Start your own mosh pit with the Metalcore Breakdown Composer

Out in the sea of odd samplers and drum machines on the iOS platform there's one understandable blind spot for music apps; metalcore. Birthed out the hardcore punk and death metal scenes the sub-genre started promisingly before becoming incredibly repetitive. Depending on your tastes Metalcore Breakdown Composer is either a obnoxious parody of modern extreme music or a fun toy to pass time on your iOS device.

Utilizing a soundboard of various drums, guitar tones, and vocals players can tap together breakdowns -- essentially the bridge of a metalcore song -- for your listening pleasure. Whether you're making fun of a friend whose a fan or you just want to create your own simple breakdowns this app is for you.

Currently MBC lacks the ability to record or export the sounds you make which is the kind of oversight that keeps it from being easily recommended as a keeper. Still it's a funny idea that could provide the right open minded parent an afternoon full of bonding time with their metalhead child.

You can watch Metalcore Breakdown Composer's delightfully surreal video below to get a taste of just how tongue in cheek the product in question actually is. You can pick up the Metalcore Breakdown Composer for free right now in the app store. Perhaps you can bring the whole family together by starting mosh pits of love in the living room.

Apple and others reach settlement agreement in anti-poaching class action suit

The anti-poaching class action lawsuit that embroiled a number of high profile tech companies has come to an end. The New York Times reports that Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe all reached settlement agreements with the plaintiffs party to the dispute.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but the plaintiffs had argued that the lost wages added up to $3 billion. Three smaller settlements with other defendants, which included Lucasfilm, Pixar and Intuit, were reached last year for $20 million.



"This is an excellent resolution of the case that will benefit class members," Kelly M. Dermody, a lawyer at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, the plaintiffs' legal team, said in a statement. "We look forward to presenting it to the court and making the terms available."

If you recall, Apple and slew of other tech companies entered into anti-poaching agreements from 2005 through 2009 whereby parties to the agreement all agreed not to recruit employees from one another.

The class action suit was subsequently brought forth by five software engineers in 2011 who alleged that the anti-poaching agreements minimized their job prospects and ultimately worked to compress employee salary rates in Silicon Valley.

The lawsuit made headlines many times over, often because filed court documents relayed interesting email exchanges between some of tech's most high-powered executives. For instance, some emails revealed that Steve Jobs at one point intimated that Apple might sue Palm if Palm didn't agree to stop recruiting Apple employees. In another instance, emails revealed that Steve Jobs angrily called Google co-founder Sergey Brin over Google's efforts to recruit Safari employees.

The death of an iPod

Apple's gadgets even die in the most adorable ways. Let's have a moment of silence for this fallen musical soldier.

[Photo credit: Enrico Palombaro]

The TUAW Daily Update Podcast for April 24, 2014

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get some the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the player at the top of the page. The Daily Update has been moved to a new podcast host in the past few days. Current listeners should delete the old podcast subscription and subscribe to the new feed in the iTunes Store here.

Netatmo expands iOS-friendly Weather Station with Rain Gauge

Netatmo introduced its Weather Station (US$179) to the world in 2012, providing an easy way for iPhone owners to track indoor and outdoor temperatures and air quality at their homes or offices. Since that time, a vast number of users have enjoyed the ease of use of the free iOS app and the ability to see what's going on weather-wise not only in and around their own homes, but across the world through shared data. While I've used the Netatmo Weather Station for almost two years and have been impressed with how it just chugs along sending out data, I've regretted not having the ability to know how much precipitation has fallen at my home. The company has just released a new accessory for the Weather Station -- a $79 Rain Gauge that works with the base station to add precipitation measurement to the mix.

Specifications

• Dimensions: Funnel diameter: 5.0 in (12.7 cm), base diameter 3.5 in (8.89 cm), height 4.5 in (11.43 cm)


• Weight: 7.3 oz (206.95 gms)


• Type of rain gauge: tipping bucket


• Measuring range: .2 mm/hr to 900 mm/hr (.0078 inches/hr to 35.43 inches/hr)


• Accuracy: 1 mm/hr (.0394 inches/hr)


• Max. distance between base station and rain gauge: 100 m (328 feet)


• Power: Two AAA batteries (included)

Design Highlights

Netatmo's Weather Station is very stylish, with the interior base station being a sleek aluminum cylinder that does all of its work without being obtrusive. Likewise, the Rain Gauge is very attractive and would not be out of place on a patio or veranda.

On the bottom of the Rain Gauge is a common tripod screw mount, which means that it can be placed atop a number of widely available mounting options. For my tests, I just put the device on the ground -- not the best location, but it was for a temporary test.

The actual rain gauge is located within the body of the device under the funnel area. It uses a very common type of gauge called a "tipping bucket" -- there is a seesaw-like mechanism with two tiny buckets, one on each side of a counter. When a bucket fills with rain, it tips and empties itself while the other fills up. The back and forth motion of the mechanism is counted, which provides a highly accurate measure of just how much rain has fallen.

Functionality Highlights

The Rain Gauge was quite easy to add to the Netatmo Weather Station network, even without instructions (this was a pre-release unit). The process simply required pressing the top of the base station until the seldom-seen LED on the front of the unit glowed blue, at which point it restarted and added the gauge.

Once the Rain Gauge was added to the system, it was just a matter of waiting for rain. Here in dry Colorado, I was concerned that I might have to wait weeks until I'd be able to send the unit back to Netatmo, but fortunately we received a nice downpour last night that started at about 6 PM and dumped rain on and off for about four hours.

I own and operate a "professional" weather station, so I was able to make a comparison of the readings I got from both stations. Sure enough, both stations showed the rain starting and ending at about the same time. Looking at the hourly precipitation totals in the Netatmo app showed .06 inches in the first hour, .12 inches in the second hour, .09 inches in the third hour, and .13 inches in the fourth hour for a total of .40 inches. My other station showed .09 inches in the first hour, .15 inches in the second hour, .12 inches in the third hour, and .13 inches in the fourth hour for a total of .49 inches.

Upon retrieving the Netatmo Rain Gauge this morning I found out why it didn't measure as much precipitation as the other station -- it was located near some trees that are currently budding out and the funnel had a lot of "tree debris" that was blocking it. For the most part, though, I felt that the Netatmo gauge worked well and accurately measured as much of the rain as it could.

Conclusion

The Rain Gauge is a welcome addition to the Netatmo Weather Station ecosystem and adds another data point to any personal weather records you may wish to keep. Especially in drier climates, knowing exactly how much precipitation you received at your location can help save water used in keeping lawns and gardens thriving, and you'll always have that information on your iPhone with the Netatmo app. While the Rain Gauge is more pricy than a standard manual rain gauge, just think of it this way -- you don't have to empty the Netatmo Rain Gauge once a day.

Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible

Today in the App Store -- the best free apps, new apps and app updates

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

Flowpaper [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $0.99] Flowpaper is an interactive drawing tool that lets you make beautiful flowing paintings using your finger tip.

Video Touch - Musical Instruments [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $1.99] Great 48 videos to entertain and educate your child!

Moves [iPhone; Now free, down from $2.99] Moves automatically tracks your everyday exercise, commuting and time spent in important places.

Nightfall [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $0.99] The sun has retreated from the earth, a week ago it shone its last, and now chaos has begun.

aTimeLogger 2 [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $2.99] Application for tracking your everyday activities. Spending only a few minutes a day on this app you will get daily, weekly and monthly statistics in the form of diagrams and graphs.

tempoTeacher [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $2.99] TempoTeacher has all of the features you'd expect from a traditional metronome and adds the missing piece: clear, real-time feedback to help you improve.

