Facebook Messenger gains new 3D Touch features, iOS 10 beta fix
Facebook Messenger has had 3D Touch support for Quick Actions from the app icon since December, and today the app has updated to expand 3D Touch features inside the app. Using the latest flagship iPhones (iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus currently), Facebook users can Peek and Pop inside Messenger to quickly preview and access information using the pressure-sensitive display feature.
Filed under: Apple
9to5Toys Lunch Break: 13-inch MacBook Air $800, Lightning Cable + Car Charger $13, Brother AirPrint Printer $75, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Save up to $299 on Apple’s latest 13-inch MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro
Smartphone Accessories: Aukey MFi Lightning Cable & USB Port Car Charger $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $16), more
Amazon offers the Brother WorkSmart All-in-One Wireless Printer w/ AirPrint for $75 shipped (Reg. $100+)
iTunes offers sci-fi thriller ‘Ex Machina’ (HD download) for $5 in ‘Blockbuster July’ sale
App Store Free App of the Week: LOOPIMAL music making app goes free for the first time (Reg. $3)
Grab the best Mac app from 2015 Affinity Photo for $40 (Reg. $50)
Apple offering free download of sketching app Procreate via Apple Store app
Roundup: Always have a Lightning cable nearby with one of these handy keychains
Choosing the best mic for your Mac, iPad and iPhone without breaking the bank
Cable management can be frustrating, here’s a few simple (and inexpensive) products I use to keep it under control
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
This Yamaha 7.2-Ch. 4K A/V Receiver has AirPlay, Bluetooth, and six HDMI inputs: $360 shipped (Reg. $450+)
- The powerful Cambridge OontZ 3XL Bluetooth Speaker can fill your room with audio for $80
- Daily Deals: Sony Hybrid In-Ear Headphones $55, iPhone 5s Unlocked GSM (Refurb) $250, more
- Games/Apps: The Division $33, Rainbow Six Siege $23, 1TB Xbox One w/ 3 games $256, more
- Ralph Lauren’s Summer Sale is loaded with deals on polos, summer gear, accessories and more
- 300-ft. range wireless dual-probe meat thermometer for $44 Prime shipped (Orig. $60)
MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:
Anker surprises w/ new discounts on iPhone cases, USB chargers & more in advance of Prime Day
UE MEGABOOM waterproof, 20-hr Bluetooth Speaker refurb black: $169 shipped (Orig. $300)
Here’s a stainless steel Apple Watch band in Silver or Space Gray for $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $26)
Filed under: Apple
Long-awaited Camera+ 2 for iPad adds modern look, ‘The Lab’ photo editing, Apple Pencil support, much more
If you want manual controls and advanced shooting features from your iPhone camera, Tap tap tap’s Camera+ is a popular solution for a lot of iPhone photographers. But Camera+ for iPad hasn’t received an update in two and a half years even though iPad cameras have actually caught up with iPhone cameras in some cases.
That changes today: Camera+ 2 for iPad is out now with a modern interface that replaces the iOS 6 era UI that came before it. Camera+ 2 for iPad also delivers ‘The Lab’, which is Tap tap tap’s professional photo editing suite included in the app.
Filed under: Apple
Happy Hour Podcast 075 | iOS 10 + macOS Sierra public beta, missing iPhone 7 mute switch, & Pokémon Go mania
This week Benjamin and Zac talk about iOS 10 and macOS Sierra public betas, the lack of watchOS 3 and tvOS 10 public betas, iPhone 7 without a mute switch, and the Pokémon Go mania. 9to5Mac’s Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
Filed under: Apple
Prisma brings unique AI-powered artistic photo filters to iPhone, Polaroid Swing offers its own take on Live Photos
A new photo filter app, Prisma, is taking the App Store by storm this week (if you can ignore the Pokémon GO fervor) with good reason. At first glance, Prisma seems like any other photo filter app: choose a filter, pick an image, share to social media. What sets Prisma apart is the diversity and quality of the filters themselves.
There are some incredibly rich and unique options on here, that go beyond the usual shadowy color shifts popularized by Instagram. Prisma features a diverse set of filters that correspond to known paintings and art styles, including Mondrian Cubism, Mosaic, Heisenberg, The Scream and many more.
Filed under: Apple
Apple’s new Lightning EarPods for iPhone 7 purportedly shown in new photos
As has been widely reported, it is all but confirmed that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. This means buyers of the new iPhone will have to search for alternative types of headphones, whether that be via wireless Bluetooth or Apple’s Lightning cable.
Right now, Apple bundles EarPods with every iPhone. It obviously makes no sense for Apple to continue bundling 3.5mm headphones with the headphone-jack-less iPhone 7. What’s apparently shown in these photos (via Weibo) is a new version of Apple’s EarPods that can connect to an iPhone via the 9-pin Lightning port. More photos after the jump …
Filed under: Apple
Pokémon GO now available in Germany as the game prepares to launch across Europe
Pokemon GO is now available to users in Germany, the official Pokémon GO Twitter account announced today. A report earlier in the week indicated Pokémon GO would launch in the UK and other parts of Europe in a matter of days: it appears Germany is the first lucky country to be able to officially play the hit mobile game. Find the game in the App Store.
Filed under: Apple
Open casting call posted for Apple’s ‘Planet of the Apps’ reality TV show
Earlier this year it was announced that Apple was planning to launch its first original TV series about the “app economy.” Now, Apple has posted an open casting call for the unscripted reality series, which we now know is called Planet of the Apps.
Filed under: Apple
Patent troll comes after Apple over battery charging technology used in iPhone 6s
Apple today has been hit with a lawsuit by Texas-based Somaltus LLC, which claims that the charging system used by the iPhone violates a patent it acquired from Snap-On Technologies. Snap-On Technologies originally acquired the patent in 2010 for an “integrated battery service system” that performs a “plurality of services related to devices/components that are coupled to the battery.”
Filed under: Apple
Senator Al Franken issues letter asking Niantic to clarify privacy concerns on Pokémon Go
Just a few hours after having received its promised security-focused update, Pokémon Go is once again under scrutiny by security and privacy advocates. Senator Al Franken of Minnesota has issued a statement asking for clarification from Niantic, the creators of the quickly growing mobile game, on how user data is being used within the application and its services.
Although one of the most glaring issues was fixed in an update issued earlier today, this statement comes with a longer and more detailed list on clarification of how the data is being used. Senator Franken poses the idea that many children will be playing this game and that their data is currently being considered a “business asset” under Niantic’s own Privacy Policy.
Filed under: Apple