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How to Become an Influential Leader: Tips on Hiring, Growth & Management [Podcast]

When you first start out in your career, growth seems straightforward. You do great work, and then you get promoted to the next level. Simple as that.

But as you start to progress up the ladder, figuring out how to get to the next level in your career becomes more complicated. 

If you’re an ambitious leader looking to progress to the next stage, what should you be doing?

Charlene Li, Founder & CEO of the Altimeter Group, has literally written books on the subject. And this week on The Growth Show, Charlene joins us to chat about influence, leadership, and building high-growth companies in our digital, hyper-connected world. Some episode highlights include:

  • The one similarity among high-growth companies
  • The key to avoiding “groupthink” at your company
  • Why every single job candidate at Altimeter Group takes a practical exam
  • How leaders need to adapt when they hire empowered employees
  • The secrets to growing in your career over time

Click the play button below to listen to this episode in your browser, or subscribe on iTunes to download episodes directly to your phone:

Check out the latest recaps of The Growth Show episodes by clicking here.

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7 Psychology-Backed Hacks for Boosting Your Motivation

This post originally appeared on HubSpot’s Sales Blog. To read more content like this,subscribe to Sales.

Motivation is crucial in any professional environment. Trouble is, staying motivated is often easier said than done.

No matter what industry you’re working in, you’re bound to encounter days with more bad than good. This is no reason to give up.

After all, success comes when you push through the frustrating times and focus your efforts and energy on accomplishing one goal at a time. 

To help you keep pushing forward in whatever you’re doing, we’ve compiled seven science-backed tips for sustaining motivation in the workplace. From finding your “why” to accepting rejection, we’re willing to bet that these tips will make a noticeable difference in your day.

7 Psychology-Backed Hacks for Boosting Your Motivation

1) Remind yourself of what you love about your job.

There are two fundamental types of motivation — extrinsic and intrinsic. When you’re extrinsically motivated, you’re driven to act because of external incentives, like money, recognition, or praise.

Intrinsic motivation, behavior driven by the simple enjoyment of a task, is a more powerful force. Richard Griggs, a psychology professor, writes, “A person’s intrinsic enjoyment of an activity provides sufficient justification for their behavior.”

Try writing down a physical list of everything you enjoy about your job, or keeping a running tab of on-the-job moments that made you happy. The important thing is to be able to quickly refer back to a list of positive moments that will provide you a jolt of intrinsic motivation.

2) Find your “why.”

The intrinsic-extrinsic dichotomy is further explored in the push-pull theory of motivation. According to this theory, humans are either pulled to do something because of internal motivation, or pushed because of external factors.

“Pull-based motivation is about tapping the desire to achieve something,” entrepreneur Jonathan Fields writes in Psychology Today. “It’s about taking action not to remove a current pain, but to bring yourself closer to a deeply desired end.”

So when you’re feeling discouraged, remind yourself of why you got into your industry, and what you’re striving for long-term. With a clearly defined purpose, finding your intrinsic motivation to keep going is far easier.

3) Expect a certain amount of rejection.

Instead of treating rejection as something to be afraid of or an unpleasant surprise, build the expectation that a certain number of potential customers are going to say “no” into your day.

Expectancy theory, pioneered by Victor Vroom, states that people choose to act a certain way based on their expectations of what will happen.

A caveat: This only applies to a normal level of rejection. If no one is converting or expressing interest in the content you’re putting out, it might be time to take a closer look at your approach with your manager or peers.

4) Frame potential pitfalls as opportunities.

Research shows that high achievers tend to be achievement-oriented, rather than failure-avoiding. Achievement-motivated people gain satisfaction from succeeding at difficult tasks. Failure-avoiding individuals are primarily concerned with — you guessed it — avoiding a screwup.

Failure-avoiding people “are less likely to attempt achievement-oriented tasks, and may give up quickly if success is not readily forthcoming,” according to psychologist Carl Beuke. Not too inspiring, right?

To put yourself in the mindset of a high achiever, frame risks as opportunities. Sure, not everyone is going to be in waiting at their computer to tweet out your latest blog post, but it’s more productive to view your post as a step in the right direction towards educating your prospects. Coming from a positive place rather than a place of fear will go a long way to keeping you motivated.

5) Set specific short- and long-term goals.

It’s important to keep in mind your blue-sky goals — that is, where you want to be in five or 10 years. But five or 10 years is a long time. What are you supposed to reach for in the meantime?

Sports psychologist Frank Smoll suggests setting goals for the short- and long-term. 

Short-term goals allow people to “see immediate improvements in performance and thereby enhance motivation,” Smoll writes in Psychology Today.

On the other hand, relying purely on lofty goals is actually damaging, as it ignores “the sub-goals needed to attain them.” And this results in a failure to achieve much of anything at all.

6) Remember that it’s not personal.

It’s natural to take rejection personally because humans are inherently social beings. But in marketing and sales, it’s unproductive.

“Taking things personally keeps you tied to someone else,” psychiatrist Abigail Brenner writes in Psychology Today. And if you’re tying yourself to every failed opportunity, you’re going to become overwhelmed with disappointment in short order.

To get some distance from an unpleasant situation, Brenner suggests evaluating what the relationship you have with the person who upset you really meant to you.

7) Go take a walk.

The arousal theory of motivation proposes that humans act to correct imbalances in neurological activity. That is, that when we’re either over- or under-stimulated, we subconsciously behave in ways that bring us back to a healthy level of arousal.

You can stay one step ahead of your subconscious, however. If you feel yourself getting agitated or frustrated, remove yourself from the situation. Leave the office for a quick stroll, stop by a coworker’s desk for a quick chat, or just take a bathroom break. By doing something relaxing, you’ll be able to center yourself and re-focus on the task at hand.

How do you stay motivated? Let us know in the comments below.

