Not so long ago, it was deemed cool to slate the Facebook for iOS app. Zuck's team had mastered the art of ramping up its user base, but despite boasting the largest social network on the planet, could not master the comparatively simple task of delivering a functional app. However, when version 5.0 came along, things changed dramatically for the better thanks to a complete re-write using native code, and ever since, the hundreds of millions using Facebook on Apple's iDevice range have been able to enjoy the service with relatively few seams. Today, version 5.3 has been released, and as well as improved News Feed and image uploading, iPhone users will also notice that the Timeline has been worked on.
2012 is drawing to a close, and among the bunch of round-up posts we're going to be seeing throughout the blogosphere, Apple has piped up prematurely with its annual Best Of list. Every year, the Cupertino company hand-picks its favorite apps of the year alongside the bestsellers, and with hundreds of thousands of new entries every year, it can be easy to miss some of the very best. Here, we run through each and every one.
If ever there was an iPad app that would uncover the hidden, creative childlike features in all of us then the recently released Foldify app has to be it. We've been hearing the positive praises of this new app by Pixle for quite some time now, and it is eventually publicly available for users to download to their iPads directly from the App Store for $1.99. The core concept of the app may be to allow users to draw, create, print and fold unique little 3D figures, but the fun which Foldify provides goes way beyond digital origami, and is one of those apps that make us fall in love with the iPad all over again.
Jaws definitely dropped when Apple launched the first iOS 6 beta with no Google Maps support, but we have moved on since then through the Mapgate scandal and now we have the official launch of Google Maps for iOS through the App Store, that comes with a reported admission from within Google that this latest launch for Apple devices provides a better experience than its Android based counterpart.
It wasn't that long ago when iOS users only really needed to worry about backing up their device contacts if their device of choice was an iPhone, but with the introduction of iMessage and the subsequent ability to send messages across iPhones, iPads and iPod touches, it is now more important than ever to ensure that all contact information is backed up securely. Having the information backed up ensures that changing devices will never cause a contact information based issue, with all of that data being immediately available at your finger tips regardless of the type of iOS device you own.
If you're a regular follower of our coverage here at Redmond Pie, there's a pretty good chance you're into your jailbreaks. As most of you will probably be aware, progress on an iOS 6 untethered jailbreak has been steady, but trying at times, and although the usual dev suspects have been plugging away, Apple's robust security enhancements have made things just that little bit trickier than ever before. So you can imagine our amazement when a group by the name of "Dream JB" took the scene by storm by not only claiming to have found an iOS 6 untether, but set a date for its release. Unfortunately, like most things that seem too good to be true, it would appear this is nothing more than the elaborate ploy of a hoaxer, with various established and credible modders and developers having already stepped out to refute the very notion of "Dream JB."
Prior to iOS 5, it's fair to say that the system of notifications within Apple's mobile and desktop software left quite some to be a desired. Users of the Cupertino's mobile operating system had perhaps suffered slightly worse, but the infrastructure in which users were notified of new e-mails, messages, and other such tidbits, has been crying out for some sort of discipline and stability. The Notification Center, which has since trickled out to Mac thanks to the divisive - but ongoing - iOS-ification of OS X, has certainly done that, but to many, it's still a long way from the level it should be at.
The notion of Microsoft bringing its Office productivity suite to iOS has been long-standing, and while the Redmond-based company has, typically, revealed little with regards to its plans (if any), the release of OneNote for iPad earlier this year certainly seemed indicative of things to come. The Verge then waded into the argument in November by showing off some leaked images indicated Office could release for iOS early next year under a freemium model. Today, references to a slew of potential Office for iOS apps have surfaced on the software maker's support site, and although the product tags depicted look to have been applied somewhat hurriedly, the spot is as strong an indicator as we've seen that Microsoft is plotting to release Office for iOS.
Our lives have become so constantly connected that any given time, we could be using one of multiple devices or computers, all of which are capable of allowing us to complete different tasks. Our smartphones and tablets are probably the most likely candidates for being the hardware that we carry around with us on a day-to-day basis, and although they are extremely powerful pieces of kit, using an iPhone or iPad does come with its limitations. For those that have ever found themselves browsing passionately through the web on their iPhones and coming across a great URL that links to a must-have download, then you will know the pain of not being able to get it right at that point in time. Thankfully, there is a solution in the form of Transloader for iOS and OS X.
The luxury house of the X Factor's Savan Kotecha illustrated just how much of the world we now have at our fingertips. A music producer for the hit TV talent show, he's really kitted his pad out, and a large portion of his gadgets - including electric blinds, cameras and door locks - are all controlled from the comfort of his iPad. Although he spent a fair wad, these kinds of technologies are becoming more and more available to the average consumer, and as Samsung is now demonstrating with its Smart Air Conditioning systems, if it's electronic, it can be controlled by a mobile device.
