Refurbished iPhone 5s - $71 worth of awesome paid iPhone apps you can now download for free (7 apps total) -buyEtail.com

$71 worth of awesome paid iPhone apps you can now download for free (7 apps total)

FEATURED

Another day, another batch of great paid iPhone and iPad apps that are now available for free for a limited time. Following the six apps we shared with you on Wednesday —some of which are still free if you hurry — we now have another seven apps to tell you about that are worth a combined $71. As always, you can get each and every one without paying a cent if you get a move on.

These are paid iPhone and iPad apps that have been made available for free for a limited time by their developers. There is no way to tell how long they will be free. These sales could end an hour from now or a week from now — obviously, the only thing we can guarantee is that they are free at the time this post is published. If you click on a link and see a price listed next to an app instead of the word “free,” it is no longer free. The sale has ended. If you download the app, you will be charged.

Anchor Pointer

Normally $1.99, currently free.

Anchor Pointer is an iPhone app, that allows you to store GPS positions and find those back using a compass. This application also allows you to meet up with friends in open areas, such as large parks without using maps, moreover it will help you to find your car at a parking lot.

FUNCTIONS

· Keep any GPS coordinates without reference to a map

· Use a compass which indicates the direction to your GPS point, distance, and the difference in altitude

· Use the function “meet a friend” in the park or any public place without reference to a map

· Park and find car with one tap

· Automatic night-time interface

· Metric and imperial system for measures

A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES

1. Add an anchor. By adding a GPS anchor, you can set the name of the current location and assign an icon to it from the predefined set of icons.

2. Favorite locations list. While accessing the list you will see all the previously saved anchors and those ones that are within 55 yd will appear in green.

3. The function “meet a friend”. If you need to meet someone in a large open space, activate “meet a friend” and establish communication with the one friend. When the connection is established, both your compasses will point at each other. The odometer you will show you how far away you are from each other.

4. Using Anchor Pointer you can save your parking position and later find your car by following the compass arrow, there is no easier or faster solution on the market!

EXAMPLES OF USAGE

Walking outdoors. Anchor Pointer allows you to save the location of places where no man has gone before, even where no detailed maps exist. For example, you can save the coordinates of the most remote location in a beautiful forest, snow-covered mountain peaks with a magnificent view, an oasis in the desert or your favorite place in the national park.

Use Anchor Pointer at sea! If you like fishing or sailing, you can save your location and come back later to the exact same point. Anchor Pointer stores the current latitude, longitude and altitude.

Anchor Pointer is also convenient in the city: save the location of favorite cafes, restaurants, hot dog shop, favorite places in parks or friends homes. Your imagination is the limit!

AUTOMATIC NIGHT MODE

Human eyes don’t see well when it’s dark around you. Blinding them with bright screen of the phone makes it hard to see the road ahead. Instead of making you decrease the brightness of the screen – we’ve created night mode in Anchor Pointer, which automatically switches to dark theme at night time.

Buddyman: Kick

Normally $0.99 for iPhone and $2.99 for iPad, currently free.

Forget everything you’ve done before. It’s time to take on a new challenge! YOUR IMAGINATION HAS NO LIMITS!

Explode, destroy, fire, shoot, freeze, send the power of the gods and don’t even think about stopping!

You get the chance to try out all your skills in the CRAZY MISSIONS! You’ll never complete them all!
And check out Buddyman’s bright and colorful inner world! Ketchup, Zombie or Hippy? Try all these amazing new features!

Buddyman is the PERFECT METHOD OF STRESS RELIEF!!

Key Features:
– Brand NEW amazing missions!
– Brand NEW realistic Buddyman model!
– Brand NEW colorful graphics!
– Brand NEW funny taunts and tricks!
– Brand NEW super cool elements and categories!
– Brand NEW awesome decorations!
– Brand NEW interesting achievements!
– Brand NEW shop assistant feature!
– FREE UPDATES EVERY MONTH!

Grab this game and make sure you’re never without a way to lower your blood pressure or just kill a few spare minutes!

Lumen Trails Money+

Normally $19.99, currently free.

Lumen Trails lets you take notes, make lists and keep track of other things in your life, such as time, workouts, expenses, calories, food, weight, sleep or anything else you can think of. Thousands of people use it every day, and they love it because it truly makes a difference in their lives.

