05/17, 6:37pm
Still unclear why app was removed
Apple has removed a well-publicized iPhone hookup app from the App Store after just one week of it going live, Valleywag notes. Bang With Friends, still accessible via Android and the web, lets people indicate if they'd like to have sex with a Facebook friend. Notifications are sent out only if the feeling is mutual. Since launching in January, the service has already accumulated about 1 million users.
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05/17, 5:51pm
New playback mode allows listening to series of old episodes
Podcast and radio streaming service Stitcher has released an important update of its iOS app, v5.3.0. The major addition is a selectable Car Mode for the iPhone, which brings up a simplified interface. The mode works in both portrait and landscape views.
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05/17, 3:44pm
Moshi now selling Lightning cables
Moshi has released its new line of Lightning cables for Apple's latest iOS devices. Encased in aluminum, the 3.2 foot cables are fully certified for use with the iPhone 5, iPod touch (5th gen), iPod nano (7th gen), iPad (4th gen) and iPad mini. Moshi's USB Cable with Lightning is sold online in two color variants, black and white, for $20.
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05/17, 2:00pm
FIPS 14-2 certification, STIG approval opening DoD doors
Apple's iPhones, iPads and other devices running iOS 6 or higher are officially cleared for use on the US government's secure networks, the Department of Defence announced on Friday. The final approval, which we first reported on in March, also grants Samsung Android devices that are running the Korean company's Knox security lockdown, as well as BlackBerry devices running BB10 the ability to be used on secure networks. The move is expected to further hurt BlackBerry, as it faces competition in the military space for the first time.
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05/17, 10:18am
Apple tablet replaces 40-pound paper-based flight bags, maps
A move by the US Air Force last year to replace maps, charts, logs and other paperwork contained in a kit with iPads is expected to save more than $50 million over next 10 years. The 18,000 deployed iPads form an "electronic flight bag" that can hold flight manuals, weather and navigation charts and volumes of technical and procedural information -- eliminating the need for the 30- to 40-pound flight bag pilots used to have to carry with them, resulting in savings ranging from fuel costs to printing costs to even reducing pilot back injuries.
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05/16, 6:05pm
App long stuck as iPhone-only
Shipping service UPS has launched a native iPad version of its iOS app. An iPhone app has been available for some time, but has never been updated to be universal. Both titles let people track up to five shipments simultaneously, which are displayed on a map.
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05/16, 4:07pm
eBay update brings many new features
eBay has released an updated version of its iOS app featuring a redesigned interface with multiple search views, new shopping car functionality, and larger photo views. Unlike previous versions, users can now add multiple items into their shopping cart and pay for all of them simultaneously. The iPad version has also received several new image editing tools, while the iPhone version includes a new account creation tool that can setup a new account by scanning the barcode of a drivers license. Other changes include new "Search By Best Offer" options, feedback filters, and support for uploading multiple photos from a library.
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05/16, 3:04pm
IK Multimedia updates iPad stand lineup
IK Multimedia has announced that its iKlip 2 and iKlip Studio accessories for the iPad and iPad mini are now available for purchase. Designed to securely hold an iPad on a microphone stand, the iKlip 2 evolves from its predecessor through the use of a new ball-joint hinge that improves a users ability to position the device. Meanwhile, the iKlip Studio is a desktop stand that provides 8 different viewing angle options in 10 degree increments. Both products can be purchased from IK Multimedia's online store for $40 and $30 respectively.
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05/16, 10:37am
Associated contest winner, 50 billionth app name announced
[Updated with the winner's name, the winning app and other details] The App Store has officially surpassed 50 billion downloads, Apple has announced. The company has now announced the winner of the associated contest. Brandon Ashmore of Mentor Ohio, who downloaded the 50 billionth app, will get a $10,000 App Store gift card; meanwhile, 50 runner-ups will each get a $500 card.
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05/15, 8:50pm
Read Now section allows quicker access to items
Google has updated the iOS and Android versions of Play Books with the ability to upload already-owned books and documents. The option supports PDF and EPUB files, but uploads must be done via the Google Books website. Any uploaded titles sync across devices.
