Apple unleashed a slew of software updates this afternoon, including an iOS update for the second and third-gen Apple TV. Today’s 5.1.1 update brings full support for iTunes 11 and a number of stability improvements.
iTunes 11 has a music queuing feature called “Up Next,” and the Apple TV can now interface with Up Next to show what’s about to play. The new iOS Remote app also lets you manage your queue from an iPhone or iPad.
Sure, you could use the calculator, or any one of a dozen-odd apps that allow you to tap the screen and calculate the tip in a restaurant, but why even bother? iOS and Siri can meet your needs just by talking to your iPhone–or iPad, but won’t that get meatloaf gravy all over it?
Regardless, here’s how to ask Siri the right way to calculate the tip for the super-helpful server or bartender in your life.
Apple’s App Store has been the undisputed revenue king since its inception, however, its once enormous lead is now quickly shrinking. That leading edge over Android is an argument that’s becoming moot as the Play’s revenue continues to grow at a ravenous rate. According to App Annie, an industry leader in app store analytics and marketing, Google Play’s revenues have skyrocketed 311% in the last year, compared to the App Store’s more conservative 12.9%.
When the PadPivot arrived, I scoffed: It’s just another iPad stand after all, and a weird-looking one at that. But then I started using it, an interesting thing happened: It grew on me quicker than almost any other gadget I have.
A few weeks later and the PadPivot has not only ousted several other widgets from my gear-bag, but – if it was pried from my fingers right now, I’d immediately order myself up a new one.
iTunes 11 was finally released today and it’s actually pretty great. The user interface has been streamlined so that superfluous crap gets out of the way when you don’t need it, and there are some genuinely cool features and tricks in the update. It’s a step in the right direction and I’m pretty surprised that I want to start using iTune again thanks to this update.
Now that you’ve had a little bit of time to play with iTunes 11, what’s your favorite feature? Up Next is pretty awesome and I’m digging the album view even though I prefer browsing via artists instead. How about you? What’s surprised you about iTunes 11 so far? What do you love about it? What do you hate? Come over to the Cult of Mac Forums and give us your thoughts on the newest version of iTunes.
Click here to go to the Cult of Mac Forums and tell us what you think of iTunes 11
Alongside the release of iTunes 11, Apple has also updated the iOS Remote app that can be use on an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad to control iTunes.
Remote is simpler and easier with new ways to browse your library and see and edit upcoming songs with Up Next. A redesigned experience for the iPad shows all the songs in an album with the Expanded view and a more powerful search delivers results as you type.
Remote version 3.0 comes with a sleeker design that is similar to the experience offered in iTunes 11. You can download the new update for free right here.
iTunes 11 has a really neat new feature that lets users redeem a giftcard without typing in a single character. Users can simply hold their giftcard up to the FaceTime camera on their Mac and iTunes will read the code and redeem the value for it.
This is the greatest feature Apple has ever invented. No longer shall consumers be subjected to really long funky alpha-numerical gift codes as we hunt-and-peck our way through entering the code into our computer in exchange for some free iTunes bucks.
After making customers wait an extra month, Apple believes iTunes 11 is finally ready for primetime. Apple just released iTunes 11 as a free download. You can get the update right here, or by choosing “Check for Updates” in iTunes.
Microsoft Surface is supposed to be Remond’s answer to the iPad. It’s beautiful and has a cool keyboard. But the reviews for the Surface RT were pretty underwhelming. We played with it too and though it was cool, but definitely no iPad killer.
The common consensus in the tech world is that we’ll have to wait till Microsoft releases the Surface Pro with full Windows 8 before making a judgement on Microsoft’s dreams of squashing the iPad. Well, things aren’t looking too promising because Microsoft just announced that the Surface Pro will be available in January 2013 except it’s going to be expensive, like holy-crap-I-just-blew-$900 expensive.
I hate camera straps. I’m forever taking one off and threading another one through the camera’s eyelets or hooking up some device to the tripod screw or just wrapping a neck strap around my wrist. For something that’s so simple, and has been around for so long, the camera strap sure is a badly-designed piece of junk.
The Leash, on the other hand (or other shoulder), is an attempt to combine all straps ever into one ultra-versatile sling. Does it work? Let’s see.
Just a few weeks ago T-Mobile’s COO said that there’s no way that T-Mobile would ever be able to get the iPhone because it’s just too damn expensive.
Things may have changed quickly though as a new report from Merrill Lynch is claiming that Deutsche Telecome will announce a deal to bring the iPhone to their U.S. subsidiary, T-Mobile, next week.
In case you hadn’t guessed from the frequency of my posts about them, I’m still looking for a dock for my iPhone 5. The latest candidate for a spot on my nightstand is the “Charging & Sync Dock Cradle for Apple iPhone 5 with audio out” from USB Fever, and it is mentioned here primarily for its weird design.
