Category Archives: iOS

Emojipedia Announced New Emojis in iOS 14.5

February 17, 2021iOSEmojiJenThorpe

Emojipedia reported that 217 new emojis are coming on iOS. They include a heart on fire, an exhaling face, and gender options for people with beards. The new emojis in this release include couples with a mix of skin tones. A total of 200 of the 217 new emojis are there to permit this more inclusive set of couples to be chosen from the emoji keyboard.

Three new smileys are included in the release: Exhaling face, Face with Spiral Eyes, and Face in Clouds. Two heart emojis have been added. Heart on Fire is a red heart with flames. Mending Heart is a red heart with bandages on it.

The most interesting addition to the new emojis is a set that includes people with beards. Emojipedia points out that most emojis provide an option for a gender inclusive default, or a specific gender can be chosen to show an emoji as a woman or a man.

The only one that did not have that option was the emoji for “Person: Beard”. It shows a man with a beard, and there are a variety of skin tones to choose from. The new set of emojis lets people specify that they want the “man with a beard” emoji or the “woman with a beard” emoji. Personally, I think this is fantastic because the new emoji options can be used to represent people who are nonbinary or transgender in a positive, inclusive, way.

There is a change to the syringe emoji, which previously looked like a syringe that had some blood dripping out of it. It will be replaced by a syringe that lacks the blood. The purpose is to enable people to use the new syringe emoji to describe COVID-19 vaccinations.

Emojipedia points out that the emoji designs are subject to change prior to the final release.

Tumblr has Vanished from the App Store

November 18, 2018iOSTumblrJenThorpe

Tumblr is having an issue with its iOS app. Tumblr confirmed this in a post on its Help Center in which is stated: “We’re working to resolve an issue with the iOS app and hope to be fully functional again soon. We really appreciate your patience as we figure this out, and we’ll update this article when we have news to share.”

Piunikaweb reported that some users said Tumblr search isn’t working (meaning that users were unable to turn off Safe Mode). It also reported that the Tumblr app was not available for download from the App Store, and that some users said that explicit content had been censored.

The Verge also reported that Tumblr’s iOS app is missing from Apple’s App store.

It is unclear exactly why the app is no longer on Apple’s App Store, and this is causing some to engage in speculation. Some think that the app’s removal has something to do with Tumblr’s NSFW content.

This situation is yet another example of why people shouldn’t put all of their original content into a third-party blogging and/or social media website. There is no guarantee that that Tumblr will be around forever. If it goes away, users will lose all the content they put into their Tumblr blogs. Those that put their original content on a WordPress blog, and link it to Tumblr, will still control their own content.

It appears that the desktop version of Tumblr is still there, and this could be an option for some Tumblr users who can no longer access Tumblr through the iOS app. Another potential workaround was posted on Twitter by @diegoveronicat. The tweet includes step-by-step instructions about how to get the Tumblr app back on your phone.

InvoiceNinja Launches Native iPhone App

September 18, 2016iOSInvoiceNinja, IOS, moneyShawn Thorpe

As a freelance human, I have to track my own time when working on projects for clients. This is crucial if I want to get paid for the work I’ve done (and I definitely do want to get paid). I’ve explored a number of different systems for doing this. And while I have yet to find one that I absolutely love, the one I’ve been using recently (and like for the most part) is InvoiceNinja. It’s an open source platform for freelancers to track projects and generate invoices for clients. I’ve been accessing InvoiceNinja using a web browser on my Mac, as that’s really the only InvoiceNinja interface that’s been available. But that changed recently when InvoiceNinja announced the release of a native iPhone app.

InvoiceNinja’s iPhone app gives users access to all of the platform’s features, including time tracking, invoicing, and more. Having the ability to use the app on the go should make it easier for freelancers who often work at remote locations where they may not have access to a computer. The InvoiceNinja service itself works on a freemium model, with a basic free tier along with paid options for premium features. The new iPhone app is a free download from the App Store. InvoiceNinja has stated that the company is working on developing a native Android app. No ETA yet as to when the Android version will be released.

Super Mario Run is Coming to iOS Devices

September 8, 2016Gaming, iOSNintendo, Super Mario RunJenThorpe

Nintendo has announced that Super Mario Run is coming to iPhone and iPad. It is the first Mario game to be released on iOS. The game will be free to download, and is scheduled for release in December of 2016.

