After Apple’s Super Bowl ad — which we summarily declared to be so good that it won the Super Bowl without even trying — Apple has posted a behind-the-scenes video to its YouTube channel, showing how the ad was shot.
And how was it shot? On January 24th, Apple directed 15 camera crews across 10 countries armed with several iPhone 5s’s, who were all in communication with one another over FaceTime to stay in sync.
The developer of 10000000–pronounced “ten million”–is working on a sequel, and to celebrate that fact, he’s dropped the price on the Mac and iOS versions of the first game (still pronounced the same way).
For $1.50 on Mac or $0.99 on iOS, you can get one of the coolest mashups I’ve played in recent memory. 10000000 is a delightful and engaging mix of endless runner, match-three, and RPG, and it’s super fun to play.
The new game, called You Must Build A Boat, has a pretty interesting story behind it, as well.
After rumors swirled that it’s going after Flipboard, Facebook has made its new storytelling/reader app, Paper, available on the App Store starting today.
Paper allows you to explore and share stories with friends the same way you’ve always been doing on Facebook, except the app also brings in news curation on topics of interest, and it features an immersive new design with less distractions and more natural navigation movements.
Whether the app will actually kill Flipboard remains to be seen, but after playing with it a bit this morning there is one app it’s certain to kill, the original Facebook app.
Here are the release notes:
Apple was notably absent from the Super Bowl ad slots Sunday, but a new video touting the Mac’s transformative power is quickly making Cupertino the most talked-about company the morning after the big game. The impressive clip continues the Mac’s 30th-anniversary celebration, and it was shot entirely on iPhones in 15 locations across five continents.
There have been many wearables and quantified-health applications over the past few years, but most have steered clear of proclaiming themselves medical devices. Some of the rumors about the iWatch (such as the fact that it will be able to listen to the sound blood makes as it flows through arteries, and use this to predict heart attacks) may sound a bit too good to be true. But the number of biosensor and biomedical engineers Apple has snapped up recently makes us think the iWatch could be a device that crosses over firmly into the "medical monitoring" category.
According to one recent report, a reason for the long delay before launch is that Apple is awaiting certification from the Food and Drug Administration to get the iWatch approved as medical equipment. Given Apple's recent announcement of the Health app for iOS 8 to collect and show data on calorie consumption, sleep activity, blood oxygen levels and more, plus the conspicuous absence of a health-tracking fitness band in Apple's last iPhone 5s ad, the idea that the iWatch will be geared toward health seems as close to a foregone conclusion as you get for a device that hasn't even been officially announced yet.
Apple’s much-anticipated iWatch could use solar power and wireless charging technology to prolong battery life and make juicing up as painless as possible, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans who have been speaking to The New York Times.
One of the biggest challenges Apple faces in perfecting its smartwatch is ensuring it offers enough power to get us through the day. Its goal, according to earlier reports, is to provide at least four to five days of use before a charge is needed, but that’s no easy feat for a device that must be small enough to wear on your wrist.
Gross is an iPhone app that’ll tell you just how lazy you’ve been for the last week. And believe me, unless you’re managing to get out an exercise in the middle of this icy winter, then the first time you fire up the app you’ll probably find yourself saying it’s name out loud.
Question: Why do we go to restaurants?
If you answered: To eat a delicious meal and not have to wash the dishes afterwards then you get zero points. Go to the back of the class etc. The real reason we go to a restaurant these days is to “play games, view the company story, and so much more.” Luckily, the Padholdr Tablet Stand is on hand to make this modern-day dream a simple reality, by putting an iPad on every table.
Have you switched over to an iPhone full-time for your photography, and yet you desperately miss your Lensbaby or other tilt-shift lens setup? Then take a look at this great DIY project from Maciej Pietuszynski that turns an old CCTV lens into a grungifying lens for any smartphone.
To be honest, you could probably leave your new Mac Pro on the floor next to your desk and any office burglars would just mistake it for a rather small trash can. But if you want a little more security, you might consider adding something Apple didn’t provide for: a Kensington-style lock. A new security bracket from MacLocks features a design as clever as that of the computer it protects.
You know what’s cool? Armbands that hold you iPhone while you’re jogging. And you know what’s cooler than cool? Fanny packs. So it seems obvious that a gadget that combines these two into one would be pretty much the best thing ever. Better, even, than a choc’n’bacon flavored lightsaber.
And here it is, the Tunewear JOGPOCKET for Smartphones.
Rumors surrounding iOS 8 and the iWatch are starting to heat up, including details of a new “Healthbook” app. Apple is particularly focused on fitness for its smartwatch, according to a pair of reports from yesterday.
This week in Cult of Mac Magazine: drive smarter, with a little help from the app store.
Your iPhone. Great apps. Your car. What could be better? Well, maybe an Apple-designed driving system.
We’re all eagerly awaiting for release of iOS 7 In the Car, you know, what Apple is calling the “best passenger ever.” (We bet it won’t need to pull over for the pit stop. Or tell you to stop and ask for directions, either.)
Until then, you may find yourself like our games editor Rob LeFebvre with a clunker that could use a bit of future-proofing. Rob discovers out the joys – and limits – of what you can do with about $20 and the best the iTunes store has to offer. Turns out, your old ride may be more of a smart car than you think. The mag also brings you the best from the apps store, books, movies and music in iTunes plus advice from an actual Apple retail Genius.
As always, if you hit any speed bumps with the app, please write to me directly or hit the “send” tab top right. We’ll fix it!
