Heads Up Gamers: Civilization VI Expansions Packs are Free

Aspyr is giving gamers a fantastic deal for the holidays. The Civilization VI expansion packs will be free for the rest of December. There will only be a free pack every 48 hours though. This is only for the iOS app. Here’s the schedule:

  • Dec. 20-22: Poland Civilization & Scenario Pack (usually US$4.99)
  • Dec. 22-24: Vikings Scenario Pack (usually US$4.99)
  • Dec. 24-26: Australia Civilization & Scenario Pack (usually US$4.99)
  • Dec. 26-28: Persia and Macedon Civilization & Scenario Pack (usually US$8.99)
  • Dec. 28-30: Nubia Civilization & Scenario Pack (usually US$4.99)
  • Dec. 30 – Jan. 1: Khmer and Indonesia Civilization & Scenario Pack (usually US$8.99)

Chronicle is a Beautiful App That Gives You Bill Reminders

I recently started using Chronicle for bill reminders and I’m glad I found it. The app gives you a calendar view, along with a list of bills that you enter. Name the bill, add a category, amount, and due date, and forget about it. Plus, Chronicle syncs with the available Mac version via iCloud, so you can view and pay your bills everywhere. In addition to reminding you to pay your bills, Chronicle keeps track of all your payment history, including confirmation numbers, so you always have proof of payments. New to Chronicle is the Pro version. Available as an in-app purchase, Chronicle Pro gives you access to all new features of Chronicle as they are updated. Chronicle Pro is US$3.99/year and gives you features like Amount to Save, Intelligent Estimated Amount Due, and Forecast View. App Store: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)

Stephen Fry Voices Einstein in Human Heroes Game

Stephen Fry voices Einstein in a game that launched on iOS recently. Einstein on Time is the first in a children’s educational app series—Human Heroes—centered on history’s greatest minds. From the philosophers of ancient Greece, to the giants of science, renowned artists, composers, mathematicians, authors and architects – these inspirational characters are brought back to life in a futuristic theatrical setting to perform a captivating live-show experience covering their life and their famous discoveries. In addition to the educational value of the subjects covered in each individual app, the series aims to develop a deep-lasting bond between the user and these intellectual champions so that they become life-long role models for children. Created by edtech startup KalamTech and in collaboration with education experts, the app blends computer generated animations, latest gamification techniques and interactive storytelling to bring a fresh kind of learning experience to the next generation. App StoreUS$3.99

Gone Home Game Will Launch on iOS on December 11 (Update)

The Gone Home game, the BAFTA award-winning first-person adventure exploration game from the Fullbright Company launches today, allowing even more players to experience the groundbreaking title. Published by Annapurna Interactive, the game retails for US$4.99 in the App Store. Gone Home previously launched on Nintendo Switch earlier this year in celebration of its 5th Anniversary, and is also available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac, Linux and PC. Critically acclaimed for its compelling narrative, Gone Home invites players to interrogate every detail of a seemingly normal house to discover the story of the people who live there, revealing the events of one family’s lives by investigating all they’ve left behind. App Store: US$4.99

Deal of the Day: Netgear Mesh Wi-Fi Wall Plugs

Amazon is having 12 days of product deals, and today’s deal is Netgear mesh Wi-Fi wall plugs. It creates a mesh Wi-Fi network that blankets your home in super fast, seamless Wi-Fi — room to room, wall to wall, floor to floor. Replaces your old router, works with your modem and internet service provider. Featuring a slim profile these wall-plug satellites make it super easy to extend your Wi-Fi to any room with a standard electrical outlet, just plug it in and stream with speed. They’re up to 123% faster than the leading brands, as certified by an independent study, makes Orbi the highest performance mesh Wi-Fi system on the market. They also eliminate Wi-Fi dead zones and buffering — 5,000 square feet of consistent coverage — at speeds up to 2.2 Gbps (gigabytes per second). You’ll get simple setup with the Orbi app — create guest network, access parental controls, and run speed tests right from the app. Amazon: US$199 (Regular price US$299)

Pro Photographer Tyler Stalman Reviews iPhone XR, XS Cameras

Professional photographer Tyler Stalman reviews the iPhone XR and iPhone XS cameras in a video. He talks about all of the new features, like Smart HDR, the new image signal processor, and how the wide-angle lens is slightly wider than previous models. Speaking of Smart HDR, he noted that it only works with video shot at 30 fps or lower. But it works whether you’re shooting in 720p, 1080p, or 4K. Mr. Stalman also notes something he found that can correct the blurring problems around the edges of subjects when you shoot in Portrait Mode.

