Apps
The latest news on all your favorite apps.
Latest
Google shutters Bulletin, its hyperlocal news experiment
Google is ending its hyperlocal news experiment Bulletin. Similar to Nextdoor, Bulletin was a blog-like service that allowed users to post stories with video and photo content to the app. People nearby could see those posts, and they could appear in Google Search. The service launched as a pilot in 2018, and now, Google is shutting it down.
Alternative iOS app store doesn't require a jailbreak
Alternatives to Apple's App Store usually have many caveats. You may need to jailbreak, which isn't always practical for the technically inexperienced, while apps signed with certificates or free Apple IDs are kept on a short leash. However, developer Riley Testut thinks he can bypass those restrictions. He's launching an unofficial AltStore that theoretically lets you "push the boundaries" of iOS without either jailbreaking or worrying that Apple will pull access. It's still not simple, but it should be less intimidating.
Lyft unifies transportation options inside its app
Lyft is countering Uber's moves by making it easier to find every transportation option inside its app -- including the ones that won't give the company a dime. It's rolling out updates that unify transportation searches, whether it's bikes, scooters, rideshares, rentals or mass transit. The standard search now displays every choice within view rather than defaulting to ridesharing, and lets you compare options once you've set a destination. Tabs let you narrow the searches if you're only interested in one option.
IKEA's AR furniture app now lets you preview an entire room
IKEA's augmented reality Place app can be helpful for gauging how furniture will look in your abode, but you've been limited to trying items one at a time -- not much help if you're trying to furnish a new home. Now, though, it's much more practical as a home decor tool. An updated iOS app (the Android equivalent is coming in the "near future") lets you place multiple items at once, whether they're handpicked or part of pre-defined Room Sets. You'll know if that lounge chair and lamp combo fits in with your living room, for instance.
Google's Play Pass app subscription service is now available
Subscription services have taken over music and movies, and now they're coming to games and apps too. In August we heard that Google was in the final stages of testing its new Android app subscription service called Play Pass, its equivalent of Apple Arcade. Today, Google's service has officially launched in the US and you can sign up now for unlimited access to a catalog of games and apps.
Facebook suspends tens of thousands of data-scraping apps
In the aftermath of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook promised to investigate other apps with access to large amounts of user data. The app developer investigation is ongoing, but today, Facebook said it has reviewed millions of apps and suspended tens of thousands associated with about 400 developers.
Lyft's app shows bike lanes to help riders find smoother routes
Just because you can ride a bike somewhere doesn't mean you want to -- many cyclists can tell tales of braving streets that are downright dangerous to two-wheelers. You might not need an intuitive knowledge of where to ride after today, at least. Lyft has introduced bike lanes to its apps, giving you a greater chance of finding a smoother route for your bike or scooter. Any protected lanes will appear as solid green, while those that are 'just' bike-friendly will be dotted green.
Pocket Casts will give existing desktop customers Plus for life
Earlier this week the popular podcast app Pocket Casts announced some big changes. In addition to making the mobile app free, Pocket Casts unveiled a new paid subscription tier, Pocket Casts Plus. It said customers who previously paid for desktop access (a one-time fee of $9) would be given three years of access to the new Plus version. That didn't go over well with existing customers, so Pocket Casts has backtracked. Now, the company says anyone who paid for the desktop version will be given lifetime access to the new Plus tier.
Roland releases Zenbeats, a cross-platform music-making app
Roland has been making electronic musical instruments for nearly 50 years and has delivered products like the JU-06A tiny portable synth, keyboards with built-in Alexa controls and mini smartphone mixers. Now, it's entering the world of mobile music-making apps. Today, the company released Zenbeats.
BBC's smart keyboard helps kids live healthy digital lives
The BBC wants to help kids have healthy and positive interactions online, and it's hoping its new Own It app will do just that. The app is centered around a keyboard that pops up whenever a user begins to type. If the message is negative, the app can offer support, give advice and recommend talking to a trusted adult.
YouTube is bringing a big, ugly ad banner to its TV app's home screen (updated)
Your living room YouTube experience is about to become decidedly more cluttered. YouTube is bringing its usual Masthead ad to its TV app's home screen, guaranteeing that you'll see a promo before anything else. While the behavior is similar to what you've seen on mobile and the web, the size... well, just look at it. More than half of the home screen can be occupied by advertising, and you'll have to scroll down just to see the titles for your recommendations.
