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Apple reveals iOS 8: Interactive notifications, Messages improvements, and more

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

iOS 8 wwdc

During it's WWDC 2014 keynote, Apple has announced iOS 8, the next major update for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. New features abound in iOS 8 that refine some things, and make others even better. One major feature is the interactive notifications. You know how you might get a text message or calendar invite when using your iPhone? You might be right in the middle of something and don't want to tap on the notification to go over to the Messages app--and in iOS 8, you don't have to. Instead, you can reply right from the notification. You can respond to calendar invites in the same way.

Apple also announced OS X during the keynote as well, which features a new visual overhaul, which was leaked prior to the event.

Developing...


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Australian iOS device users get held up for ransom

iOS device hack oleg pliss

You've probably heard it by now. There are no viruses on Apple products. They don't run .exe files. They don't get hacked. It's the reason I usually use my iPad to do my banking (that, and a lack of questionable browsing history.) I used to believe that.

Well, now it looks like I have to confront the truth. In a series of cyber attacks that have swept Australia, iPhone users have been locked out of their devices and have received a message saying “Device hacked by Oleg Pliss. For unlock device, you need send voucher code by 100 usd/eur (Moneypack/Ukash/PaySafeCard) to email:lock404@hotmail.com for unlock."

According to Apple's support forums, the hack seems to operate through the “Find My Device” feature on Apple products, and it seems that the data may have been matched to an eBay breach that occurred earlier in the week.

People with a hacked device should immediately attempt to change their Apple ID credentials and set up multi-factor authentification.


iOS 7.1.1 brings improvement to Touch ID for iPhone 5s

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

iOS 7.1.1

If you haven't yet updated, Apple released iOS 7.1.1 yesterday, focused on improving the responsiveness of Touch ID fingerprint recognition, iOS keyboard responsiveness, and Bluetooth keyboard usage as well. After installing the small 26 MB update, you should find that Touch ID is less forgetful, while the rest of the updates are fairly minor. You can head into iOS settings and check for the software update to grab it over the air now.


Apple releases iOS 7.1 beta 5 build 11D5145e to developers

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

iOS 7.1 beta 5 download

If you've got an Apple developer account, you should know that Apple has released iOS 7.1 beta 5 build 11D5145e, and you can go and grab it right now. Of course, you can log in to the Developer Center to manually grab the file, or head into the Settings > General > Software Update section on your iOS device for the over-the-air install. As far as new changes, the release notes point to international Siri improvements:

"This seed adds new natural-sounding Siri voices for English (Australia), English (United Kingdom), Japanese, and Chinese (Mandarin – China)"

Along with the new iOS software, Apple has also released new betas of Xcode 5.1, and the Apple TV software as well.

Click to continue reading Apple releases iOS 7.1 beta 5 build 11D5145e to developers


Top 10 most read Gear Live stories in 2013

Sleeptracker Watch review

Sure, we've given you a list of our top 10 most popular stories of 2013, but we figured we'd go a bit more broad than that. We also thought it would be interesting to give you a look at the top ten most read stories on this site this year, period, regardless of what year they were posted. We must say, we're just as surprised as you are at what did (and didn't) make the list! For example, you guys seem to really like Apple. Here we go:

  1. Sleeptracker Watch review: This one focuses on a watch that tracks your sleep data and aims to wake you up when you are in your lightest phase of sleep. The result is that you wake up feeling more rested, and more refreshed.

  2. Flash on iPhone is just around the corner: This five-year-old article made it's way back after being linked to by John Gruber of Daring Fireball. Since then we've learned that just because it's in testing behind closed doors, doesn't mean that it's going to make it's way to public release. Also, John, why couldn't you have linked to when we broke what was the biggest Apple software leak of the decade?

  3. Mod your Xbox without a mod chip: This is an all-time favorite of our readers. It dropped out of the top 10 last year, but has reappeared for 2013.

  4. Apparently that Xbox 360 Red Ring of Doom issue hasn't been fixed

  5. OS X 10.9 Mavericks Developer Preview 3 now available

  6. How To Mod Your iPhone on Windows Using iBrickr

  7. Apple releases iOS 7 beta 2 with iPad support: iOS 7 beta 1 supported the iPhone and iPod touch only. When beta 2 arrived with iPad support, many were excited.

  8. TiVo out-of-home remote streaming arrives on Roamio Plus, Roamio Pro DVRs: We'd been waiting for this feature for a long, long time, and it is finally here.

  9. Exclusive details on the next Nike+ FuelBand: We got exclusive details on the new Nike+ FuelBand months before its release.

  10. iPhone 5s review: Our review of Apple's flagship smartphone for 2013.

Any surprises? For a trip down memory lane, check out the top ten most-read stories in 2012, 2011, 2010.

We've also compiled a list of the stories that have dropped out of the top ten between 2012 and 2013, which you can check out after the jump, and don't miss the ten most popular Gear Live videos of 2013 either!