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Google Embraces Podcasting: This Week in Social Media

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Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week Google Play Music Welcomes Podcasts: “Along with direct searches and browsing for podcasts, the service will connect new […]

This post Google Embraces Podcasting: This Week in Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner – Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

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These Mac, iPod, & Beats products are losing Apple repair support, moving to ‘obsolete’ status in December

Apple-obsolete-Dec-8-2015

As it does regularly with older products, Apple is about to move a bunch of Macs, iPods, and accessories to obsolete status, meaning the products will no longer be eligible for service or repair support through Apple retail stores or authorized service providers. So if you happen to have one of these products and need a hardware repair of some kind, you’ll have until early December to do so at an Apple Store or authorized third-party service provider. 

The Macs getting the axe this time around include:

  • iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009)
  • iMac (27-inch, Late 2009)
  • MacBook Air (Mid 2009)
  • Mac Pro (Early 2009)
  • MacBook (13-inch, early 2008)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, early 2009)

These Macs will move to Obsolete status in all regions and vintage status where applicable. Apple typically begins the process for models 5-7 years after manufacturing has been discontinued and maintains a list on its website here. Vintage status only applies to California and Turkey where the company is required to continue offering support in some cases, but otherwise everything gets obsolete status and will no longer be eligible for hardware repairs.

Other products moving to vintage obsolete status this time around include the iPod touch (1st generation), the Apple Cinema Display (23-inch, DVI early 2007), Time Capsule 802.11n (1st) generation, and for the first time, and long list of Beats products that Apple inherited with its acquisition of Beats Electronics, including:

  • iBeats
  • Beatbox
  • Beatbox Portable (1st generation)
  • Wireless (1st generation)
  • Diddybeats
  • Heartbeats (1st generation)

All of the above obsoleting will go into action on December 8, 2015, as highlighted in the internal memo above. 

Filed under: iOS, Mac Tagged: 1st generation, Apple Store, beatbox, Beats, ibeats, iMac, iPod, ipod touch first gen, MacBook, Macs, Obsolete, repairs, vintage

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Select Apple Stores offering $50 discount on iPhone + Apple Watch purchases, but may not be best deal

Rose Gold iPhone 6s Plus Apple Watch

Apple seems to be trialling small discounts on Apple Watches purchased with iPhones in certain stores. Through a store-only deal running today through November 15th, Apple is knocking $50 off the price of Apple Watches and Apple Watch Sports when bought with new iPhones, MacRumors notes. Not only is the promo not available online but it’s also being offered in select stores in just two states: California and Massachusetts.

Shoppers in other markets may not be missing out on much, however, as 9to5Toys has seen better deals from resellers previously including $80 off without the required iPhone purchase. If you do happen to be in the market for both a new iPhone and an Apple Watch and you’re looking to save some money, 9to5Toys has highlighted a promotion expected to start at Target on Sunday (via a leaked ad) where you could save almost $70. Target is expected to discount Apple Watch prices by 10% with the purchase of a new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, offering a greater savings on more expensive models. REDcard save another 5%. Target started selling the Apple Watch online and in stores earlier this month.

Filed under: Apple Watch, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple watch, iPhone

Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of iOS Devices, iPhone, and Apple watch.

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How-To: Make Apple TV screenshots and video captures without using Xcode

screengrabappletv

At some point in the future, creating pixel-sharp screenshots, UI videos, and game recordings from your Apple TV may be as easy as hitting a button or two on the Siri Remote, but right now, the only obvious technique is a workaround. Thankfully, the workaround doesn’t require the use of Apple’s Xcode or another developer tool — all you’ll need is OS X’s built-in app QuickTime Player and a USB-C cable of your choice…

The process is the same for screenshots and videos. Load QuickTime Player on your Mac using Spotlight or the Applications folder. Connect your Apple TV — still plugged into the wall and your HDTV — to your Mac using the USB-C to USB cable you’ve purchased.

Go to the File menu and choose New Movie Recording. Next to the gray and red record button, click on the “v” shaped arrow to see a list of choices. Pick Apple TV for both Camera and Microphone. At that point, you’ll see the Apple TV’s current video feed on your screen. Hit the gray and red record button to start recording video. To make a screenshot, hit Command-Shift-4, then hit the space bar. Your cursor will turn into a camera icon. Hover over the window until the title bar and recording interface disappear, then click your trackpad or mouse on the window to make a screenshot.

beatsports

Unless the video content you’re playing back through the Apple TV is protected against recording, this technique will let you create videos and screenshots effortlessly. A more complex and expensive solution with live streaming software and more video options is Elgato’s Game Capture HD60, reviewed here, but the USB-C cable will do the trick for most people at a lower price.

More From This Author

Check out more of my editorials, How-To guides, and reviews for 9to5Mac here! I’ve covered a lot of different topics of interest to Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, and Apple Watch users. I’ve recently discussed how to safely prepare and wipe your iPhone for resale or trade-in, and how to get the best iPhone trade-in price to help buy an iPhone 6s, amongst many other topics.

Filed under:
How-To
, Apple TV Tagged: Apple TV, screenshots, videos, Xcode

Continue reading more about Apple TV,
How-To
, and Apple TV at 9to5Mac.

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Google’s new ‘Who’s Down’ app shows which of your friends are free to hang out

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Google has just quietly released a new app on the App Store called “Who’s Down”. As you might be able to tell from its name, the app will apparently — once there are people who are actually using it — let you see which of your friends are free to hang out. Currently, the app is invite-only, so the only things we know about its functionality are from the app’s App Store screenshots…

As you can see in the images below, the app’s main functionality seems to be a quick-to-access toggle switch, letting your friends know if you’re free. Sliding the switch makes you available for three hours, and lets you pick from a list of popular activities to say you’re down to do (although it seems likely that one particular thing that people are commonly “down to” do will not be found on this list). The app lets you quickly see which of your friends are down to hangout, and you can start a chat from within the app.

Here’s a quick look:

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You can install the app for free right now on the App Store, but as I mentioned, it’s invite only for the time being. We’re trying to work our way in, and when we do, we’ll be back with more information. Of course, the app is also available for Android.

