When you enable the Personal Hotspot feature on your iPhone, iOS will generate a password on your behalf. It's convenient, but recent research from FAU in Germany suggests it is not very secure.

According to researchers Andreas Kurtz, Felix Freiling, and Daniel Metz, the default Hotspot password uses a short english word with some random numbers at the end. Not surprisingly, these passwords can be cracked in no time via a brute force dictionary attack. Using one AMD Radeon HD 6990 GPU, the team was able to guess a password in 50 minutes. When they bumped the GPUs up to four AMD Radeon HD 7970s, they were able to drop the password cracking time to a mere 50 seconds.

One reason the cracking was so easy is that Apple apparently uses a password list that picks from 1,842 words, and the selection of these words is not done randomly. It wouldn't take much effort for a savvy hacker to figure out this pattern and write a tool that would compromise a hotspot password faster than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

The take home message is to change your hotspot password from the default one that is generated by iOS to one of your own choosing. It's easy enough to do -- just tap Settings > Personal Hotspot or Settings > General > Cellular > Personal Hotspot, depending on your device and software. Then tap the Wi-Fi password field and type in a new phrase. The new password must be at least eight characters long and use ASCII/Unicode characters. You can read more about the Personal Hotspot feature on Apple's iOS support page.

[Via Engadget]

Researchers easily crack iOS-generated hotspot passwords originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Silicon Valley Historical Association has released a short video clip of Steve Jobs from 1994, part of a 20 minute interview he gave while at NeXT. Jobs talked about his future legacy and discussed if he would be remembered for his work.

The clip's release is a promotion for the Silicon Valley Historical Association's 60-minute documentary based around the interview. Titled "Steve Jobs: Visionary Entrepreneur," the documentary is available on the Silicon Valley Historical Association's website. A digital download is US$14.99, with the DVD costing $24.99, and an audio-only version for $4.99.

Steve Jobs talks about his legacy in new video from 1994 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rockstar Games has announced that it is bringing its popular console and PC title 'Mac Payne 3' to the Mac on Thursday. Rockstar has yet to release its pricing, only stating that the Mac version of the game supports "a number of advanced graphics options, scalable high-resolution textures and character models, DirectX11 features, multi-monitor support and 3D."

As far as what users need to run the game, Rockstar recommends the following:

• Mac OS X 10.7.5 Lion
• Intel Dual Core Xeon / Core i Series 2.4 GHZ or greater
• 4GB System RAM
• NVIDIA(R) 8800GT 512MB VRAM
• or AMD Radeon HD 4870 512 VRAM
• HDD Space: 35GB

'Max Payne 3' coming to the Mac on June 20 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook has updated its iOS app, adding new status icons and new privacy features. The version 6.2 update follows updates made to the web version of Facebook, especially regarding the all-important privacy status. Now after a user has posted a status update, photo or a link, they can tap a drop-down arrow next to the update and change the privacy settings. Users can change the privacy settings for older posts as well.

Users can now select emoticons and other status icons while writing a status update. The emoticons are meant to be selected after a user has written a status update, with the intention that the emoticon will give that users friends a quick visual glance as to how that person is feeling.

Here's a complete rundown of all the changes made and Facebook 6.2:

o. Add icons to status updates to show what you're feeling, reading, watching and more (English only)
o. Easily change who can see something you've shared
o. Start a new conversation with photos you receive in messages
o. Bug fixes

Facebook for iOS is a free download.

Facebook update boosts privacy features to iOS app originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple has released an update to its Configurator app. The OS X app allows users to configure and deploy iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch devices in an enterprise environment, such as schools or government institutions. While no major changes were introduced, there are several minor improvements that administrators of institutions will find useful. Here's the news from the release notes:

Apple Configurator 1.3 contains improvements and bug fixes including:

o. Significantly improved reliability, scalability and performance
o. A new status view that includes time estimates and error information with recovery suggestions
o. Ability to cancel scheduled or in-progress operations
o. Administrators can install apps on devices configured to not allow users to install apps

Apple Configurator is a free download in the Mac App Store.

Apple updates Configurator app originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Square Enix's Bloodmasque was undoubtedly the strangest game I saw at E3 last week, and in a year defined by indie titles and two new HD consoles, I think that's saying something. Square Enix has had a weird time with the App Store -- other companies like Capcom and EA have found a lot of success in smaller titles, but Square Enix has clung to its own console traditions, releasing relatively large and high-quality, high-production titles for a relatively high cost. Bloodmasque follows this trend (though the price has yet to be announced just yet), and it also brings one weird little twist that was actually more charming than I expected.

The game is based in an alternate universe, sort of steampunky version of Paris in 1890, where an empire of vampires (yes, a vampire empire) rules the world. One plucky adventurer has the guts and the magical powers to stand up to those empires, and that adventurer is you. Literally you, I mean, because the game scans your face, and then inserts it right on to the main character. That's me and my character above, though keep in mind that this was day three of E3, so if I look a little tired, that's why.

The face-scanning thing is a gimmick, and yet strangely it works: After my face was scanned in and my hair was tuned to the right shape and color, I watched as my character (a little more fit than I am) saved a damsel in distress, and carried out a vampire fight scene. I tapped to attack, swiped to dodge and then when the vampire was almost dead, pulled off a jumping leap and staked him right in the back of the neck. You can actually record three different faces, so you get one frowning, one standard and one smiling. Each of them can look very different, which can make the animation a little strange. Even under the best of conditions, the face looks weird and a little creepy, sure, but I could tell it was me, so I guess that's the point.

Bloodmasque itself is really just a series of missions, which you navigate around via an overworld map. There's a light social game built on it as well -- you can choose two friends to join you in battle scenes, and their faces will also show up on screen as you play (you can elect to keep your face private, if you like, or you can choose a premade face if you're not interested in showing your mug to the world). Your friends get bonuses when you use them in battle, and vice versa, so having an oft-used mug will earn you more blood for upgrades and XP for missions.

There are exploration levels, too, but I found them pretty bland, unfortunately. We'll have to wait until the full game arrives to see if the story pulls us in at all. But the setting is distinct (steampunk is always a plus), and that face gimmick makes for a very interesting twist indeed. If the combat can sustain the fun, Bloodmasque could be a riotous way to put a character together, featuring your very own look.

Square Enix seems attached to the idea that selling premium games at a premium price will work, and I'm not one to disavow them of that, especially as lots of other companies race towards the bottom. Bloodmasque should be an interesting experiment -- it's set to come out sometime later on this summer.

Square Enix uses your face for action in Bloodmasque originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Thinking of buying new headphones for listening to music on your iPhone or iPod touch? You might want to try the Dirac HD Player or the Lite version instead to see if it can improve the sound from the headphones that came with your iOS music player.

Dirac is a Swedish company that does all kinds of high-end electronic equalization for the auto and electronics industry. You can hear their work in BMW, Rolls-Royce or Bentley autos, not that I get into too many Bentleys or other high-end cars...

Dirac has applied its sonic expertise to fixing some of the audio issues with Apple's headsets. The app is not designed for any other headset, as the EQ is quite specific to Apple's original iPhone and iPod touch headphones or EarPods.

The Lite version is free, and doesn't allow you to create or modify playlists, but the audio quality for the free and paid version (US$2.99) is the same.

I gave the app a listen on a variety of rock, jazz and classical tunes I had on my iPhone, and overall I would say the sound improved. My tests were with the Apple EarPods that came with my iPhone 5. The midrange seemed to be boosted, the edge was taken off strings and there was a bit more distinctness to the bass lines. Sometimes I felt the sound was different, not necessarily better, but in most cases I liked the improvement. There are no adjustments to make, other than to decide if you are listening on Apple headphones or EarPods.

