This week’s best app updates

Missed all the new app updates this week? Here's a roundup of the week's best additions that are the clear must-haves on your smartphone.

Man, there were a lot of apps that got some update love this week. Did you manage to download them all? If not, have a look through our roundup and see for yourself whether or not these changes seem urgent to your needs. We know, data gets expensive, so feel free to spread them out as you see fit.

Tumblr

With the latest iOS update, Tumblr is now “completely native,” meaning a faster and more responsive interface for you iPhone users. The update also comes with a new notifications board that lets you see exactly who liked, reblogged, commented, or replied to your posts. One of the more interesting updates, however, is animated GIF playback. This will be great for all you LOLcat lovers now that animated GIFs will play automatically from the dashboard without needing a separate tap. Gesture shortcuts also include right swipe to return to the previous screen, and holding a tap to open up more options.

Evernote

Evernote got a nearly complete refresh with its new update, offering a new homescreen, navigation interface, and existing notes list. “Our goal with the redesign was simple: make all major functions accessible within two taps,” Evernote writes on its blog. You’ll find this with a shortcut navigation to your content, and a tap on the header to browse the section. The Notebook section is one of the most improved aspects, gathering all the notes you’ve ever created or have been shared under one hood. Additionally, you can sort your notes by tags or places – the latter of which will bring up a map of plotted notes according to their location info. There are also shortcuts (“Quick Notes”) on the top of the homescreen to help you quickly add new notes and take photos. This Evernote 5 update will be compatible with the iPad mini as well, and is free across iOS platforms.

Foursquare

You know how Facebook lets you tag friends you’re at an event with when you check into spaces? Well, now you can do the same on Foursquare, even if your friend isn’t a Foursquare user. The hot link will just sync to your friend’s Facebook account instead – where your friend can either approve or hide the Facebook notification for a wall post.

In addition to the social aspect update, users can also rate establishments on a scale of 1 to 10 to help explorers get a gauge on the venue’s rating. The number rank will appear in a color square next to the name of a location under your Explore tab. The update is available only on iOS, but Android users should be receiving the same love shortly.

Clear for Mac

Clear is a hotly popular app on the iPhone, and this week, the beautiful to-do lister app comes to the big screen: your MacBook. The Mac edition will include all the touch gestures available on your iPhone if you own a later edition of MacBooks that have gestures built into the touchpad. This means you can still perform all the left and right swipes to “clear” a task and drag items around to reorder them. After you finish setting up your lists on the Mac, the app also syncs with your iPhone so you can access lists on the go. To make accomplishing tasks even more fun, you can fudge with the preferences to set sounds and theme colors to make you want to use the app more.

Pinterest

Starting your holiday shopping early but don’t want anyone to find out you’re using Pinterest to save your to-buy lists? The new Pinterest updates for iOS and Android will now include Secret Boards so you can create up to three privatized boards made for your eyes only. You can also share them with a few santa helpers to get the holiday season rolling, or turn the secret boards public after you’re finished putting the last pieces on the board. The option can be found right when you create a new board, or at the bottom of your app homepage.

Pulse News

Pulse 3.0 is here for both Android and iOS, complete with a sleeker mobile interface and a new search feature to help you browse more efficiently. With the search side bar, you can sort news by sources (Reddit, Tumblr, Google, Flickr, Facebook, etc.) and there’s an infinite scroll so you can keep dragging down for more stories. Seriously — as many as you can stomach in one sitting.

Editing pages is also simpler thanks to the side bar, which allows you to add, edit, and reorder to your customizable needs. Basically, the mobile version gets the same personalization options the Web service Pulse.me already has, so if you’ve an avid fan of the Web edition, now you’ll have the same features on the go.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/app-update-roundup/

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Sony's Xperia T and Xperia TX reap software update

Updates worthy of a double-O agent

Wednesday, Sony announced a new set of firmware updates which would add a host of new features to its Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Xperia T and Xperia TX smartphones.

Set to start rolling out globally this week, as the updates become live across certain regions, the Xperias will notify users when they can be updated.

There are four major features getting solid improvements with this update, each of which should make the Xperia experience much more satisfying for its users.

Mirror, mirror

Coming only to the Xperia T is what Sony calls "the most significant voice quality upgrade in mobile history."

The Xperia T's HD Voice feature provides a clearer, crisper conversation even when the user is in a noisy or crowded locale.

Sony's upgrades to the Xperia T's HD Voice further filters out background noise and is able to capture and transmit a "broader spectrum of the human voice."

While the Xperia TX is sadly absent HD Voice, it will enjoy other features the Xperia T gains such as Screen mirroring.

Utilizing a compatible WiFi enabled TV, users will be able to stream photos, games, movies, music and more from the smartphone to their screen effortlessly.

Additionally, both Xperia devices will be gaining an extended stand-by mode, which disables features like WiFi and data traffic once the phone is in sleep mode for a few minutes.

Several of the media applications on the Xperia T and Xperia TX will also see some improvements, including a better interface for the Walkman app, and dashboard controls for the movie app.

It's not quite a complete OS update, but these additions should help the Xperia T and TX continue to stand their ground against the Nexus 4 and HTC One X+.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/sonys-xperia-t-and-xperia-tx-reap-software-update-1110890

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Windows Phone 8 to feature live wallpaper updates on lock screen?

Live updates without unlocking your screen coming to WP8?

Microsoft could incorporate a new kind of live wallpaper when it reveals the Windows Phone 8 operating system in full next week.

The as-yet-unannounced Live Wallpapers feature would, according to a leaked snap, bring updates from the likes of ESPN and USA today to the handset's lock screen.

The Nokia Innovation site has posted an image (see above) with WP8 handsets showcasing updates from an NFL game and another showing thumbnail images from news stories.