MocaDeco - Visual Creator [iPhone; Now free, down from $1.99] Create beautiful visuals that make people take notice!

BoneBox™ - Hand [OS X; Now free, down from $1.99] The BoneBox™ - Hand is a real-time 3D medical education and patient communication tool, featuring incredibly detailed anatomical models of the bones of the human hand.

New and Notable Apps

Sell on Etsy [iPhone; Free] Take your Etsy shop to new places with Sell on Etsy, our iPhone app built just for sellers!

Dance Machine [iOS Universal; Free] Turn any video into a dance video!

Third Eye Crime [iOS Universal; $2.99] Third Eye Crime is a stealth puzzle game featuring Rothko, a smooth-talking criminal who can telepathically predict where enemies will move to attempt to thwart his heists.

Horde of Heroes [iOS Universal; Free] Hordes of Heroes is a Free To Play Match-3 RPG placing the player in the role of a medieval Hero whose quest is to set out and save the kingdom from evil doers, ne'er-do-wells and generally unsavory characters.

Updates you don't want to miss

Squarespace Metrics [iOS Universal; Free] Squarespace Metrics is a quick, easy and beautiful way for Squarespace customers to monitor key performance indicators for their sites and connected social accounts, all from their iOS device. Version 1.1.0 brings the following changes:

• Support for iPad with Auto play and Multi-column layouts.


• Stability improvements.

Duolingo - Learn Languages for Free [iOS Universal; Free] Learn Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, and English. Totally fun. Totally free. Version 4.0 brings the following changes:

• Winning. You can now strengthen your skills by challenging your friends or other learners around the world to a Duel.


• Feng Shui. A new navigation bar, fancy course selectors with national monuments, and cleaner design put the app in harmony with the stars.


• Nerdy. The new lesson end screens are packed with more stats that will keep you coming back for more.


• Worldwide, like Pitbull. We've added English courses for Chinese, Japanese and Hindi speakers, as well as German for Russian speakers and French for German speakers.

eBay [iPhone; Free] Tap into the world's largest marketplace with the Official eBay for iPhone app! Version 3.3.0 brings the following changes:

• Updated Home page includes Watched items, Feed and eBay Deals!


• Larger photos on search and item pages


• Product reviews now included for many items in the eBay catalog


• You can now attach photos to messages


• Selling support added for Austria and Netherlands


• Save your in-store pick up order details to iPhone's Passbook


• Brazilian Portuguese language support


• Speed improvements and Bug fixes

eBay for iPad [iPad; Free] The eBay for iPad app lets you sell, search, bid, buy, browse, and pay in an interface optimized for the iPad. Version 3.3.0 brings the following changes:

• Buy Online and Pickup Locally


• Speed and Stability Improvements


• More Search Results


• AirDrop Sharing


• Improved Shipment Tracking

The Weather Channel App [iPhone; Free] Enjoy the best day possible with the most accurate forecast available. Version 6.0.0 brings the following changes:

• Introducing our beautiful new scroll down iOS 7 redesign.


• Social Weather-Share your weather conditions with us!


• Radar maps-Faster than ever


• Design-Beautiful and easy to use. Perfectly aligned to the iOS7 aesthetic.


• Improved navigation


• App Icon

Tim Cook calls mobile payments an "interesting area" in new WSJ interview

In the wake of Apple's stellar earnings report, CEO Tim Cook sat down for a brief interview with the Wall Street Journal. Echoing a sentiment he put forth during the company's earnings conference call, Cook explained Apple's underlying goal is to release the best products as opposed to rushing products to market as quickly as possible.

"To do things really well, it takes time," Cook explained. "You can see a lot of products that have been brought to market where the thinking isn't really deep and, as a consequence, these things don't do very well."

While Cook of course didn't spill the beans as to any upcoming products or services, he did reference the fact that Apple has nearly 800 million consumer credit cards on file and that mobile payments is an "interesting area."

I think it's a really interesting area. We have almost 800 million iTunes accounts and the majority of those have credit cards behind them. We already have people using Touch ID to buy things across our store, so it's an area of interest to us. And it's an area where nobody has figured it out yet. I realize that there are some companies playing in it, but you still have a wallet in your back pocket and I do too which probably means it hasn't been figured out just yet.

And lest anyone think that Cook is just casually discussing areas he finds somewhat interesting, note that this isn't the first time Cook has brought up mobile payments. In fact, during Apple's last earnings conference call, Cook flat out said that Apple finds mobile payments "intriguing" and that "it was one of the thoughts behind Touch ID."

While no Apple product or service is ever a sure thing until an Apple executive takes the stage and announces it, it's worth highlighting a recent report from Re/Code which claims that Apple in recent weeks has been interviewing experienced executives from the payments industry.

The company has been meeting with potential applicants for two new positions at Apple focused exclusively on building a business around the hundreds of millions of credit cards it already has on file. Apple is seeking to fill head of product and head of business development positions...

Lastly, Cook had this to say about Apple's upcoming product line: "I feel great about what we've got coming. Really great and it's closer than it's ever been."

Apple tops JD Power smartphone satisfaction and other news for April 24, 2014

Former Apple engineer Francisco Tolmasky has shared some very interesting stories about the development of mobile Safari and other software features of the new iPhone. Including Steve Jobs' insistence that it be "like magic." Meanwhile, Apple's stock split and customer satisfaction wrap up today's news roundup.

• Surprise! Apple has topped another JD Power satisfaction rating. This time, its US smartphone owners who voted the Cutpertino company as their favorite. The survey examined performance, physical design, features, and ease of use.


• A former Apple engineer shares his story of creating mobile Safari. It's a very interesting look behind the curtain during the development of the first iPhone. For example, the software keyboard resulted from "a kind of hackathon run by Jobs," during which everyone on the software team was to work on keyboards only for one week.


• iMore has taken a look at Apple's recent stock split. Take a look if you've got questions.

Lunch with Tim Cook up for auction

Have a couple of hundred grand burning a hole in your pocket? Want to ask Tim Cook some burning questions about the iWatch or Apple HDTV? Now's your chance! CharityBuzz and The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights announced the 8th Annual RFK Center Spring Online Auction, with lunch with Tim at Caffè Macs on the slate of celebrity experiences up for grabs. Bids for the one-on-one lunch meeting started at US$10,000; the experience is valued at $100,000.

Last year, a coffee meeting with Cook raised $610,000 for the RFK Center. This year you'll be able to dine on oysters, crab-crusted red snapper, vegetarian curry, pizza, or anything else you want, all while annoying Apple's CEO with your insistent questions about "future products."

As of publication time, the only bidder was Scot Wingo, CEO of Channel Advisor. Surely someone would be willing to give me $350,000 or so, and I'll ask Tim your question for you... You have just under ten days to make your bid on lunch with Tim.

Photo of Caffè Macs by Yelp user Jing Y.

Daily Deals for April 24, 2014, featuring RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum

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. Don't forget to check out our "Today in the App Store" post that singles out today's best free apps, new apps, and app updates in the iOS App Store.

TUAW's Daily Deals

Ride On With RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum [On sale for $4.99, down from $30]

Who doesn't love to let their imagination run wild every once and awhile? This platinum version will give you the tools you need to build coaster filled amusement parks, water rides that'll never end, and the ultimate 'safari' style parks that'll cover all of your theme park dreams. Ride your rides, build your concessions, and let your creativity run free to create the theme park of your dreams.

Plus, the game is redeemable through Steam, a super easy gaming platform where you can keep all your games in check.

