Posts in Linked

Apple Announces iOS 7 Tech Talks→

Following the release of iOS 7, Apple has announced new iOS Tech Talks. Taking place in 6 cities around the world, third-party developers will be able to get guidance from Apple engineers about creating software for iOS 7 in what are, essentially, “mini WWDCs” that last one day.

Get in-depth guidance about developing for iOS 7, learn practical coding tips and tricks, and obtain valuable one-on-one programming and design assistance in our lab. Choose which day is best for you — app developer day or game developer day. Apply now.

When WWDC 2013 sold out earlier this year in less than two minutes, Apple said that Tech Talks would be coming back. Notably, this year Apple is holding separate events for app and game developers (which is nicely in line with the company’s recent increased separation of apps and games on the App Store):

There will be two events per city, one devoted to app developers and the other focusing on game developers. You’ll choose to attend either the app developer day or the game developer day. You may only apply for one day at the iOS 7 Tech Talks.

The last time Apple “hit the road” was in late 2011 with the Tech Talk World Tour after the release of iOS 5. This time, Apple will hold Tech Talks in 6 cities instead of 9, and details are available here.

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Instagram For iOS 7→

Instagram’s first major update after iOS 7 doesn’t reimagine the app but brings edge-to-edge photos:

In this update you will find that we’ve increased the size of photos and videos in your feed so that they expand to the edges of your screen. We’re also happy to say that increased size means increased resolution, so photos and videos will be clearer and more vibrant than ever.

Not surprising considering what Facebook did, and what other big players opted for. I would love to know if Instagram saw usage of filters in the app decrease after the release of iOS 7 because of Apple’s new Camera app.

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TED for iOS 7→

I enjoy watching videos via the official TED app every once in a while. I’m especially a fan of the “Inspire Me” section, which lets you pick videos from categories such as “Persuasive” and “Informative”, further specifying how much time you can dedicate to a video.

For iOS 7, the TED app has been redesigned to have a cleaner look that focuses more on video thumbnails and descriptions. It’s not revolutionary in terms of design, but it’s still TED, and free on the App Store.

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iPhone 5s Camera For Photographers→

I often get phone calls asking me what camera I use, and I first have to clarify “Do you mean for work or pleasure?”. The answers are very different. My workhorse cameras are no-compromise performance tools, with no concessions at all to being easy to carry or enjoyable to use. They are all business, and they’re the last thing that I would want to take with me on holiday. I see the iPhone 5S as an attempt to make the opposite, a no-compromise fun phone-camera that adds to life. Each does its job better for not trying to do what the other does so well.

An in-depth and enjoyable review by Dean Holland. Make sure to check out the 5/5s comparison shots and examples.

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Apple Updates iMac→

This morning, Apple refreshed its iMac line with new CPUs, GPUs, faster WiFi, and faster PCIe flash storage options. From Apple’s press release:

Apple today updated iMac with fourth generation Intel quad-core processors, new graphics, next generation Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage options. The updated iMac brings the latest technology to the stunningly thin design and gorgeous display of the world’s leading all-in-one desktop.

“iMac continues to be the example that proves how beautiful, fast and fun a desktop computer can be,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Inside its ultra-thin aluminum enclosure, the new iMac has the latest Intel processors, faster graphics, next generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage.

Aside from Intel’s new processor and graphics, the new iMacs come with 802.11ac support, which was also added to the company’s AirPort Extreme station earlier this year. According to Apple, this will deliver up to three times faster performance than the previous generation.

The new iMacs are available today from the Apple online store.

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GIF Finder for iOS 7→

GIF Finder already was one of the most powerful tools in my arsenal of GIF discovery tools:

The app is free and it can search for GIFs on Tumblr; you can search for GIFs matching queries like “excited” or “sports fail” and tap on a thumbnail to view a GIF in full-screen. Tap the share button, and the app brings up a menu with options to Copy URL (which doesn’t work for me), share on iMessage and Twitter, but also open in Google Chrome and Tweetbot. The app is universal for iPhone and iPad.

With iOS 7, the app has been relaunched to have a tweaked UI, a new icon, and the same price tag of Free. You can still search for GIFs matching a specific keyword, but the great addition of this version is that imgur’s reactiongifsarchive is now supported within the app, allowing you to browse GIFs by standalone categories. So if you’ve been looking for a way to quickly find Not Bad or Didn’t read lol GIFs, you can now do that with the Categories tab in GIF Finder.

I like the app’s new interface and possibility to save favorite GIFs in a dedicated area, but I’d like to see improved performance, especially on the iPad mini. The app always takes several seconds to load GIF screens, and it’s been crashing frequently on my iPad. That’s a nope.

I’m looking forward to future updates, but, overall, GIF Finder gets my thumbs up as a great free tool for finding GIFs. I approve.

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