Apple has greatly improved Spotlight search in OS X Yosemite, making it accessible front and center on the desktop with more intelligent search results from Wikipedia and other sources. In doing so, it essentially brought most of the functionality of the popular third-party productivity app Alfred to stock OS X. But while the general consensus among the Apple community yesterday was "poor Alfred," the creators of the app remain optimistic…
Joe Rossignol
Joe Rossignol is a former iDB editor.Apple announces 2014 Design Awards winners
Apple has selected twelve apps that it feels "combine design and technology in creative, compelling, and powerful ways" as its 2014 Design Awards winners. The company announced the winners as part of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco this afternoon.
The winners are as follows: Sky Guide: View Stars Night or Day, Cinemagraph Pro, Storehouse - Visual Storytelling, Monument Valley, Threes!, DEVICE 6, Blek, Leo's Fortune, Day One, Yahoo News Digest, Teachley: Addimals Adventure and PanoPerfect. Read ahead for a rundown of each app…
The ultimate WWDC 2014 keynote roundup
Ladies and gentleman, we have survived the onslaught of announcements surrounding the WWDC keynote. We have already posted roundups of the major features in iOS 8 and major features in OS X Yosemite, but there is so much other news about the event that it can be overwhelming. That is why we have prepared this concise roundup of everything that has been covered since this afternoon. Take a look…
What did you think of the WWDC keynote?
Today was the seventh consecutive WWDC keynote that I have watched, and it easily ranks as one of my personal favorites. It might seem surprising that I feel that way, especially considering that there were no new shiny iPhones or Macs announced like there once was, but the nearly two-hour episode captured my attention for so many other reasons.
It started with the charismatic Craig Federighi, the humorous Apple executive that seemingly came out of nowhere and has become an instant hit over the past few presentations. It was not only his humor that was refreshing, but also his confidence. In fact, the entire team of Apple executives that appeared on stage this afternoon were equally confident…
T-Mobile will support Wi-Fi calling on iOS 8
Just a few hours ago, we rounded up a list of iOS 8 features that Apple simply didn't have much time to mention at its WWDC keynote this afternoon. One of them was Wi-Fi calling, which allows iPhone users to place calls over Wi-Fi as opposed to a cellular network. The feature allows for wireless customers to potentially save money on their monthly plans, which you would think is something that carriers would be against.
Not T-Mobile. Being the awesome underdog carrier that it has been as of late, the magenta-flavored company has embraced the feature with full arms. Earlier today, T-Mobile marketing chief Mike Sievert confirmed in a news release (via MacRumors) that Wi-Fi calling will be enabled for iPhone users on iOS 8, meaning that over 90% of smartphones on the network will be capable of the feature…
A full breakdown of major OS X Yosemite features
While much of the excitement has been surrounding the arrival of iOS 8 for iPhone and iPad, Apple also pleasantly surprised us this afternoon with a more-than-impressive update to its OS X software. First and foremost, the company delivered upon the name OS X Yosemite that most bloggers figured out after a mountain from Yosemite National Park appeared on a WWDC banner at Moscone West. Now let's dive into all of its features…
iOS 8 introduces time-lapse videos
Apple has added an interesting new time-lapse video feature to the stock Camera app in iOS 8, useful for capturing things like the sun setting or the bustling of a busy city street. The new mode functions by snapping photos at dynamically selected intervals, and then grouping those photos together into an accelerated sequence. The result is a short video showing what you recorded over a predetermined amount of time…
35 new features coming to iOS 8
Apple senior executive Craig Federighi is quite the personality. On stage today for the WWDC keynote, the hardware engineering chief announced several new features of iOS 8 in the most humorous way possible. But it would have been impossible for Federighi and the rest of the Apple team to cover all of the new functionality included in the software update, so instead they fit several features into one slide. We've gone ahead and rounded up all 35 of the featured listed ahead…
Download iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite betas now
Apple has seeded the first beta versions of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite to developers. iOS and Mac registered developers can log into Developer Center to access the betas, alongside release notes. iOS 8 in particular is available for the iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad mini or later and the fifth-generation iPod touch. Apple should follow up with additional beta releases on a biweekly basis over the summer…
iOS 8 is compatible with iPhone 4S, iPad 2 or later
Apple has posted a list of devices that will be compatible with the iOS 8 software update on its website. The devices include the iPhone 4S or later, iPad 2 or later, iPad mini or later and the fifth-generation iPod touch. This means that the iPhone 4 is the only iOS 7 compatible device that will not make the jump to iOS 8. Hit the break to see a full list of compatible devices…
Apple adds iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite pages to its website
Just minutes following the WWDC keynote, in which Apple announced iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, the company has added official pages for the new software versions to its website. The iOS 8 page provides a rundown of all the new features that will be available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, ranging from QuickType and Family Sharing to Continuity and Health…
iOS 8 launches in Fall, beta release available today
Apple announced that iOS 8 will be available today as a beta for registered developers, while a full public release is slated for the Fall. The beta is available now through Developer Center for registered iOS developers. The software update will be free for compatible devices, which is the iPhone 4S or later, iPad 2 or later, iPad mini or later and fifth-generation iPod touch. In order to have access to the beta version, you must be signed up for Apple's iOS Developer Program…