Save up to 83% on RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum at TUAW Deals.

Ten Premium WordPress Themes To Showcase & Sell Your Work [On sale for $49, down from $149]

Graph Paper Press designs minimalist WordPress themes and E-Commerce solutions for visual artists to display and sell their work.

If you are a photographer, videographer, artist, designer or entrepreneur who relies on showcasing your work then these beautiful themes are exactly what your looking for.

These themes are sought by creatives because they emphasize content, connecting their visitors directly with the product of their creativity, allowing you to sell and showcase your favorite creative masterpieces.

In addition to these 10 amazing themes, you will get three bonus plug-ins that will allow you to sell, license and protect images, videos, audio files and pdf's so you can monetize and promote your WordPress site.

Save 67% on Ten Premium WordPress Themes at TUAW Deals.

Deals from Dealnews

• StackSocial: [Mac Software] Mac Bundle 5.0 3-App Bundle for Mac downloads for $1, 10 apps for $8


• Other World Computing: [Computer Accessories] OWC Garage Sale: Discounts on RAM, accessories, computers, more


• GameFly: [PC Games] Build your own PC & Mac game bundles at GameFly: 3 games for $15, more


• BuyDig: [TVs] Sony 65" Curved 1080p 3D LED LCD HDTV for $1,999 + free shipping


• Other World Computing: [Apple Computers] Used Macs at OWC from $485 + free shipping


• Verizon Broadband: [Computer Services] Verizon FiOS 50/25 w/ Local Channels, HBO or Showtime for $50/month


• Monoprice.com: [iPhone Accessories] Monoprice coupon: 20% off iPhone and iPod accessories


• MiniInTheBox.com: [Headphones] Stereo Bluetooth Neck-Band Headphones w/ Mic for $10 + free shipping


• 1Sale.com: [iPhone Accessories] XtremeMac BT Home Connect Bluetooth Audio Receiver for $12 + free shipping


• ExperCom: [MacBook Pro] Apple MacBook Pro Core i7 Quad 2GHz 15" Laptop for $1,078 + $12 s&h


• BuyDig: [Camera Lens] Refurb Nikon DSLR Lenses: 55-300mm VR for $205 + free shipping, more


• MacGameStore.com: [Mac Games] Rocksmith 2014 Edition for Mac downloads for $24

iOS Software Discounts

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  Audubon Guides Box Set - Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals [iOS Universal; On sale for $3.99, down from $14.99] Download this award winning four-in-one field guide app to discover all the flora and fauna in your backyard.

  
  


• 
  

  Weather Line - Accurate Forecast [iPhone; On sale for $1.99, down from $2.99] A simple weather forecast infographic.

  
  


• 
  

  Microtrip [iPhone; Now free, down from $0.99] Microtrip is a physics arcade game set inside the body of a strange creature. Its unique soft-body physics and the procedural generated levels make the game different and challenging every time you play.

  
  


• 
  

  Simple Transfer Pro [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $2.99] Simple Transfer Pro is the easiest way of transferring your Photos and Videos to computer and other iOS devices wirelessly. No need for cable, iTunes or extra softwares on your computer.

  
  


• 
  

  Dark Slash [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $0.99] A game burning your blood! Brandish your light saber and slash crowds of demons in this dark pixel world!

  
  


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  NoteSuite [iPad; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] NoteSuite helps you stay on top of everything that matters in one simple app. Easily take notes, manage to-dos, annotate documents, save web pages, and much more.

  
  


• 
  

  Stock Alerts Pro [iPhone; Now free, down from $1.99] tock Alerts Pro provides you with UNLIMITED stock price alerts in near real-time for all stocks traded on the NYSE and NASDAQ, and 15-minute delayed alerts for AMEX, OTC, pink sheets, Canadian and European Exchanges.

  
  


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  KitCamera. [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $0.99] Professional app for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod that will help you create unique high-quality photos and videos.

  
  


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  Principia [iOS Universal; On sale for $0.99, down from $3.99] Welcome to the world of Principia. Solve puzzles using the laws of physics.

  
  


• 
  

  Da Vinci's Art of War [iPad; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] Da Vinci's Art of War is a popular region-based board game where the ultimate goal is to dominate 16th century Europe.

  
  


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  iDisplay [iOS Universal; On sale for $1.99, down from $9.99] Turn your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch into additional display for your Mac or Windows computer.

  
  


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  1Password [iOS Universal; On sale for $8.99, down from $17.99] 1Password creates strong, unique passwords for every site, remembers them all for you, and logs you in with a single tap. It's the best way to stay secure and the fastest way to use the web.

  
  


• 
  

  IM+ Pro7 [iOS Universal; On sale for $0.99, down from $6.99] Chat on Skype, Facebook, Twitter DM and dozen of other IM services!

  
  


• 
  

  Horn™ [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $6.99] HORN is a 3rd person action adventure game - a completely unique experience where anyone can fully explore and enjoy a beautiful and engaging console-style world, all controllable by touch gestures. Apple's App of the Week.

  
  

OS X Software Discounts

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  Lonely Planet [OS X; On sale for $0.99, down from $3.99] Lonely Planet sets you off in a immersive zombie apocalypse where you are the last man alive and your only intentions are to survive.

  
  


• 
  

  Aquascapes (Premium) [OS X; On sale for $1.99, down from $6.99] Explore the incredible seek-and-find underwater world of Aquascapes!

  
  


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  1Password [OS X; On sale for $24.99, down from $49.99] 1Password creates strong, unique passwords for every site, remembers them all for you, and logs you in with a single tap. It's the best way to stay secure and the fastest way to use the web.

  
  


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  World Clock [OS X; Now free, down from $1.99] Simple and powerful world clock.

  
  


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  Sceenshots [OS X; Now free, down from $4.99] Take an individual screenshot of your desktop and every open window simultaneously with just one single press of a customizable global hotkey.

  
  


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  HD Cleaner [OS X; Now free, down from $2.99] Remove gigabytes from your hard drive in just one click. HD Cleaner helps you get rid of those useless files.

  
  

Note: All prices are USD and subject to change. Some deals may expire quickly. TUAW is not responsible for third-party deals and cannot guarantee availability or quality of any particular product at a specific price.

Opera Coast is ready to impress you... and then be forgotten

Do you remember Yahoo Axis? It was an iOS Web browser that it seemed as though everyone thought it was the second coming of the mobile Web. It was called "impressive," "surprisingly fresh," and "one of the best Web browsers," only to be unceremoniously killed off after everyone forgot about it. Well, get ready for round two, because Opera Coast is about to pull the exact same stunt.

This morning the blogosphere and social media are peppered with opinions that Coast has done something with mobile Web that has never been done before. The gimmick here is that Web pages are arranged on the Coast home screen as though they were apps. You can create these icons based on pages you visit often, but these eye-catching buttons are really nothing more than bookmarks in practice.

There's also no real URL bar, so don't expect to type in a link as you might on Safari or Chrome for iOS. Instead, there's a search feature that does its best to provide the results you're looking for. Type in "TUAW" and an icon with our site's logo pops up. Click it to travel to the site, which pops up in its own window. Recently visited sites are organized in a stack on the home screen, and sites can be scrolled through using touch gestures, as you might click through your various browser tabs.

In short it's more complex under the guise of simplicity. Instead of tabs you have pages, and instead of bookmarks you have icons. There's nothing here that makes it any better or worse than the existing crop of Web browsers on your iPhone, except for the fact that it's "new."

"Browsers have been the same way for 20 years and their conventions get in the way," reads the passive-aggressive App Store description for Opera Coast, and that much is true. Is there a better way to browse the Web than what we currently have? Perhaps, but Coast isn't it. It's simply the same Web in a slightly different wrapper.