“I’ve been using Lumen Trails for 6 months and continue to love it. One of my most sticky and useful apps ever on my phone.” – David D’Souza

The beauty of Lumen Trails is that you can track absolutely anything. There are tons of other apps that allow you to track one or two things, for example, calories and weight. But what if you decide to track something else? Say, how many cigarettes you smoke as you try to quit, your eating habits or even net worth? Lumen Trails is the app for that!

Instead of having one app for your to-do lists, one for tracking expenses, another one for tracking your weight, you can declutter your home screen and just have one app that does it all.

Designed exclusively for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, Lumen Trails is incredibly powerful, easy to use and looks beautiful on the Retina Display. It can even backup your data automatically to Google Drive, sync with iCloud and is fully accessible with Apple VoiceOver in 8 languages. There’s nothing that comes even close to it. And to top it all, your data is not locked on your iPhone. You can export it to Excel or Google Docs!

So what’s truly important to you right now? Your Health? Fitness? Finances? Productivity?

Track it and get things done!

:: Note to iPhone 5 & 5S users

Now you can ask Siri to find information for you and dictate right into Lumen Trails. For example, hold down the Home button and ask Siri: “How many calories are in a chicken sandwich?”. To start dictation, tap the microphone button on your keyboard and just start talking – your words will be turned into text.

2K DRIVE

Normally $6.99, currently free.

Buckle-up and get ready for the most immersive automotive experience to ever hit your iPhone & iPad. 2K Drive provides you with a variety of experiences to test your driving skills – including licensed cars, real locations and dozens of exciting challenges in an authentic world rooted in motoring culture.

Expert driving will earn you stars and coins to purchase boosts, upgrades, new cars and more! 2K Drive lets you compete online with your friends and the world, to earn the best scores, bragging rights, and rewards ahead of your rivals.

Live news feeds deliver the world of automotive culture right to you, so when you’re not driving, you can read, watch videos or view photo galleries – and if you see something you really like, share it with friends.

With daily challenges and news added regularly, 2K Drive offers more content than any other driving game on your iPhone & iPad.

Don’t dream it, drive it!

Features:
– Real licensed cars
– Console quality graphics
– Multiplayer racing against your friends & the world
– Authentic driving environments
– Earn cars, boosts, parts and more
– Personalize your driver and your car
– RaceFace™ – take a picture to put yourself behind the wheel
– Live news feeds from all corners of car culture
– Dynamic content – challenges and articles updated regularly

zDownload Pro

Normally $2.99, currently free.

* Video, Audio(SoundCloud), and any file Downloader

* Full feature file manager
– Subfolder
– Move, delete, rename, sort
– Extract ZIP, RAR, 7z
– iTunes file sharing
– Search
– Open-in

* File viewer
– Image – JPG, PNG, TIFF, GIF
– Animated GIF
– Document – iWork(Pages, Keynote, Numbers), PDF, DOC, PPT, XLS, TXT, RTF, HTML

* Download
– Support multiple simultaneous streams per download like FlashGet on PC.
– Download in background mode
– Resumption download
– M3U8, HLS
– MP4 Reference URL

* Network & Cloud
– WIFI
– UPnP/DLNA Server
– Dropbox
– Google Drive
– Box
– OneDrive(SkyDrive)
– SoundCloud

* Web browser
– Tab browsing
– Bookmark, History
– Long press – force download
– Upload from app document
– Custom User-Agent
– Web password manager

* Meida Player
– MOV, MP4, 3GP, TS…
– Rate control
– Timer
– AirPlay

* Security
– Pass Code, Dot Pattern

* Play list

Benjamin Gunships HD

Normally $19.99, currently free.

Experience the Next-Generation of HD Arcade-Style 3D Helicopter Combat as you protect the skies above the futuristic offshore buildings owned by the banking cartels. Intensely cinematic non-stop HD action awaits you during the 20 mission HD campaign as you pilot, level-up and upgrade one of 3 playable HD Helicopter Gunships.

