all of Apple’s other products have a 14-day policy as well.
Source: 9to5Mac
App-powered toys are simply incredible. They add excitement and cool special features to an ordinary idea. The MOTO TC Rally is a prime example. This app-powered toy is where virtual and real-world racing collide.
And Cult of Mac Deals has the MOTO TC Rally for 60% off the regular price – just $39.99.
Microsoft will release a OneNote application for Mac later this month, according to sources familiar with its plans.
OneNote is already available on iOS and Android — and, of course, Microsoft’s own Windows platforms — and the new Mac app is part of the company’s plans to take on rival note-taking services like Evernote.