If you feel like your web browser needs a wallpaper -- which is perhaps the one thing that Coast offers that hasn't been done before -- it might be your new favorite app. But for the vast majority who download it, the return to Safari or Chrome will be expeditious.

Play It On A Mac: Goat Simulator

In this weekly series I'll show you how to get your favorite Windows-exclusive PC games running on OS X. For more information on the programs used, check out the Play It On A Mac explainer. For suggestions and/or questions about any game, feel free to contact me on Twitter.

If you aren't excited for Goat Simulator, there's something wrong with you. The physics-experiment-turned-viral-hit was recently released on Steam to much acclaim and many laughs. It was a game that, as its developer admits, was never even meant to be a game, but that doesn't mean it's not a blast to play.

A Mac version is in the works, but there's no release date and you're probably tired of waiting, so here are your options for getting the barnyard animal simulator up and running on your trusty Mac.

CrossOver

Unfortunately, Goat Simulator is not officially or unofficially support on CrossOver. It has a status of "Known To Not Work" on the CrossOver compatibility list, with no ETA on a fix. It looks like we'll have to go an alternate route.

Parallels

After a quick Steam download and the usual first-time installation hiccups and almost-freezes, the game boots up just fine in Parallels 9. Despite being very simple in its approach, the game is pretty graphically demanding on the higher settings, so turn off things like dynamic shadows, light shafts, and motion blur, and turn the anti-aliasing off as well (it doesn't make a big difference anyway).

At full 1080p resolution I was able to get between 25 and 40 frames per second constantly, even as I destroyed cars and sent pedestrians running for the hills. If you're willing to cut down your resolution a bit, this gets better, but it's certainly playable at 30fps given the sandbox style gameplay.

When it comes to Parallels settings, I found that devoting between 50% and 60% of my available resources to the virtual machine produced the best results. Lower than that and the game suffers, but nothing over 60% provided a noticeable return.

Parallels 9 settings:

• CPUs: 4 (out of 8)


• Memory: 8GB (out of 16GB)


• Video memory: 1GB


• Performance: Faster Virtual Machine


• Power: Better Performance

Depending on your machine specs, this will differ, but this is a great starting point.

Boot Camp

Believe it or not, there's virtually zero benefit when booting directly into Windows this time around. I got the same 25fps to 40fps either way, and although the game seemed to load faster in between menus, the actual in-game performance was virtually identical.

You might prefer Boot Camp if you'd rather not mess with micromanaging your virtual machine settings in Parallels, but there's no real benefit.

Verdict

Get amped, barnyard brawlers, because Goat Simulator is 100% A-OK in both Parallels and Boot Camp! Even on my decidedly underpowered Mac, the game is a ton of fun, and you should have no problem getting the game up and running on anything with similar (or better) specs. I noticed virtually zero difference between Parallels and Boot Camp this time around, so either one should suit you well.

Introducing Play It On A Mac

I'm a gamer who doesn't like compromises. I have a gaming PC that runs Windows, but I also have a few Macs around my house as well, and the fact that most PC games found on Steam are Windows-exclusive is a huge bummer. Play it on a Mac is a new weekly series that will offer puzzled Mac gamers the answers they're looking for.

There are three main avenues to investigate when trying to get a Windows program running on OS X: Boot Camp, Parallels, and Crossover. Each method has its own nuances that can affect the performance of individual apps, and games are no different. Because of this, knowing whether or not a Windows-compatible game is even worth the trouble to install on your Mac is nearly impossible. So I'll test them all, and here's how.

The Machine

To offer the most realistic experience for the widest range of Mac users, the test system is modest in terms of power:

• Processor: 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7


• Memory: 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3


• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 (1GB)


• OS: OS X 10.9.2 & Windows 7 Professional


• Benchmarking: FRAPS

If I can get a game running with playable performance on this machine, there's a good chance it'll run on most Macs built within the last couple of years, and many more capable older machines as well.

CrossOver

CrossOver is the most lightweight solution for running Windows programs on OS X, allowing you to the applications in a more standalone manner than the alternatives. However, compatibility is a huge issue here, and whether an application (or game, in this case) is supported is a tossup. I'll give you the latest CrossOver details on each game I test.

You can download a free trial of CrossOver 13 and purchase the full program from the official website.

Parallels

Parallels installs a virtual machine on your Mac, effectively conjuring a Windows PC inside your Mac using what I can only assume is a combination of black magic and human sacrifices. Compatibility usually isn't an issue here, but the amount of resources you dedicate to your virtual machine can have a big impact on how a game responds. I'll help you hit the right balance.

You can download a free trial of Parallels 9 and purchase the full program from the official website.

Boot Camp

Boot Camp turns your Mac into a Windows computer using officially supported software. Boot Camp offers the most faithful Windows experience, but you need to boot straight into Windows and leave OS X temporarily behind. This can be a pain for multitaskers, and there's also the possibility that games perform no better here than in CrossOver or Parallels. I'll clear this up for each game I cover.

You can find out more about Boot Camp and view tutorials on Apple's Boot Camp page.

Verdict

Each article will wrap up with a verdict and the overall outcome, so you can decide whether any of the available options is worth your time and money.

If you have any suggestions for games to cover, questions about the process, or other input, feel free to nudge me directly on Twitter.

Tim Cook says Apple is "on the prowl"; acquired 18 companies in the last 24 months

During Apple's earnings conference call yesterday, an analyst pointed out that companies like Google and Amazon are increasingly diversifying their business while Apple doesn't seem to be following suit. The analyst subsequently asked about Apple's business philosophy and laser like focus given the company's vast cash reserves which might otherwise allow them to make some interesting acquisitions and content deals.

Cook answered, in part, that Apple was "on the prowl" and that they actually acquired 24 companies in the last 18 months alone.

From an acquisition point of view, we have done 24 in 18 months. That shows that we're on the prowl, I suppose you could say. We look for companies that have great people and great technology and that fit culturally. And we don't have a rule that says we can't spend a lot or whatever. We'll spend what we think is a fair price. What's important to us is that strategically it makes sense and that it winds up adding value to our shareholders over the long haul. We are not in a race to spend the most or acquire the most. We're in a race to make the worlds' best product that really enrich people's lives.

So, to the tune that acquisitions can help us do that and they've done that and continue to do that, then we will acquire it. And so you can bet that you will continue to see acquisitions and some of which we'll try to keep quiet and some of which seems to be impossible to keep quiet.

Indeed, the rate at which Apple is snatching up companies has accelerated in recent years. Whereas Apple acquired just 6 companies that we know of in 2011 and 2012 combined, the company in 2013 alone acquired 15. Some of these acquisitions include PrimeSense, Passif Semiconductor, WiFiSlam, Nouvauris Technologies, and a slew of mapping apps.

In a previous earnings conference call, Cook said that Apple isn't afraid to pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal (read: in the billions) if the numbers and strategic fit were appropriate.

Mac 101: Use this tip to easily map a contact's address in OS X Mavericks

Traveling to a friend's new house and not exactly sure how to get there? if their new address is in your Contacts, then you can quickly and easily pull up a map to see where they live. Once you have Maps open, driving directions are just few clicks away.

To Map a contact's address, just open the Contacts app in OS X and select the name of the contact you wish to map. If you added an address to the contact, it should appear below their phone number, email and home page information. Just hover your mouse cursor over the address and you should see a link for "Show Map" appear on the right side of the address.