Filed under: Apps Tagged: Android, app, fall 2015, Google, iOS, release, update, whos down

Check out 9to5Mac for more breaking coverage of Apps, iOS, and Google.

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Top 7 Project Management Plugins for WordPress

wordpress plugin imageIf you spend all your time in planning, organizing, and controlling your resources/ time, when the heck are you going to do some actual work?

This is why productive individuals/ enterprises rave about project management tools. They save you the time spent thinking about the best way of doing work so you can, you know, do some work.

Now for all of us who work with WordPress, there are a few plugins that help us manage our projects (and therefore, time) more effectively. There are front-end solutions and then those intended for only the back-end use. Still others will play mix-and-match with features from the two types.

So before you get overwhelmed by the very idea (or waste any more damn time), take a look at 7 of the best project management plugins you can get for WordPress.

1. TaskFreak!

TaskFreakIt’s one of the few no-nonsense, no bells-and-whistles kind of plugins for project management. Since there aren’t many plugins in that category in the first place, that’s actually saying a lot.

The WordPress extension of popular project management service is free. Take a look at the feature list:

  • Easy to setup
  • Integrated for WordPress users
  • Mobile- friendly
  • Compatible with most WP themes
  • Privacy settings on tasks
  • Task interaction settings for WP users and visitors
  • Task status
  • Attachments and comments

It’s neat and efficient. For a free plugin, that’s a pretty sweet deal.

2. CQPIM

CQPIMBrought to you by a Code Canyon (Theme forest’s ‘plugin’ division) author by the name of TimelessInteractive (whoa), CQPIM means business. It has:

  • Client dashboard and manager
  • Project, Task, Invoice management
  • Assign tasks and add members
  • Quote request forms for clients and users
  • Support tickets
  • Task timers
  • Great UI

You get support from plugin author, who happens to be active and creating on envato. For a payment of $36, you get all that and more. Not bad, in any sense of word.

3. Project Manager by TPC

Project Manager by TPCProject Manager by TPC is very simple, very sweet, and does what it says on the tin. It also claims to function like Basecamp. We’re inclined to agree. See the features:

  • Responsive design friendly
  • Task/project privacy settings
  • Widgets for Tasks by Date and Sort
  • Email notifications
  • Add/remove task contributors (team members)
  • Easy UI
  • Active support

The authors are active and updating, so you are get support and easy trekking over compatibility and WordPress upgrades issues. Also: You get those features for free. What’s not to like?

4. SP Project and Document Manager

SP Project and Document ManagerSmartyPants’ Project and Document Manager plugin is packed with features:

  • Responsive design friendly
  • Select and upload multiple files
  • Delete uploaded documents
  • Zip multiple files
  • Custom Forms
  • Delete documents/ files
  • Search by file name
  • Restrict/ allow file uploads and deletes by users
  • File Logging

That’s just for you and the team members. It also allows clients to create their own pages where they can upload documents and contribute to/ create projects. The admin themselves can control/ restrict or enable/ disable all these features and more.

The premium version of the plugin is available for $75. There are also a whole load of add-ons for more features you can purchase.

It’s extensive and extendable. That’s the sort of flexibility that makes a plugin good.

5. Project Panorama

Project PanoramaThis plugin works great and looks amazing while doing it. A premium version available at $75 (called Professional) will give you some pretty solid features:

  • Responsive design friendly
  • White label
  • Customization friendly
  • Project Descriptions
  • Start/ Completion dates
  • Output leader boards
  • Embeddable projects (right into your theme)
  • Progress tracking and automatic adjustments
  • Milestones and discussions
  • Password protected projects
  • File uploads
  • Allow/ Restrict contribution to projects to specific users
  • Email notifications
  • Support and upgrades for 1 year
  • Unlimited usage

Exhaustive, isn’t it? There are plenty of add-ons for more functionality that you can get out of it. For use on single site, the same features are available for $55. Free (Lite) version will give you description, start/ complete dates, embeddable projects, progress tracking, milestones, and discussions.

Not a bad choice, in any case.

6. Orbis

OrbisA nice, clean UI and a foundation for more features: that’s what Orbis has to offer. Look at the features of the plugin:

  • Complete project management (connect projects to companies)
  • User management (Add people with said companies)
  • Manage the aforementioned companies
  • Standard WordPress pages (just for your team)
  • Standard posts (again, only for team members)
  • Comments and discussions on pages, posts, people, and companies.

And now the add-ons:

  • Orbis Tasks: Allows you to create tasks and assign them to people and projects
  • Orbis Timesheets: Time logging on projects
  • Orbis Keychains: Saves your passwords
  • Orbis Deals: Sales management
  • Orbis Subscriptions: Allows you to create subscriptions to companies

It’s worth noting that the core plugin itself doesn’t have task management. All the add-ons will need a license to work, and Regular and Premium versions (without the add-ons) are available for €300 and €750 per year respectively. There’s also the option to host it on Pronamic server along with 20% discount on all their paid plugins with Premium plan.

They add auto-updates and support to subscription plans.

It’s pretty hefty on price, but not bad on functionality.

7. Project Tasks

Project TasksDon’t let the lack of downloads fool you. This little plugin has an ace up its sleeve. Know that all teams of WordPress theme developers and designers trying to work productively and in collaboration: This plugin is for you.

Project Tasks is specifically for WordPress developers/designers. You get all the features of project management plugins (add users, create tasks, assign them to people, set status, progress, and priority, etc.).

The unique feature of this plugin is the ability to set ‘targets’, which in this context means the area of the theme/ plugin/ whatever else needs to be worked upon.

It’s easy to install and accessible from WordPress Admin menu. For those working on WordPress, especially in collaborative efforts, this plugin can be very essential.

