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Apple’s new search API means war for Google

Jun08
by on June 8, 2015 at 9:45 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider, Opinion

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Today, Apple unveiled that it’s allowing developers to tap into Spotlight search for the first time. When iOS 9 is released to the world developers will be able to expose their app’s information to Spotlight for indexing in user searches. A recipe app, for example, could make available its data for searches like “apple pie” and take the user directly to the recipe, inside its app, from a single tap inside Spotlight. This new change is a huge opportunity for both developers and Apple, but it may matter most to Google. This means war. Apple is now actively trying to keep users away…

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Who is Loren Kramar? The ‘unsigned’ artist Apple advertised has major label connections

Jun08
by on June 8, 2015 at 9:09 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider, Interscope, Jimmy Iovine, Loren Kramer

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Amidst the launch of Apple Music and a cavalcade of other new information from Apple including iOS 9, watchOS 2 and lots of dev-pleasing fare like Swift 2, one mystery stuck out for me: Who is Loren Kramar? During his demo of the Apple Music app, Eddy Cue lingered on the New York-based artist, giving him promo time in front of millions of viewers and screen cap happy hacks. But before WWDC kicked off, practically no one had heard of Kramer. So what do we know? Well, he’s not as unconnected as he might first appear… Kramar in 2010 before the…

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Apple is making an Android app that helps switch people to iOS

Jun08
by on June 8, 2015 at 9:05 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

Move to iOS
Apple may sell a ton of devices, but it’s not going to miss out on stealing customers away from Android when possible. According to an iOS 9 preview page, a new “Move to iOS app” will help Android users wireless move over to Apple’s hardware. The software “securely” transfers contacts, message history, photos, videos, bookmarks, mail accounts, calendars, wallpaper, songs and books. Of course, you can’t simply transfer apps across operating systems, but the software is at least smart enough to suggest apps  on your new iOS device based on what you’ve already installed on Android – many major apps…

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Square will launch its Apple Pay-compatible wireless reader this fall

Jun08
by on June 8, 2015 at 8:56 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Insider

apple pay reader
Announced today at Apple’s WWDC event, Square is set to launch a new version of its card reader this fall that will enable contactless payment services. Although Apple only talked about the new reader’s ability to accept Apple Pay, the battery-powered wireless reader will also work with other services and EMV chip cards. Square did not specify which other services are compatible, but the hardware is likely to support Android Pay in the near future. The new reader will also work with the Square Stand for businesses that already have Square’s system in place. The company is offering 250,000 of the wireless readers…

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Twitter is making it easier to track conversations under tweets

Jun08
by on June 8, 2015 at 8:11 pm
Posted In: Around the Web

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Twitter has revealed a new feature that will make keeping track of conversations easier on the Web. As of today, Twitter will start grouping conversations together and highlighting notable exchanges underneath the tweet that triggers them. Twitter will decide what tweets get highlighted by taking a number of factors into account, like whether the original poster has replied. Conversational tweets are connected by a line and there’s a button you can click to “View other replies” as well. The feature is rolling out today on Twitter.com and will be available on mobile apps in the future, according to Twitter. ➤ Making…

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