Just click that link and address will open in Apple Maps. The address will be highlighted by a pin, which you can use to view additional information about that location. Just click on the pin and then click on the "i" button to open a dialog that allows you to add that address to your bookmarks or get driving directions to that location.

You can read more about syncing Maps bookmarks between your iOS and OS X device in an earlier Mac 101 or watch a handy video tip that shows you how to send driving directions directly to your iPhone.

Tidbits you might have missed from Apple's earnings call

While the big focus of Apple's Q2 earnings call was the stock split and dividend increase, a number of other interesting tidbits were announced during the call. A few of them, culled from our liveblog of the call, include:

• More than 20 million Apple TVs have been sold, netting a business that's worth more than $1 billion. It's no longer considered a hobby.


• Apple made $19 billion in revenue for the first half of 2014 in China. 85% of those who bought the iPhone 4S were first-time iPhone buyers.


• Apple has acquired 24 companies recently.


• Tim Cook feels that Microsoft should had released Office for the iPad earlier. A delay allowed competitors to muscle in on the market.


• Apple is no longer just an "American" company. Two-thirds of the company's revenues during the quarter came from countries other than the US.

Rumor Roundup: Another unannounced Apple product 'delayed'

Apple trademark update suggests company may enter jewelry business, hinting at rumored 'iWatch' (AppleInsider)

Apple first applied for the iWatch trademark last year. Then, as now, this trademark application is not proof that Apple intends to launch a device with that name. It could just as easily be a defensive measure preventing some shameless copycat from launching a product with that name.

Leonardo DiCaprio may take lead role in Steve Jobs biopic with Danny Boyle at the helm (AppleInsider)

Cool, the rumor blogs are expanding into new territory now. Not content with poorly-sourced rumors about Apple technology, we're now subjected to even more poorly-sourced rumors about Apple films.

Honestly, I don't see DiCaprio as being suitable to playing Jobs. On the other hand, it wouldn't be difficult for him to outdo Ashton Kutcher.

Taiwanese media claims 5.5inch iPhone 6 to be very thin, special battery components causing delays (9to5 Mac)

The inevitable has happened... some Asian publication has come out with a claim that an unannounced Apple product is "delayed" because of some technological hiccup. The only thing about this report that's out of the ordinary is the fact that Digitimes isn't the source; they're usually the ones projecting doom and gloom for Apple product timelines.

Unannounced products which are unconfirmed to even exist cannot, by definition, be "delayed." Get real.

Apple and Nike reportedly developing a 'smart band' with gesture controls (BGR)

This is according to "sources familiar with Apple's plans." Of course, ever since news came out that Nike axed its entire Fuelband division, speculation has run wild that the "iWatch" was the real reason, so these "sources familiar with Apple's plans" could very easily be some total randos spitballing their pet theory.

iWatch May Ultimately Replace iPod, No iPod Updates Expected in 2014 (MacRumors)

Some analyst claims the iWatch "will essentially replace the iPod." This is apparently newsworthy for the singular reason that some analyst said it. We've never heard of this analyst before, or the financial group he represents, and his "report" is pretty much a total guess.

But it's still worth spreading around, because he's an analyst, you guys. Analysts don't get paid to just spread any old BS around. They totally know what they're talking about. They're never wrong.

On Opposites Day.

Rumor: Apple taps Catcher for metal casings on next-gen 'iPhone 6' (AppleInsider)

Another pair of analysts claim to have inside knowledge of next-gen Apple hardware. It's seriously not even worth expending calories tapping more keys than necessary to refute this nonsense, so I'll just leave it at this: analysts have no (expletive deleted) clue what they're talking about. Ever.

iOS 7.1 code indicates Apple working on Siri for Apple TV (9to5 Mac)

Unlike the typical nonsense rumors, these "we found code snippets in iOS code" rumors pan out more often than not. That's not to say they always pan out, but the track record for these is definitely way higher than typical rumors.

Rumor: Apple's 'iPhone 6' may sport curved edges, display glass (AppleInsider)

This is the third year in a row someone has claimed the iPhone will have curved edges and glass. Guess what? We'll probably be hearing the same thing again next year.

Daily App: Dance Machine turns your videos into funky dance moves

Dance Machine-The Fun Editor is a new app that lets you take a video clip and turn it into a dance video in just a few minutes. The app falls into photo & video category, but when you pair the right video with some upbeat music, there is a healthy dose of entertainment built right into the app.

When it launches, Dance Machine prompts you to import a video from your Camera Roll. Once you select a video to import, you can select a section of it for your dance clip. The app applies a reverse filter, allowing you to pick a motion that will be repeated in time with the music. You can add multiple video clips if you wish to create a longer compilation.

Once you haven chosen your slice of video, you then can add music from the apps built-in library or from your own music library. Using your own music is a paid option that requires an in-app purchase of US$1.99. The app ships with six music tracks that span a variety of music categories. You also can change the speed of the video and the number of repetitions you wish to include. You can preview the video and either ho back into the editor to make tweaks or save the clip for sharing.

The dance video is automatically saved to your Camera Roll and you also can share it via Message, email, Facebook or Vimeo. Dance Machine is free and watermarks each video you compile, but you can remove the watermark via a $1.99 in-app purchase. This purchase also unlocks your iTunes music library and allows you to import your own music for your dance video clips.

Dance Machine is a quick and easy way to add music to your video, and you can produce some fun results. The over experience is positive, but there are a few features that could use some polishing. Selecting the correct start and end points of a video is a challenge as the controls don't zoom into the clip like they do when you trim video in iOS. You'd be better off editing the clip in iOS and then importing into the Dance Machine app. Also, I could not trim the audio to select my favorite section and was forced to use the song from its opening notes.

Dance Machine-The Fun Editor is available for free from the iOS App Store.

Kindle for iOS finally gets X-Ray Smart Look-Up

Amazon's Kindle app is a wonderful alternative to Apple's iBookstore, and its latest update has introduced two incredibly useful new features. The most basic improvement is quick access to a book's table of contents in the app's left-hand navigation area. Simply swipe left to find it, complete with chapter headings and page numbers, and easily jump to the text you want.

The most exciting improvement to the app is the introduction of Amazon's X-Ray Smart Look-Up. Anyone who has used the feature on a personal Kindle can vouch that it is indispensable for research, note taking, or building connections in a book. X-Ray allows you to search names and keywords throughout an entire text without leaving the page you're currently reading.

X-Ray then provides context for your search query in a notecard that appears on the screen or allows you to zoom through each usage of a phrase in the book.

This feature is especially useful for students who need to quickly look through a long novel or historical text for writing papers, but it has casual applications as well. Tackling a complicated title like Roberto Bolaño's 2666 or Tolstoy's War and Peace is significantly less daunting when you can easily look back for reference.

If you've been using the Kindle app for your iPad or iPhone, make sure you update. These features may surprise you with just how useful they are. You can download Kindle for iOS for free in the App Store.

The TUAW Daily Update Podcast for April 23, 2014

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get some the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the player at the top of the page. The Daily Update has been moved to a new podcast host in the past few days. Current listeners should delete the old podcast subscription and subscribe to the new feed in the iTunes Store here.

Samsung is stealing away iPhone owners, but that's only half the story

With the release of Samsung's Galaxy S5, there is bound to be a whole lot of people upgrading their current devices to the new Android flagship. CNET recently ran a story on the number of iPhone owners switching teams for the Galaxy S5, citing stats from UK trade-in site CompareMyMobile. According to the company's data, which tracks upgrade intent while providing trade-in quotes for customers, almost 38% of people upgrading to the Galaxy S5 are current iPhone owners.

