TextExpander for iPhone, iPad updates with Dropbox support

SmileOnMyMac, has updated their popular iPhone and iPad app, TextExpander, with Dropbox support. TextExpander allows you to create abbreviations for frequently used chunks of text. Many other apps, such as Twitter apps and notes and to-do apps, support TextExpander so that it’s able to be used natively in those apps.

Details and screenshots after the break.

[App Store link]

With TextExpander touch, you create a library of abbreviation shortcuts for snippets of text that you use frequently, such as addresses, URLs, and standard replies. Tap that abbreviation, and it automatically expands to the full snippet. (You can even insert today’s date automatically with the default abbreviation “ddate”!)

You can use your TextExpander touch snippets directly in over 100 apps that support it, including Twittelator, TwitBird Pro, Elements, Simplenote, WriteRoom, Circus Ponies NoteBook, DEVONthink To Go, BusyToDo, Things, and Zendesk. See www.smilesoftware.com/applist for a complete list.

Update includes:

TextExpander is available on the iPhone and iPad for $4.99.

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

Best free iPhone apps for Facebook

Facebook may see new competition in the form of Google+ and Twitter but it still boasts over 750 million active users. Interestingly, the social networking site is also highly frequented by smartphone users (57% according to Ofcom). iPhone users, in particular are more inclined to browse the web than those of rival platforms.

No small wonder then as to why numerous Facebook apps have come about since the inception of the iPhone. Facebook compliments the iPhone in sense that it allows users to maintain multiple social connections without having to reveal sensitive information or even the phone number. However, before installing any Facebook apps make sure that you go through the privacy settings to ensure that you do not accidently reveal anything that you are not comfortable with. You can do this by accessing the setting on the iPhone or your Facebook page.

The following are the best free Facebook apps for the iPhone.

Facebook for iPhone

The official Facebook app is quite decent and features all the necessary functions you would need to properly access your Facebook. The latest version also addresses various bugs and even improves the chat feature.



BlipSnips

This app allows users to shoot video clips through their iPhone and then directly post it on Facebook. Users will also be able to tag their friends.

Vonage

This VoIP app allows users to call each other via their Facebook page without revealing the phone number.

Video Call for Facebook

Facebook recently manage to integrate Skype into the chat feature. This app allows users to make video calls to their Facebook friends through the iPhone.

NearbyFeed

This app allows users to “check in” to a particular place and find other friends in the area. Depending on the privacy settings, you will be able to figure out where your friends are and what pictures they have posted while the immediate area.

Apple takes battle with Android to the next level

Apple is one of the most powerful tech firms on the market right now. For a moment, it was the most valuable company in the USA (surpassing Exxon Mobil) but its recent assault on its major rival makes it look increasingly weak. Over the past few months, Apple has filed lawsuits against Samsung, HTC, Motorola and other Android users, accusing them of violating Apple’s patents. The targets may be varied, but it ultimately boils down to Apple Vs Google. The archrivals have been targeting each other for a long time now, and are being forced to compete on each other’s turf. Apple’s onslaught may seem like a strategic move to cut out the opposition, but critics are saying it smacks of desperation.
 

Apple has a good reason to be worried, already; Google boasts 550,000 Android enabled smartphone activations per day as of June. Apple could only respond with 366,000 daily activations. Moreover, even news of the upcoming iPhone 5 and the iCloud, both of which have tremendous pre-release demand, will not change the long-term trend of Android domination.
 
Apple has already managed to win some victories through injunctions of rival handsets such as the Galaxy Tab 10.1, created by Samsung. It also has plans to stop Motorola from rolling out its own Android enabled tablets and smartphones. It has already managed to bog down HTC over a wide range of its increasingly popular smartphones. Apple is ready for war, and has already spent billions acquiring new patents in the hopes of either crippling or slowing down the rise of Android.
 
It has taken Google awhile to catch up but all indications are suggest that the company is getting set to respond in kind. Apple, itself is becoming increasingly vulnerable to lawsuits as well. Meanwhile, regulators in the US and Europe may soon intervene to restore to some sanity in the industry, which might adversely affect Apple because it has already invested so much into the patent wars.
 
