The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

And you wonder why Apple bought Beats... Posted: 02 Sep 2014 03:00 PM PDT Apple's $3 billion acquisition of Beats caught almost everyone off guard. Not only was the purchase price drastically higher than what Apple typically spends for acquisitions, but Apple's interest in Beats in and of itself was the source of much...

Radiohead releases new music through PolyFauna app Posted: 02 Sep 2014 02:30 PM PDT This past February, Radiohead released their first iOS app, an experimental music and art project called PolyFauna. Using music from their King of Limbs recording session as the background for abstract and evolving visuals, the app was equal parts...

Today in the App Store -- the best free apps, new apps and app updates Posted: 02 Sep 2014 02:00 PM PDT Here are some of the best free apps, app updates and new apps that have landed in the App Store recently. All app prices are USD and subject to change. Some deals may expire quickly, so grab them while you can. Apps Now Free Red Clock - The Minimal...

Sims 4 hasn't made a home on OS X, and I'm OK with that Posted: 02 Sep 2014 01:45 PM PDT Today's big release of Sims 4 was not celebrated by OS X devotees thanks to EA's decision to make the game a Windows-only affair, at least for the time being. An FAQ posted on the Sims 4 website makes the potential future of a Mac edition unclear,...

The Journey Down: Chapter Two is a must have Posted: 02 Sep 2014 01:30 PM PDT The Journey Down: Chapter Two is a paid game (US$4.99) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It requires iOS 6.0 or later, and is optimized for iPhone 5. It is a third person, point and click adventure game that is well thought out and executed. This is...

London Mac User Group doing the 9/9 Apple keynote in style Posted: 02 Sep 2014 01:00 PM PDT Every year as the seasons begin to change, Apple has an event or two scheduled to announce the latest additions to the product line. And like clockwork, the London (UK) Mac User Group (LMUG) schedules a fun event for its members and others who want...

PanStage Music lets you create music together Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:30 PM PDT PanStage Music is a fun free app to let you create music with friends and strangers from around the world. The basic idea is that someone, perhaps you, records a single audio track, perhaps a cappella vocals, or guitar or flute. Then that track is...

Pad & Quill announces more luxurious leather Apple accessories Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:15 PM PDT Minneapolis-based Pad & Quill has become quite the manufacturer of luxury iPhone and iPad accessories in just a few years. Many of the Pad & Quill cases, sleeves and wallets are now made of leather, bringing both a luxurious feel and durability to...

Apple: Celebrity photo breach not due to iCloud or Find my iPhone issues Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:00 PM PDT Apple has just released a press statement updating its investigation into the weekend breach of celebrity photos. As noted in the press release, the company says that none of the cases investigated were the result of any breach of Apple's systems...

Hook the big ones with the Digital Guide to Fishing Knots Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:30 AM PDT If you follow the tips and steps to tying proper knots in this app you won't need to talk about the "one that got away" with your fishing buddies. The Digital Guide to Fishing Knots is an iPad app that costs US$.99 and needs iOS 6.0 or later. The...

Daily Deals for September 2, 2014, featuring The Award-Winning MacLovin Bundle Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:00 AM PDT It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring exclusive TUAW Deals, a handy list from Dealnews and our own handpicked iOS and OS X selections. All prices are USD and subject to change. Some deals may expire quickly....

White Noise HQ brings you customized focus and relaxation Posted: 02 Sep 2014 10:30 AM PDT There are a lot of white noise apps available in the App Store, but this one is by far the most robust. Available in both a free and a paid version for the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, White Noise HQ is packed with sounds and customization...

Think iCloud's two-factor authentication protects your privacy? It doesn't Posted: 02 Sep 2014 10:00 AM PDT As the forensic analysis of the weekend's celebrity intimate photo leak continues, plenty of attention is being focused on iCloud's photo storage as a likely vector for the criminal theft of the images. Proof of concept code for a brute-force attack...

Unwrapping Folds: what's inside? Posted: 02 Sep 2014 09:30 AM PDT Folds is a triangular tile puzzle game where you select a tile and try to line it up with another tile of the same color, but the opposite shape. Together they make a square where you can then fold one of the tiles over to create a shape that will...

The most common reasons apps get rejected from the App Store Posted: 02 Sep 2014 09:00 AM PDT Apple last week posted a new page on its developer website relaying the most common reasons why applications are rejected from the App Store. The list of reasons provided by Apple isn't terribly surprising, and includes obvious strikes such as...

Reddit launches new Ask Me Anything app for AMA sessions Posted: 02 Sep 2014 08:30 AM PDT Reddit today has released its new Ask Me Anything iOS app with support for both live and archived Reddit AMAs. The new app is designed for mobile users who are visiting Reddit's website in increasing numbers. AMAs are a popular Reddit interview...

Apple, FBI investigating possible iCloud celebrity photo theft Posted: 02 Sep 2014 08:00 AM PDT Both the FBI and Apple are investigating the theft of private celebrity photos in an intrusion that may have used iCloud to gain access to the images. As reported by The Telegraph, FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller confirmed the government agency's...

Hands on with Voice Dream's ebook narration Posted: 02 Sep 2014 07:00 AM PDT As the school year heads back into session, many students have a lot of new reading on their plate. Parents whose children struggle with assigned books might be considering ways to augment that material. Over the summer, Amazon regularly offered to...

iOS 8: Hey Siri! Posted: 02 Sep 2014 06:00 AM PDT It's surprising how much I both love and am bothered by the new Hey Siri feature. It offers what's probably the best and the worst of all iOS 8 features at the same time. So what's this dichotomy? How can I be so split down the middle about this? Let...