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Apple plans to start selling the iPad Pro on November 11th

Screenshot 2015-10-30 13.23.37

Apple plans to start selling the 12.9-inch iPad Pro on Wednesday, November 11th via both its physical retail and online stores, according to multiple sources. Apple previously only said that the large tablet would become available during the month in November, a couple of months after its introduction in early September. The iPad Pro’s marquee accessories, the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, will also become available for purchase on November 11th. The iPad Pro starts at $799 and comes in both 32GB and 128GB configurations with WiFi only. An LTE-compatible version comes exclusively in the 128GB configuration and costs upwards of $1000. We reported earlier this week that Apple’s support staff is scheduled to complete iPad Pro training by November 6th, less than a week prior to the launch.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Inc, iOS, iPad, IPad accessories, ipad air, iPad mini, iPad Pro, iPhone, IPod Touch, LTE (telecommunication), Wi-Fi

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What is a Gantt Chart?

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Charts are often used to illustrate the progress of a project or a business activity. Such a chart was first developed in the 19th century by Karol Adamiecki, a Polish engineer, naming it harmonogram. Yet, Gantt chart is named after Henry Gantt, an American engineer and consultant. Gantt’s chart became widely used in many countries. The Gantt chart is the most famous chart used in project management.

Gantt charts are mostly used to follow project schedules. Additional information about the various tasks or phases of the project is shown on the charts. One can observe how they relate to each other, the progress of the task, resources being used and all the data that needs to be followed. At first, Gantt charts were drawn by hand. Therefore, they had to be redone every time a change was to be made. So, as projects had to be constantly followed and charts updated their use was limited and time consuming.

However, since the introduction of computers in the business world this has become much easier. Due to the software that is now available, Gantt charts are created by computer applications, like Mavenlink, Wrike, Smartsheet, Sciforma, or AceProject, so they are now easily amended printed and shared with all parties concerned. Their use is gaining more ground among project managers as Internet has made them accessible and has helped increase collaboration. Such, collaborative software assists functions, such as task assignments, time-managing deadlines, and shared calendars.

what is a gantt chart example

Gantt charts are used to illustrate the stages and activities of a project. They are popular means of communicating project information as they are easily understood across the business world. A Gantt chart is a useful tool for small projects that fit in a single sheet or screen. For longer, more complex projects, Gantt charts may prove inconvenient for computer display.

Gantt charts deal mainly with schedule management, they do not show the size of the project or work elements involved. Providing a lot of information may end up in a confusing, incomprehensible chart. There may be some difficulty in reading a Gantt chart of a large project as the horizontal bars of the chart have a fixed height. Time –phased requirements of a project may be misread.

Before creating a Gantt chart you must have a detailed project plan. All the tasks that need to be carried out and in which particular order. Tasks need to be to be performed in a specific order. A Gantt chart allows you to link tasks so they depend on each other. Tasks are linked in a dependency, meaning that the first task you must end before the next task you select can start, and so on.

Project Managers use Gantt charts to show tasks against time. A list of activities is recorded on the left of the chart and along the top an appropriate time. Every activity is represented by a bar, its the length and the position shows the beginning, the duration, and the finish of the activity. Therefore, making it easy to observe the progress of various activities, how much time they require to be completed, their dependency, from start to end of the project. In general, a Gantt charts allows you to monitor what is required to be done in a project and the times that its phase of the project has to be completed.

Gantt Chart Example with Mavenlink

Mavenlink cloud-based project management software has dynamic Gantt charts designed to help its users collaborate and manage projects with ease. Mavenlink’s Gantt charts enable users to create a visual timeline of a project’s progress, optimize a team’s productivity, and quickly assess task dependencies. The charts allow them to get a quick snapshot of a project’s current progress, providing them the visibility to immediately be informed when a project is at risk of being late or go over budget.

 

 

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Apple voices support for Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) bill

Apple Pride

Continuing its efforts in supporting various equal rights campaigns in recent years,  Apple has voiced its support for a new equal rights bill in Houston through a statement issued by the Human Rights Campaign organization. Business Houston Journal reports that the organization issued the statement below on Apple’s behalf in support of the bill known as Proposition 1, or Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), ahead of voting on the bill ending October 30.

Apple said in a statement to Houston Unites: “Apple is proud to be a part of Houston with four stores that employ over 500 people. Our stores and our company are open to everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love. Apple supports Proposition 1 as it sends a clear message that Houston is focused on a future of inclusion, diversity and continued prosperity.”

The Human Rights Campaign describes the bill as protecting “Houston residents and visitors from discrimination in housing, employment and business services on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion and 11 other characteristics.” It has more information on its website here.

Apple has been quite active in equal rights campaigns in recent years while CEO Tim Cook has made it clear that tackling these issues inside of Apple and supporting equal rights in general will be a focus for both himself personally and the company going forward.

The company has offered its support for many equal rights related laws on several occasions in recent memory, and it started reporting its own company diversity data for the first time last year.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, bill, Equal Rights, equality, Hero, Houston, Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, HRC, Human Rights Campaign, LGBT, Proposition 1, Texas

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Amazon follows through on threat, yanking all Apple TV hardware from leading online retail store

amzappletv21

Following through on a threat made earlier this month, Amazon has pulled all Apple TV hardware from its online stores, regardless of whether it was being sold by Amazon directly or third-party vendors in Amazon’s Marketplace. The removal coincides with today’s official release of the fourth-generation Apple TV, Apple’s first model to launch with an App Store full of third-party apps.

Amazon notified third-party merchants that it planned to remove both Apple TVs and Google’s Chromecasts from its listings, claiming an interest in reducing “consumer confusion” over streaming media players that don’t “interact well with Prime Video,” Amazon’s streaming video service. Apple TV and Chromecast pages currently lead to 404 Document Not Found error pages, while attempts to search for the products now redirect to Amazon’s own Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, PlayStation TV, and a collection of off-brand alternatives. Certain Apple TV accessories remain available for purchase, however…

It’s unclear why Amazon hasn’t followed numerous rivals in developing a tvOS-compatible app for the Apple TV, though relations between Apple and Amazon have been prickly since the leading online retailer began selling its own direct rivals to the iPad, Apple TV, and iPhone. Using an iOS app, Prime Video users have previously been able to watch videos on iPads and iPhones, as well as through past Apple TVs using AirPlay. Amazon has continued to offer both Prime subscriptions and the vast majority of its product catalog to Apple users, albeit without submitting to Apple’s 30% revenue-sharing demands for iOS apps.