Ultimately, even consumers may feel the consequences of this war, with rising prices, lack of choice, and slower pace of innovation. If every single application or function is patented, then it becomes increasingly complicated to go through the legal hurdles to get products out fast. If companies are forced to pay high royalty fees, then prices could also rise.
 
Patents were meant to increase innovation and reward parties for their efforts. However, the current system is being used and abused by both sides in a war that neither side is big enough to win.
 

Perfect RSS Reader for iPad now available

Perfect RSS Reader, by Connect Technology Co, is a Google Reader client for the iPad – and it claims to the be the best.

I am loving Perfect RSS Reader! The UI is beautiful and the use of popups is perfectly integrated. I definitely agree with their claim and Perfect RSS Reader has taken a place on my dock.

Details and screenshots after the break.

[App Store link]

The best RSS client for Google Reader.

Perfect RSS Reader is available on the iPad for $1.99.

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

More Uninteresting iPhone 5 Parts Surface

href="http://cdn.everythingicafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/headphone.jpg">class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23095" title="headphone" src="http://cdn.everythingicafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/headphone.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="182" />href="http://www.macpost.net/841/more-iphone-5-replacement-parts-appears-online/">MacPost has found supplies they believe to be replacement iPhone 5parts. While it’s not immediately obvious, those two plastic things above are the black and white version of a headphone port — adding weight to what we all already assumed, that the phone will come in both href="http://www.truesupplier.com/oem-apple-iphone-5-genuine-earphone-audio-jack-replacement-black-pr-27057.html">black and href="http://www.truesupplier.com/oem-apple-iphone-5-genuine-earphone-audio-jack-replacement-white-pr-27056.html">white versions.

They also have replacement camera lenses, and the on/off flex cable.

These sorts of parts have a history of leaking in the build-up to a major announcement. They don’t actually reveal much that’s interesting, and they’re not large enough to show us anything about the final shape of the device.

But yes, there will be both black and white versions. Hopefully at the same time.

[via href="http://www.macrumors.com/2011/08/16/white-and-black-iphone-5-parts-leak/">MacRumors]

 

Apple Releases Mac OS 10.7.1 Lion Update

Apple today released Mac OS 10.7.1, an update to Lion.

href="http://cdn.everythingicafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Screen-Shot-2011-08-16-at-5.37.48-PM.png">class="alignnone size-full wp-image-23110" title="Screen Shot 2011-08-16 at 5.37.48 PM" src="http://cdn.everythingicafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Screen-Shot-2011-08-16-at-5.37.48-PM.png" alt="Mac OS X Lion Update" width="511" height="620" />

According to Apple, the 10.7.1 update includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability and compatibility of your Mac, including fixes that:

If you are currently running Lion, then I’d venture to say you’ll want to grab this update.

Starbucks Now Giving Away Free Apps

href="http://cdn.everythingicafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/StarBucksShazam_270x393.png">class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23098" title="StarBucksShazam_270x393" src="http://cdn.everythingicafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/StarBucksShazam_270x393.png" alt="" width="270" height="393" />

Starbucks has been giving away individual songs for years now, all it takes is picking up that little card or hitting their WiFi connection, and you’ll soon grab a single from an artist you’ve never heard of, and in two days you’ll completely forget the song until it turns up completely out of place in your iTunes library. Well, now href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20092682-248/starbucks-serves-up-free-iphone-apps/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-Apple">they’ve branched out into apps!

Just like with music, when you pick up your coffee at a Starbucks, you now might see a “pick of the week” card, but with an app icon on it instead.

The first app up for grabs is Shazam Encore, href="http://appshopper.com/music/shazam-encore">which goes for $5.99 — a much better deal than the usual $0.99 song bargain.

We don’t know if this will be permanent, a replacement to the music program, will run concurrently, or alternate. Just keep your eyes peeled at your local Starbucks!