If this were the whole story, it would be bad news for Apple, but it's not. It's really only half the story. I contacted CompareMyMobile to get the other half, and the full data set offers a much clearer picture.

For starters, Apple users aren't the only ones looking for a change; Out of all Samsung device owners looking to upgrade, 29.32% are doing so for an Apple device. That leaves a much slimmer percentage in the green for Samsung.

But that's not all. There's another important stat to consider, and that is overall churn. According to the company, the most traded-in brand is -- surprise! -- also Samsung, with 40.44% of trade-ins coming from Samsung owners. Apple follows with 26.16.

So while the percentage of Apple users seeking out Samsung's new flagship phone may appear high on its own, the number of Samsung owners jumping ship for Apple -- which, remember, is a much higher percentage than iPhone users -- is higher still.

It's also important to remember that these numbers pitch and sway like waves in a hurricane, and when the next generation of iPhone debuts it's certain to bring iPhone trade-in numbers up substantially once again. But for anyone thinking that the Galaxy S5 is somehow the oft-whispered iPhone killer, it's important to get a glimpse of the bigger picture.

Jimi: A brilliant little innovation for iMac owners

The late great rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix was an innovator, doing things with amplifier feedback that had never been done before and changing the sound of rock music forever. Now design firm Bluelounge has given Jimi's name to a nifty little innovation that makes life easier for owners of the newer slim unibody iMacs. While it won't have as lasting an impact on history of the world as Jimi Hendrix's music did, the Jimi USB Port Extension (US$14.95) at least gives iMac users something to be thankful for every time they want to plug in a USB cable.

Jimi is cleverly designed to transition the vertical USB port on the back of the iMac to a horizontal USB port that pokes out from the bottom of your computer. Rather than blindly fumbling around trying to plug something into a port on the iMac, it's right at your fingertips at the bottom of the display. Jimi is unobtrusive and works on all four USB 3.0 ports on the 21.5" iMac slim unibody and the three leftmost (as viewed from the back of the computer) USB 3.0 ports on the 27" iMac slim unibody.

There's really not much more to be said about this little J-shaped port extender, other than if you have one of the late 2012 or newer iMacs, you need to buy at least one Jimi. The first time that you use it and don't have to grope the back of your iMac trying to find a port, you'll thank me.

Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible

Apple announces 7-1 stock split, dividend increase, and expanded captial return program

Apple today released its earnings for the second fiscal quarter of 2014, posting revenue of $45.6 billion and EPS of 11.62 in the process. Overall, iPhone sales came in stronger than expected while iPad sales came in weaker than expected.

Alongside its earnings report, Apple today also announced a 7-1 stock split for shareholders who own Apple shares as of the close of business on June 2, 2014. Apple's new split-adjusted share price will begin trading on June 9, 2014.

Over and above that, Apple today also announced an increase to its quarterly dividend by 8% to $3.29 per share. Naturally, Apple also expressed plans to expand he scope of its capital return program to over $130 billion, with the majority of those funds set to be used for repurchasing shares.

To assist in funding the program, the Company expects to access the public debt markets during 2014, both domestically and internationally, for an amount of term debt similar to what the Company raised during 2013. The management team and the Board of Directors will continue to review each element of the capital return program regularly.

"We are announcing a significant increase to our capital return program," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We're confident in Apple's future and see tremendous value in Apple's stock, so we're continuing to allocate the majority of our program to share repurchases. We're also happy to be increasing our dividend for the second time in less than two years."

In after-hours trading, shares of Apple are now up nearly 40 points.

Apple Q2 2014 Earnings Call liveblog

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Apple Q2 2014 earnings results

The results are in: Apple just announced its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2014 (ending March 31, 2014) and here are the highlights.

Apple posted quarterly revenue of $45.6 billion and quarterly net profit of $10.2 billion. That works out to an EPS of $11.62 per diluted share. Last year's results for the same quarter were $43.6 billion with net profit of $9.5 billion, or $10.09 per diluted share.

Gross margin for the quarter was 39.3 percent, up from 37.5 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales were responsible for 66 percent of the quarter's revenue.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was quoted as saying "We're very proud of our quarterly results, especially our strong iPhone sales and record revenue from services. We're eagerly looking forward to introducing more new products and services that only Apple could bring to market."

Be sure to join us at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT for our liveblog of the Apple Q2 2014 earnings call. Photo from Getty Images

Today in the App Store -- the best free apps, new apps and app updates

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

Microtrip [iPhone; Now free, down from $0.99] Microtrip is a physics arcade game set inside the body of a strange creature. Its unique soft-body physics and the procedural generated levels make the game different and challenging every time you play.

Simple Transfer Pro [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $2.99] Simple Transfer Pro is the easiest way of transferring your Photos and Videos to computer and other iOS devices wirelessly. No need for cable, iTunes or extra softwares on your computer.

Dark Slash [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $0.99] A game burning your blood! Brandish your light saber and slash crowds of demons in this dark pixel world!

Atlas by Collins™ [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $1.99] See the world in context with Atlas by Collins™ through nine themed globes.

Food Fight iOS [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $0.99] In Food Fight iOS players recruit fighting entrees and side dishes to build a battling meal for the ultimate food fight.

New and Notable Apps

birdStepper [iPad; $4.99] Tired of the same old sounds? Yeah, us too - so we created birdStepper for iPad. birdStepper provides you endless new musical possibilities by making time-synced effect automation fast and simple.

Locko [OS X; Now free, down from $9.99] Locko is a beautiful and easy-to-use password manager and file vault.

Updates you don't want to miss

Storehouse [iPad; Free] Combine photos, videos, and text to meaningfully document your experiences. Publish your stories for friends and followers, or share them by email, Facebook, or Twitter. Version 1.3 brings the following changes:

• Create Conversations: Comment on stories you enjoy, and get to know other members of the community. Tap the comment icon to view and participate in conversations.


• Find Friends: Find and follow people you know from Facebook and Twitter. Go to Search to connect your accounts and see friends.


• Fixed a bug with incorrectly rotated images


• Other bug fixes and UI enhancements

Plague Inc. [iOS Universal; $0.99] Can you infect the world? Plague Inc. is a unique mix of high strategy and terrifyingly realistic simulation. Version 1.8 brings the following changes:

• "Mega-Brutal" difficulty


• Mega new Cheat Modes – 3 new cheat modes are added which will all give you very different Plague Inc. experiences.


• Use cheats on any plague type (and even combine different cheat modes!)


• New Scenarios – 4 new scenarios give players brand new challenges from infecting the world with a 30,000 year old virus through to surviving in a world with artificial organs


• New events and achievements


• Performance improvements for all devices


• Minor game balance / AI improvements / bug fix

The sexiest Mac desk you'll ever see... from 1988

Everyone takes photos of their Mac desks these days, but rarely do we get a glimpse at setups from yesteryear. Ned Raggett was ahead of the game in 1988, snapping a photo of his computer desk way before it was the cool thing to do.

His describes the setup as follows: "Let's see, dot-matrix printer on the left, my Mac 512K enhanced with the Kensington add-ons here and there (yes, including the little mouse pocket), extra disk drive on the right along with the disk holder itself, mouse pad...well well well. "

In 1988, this was a respectable rig, and that rather ornate table is the perfect place for it all to sit. Great stuff.

[Photo credit: Ned Raggett]

No TUAW TV today; Join us at 5 PM ET for Apple Q2 2014 earnings call liveblog

Time flies when you're having fun. It seems like it was only yesterday that we were sitting down to report Apple's first quarter results for the 2014 fiscal year. Today at 5 PM ET, TUAW TV Live will be pre-empted for the second quarter earnings call, and we'll be here to report the news for you as it comes in.