A couple of caveats. You can only listen to music from your iTunes library. It won't work on other audio sources, like streaming radio. iTunes Match and iTunes in the Cloud aren't supported yet either, but they are coming.

If you are interested, I would suggest trying the free version to see if you like the sound improvement. If so, you might want to spring for the paid version for the extra flexibility.

I've listened to some other audio enhancers like the SRS iWow app and hardware solution. The results are more dramatic than the Dirac app, but the SRS app requires a hardware clip-on. However, it does work with any headphones and has many more adjustments.

The Dirac HD Players are optimized for the iPhone 5, and require iOS 5.1 or better.

Gallery: Dirac HD Player

Dirac HD Player can improve the Apple headphone and EarPod experience originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While Mavericks won't be officially released for a few months, developers already have their hands on the beta, and are putting the operating system to the test. One intrepid YouTube user, MrThaiBox123, has uploaded a video showcasing the strengths and weaknesses of the system's multi-monitor abilities. And he's done this with six 27-inch monitors. You know, just like your average work space.

It's important to note that the issues MrThaiBox123 deals with could all be fixed by the public release this fall. Still this is a fascinating look at both the upcoming operating system and the troubleshooting that comes with beta testing.

Testing the pros and cons of Mavericks' multi-display support originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A new update has been released for the popular social video app Vine that adds a sharing button beneath posts in your feed, along with the standard bug fixes that come with every update. Sharing is a nice touch that the app has been sorely lacking since its launch. When you hit share, you're given a list of options: Twitter, Facebook or embed.

When you share your own videos, the link is sent directly to the feed of your choice with no option to insert a personal message. The Vine is simply shared with the text you attached to it. However, when you share a friend's Vine you're given the option of attaching your own text to the repost, so you can tag friends... or perhaps enemies.

You can find the Vine version 1.1.3 in the App Store right now.

Vine 1.1.3 update adds a share button originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's been over a week since Apple announced the new Mac Pro, and while public opinion has been quite positive, the creative professionals who will most likely be the target market for the shiny cylinder haven't been heard from... until now. Macworld UK's Karen Haslam followed up with a number of power users, and found that while many are thrilled with the prospect of Apple's new flagship product, there are some concerns as well.

The lack of internal expansion in the new design is of concern to several commenters. Writing for Broadcast Engineer, David Austerberry noted that "If I upgrade, that spaghetti under the desk will be joined by more Thunderbolt spaghetti connecting to external storage." Referring to the turntable base of the new Mac Pro, Austerberry says, "If I need to plug in an external drive to bring in video content, I can attempt to plug in at the back, but the chassis isn't going to turn easily with all the cables plugged in. Some front connectors would have been dead handy!"

Despite the concerns about internal expansion, Final Cut Pro trainer Larry Jordan recently blogged that 80 percent of current Mac Pro users don't have any PCI cards installed except for the graphics card. Jordan also wrote that "Apple essentially provided a virtually unlimited number of card slots for users that need the maximum in expandability," in reference to the use of the still unproven Thunderbolt 2 bus.

Pros need a lot of storage. Video editor Lou Borella bemoans the lack of Thunderbolt peripherals, saying that the "missing piece is the lack of high-speed Thunderbolt-native RAID 5 storage systems" and "very, very few 5- to 10-drive RAID 5 systems, which we editors need the most."

Most of the pros seemed thrilled with the prospect of the Xeon E5-powered Mac Pro and fast PCIe flash memory. But most were also concerned about the lack of choice of GPU in the new Mac Pro. Borella "was drooling at the thought of two NVidia Titans" in his future Mac Pro, but Apple has apparently decided that the two built-in AMD FirePro workstation-class GPUs are enough. Some Mac users have software that isn't optimized or even compatible with the new graphics card, so the ability to swap out GPUs is a major concern.

For the most part, many of the pros were optimistic, with Borella noting that "This machine will change the way my peripherals sit on my desk. It will cause me to take a hard look at my current monitor situation. It will cause me to re-evaluate my home network and my NAS devices. It might even cause me to give a harder look to FCPX. For good or bad this Mac Pro will change everything and cause a ripple effect in my entire computing life... It's probably about time that some company takes me to the next step."

We'll hear more about the Mac Pro, including pricing and expansion possibilities, as the fall release date draws closer. If you're a current Mac Pro owner and have your doubts or hopes about the new model, please leave us your comments below.

Mac pros react to the Mac Pro originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Agricola is one of the most popular board games around these days -- it's sort of a farming simulation game, where you can take two turns every round, and then periodically get rewards paid off in a harvest. Playdek is an up-and-coming iOS developer that's mostly done card games so far -- they're behind the Penny Arcade card game, as well as the excellent Ascension and a more complicated one I really like called Nightfall. Now, Playdek has teamed up with the creators of Agricola and Lookout Games to produce this iOS adaptation, available right now on the App Store for US$6.99.

The way the game works is that every round, you send out a family member to perform some task for you, including growing crops, bringing in resources or building fences for animals. During the game, you can add more members to your family, which means you'll have more chances to bring in resources, but you'll also have more people to feed when the harvest comes around. The game is complex, but the core idea (of building up your farm bit by bit) is strong, so after playing through the tutorial and seeing the process for a while, it's easy to start building your own strategies and plans.

Just as with the rest of their titles, Playdek has done a great job here in the presentation -- the game's stark but beautiful music goes well with the theme of fighting just to have enough, and all of the title's various processes and features are clearly displayed with charming and iconic touches. The game uses a top-down 2D drawn style, which might not have been quite as impressive as a full 3D farm environment, but works very well in getting all of the information you need across clearly. Plus, in addition to four gameplay modes, there's online or offline multiplayer, including a pass-and-play mode which is always a nice. Playdek knows well how to translate card games over to iOS, and this title proves they've been able to bring that expertise to board games as well. Agricola might be a bit pricey for those unfamiliar (or uninterested) in the original, but if you're looking for a full-featured, well-made adaptation of the popular board game, this is definitely it.

Daily iPhone App: Agricola is Playdek's great adaptation of the board game originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

No Flash? Click here to listen.

Subscribe via RSS

Daily Update for June 18, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The clever folk over at Kintek have posted a handy system-to-system guide for anyone working in the mobile development space. This metaphor overview quickly references how items like buttons, switches, one-of-n selection and other common interface items are expressed by default in the target arenas.

You'll find items from Android, iOS 6 and iOS 7 listed side by side, so you can quickly review their visual presentation. Resource links take you to developer documentation. It's nicely done and well worth checking out.

[Via Swiss Miss]

DevJuice: iOS/Android PortKit translates visual metaphors originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring a handy list from Dealnews and our own hand-picked selections that include some sweet deals on iOS and OS X software (all prices are USD). Prices are subject to change.

Deals from Dealnews

• StackSocial: [Mac Software] The Name Your Own Price Double Down Mac Bundle for $4
• DiscountMags: [Magazines] Macworld Magazine 2-Year Subscription (24 issues) for $13
• MacUpdate Promo: [Mac Software] Flavours for Mac downloads for $10
• Adorama: [Camera Accessories] LumiQuest Event Shooting Kit for $35 + free shipping
• Paydeals.com: [iPad Accessories] ZAGG iPad and Android Tablet Accessories from $25 + free shipping
• all4cellular.com: [Camera Accessories] 160-LED Continuous Light Panel w/ Mount, Filters for $25 + free shipping
• DealGenius: [Surge Protectors] Coleman Cable 10-Outlet Surge Protector 2-Pack for $20 + free shipping
• Paydeals.com: [iPhone Accessories] Griffin TuneFlex AUX Car Charger Mount for iPhone for $7 + free shipping
• TigerDirect: [Keyboards] Ultra Slim USB Keyboard for $0 after rebate + $2 s&h
• Adorama: [Digital Tablets] Wacom Bamboo 4-Button Craft Tablet for $55 + free shipping
• Paydeals.com: [iPad Accessories] Sena Florence Leather Folio for iPad for $13 + free shipping
• TigerDirect: [Battery Backups/UPSs] Battery Backups at TigerDirect from $80 + $15 s&h

iOS Software

• Gridditor [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; Now free, down from $1.99] Gridditor is a new way to quickly and easily edit photos.