Click to continue reading Top 10 most read Gear Live stories in 2013


Infinity Blade III, Baston, and more great iOS games deeply discounted

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Software, Video Games,

Infinity Blade III

Gaming is huge on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and during the holiday season, lots of new owners are looking for the fun games that'll allow them to put their devices to the test. There are also all the people who already own iOS device and just received an iTunes gift card, which means it's time to grab some apps. Devs are well aware of this trend, and many of them look to capitalize on it by offering their hottest apps at a discount during the end-of-the-year holiday season. There are a bunch of great games that can currently be had for a great bargain. Here's a sampling:

Yep - a couple of those are even free at the moment, but even those that aren't are well worth it if you're a gamer.


TiVo out-of-home remote streaming arrives on Roamio Plus, Roamio Pro DVRs

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Home Entertainment,

TiVo remote streaming

If you're the owner of a TiVo Roamio Pro or Roamio Plus DVR, out-of-home streaming (a.k.a. TiVo's holy grail) has finally arrived, letting you stream and download content from your TiVo to your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad when you're away from home. Even better? You can also access one of your tuners for live television watching remotely as well, so when you're away from home and wanna watch the big game live, you can do so. For now, out-of-home remote streaming requires that your iOS device be connected to Wi-Fi, but LTE streaming is definitely in the cards, set to launch in 2014.

"Until now, your shows have been locked up in your set top box at home," said Jim Denney, Vice President of Product Marketing at TiVo. "Now with a TiVo Roamio DVR, whether it’s a hotel in Denmark, the waiting room at the dentist office, when you’re stuck at the airport, or at the gym, out-of-home streaming gives you the level of choice, control and freedom that consumers have come to expect from TiVo."

Out-of-home viewing requires a software update, which begins rolling out to TiVo Roamio Pro and Roamio Plus users today. If you have a base-model TiVo Roamio, you'll need a TiVo Stream in order to enable out-of-home streaming (support for out-of-home for the TiVo Stream is set to roll out next month.) As mentioned, remote TiVo streaming works only on Apple iOS device, and they've gotta be running iOS 5.1 or higher. Android users, don't worry, you'll be able to get in on the remote streaming action in Spring 2014 (let's be honest, you're used to watching iOS get the cool stuff first,) alongside the launch of LTE streaming.

You can pick up the TiVo Roamio Plus, TiVo Roamio Pro, TiVo Roamio, and TiVo Stream right now on Amazon.


Apple releases iOS 7.0.3 with iCloud Keychain, iMessage fix, Touch ID tweaks

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

iOS 7.0.3 features

Alongside all the major news coming out of today's Apple iPad event, the company has also released an iOS update. iOS 7.0.3 bring a few new features to the platform, like iCloud Keychain, which works alongside the same feature in OS X Mavericks (which was also released today on the Mac App Store) to keep your account names, passwords, and credit cards synced across your devices, while protecting them with your Apple ID. Here is a rundown of all the changes in iOS 7.0.3:

  • Adds iCloud Keychain to keep track of your on account names passwords and credit card numbers across all your devices
  • Adds Password Generator so Safari can suggest unique hard to guess passwords for your online accounts
  • Updates lock screen to delay display of "slide to unlock" went Touch ID is in use
  • Adds back the ability to search the web and Wikipedia from Spotlight search
  • Fixes an issue where iMessage failed to send for some users
  • Fixes a bug that could prevent iMessage from activating
  • Improves system stability when using iWork apps
  • Fixes an accelerometer calibration issue
  • Address is an issue that could cause Siri and VoiceOver to use a lower quality voice
  • Fixes a bug that could allow someone to bypass the lock screen passcode
  • Enhances the Reduce Motion setting to minimize both motion and animation
  • Fix is an issue that could cause VoiceOver input to be too sensitive
  • Updates the Bold Text setting to also change dial pad text
  • Fix is an issue that could cause supervise devices to become unsupervised when updating software

You should be able to check the Software Update area on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to grab the update now.


Apple now giving away iPhoto, iMovie, and iWork iOS apps for free with iOS device purchase

Free iWork and iLife apps

Apple has announced that it's iWork suite for iOS devices will be free with the purchase of a new device going forward as announced at this morning's iPhone 5S event. This means that Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iPhoto, and iMovie will all be downloadable for free to those who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. To give you an idea of what you are saving, that is $39.95 worth of apps that Apple now gives new buyers for free to all iOS 7-compatible devices activated after September 1, 2013, including current devices, as well as the new iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S.


Apple releases iOS 7 Golden Master build 11A465 to developers prior to September 18 public release

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

iOS 7 GM download

Apple has just released iOS 7 Golden Master to developers ahead of the September 18th iOS 7 general release. The iOS 7GM was released after today's iPhone 5S event, where the company showed off the new iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S. The new GM software works with supported iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models, and unlike previous betas, is not available as an over-the-air update--instead, you need to head over to the developer portal and download it the old-fashioned way. Apple originally showed off iOS 7, and released its first beta, at WWDC 2013.

If you are a paid members of Apple's iOS developer program, here are the links for iOS 7 GM downloads:


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