The festivities usually start around 4:30 PM ET when Apple publishes the quarterly figures. At 5 PM, the call starts, usually with Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer at the helm. I would expect to hear Apple corporate controller Luca Maestri on the call as well; Maestri will be stepping in to replace the retiring Oppenheimer this fall.

To view the liveblog, point your browser to this page -- and that's all you need to do. There's no need to refresh your browser, as the liveblog will automatically update with images and commentary. Just sit back with your favorite beverage as the reports of iPhone, iPad and Mac sales figures roll in, and we listen to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster once again try (unsuccessfully) to get the Apple executives to spill the beans about the mythical iTV.

You can listen in on the call livestream here. Note that the livestream is usually delayed slightly, so you may see us writing about something prior to hearing it on the call.

TUAW TV Live will be back on the air next week at its usual time.

This stunning iPhone amplifier is as fragile as it is gorgeous

We all know the old "toss your iPhone in a mug" trick to making your smartphone's speaker output a bit more beefy, but if you're willing to spend some serious coin, Aric Snee might have what you're looking for. The talented designer has crafted an all-glass iPhone amplifier that not only gives your music some added oomph, but looks great doing it.

The freestanding, dual-sided work of art is handmade using traditional glass blowing techniques to create a seamless look. It's rather large, and certainly not something you'd want to put on a table where your cats might knock it off, but if you have a safe spot for it, it would definitely fit in with just about any decor.

You can order it directly from Snee's online shop, but as I mentioned above, it's not easy on the wallet: You'll have to shell out a cool US$325 for the privilege of putting this beauty on your counter.

Daily Deals for April 23, 2014, featuring the Name Your Own Price Mac Bundle 5.0

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. Don't forget to check out our "Today in the App Store" post that singles out today's best free apps, new apps, and app updates in the iOS App Store.

TUAW's Daily Deals

The Name Your Own Price Mac Bundle 5.0 [Name Your Own Price]

9 Mac Apps You'll Love. Name Your Own Price.

We've partnered with 9 of the world's finest Mac App developers to bring you the fifth-ever NYOP Mac Bundle. You pay what you want for MacX Mobile Video Converter, PDF Converter Pro, and the "Projects In iOS" E-Learning Course and if you pay more than the average price, you'll receive all the apps in the bundle.

Support Non-Profits Making a Global Impact.

We've chosen three charities, Child's Play, World Wildlife Fund, and Creative Commons, that we believe make a significant positive impact across the globe. 10% of your entire purchase will go to help one of three charities of your choice.

A Chance to Win a MacBook Air.

If you pay enough to make the leaderboard at any time during the promotion, you will automatically be entered to win a new 11inch MacBook Air. The winner will be chosen 2 weeks after the bundle ends.

Save on the Name Your Own Price Mac Bundle 5.0 at TUAW Deals.

Deals from Dealnews

• Other World Computing: [Computer Accessories] OWC Garage Sale: Discounts on RAM, accessories, computers, more


• Crutchfield: [Home Theater Systems] Denon 400W 5.1 3D Home Theater Receiver w/ Airplay for $290 + free shipping


• GameFly: [PC Games] Build your own PC & Mac game bundles at GameFly: 3 games for $15, more


• Other World Computing: [Apple Computers] Used Macs at OWC from $299 + free shipping


• Verizon Broadband: [Computer Services] Verizon FiOS 50/25 w/ Local Channels, HBO or Showtime for $50/month


• Monoprice.com: [iPhone Accessories] Monoprice coupon: 20% off iPhone and iPod accessories


• ExperCom: [MacBook Pro] Apple MacBook Pro Core i7 Quad 2GHz 15" Laptop for $1,078 + $12 s&h


• Best Buy: [TVs] Panasonic 50" 120Hz 1080p WiFi LED LCD Smart TV for $700 + free shipping


• BuyDig: [Camera Lens] Refurb Nikon DSLR Lenses: 55-300mm VR for $205 + free shipping, more


• eBay: [USB Hard Drives] Seagate 3TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive for $90 + free shipping


• Paydeals.com: [Tablet Accessories] Stylus Pens at Paydeals: Deals from $3 + free shipping


• GamersGate: [PC Games] GamersGate Spring Sale: Up to 75% off games, DLC, deals from 68 cents

iOS Software Discounts

• 
  

  SharpScan Pro + OCR [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $4.99] Turn your iPhone into a jet Fast multi-page document scanner with SharpScan!

  
  


• 
  

  Stock Alerts Pro [iPhone; Now free, down from $1.99] tock Alerts Pro provides you with UNLIMITED stock price alerts in near real-time for all stocks traded on the NYSE and NASDAQ, and 15-minute delayed alerts for AMEX, OTC, pink sheets, Canadian and European Exchanges.

  
  


• 
  

  KitCamera. [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $0.99] Professional app for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod that will help you create unique high-quality photos and videos.

  
  


• 
  

  Principia [iOS Universal; On sale for $0.99, down from $3.99] Welcome to the world of Principia. Solve puzzles using the laws of physics.

  
  


• 
  

  Da Vinci's Art of War [iPad; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] Da Vinci's Art of War is a popular region-based board game where the ultimate goal is to dominate 16th century Europe.

  
  


• 
  

  iDisplay [iOS Universal; On sale for $1.99, down from $9.99] Turn your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch into additional display for your Mac or Windows computer.

  
  


• 
  

  1Password [iOS Universal; On sale for $8.99, down from $17.99] 1Password creates strong, unique passwords for every site, remembers them all for you, and logs you in with a single tap. It's the best way to stay secure and the fastest way to use the web.

  
  


• 
  

  IM+ Pro7 [iOS Universal; On sale for $0.99, down from $6.99] Chat on Skype, Facebook, Twitter DM and dozen of other IM services!

  
  


• 
  

  Solutionist [iPhone; Now free, down from $2.99] Solutionist is a simple, yet sophisticated app that allows you to save a formula or a sequence of formulae and create calculation templates.

  
  


• 
  

  Outread – Speed Reading [iOS Universal; On sale for $2.99, down from $4.99] Outread improves reading effectiveness by guiding eyes through text with a regularly moving highlighter.

  
  


• 
  

  Beyond Space [iOS Universal; On sale for $0.99, down from $2.99]Beyond Space is a cutting-edge 3D space shooter game that immerses players in the darkest plots in a similar vein to the best Space Operas.

  
  


• 
  

  Horn™ [iOS Universal; Now free, down from $6.99] HORN is a 3rd person action adventure game - a completely unique experience where anyone can fully explore and enjoy a beautiful and engaging console-style world, all controllable by touch gestures. Apple's App of the Week.

  
  

OS X Software Discounts

• 
  

  1Password [OS X; On sale for $24.99, down from $49.99] 1Password creates strong, unique passwords for every site, remembers them all for you, and logs you in with a single tap. It's the best way to stay secure and the fastest way to use the web.

  
  


• 
  

  World Clock [OS X; Now free, down from $1.99] Simple and powerful world clock.

  
  


• 
  

  Two Dollar Tuesday [OS X; Category: Various; $1.99] Two Dollar Tuesday is offering three OS X apps for $1.99 each. Titles include Lily View, Animix and CommandClip.

  
  


• 
  

  Sceenshots [OS X; Now free, down from $4.99] Take an individual screenshot of your desktop and every open window simultaneously with just one single press of a customizable global hotkey.