Find Out If Your Data Was Leaked With This Data Breach Tool

A data breach tool called have i been pwned? is an app and website that helps you find out if your information was included in data breaches. It’s easy to use, just enter your email address. Have I been pwned? allows you to search across multiple data breaches to see if your personal data was compromised by any of the big hacks on record.  The app includes no  or automatic collecting of private data, searching among published databases and so-called pastes, getting real-time updated by receiving push notifications when new breaches happen, and information behind certain hacks, provided with relevant links to more information. The app has also been provided as open source software, found at GitHub. App Store: Free

Book: The Absolved by Matthew Binder Hits Close to Home

The Absolved by Matthew Binder feels like one of those books that could predict the future. It’s 2036. We follow along with the character Henri, who is a wealthy physician, husband, father, and “serial philanderer”. He is also one of the relatively few people to still have a job. Automation and other technological advances have led to unemployment so severe that many people are no longer expected to work and are now known as “The Absolved.” Meanwhile, it’s election season, and a candidate from a radical fringe party called the Luddites is calling for an end to the “Divine Rights of Machines.” After Henri is displaced from his job, two Luddite sympathizers—whom Henri has befriended at his local bar—frame him for an anti-technology terrorist act. The prospect of Henri’s salvation comes at the cost of foregoing his guiding principles in life. This new vision for the world, after all, just might prove better than the technological advancements that, paradoxically, have left humanity out in the cold. Apple Books: US$3.99

Mujjo Has a New Line of Blue Leather Cases

Mujjo is launching a new line of blue leather cases for the latest iPhones. It’s not just any blue. They selected this deep shade of blue which contrasts beautifully with the iPhone’s black bezels and picks up very subtle hints of purple and green in different lighting, reminding us of the inky shades of the deep ocean. It’s a striking blue that stands out from the blacks and the greys, fit for a day at the office or a day at the track, while remaining formal when it needs to. Rest assured, you can go about your day looking the part, whatever the part, knowing you’ll make a good impression. The case adds very little thickness to the iPhone. The edges are raised by 1 mm so that the screen doesn’t touch the surface when you put it down. The buttons are covered in leather and designed to take nothing away from responsiveness. Openings for the camera and mute button are chamfered, adding to the aesthetic of the cases. These cases are crafted to fit the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.

App Sale: The Ocmo Game is Currently Free

Ocmo is an award winning ninja rope platformer that challenges even hardcore gamers. Fluid movement, physics based gameplay and tight controls create unique sense of freedom and flow. Survive the 80 dangerous levels including secrets and boss fights. Set new records and share speedrunning videos. Swing with tentacles through the levels using momentum to your advantage. Eat rabbits and discover the world. You are the monster of the forest. Features: Lots of dying, ragdoll rabbits, physics-based eating, unique and precise controls, hard to master, well crafted and diverse level design, loads of depth, designed for speedrunning, online leaderboards, beautiful world with a small but dark story to discover, and more. App Store: Ocmo – Free (usually US$4.99)

RAW Power Gets Big 2.0 Update

Today, Gentlemen Coders released RAW Power 2.0 for iOS and macOS. RAW Power unlocks the power of Apple’s RAW engine with simple, easy-to-use controls. More than just an image editor, it is a full photo application that lets you organize and manage your iOS Photo Library. If you use iCloud Photo Library, all changes are also synced to iCloud, where every image you take and every change you make is instantly available to every app on your iPhone or iPad. You can use it for more than RAWs — it’s great with JPEGs too, with White Balance, Curves, Sharpen, and other tools missing from the built-in Photos app. The app also includes an innovative new Depth Effect for photos shot on iPhones with a dual camera system. The Mac app is on sale for a limited time. App Store: RAW Power – US$2.99 | Mac App Store: RAW Power – US$26.99

Apple Maps Conducting Pedestrain Level Surveys

Apple Maps is collecting pedestrian level data in California. On Friday, a man wearing a Lidar rig, GPS and multiple cameras as well as an Apple Maps backpack, was spotted in San Francisco, according to MacRumors. On its website, Apple said [via AppleInsider] that Pedestrian teams will be in a number of California counties. While cars conducting mapping are not such a rare site spotted in Los Angeles earlier in the week, but as MacRumors noted: “This is the first time we’ve seen someone collecting mapping data on foot.”

The New iPad Pro Bends

YouTuber JerryRigEverything has taken a rather brutal approach to Apple’s new iPad Pro. In a new video, he tested the 11-inch version’s durability and found that it “doesn’t have any of that structural integrity stuff.” He concluded: “A tablet the size of a piece paper folds like a piece of paper.” It is quite painful to watch the beautiful device just give way, but worth knowing where the weak the points are. (Spoiler alert: they’re right in the middle, by the microphone and Apple Pencil charging dock.)

