Foursquare 6.0 for iPhone improves Explore recommendations

This seems to be the week for social networking app news, withTwitter's Vine app taking most of the spotlight so far. Today's news is about Foursquare 6.0, which has just become available through the iOS App Store's software updates and was announced on the Foursquare blog.

Foursquare first came to life in 2009 as a way to check in at venues, see what your friends were up to, grab mayorships and hopefully get the occasional badge. Lately, the app has been more about exploring venues near you, thanks to its recommendations engine Explore. But starting out on that exploration wasn't easy to do. That's what the new update is fixing.

When launched, version 6.0 of Foursquare replaces the Foursquare logo at the top of the screen with a new Explore search box. That's tied to a new, faster auto-complete engine for faster results when you're looking for that cinnamon roll joint.

The big difference, though, is that Foursquare is no longer fixated on telling you where your friends are. Instead, it places an emphasis on recommendations, giving hints about places where people go after being at the same venue you're at, or providing insight into places friends like in a city you're visiting. The app exclusively recommends good lunch spots around lunchtime, a convenient way to stop going to the same old burger joint and go to a new burger joint.

One interesting move in the UI is that the check-in button has moved to the bottom of the app; apparently that means that Foursquare's recently introduced tap-and-hold-to-check-in function is working well. The button also floats above the listings, which is kind of an interesting and useful UI change.

[Source: TUAW]

Chrome for iOS now includes Google Cloud Print, AirPrint, and fullscreen browsing

Google's Chrome browser for iOS (free) was updated to version 26.0.1410.50 today, providing some new and much-appreciated features.

To begin with, the app now provides support for Google Cloud Print, a way of printing documents to printers from just about anywhere through PCs or Macs that are aware of attached or wireless printers. The app also provides support for Apple's own AirPrint and AirPrint-aware printers.

Any page viewed in Chrome can also be saved as a PDF file to the user's Google Drive through Cloud Print. This is a way to quickly store web pages on Google Drive for download to an iOS device for offline reading.

In addition to the usual stability and security improvements and bug fixes, Chrome also adds fullscreen browsing support for the iPhone and iPod touch. This was implemented in a very intuitive manner; users simply scroll the browser window to the top of the screen to "push" the toolbar off the screen, or scroll back down to view the Google "omnibox."

While the changes are rather limited, they add a tremendous amount of utility to a fast and stable iOS web browser.

[Source: TUAW]

Facebook Home software leaks, try it out early

If you want to go Home early, now's your chance: a pre-release version of Facebook Home has leaked to turn your Android phone into a photo-liking, status-updating machine.

Facebook Home is software that completely replaces the interface on your Android phone, loading your friends' photos, posts and status updates on your homescreen. The software is showcased on the HTC First phone, but you'll be able to download it for a range of Android phones.

And ahead of the official launch, MoDaCo has pulled an early version of the software from the ROM of the HTC First, consisting of three APKs.

There's the main Facebook app, codenamed 'katana'; the Messenger app, codenamed 'orca', which integrates with your text messages; and a launcher shell app codenamed 'home'. To try out the pre-release software, including the floating head Chat Heads feature, you need to completely uninstall the existing Facebook app. The leaked software works on phones with a resolution lower than 1,280 x 768 -- and, as ever, you mess with the dark arts of leaked pre-release software at your own risk.

[Source: CNET]

iOS 7 Concept Features Widgets, New Lock Screen, Mission Control and More

Earlier this week, a number of Apple-focused bloggers claimed iOS 7 was running behind schedule and that it would bring a significant user interface refresh.

Designer F. Bianco has posted a set of images to Flickr with some interesting thoughts on what useful changes Apple could make to iOS 7 to improve the user experience. Apple's user interfaces will likely face new scrutiny now that Facebook has laid out a new vision for how phone users interact with their devices with Facebook Home.

One of the more interesting concepts that Bianco shows is a 'widget' mode for apps that allows users to see quick information or change app settings straight from the home screen, as well as a quickly accessible settings screen that can slide out from the side to quickly adjust settings.

Turning Bluetooth on and off, for example, takes four distinct steps and the process could be much improved with a quickly accessible preferences screen.

[Source: MacRumors]

Chrome 27 beta wrings out more speed, streamlines HTML5 input

It's like clockwork, really. Chrome 26 has barely hit the stable track, and Google is already posting a Chrome 27 beta for desktops and Android devices to show what's next. Apparently, that future centers mostly on raw efficiency: Google has eked out an average 5 percent speed boost through a more aggressive resource scheduler. It also has a simpler interface for date and time forms on HTML5 pages. Most of the other upgrades coddle developers, such as the introduction of live audio input for the Web Audio API and an offline storage API for Chrome Web Store apps. There's no mention of Blink, so those who were expecting rapid adoption of the web engine beyond Chromium will be disappointed -- even so, it's good enough that we could see internet Guinea pigs giving the release a try.

[Source: Engadget]

Firefox 20 for Mac Adds Download Manager and New Private Browsing Features

Mozilla has today launched Firefox 20, adding a number of significant improvements to the browser. Users are now able to initiate private browsing without the need to open a new window or close a current browsing session. 

There is a new function in place that allows users to close a hanging plugin without the need to shut down the entire browser, and the update also includes a new download manager in the Firefox toolbar. 

The download manager can be accessed by clicking on the down arrow button on the right side of the search bar. When clicked, the arrow will show the drop down file manager, displaying all downloads and providing a progress bar for files that are in the process of downloading. Tools allow users to pause/resume downloads, cancel, go to the download page, and open the downloads folder. 

Firefox version 20 also includes several bug fixes, performance improvements, and new tools for developers. This version of Firefox comes approximately six weeks after the release of Firefox 19. 