  
  


• 
  

  HD Cleaner [OS X; Now free, down from $2.99] Remove gigabytes from your hard drive in just one click. HD Cleaner helps you get rid of those useless files.

  
  

Note: All prices are USD and subject to change. Some deals may expire quickly. TUAW is not responsible for third-party deals and cannot guarantee availability or quality of any particular product at a specific price.

Crowdfunding Roundup: Glowing cubes, feeling skins, and pluggy locks

Every week, TUAW provides readers with an update on what new or significant crowdfunded Apple-related projects are in the news. While our policy is to not go into detail on items that haven't reached at least 80 percent of their funding goal, this update is designed to give readers a heads-up on projects they might find interesting enough to back.

From Kickstarter

• Remember the ORB? It was one of the first "connected devices" back in the early 2000s, and it would light up in a variety of colors to let you know what was up. Now Golden, CO-based Advanced Lumonics Lab is working on ORBneXt, a tiny glowing cube that basically does the same thing. It's Wi-Fi connected and actually compatible with the old Ambient ORB -- that is, you can swap the brains of your ORB for an ORBneXt to bring it up to date.You can control it with an iPhone app, or have it respond to incoming calls or notifications by glowing specific colors. ORBneXt is well on the way to being funded with a little over $8,000 pledged towards a $12,000 goal with 23 days to go.

• With just a little over a week left in the campaign, Michael Grothaus' SITU Smart Food Nutrition Scale is 90 percent funded. Anyone who is dedicated to knowing more about what goes into their mouth and who is serious about losing weight needs to back this project, which is a connected smart scale that works with an app to tell you exactly the nutritional content of whatever you're weighing. This is a project that needs to happen!

• The Feeling Skin is an iPhone case with a big difference -- like the ORBneXt, it has glowing, pulsating lights in the back that work with an iPhone app to let you know how your circle of friends are doing. It's also a battery case that knows when to start charging your iPhone so you don't have to flip a switch. And, with a curved contour that fits into the palm of your hand, it may also be one of the more comfortable iPhone cases to hold. Feeling Skin is 31 percent funded with over a month to go.

• We know that a lot of people want to have their iPhones close at hand all the time -- but not in their hands. The Pluggy Lock is a tiny device that adds a lanyard ring to your iPhone by fitting into the headphone jack and expanding to lock in place. It's a smart idea, and you can help make this product a reality for as little as $19. The project is about 26 percent funded with 46 days to go. Many thanks to eagle-eyed TUAW reader Hal Sherman for providing links to three projects this week!

• Remember the OCHO Pad, the NFC smart key tray that can tell you via an app when someone has arrived home or departed? It has just under two days to go and is sooooo close to funding that it's ridiculous -- you can help push it over the top with your pledge.

• Impervious wants to make it easy for you to waterproof your iPhone with a simple to apply spray. Rather than sending your phone in to have a "superhydrophobic" material applied to it, you'll just apply the spray using easy to follow instructions and your iPhone will be totally waterproof. The project currently has about 34 percent funding with 28 days to go. You can back the project for as little as $29.

• Tired of calendar apps that all look like ... calendars? Skywhale wants to change that all with an app named Eeto that displays a timeline. Events are milestones that appear on a "colorful, infinite timeline." One milestone that is in the future for Eeto is running out of time to get pledges -- the app currently has about 2 percent funding with 36 days to go. The app will be free even if you don't pledge, which is probably why they're having issues raising money.

• Here's a project that has reached funding, probably because it is a product that resolves the common problem of cord fraying on Apple MacBook power bricks. Python Cords protects the thin cable of your AC adapter by wrapping it in an easily installed sleeve. 123 percent funded with 25 days left in the campaign, and you can get a white Python Cord by pledging $13 or more.

And that's it for this week. If you're aware of any other crowdfunded Apple-related projects, be sure to let us know about them through the Tip Us button at the upper right of the TUAW home page for future listing on the site. Just make sure that they actually have a valid reason for existing, OK?

Daylite 5 adds refinements to the business management app

Marketcircle's Daylite has been around for a number of years, pulling in Best of Show awards at Macworld/iWorld and kudos from happy users. The application, which comes in Mac, iPhone and iPad versions, is a full-featured system for keeping track of your business. Whether it's calendar, email, or contact management; project tracking or following up on business opportunities, Daylite is hands-down the best and most comprehensive tool for managing a business. Now the company has just introduced Daylite 5, the latest version of the multi-platform solution.

Priced at US$299.95 per user, Daylite 5 includes licenses for the Mac, iPhone and iPad apps, as well as for the Mail Assistant (used to link Daylite and Mail) and Daylite Server. Existing Daylite 4 users can update for $199.95, while Daylite 3 owners can make the jump for $249.95.

What does the new version provide? A lot of refinement to an already polished set of apps. The new Insight View is described as a "visual summary of your data" that "helps you discover patterns and answer questions about your business." By displaying a number of graphs on one screen, it's easy to see patterns appear and then make comparisons. Clicking on a bar chart drills into summaries, and dragging across a timeline allows even further focus on project details.

My personal new favorite feature is the timeline, which provides a quickly scrolling list of project information and associated emails to give a history of what went on during a period of time. Hovering on a small graphical timeline to the left of the timeline detail allows you to quickly jump to a specific date, while filters create a way to grab only certain pieces of information -- like emails associated with a project -- while getting the others out of the way.

One feature that Daylite users had been asking for is now present -- repeating tasks. Regularly scheduled tasks such as project status meetings can be set to repeat daily, weekly, monthly or for any other time period.

The iPad and iPhone apps have received an amazing makeover, with a flat, simple design that would make Jony Ive happy. Searching is available from the Daylite home screen, and synchronization with the Daylite server is done in background. Those of us with mature eyes love the way that Daylite now uses the text size that's chosen in the Settings app so that it's possible to read details without squinting or holding the iPhone screen two inches from our faces.

On the Mac app, the sidebar now has the ability to have folders and subfolders added to group items, and since those folders can be opened and closed, it's possible to hide those projects or groupings that are unimportant at a particular time. You can even hide the sidebar altogether to make more room on your workspace.

The Daylite Mail Assistant now has the capability of allowing you to update details in Daylite right from within Mail.app. If a contact's information (email, address, phone number, etc...) has changed, or if you need to change the status of a project, there's no need to jump into Daylite -- it can all be done in Mail.

Marketcircle has also provided more advanced filtering capabilities to allow you to dig into your data -- for example, you can search all contacts that have no opportunity associated with them to provide a list of customers you should cold call.

Finally, the Mac app has received a redesign that provides a visual look and feel that is closer to the iOS apps. Things are less cluttered and much easier to read in the revised app.

Marketcircle has obviously listened to Daylite customers in making the changes to Daylite 5, and all of the apps now have a much more streamlined and polished feel to them. For existing Daylite users, making the jump to Daylite 5 might cause some temporary heartburn as you get used to the new features and find your way around, but you'll quickly get back up to speed and be able to accomplish more in less time.

Apple patches Heartbleed for base stations and more news for April 23, 2014

A stunning new iPhone 5s campaign and safer AirPort base stations are in the news today.

• Apple has created a fantastic new iPhone film and accompanying micro-site. Entitled "Powerful," it features six impressive apps being used on the iPhone 5s: Star Walk, Instant Heart Rate, Word Lens, AmpliTube, Luminair and Pacific Rim. The short film is very well done and emphasizes what I've believed for years: the iPhone is the best computer I've ever owned.


• Apple has offered a firmware update for the 2013 model AirPort Extreme Base Station. The update patches the OpenSSL Heartbleed bug. To grab it, just launch AirPort Utility on your Mac.