Apps
The latest news on all your favorite apps.
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Microsoft's phone-screen mirroring beta hits Windows 10 this week
When Microsoft launched the "Your Phone" app last year, it gave users instant access to their mobile photos and text messages on Windows 10 PCs. And at its Surface launch last fall, it teased at something even better: mirroring and accessing your entire phone via your PC. With this week's Your Phone update, Windows Insiders will finally get to test the "phone screen" mirroring feature. So rather than reach for your phone to respond to a Snap, you'll be able to respond directly from your desktop.
Google's Allo messenger waves goodbye
Google announced last year that it's shutting down Allo, its smart messaging app, in March 2019. Apparently, the time is now. A banner across Allo's official website clearly states that the app is saying goodbye on March 12th, and you'll have to export your chats if you don't want them to vanish into the ether. Allo's Help page says you can download your conversations and all the photos, videos and files in them by going into Chat under Settings. All your messages will be saved as a CSV file, while your media will be downloaded as a zip package.
Twitter's experimental beta testing app is available today
Twitter is making good on its promise of testing new conversation features in public. The social network has launched Twttr, an experimental app that lets early adopters try prototypes of new Twitter features. It'll start with the conversation test, which turns threads into chat-like presentations with color-coded users and indentation. However, Twitter told TechCrunch it could use the app to explore other changes, such as new ideas for status updates and pinned introductory tweets.
Tidal adds high-resolution audio to its iOS app
You don't have to grab an Android phone if you want to listen to Tidal's Master audio on your phone. Tidal has introduced support for the "studio quality" format to its iOS app, giving you an option if standard compressed music doesn't do your headphones justice. If you insist on listening to the Beatles or Janelle Monáe as if you were in the recording booth, this might be your best shot.
NBC's free news streaming service will fully launch in May
NBC has run a limited version of its streaming news channel for the past few months. Soon, however, it'll be ready to open the taps: the broadcaster is officially launching its free NBC News Now service in early May. It'll be available on a plethora of devices (including living room devices like Apple TV and Roku) and should deliver eight hours of original programming per day, including live updates both on the hour and for breaking stories. The ultimate aim is to provide around-the-clock content, NBC News President Noah Oppenheim said.
J Dilla-inspired sampler makes it easy to create beats on your phone
If you ask Elf Audio's Marek Bereza, many music samplers are too fussy -- you're focused more on making tiny edits than, well, making music. He's trying to remedy that with his new Koala sampler. Inspired by the late J Dilla's knack for creating tracks with a BOSS SP-303, the iOS app is not only designed to be easy to understand, but doesn't give you ways to micro-manage your tunes. You just record samples with your device's mic, create sequences and perform those sequences with effects like pitching and stuttering. You can resample if you'd like to put your audio bites through effects, such as dropping them down an octave.
Gmail Smart Compose finally ventures beyond the Pixel 3
Gmail's Smart Compose has been widely available on the desktop for a while, but it's been quite limited in the mobile world. Unless you happen to have a Pixel 3, you've been out of luck if you've wanted Gmail to help write your messages. Thankfully, Google is casting its net much wider. Android Police has discovered that Smart Compose is rolling out to other devices, including third-party phones like the Galaxy S9+ and OnePlus 6T. Engadget can attest to the expanding hardware support, as you can see on the Essential Phone above.
Google Podcasts is finally sifting through individual episodes
Google Podcasts is still a fairly basic app in spite of meaningful upgrades, but that might change before long. Product Manager Zack Reneau-Wedeen has announced that Podcasts will start showing search results for individual episodes, not just whole shows -- you can start playing a favorite episode right away. While it's only available to a handful of Google Podcasts users at the moment, it should be available to everyone before the week is over.
Polestar wants you to buy and unlock your car with your phone
Add Polestar to the ranks of automotive brands that are basing their car experiences around your phone. The company has launched a Polestar Explore app for Android and iOS as part of a larger strategy to handle virtually everything from your phone. You can read about the Polestar 2, configure it, pre-order it and eventually buy or subscribe to it without having to visit a website or (gasp) show up at a retail location. And when your phone can also serve as a key, you're effectively set -- you might not need physical interactions besides tapping on your phone's glass or grabbing your car's door handle.