The Kilogram Could Soon be Redefined. But You Won't Notice

I’ve always been a keen observer of weights and measures, so this interested me. Digital Trends writes: “On Friday, November 16, a 129-year-old tradition will likely come to an end. Nearly all the world’s weighted measurements have relied on a single standard since 1889 — the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK), a block of metal made of platinum and iridium locked in a subterranean vault in Paris.

“Rather than defined by a block of metal, weights will be expressed in terms of the Planck constant (h). The stated goal is to shift the standard toward a more reliable form, one that won’t be damaged or corrupted by environmental factors that cause it to slightly and inexplicably lose weight.”

October's Coolest Space Images

Once again, Digg has put together a page of the coolest space images. These are for October. 

Unravel is a Foldable Wireless Charging Station

Perfect for travelers, Unravel is a foldable wireless charging station with three 10W Qi charging pads, as well as one USB Type-C port. Powered by a cable many already have, a patent-pending hinge design that folds into accommodating orientations, and a non-slip grip surface, Unravel is the solution to long Facetime calls, cluttered laptop bags, and limited power outlets. When you’re done using it, you just fold it up and put it in the 2″ travel case. Unravel met its Kickstarter goal in 40 minutes, and sitting at nearly $300k raised with a 12 hours left on the campaign. Rewards start at US$59 to get a charging station, and the estimated delivery is December 2018.

Remembering Stan Lee: An App Store Story

Legendary comic book writer Stan Lee passed away yesterday. Apple is featuring a story in the Today section of the App Store called Remembering Stan Lee. Today Apple celebrates Mr. Lee’s legacy with apps and games featuring his iconic crimefighters in all their masked glory. On the app side, we see Marvel Unlimited, Marvel: Color Your Own, comiXology, and Olli by Tinrocket. In the game section we see Marvel Contest of Champions, Marvel Strike Force, Marvel Battle Lines, and Marvel Avengers Academy. Finally, the story notes that Mr. Lee served in the Army during WWI, and two apps in this section include Sandboxx, to send a letter to service members, and Apple Books.

Stylish New Leather AirPods Case

AirPods are hugely popular but, let’s be honest, the charging case is hardly the most chic item Apple has ever released. Accessories maker NOMAD may have solved that problem. On Thursday, they are going to release the Rugged Case – a fully leather outer case for AirPods. Available in brown or black, you can put the AirPod charging case intro the Rugged Case, providing extra protection and a little bit more style. Priced at $29.95, the Rugged Case is available to pre-order now. Distribution will commence on Thursday, 15 November.

The End of 'Beautygate'

The iPhone XS and XS Max came with a feature called SmartHDR that increased the dynamic range of photos.  It also reduced the local contrast and the phone’s performance in low light. The lowlight issues were fixed by decreasing noise reduction, which, when combined with the lack of contrast created a smoothing effect. This was particularly noticeable in selfies and came to be known as ‘Beautygate’. With iOS 12.1 Apple tried to fix the problem. Did they succeed? A video from AppleInsider takes a look.

How iOS Helps a Blind Veteran Return to the Water

Here is a feel-good story for a Friday. Apple has made public the story of Scott Leason—a US Navy veteran and keen surfer…who happens to be blind. The story details how by using an iPhone XR, and the VoiceOver application in particular, as well as an Apple Watch, Mr Leason is able to undertake a number of tasks and partake in his beloved water sports. He said,“When I’m at the end of a line behind a boat just like anybody else, I forget I’m blind. And then when I come into the beach and there’s people around [his dog] Snickers and I go yeah that’s my seeing eye dog and I got a board in my hand and they go, ‘you’re blind?’ That’s a cool feeling.” It might be easy for some to be cynical about Apple promoting this, but for most of us, it is equally easy to forget how crucial technology and the accessibility tools modern devices have are to people with a variety of disabilities. Surfs up, Mr Leason!

App Sale: Pixomatic Photo Editor Now Free

Usually US$4.99, Pixomatic photo editor is free, and I’m not sure how long it will last. Pixomatic is the first-ever mobile app that brings desktop level quality for selecting and masking images. Now, you have no problems with cutting out even the most difficult picture elements, including hair. Smoothly select and mask even the trickiest hair edges. Also, they introduced hundreds of photo stickers that you can add to your photos with a single tap. In just a few minutes create funny pranks, visual art and social media posts for your business or stunning photo manipulations, viral memes and selfies to share with friends. Pixomatic has a full range of amazing photo editing tools for creative minds. Use smart cutout, add layers, apply blending modes and unique filters to create epic masterpieces. Let Pixomatic be your only all-in-one photo editor. App Store: Pixomatic – Free