You would think that after year’s of continually being ranked the worst US carrier, AT&T would have done something to pull itself from the bottom. Unfortunately, they haven’t. According to Consumer Reports’ latest rankings, AT&T once again holds the title for overall worst US carrier. AT&T shouldn’t feel too bad as not a single major US carrier scored above an overall satisfaction score of 72.
The Apple TV has become a mythical creature. Sustaining itself off the delicious nectar of Gene Munster’s wishful rumors, its remained hidden for years and who knows if it’ll ever make an appearance in the real world.
The latest rumor is that Apple will announce their TV set next year. If Apple does make a TV it’s likely to bring some huge changes to the cable television industry, and Time Warner’s CEO can’t wait.
Apple launched the fourth-generation iPad back in October, introducing a new A6X processor, a FaceTime HD camera, and its new Lightning connector. But despite those improvements, it appears the device isn’t selling as well as its predecessors. The reason? Another tablet is “cannibalizing” its sales.
But that tablet isn’t from Microsoft, or Google, or Amazon — or any other manufacturer for that matter. That tablet is the iPad mini.
What’s in a name? If you’re Nick Cool, then it’s THE TRUTH. And Nick’s cool photo hack totally proves it.
One day, it seems that Nick was staring at his sink, perhaps in a fuzzy daze as he waited for his coffee to brew. His eyes presumably were drawn, like all kitchen detritus, towards the filthy plughole.
Most of us would see a future chore, to be added to the long list of other things we’ll put off until somebody more conscientious takes care of them. Nick, however, saw an opportunity. A Photo Op, if you like.
The iPhone 5 is expected to make its debut in China next month, and that’s looking increasingly likely now that the device has received its third and final license from China’s Telecommunications Equipment and Certification Center (TENAA).
When Flexibits launched Fantastical on the Mac back in May of 2011, I started actually using iCal to make sense of the hectic mess that is my daily schedule. Fast forward to today, and Fantastical is an app I still can’t live without. I was ecstatic when Flexibits sent me an early copy of Fantastical for iPhone to try out, and I’m pleased to report that it is everything you would expect and more. Apple’s Calendar app just got dethroned again.
In a new interview with the BBC, Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive who is often referred to as the “father of the iPod,” insists Scott Forstall “got what he deserved” when he was fired by Apple back in October. Although he refused to speak about his relationship with the former iOS chief, Fadell says the decision to let him go was completely “justified.”
Because I’m not dead, I love music. But since I have no friends (at least not any friends with good musical taste), I have no idea what to listen to. Which means I’m pretty much stuck playing old (and still fantastic) Talking Heads tracks, and that XX album from a year or two back.
But now that Hype Machine has redesigned its app, I now have a new, musical-savvy friend.
Recording the audio source from your Mac isn’t as easy ast it would seem. When recording a podcast, for example, many Mac podcasters use third party apps like Soundflower or external mixers to record both the audio in and the audio out of an interview, for example. Other apps, like Audio Hijack, also exist to record any sound you have occuring on your Mac, but those can be pricey, as they include many features beyond simple recording.
If you want a free, simple to use Mac audio recording software, you might want to check out WavTap.
I was never a big fan of the Dreamcast, but it did have a couple of titles I really liked. One of those was Jet Set Radio, a hugely enjoyable game in which you would skate around a city and mark your turf by “tagging” walls, billboards, and rival gang members with spray paint. I’m sure you’ve already heard of it.
Now you can enjoy this awesome game on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad — because it’s just hit the App Store.
Earlier this month, we told you the awesome calendar app Fantastical is making the leap from Mac OS X to iOS. It’s now available to download for your iPhone — priced at just $1.99 — and like its desktop counterpart, it’ll change the way you use your calendar forever.
Travis Jensen is a self-taught photographer with a day job who has just published his fifth book of street snaps.
Shot with an iPhone 4 plus Hipstamatic’s John S. Lens and Blackeys Supergrain Film, “Wish You Were Here – San Francisco Street Snaps,” was published in collaboration with the Franklin Street Whole Foods store with proceeds to benefit Larkin Street Youth Services. (If you’re in San Francisco, you can meet Jensen and pick up a signed copy at the launch party at Hipstamatic headquarters on Thursday, November 29.)
Jensen offered Cult of Mac these tips on how he turned his weekend obsession of iPhone photo forays into supermarket checkout fare.
Our Macs are pretty amazing machines on their own. The handle almost anything we throw at them with grace, elegance, and power. But there are some things it just can’t do out of the box. (Like run Windows, for example.)
The Mac Utility Bundle is one of our recent Cult of Mac Deals offers that adds a whole new layer – and level – of utility to your Mac…and at a fraction of what it would usually cost. We’re talking only $59.99 for 5 tremendously useful applications – which is a whopping 75% off the regular price!