Filed under: Apple TV, Tech Industry Tagged: Amazon, Amazon Prime, Apple, Apple TV, Prime Instant Video

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9to5Toys Lunch Break: 21″ iMac (newest version) $950, iPhone 6s/Plus cases from $3, iPhone car mount $7, more

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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:

apple-imac-mk142ll-a

Apple 21-inch iMac (newest version) 1.6GHz/8GB/1TB: $950 shipped (Reg. $1,099)

12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,099 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

panimini-iphone-6-case-sale

iPhone 6s/Plus accessories: ULAK cases from $3, Griffin and Case-Mate 20% off, more

Aukey Magnetic Cradle-less Car Air Vent Mount-sale-01

Aukey Magnetic Cradle-less Car Air Vent Mount $4.50 Prime shipped (Reg. $7)

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PSA: Best Buy and others launch new Apple TV pre-orders, offer potential savings

The best accessories for the new Apple TV: MFi game controllers, keyboards, cables, more

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Target ad leak reveals planned Apple Watch discount for iPhone purchasers

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Giveaway: Polk Audio’s Omni Whole Home Music System – Soundbar w/ subwoofer and S2 Speaker ($880 value)

More new gear from today:

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Headphones: Audio-Technica Over-Ears $100 (Orig. $250), URGE Basics Bluetooth Earbuds $9 (Reg. $19), more

More deals still alive:

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Logitech K480 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard (refurb) $20 shipped (Orig. $50)

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App Store Free App of the Week: rop mind-bending puzzle game ($1 value)

A Dark Room — the best-selling iPhone/iPad RPG is now available for free (Reg. $1)

New products & more:

ge-c-led-bulbs

GE’s new smart LED lightbulbs tell your brain when it’s time for bed

r2-d2-fridge-robot

This life-size R2-D2 refrigerator carries your beer to you…for a price

Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, app deals, Best Buy, Daily Deals, free apps, Gold Box, iMac, iPhone 6/6s cases, video games

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Video suggests Nexus 6P bends easier than iPhone 6 Plus, scratches like an iPhone 5

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There’s nothing like a little controversy when a new smartphone is launched to get people debating online. Remember ‘#scratchgate’ when the iPhone 5’s slate blue anodized finished scratched off really easily? Or last year’s iPhone 6 Plus, which some said bent really easily? Put those two hashtag-gates together and you apparently have the latest flagship Android phone. The Nexus 6P is the newest pure Android phone from Google, and is about to come under some new scrutiny from prospective buyers thanks to a video from Jerry Rig Everything on YouTube…

In the video, Jerry takes the Nexus 6P, made by Huawei, through a series of tests to see how durable it is. He tests its ability to withstand scratching, overheating and bending. Sadly, the phone didn’t do so well in any of the three tests:

Testing nine different materials with increasing hardness against the display reveals that it will start to scratch from friction with any product that has a rating of 6 or higher on Mohs scale of hardness. What’s perhaps worse is that having scratched the screen, a light tap on the front glass panel made a long crack appear along the surface. He scratched the back metal too and noted how incredibly easy the anodized finish was to mark permanently, even with some keys.

To test the display’s performance against extreme heat, he took a flame to the panel and, again, it doesn’t do so well. The flame caused a white spot to burn in to the display panel which didn’t go away.

Then came the bend test. And to quote Jerry, his “little sister could have bent this phone in half with her hands”. In the comments section in response to a question, he even said the phone bent easier than an iPhone 6 Plus. So it’s practically made from paper… or not.

The problem with the bend test part is that the phone’s structure has already been compromised when the screen cracked. As you can see in this video, an unharmed version of the same phone is almost impossible to bend:

One commenter in a growing thread on reddit puts it like this:

Can confirm, this is the reason right here. Cracked glass means that you no longer have a boxed structure – you’re effectively bending a flat sheet of aluminum now.

In automotive and aerospace engineering, we call this a “body in white”, compared to a fully assembled vehicle. In a car, the front and rear windshield alone increase the stiffness of the frame by a factor of 2x. This is why crash testing is done with a fully assembled car, rather than just the frame and restraint system.

While it’s probably not a perfect analogy, it does explain the results pretty well. What’s more, it’s worth noting the phone cracked and bent in the same area the heat did the worst damage to the display. Extreme heat undoubtedly compromised that part of the phone.

Filed under: General, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: Android, bendgate, iOS devices, iPhone 5, iphone 6 plus, Nexus 6P, scratchgate, videos

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Apple Music Diary: Really appreciating it while my main Mac is being repaired

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After a rough start and a mixed early experience, I did finally press the button on Apple Music – a decision I’m grateful for at present as my main Mac is away for repair. This diary piece is as much about that experience as Apple Music, but I will get to music, I promise …

I love a large screen on a laptop, so have stuck doggedly to my 17-inch MacBook Pro, despite the fact that it’s now four years old. It’s a maxed-out late-2011 machine that has been very heavily upgraded over the years, with 16GB RAM and 2TB of SSD storage, and consequently still offers decent performance.

Until recently … 

First, it started really struggling to drive my 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt Display, something it had done perfectly happily up until that point. That issue was rapidly followed by graphics glitches on the laptop’s own screen, and finally random crashes. I’m awaiting a diagnosis, but all the signs point to the infamous GPU failure thankfully now covered by Apple’s Repair Extension Program.

As soon as the graphics glitches started, I immediately supplemented my normal automated backups (Time Capsule, external drive and Dropbox) with a manual copy of my entire Documents folder to another external drive, so that I’d have more convenient access to files when I’d dropped the MBP 17 in for repair.