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05/15, 8:07pm
New podium compatible with previous GripCase models
Accessory maker Newer Technology announced today the NewerTech GripBase Podium floor stand for securely elevating the Apple iPad 2, 3, 4 and iPad mini to provide for maximum user viewing comfort in any setting. The podium ranges from a viewing height of 38 inches to nearly five feet, and features 360 degree rotation.
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05/15, 4:12pm
Invitations opened for new Maps service, no firm release date given
At today's Google I/O keynote, Google has demonstrated a revamped Maps app for iOS and Android. In the coming months, Android users will see an upgrade, bringing the Maps for iOS user interface and features. Additionally, a long-awaited iPad version of the utility will be made available for the iPad.
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05/15, 1:01pm
DirecTV now offers voice search functionality
DirecTV has launched a new version of its iPhone app that introduces new voice recognition functionality. Located in a new Voice tab, the voice recognition tool can be used to search for programs by speaking the title, channel, keyword, actors, and more. Also new to this release is a new TV mode that can be used to view dialogue and search results on a TV screen that is connected to an HD DVR running on the same network as the iOS device. Additionally, the TV mode also offers a few of personalize recommendations.
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05/14, 4:57pm
Apple discourages complicated requests
Apple has run a server-side update to Siri, changing how the service responds to long commands, notes iLounge. If Siri judges that a request is too long, it will now reply with a quote from either William Strunk or Thomas Jefferson, in either case praising brevity of language. It's not clear exactly when the update was made, but it appears to have happened during the last week and a half.
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05/14, 4:11pm
Competes more directly with services like Square
Groupon has launched a new point-of-sale app for the iPad, Breadcrumb POS. Unlike Breadcrumb Pro, which is oriented at larger, more established retailers, POS is aimed at small businesses. It nevertheless offers features such as tipping, kitchen tickets, custom items and menus, multiple tax rates and discounts, and support for a cash drawer and multiple printers.
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05/14, 4:00pm
Traveling Mac-less
This week in the MacNN Forums, Mac Elite "asxless" started a discussion about ways to travel "Mac-less" using only iOS devices while road-tripping this summer. Yesterday, Professional Poster "mindwaves" was looking for a reason why their Retina MacBook Pro was shutting down while in sleep mode.
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05/14, 3:56pm
MacBook Air, Logitech iPad keyboard and more
This week, MacMall.com has reduced the price of the 13.3-inch MacBook Air from $1,399 down to $1,319 with free shipping. That $79 discount makes this the lowest price we have seen by about $30. This MacBook Pro features a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 256GB of flash storage, along with Intel HD Graphics, built-in FaceTime camera with 720p resolution, and it comes with Mountain Lion pre-installed. A one-year warranty is included from Apple.
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05/14, 3:55pm
Will be part of an album of songs inspired by ISS mission
The video of International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield performing a tailored version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" as a farewell to the ISS which has recently gone viral was created using an iPad. Hadfield, who has become a sensation in his native Canada and worldwide for his social media presence and earlier musical efforts, will be recording an entire album of songs based on the mission, and was the first person to record an earlier song while in orbit. Hadfield employed Garageband and other apps to help make the video.
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05/14, 1:35pm
Prizmo now Universal app
Creaceed has released the next major version of its Prizmo iOS app, complete with an all new user interface and support for PDF files. Version 2.0 is now a Universal app, working on both the iPhone and iPad, and offers iCloud integration for automatically syncing documents between multiple devices. The document scanner has also been improved with automatic frame detection when taking images, as well as enhanced tools for better corner positioning when cropping. Other new features includes 30 new OCR languages, voice guidance for positioning documents within the camera's line of sight, and multipage document handling. For the next few days Prizmo 2 will be offered at the discounted price of $6, after which it will rise to $10.
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05/13, 5:07pm
Twitter client gets Readability, Droplr support
Two iOS apps, Twitterific and 1Password, have today received significant updates. Twitterific 5.2.2 adds support for bookmarking service Readability and image service Droplr. A number of smaller improvements have also been made, such as automatic flipping of the read/unread state of tweets as users scroll, and similar updating of indicators in timeline tabs. Yfrog images should appear in the in-app browser instead of the photo viewer.
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05/13, 2:10pm
Flipboard update launched
Flipboard has launched a new version of its popular news aggregating app for the iPhone and iPad. Following March's update which introduced user-created magazines, the v2.0.2 release adds a new Friends category in the Content Guide that can be used to quickly find magazines created by friends. Flipboard has also added new profile pages that provide details on readership and curation activities, as well as the ability to share content via SMS and to save images to the Camera Roll.