• World War Z [iOS Universal; Category: Games; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] The World War Z game challenges you: play to survive. In a race against time, travel the world to rescue your loved ones in the midst of the deadly Zombie pandemic.

• TinyLegends[TM] Monster Crasher [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] Thousands of lives are depending on you. And valiant warriors are waiting for your call to eliminate the impending threat once for all.

• Commando Jack [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] You are Commando Jack, the baddest, meanest, toughest soldier planet Earth has to offer, and it's up to you to save the world from alien invasion.

• Occasions+ [iOS Universal; Category: Productivity; Now free, down from $0.99] Occasions+ is the best way to keep track of and remember important occasions in your busy life.

• mPass Pro [iOS Universal; Category: Productivity; Now free, down from $4.99] mPass provides a safe and simple way to store and manage all your passwords and private information.

• Random Heroes 2 [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] Sequel to the amazing Random Heroes; now with more guns, explosions and crazy characters.

• RPG DarkGate - KEMCO [iPhone; Category: Games; On sale for $0.99, down from $6.99] Presenting Dark Gate, a full-blown fantasy RPG.

• Star Defender 3 [iPad; Category: Games; Now free, down from $1.99] Get ready to fight through hoards of alien beasts in Star Defender 3.

• LetterLasso [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] A new dynamic touch-based spelling game where a player attaches moving letters together in the correct order to spell a word.

• Battle Academy [iPad; Category: Games; On sale for $9.99, down from $19.99] Approachable, absorbing and visually impressive yet detailed, Battle Academy aims to revolutionise the strategy games market with a blend of intuitive design and compelling game play.

• Posing App [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; Now free, down from $2.99] The ultimate posing reference for both photographers and models.

• CIA : Operation Ajax [iPad; Category: Books; Now free, down from $4.99] Operation Ajax tells the true story of the first CIA backed coup which toppled Iran's democracy in 1953. Combining subtle animation with a film-quality soundtrack, the story unfolds in a groundbreaking cinematic reading experience.

• Net Master - IT Tools & LAN Scanner [iPhone; Category: Utilities; Now free, down from $5.99] Net Master is a utility application developed for Network Administrators and IT Professionals but presented in a format targeted for non-professionals.

• My Measures & Dimensions [iOS Universal; Category: Productivity; Now free, down from $2.99] Just take a photo, add arrows, angles, text or notes. Now the measures are stored and always in your pocket wherever you go.

• 7 Minute Workout [iOS Universal; Category: Health & Fitness; Now free, down from $0.99] 12 high intensity bodyweight exercises. 30 seconds per exercise, 10 seconds rest between exercises.

• Paper Titans [iOS Universal; Category: Games; On sale for $0.99, down from $2.99] Paper Titans is a charming and gentle papercraft-inspired puzzle adventure set across 45 lovingly crafted and beautifully realized levels.

• Over [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; On sale for $0.99, down from $1.99] Add beautiful text and artwork to your photos and share them on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr & Instagram.

• Tapatalk Forum App [iOS Universal; Category: Social Networking; Now free, down from $0.99] Tapatalk is the top forum app that allows you to connect to thousands of internet forums with ability to access private messages and upload images.

• Toca Hair Salon 2 [iOS Universal; Category: Education; Now free, down from $1.99] Our bestselling app Toca Hair Salon is back in an even better version, with new characters, new tools, new accessories and even more hairstyling fun. Apple's App of the week.

OS X Software

• Two Dollar Tuesday [OS X; Category: Various; On sale for $1.99] Two Dollar Tuesday offers three OS X apps for $1.99. Titles include Snail, Keynote Quarter and DM1:Drum Machine.

• Fantastical [OS X; Category: Productivity; On sale for $19.99, down from $29.99] Presenting the calendar app you'll actually enjoy using. Type in that you have "Lunch with John on Friday at 1pm" and Fantastical will schedule it.

• EverFont PRO - Font Preview Tool for Developers and Designers [OS X; Category: Utilities; Now free, down from $2.99] A font sampling tool for developers and designers, or anyone who just want to check out all the beautiful fonts included in Mac.

• iBank [OS X; Category: Finance; On sale for $49.99, down from $59.99] The Gold Standard for Mac money management. 10th anniversary sale, $10 off until July 15.

• popCalendar [OS X; Category: Productivity; Now free, down from $0.99] popCalendar is a tiny calendar that fits in your menu bar giving you a faster access to your timetable.

• Snap [OS X; Category: Productivity; Now free, down from $0.99] Launch an app in a snap. Ridiculously easy shortcut management for the Mac.

• ForkLift - File Manager and FTP/SFTP/WebDAV/Amazon S3 client [OS X; Category: Productivity; On sale for $4.99, down from $19.99] ForkLift is a robust and elegant file manager and FTP/SFTP client.

• MoneyWiz - Personal Finance [OS X; Category: Finance; On sale for $19.99, down from $29.99] Do more with your money. View all your accounts, budgets and bills in one place. Experience reports on a whole new level. Sync Everything across devices.

Daily Deals for June 18, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The excellent iOS RPG Knights of Pen and Paper has been updated to the +1 Edition (as we heard it would be back at GDC) and is now available as a free update on the App Store. This new version, which is technically 2.02, brings lots of new content, game updates, new dungeons to explore and many other extras. For example, there's now a place called The Tavern, where you can keep old heroes and swap in new ones. Several new battle options nearly turned Knights of Pen and Paper into entirely new game.

The +1 edition was spurred on by the game's new publisher, Paradox. Thanks to that collaboration, the game is also now available on Steam for US$9.99. But again, the iOS version is a free update, so if you've grabbed the game already, do be sure to download and give this version a try. If you haven't purchased it yet, you can grab it now for $2.99.

Knights of Pen and Paper now updated to +1 edition originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GOG.com has launched a huge summer sale today, with over 500 games available for very cheap and more changing in and out every day. I'm mentioning it here because the site has a big Mac section with classic games like Dungeon Keeper, Syndicate and even the great System Shock 2 all on sale for less than US$5 each. Alpha Centauri is one of my favorite games ever, and it's also on sale, as is the recent indie success FTL: Faster Than Light.

GOG is even offering the excellent dungeon crawler Torchlight for the low, low price of completely free, so definitely grab that and play it if you haven't yet. The big sale lasts through July 5, and there will be more titles in the mix as the event goes on, so stay tuned for more great games to play on your Mac this summer.

GOG.com hosts big summer sale, including lots of cheap Mac games originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What do you do when your one and only iPad app is a runaway success? If you're FiftyThree, the development firm behind the beautiful journal / art app Paper (free, many in-app purchases available), you get funding for expansion into new areas.

FiftyThree announced today that it received US$15 million in a Series A funding round led by Andreesen Horowitz, with such stellar investors as Twitter's Jack Dorsey, Bright Capital, Highline Ventures and SV Angel joining the party. Paper has been profitable from day one; it's usually in the Top 10 Paid Apps on the App Store, and over 80 million users have downloaded the app.