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I have been accused of being surgically attached to my MBP 17. In addition to use for work, it also contains a big chunk of my life – all my photos and music, for example. I’ll admit I was concerned about how massive a hassle it was going to be without it for the week I’ve been told to expect the diagnosis and repair to take.

But, two days in, the answer appears to be less of a hassle than expected. I’m fortunate enough to have a second Mac: a mid-2013 Core i5 11-inch MacBook Air that serves as my main writing machine when on the move, and also comes in very handy for cycling holidays. For the moment, that machine is now my only Mac.

I’m extremely impressed with how well the MacBook Air is coping with its increased duties. It drives my 27-inch display perfectly – something the 12-inch MacBook can’t do – and despite only 4GB RAM, it chugs along quite happily with a dozen apps open at once. The external drive gives me access to all my documents.

I miss my 17-inch screen a lot. But one thing I haven’t missed is my music.

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Thanks to first iTunes Match and now Apple Music, all of my own music is available in the cloud. I had literally nothing to do to get full access to it, exactly as if it were sitting on my MacBook Air. I simply opened iTunes on my MacBook Air and there it all was.

All my playlists are there. Every album, artist and track. Sure, all my own music has a little cloud icon next to it, but on a fast broadband connection, there is almost no discernible difference between the music being on my Mac and sitting thousands of miles away. (It will get rather closer in a couple of years, but still has to cross the Atlantic for now.)

The same is true on my iPhone. Usually I just load it up with a ton of music so I have access to it offline (the main reason I went for a 128GB phone), but if I want to stream or download anything not stored on the device, I can.

Granted, iTunes Match would have let me do all of that before Apple Music came along, but my music listening behavior has continued to evolve. Back when I used Spotify, I still listened to local music around 80% of the time. But as Apple Music’s ‘For You’ recommendations continue to get better and better as I continue to provide it with feedback, it’s now much closer to 50/50. That’s something I couldn’t have imagined when I first started listening to the service.

I don’t know why the out-of-the-box performance of Apple Music was so poor. As I wrote at the end of week one, Apple has so much data on my musical tastes, its recommendations should have been fantastic, right from the start.

iTunes knows more about my musical tastes than my girlfriend. More than my neighbours, who have sometimes been more familiar with my musical tastes than they might wish. More than any of my friends – even the one who kindly ripped all my CDs for me on his high-end PC with multiple DVD drives.

Think about that for a moment. iTunes knows every single artist, album and track I own. Not only that, but it knows which ones I have put into what playlists. It even knows the exact number of times I have played every single track!

Yet somehow it wasn’t.

But that was then, and this is now, and I have to say that I’m blown away by how good Apple Music’s recommendations are now. Unless it’s listening to my own music library, I hardly ever leave the ‘For You’ tab. Its mood-based playlists are great. Its artist-based playlists are excellent. And since I decided to pretend that ‘Intro to’ really says ‘Easy playlist for,’ I’ve even enjoyed listening to quite a few of those.

The albums it suggests do still include more of my owned music than I’d ideally like, so I’ll give those a ‘Must try harder’ rating for now. But really that’s my only complaint.

I’d become an Apple Music fan before, but being able to switch to a different Mac and simply carry on as usual with both owned and streamed music has made me a bigger one.

As always, do take our poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

You can read my full Apple Music Diary series here. You may also enjoy my Apple Watch Diary and opinion pieces.

Filed under: Apple Music, Opinion Tagged: 17-inch MacBook Pro, Apple Music, Apple Music diary, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook Pro 17, Opinion

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3 Scary Fears You Need to Overcome To Experience Amazing Inbound Results

When my marketing agency The Whole Brain Group talks to prospective clients, we spend a lot of time educating them about the cultural shift that will need to take place inside their leadership team and organization as a whole to make an investment in inbound marketing successful.

We know from our own experience, and from talking to a lot of other agency teams, that companies that embrace this cultural evolution consistently experience results more quickly and more powerfully than those who can’t seem to get past these fears.

Here are three fears we frequently run into when working with growing companies who are trying to figure out how to be successful with inbound marketing.

1) Fear of Producing Educational Content

Many companies resist producing a lot of educational content for fear of giving away their “secret sauce” to their competitors – or that they will educate their customers so well that they will just “do it themselves”.  

89% of buyers research online before spending money on anything, so companies need to shift their thinking to adjust to this new buyer behavior. Would you rather have your potential customers educate themselves on your website – or your competitors’?

Attitude Shift #1: Get Comfortable with Educating

It’s important to understand that educating your customers does not necessarily mean publishing the engineering blueprints for your product or letting people download the operations manual your team uses to deliver service. Educating your customers means positioning yourself as a thought leader and guide that can help them make a smart purchasing decision.

  1. Understand and define your buyer personas so you can clarify your messaging and content to meet their needs.
  2. Define your buyer’s journey and produce content that will help remove any misconceptions or objections your customers may have about deciding to buy from you.
  3. Brainstorm topics for content offers by talking to your sales team to find out what questions they are tired of answering, what common misconceptions people have about your product or service, and what they wish people knew when comparing your company to a competitor.

2) Fear of Changing Your Sales Process

Buyer behaviors have changed dramatically in the last few years, but most sales teams are still selling the same old way – and are frustrated that their results aren’t as good as they used to be. Because buyers are doing more research online, they’re typically far more savvy and educated than ever before – and they’ll spot a sales person using “sales tactics” or “faking it” right away.

If you’re doing a good job with inbound marketing, your prospects should have had most of their basic questions answered before they even talk to a sales person – which means your sales team needs to up their game.

Attitude Shift #2: Get Comfortable with Lead Intelligence and Consultative Selling

The beauty of using marketing automation software like HubSpot is that you’re collecting TONS of lead intelligence that could really help salespeople close more deals – if they look at it!

