The Verge - Apps & Software Posts

Twitter scoops up Spindle in bid to improve local recommendations

2013-06-19T23:34:21Z

In April, reports surfaced that Twitter was experimenting with new ways to introduce local tweets into the timeline. All Things D reported that the company was looking at different ways to surface nearby tweets, either in the Discover tab or in the main timeline, as a way of making Twitter feel relevant and personalized no matter where you were.

We haven't seen any of those features materialize. But Twitter took another step into local discovery today when it acquired Spindle, makers of an iPhone app that alerted users to nearby events and deals based on their location. The app, which has now been removed from the App Store, integrated with social networks including Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, and Yelp. Users could browse it for...

Vine founders tease redesigned UI with drafts and category features

2013-06-19T22:52:38Z

Vine's founders have taken to their own medium to tease what appears to be a number of visual changes and new features to the video service's apps. The apparent redesign would have Vines blown up to the full width of a user's screen rather than existing within individual boxes. The change would create a nearly seamless feed of videos by removing the space that used to be dedicated to comments, likes, and share buttons. Instead, those elements would be overlaid on the very bottom of each post, while a persistent video capture button hovers at the bottom of the screen.

Office Web Apps real-time editing demonstrated, set to fully compete with Google Docs

2013-06-19T19:46:04Z

Microsoft has offered its basic Office Web Apps free to Outlook.com and Office 365 customers for over three years now, but one of the big drawbacks for students and businesses has been the lack of true real-time co-authoring. Google Docs has long supported real-time editing with multiple users, but the Office Web Apps have been fairly basic when it comes to editing documents alongside other users. Microsoft is planning to change this over the next few months, and the company is demonstrating the changes this week.

In an early preview video it's clear the co-author editing function is almost identical to Google Docs', with improvements that keep the full fidelity of a particular document while allowing others to edit text and other...

Lytro releases iOS app for desktop-free sharing of its light field photos

2013-06-19T19:00:05Z

Until now, sharing images taken with Lytro's unique light field camera has required syncing with the company's desktop app for Mac and PC. That changes today — at least for iPhone owners — with the release of Lytro Mobile for iOS. The new app lets Lytro users quickly upload and share any light field pictures they've taken on the go.

Just how does it accomplish this? Lytro is finally flipping the switch on a Wi-Fi chip discovered inside the camera during a teardown last year. Wireless networking has been inactive until now, but a new firmware update will let the Lytro act as its own Wi-Fi hotspot. From there, the camera will display credentials that can be entered on an iPhone to access its image data. You'll be able to preview your...

Microsoft offering up to $100,000 rewards for finding Windows 8.1 bugs

2013-06-19T18:58:33Z

Microsoft has put a reward out for identifying bugs in the Windows 8.1 Preview in an effort to rid the upcoming release of any particularly nasty flaws that may have gone unnoticed. It's the first time that Microsoft has offered to pay for bug reports — a security measure that competitors like Google and Facebook have been taking for some time now. Microsoft is offering up to $100,000 for what it's calling "truly novel exploitation techniques," as well as smaller rewards for "critical vulnerabilities" in Internet Explorer 11 Preview and for methods that could defend against major exploits identified by the first bounty.

In the past, Microsoft has held individual contests that awarded cash prizes for identifying exploits, but this is...

Feedly updated with Cloud sync and app support ahead of Google Reader shutdown

2013-06-19T15:00:03Z

With less than two weeks until Google shuts down Reader, Feedly has completed the rollout of its Cloud sync service, transitioning all users over to its servers. Announced on June 3rd, Feedly Cloud not only ensures that Google Reader users can continue to access their RSS feeds after July 1st, it is also provides an open framework for developers to build apps on top of the platform. IFTTT, Sprout Social, NextGen Reader, Press, and Newsify are all launching Feedly-connected apps today.

Vdio on-demand streaming service now open to all

2013-06-19T14:38:06Z

It was a long time coming, but Rdio finally launched its streaming movie and TV service Vdio in April — though it was only open to those who were already paying for an Rdio subscription. Today, the shackles come off: anyone can now create a Vdio account using their email address or Facebook login and start buying videos. The service is still only available to customers in the UK or the US, and it works just as it did in April. Users can buy or rent movies or TV shows for prices in the same range as what you'll find from Apple or Amazon, and they're only watchable on your computer or on your iPad using the Vdio app. Outside its fairly limited social features, Vdio hasn't exactly made a strong case for why people should use it over the...

Vevo, edjing, and other Windows 8 apps arrive just ahead of Microsoft's Build developer event

2013-06-19T13:00:03Z

Microsoft is travelling to San Francisco next week to hold its annual Build conference and convince developers to create Windows 8 apps. Exactly one week before the conference begins, it's unveiling a number of new Windows 8 applications that third-party developers have been working on. Popular DJ app edjing will be made available on Windows 8 this week, with pre-cueing and a pitch shifter feature to mix songs from a music library. It's one of the first big-name iOS and Android DJ apps to make its way over to Windows 8, and Microsoft claims it took 15 days to develop the app.

Continuing the theme of entertainment, Vevo, the music industry's video service for the web, is also debuting on Windows 8 this week. Vevo has created a Snap View...

Netflix to launch in the Netherlands in late 2013, France and Belgium next?

2013-06-19T04:32:55Z

Following last year’s first expansion into Europe, Netflix is stepping into another nearby market: The Netherlands. Later this year, the low-altitude nation will be getting access to Hollywood fare, local and global TV and films, and Netflix’s own original series like House of Cards and Arrested Development, but so far the company hasn't announced any pricing information. Branching out into new markets has been a key goal for CEO Reed Hastings, who has overseen an expansion into over 40 countries over the past two years, including much of Latin America, the Nordic countries, the UK, and Ireland. Last month, reports in the Belgian press indicated that Netflix was planning to move into not only The Netherlands, but also France and...

Evernote upgrades web clipper to save your Gmail, including attachments

2013-06-19T00:29:30Z

Until now, saving attachments from a Gmail account to Evernote has meant either forwarding them to a special email address or dragging them into an open Evernote client. Today, the company released an arguably more elegant approach: an update to its web clipper that saves the entire message to Evernote, plus any attachments.

The new link between Gmail and Evernote makes for a easier way to keep track of files that might otherwise get lost in your inbox. You can save single messages or, by expanding the conversation, entire threads. As on other webpages, the clipper lets users choose a notebook to save to and to add notes and tags.

The clipper update is relatively minor, but could save time for people who spend a lot of time working...