Super Mario Run is being described as “a new kind of Mario game that you can play with one hand.” Hold your iPhone or iPad in one hand, and tap the screen with your other hand. In short, they are making it clear that you won’t need a controller to play this Mario game.

In this game, Mario constantly moves forward through the courses while you use a variety of jumps to navigate. Mario will behave differently depending on the timing of your taps, so it’s up to you to show off particularly smooth moves, gather coins, and reach the goal.

Nintendo says the game has three different modes. The first mode is a challenge course for players to complete while gathering coins. The second mode lets players challenge the play data of other players to show who “can beat a course with the most style to impress Toads into joining you.” The third mode lets players create their own Mushroom Kingdom, using the coins and Toads collected in the first to game modes.

The is no information about when, or if, Super Mario Run will be released for Android. Based on the comments I’ve seen on Twitter, there are some people who are really upset about that.

Super Mario Run is free to download, and some content will be available for free. Additional content will be available for purchase.

Mario is leaping onto iPhone and iPad! #SuperMarioRun will be available December 2016. pic.twitter.com/ZPue2xFzNq
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 7, 2016

Latitude Tour App at CES

February 20, 2016Android, ces, Interview, iOSAndroid, app, audio, ces, Interview, IOS, Latitude, london, new york, Paris, tourtomwiles

Scott Ertz interviews Brody Horton of Latitude Tours. Latitude Tours is an app available for both Android and iOS that currently offers audio tours for New York, London and Paris.

The example given is that you arrive as a tourist in Paris. Once you are ready to take audio tours in Paris, you pay $15 dollars which gives you 24 hours’ worth of access to all of the Paris audio tour content.

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Motus Baseball Performance Tracker at CES

February 11, 2016ces, Interview, iOS, Special Media, sport, videobaseball, ces, CES2016, Interview, sport, videoAndrew

The availability of detailed performance information for sportsmen and women is one of the big changes in recent years. From tennis to basketball, there’s almost certainly a smart device for the sport. Motus specialise in tracking baseball players, both pitchers and batters, with a new smart sensor. Todd and Marlo find out what it takes to knock one out of the park from Jason Lamendola of Motus.

For Motus, the new sensor that comes as part of MotusBASEBALL is a great improvement over the previous generation as it’s not only smaller with a longer battery life, but it now provides data whether the player is at the mound or the plate. The only difference is that pitchers wear a compression sleeve on their arm with the sensor fitting in a small pocket, whereas the sensor fits on the back of a batting glove.

With regards to reviewing the performance stats, there’s an app for that. In fact there’s two, one for batting (Motus Batting) and one for pitching (Motus Throw), though it seems the apps are only available for iOS. The apps provide a wealth of stats in real-time, allowing coaches to identify problems and avoid injury as it happens.

MotusBASEBALL with the new sensor is expected soon and the Motus site says “early February”. Once on sale, it will be priced at US$149 which is very affordable for coaches and keen players.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com and Marlo Anderson rounds up the latest technology news at The Tech Ranch.

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Bevel 3D Smartphone Camera Attachment at CES 2016

January 2, 20163D, Accessory, Android, camera, ces, iOS, PhotographyBevel, CES 2016, Matter and FormStacey Hall

c2c19d4a2dcda42f24831c2918091871_original Matter and Form is bringing their newest smartphone photography accessory– the Bevel 3D camera attachment– to CES 2016.

While most other 3D attachments merely create a 3-dimensional illusion by enhancing the depth of a photograph without actually creating a usable file, Bevel allows you to capture real 3D photographs using any smartphone or tablet.

Bevel works by plugging in to your phone or tablet and capturing a panoramic view of the person, place, or object you want to photograph. Bevel’s eye-safe laser light and your device’s camera work in tandem to scan the object and create a stunning 3D image that you can use in countless ways. You can even use Bevel for 3D printing!

Bevel comes in multiple color options (white, orange, green, blue, and black) and is compatible with both IOS and Android smartphones and tablets. It’s currently available for pre-order for $79 here, and is scheduled to begin shipping in early 2016.

Bevel will be at CES 2016 at LVCC, South Hall 2- 26530 in the Augmented Reality Marketplace.