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05/11, 1:20am
BlackBerry likely to suffer due to loss of monopoly on secure devices
A spokesperson for the Pentagon has told Bloomberg that mobile devices using Apple's iOS 6 as well as Samsung devices supplemented with the company's Knox security lockdown as well as BlackBerry devices running BB10 are expected to be allowed onto the Defense Department's high-security data networks early next week, barring final approvals. The news comes on the heels of iOS's FIPS 140-2 certification for the CoreCrypto kernel module, which was added in the iOS 6 release.
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05/10, 2:26pm
Bluetooth keyboard typing issues with iPad and more
Earlier this week in the MacNN forums, Mac Elite "abbaZaba" was trying to figure out why the Apple Bluetooth keyboard that they have paired with an iPad 4 will stutter the first letter when typing. After making a digital copy of a 20-year-old VHS home movie, one Fresh-Faced Recruit turned to the forums looking for any advice on ways to make the imported footage look a little less faded.
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05/10, 2:23pm
Discounts on iPad mini, Lightning cables, TB drives, more
Currently, Walmart.com has the 16GB iPad mini with Wi-Fi for the rollback price of $299. That's $30 less than the MSRP and the lowest price available on this iPad brand new anywhere. In fact, it costs the same as a refurbished model from Apple's online store. The iPad mini features 16GB of storage space, Wi-Fi, an A5 chip, FaceTime camera with 1080p HD video recording, and it comes with iOS 6 pre-installed. A one-year warranty on parts and labor is included from Apple.
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05/10, 11:28am
iPad Netflix now cues TV episodes automatically
Yesterday Netflix rolled out the next major release of its iOS app, introducing a new auto-play feature for TV shows. While currently restricted to the iPad users, the new feature brings the software in line with the functionality of the current web and TV app. At the end of a TV episode Netflix will minimize the credits and cue the next episode in the season. If users do nothing, then the episode will will automatically begin playing within 10 seconds. In addition, post play also works for movies by providing users with three recommendations of other movies they may enjoy.
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05/09, 12:58pm
GOG offering 10 additional Mac games
Following its "Massive Mac Games Drop" at the end of April, GOG.com has further expanded its Mac game catalog with 10 new titles. The new batch of games offers titles from various genres, and includes Slipstream 5000, Guilty Gear X2: Reload, Syndicate Wars, Strike Commander, Evil Genius, Rise of the Triad: Dark War, Guilty Gear Isuka, Blake Stone: Planet Strike, Darklands, and Litil Divil. Prices range from $6 up to $15 depending on the title, and every game has been tested to work on Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later.
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05/09, 11:15am
Other regions might also have new 3D terrain
Apple has extended Flyover coverage in iOS 6 Maps to Paris and several surrounding areas, reports say. Aside from Paris, other new detail regions include Versailles, Aulnay-sous-Bois, Disneyland Paris, and L'Ha˙-les-Roses. Flyover renders scenery in a rough 3D state, clarifying maps and giving a better sense for what an environment will look like in person.
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05/09, 10:11am
Supplier reportedly boosting staff by 40 percent
Pegatron CEO Jason Cheng is denying making comments to Bloomberg linking the company's performance to weaker iPad mini demand, according to Fortune. Cheng says that after a Pegatron Institution Investors conference, a Bloomberg reporter came to him "trying to dig out detail numbers about some specific product." But, he claims, "I clearly refused to comment on specific products, nor customers, even though he continued with other questions. I did say those words that he quotes me in the article… but I did not say anything associated with any specific products."
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05/08, 5:47pm
Service first of its kind for corporate and government
Electronic device security and management solutions provider Absolute Software has announced the launch of Computrace Mobile Theft Management, the first iOS loss mitigation and theft recovery service on the market for business. Computrace MTM provides both loss prevention and theft recovery for a company's entire iOS deployment.