What's FiftyThree planning on doing with $15 million? Co-founder and CEO Georg Petschnigg says that he wants to add to his team of employees in Seattle and NYC, and create a suite of software, hardware and services. GigaOM's Erica Ogg talked with Petschnigg and although he wouldn't elaborate, the idea of a Paper-branded stylus is a natural outgrowth. Petschnigg's big picture for the firm appears to be collaboration: "We've been focused on iPad there, but the next part we're working on is services that will start to answer the question of how people work together and collaborate."

All secretive talk aside, we're looking forward to seeing what's next from the team at FiftyThree.

Paper for iPad developer receives $15 million in funding originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pushing towards a paperless future, the neat folks at Neat have released version 2.0 of Neat for iOS. The new build of the scanning-on-the-go application features much faster performance, scan annotation, new sharing and collaboration options, plus a new expense-reporting tool.

Neat has made its bones as a desktop scanning solution, offering both compact and ADF-enabled scanners that work with the company's Mac and PC applications for document management. The Neat mobile app extends that find-my-files experience for access on the go, with scans and folders synchronizing to the NeatCloud online service. You can quickly share folders or individual scans to collaborate with colleagues, or search the OCR / indexed text of your documents to find what you need quickly.

The expense report feature is intriguing; it creates a summary PDF from a collection or folder of receipt scans, totaling up the expenditure and listing categories as it goes. It's not going to supplant dedicated expense-reporting iOS tools like Concur, but for mobile freelancers who want a quick way to send expense overviews while simultaneously filing the receipts for safekeeping, it may get some traction.

The NeatCloud platform also includes an optional human-powered verification step called NeatVerify, which will run the automatic OCR results from your receipt or business card scans (no documents) past the eyes of a real, live person for checking. You can get 30 credits for this service for US$4.99 a month, so it's probably best to save it for key items.

Speaking of credits, while the Neat application is a free download from the App Store, the required NeatCloud service works on a paid subscription basis. After a 30-day free trial, you will need either the $14.99 or $29.99 monthly NeatCloud plan (discounted if you sign up for a year) to use the app; both plans offer additional features like extra users, cross-service search and more. Compare and contrast the $45 annual cost of an Evernote premium subscription, and you get the sense that Neat is aiming at the more demanding side of the market.

Neat revises mobile scanning app, adds expense reporting originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Casual artists looking to expand their sketching skills to the iPad should take a close look at Tayasui Sketches. The app landed in the iOS App Store earlier this month and rivals Paper as one of the best easy-to-use sketchbook apps.

Sketches reminds me of an artist's workbench with a canvas in the middle and a handful of tools neatly arranged on the side. Sketches includes six drawing tools, one fill tool and one eraser to get you started. You can use a US$1.99 in-app purchase to buy the complete set of 12 tools and their interchangeable tips. Besides the new tools, the pro version also gives you the ability to change the size and opacity of your tool tip.

Sketches may look simple on the surface, but there are a few key features that make the app a useful tool for serious sketchers and not just child's play. First and foremost is the ability to zoom in on the canvas and add small details to a drawing. It's great for adding a wrinkle to a forehead or the veins on a leaf. You can also draw a shape and fill it in with a pattern in one or two taps. You can even tweak the colors using a level tool that'll let you get the right hue, saturation and brightness. About the only thing missing from the app is support for notebooks. It would be wonderful to be able to group your individual sketches into a notebook to organize them.

Tayasui Sketches is available for free from the iOS App Store.

Daily iPad App: Tayasui Sketches is a basic, but beautiful sketching app originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Flexibits has released Chatology for Mac (US$19.99), which lets you search your Messages chat history with great ease and success. Its looks will make it familiar to just about anyone who's used a Mac within the last ten years and and its integration with Messages is just lovely. Say goodbye to Apple's chat search.

Looks

Chatology is similar to iTunes, iPhoto and others as it has a list on the left and related details on the right. Again, it will be super familiar to most Mac owners, so you'll be up and running in no time. Click any name on the right to view the associated chat logs in clear, legible text. Conversations, images and links are a mere click away.

Finally, you can opt to see your conversations as balloons or boxes (I prefer balloons).

Gallery: Chatology for Mac

Use

Chatology finds the chat logs stored on your Mac at launch and displays each conversation according to the person on the other end. Click any name in the leftmost column to see your full history with that person in the center column, sorted by date. You'll also see the conversation's start time and duration.

You can refine your history by viewing logs from today, within the last seven days, the last 30 or within the last year. Once you've selected a particular history to scour, you can view the full conversation, just images or just links. While testing this app, I was able to find two images I remembered seeing in chat but failed to drag out. It was crazy easy to find them: I just pulled up the conversation, clicked "images" and there it was.

There's a search box, too. Simply type in the term you're after and there it is.

Here's what I love about Chatology. There's a preference to enable Messages integration. When enabled, you'll be brought right to Chatology when you hit Command-F in Messages. It's like launching über-search mode.

Finally, you can export any conversation as a plain text file, use Quick Look to view images and delete a chat log, all from the app.

Conclusion

Those who have lots of conversations in chat, especially those that might include desirable reference information, will do well to install Chatology. Likewise, it's a good choice for users who are not satisfied with the search feature in Messages.

Chatology for Mac is available now for US$19.99 from the Flexibits Store. It requires Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later. Please note that Chatology for Mac will only be available from the Flexibits Store. It will not available from the Mac App Store. Unfortunately, Apple's policies won't allow an app like Chatology on the Mac App Store.

Pick it up now and get searching.

Chatology for Mac lets you easily search Message histories originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As noted by AppleInsider, AT&T has begun its FaceTime over cellular rollout to users. Back in May, AT&T stated that, by the end of 2013, all users would be able to use FaceTime over cellular. It appears that transition has begun. According to AppleInsider:

So far, activation of the service has been verified in parts of New York, Maryland, Georgia, Louisiana, California and Hawaii. Voice and video quality is nearly on a par with the WiFi implementation of the service, suggesting AT&T is not throttling those subscribers who choose to use the feature while on the go.

In January AT&T began rolling out FaceTime over cellular to users of its tiered data plans. By the time this current rollout is complete, all AT&T users will be able to use FaceTime over cellular, including those on grandfathered-in unlimited data plans.

[Editor's Note: A couple of weeks ago I noticed FaceTime over cellular was enabled for me, and I'm in Tennessee -- others confirm similar activations in the state. - VA]

AT&T begins FaceTime over cellular rollout originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Goal Zero's solar charging products are a favorite here at TUAW, and the company loves New Yorkers -- it provided a number of charging products during the power outages after last fall's Hurricane Sandy. Now Goal Zero, AT&T and Brooklyn-based design studio PENSA are teaming up to offer public solar-powered charging stations in NYC. Street Charge will be going live today at Fort Greene Park, with a total of 25 units bringing power to the people this summer.

Additional Street Charge devices will be installed as the summer heats up at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Coney Island, Riverside Park, Rockaways, Summerstage in Central Park, Randall's Island, Governor's Island, Union Square and Hudson River Park. The 90-day trial program is light-impact -- solar power means no digging up parks or pathways to lay cable.

The top of the "metal tree" is covered with three monocrystalline solar panels to charge up batteries located in the "trunk." There are three tiny tables, equipped with built-in charging cords for iPhone 4, iPhone 5 and phones with micro-USB connectors. Each of the USB ports provides five volts at up to two amps of current (10 watts), enough to fully charge an iPhone in about two hours although the companies expect most people to just "top off" their devices. That current level is compatible with iPad fast charging as well. Three female USB connectors are also available for those who bring their own cords. The bottom of the "branches" feature LED lights to illuminate the area at night.

The design of the Street Charge units is also perfect for striking up a conversation with others while your phone is getting juice. Neil Giacobbi of AT&T was quoted about that social aspect on The Verge this morning, saying "What's [the charger scene] going to be like at 4:30 in the morning in Union Square? I have no idea, but we're going to find out."

