ios

Developers get iOS 5 beta 5 for weekend fun

Apple released a fifth beta version of iOS 5 to developers today, a change from its usual habit of delivering such betas during the work week.

According to MacRumors, the release notes include some fixes but no major additions, save for a Hearing Aid Mode designed to improve compatibility between iOS devices and hearing aids.

The MacRumors item also says that like the beta 4 release, beta 5 is available as an over-the-air download but that users must first erase all content and settings. Apple suggests, also, that before installing beta 5, users back up devices with iTunes 10.5 … Read more

Mirror iPad 2 on your TV with iOS 5, AirPlay

In our never-ending quest to prep our faithful readers for iOS 5 we cover an amazing new iPad 2-specific feature in iOS 5: mirroring. Mirroring via AirPlay and an Apple TV (which will also have to be running iOS 5) will allow you to display your iPad 2 screen on any TV with an HDMI port.

Sending your iPad 2's screen to your TV is as easy as:

Entering the fast app switcher dockSwiping left-to-rightPressing the AirPlay iconSelect AppleTV and toggle the Mirror switch

What do you think? Is this something you will use on a regular basis? Or, … Read more

Review: Mac OS X Lion

The bottom line: Mac OS X Lion is definitely a worthy upgrade for all Intel Mac users. Featuring several interface enhancements and useful new features across all the core apps, Mac OS X Lion is an excellent update for the price.

Review: When Apple showed off Mac OS X Lion at the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote speech earlier this year, it was clear the company had paid attention to its successes with the popular iOS devices, and was now beginning to include successful iOS features in its flagship OS. Also, with Apple laptops and tablets now far outpacing desktop sales, … Read more

iOS 5 How To roundup

iOS 5 is packed full of new features that iOS users are sure to love. While most consumers will have to wait to get their hands on it until it's officially released this fall, we have been able to get our hands on a developer preview. So, we're bringing you How To blog posts to give you a preview of new features, and how they work.… Read more

Control location access by system services on iOS 5

Locationgate was a good wake-up call for consumers who weren't aware that smartphones were accessing their locations for various reasons. Apple rolled out an OS update that took care of the location cache the iPhone was storing, and assured users that it was never accessing users' locations; the location was being stored only to improve the user experience.

Whether you believe that or not, Apple has stepped up its effort to help ease consumer fear concerning location information. In iOS 5, users can now decide whether or not to allow system service access to their location.

To access the … Read more

Spotify Mobile reviewed

The bottom line: A great perk for Spotify devotees with Premium accounts, Spotify Mobile allows mobile streaming and offline playback of your favorite music.

Review:

Installation Spotify's free mobile app is a cinch to set up. Provided you're signed up for a Spotify Premium account ($10 a month), all you need to do is type in your log-in and password, and your favorite music and playlists automatically populate the screen. Spotify users without Premium accounts may log in to the app and look around, but are prevented from streaming or syncing music.

Interface Spotify Mobile's user interface … Read more

Spotify Mobile reviewed

The bottom line: A great perk for Spotify devotees with Premium accounts, Spotify Mobile allows mobile streaming and offline playback of your favorite music.

Review:

Interface Spotify Mobile's user interface … Read more

Spotify Mobile reviewed

The bottom line: A great perk for Spotify devotees with Premium accounts, Spotify Mobile allows mobile streaming and offline playback of your favorite music.

Review:

Interface Spotify Mobile's user interface … Read more

Spotify reviewed

The bottom line: It's the best free music option since stealing.

Review:

Installation As a first-time user, you install the free Spotify Mac/PC application, open it up, and watch as it automatically imports your music collection and playlists from iTunes and other music software and presents you with a landing page filled with new releases, top lists, and music shared by your friends. Setup is swift.

Interface Spotify's polished, iTunes-like interface is as inviting to music fans as a well-stocked record bin. Each portion of the bento-boxlike layout can be resized, and playback, volume, and track scrubber … Read more