  1. Map your current sales process and look for places to integrate technology to automate, optimize your team’s efficiency, and collect valuable data to help you improve. Tools like Sidekick can help your team be more proactive and responsive, and spend less time on admin tasks so they can focus on building relationships and closing deals.
  2. Get your marketing and sales teams together regularly to examine your lead intelligence data and understand how your buyer behavior is changing. Then go back to the sales process you mapped and make adjustments to optimize for better results.
  3. Encourage your sales team to think of themselves as guides – their primary purpose is to listen, educate, answer questions, and steer your customers toward the right solution for their needs.

3) Fear of Sharing Data and Results

It’s impossible to achieve results or know how to adjust inbound marketing strategies and tactics when you’re not sure if what you’re doing is actually impacting sales or revenue. Many company executives are reluctant to share this kind of information with their marketing team, but still want the teams to mysteriously demonstrate ROI.

At the same time, many marketing teams are scared to share their results with executives because they’re unclear on how success is being measured, or what the expected time frame is for demonstrating results.

Tracking metrics like traffic, leads, and conversion rates is important – but tying those numbers to an impact on sales is even more powerful.

Attitude Shift #3: Be  Comfortable with Transparency

Understanding the link between marketing activities and sales results will help your marketing team make smart decisions and focus on things that will help impact the bottom line.

Consider adopting a Smarketing Scorecard that you update and review each week so your team can start making connections between activities and results. Include numbers like traffic, leads, consults, 90-day pipeline, average deal size, closed opportunities, etc. After reviewing the data for a few weeks, you’ll be able to identify trends and issues before they become problems, and take action that will help you proactively make progress toward your goals.

Invest in a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) that integrates with your marketing software to give everyone access to the same information. When your salespeople can see how a prospect has interacted with your marketing, they’ll be able to have more intelligent and effective conversations. And when your marketing team can see which campaigns are generating qualified leads, they can focus on duplicating that success in future campaigns.

If you’re partnered with a marketing agency, you’ll need to maintain a similar level of transparency and meet regularly to share information so they can function more effectively as an extension of your company. Many owners are worried that an agency will use revenue or sales data against them to increase prices or upsell unnecessary services, but a true agency partner will never abuse their privilege that way. 

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Apple’s latest Android app is already getting trolled by 1-star reviews

Pill+ App

Apple can’t catch a break on Android. When Apple released its first app on Google’s platform last month called Move to iOS, Android fans were quick to negatively rate the app that only existed to help people switch from Android to iPhone. To date, Move to iOS has roughly 30,000 1 star reviews to only 10,000 5 star reviews with not much happening in the middle.

Now Apple has its second Android app on the Google Play Store called Beats Pill+. It’s a companion app to Apple’s new portable Bluetooth speaker with the same name, allowing both Android and iPhone users to pair two speakers as stereo or amplified and use a DJ feature for queueing up tracks from multiple phones.

And the reviews? Just as extreme despite Beats speakers working with both iPhone and Android and only recently being bought by Apple…

Pill+ reviews

At the 1 star end we have:

Apple need Android users to stay alive. Amazing how many apple lovers are giving it five stars. But obviously are using android to review it. You downloaded the wrong app people. It’s called move to iOS. Go back where you belong.

Doesn’t work as advertised I left my Benadryl in the other room so I downloaded this app with hopes that it’d use its Bluetooth or cloud services or whatever to fetch it for me. It did no such thing. One star.

Does not work with my prescription pills I tried to pair this with my pills but it simply does not work. Thanks apple!!!

Incorrectly advertised Downloaded this app expecting it to be a cloud-based prescription medication reminder. Instead it’s some Google play music knockoff. Uninstalled, don’t know what the developer was thinking when they made this.

Duh.. what?? I thought this app will scratch my back where i cannot reach. Does nothing of that sort. Fail apple. One star.

And at the 5 star end, lots of reviewers are trying to counter the negative ratings:

Disregard the one star reviews Just a bunch of Android fanboys who are attacking Apple for nothing. Mark the trolls as spam

Looks great Don’t have a Beats pill, but the app looks great. 5 stars to combat the pointless 1 stars

Because It’s Apple Everything Apple makes is golden. Or rose golden.

If there’s one thing to learn here, it’s that Apple should brace for the same behavior at a much larger scale when Apple Music for Android launches this year. Beats Music, which existed on Android for a while before Apple bought Beats, comparatively enjoys over 130,000 five star ratings versus just 18,000 one star reviews. Hates gonna hate, hate, hate…

Filed under: General, Tech Industry Tagged: Android, Apple, Beats, Beats Pill, Google Play Store

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The 10 best Apple TV apps to grab on day one (and honorable mentions)

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After years of waiting, the Apple TV finally has its own App Store, and it’s already populated with a surprisingly large number of worthwhile apps and games. We’ve been testing them and looking to see what’s hot and not for day one Apple TV buyers, including some titles compatible with third-party Apple-authorized game controllers.

Here are 10 of our top early picks, plus some honorable mentions that you may want to grab anyway despite some early issues. There are even several games that support 3DTVs (which are now heavily discounted), a little-known feature of the new Apple TV…

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1. Geometry Wars 3 Dimensions Evolved. If you want to show off the gaming potential of your new Apple TV, this is unquestionably the first thing you should download. Featuring the same killer electronica soundtrack and 3D vector graphics as the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Mac versions, Activision’s intense overhead shooter looks awesome on the new Apple TV. Better yet, the game works on both tvOS and iOS devices, so one purchase lets you cross-play, even carrying your saved games over through the cloud. Download it here.

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2. Hulu. Although Netflix has the better overall content library right now, Hulu has a better day one Apple TV app, thanks to an interface that actually lets you dig down into its library in a familiar way. Hulu features numerous seasons worth of TV shows from major U.S. television networks, alongside a smaller collection of movies. If you’re looking to start enjoying all-you-can-watch streaming video, this is one of the two best places to start, though individual channel-specific apps (such as NBC, CBS, and FOX) are beginning to pop up with some overlapping content. A free trial is available to see if the service fits your needs. Download the app here.