A third handset within the image seemingly promises live updates from Bing.

Live Tile extension

The functionality would be a handy extension of the Live Tiles feature Microsoft pioneered with Windows Phone.

These tiles offer access to sports scores, breaking news and social networking notifications autonomously, without having to enter the app. Live Wallpapers could make that even easier.

Nokia Innovation is reporting that Live Wallpapers will be one of three new features explained by Microsoft on Monday when it reveals Windows Phone 8 in full.

Among the handsets flying the flag for the new-and-improved mobile OS are the Nokia Lumia 920 and the HTC 8X, both of which will go on sale in the second week of November

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/windows-phone-8-to-feature-live-wallpaper-updates-on-lock-screen-1107937

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Nokia officially pulls the plug on Symbian, puts it in 'maintenance mode'

No more updates for the troubled OS

Once upon a time, Symbian was everywhere. It was the de facto operating system for mobile phones for years, before the iPhone was a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye.

And now it's gone, with Nokia officially putting the humble operating system into maintenance mode.

The decision to kill off Symbian has been in the works for a while, although nobody quite expected for Nokia to pull the plug with such a whimper.

Following its last update, FP2, a user of Nokia's Drive app for the Nokia E7 lodged a bug report, only to get a response that Symbian is now in maintenance mode, and no new features will be added to the OS from here on out.

"Thank you for your improvement ideas, thus (sic) Symbian is in maintenance mode and no new features will be implement[ed] without extremely good reason (business case). We have written down your ideas for future development if there is a chance that new features will be released," read the response.

A long time coming

In many regards, Nokia's commitment to Symbian has been its achilles heel in the smartphone race. While the FInns pioneered early smartphones with the N95 and N96, it was totally unprepared for Apple, then Google's entry into the smartphone market.

Eventually, rapidly declining Symbian sales saw the phone manufacturer take the step of partnering with Microsoft to exclusively release Windows Phone devices. It also decided to rename the operating system as "Nokia Belle".

The name change did little to salvage market share, leading to the decision to put the operating system into maintenance mode.

With no updates to the operating system other than bug fixes, this is undoubtedly the end of the line for the mobile operating system that drove mobile phones into the mainstream.

Vale, Symbian. Rest in peace.

Via: Phone Arena

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/nokia-officially-pulls-the-plug-on-symbian-puts-it-in-maintenance-mode-1105245

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LG announces Jelly Bean update schedule for Korea

LG is not exactly known for releasing timely Android updates for its smartphones, but as it seems, its Korea-only phones will get Jelly Bean treatment on time.

The first handset go get Android 4.1 is the Optimus LTE II in November. Next is Optimus G in December, followed by Optimus Vu and Vu II in the first quarter of 2013.

The updates will bring the new LG UI we saw for the first time in the ICS-running Optimus G to all of the mentioned phones along with some LG exclusive apps.

There is no word on the fate of the non-Korean devices though. And just don't get us started with the yet-to-come-or-not-to-come long overdue Ice Cream Sandwich updates.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_announces_jelly_bean_update_schedule_for_korea-news-4945.php

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Instagram updates mobile website: Are full profiles next?

Instagram has rolled out a new design to its mobile website to more closely match its full site's design, adding hope to the rumor that profile updates are next in line.

With the Instagram and Facebook deal finally approved by the Federal Trade Commission, Instagram has unveiled its latest update to its platform. Instagram’s mobile website will now sport a new look and feel that closely reflects what you’d find when viewing photos on Instagram from your desktop browser.

Before this update, users have not been able to interact with the mobile pages on Instagram. But this update changes all that. The “Like” and comment buttons are now larger, making them easier to use. And at the top right hand corner of Instagram’s mobile pages, you’ll find an “Open in App” button which will open the same Instagram page that you’re currently browsing within the native app on your smartphone.

More importantly, it also provides more evidence to the rumor that Instagram has its sights set on porting the functionalities you’d find on its mobile app to the Web.

In June, Instagram silently rolled out a new update to user Web profiles incorporated interactive buttons for liking and commenting on photos. To its user’s disappointment, that update had not yet addressed the demand for a profile page and discovery features, despite the existence of such features on the mobile app.

But that could all change in the near future as the company is now officially a part of Facebook.

In July, web designer, Cole Reinke, noticed a curious feature when logged into his account on Instagram.com. Typically users signed into Instagram’s browser app can only edit their profile information, but Reinke’s account had a non-functional “View Profile” button that disappeared as quickly as it surfaced.

If it’s true that that Instagram was testing out a profile page for the Web, we’re hoping that the complete transition of converting Instagram’s native app to the Web will come in the next update, now that its mobile and desktop pages are now cohesive. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/instagram-mobile-website-update/

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iPhone 5 launch: live report

All the latest, as it happens

TechRadar is reporting live from the Apple iPhone 5 press conference, bringing you all the latest information from the event.

Latest updates will appear at the top of this page. You can also follow the discussion on our social networks:

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16:52 – So what can we expect from this press conference? Well let us entertain you with a few options… The iPhone 5 is going to be the headline product, and we're now 99.9% sure that's the name, after a little Apple error earlier today.

But that's not all, we could also see a new iPod touch, new iPod nano and a new version of the famous iTunes software make an appearance on stage.

16:45 – Our man on the ground at the Apple event is Patrick Goss, who'll be looking forward to getting hands on with all the latest hardware (ahem, iPhone 5), as well as beaming back nuggets of golden information direct to this very page.

16:40 - Howdy folks! TechRadar will be reporting live from the special Apple event (kicking off at 10am PST / 6pm GMT) in San Francisco today, bringing you all the latest news as it breaks.

We'll be regularly updating this article with all the major announcements, so make sure you keep hitting refresh (that's F5 on your keyboard!).

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iphone-5-launch-live-report-1096599

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