Sam’s Club Now lets you scan whole items, not just barcodes
If you've been to a Sam's Club in the past two years, you might have used Scan & Go. The store's app lets you use your phone to scan the barcode of each item you put in your cart. When you're ready to check out, you can pay via the app and show your digital receipt to a store associate before leaving. Now, Sam's Club plans to make Scan & Go shopping even easier.
Luminary Media is launching a star-studded paid podcast network
Luminary Media wants to find out just how much people will pay for podcasts. The company has rounded up more than 40 big-name creators with the intention of launching a subscription-based podcast network. The service -- which is set to launch in June, according to the New York Times -- will offer a Hulu-style model. Listeners will be able to stream nonexclusive content for free or pay $8 per month for an ad-free experience with access to shows only available through Luminary.
Microsoft ends support for the Band wearable on May 31st
It's been over two years since Microsoft discontinued its Band fitness wearable and axed any future plans for it. Now, tech giant is putting the product line to rest: it's shutting down the Health Dashboard and pulling all Band apps from the iOS App Store, Google Play and the Microsoft Store on May 31st. It will also be deleting all the data users uploaded to the Health dashboard that day.
Endlesss shares details on its collaborative iOS music platform
The new iOS music-making platform Endlesss is scheduled to launch later this year, and as its release approaches, we're starting to get a better picture of what it will include. What we know is that Endlesss, driven by musician and software developer Tim Exile, has been pitched as "a virtual place where you can make and share music in the moment, solo or with friends." It's been in the works for three years, and this year, we'll finally get to see it on iOS.
FTC fines TikTok $5.7 million over child privacy violations
The creators of TikTok are facing US penalties for allegedly doing too little to respect kids' privacy. The Federal Trade Commission has fined TikTok (aka Musical.ly) $5.7 million as part of a settlement over reported COPPA violations in its lip-syncing video app. Regulators said that TikTok not only collected personal information from under-13 users without their parents' consent, but made those profiles public and, until October 2016, let people share their location with nearby friends. The developers knew a "significant percentage" of users were under 13 but didn't change their ways even after "thousands of complaints," the FTC said.
Cartoon Network app 'rewards' TV viewing with virtual figurines
How do you persuade people to watch your TV shows when their phones serve as a constant distraction? By rewarding them through their phones for watching. Cartoon Network is launching an app, Cartoon Network Arcade, that will provide virtual collectible figurines (over 60 in total) while you tune in. The title listens to show audio Shazam style, and unlocks collectibles when it's clear you're watching one of the broadcaster's programs. If you're a die-hard Powerpuff Girls or Steven Universe fan, you'll have something to prove it.
Apple opens in-app subscription discounts to existing users
In a ploy to keep people paying for apps, Apple will let developers offer discounted subscriptions to current and recent subscribers. Until now, developers could only offer freebies and introductory discounts to new users, which means that they couldn't easily incentivize lapsed subscribers to re-join. As more apps turn to subscription models over one-time purchases, this change will likely go over well with developers and users alike.
Android will support more password-free sign-ins
It just became that much easier to ditch passwords on your phone. Android is officially FIDO2 certified, making it possible to sign into supporting apps and websites (such as pages that rely on the WebAuthn standard) using a fingerprint or a physical security key. You might not have to punch in a passcode every time you want to check your bank statement, for instance.
MLS' new app combines highlights, fantasy soccer and merch
Major League Soccer is launching a new flagship app today ahead of the 2019 season that will let fans get highlights, tickets, merchandise and fantasy info in one place. After you set your club preference, it'll personalize the app with the team colors and other touches. That'll all be in sync with an all-new ad campaign called "Live Your Colors," along with a behind-the-scenes look (below) that's also launching today to promote the app.
Instagram code hints at Pinterest-style public collections
Instagram hasn't been shy about borrowing a page from Pinterest's book through its Collections feature, and it might be ready to take things a step further. Software sleuth Jane Manchun Wong has discovered that Instagram for Android includes hidden code for public Collections. You could not only share favorite travel destinations or fashion items with the world, but add contributors to help fill out your list.
Nike's self-lacing Adapt BB shoes aren't playing well with Android phones
How do you know you're living in the future? When your shoes have technical problems. Owners on Google Play and CNET report that Nike's Android companion app for the self-lacing Adapt BB has some teething troubles, most notably a buggy firmware update process. In some cases, the updates have bricked people's shoes -- yes, that's something we just said. You can still wear the shoes and force-restart them, but that's not really something you should worry about with a $350 pair of kicks.