• Never before seen HD Arcade-Style 3D Helicopter Combat experience, with HD sights, sounds and non-stop action that will take your breath away!
• Enjoy Simple and Intuitive HD Controls: tilt your iOS device left/right to steer your Helicopter Gunship around city obstacles while skillfully avoiding enemy missiles.
• Alternatively, for a casual ON-RAILS HD experience: forgo tilting and simply tap your enemies to engage the “Autopilot” while controlling your Afterburner and Weapons with a smooth 2-button interface.
• 20 action-oriented HD campaign missions (including 2 bonus Endless Gauntlet levels) offer over 4 hours of action-packed HD Arcade-Style game play.
• Face more than 30 different types of HD enemies, including: modern jets, attack helicopters and GIGANTIC money-packed transport aircraft!
• Game Center support: with 7 HD Leaderboards and 18 HD elusive Achievements that demand an additional 10+ hours of game play.
• RPG Style Progression System allows you to FREELY acquire, pilot and level-up 3 unique HD Helicopter Gunships while unlocking 18 different types of Afterburner and Weapon upgrades.
• Optional In-App Purchases allow you to skip the RPG grind and instantly acquire any of the playable HD Helicopter Gunships. In addition, you can Restore your existing purchases to unlock content on multiple iOS devices.
• Team up with friendly HD AI wingmen in the later stages of the game, and watch as your enemies fall before your elite squadron.
• Over 30 minutes of memorable original HD music will dynamically accompany your Arcade-Style cinematic experience.
• Adaptive AI and Randomized HD Enemies with Dynamic Difficulty: provide for a near endless replay value, as your opponents constantly change and adapt to your style of game play each time you engage a new or existing HD mission.

>> Game Play Basics:

Steer your helicopter manually by tilting your device left and right, or tap your enemies to engage the ON-RAILS “Autopilot”. NOTE that you must be facing your enemies directly before pressing the right “Weapons/Fire” button. Holding the left “Afterburner” button will allow you to avoid enemy missiles as well as steer around various city hazards. Remember that the game’s Dynamic On-Screen Tutorial System will always guide you on the right course of action, while prolonged use of the Weapons/Afterburner will cause a temporary overload. Also, note that your gunship is equipped with automatic repair systems which will activate shortly after you stop taking damage.

Completing missions, earning XP and leveling-up your gunship to Level 5 will unlock new playable aircraft for FREE. You may also skip the RPG grind and instantly level-up via the use of optional In-App Purchases. Each In-App Purchase can also be Restored, thus allowing you to instantly unlock playable gunships on multiple iOS devices.

iScope Pro

 

Normally $14.99, currently free.

iScope Pro is the best way to manage and visualize the projects that you work on with other people.

With iScope Pro you can keep track of your company’s strategic planning, give an impulse to the marketing plans and also know immediately what in earth is stopping your new product from being launched.

With iScope Pro you can work together with your team to get things done.

Not only for projects; iScope Pro is a very unique tool for bosses and managers to organize and keep track of their own work and the work of other people.

Origin
More than 120.000 people all over the world have already downloaded the first generation of iScope and on top of that experience we built iScope Pro, an enhanced, collaborative version of the familiar project management app.

What can you do with iScope?
•Create your projects and follow their completion.
•Create tasks for each project, with 3 levels of sub tasks.
•Share and delegate any task to someone else. When they mark it done, your task will be marked done as well, and the project will move forward.
•Invite someone to observe how a task is doing.

What can be done in every task?
•Comment, everybody related to that task can have a say.
•Notes & drawings to get your ideas across.
•Attachments, oh, did we mention attachments?

What shall I do now?
•Integrated To Do list in the left panel. Just swipe and stop procrastinating.

iScope Pro is now an Universal App: for iPhone and iPad

source: 

http://cdn.bgr.com/2014/09/iscope-pro.jpg?w=624

by Zack Epstein

http://www.buyetail.com

Great buy on a Refurbished Apple iPhone 5 - Deep-dive review: iOS 8 packs some snappy new features Part 2 - buyEtail.com

A feature new to iOS 8 is Family Sharing, which allows you to consolidate up to six iCloud accounts under one credit card. All members under Family Sharing have access to each other's purchases, including music, movies, TV shows, books and other content bought from the iTunes store.

One of the benefits of Family Sharing is that each member can have his or her own AppleID and password. Apple also allows the creation of Apple IDs for children under 13 years old; but Restrictions and the Ask to Buy feature is turned on automatically for those accounts, and they need to be added to the family group by a legal guardian or parent.

Swiping left in Mail displays email option

Michael deAngonia

Another benefit: Family Sharing automatically creates a shared family photo album and family calendar across your devices and automatically links family members with the Find My Friends app and service.

Perhaps the most useful feature for parents is this: When someone under the Family Sharing plan tries to buy something, parents get a notification that must be approved before the purchase and download can begin. This means no more accidental runs on your credit card due to purchases from children.

Support for iCloud -- Apple's umbrella term for a set of Internet services used to silently sync data across your Apple devices -- has been beefed up in a very visible way. iCloud now has a modifiable file system in which you can create and store documents and other data. This new feature, called iCloud Drive, is essentially like a built-in DropBox for iOS and Mac users.