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3. Lumino City. If you prefer your games to be relaxing rather than intense, you’ll be blown away by the presentation of Lumino City by State of Play Games. Dreamy music and a highly original visual style turn a point-and-click adventure into a seemingly living diorama — the developer calls it a “handmade world,” noting that it was made with paper, cards, lights, and motors. Cartoony characters move through photorealistic and semi-realistic backdrops, as you use a circular cursor to guide Lumi through a city to find her kidnapped grandfather. Download it here.

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4. Funny Or Die. Conspicuously absent from prior generations of the Apple TV, the Will Ferrell- and Adam McKay-developed collection of comedy videos is sometimes NSFW, but packed with funny content. Consider Zach Galifianakis’s entire Between Two Ferns series for a (brief) binge watch after grabbing this free app. Download it here.

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5. Shoot The Zombirds. Perfectly timed for a Halloween debut on the Apple TV, this inexpensive, classic iOS shooter looks surprisingly beautiful on a large screen — and works across iOS and tvOS. You’re a pumpkin-headed archer trying to keep spooky birds from stealing baby pumpkins from a moonlit pumpkin patch, using the touch surface to fire arrows from the bow into as many birds at once as possible. It’s a fun, cheap game; download it here.

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6. Netflix. Probably the single-best video content app on the Apple TV, Netflix is worth grabbing because of the sheer quantity of high-quality content amassed (and developed) by the service over the past few years. While the app is a bit underdeveloped on day one, lacking for some of the category search features it really needs, you can make your way through the library using text searches (and, if you’re lucky, Siri searches). Download it here.

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7. Rayman Adventures. Staggering production values and all-age-appropriate content make this action-platforming game a must-see for gamers. Controlled simply — Rayman runs automatically, letting you control jumps, punches, and interactions with one button and directional swipes — this adaptation of the classic side-scroller looks and sounds just like a console game. It’ll do until deeper platformers are developed for tvOS; for now, it appears to be an Apple TV exclusive (with other versions apparently coming soon). Download it here.

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8. Jetpack Joyride. Halfbrick’s classic one-button fly-and-dodge game has seen excellent updates and support since its release on iOS, and the Apple TV version is even better. Featuring the Back to the Future theme previously added to the iOS game, it starts with a familiar, rousing score that really makes great use of your TV’s speakers, and lets you live out your flying Delorean fantasties. Jetpack Joyride is an ideal introduction to casual gaming for the unfamiliar, and offers tons of fun (including costume and power-up customization) for free. Download it here.

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9. YouTube. Visually sparing from an interface standpoint but loaded with free video content, YouTube has come a long way since Steve Jobs introduced it as an early third-party channel for the first-generation Apple TV. Untold quantities of professionally produced video now dominate the site, allowing you to watch everything from SNL skits to in-game videos to press conferences — at this point, accompanied by relatively painless advertising. Download it here.

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10. Beat Sports. Debuted alongside the Apple TV, this Harmonix-developed combination of music rhythm gaming and sports is appropriate for all ages, and appears to have been built specifically for tvOS. Featuring music by Masaya Matsuura, one of the geniuses behind Sony’s breakthrough PlayStation rhythm game PaRappa the Rapper, it ably uses the Siri Remote’s motion and touch capabilities, and has the overall look and feel of a full-fledged console game. It’s notably not iOS-compatible, and can currently only be downloaded through the Apple TV, but a free companion app to use your iPhone or iPod touch for multi-player gameplay can be downloaded here.

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Honorable Mention: Nanosaur 2: Hatchling. While this aged Mac game isn’t worthy of top 10 status, this 3D flying/shooting title merits a mention because Pangea Software added 3DTV support, spotlighting a little-known capability of the new Apple TV hardware. Nanosaur 2 runs fine on regular HDTVs as well, but supports 3D glasses if your TV does, via a settings screen. An epic soundtrack and smooth graphics help to make up for the regrettable lack of explanation as to how the game controls with the Siri Remote; be prepared for some early frustration trying to figure out how to fly. If you prefer walk-and-jump action, or overhead shooting, look at Pangea’s other titles (Bugdom 2, Otto Matic and Nucleus) instead. You can download Nanosaur 2 here.

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Honorable Mention: Asphalt 8: Airborne. Gameloft’s iOS-dominating 3-D driving game may be years old at this point, but it continues to add content and features at an impressive clip. The Apple TV version (thankfully) features Bluetooth controller support (which you may find necessary after trying the Siri Remote), tons of unlockable content, impressive music, and super-fluid 3D graphics. Just be prepared for interminable loading times to grab tracks and new challenges, thanks to Apple’s 200MB initial app download limit. Download it here.

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Honorable Mention: Words Galore! People love to find words hidden in a sea of letters. Digitalglen’s Words Galore! provides multiple skill levels ranging from beginner (for kids) to expert, with several different variations including timed and timer-less games. Easier levels stick with themes kids will like (animals), and you can choose between a bright UI or a dark mode that won’t light up your room. Use of the Siri Remote to select hidden words, particularly on diagonals, is a bit of a challenge.

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Honorable Mention: 7 Minute TV Workout. Roman Shevtsov’s 7 Minute TV Workout cycles through 12 “scientifically proven exercises,” using the left side of the screen to play 30-second videos of a woman doing jumping jacks, plunges, squats, and other quick workouts, each ending with a brief “rest” before moving on to the next activity. The app includes a Progress Calendar and explanations of each of the exercises, referencing a New York Times article to suggest that the brief workout has positive health benefits, and can be repeated multiple times for a longer exercise cycle. While it’s a very early offering, it shows how the Apple TV with a large HDTV can evolve into a more compelling fitness tool than an iPhone or iPad.

More From This Author

Check out more of my editorials, How-To guides, and reviews for 9to5Mac here! I’ve covered a lot of different topics of interest to Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, and Apple Watch users. I’ve recently discussed how to safely prepare and wipe your iPhone for resale or trade-in, and how to get the best iPhone trade-in price to help buy an iPhone 6s, amongst many other topics.

Filed under: Apple TV, General, iOS Tagged: Apple TV, Apple TV apps, tvOS

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