AT&T hasn't said if it will sponsor Street Charge units in other metropolitan areas, but those who are interested in the solar charging stations can get a quote on how much it will cost to deploy one or more in their city. You can also check out this Serbian park charger, flagged by a Verge commenter as an early example of the genre.

Goal Zero and AT&T join up for Street Charge in NYC originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple has released the Apple TV 5.4 beta to developers. The latest beta software for Apple's set-top box adds support for several new features, notes JournalDulapin.com. The first up is iTunes Radio, which Apple announced at WWDC would be coming to Apple TV in the fall. iTunes Radio functions much as it will over iOS 7: users can access the Apple TV's built-in Music app to stream songs over the internet.

Perhaps the coolest new feature is called Conference Room Display. As the name suggests, this mode is aimed at Apple TVs in the workplace. Users can set the Apple TV's home screen with a custom image, like a corporate or event logo, and a custom message. Viewers will see the custom image and message and also an overlay telling them how to connect their devices to the Apple TV.

Finally, Apple has added increased subtitle features to the Apple TV. Users can now choose between closed captioning or subtitles and also alter the way subtitles look. Users will be able to set the font color and size and also the background color of subtitles.

It is presumed that Apple will release the Apple TV 5.4 software to users when iOS 7 ships in the fall.

Apple TV 5.4 beta adds iTunes Radio, Conference Room Display originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Adobe has announced the release of 15 all-new Creative Cloud apps. Adobe's Creative Cloud apps allow files to be stored in the cloud and opened on devices running multiple platforms including desktop, mobile and web. In addition to feature updates to Adobe's apps, they all now feature Behance integration. Behance is the world's largest social network aimed at allowing designers to share their work.

Adobe has spotlighted some of the new features available, including:

• Photoshop CC ships with new sharpening technologies and designer workflow enhancements. Camera Shake Reduction deblurs images that would have otherwise been lost due to camera movement. All-new Smart Sharpen makes texture and detail pop, and Adobe Camera Raw 8 adds even more powerful photographic controls to straighten and perfect images. Photoshop CC and Illustrator CC are the first Adobe desktop applications to include the ability to post files directly to Behance, showcasing work immediately and integrating peer feedback into the creative process.
• For designers, the Touch Type tool in Illustrator CC offers a new level of creativity with type. Move, scale, and rotate text characters knowing that it remains editable. This feature works with a mouse, stylus or multi-touch device. Illustrator also enables painting with a brush made from a photo. Art, Pattern, and Scatter brushes can contain raster images, so designers can create complex organic designs quickly, with simple brush strokes. And Illustrator CC features integration with Behance, so work can be shared directly to Behance to get feedback and showcase projects. A new, modern architecture for InDesign CC turbocharges performance, and in-browser editing in Adobe MuseTM CC -- a tool for designers to create and publish HTML websites without writing code -- allows clients to make edits to a published website, which can then be reviewed, approved, and updated by the designer.
• For video customers Adobe Premiere Pro CC includes dramatic new editing features, customisations and improvements to help editors work efficiently. Premiere Pro CC integrates powerful colour workflows, with the addition of the LumetriTM Deep Colour Engine to easily apply rich colour grading looks. A high-impact version of Adobe After Effects(R) CC brings motion graphics and visual effects artists more creative possibilities and allows them to work more easily in 3D with the new Live 3D Pipeline with Maxon Cinema4D integration. There are also all-new versions of Adobe SpeedGrade CC, Audition(R) CC, PreludeTM CC and Adobe Story CC Plus.
• Web designers and developers can look forward to significant advances in Adobe's family of Edge tools and services. The latest Edge Animate CC lets web designers create animated and interactive content with amazing ease and precision, using native HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Dreamweaver users can look forward to the most up-to-date CSS and properties via the intuitive visual editing tool, CSS Designer. And Adobe Flash(R) Pro CC features a modern, modular 64-bit architecture rebuilt from the ground up to be fast and reliable.

Access to the full Creative Cloud suite is only available via subscription. Monthly subscription rates are US$50, with discounts available to current owners of Creative Suite software.

Adobe releases 15 all-new Creative Cloud apps originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When it comes to getting music from your iOS device to a good speaker, there are a lot of different methods. There's the tried and true dock method, which can fall to pieces when Apple comes out with a new connector design as they did last year with Lightning. Some manufacturers have the mistaken hope that people will just use an adapter and a pair of wires to run to a speaker or two, while the vast majority have gone the route of Bluetooth. Wren Sound Systems has changed all that with a Wi-Fi connected AirPlay speaker called the V5AP (US$399) that is provides excellent sound reproduction in a beautiful design.

Design

The unique design of the Wren Sound Systems V5AP speaker is an eye-catcher. Whether you're using the V5AP in a crowded, dirty dorm room or a mansion, the gently curving lines and wood surfaces immediately draw your eyes to the speaker. The case is finished in either a light finished bamboo or in deep, rich rosewood. Along the front of the speaker is a silvery grille that is backed with a diamond (shaped) matrix so that music is pumped through without distortion.

On one end of the speaker is a vertical array of controls. Unlike the confusing mess that many speakers clutter up the control panel with, this simply has four buttons: a power button, a set of volume buttons, and a button for selecting input (Wi-Fi, USB, or AUX). LEDs glow unobtrusively on the speaker case and don't tend to glare or attract undue attention.

Gallery: Wren Sound Systems V5AP AirPlay Speaker

There are a pair of 19 mm edge-driven soft dome tweeters, one at each end of the speaker, to produce a nice, open sound. On the bass end are two long-throw drivers with 4-layer voice coils. The bottom of the case is covered with a 4 mm silicone pad to absorb transmitted vibration when you really have the volume cranked up.

Inside that enclosure you'll also find an Intersil D2 50 Watt DSP-controlled digital amplifier to drive all of the speakers, along with the other fun electronics. There's a tuned acoustic port on the back to help the bass along, and the back is also where you'll find a setup button, USB port and AC adapter connection. By the way, if there's one thing I have to say is a failing of the V5AP is that it comes with a rather generic AC adapter and power brick. Fortunately, it has a nice long cable so you can increase the distance between power outlet and speaker.

Last but not least, the box includes a remote control that I frankly never touched, preferring to use the controls on my iOS devices. Note that the V5 speaker also comes in a Google Play-Fi version (V5PF), and a Bluetooth version is in the works.

Functionality

Setup of the Wren Sound Systems V5AP is very simple. The company actually provides two methods; I chose to use my iPhone to set it up. Basically, you plug in the speaker, turn it on, make sure that USB is selected for connectivity, and then plug your iPhone or other iOS device into the speaker. Almost immediately, a dialog appears on the iOS screen asking if you wish to share your Wi-Fi settings with the speaker. Tap OK, and a few moments later your V5AP is joined to your Wi-Fi network. You can unplug the iPhone at this point, although I kept mine plugged in for a while to give it a charge!

Next, it's just a matter of selecting the speaker from the AirPlay controls on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You'll want to make sure that the speaker has good Wi-Fi connectivity, but once you're connected you can begin playing music...

...and that's where the joy of this product comes in. The sound is full, crisp, and just plain amazing. The V5AP sounds better than any other AirPlay speaker, Bluetooth speaker, or dock that I've reviewed. I was able to crank this speaker up to the point that the floor was shaking and the sound was still undistorted.

Regarding my comment about needing good Wi-Fi connectivity: I moved the speaker to several locations, one that's a known "dead spot" on my Wi-Fi network. While I still had connectivity, traffic from the MyFi card in the camera I was using for photographs actually caused the connection to drop momentarily. Bringing the speaker back into an area with better Wi-Fi coverage resolved this issue.