Like before, documents can be started on one device and finished on another, with all changes and edits applied across your other devices; the main difference is that you can create folders and arrange the data as you would any other directory on your Mac or on your iOS device via the in-app document picker. Even better: iCloud Drive is accessible not just on your Apple devices, but on your Windows PC, as well.

Search and Mail improvements

Spotlight's search functionality has been expanded to display a new range of search results. Right from the Home screen, Spotlight can search for applications in the App Store, Wiki entries and map data for nearby places, as well as news stories. You can still search for content -- like songs, TV shows, and books -- but now the search shows results for matches on the iTunes Stores, too, and data like movie show times.

Mail gains some useful new features as well. For instance, you can delete, flag or mark an email as read using gestures. Swiping a finger all the way to the left on an email in the mail list deletes it, while a slow swipe to the left brings up options to Flag, Trash or access more functions, including reply, forward, move to junk, and the option to be notified if anyone replies to that email thread.

Swiping across an email to the right brings up the option to Mark as Read (or Unread, depending on the message status). This is a customizable option under Settings>Mail, Contacts, Calendars>Swipe Options, but there aren't many options to choose from. You can either Mark as Read/Unread or flag the email using the swipes; I would have really loved to see an option to Move to Junk. I think I would have used that feature more than anything else on the iPhone, actually.

Email subscribers to a Microsoft Exchange server can be happy knowing that Mail now supports automatic replies for out of office notifications and that Mail is aware of free/busy status in Exchange calendars.

Mail also recognizes reservations, flight confirmations and other data. When this occurs, Mail sends a notification prompting you to add that data to a calendar event or its appropriate location.

Stay healthy

Before iOS 8, I was using TactioHealth to consolidate all of my health and fitness data from my assortment of devices and apps. Now, with the built-in HealthKit, Apple is offering a single repository for this data, which is then displayed in the app called Health using a customizable dashboard. Third party apps can tap into the data that resides there and also have the ability to add their own data.

HealthKit tracks all sorts of data, including active calories, blood glucose, body fat percentage, caffeine intake, cycling distance, flights climbed, heart rate, lean body mass, respiratory rate, steps taken throughout the day, walking and running distance, and even vitamin intake.

There is even a medical ID card that contains your information, including medical conditions, medical notes, allergies and reactions, medications and emergency contact information. All of this is opt in; the app doesn't go poking around for your data without your permission.

Apple is working with several hospitals on patient trials using the HealthKit services, according to Reuters. If this catches on, this could be huge for everyone.

Like HealthKit, HomeKit is a repository for specific data. Unlike HealthKit, HomeKit is focused on device data associated with home automation products. Devices with HomeKit support can even be operated with your voice, via Siri.

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Continuity

One of the major features of iOS 8 won't be available to the general public until the arrival of OS X 10.10 (aka Yosemite), due in October. That's because the next set of features links iPhones and iPads with Apple's traditional Mac lineup in aset of features called Continuity. Continuity is made up of: Handoff, AirDrop, Automatic Hotspot, and, eventually, SMS relay.

Handoff is a great new feature in which your Apple devices are aware of what each is doing. If you need to switch to a different device, you can continue your work on that device automatically. For example, if you're browsing the Web on your Mac and decide to go outside, you can continue reading that webpage on the iPhone by swiping up the icon located on the lower left of the Lock Screen. That icon changes depending on what app you are using; swiping up on the icon will open whatever you were doing on the Mac on the iPhone, continuing your work on one device exactly where you left off on the other.

It works in the other direction, too. If you start an email on the iPhone and return to your Mac, an email app icon will display on the left hand side of the Dock. Clicking on that icon will open up the email you were composing on the iPhone right where you left off. And that's just one example; Handoff works with many of Yosemite's built-in apps, and the technology is open to developers so they can incorporate these features into their apps.

AirDrop lets iOS and Mac users share documents, photos, videos and other data wirelessly and securely. The difference with AirDrop in Yosemite and iOS 8 is that (finally) Macs can wirelessly transfer files to iOS devices and vice versa.

Automatic Hotspot is a feature I initially underestimated. This is a zero-configuration personal hotspot, allowing your Mac to access the Internet using a cellular-connected iPhone or iPad. With this feature, any cell-enabled iOS 8 device logged in with your iCloud information can be easily set up to be used as a hotspot. iOS 8 devices just show up under the Mac's Wi-Fi list -- a single click grants you access to the internet.