North's smart glasses are now available across the US
One of the greatest obstacles to buying North's smart glasses has simply been to find them. They've only been available at the company's Brooklyn and Toronto flagship stores as well as its pop-ups, which isn't much help to, well, most people. You might have a much easier time shopping from now on. North has released a Focals Showroom app that makes the eyewear available to people across the US and Canada. The app takes you through a depth scanning-based sizing experience that previously required an in-person visit. If you're happy with the design and make a purchase, you'll get your glasses (plus instructions for final tweaks) in several weeks.
Popular podcast app Pocket Casts is now available for free (updated)
We're big fans of Pocket Casts here at Engadget. The podcast app is arguably the best option for listening to the regular episodic content, keeping them all organized and easily finding what you're looking for. Until now, you had to pay a one-time fee of $3.99 to get Pocket Casts on Android or iOS, but that is changing.
Pandora's new desktop app is now available on Windows
Just as Apple Music is making its way to web browsers, Pandora is moving in the opposite direction by unleashing a desktop app. The Mac version debuted in May, and now the Windows 10 app has arrived.
Hulu drops support for Google’s Daydream VR platform
If you were a fan of watching Hulu videos on Google's Daydream View VR headset, we have some bad news. Hulu has dropped support for Google Daydream. According to the company, the latest versions of its Android app (versions 3.55 or newer) no longer support the VR platform.
Time's mixed reality app takes you inside the Amazon rainforest
Time's Immersive app brought you to the moon a couple of months ago -- now, it's taking you on a timely trip to the Amazon forest. The publication has rolled out a new augmented reality experience for its application -- now available for both iOS and Android devices -- entitled "Inside the Amazon: The Dying Forest," which promises to take users deep into the disappearing jungle. Time sent two producers and reporter Matt Sandy into the Amazon to visit some of its remotest areas threatened by deforestation, arming them with cameras mounted on drones to create 3D scans of the environment.
PC-to-mobile game streaming arrives on the Galaxy Note 10
Samsung's PlayGalaxy PC-to-mobile game streaming app is ready to roll, provided you have the right hardware. The tech giant has released PlayGalaxy Link in the US and South Korea for Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ owners who want to play computer-quality games on their handsets. You'll need a reasonably brawny PC with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, reasonably fast dedicated graphics (either a GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 550) and a gigabit router connection. If everything aligns, you can play most any game on your PC, though you may need to add it to the selection first.
Samsung's Galaxy Fold will have support from 'hundreds' of apps
Foldable phones aren't worth much without apps that can take advantage of their screens -- Huawei even postponed the Mate X to give app makers more time to optimize their titles. That might not be much of a problem now that the revised Galaxy Fold is finally ready to make its debut. Samsung revealed that it has worked with Google and developers to bring Fold support to "hundreds" of apps, including big names like Amazon Prime Video, Facebook, Spotify and Twitter. This comes after Samsung and Google set up test labs that have spent months helping app makers fine-tune their work for the Fold.
‘Jeopardy!’ fans can now answer trivia questions while they drive
Jeopardy! fans can now test their knowledge while they drive. To celebrate the 36th season of Jeopardy!, which premieres tonight on CBS, Sony has partnered with Drivetime. Starting today, fans can answer trivia questions from seasons 1-35 through the in-car Drivetime app. Like other games on the app, Jeopardy! will be voice-based and hands-free.
Microsoft's redesigned To Do app ties into more of its services
Microsoft is continuing its quest to replace Wunderlist with its entirely in-house offering. The software maker has unveiled a redesigned To Do app for desktop and mobile that both offers a fresher look and, crucially, tighter integration with Microsoft services. You can flag messages from Microsoft-based email accounts to send them to a dedicated task list, or check out an Assigned to Me list that plucks tasks from both shared lists and Microsoft Planner. Microsoft Launcher on Android touts To Do integration as well. And thanks to the Alexa-Cortana crossover, you can add tasks created on Echo speakers and other Alexa-powered devices.