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Posts in news

Osmo - A Gaming Experience for iPad That Merges the Real and Virtual World

iPad gaming is big business and sometimes it’s difficult to find your niche if you’re a developer because the app community is gigantic. In my opinion, there aren’t enough interactive and educational learning games for kids; I get tired of seeing my kids play Plants vs. Zombies and Jetpack Joyride all the time.

The Osmo is blending the virtual world of the iPad with the real world to defy the boundaries of play. The Osmo is a device that snaps over your iPad’s front-facing camera and, using its reflective AI and built-in mirror, recognizes and responds to real-world activity. It also includes a dock to hold your iPad upright and off the playing surface. It’s kid-tough and doesn’t require batteries, electronics, or an Internet connection to play.

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Pixelmator 3.2 Sandstone Update Brings New Repair Tool, 16-Bits per Channel Support, and More

The Apple Design Award winning image editor Pixelmator today received a notable update with a new repair tool, 16-bits per channel support, and a lock layers feature amongst other more minor tweaks and bug fixes. The update, dubbed Pixelmator 3.2 Sandstone, is now available for download on the Mac App Store, where it is a free update for existing customers and US$29.99 for new customers.

“Packed with incredible features, Pixelmator 3.2 Sandstone delivers the most empowering image editing experience Pixelmator fans have ever had,” said Saulius Dailide of the Pixelmator Team. “Redeveloped from the ground up Repair Tool, 16-bits per channel support and Lock Layers feature make Pixelmator an excellent image editor that is just as fun and easy-to-use as it is powerful.”

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Netflix Expanding to Six European Countries Later This Year

Reuters is reporting today, with confirmation from the Netflix Twitter account, that Netflix will expand its international availability to six European countries later this year. Whilst Netflix is already available in a number of European countries including the United Kingdom, Norway and Finland, this latest international push is significant as it includes the major markets of France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Netflix previously said it planned a substantial expansion in Europe this year but had not said specifically where. The costs of launching in the new markets will keep the company’s international unit at a loss, Netflix said in an April 21 letter to shareholders.

The pricing and programming that will be offered in these new regions will be announced by Netflix at a later date. But it is reasonable to expect that the new regions will launch with all of Netflix’s original content such as ‘House of Cards’ and ‘Orange is the New Black’ as well as a limited mix of licensed movies and television shows, including those from the respective local markets.

In our recent feature on Mapping The International Availability of Entertainment Services we compared the availability of Netflix to other digital movie and TV stores and streaming services such as iTunes, Hulu and Xbox Video. Included below is an updated version of our map and graph which demonstrates how this expansion will impact on Netflix’s global availability. (Please note these interactive elements are only viewable in a browser and will not render in RSS or read it later services).
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Apple Releases WWDC 2014 App

As with previous years, Apple today updated its official WWDC app for the upcoming developer conference, which will kick off in San Francisco on June 2.

The WWDC 2014 app is available for free on the App Store, and it can be used by attendees to browse times, locations, and descriptions for sessions, labs, and special events, but, for developers who weren’t selected for a ticket by Apple’s lottery system, the app will also provide a handy way to view session videos (which will be uploaded throughout the week) and sync video playback across devices using iCloud. The app, redesigned since last year’s version, will include Passbook support to speed up on-site registration for attendees, combining inline maps with favorites to find a specific location inside Moscone West and mark a session or lab as important so it won’t be missed.

You can download Apple’s WWDC 2014 app here. WWDC 2014 kicks off on Monday, June 2.

Podcasts for iOS Updated with Siri Integration, Improved Show Notes Support, and More

Following changes to podcast listening in iTunes 11.2, Apple updated its dedicated app for iOS devices, Podcasts, to version 2.1, available now on the App Store.

Podcasts 2.1 comes with the same browsing improvements seen in the latest iTunes – you can browse by All Unplayed episodes, scroll a podcast’s feed, and manage settings for automatic download of episodes and deletion after playback. Settings and Share menus are available in a podcast’s individual screen, where tabs for Unplayed and Feed allow you to browse episodes you haven’t listened to as well as all episodes from a show’s archive. Read more

Apple Releases OS X 10.9.3

Apple updated OS X Mavericks to version 10.9.3 today, adding better support for 4K displays, sync improvements, and bundling Safari 7.0.3 (previously a standalone update) into the OS.

Improved 4K display support is available for the Late 2013 Mac Pro and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, and it allows OS X to drive a connected 4K display with pixels in “2x” (Retina) mode for high-resolution graphics. As for sync improvements, OS X now allows contacts and calendars to be synced between a Mac and iOS using a USB connection.

Other improvements in OS X 10.9.3 are listed on Apple’s official release note page. OS X 10.9.3 is available through Software Update on the Mac App Store or via direct download using the links below.