Conclusion

Many AirPlay or Bluetooth speakers on the market are plagued with either boring design, bad sound, or complicated setup. Wren's V5AP is simple to set up, pleasant to look at, and boasts audiophile sound quality.

Pros

• Beautiful case design
• Easy to use controls
• Simple and fast setup
• Best-in-class sound quality

Cons

• Uninspired use of a generic AC adapter that Steve Jobs would hate

Who is it for?

• The connoisseur of good design and excellent sound quality -- in other words, the V5AP is perfect for any Apple customer

Wren Sound Systems V5AP AirPlay speaker: Stunning design, incredible sound originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well it's official now. With iOS 7 now out of the bag, Jony Ive's title at Apple has recently been changed to reflect his added responsibilities and increased influence across Apple's product line. Whereas he used bear the title of Senior Vice President of Industrial Design (as recently as June 9), he now holds a more comprehensive title -- Senior Vice President of Design.

Ive originally made a name for himself as the man behind Apple's gorgeous and often innovative hardware designs. With the October ouster of Scott Forstall, however, Ive began applying his design aesthetic to Apple's software as well, an aesthetic which first became apparent last week when Apple unveiled a complete revamp of iOS.

via 9to5Mac

Apple shortens Jony Ive's title to 'Senior Vice President, Design' originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

At this year's WWDC Apple previewed the latest version of OS X 10.9 named Mavericks. The name was a departure from its previous scheme of naming OS X after cats. As Phil Schiller noted in the keynote, Mavericks is a popular surfing spot in California that many Apple employees like to go to to catch a wave - and as we've noted, it's close to where Phil Schiller lives.

An interesting little factoid about Mavericks (courtesy of keen eye reader Tyler G) is that this is not the first time Apple has used the name.

Way back in 2005 the company spotlighted the Mavericks surfing spot in promo material for its then-newly released Aperture software. Surfing images from Mavericks, along with the locale's name, can be found as elements of custom-made Aperture books and also as contact sheets on the original web page announcing the features of Aperture.

Apple's love of 'Mavericks' has been around for a while originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While testifying in court last week, Apple executive Eddy Cue had a number of interesting tidbits regarding the origins of the iBookstore, namely that Steve Jobs was initially opposed to the idea, but quickly hopped on board after Cue convinced him that the iPad would make the perfect e-reader.

Today, Cue took the stand once again where he divulged some more interesting tidbits regarding Apple's foray into the e-book space.

At one point during today's proceeding, an Apple attorney asked Cue a number of questions about Jobs and his involvement in Apple's iBooks initiative.

Once again, All Things D was there covering the trial and relayed the following nuggets of information.

The "page curls" in the iBook app, which show up when you flip an iBook's page? That's Steve Jobs' idea.

It was Jobs' idea to pick ""Winnie-the-Pooh" as the freebie book that came with every iBook app. Not just because Jobs liked the book, Cue said, but because it showed off iBook's capabilities: "It had beautiful color drawings, that had never been seen before in a digital book."

Jobs was also specific about the book he used to show off the iBook during his initial iPad demo in January 2010. He picked Ted Kennedy's "True Compass" memoir, because the Kennedy family "meant a lot to him," Cue said.

Indeed, Cue's testimony serves to underscore that you'd be hard-pressed to find another CEO in the annals of tech that was as product- and detail-oriented as Jobs.

Apple's trial with the DOJ is slated to end this week.

Eddy Cue: Steve Jobs picked 'Winnie the Pooh' as the iBooks freebie, also came up with the idea for 'page curls' originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chillingo, unfortunately, wasn't mentioned at all during EA's press conference last week. I thought the big publisher would at least give a little nod to its extremely successful mobile publishing arm, but no such luck. I did, however, go and see the team gathered in their annual suite near the LA Convention Center, and got a nice look at their upcoming slate for the next few months. Here's a quick title-by-title rundown of what Chillingo and parent company EA were showing off.

Plants vs. Zombies 2

This is technically not a Chillingo title, as it's being developed by Popcap and published by EA. But it was probably what will turn out to be the biggest title in the suite for sure. Plants vs. Zombies was a huge hit on mobile, and so Popcap is bringing it first to iOS later on this month. In addition to new plant types and lots of new stages, the title has a time traveling theme. Crazy Dave will take you and your plants back through time to fight zombies in Ancient Egypt, the Wild West, and the pirate-infested seas, with one more (probably a future) level coming soon after launch.

This time around, the game is based on that series of worlds, so each world will have its own core levels, challenge levels, and then endless levels to play through. Levels are unlocked as you open them up with keys that you collect, and you'll need to earn a certain number of stars to open up "star gates" and move to the next world. Gameplay is as colorful and fun as ever in the very popular Plants vs. Zombies series, though there are a few new elements, like the ability to drag across the screen and pick up sunlight, rather than having to tap on each sun separately.

There are also new touchscreen-based powerups to play with, and this is where the game's biggest issue comes in: It's a freemium title. The original Plants vs. Zombies was very much a premium game, in that you paid once and played forever. But Popcap has elected to go freemium with PvZ2, so it'll be free to download, and then various currencies and items will be available via in-app purchase. Popcap's reps were very clear to say that players would be able to see the whole game for free, and that's true, but even in my short playthrough, I saw no end of reminders that I could spend real money on in-game items. Powerups cost currency to use, which you can earn in-game, or you can spend real money on them if needed. And a special item called plant food provides your plants with a big boost, and can be collected from certain zombies or purchased directly.

The jury's out on this one for now -- we'll have to wait and see if the changes bother Popcap's audience at all. Popcap believes there's more money to be made with a freemium scheme, and that's almost certainly true. But the freemium elements may turn off a sizable part of the audience that doesn't want to be continuously bothered for cash, and could taint the series' otherwise sterling reputation for quality. Plants vs. Zombies 2 is due out very soon.

Fightback

Fightback is a Chillingo-published title being developed by Ninja Theory, the talented folks behind the great Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and the recent DmC: Devil May Cry, both for traditional consoles. Fightback is a much simpler action game with an '80s feel, as you play a muscle-headed thug fighting through floor after floor of various towers, trying to save his oft-kidnapped sister. The game features a simple control scheme (tap to punch, swipe to kick or duck), and challenges the player to keep an attack combo going and defeat all of the baddies within a certain time limit.

Fightback seems simple but fun -- one level takes place in an arcade, and the neon signage and fictional arcade cabinets add a nice bit of fun to the fisticuffs happening in the foreground. It too is a freemium title, and in addition to upgrading weapons and equipment, the hero can also get tattoos, which provide special buffs and abilities. Fightback should be an excellent but simple action title, and a nice entry into iOS for the veterans at Ninja Theory. It's set to arrive sometime this summer.

Zya

Zya is the product of a company called Music Mastermind, and it has already picked up 300,000 users courtesy of a PC-based beta last year. It's a music creation app, though while most music creation tools are buried under complicated UIs and science, Zya instead goes with cute characters and flashy graphics, and turns the process of creating and mixing a song into a game, of sorts. You start by choosing a series of music tracks (including a bass line and a rhythm section), either picking from the original pieces provided, or using licensed music from artists like Kelly Clarkson or Madonna. You can then add a melody, again from a licensed piece, or simply by singing your own into the iPad or iPhone's microphone.

The game will then mix all of your tracks together (courtesy of a cute cartoony dog hitting a big green "Mix" button), and then reward you various points and achievements based on the mix you chose. You can then share that mix via YouTube or other social networks, with friends or online with the public.

Zya seems like a great idea -- it combines some really impressive music creation and mixdown tools with cute characters and a very clear interface. There are only 20 licensed songs to start, but of course the company is ready to add more, if the app sees the popularity it needs. Zya will be out later this year, on iOS first, with an Android version to follow.