[Source: MacRumors]

Apple launching marketing campaign for Final Cut Pro X

The LA Times is reporting that Apple, stinging from criticism from professional users that the 2011 redesign of Final Cut Pro X (US$299.99) had made it a "cheap product aimed at consumers," is launching an online marketing campaign today to try to win back professional video editors who may have switched to competitive software.

The start of the campaign is timed to begin getting the word out prior to the start of the National Association of Broadcasters convention on April 6. Apple's campaign features Final Cut Pro X users like Julian Liurette of the Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper, who was skeptical of the app and waited a year before trying the new version. Liurette liked the new version so much that he's moved the newspaper's video operations from the old version to Final Cut Pro X. According to Liurette, "It's better on all fronts. Its interface is 100 times more interesting. And it's much, much faster."

Apple hopes to change the mindset of people like Harry Miller, head of the American Cinema Editors' technology committee, who said "Personally, I'm still suspicious of Apple...I don't want to invest money in any of their hardware or software when the might drop features in new versions."

To do so, three stories will be posted on the website today including that of Julian Liurette. Also expected to tout the features and speed of Final Cut Pro X are Tsui Hark, a big name in Hong Kong cinema circles, and Azteca Telenovela editor Jonathan Contreras. The latter pro says that "For a TV editor, speed is everything. And Final Cut Pro X is faster than any other editing application I've used."

The campaign has begun, and the videos are viewable on the Final Cut "In Action" web page.

[Source: TUAW]

Gmail for iOS Updated with Ability to Swipe Between Messages

Google has updated its Gmail app to version 2.1, adding swipe controls that allow users to navigate backwards and forwards through emails without returning to the inbox. 

Edit mode is now initiated when a message in the inbox is selected, allowing users to quickly organize emails into folders and add labels from the action bar at the top of the screen.

-Swipe left or right to move between messages without returning to the inbox. 

-Take action on multiple messages more quickly: Selecting a message in the inbox now enables edit mode. Once in edit mode, tap on messages to select them and then choose to archive, delete, or more, from the new actions bar. You may select Cancel at any time to leave edit mode. 

-And of course: performance improvements and bug fixes.

[Source: MacRumors]

Google+ for iOS gets photo editing, filters in update

The new version of Google+ for iOS brings the sort of "retro" filters popularized by competing social networking apps like Instagram. Users can also rotate and crop their photos before sharing them to their Google+ accounts. 

The improved photo editing options are likely an outgrowth of Google's acquisition of Snapseed, an image editing application with iterations across both PC and mobile platforms.

The update also brings a new profile design, notifications tray, and the ability to control the volume of posts displayed in a user's stream from individual circles and communities. Users can also filter search results by the most relevant or most recent and send friends invitations to communities. 

Version 4.3.0 of Google+ for iOS is available as a free download in the App Store. The 28.6MB download is compatible with iPhones, iPads, and iPods running iOS 5.1 or later.

[Source: AppleInsider]

Facebook Messenger Updated with Voice Calls in UK

Facebook recently released a new version of its Messenger application in the United Kingdom. The update offers voice calls and voice messages, two features that have been available to U.S. users since the middle of January. The application is available for several platforms, including Android and iOS, although the iOS version is reportedly the only one with the added voice call support right now.

Facebook appears to be chasing Skype with the new VoIP services, although we’ll need to see the feature rolled out across the globe before it even starts to look like a real competitor in the space. The application is free and is available from the iTunes App Store now.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Walmart extends iPhone scan-and-checkout feature

Walmart is expanding its Scan & Go checkout feature to over 200 stores, up from the current 70, according to Reuters. Scan & Go allows Walmart shoppers to scan items in the store with the Walmart iPhone app and then pay for them at self-checkout terminals.

The pilot program began in Arkansas stores in September 2012. According to Retuers, new markets that will feature Scan & Go inlcude Denver, Colorado; Phoenix, Arizona; Omaha, Nebraska; Dallas and Austin, Texas; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Wyoming; Bozeman, Montana; Seattle, Washington; San Jose, California; and Portland, Oregon.

It's important to note that Scan & Go does not allow a user to pay for items through the iPhone app. From the Reuter's report: "Shoppers scan bar codes on items they want to buy, using the Walmart app on their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to keep track of the planned purchases and the total cost. Then they pay at a self-checkout screen, bypassing the typical registers."

[Source: TUAW]

WhatsApp on iPhone to charge yearly subscription fee

Here's a morsel of news for fans of WhatsApp -- the instant messaging app is going to start charging iPhone owners an annual fee to use the service.

Currently anyone using an iPhone or iPad will splash out a modest 69p to buy the app, after which you get unlimited use of the service. That's not how it works on Android and BlackBerry however, where customers download the app for free, and then pay an annual fee of $0.99 (about 65p) after that.

At some point this year the iPhone strategy will fall in line with other platforms, TechCrunch reports, citing interviews with WhatsApp's CEO.

The good news is that it seems the new approach will only apply to new customers, so if you've already shelled out your 69 pence, WhatsApp probably won't be demanding any more from you. It's also likely that you'd still get a year's worth of free use before you have to start paying.

WhatsApp is popular because it costs much less than texting, and lets you send messages, photos and emoticons to pals who are using rival operating systems. iPhone, Android phones, BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices all play host to the popular app. A testament to its popularity is that WhatsApp is occasionally plagued by daft hoax messages.

In the same interview, the WhatsApp boss said that a desktop version wouldn't be getting made "any time soon". As for networks getting irate at WhatsApp stealing its SMS customers, the head honcho is quoted as saying, "We actually have a really good relationship with a lot of carriers.

"We understand that a lot of people are switching to our product instead of SMS but we look at it as evolution."

[Source: CNET]