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05/08, 3:20pm
Biggest quarterly drop for supplier since 2011
Asian supplier Pegatron is blaming an anticipated second-quarter revenue drop on falling iPad mini demand, Bloomberg reports. The company is predicting a 25 to 30 percent sequential dip in revenue, the worst the company has seen since a 37 percent slide in the fourth quarter of 2011. CEO Jason Cheng elaborates that the Mini represents over half of Pegatron's consumer electronics revenue, although devices like e-book readers, game consoles, and other tablets have seen declines as well.
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05/08, 12:49pm
Could indicate new testing phase at Apple
Web traffic from iOS 7 users has surged in the last week or so, reports say. MacRumors notes that it saw iOS 7 hits on its website start to climb on April 29th. Those numbers fell over the weekend, but have risen even higher since. All of the hits are said to be coming from a block of IP addresses belonging to Apple.
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05/07, 2:33pm
A cryptographic component in iOS 6 has received FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2 Level 1 security certification from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, says TUAW. In particular, the NIST says that when running in FIPS mode, iOS 6's CoreCrypto Kernel Module 3.0 "generates cryptographic keys whose strengths are modified by available entropy." The module is identified as "a software cryptographic module running on a multi-chip standalone mobile device and provides services intended to protect data in transit and at rest."
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05/07, 11:36am
Google Drive simplifies sharing from desktop
Google has expanded the functionality of its Google Drive desktop app to simplify the process of sharing documents. Thanks to the most recent update, Google Drive files can now be shared with others directly from a Mac or PC's file system by right clicking on the file. The update is currently being rolled out to all users and may not show up immediately.
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05/07, 10:48am
Apple pulls share from Android, smaller platforms
iOS made significant gains in US mobile web traffic during April, according to Investing Analytics data obtained by Piper Jaffray. The platform reached a 69 percent share, up from 66.4 percent in March. The growth primarily at the expense of Android, which declined from 28.7 percent in March to 26.5.
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05/07, 9:36am
Claims new Minis in Q3 2013, Q1 2014
Production of Retina displays for a new iPad mini should start in June or July, says NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim. Elaborating, Shim claims that LG Display will be the parts' major producer, and that Samsung will continue to be omitted from the Mini display chain. "Samsung is currently not in the iPad mini and they won't be in the next generation. LGD is becoming a much bigger supplier than before," he says.
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05/06, 12:54pm
Gmail improves support for links
Google has launched an updated version of its Gmail app for iOS, introducing support for opening links in their respective apps. Available since 2011, the official Gmail app has also included support for opening links, however, prior to this update directed users to a browser for all links. YouTube, Google Maps and Chrome links all direct to their respective apps unless the setting is disabled within the app. Additionally, the update also adds support for signing out of a single account when multiple identities are active.
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05/03, 1:15pm
Publisher misses December goal
Subscribers to the tablet editions of Hearst Magazines publications have finally broken past the 1 million mark, says company head David Carey. The executive at one point said the company would have 1 million subscribers by the end of 2012, but ended up with a figure closer to 900,000. "I’m glad we got there," Carey remarks. "We were just 90 days late."
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05/03, 12:37pm
Optional push notifications for billing, outages
Verizon has updated the iOS and Android versions of My FiOS, an app supporting the company's fiber service. Both apps have integrated important FiOS TV functions, namely TV listings, DVR scheduling, and a remote control. Previously the app's video functions were limited to watching video on demand.
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05/03, 12:01pm
BlueReach enables Bluetooth streaming on 30-pin speaker docs
Pyle has released a new Bluetooth wireless-based music interface that can convert any 30-pin speaker dock into a wireless audio device. The BlueReach can connect with any Bluetooth-enabled tablet, phone, or MP3 player and offers wireless audio streaming at distances up to 33 feet. Additionally, the device also includes a 3.5mm input allowing for direct audio input on any 30-pin speaker dock. The BlueReach can be purchased online from Pyle's webstore for $67.
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05/03, 11:19am
Could be among launch carriers for iPhone 5S
US Cellular will start carrying Apple products sometime later this year, the company revealed today during a quarterly earnings report. It hasn't identified which hardware it will be offering, or any special subscription plans. Devices will presumably include the iPhone and/or cellular-equipped iPad models. The carrier could, in theory, be in a position to help launch the so-called iPhone 5S this fall, as well as a fifth-generation iPad, second-generation iPad mini, and possibly even an Apple smartwatch, if it comes with any cellular functions.