This time on The CultCast: iBras make the world a better place; Apple TV is your tele’s next gaming console; iPhone 6’s get huger screens; Net Neutrality and why you should care; and Erfon pitches the best Fave N Rave pick EVER…
Chuckle your way through this 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 audio adventure begin.
Thanks to Ting for sponsoring this episode! Ahh, Ting, the straight forward wireless carrier who doesn’t overcharge. With Ting, you only pay for the data, minutes, and text messages you use. Plus, no contracts! See how much could be saving on your wireless bill at cultcast.ting.com.
When should you take your iPad and when should you take your MacBook?
If you use your iOS devices for work on the move, and often find yourself wishing that your tablet came with a built-in physical keyboard so you didn’t have to haul your laptop everywhere, you’re most likely the perfect target audience for M-Edge’s nifty keyboard case — the 10-inch Tablet Universal Stealth Pro Keyboard Case (to use its full and slightly Tom Clancy-sounding name).
Want more details? Read on.
Daniel Hjelm has a pretty nifty game on his hands here: Loot Hero.
It’s the essence of RPG games, distilled down for the mobile platform. You tap on the left and right sides of the screen, and mow down enemy bad guys with your upgradeable weapon.
Here’s a quick video of my impressions and play through.
Tyler Fisher is not an Apple employee. In fact, I’m pretty sure the guy doesn’t know the difference between an iPad and an iPod Shuffle, but that didn’t stop him from dressing up as an Apple Specialist, going to work at his local Apple Store, and recording the entire prank as he sprayed customers with misinformation on everything from iPhones having retina scanners, to MacBooks with so much cloud it melted into a puddle that’s perfect for storing your naughty pics.
Not only did Tyler educate Apple Store customers to the “fact” that polio, lyme disease, and syphilis were invented by Apple thanks to the chemical mishmash that goes into MacBooks, but he also offered customers a 75% discount if they knew someone that had the diseases – an apology on Apple’s behalf.
Check out the reactions in the video below:
Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson ruffled some fanboys’ feathers earlier this month when he said Google is outpacing Apple on the innovation front. Pointing to the Nest acquisition as evidence, Isaacson says the greatest innovation is coming out of Google.
During an appearance on Bloomberg TV this morning Isaacson stood by his comments but clarified that while innovation is great, the most important trait for tech companies to acquire is the ability to execute, and no one executes better than Apple.
Asked about Apple’s problems coming out with a great low-end device, Isaacson responded that Apple won’t ever be good at low-end because it makes “insanely great products” so it will have to come out with a new disruptive device.
Listen to Walter’s full comments in the video below:
Tim Cook has made a journey over to Ireland this week to visit with staff at the company’s Cork offices. Along with addressing the 4,000 employees responsible for assembling the MacBook Pro, Cook also met up with the country’s prime minister, Taoiseach Enda Kenny today to talk about Apple’s presence in the country, and the Irish tax laws that help it avoid paying billions extra.
The Irish Prime Minister denied claims that the Irish government courts multinational companies like Apple to give them special deals on their corporate tax rate. According to a report from theJournal.ie, Edna Kenny said the tax issue came up during his conversation with Cook and told him they’re in discussions with the OECD about an international response, but the country’s statutory rate of 12.5% applies to all companies.
I’ve had iPhones for years, but I’ve never really been keen on using one that wasn’t jailbroken. As much as I love iOS, some of Apple’s decisions always kept my iPhone from working exactly how I wanted it to.
Jailbreaking gave me the ability to sidestep those limitations and make iOS my own. I could experience some of the freedom that Android users have grown to love while retaining the reliability, stability and polish of iOS. While I was frustrated that Apple wasn’t making major changes to improve its platform, I was happy that I could make them myself using unauthorized third-party tweaks.
Then I started using iOS 7, and everything changed.
PlayStation’s official app has received its first update — adding several notable features to the service, which functions as a second-screen app and social networking hub for PS4 players.
Chief among the updates is “Live from PlayStation” integration, which allows users to view live streams from Ustream and Twitch — although it is worth pointing out that this service works by redirecting you to an external Web browser — or corresponding live-steaming service app — to watch the footage, rather than streaming it directly within the PlayStation App.
The New York Times has updated its official apps for iOS.
Both NYTimes for iPhone and NYTimes for iPad now promise complete coverage of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, which will take place from Feb 7 to 23 — including news alerts which can be signed up for once the games begin.
This Sunday is the Super Bowl and, contrary to what Steve Jobs may have thought, yes, people will be watching it — around 108 million, if last year’s numbers are any indication.
The real question is whether Apple will have an ad ready for the event, to commemorate three decades since the company’s iconic Macintosh commercial kicked off an advertising trend that is still followed today.
To celebrate Chinese New Year (that’s the Year of the Horse to you!), 2K Games has launched a massive iOS sale — with reductions on a ton of its titles.
Among them is the popular tactical role-playing game XCOM: Enemy Unknown (down from $19.99 to $9.99) and the much-anticipated racer 2K Drive (going for just 99 cents, compared to its usual $9.99).
The full list can be seen here, alongside their usual prices:
Apple has regained its lead over Android in the battle for U.S. smartphone marketshare, according to the latest report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
Going by CIRP’s figures, in the final quarter of 2013 iOS eked out a 2 percent advantage over Android — with Apple capturing 48 percent of the market to Google’s 46 percent.
Arguably, the iPad needs an external camera add-on more than the iPhone, stuck as it is with a previous-gen camera and features. And Sony seems to agree. Now it will sell you an adapter that puts one of its neat QX lens cameras onto any table (or phablet, I guess).