Super Mario Run hit Apple’s App Store yesterday, so today Bryan Chaffin joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the game and whether or not it’s worth the US$9.99 in-app purchase. They also talk about why Astra is an awesome iPhone app for Amazon Echo and Echo Dot owners.
Firewatch Comes to Mac App Store
When Firewatch launched on Steam back in February the internet pretty much went crazy over the game, and now it’s available as a native Mac title. The game tasks you with solving a mystery while working as a firewatcher in Wyoming. The graphics are beautiful, the story is intriguing, and the only help you get comes from another firewatcher talking over your portable radio. Firewatch costs US$19.99 on Apple’s Mac App Store, and if you haven’t played it yet get ready to have a very unproductive weekend.
ActiveInbox, an Gmail Task Manager: $24.95
We have a different sort of deal for you today on ActiveInbox, a Chrome-browser-based Gmail task manager. The company has an iOS app, too. Our deal is for one year of access to ActiveInbox for $24.95, which is 37% off retail. There are deals for longer licenses on the same page, too.
Turn Your iPhone into an Amazon Echo with Astra
Amazon’s Echo and Echo Dot are pretty cool, but what if you don’t have one yet—or aren’t home to use yours? That’s where Astra comes in. It’s an iPhone app that links to your Amazon account so you talk talk to Alexa just as if you’re right in front of your own Echo. The app lets you do pretty much everything your Echo or Echo Dot can handle, except for music playback or reading audio books. You can also remotely control your Echo-aware smarthome devices with your voice, which is worth the app’s US$0.99 price tag all by itself. You can get Astra at Apple’s App Store.
Yahoo's Data Breach, Mac Laptop Battery Time Estimates - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-15
Yahoo! lost over a billion user’s account information in a data breach. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to talk about what happened, and share some tips for protecting your accounts and data from hackers. They also look at some apps for showing the battery time remaining estimate on your Mac laptop.
Exocharge 3-Port USB Car Charger: $14.99
Check out the Exocharge 3-Port USB Car Charger. The name says it all: it’s a three-port USB charger for your car that plugs into your car’s auxiliary power (lighter). One port puts out 2.1 amps, one does 2.0 amps, and the third does 1 amp. You can get this device through our deal for $14.99.
Apple AirPods, Kickstarter, and Augmented Reality - ACM 389
Apple shipped AirPods. Sort of. Bryan and Jeff think it was a terrible idea to ship them before Christmas if Apple couldn’t meet demand, which is exactly what’s happening. They also weigh the merits of Kickstarter and discuss the state of augmented reality and its future.
Apple's Big Data Storage Deficit - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-14
Our iPhones, iPads, and Macs can store more and more, but Apple isn’t doing much to address our data storage and backup needs outside of those devices. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to look at the issue and talk about what Apple could do to help ensure we have the storage and backup services we need.
Apple Support App for iPhone, iPad Comes to US App Store
The Apple Support app for the iPhone and iPad is now available in the U.S. App Store, making it easier for Apple product users to schedule Genius Bar appointments and get other help. The app lists all of the Apple products registered to you, offers tips and suggestions, schedule repair appointments, schedule support calls, and more. The app is a free download at the App Store and in addition to helping you out it’s a shocking reminder for how may Apple products we’re buying.
Something Strong Sweatproof Bluetooth Earphones
We have a deal for you today on a pair of Something Strong Sweatproof Bluetooth earphones. Aimed at the workout crowd, these earphones are sweat-proof. They use Bluetooth to get a signal from your iPhone (or Android device), and connect to each other behind your head through a cable. They’re just $19.99 through us.