This feature can really come in handy. My neighborhood suffered a power outage over the summer. On a whim, I clicked on the Wi-Fi icon in the Mac's menu and noticed that my iPad and iPhone were listed. One click later, my MacBook Pro was back online, no muss, no fuss. That's impressive.

Another great feature is the ability to make and receive phone calls from the Mac or another iOS device. For example, if your iPhone is being charged on the other side of the house and you receive a phone call, your Mac and other iOS devices now display the Caller ID information, and you can pick up the call on any device. It works the other way, too -- if you dial a number from your Mac or iPad, the devices will use the FaceTime app to route the call through the iPhone, including numbers from contacts or webpages.

Finally, SMS support lets your Mac or iPad send SMS and MMS messages right from their respective apps. (Previously, only iMessages between Apple devices were possible in the existing app.) This feature is due in October.

As you can see, the features in Continuity extend the usefulness of Apple products by allowing new kinds of interaction between devices. Unfortunately, unless you signed up for the public beta program, you'll have to wait until Yosemite is released in October. Trust me: These features are worth the wait.

Encouraging development

Speaking of waiting: Many iPhone fans have wondered whether Apple engineers would ever allow the use of third-party software to extend functionality and, with iOS 8, that wait is (mostly, kind of) over. iOS 8 has some features that will give developers the ability to extend the operating system without compromising security through Extensions.

As I mentioned earlier, Notification Center will now support third-party widgets and actionable alerts; additionally, the Sharing button can be customized with third-party actions and additional sharing options. For instance, developers can add actions like Translations or their own photo filters to Apple's Photos app. Documents and specific app data are available to other apps via secure APIs, so that data is no longer living in its own silo.

While the built-in keypad now provides contextually sensitive suggestions on a per-thread level, that's not the only news for virtual keyboard fans. Extensions offer support for additional third party keyboards as well, so expect a flood to hit the market shortly after iOS 8's release.

iOS 8 also opens up other possibilities for developers by allowing access to Touch ID results, as well as new directions for their apps with Camera, HealthKit, HomeKit, PhotoKit and CloudKit APIs. These new APIs grant developers access to specific aspects of the operating system without compromising user security.

Developers also have access to other underlying technologies called SpriteKit, SceneKit and Metal that should help create some amazing games. Finally, Apple has introduced Swift, a new programming language for building iOS apps.

Following up last year's successful iOS 7 launch couldn't have been easy. But overall, the new features in iOS 8 are really handy, and are implemented in ways that don't slow down the system or bog down the interface with clutter.

There are some features that Apple has taken longer to implement compared to its competition -- such as the ability for apps to access each other's data or support for third-party keyboards -- but Apple added these features without compromising on security by creating APIs specifically to address those shortcomings.

Bottom line

Do I recommend iOS 8? Like any first-release software, there are a few rough spots and lingering bugs -- but for the most part, iOS 8 is as responsive and snappy as iOS 7 before it.

iOS 8 introduces some new features that you will be using on daily basis, including the handy actionable notifications and -- when Yosemite is released in October -- all of the features under Continuity. Many people will love the fact that applications are now allowed to extend the operating system beyond Apple's original specs, and still others will like Apple's new health-tracking initiatives.

There is no doubt iOS 8 is packed full of really handy features, and other than the obligatory warning regarding first-release software, I can sincerely recommend upgrading to iOS 8.

Source: http://www.computerworld.com/article/2683989/deep-dive-review-ios-8-packs-some-snappy-new-features.html?page=2

By Michael deAgonia

http://www.buyetail.com

Thomas Kinkade's The Hour of Prayer - 2002 - buy through buyEtail.com

The Hour of Prayer - 2002

An hour spent in meditation provides a glimpse of eternity. We look to the garden of prayer for such sweet repose, and in The Hour of Prayer, I believe we find it. The Hour of Prayer anticipates the dawning of a peaceful kingdom when time will be no more and prayer will be a direct communion with the divine.

-- Thomas Kinkade

Source: http://www.thomaskinkadegallery.com/store/index.php/re-and-sp-editions/the-hour-of-prayer-2002.html

http://www.buyetail.com

Great buy on a Refurbished Apple iPhone 5 - Deep-dive review: iOS 8 packs some snappy new features - buyEtail.com

credit Apple

It's almost fall again, and so Apple has released the next generation of software that powers its mobile lineup: iOS 8. As always, this is a free update, and it packs new features and enhancements, both obvious and subtle.

