Joe Rossignol

Joe Rossignol is a former iDB editor.

‘ReadQuick’ goes free as Apple’s App of the Week

I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but what an eventful Thursday it has been on the App Store. Lory shared her thoughts on WordWildWest, Cody told us about Angry Birds Epic and Amazon's new Prime Music service, Christian covered updates for Skitch, Flickr and Scanbot, and we've still got the App Recap coming later this evening… 

App Store, iTunes and iBooks are down for some users [update: it’s back to normal]

There are multiple reports on Twitter and elsewhere indicating that the App Store, iTunes and iBooks services are either down or functioning erratically. The downtime appears to be affecting users in the United States, Sweden and possibly other regions. On top of that, the App Store appears to be loading incorrectly for some users as well. Hit the break for the latest updates… 

How to watch the World Cup live on iPhone and iPad

The entire world is experiencing what I like to call World Cup fever, a phenomenon that comes along only once every four years. With the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicking off today with a match between the host country Brazil and Croatia, we think it is fitting to share how to watch the World Cup games live on iPhone and iPad. We've included a couple apps for streaming the World Cup in the United States and abroad after the break…

How to add World Cup games schedule to your iPhone calendar

The 2014 FIFA World Cup begins today with a match between the host country Brazil and Croatia, kicking off a month-long tournament that involves 32 countries competing to win the World Cup Finals. With dozens of matches over the span of over four weeks, it can be a little daunting to keep up with all of the game fixtures. That's why we're here to help, with this simple tutorial on how to add a World Cup games schedule to your iPhone calendar. Read ahead for the step-by-step instructions… 

Cydia updated with iOS 7 icon and redesigned interface

Cydia has received a major update this morning with several improvements. First and foremost, the app has received a long-awaited iOS 7 icon thanks to graphic designer Surenix. The package manager for jailbroken devices also gains a redesigned and better organized user interface, making it easier to manage repositories, see which packages you have installed and more. Read ahead for a full look at the update… 

The best apps for the 2014 FIFA World Cup

In case you haven't noticed, Apple quietly introduced a new "Soccer Fever" section on the App Store ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a month-long international soccer tournament that kicks off on June 12th. The section consists of four app categories: Soccer Apps, Soccer Games, Share the Fever and Discover Brazil. We've handpicked some of the best World Cup apps for iPhone and iPad from the list ahead… 

Genie unlocks your iPhone with simple gestures

On a recent article that I wrote, a reader was surprised after reading that I am generally disinterested by a lot of jailbreak tweaks. It might not make sense, given that I write for a blog that is consistently on top of covering the jailbreak scene. Allow me to explain: it's not that jailbreak tweaks do not pique my interest, but rather that some are simply too complex or cumbersome to provide a meaningful purpose.

That's not to discount the fantastic work that developers put into creating jailbreak tweaks. There are just as many good tweaks as there are less impressive ones. Genie is a new Lock screen extension that is a good example. Not only does it provide useful functionality for unlocking your iPhone, but it is a lightweight tweak that isn't dragged down by dozens of confusing settings or unnecessary features. Check it out… 

Skype 5.0 now available on the App Store

Just one day after teasing a brand new design for Skype for iOS, Microsoft has released the updated app on the App Store for iPhone. Our own Christian Zibreg walked through several of the new features, ranging from a sleeker user interface and faster performance to cross-platform read receipt syncing and the ability to start group chats from the hub. Details ahead… 

Apple said to expand its in-house advertising team to 1000 employees

Following a report last week claiming that Apple is shifting more of its TV advertising in house, Ad Age has taken an extensive look at the company's new marketing strategies. To regain its edge amid tough competition, Apple has been working hard on assembling an in-house creative team that will eventually number 1000 employees. The company is going after some of the top advertising talent, even poaching executives from its longtime partner TBWA/Media Arts Lab.

Apple now employs the controversial tactic of pitting TBWA against its internal team, siding with whoever comes up with the best creative ideas and running with it. The in-house team has already won at least a few campaigns, including an ad for the iPad Air last year showing off the thinness of the tablet. The internal team was also behind another iPad Air called Your Verse, featuring American actor Robin Williams… 

Apple tells the FDA that it feels morally obligated to improve health devices

We know that Apple was in a health-oriented talk with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last December, but the specifics of that discussion were not revealed until this morning. Three months after filing a Freedom of Information Act request, Apple Toolbox has received an official response from the FDA about what it talked about with the world's most valuable tech corporation. Read ahead for highlights from the conversation… 

App Recap: 8 apps to look at for iPhone and iPad

It's hard to believe that the sixth anniversary of the App Store is in just one month. I still fondly remember being a fourteen-year-old kid and downloading Super Monkey Ball on my original iPod touch. It's unbelievable how quick time flies, but we've certainly come a long way since those days. The quality of apps, and especially games, on the App Store is unparalleled compared to what was available six years ago. Look no further than this edition of App Recap, which covers the best new, updated and discounted apps for iPhone and iPad. We've got 8 apps to look at today…

iOS 8 code reveals split-screen view for running apps side by side

Last month, the well-connected blogger Mark Gurman reported that Apple was likely to introduce a split-screen multitasking feature for iPad on iOS 8. The company did not mention the feature at its WWDC keynote, however, leaving many to wonder if the functionality is still coming. According to a pair of tweets from iOS developer Steven Troughton-Smith, it definitely appears possible…