Icycle

Icycle was my favorite game at GDC this year, and we chatted with creator Reece Millidge just a while ago. The good news about Icycle is that it's just as beautiful, charming, and well-made as it was at GDC, and it's even closer to release (though obviously Chillingo is putting the time in to get it right).

The bad news, however, is that some freemium elements are creeping into the gorgeous gameplay. Now, when your character dies, you're presented with a button to retry right from where you started, with a small cost of currency to pay (undoubtedly available via in-app purchase). There are also various boosts and other items buy, and unfortunately the menus for those items just appear garish and commercial when overlaid on the spectacular game itself. Icycle has to make money, of course, but it's a little depressing to see commerce invade what should really be held up as pure art.

We'll have to see how that balance plays out -- it would be a shame for Chillingo to ruin such an excellent experience with a few overly crass sales pitches. Icycle is almost done, I'm told, and we should see it on the App Store soon.

Ultima Forever

Finally, Ultima Forever was on display yet again. I saw this in action at GDC for the first time, and it was and impressive retake on the old Ultima RPGs, made directly for iPhone. Unfortunately, it too suffers a little bit from the freemium focus that Chillingo has had lately, using a relatively annoying scheme of requiring keys of various qualities to do RPG-standard things like open chests and repair damaged equipment.

Fortunately, senior producer Carrie Gouskos seems particularly sensitive to the freemium concerns, especially after what sounds like a very enlightening Canadian beta. She told me that she's very dedicated to not only making sure there's a free-to-play path through the game that's fun and rewarding, but has also been lowering prices lately, trying to get the in-app purchases to a place where they're both profitable (for Chillingo's sake), and tolerable (for the audience's). We'll be able to see the game soon -- it's set for a worldwide release sometime in July.

Chillingo is one of my favorite publishers on the App Store -- the staff over there has made some terrific decisions in partnering up with quality developers, and all of these titles seem like great, well-polished experiences. Freemium is turning into a bad word with these titles, however, even when it doesn't have to be. We've seen in the past that audiences on iOS are more than willing to pay for high-quality experiences, and while the constant ask may make Chillingo more money in the end, it could sully the company's reputation, especially as there are more and more great experiences on the App Store that don't constantly pester for cash. Hopefully this company can find a good balance between profitable and fun, and keep publishing these great titles without having to cram them full of controversial freemium pitches.

EA/Chillingo's E3 2013 offerings: Plants vs Zombies 2, Fightback and more originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You may read this review of the Bracketron NanoTek Stand (US$29.95) and ask yourself "What's so exciting about a angled piece of aluminum with some sticky pads on it?" Well, many times smartphone stands are tied to a particular generation of a smartphone, so when the next big thing appears on the market, it's time to toss the stand for a newer model. The Bracketron NanoTek Stand is a design that works now and will keep your iPhone happy for the foreseeable future.

Design

The NanoTek Stand began life as the SETA Smartphone Stand, a Kickstarter project by 1.0 Innovations that is still underway and has so far pulled in almost four times the funding goal. It appears that Bracketron saw just how successful the Kickstarter project was and they've now licensed the design. The Bracketron product is available now, and can be purchased online or from a number of retailers. For more information about the Kickstarter project, check out the video below:

The NanoTek Stand/SETA Smartphone Stand is a piece of aluminum weighing in at 2.2 ounces, bent so that there's a little "foot" on the bottom to allow it to stand up on a desk and adorned with a t-shaped slot cut through the lower part for a charging cable to snake through. On the bottom of the "foot" there's a NanoSuction[TM] pad so that your phone and the stand aren't going to topple if you happen to bump it. Another NanoSuction pad is on the front of the stand, and that's what you slap your iPhone onto.

Gallery: Bracketron NanoTek Stand (design by 1.0 Innovations)

As noted, the t-slot in the front of the stand is perfect for feeding through a 30-pin Dock or Lightning connector for charging. The NanoTek is currently being sold in either white or silver.

Functionality

NanoSuction pads are amazing; they work well for sticking items to flat surfaces, and then letting you remove them without damaging either surface. That material is not sticky to the touch, and it doesn't pick up a lot of dust or grime The 1.0 Innovations folks who set up the original Kickstarter project for this stand even have the idea of selling some super-sized NanoSuction pads for attaching iPads to surfaces like walls, refrigerators or windows.

With a naked iPhone or -- believe it or not -- iPad mini, the device stuck right to the stand and stayed in one place. Especially with the iPad mini, it's a great way to have access to the device on a desktop without taking up a lot of space.

Well, there appears to be one material that isn't NanoSuction-friendly, and that's the material that Mophie juice pack battery packs are made out of. That's what I use to keep my iPhone 5 charged up, and it just won't stick to the stand. Pull off the case and the iPhone sticks like glue, put it back onto the stand and it falls off.

Bracketron does include a second pad that's supposed to work better with silicone or textured cases. I tried to remove the original pad to place the second pad onto the stand, and that was nigh impossible considering the adhesive used. I ended up placing the new pad on top of the old, and it didn't work with the Mophie case either. Note to Bracketron and 1.0 Innovations: apparently Mophie uses Kryptonite to make its cases...

Conclusion

The modern miracle of nano-suction pads strikes again in this minimalist smartphone stand from the design team at 1.0 Innovations. Buyer beware, though -- this stand doesn't work with every case on the market.

Pros

• Unobtrusive design that looks at home anywhere
• NanoSuction pads work well to grip tightly to most flat surfaces and "naked" smartphones, and it's easy to remove the devices or move the stand
• The cable management system (i.e., t-slot) built into the stand is a stroke of genius
• Price is reasonable

Cons

• NanoSuction pads do not stick to some case materials

Who is it for?

• Anyone who wants to support an iPhone in a slightly angle vertical position on their desk or desktop

Bracketron NanoTek Stand: minimalistic design by 1.0 Innovations, functional standout originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first got to see Solstice Arena, Zynga's latest iOS entry, at GDC earlier this year, and then had a short meeting again last week with the publisher at E3. But you no longer have to take my word on what it's like: The game arrived on iOS worldwide last week, so you can grab the free-to-download title at your leisure.

And I recommend you do. Zynga has a reputation for pushy freemium elements in goofy casual titles, but I can confirm this game has none of that. This is a true mobile MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) title, similar to League of Legends, but very iOS-centric in its delivery. The game has been simplified in a lot of very smart ways, producing a high-quality title that's very impressive. In my own play, I've found some minor balance issues (the healer character, for example, seems awfully overpowered, especially when teamed up with a burly bruiser), but I am sure those will get evened out as the game gets periodic updates and tweaks.

And while yes, this is a freemium title, that part is also done very intelligently. The freemium elements are mostly confined to customization and convenience. Just like League of Legends, the game opens up a number of free heroes to play every week, so there's ongoing variety even if you never spend a dime. And if you do, real money can only buy you custom skins for the heroes you own, or can pay for boosts in your own XP, so spending money doesn't affect the gameplay at all. Prices are a bit high (which is something else I expect will likely be tweaked in a future update), but all in all, the freemium elements almost never get in the way of the gameplay, which is very respectable on Zynga's part.

In short, Solstice Arena is exactly the kind of game Zynga needs to help cleanse its reputation as a money-grabbing casual publisher. I would hesitate to call it truly hardcore (I think the game needs about double the heroes and maybe another map or mode to really start comparing its depth to a standard PC MOBA), but it's definitely a "mid-core" experience that delivers a lot of fun. If you're a MOBA fan or just want to see what Zynga is doing right lately, give it a download and a try on iPhone or iPad.

