iOS software

The Apple Maps team can't seem to catch a break. The glitches with the new Maps app that Cupertino home-brewed for iOS 6 have been serious enough that even Mad Magazine is having a laugh about the fiasco.

More serious is the grumpy face Taiwan's Defense Ministry made when it saw a satellite image of one of its top-secret long-range radar bases that had been accessed with an iPhone 5.… Read more

Earlier this year I wrote a blog post comparing older running games to new ones, to see how the genre that works so well on the touch screen was evolving. But even since then running games have gotten much deeper, with more 3D entries than just the popular classic Temple Run (iOS|Android).

I'm a big fan of these types of games because they're so easy to pick up and play for a short time and I'm never too worried about turning them off when it's my turn at the DMV or my bus has reached my stop -- there's always another run.… Read more

Still printing photos at home? That's a pricey blend of printer ink, photo paper, and iffy output quality.

Of course, you can use any number of apps to upload photos to your nearest Walgreens, Costco, or the like, but then you're looking a car ride -- and have you seen gas prices lately?

For a cheaper, more convenient way to turn iPhone or iPad snapshots into actual prints, check out FreePrints for iOS from photo lab PhotoAffections.com. True to its name, the app delivers free 4x6 glossies to your door, up to 85 of them per month. … Read more

Sad about your beloved iOS 5 Maps app getting nuked in favor of Apple's new Maps app? Do you miss Street View? Well, Google's come to the rescue to some extent, via its maps.google.com Web app, which launched Street View functionality today.

For iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad owners, using the Web-based version of Google Maps is as easy as visiting maps.google.com and then choosing to add an icon-shaped hot link directly to their home screen. So, what does it do? Well, besides having transit directions (already available on maps.google.com), the newly … Read more

Apple's Passbook isn't the most supported application out there, but it's starting to get some love.

McDonald's is among a few companies now offering support for Apple's new Passbook application. Dubbed McDo France, the application allows people to place an order and pay for it from their iPhone. From there, users receive a QR code that can be scanned at 45 McDonald's restaurants in France.

In addition, both Eventbrite and Airbnb recently updated their apps with Passbook functionality. Now, Eventbrite users who purchased tickets to local events will be able to add them to … Read more

When the "Father of the iPod" Tony Fadell unveiled Nest, the "learning thermostat" last fall, it was likely the first time anyone had ever thought of a thermostat as sexy.

Now, less than a year after the first version of the product arrived, bringing Apple style design and user interfaces to what had traditionally been one of the most staid home appliances, Fadell's Palo Alto, Calif.-based company today announced Nest 2.0, a slimmer version of the thermostat that was built to work in more homes and brings new flexibility and features to the … Read more

By now most everyone knows about Apple's deficient Maps app in iOS 6 -- particularly those who counted on the former Google-powered app for public transit directions. Apple CEO Tim Cook publically apologized for the Maps app and said the company is working to make the app better. But in the meantime, if you need public transit directions, you're going to have to rely on third-party apps from the App Store.

Before you start sifting through hundreds of transit apps, I put together this collection so you can get the help you need right away. It's important … Read more

Now that you have your iPhone 5, you've probably noticed that not all apps take advantage of the wider screen. I've been noticing that the updates have been pouring in fairly quickly, but unfortunately, I still have a lot of pillarboxed apps and games that show black spaces on each side.

For this week's collection I put together three games that look absolutely fantastic on the iPhone 5's larger display. The first is the latest in a popular arcade-style racing franchise and gives you more viewing area as you blaze around the track. The second is an action RPG that pits you against demonic beasts as you hack and slash your way to saving a kidnapped queen. The last is the newest version of a popular soccer series that might be the best sports game available on iOS.… Read more

Remember the PalmPilot? Remember how it synced all your contacts to either Palm Desktop or Outlook? That was pretty nice.

If you're a Windows user, there's no such desktop option for managing your iPhone address book. Sure, it gets backed up when you sync with iTunes, but there's no way to view or edit all those contacts. Your only real option is to switch to syncing with iCloud, which affords limited browser-based contact management.

Thankfully, there's another option: CopyTrans Contacts. This simple Windows utility lets you organize, edit, back up, and export your iPhone address book.… Read more