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05/02, 5:50pm
Following 50 downloaders after landmark will receive $500 credits
Apple has launched a countdown to 50 billion app downloads on its iOS App Store, and is awarding a $10,000 gift card to the downloader, plus $500 gift cards to the next 50 downloaders following the landmark download. The representative countdown progress is seen in iTunes under the App Store section.
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05/02, 11:53am
Pinnacle Studio gains new speed controls
The iPad version of Corel's Pinnacle Studio has undergone a major update that introduces a brand new speed control. Tapping on the speed button will allow users to adjust the speed of any video clip, while pinch gestures can be used to actively speed up or slow down playback. Users can also add a freeze effect with a single click, as well as use a single finger swipe in the speed control for roll trimming. Other enhancements include faster rendering, simplified audio editing, and the ability to initiate renders directly form the preview message. Pinnacle Studio 3 is available in the App Store for $13.
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05/02, 9:59am
Shuttles edits back and forth between DNG, RAW
Adobe is developing an iOS companion app to the desktop version of Lightroom, the company's product manager for Lightroom, Tom Hogarty, revealed Wednesday via an online show, The Grid. The app should support controlling many of the same elements as the desktop software, such as exposure, clarity, shadows, highlights, white balance, and noise reduction. At the foundation of the app though is the Smart Previews technology from the Lightroom 5 beta.
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05/02, 1:00am
Apple still tops all usage studies, suggesting stronger actual sales
Research firm IDC has posted the results of a questionable study on tablet "market share" that makes the claim -- not supported by sales evidence -- that Android has outgunned Apple in the tablet market, with 56.5 percent share in the first calendar quarter of the year, leaving Apple with barely 40 percent. The study also claims that Asus, not Amazon, is the third-largest tablet vendor with 5.5 percent of the market, having seen 350 percent growth year-over-year. The numbers seem unbelievable -- until one notices that IDC is estimating shipments, not sales.
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05/01, 4:16pm
Platforms getting separate approval
The US Department of Defense should grant two separate security approvals to iOS 6 devices and Samsung Galaxy phones in the coming weeks, according to sources for the Wall Street Journal. Apple's iOS 6 is expected to be vetted as safe for non-classified data uses, namely email and web browsing. Galaxy phones, meanwhile, will allegedly be judged as conforming to the DoD's Security's Technology Implementation Guide, allowing use by some military agencies for sending and receiving internal email.
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05/01, 3:17pm
Improves Vine support
Twitter has updated its official iOS app to v5.6, making some significant tweaks. Above all is the the ability to see trending topics according to location, whether nearby or in other cities around the world. Retweeting has also received some attention, as replies to retweets will now include the identities for both people involved.
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05/01, 12:45pm
Japanese readers get added font
Amazon has updated the iOS Kindle app with support for Apple's VoiceOver feature. Once enabled through iOS' settings, VoiceOver can now read books and guide blind users through the app's interface using a synthetic voice. Text can be read character-by-character, word-by-word, line-by-line, or continuously.
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05/01, 11:31am
Expands reach of video streaming
Two major TV networks, ESPN and Fox, have updated their iOS apps to support streaming to AT&T U-verse subscribers. WatchESPN provides access to live feeds of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPNU, but only for people who already subscribe to ESPN packages from specific providers. Aside from AT&T, these include Bright House Networks, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Midcontinent Communications, Optimum, Time Warner, and Verizon.
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05/01, 10:28am
Development behind schedule
Sources for Bloomberg are backing claims that lead Apple designer Jonathan Ive is engaging in a major design overhaul for iOS 7. As has been reported previously, the sources say that Ive is avoiding the skeuomorphism favored by former iOS head Scott Forstall, for example ditching the shelving metaphor used by Newsstand. He is also allegedly pursuing "dramatic changes" to the Mail and Calendar apps, though what that means is unclear.
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04/30, 11:16am
Special version of Maps may appear on dashboard displays
With iOS 7, Apple wants to deepen in-car integration options for iOS devices, sources claim. Currently such integration is limited mostly to things like iPod input or Siri Eyes Free, which makes it possible to issue Siri commands with a quick-access button. Sources tell 9to5Mac, however, that Apple is working with car companies on new center consoles that could dock an iPhone and output an optimized, car-oriented version of Maps to a dashboard display.
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