Daily iPhone App: Solstice Arena is Zynga's shot at multiplayer online battle arenas originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For the Mac faithful, it won't do to share space on just any server -- you want to use a Mac server. Likewise, we like to have our own Mac servers colocated at a place that specializes in Macs. That's why hosting providers like MacStadium are so popular. Now MacStadium has announced that as soon as the new Mac Pros arrive, they'll be ready to rack 'em and stack 'em in their hosting and colocation center.

The company expects to be able to fit 270 Mac Pro servers per POD on only 12 square feet of floor space in their datacenter. That's what that Lego-like image above represents, with Mac Pros sitting on their sides stacked 15 tall, nine wide and two deep. That MacStadium facility provides redundant cooling, power and security systems, and each of those Mac Pros will be connected to the world with Gigabit Ethernet through a 50 GB/s network backbone.

The existing Mac Pro, according to MacStadium, has never been popular in the hosting and colocation world because of their huge physical footprint and high power draw.

MacStadium will be able to provide Mac Pros as a monthly rental or purchase, or you can send in your configured Mac Pro for collocation.

MacStadium to provide new Mac Pro hosting and colocation originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Automattic, the company behind Wordpress, has purchased the iOS Wordpress client Poster. Developer Tom Witkin is joining Wordpress' mobile team with the aim of bringing his app's unique features to Wordpress' own app.

Sadly, progress for Wordpress means Poster is no longer available in the app store, but there's a bright spot for those who've already picked it up. Users who already own the app will be able to re-download it from their accounts and Witkin has announced that he will continue to provide support.

Poster brought a number of features not found in the company's own apps to Wordpress users, including Dropbox integration for importing articles from the cloud, support for Markdown and the ability to choose your own URL slug for posts. While it's sad to see Poster leave the App Store, it's nice to know Wordpress' own apps will most likely be seeing these improvements in the future.

Automattic buys third-party Wordpress app Poster to improve its own mobile apps originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With the impending doom of Google Reader just around the corner on July 1, RSS fans have been searching for an alternative to their beloved feed. Digg has heard their cries, and will be launching the first public beta of its new Reader replacement, called Digg Reader, next week.

The beta will slowly roll out at first, but Digg promises it will be available to everyone by June 26. Digg has made it clear the service will become a freemium product, akin to services like Evernote which provide free services with extra paid options available to those willing to pay. However, all of the features available during the free beta will remain part of the free version of the reader in the future.

Digg Reader will come with migration tools to help you move your feeds from Google Reader. In addition, Digg promises the core product will feature mobile apps that sync with your Reader web page, a clean layout that focuses on article content and support for subscribing, sharing, saving and organizing.

The mobile beta will launch on Digg's iOS app, with Android support coming in the 60 days following launch. Other upcoming features include integration of third-party services like Buffer and Evernote and improved sorting and filtering of feeds, notifications and search.

Digg Reader beta launching next week on iOS originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

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Daily Update for June 17, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The long-awaited iOS version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown is almost here. 2K Games has announced that it will be available on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch Thursday at a premium price of US$19.99.

Firaxis' excellent remake of the old PC game arrived on consoles last year to critical acclaim, and now it's coming to iOS with all of the single player features of the main release. Multiplayer mode is coming later on, and will be added in an update a little further down the road.

That price might be the most notable thing about this one. Lots of developers are going with freemium on iOS lately, claiming that there's just not a big enough audience willing to pay a higher price to justify anything but giving games away for free. But XCOM is definitely a premium experience, and I think that there are plenty of gamers out there willing to pay $20 for a game worth the quality (XCOM is still selling in stores for $50 or $60 on consoles and PC). Firaxis apparently agrees, so if XCOM turns out to be a hit, we may see more developers and publishers trusting the premium price for their highest quality games.

A hit here could also kick off a trend of even more developers bringing out their AAA titles to iOS, possibly even closer to the same day and release date of consoles and PCs. We'll see how this all plays out. If nothing else, we're all set to get another excellent game on iPhone and iPad this coming Thursday.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown arrives on iOS on June 20 for $20 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Skype is usually about communicating in real time, but today the Microsoft subsidiary added a new feature that works even in those cases when your recipient isn't going to be able to see you right now -- video messaging. Skype Video Messaging has been in beta for a while; today the free feature is becoming available to all users.

All video messages are sent and received free of charge, regardless of how often you wish to share video snippets with friends and family. Messages can be up to three minutes long. Although there are no editing tools built into the current incarnation of Skype video messaging, you can always go back and re-record your message until it's perfect.

Updates to Skype for Mac, iPhone and iPad are expected to be out later today to enable video messaging for all users. In the meantime, enjoy the video below showing how the feature will work.

Skype adds video messaging to Skype for Mac, iPhone and iPad originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Crytek is the company behind the Crysis series of games, as well as the CryEngine game engine that powers them, and it's released a game on iOS before. Now, it looks like the AAA developer is planning to make a return to Apple's touchscreen platform, with a new game called The Collectibles (or The Collectables, depending on who you hear about it from). Last week at WWDC, Crytek showed off the new game during a panel, and as you can see above, the game looks like a top-down action title, probably a shooter of some description.

The other interesting thing you'll notice about the game is that the developer demoing it was using a controller. iOS 7, you'll remember, adds official Apple support for "Made for iPhone" controllers, and we've already seen this hardware leaking out into the world. There have already been a number of third-party controllers available for iPhone and iOS devices, but it looks like Apple is finally supporting buttons officially, and Crytek's game might be one of the first titles to work with this new standard. The game also uses the touchscreen, however, so you probably won't absolutely need to have a controller just to play.

Of course, that probably also means we won't see The Collectibles in action until iOS 7 is out, which means sometime later on this year. Hopefully we'll get a chance to see the game in action sooner rather than later.

Crytek showed off a new iOS title called The Collectibles at WWDC originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

During last week's WWDC 2013 keynote address, support for MFi -- Made For iPhone / iPad / iPod -- game controllers at the iOS SDK level was quickly noted on one slide. Since that time, TUAW has discussed why this is so important to not only game developers, but Apple as a whole since a combination of an iOS device, a MFi controller and an Apple TV could easily make dedicated gaming consoles a thing of the past. Now 9to5Mac and several other websites are showing an image of a prototype MFi game controller from accessory manufacturer Logitech.

The rather blurry image showed a Logitech controller on top of a glass surface. Fortunately, 9to5Mac commenter "clstr0ud" had a much clearer image taken from a slide from the WWDC "Platforms State of the Union" session. As noted on that image (seen above), developers had an opportunity to test out these prototypes during lab sessions.

The fuzzier anonymous photo shows that the controller is designed to work with a newer, Lightning adapter-equipped iPhone or iPod touch. No date has been set for release of the device, nor is there any assurance that this is Logitech's final design for the controller.

Prototype Logitech MFi game controller pics surface on web originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Walter Isaacson's bestselling biography of the late Apple founder and CEO, Steve Jobs, will be hitting bookstores again late this summer. On September 10, the book will be released as a paperback featuring a much younger portrait of Jobs on the cover.

As you can see in the images at the top of this post, the two portraits are similar. The top portrait, from the Macintosh launch year of 1984, was taken by photographer Norman Steef, the same man who shot the iconic image of Jobs posing with a Mac that was used on the cover of Time magazine's commemorative issue in 2011. The newer image used on the hardback edition was taken by photographer Albert Watson.

Amazon is apparently taking pre-orders for the paperback edition at US$17.99, although the pre-order page shows a book title of "Untitled" by "Cathy Unknown" as placeholders. The hardcover is currently available for $17.74 and those desiring an electronic version can pick up the Kindle edition for just $13.60. The iBooks edition is available for $13.99.

When it was released shortly after Jobs' death in 2011, the book took just 45 days to become the year's top seller in the Amazon bookstore.

Steve Jobs bio appearing in paperback September 10 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.