Building on last year's dramatic interface overhaul, iOS 8, which was released today, marks the second version of Apple's mobile operating system to feature 64-bit code (last year's iOS 7 being the first). This allows the iPhone to take full advantage of the 64-bit architecture built around the A7 chip in the iPhone 5S, iPad Air and the second-generation iPad mini; as well as the upcoming 64-bit A8 chip in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Michael de Agonia

You can reply to or dismiss a message notification on the Lock Screen.

(For owners of legacy equipment, iOS 8 can run on the iPhone 4S and later, and the iPad 2 and later. The only iPod Touch that can handle iOS 8 is the fifth-generation model that's been shipping since September 2012. However, not all features will be available for all devices and countries -- Apple has provided a list of which features are available in which countries.)

iOS 8 retains the look and feel introduced in iOS 7 with added refinements throughout the system. The new functionality doesn't feel bolted on, doesn't slow the OS down or add bloat -- a difficult trick to pull off.

Be warned, though: I have run into lingering bugs in the final release of iOS 8 (build 12A365). Some are obscure enough that you may never run into them, but the usual caveats and warnings apply regarding installing and running first-release software.

For this review, I tested iOS 8 on an iPhone 5S, an iPad mini (second generation with Retina display) and a cellular iPad Air. However, the main focus of this review will be based on how well iOS 8 runs on the iPhone.

Installation

Before you do anything else, go to Settings: iCloud: Storage & Backup and tap Backup Now. You will want a full backup of your data in case of an unforeseen event.

There are several ways to install iOS 8. The easiest: From an iOS device, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update and run the update. For this, you will need a Wi-Fi network and at least 50% battery life, or else the device will have to be plugged in. After the download is complete, your device will update in place, leaving all of your settings, data, media and apps intact.

The other way to upgrade your iPhone is to plug it into a PC or Mac running iTunes. You'll have the option to either Restore or Upgrade the phone, with the Upgrade option leaving your settings, data, media and apps in place; the Restore option initially deletes everything on the device before installing a fresh operating system. If you've been having issues with your device, or if you've modified (or jailbreaked) ) the OS in ways Apple hasn't sanctioned, then a Restore may be the best bet.

Once the upgrade is complete and the device rebooted, a multi-language Welcome screen will be displayed. Perform a Slide-to-Unlock swipe and Apple's Setup Assistant will guide you through the process of connecting to a Wi-Fi network and enabling Location Services. If you chose to perform a Restore, this is where you'll see options to set your device up as new or to restore from a backup via iCloud or iTunes.

A similar interface

Like iOS 7, iOS 8 is designed in layers, with views zooming you in and out of your content, interface overlays influenced by personalized backgrounds, and the parallax effect creating the illusion of graphics subtly residing on separate planes.

Last year, the Lock Screen was revamped for a far cleaner look and allowed users to swipe anywhere on the screen to call up the Home or passcode screen. In iOS 8, the Lock Screen gets additional functionality without added clutter.

One of the highlights is the new Interactive Notifications. These are notifications with optional action items, allowing you to perform specific functions without opening the app itself. An interactive notification can be activated by swiping to the right on the Lock Screen, bringing up contextually pertinent actions. For instance, an email notification, when swiped to the right, will allow you to respond to or dismiss the notification; you can also Mark as Read, Trash or dismiss the notification.

Starting in iOS 8, Apple has created APIs that allow developers to extend the functionality of some system functions, including -- but not limited to -- these interactive notifications. For example, the recent Apple keynote showed Facebook notifications with options to Like or respond to a post from within the notification. But I'll get to more of this in a bit.

I've run into one annoyance with the new interactive notification, specifically as implemented by the Messages app: Notifications do not update if you receive another email while you're responding. Nitpicky? Sure, but it would be nice to see the next message when responding to a specific thread. Otherwise, this is a useful step in the right direction.

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Now is a good time to note that the Messages app has received some welcome new features, including the ability to name group messages, add and remove people from group threads, and -- best of all -- the ability to enable Do Not Disturb on a per-chat basis or leave a group chat altogether.

Michael de Agonia

The Details screen in Messages offers a variety of options, including the ability to mute notifications.

To the upper right of a message, there is a new Details button that, when tapped, brings you to information about the contact and the conversation. It also shows you more ways to communicate with your contact (including phone/audio/FaceTime calls), share your location, mute the conversation and review the attachments shared in the conversation in one location.

The Messages app now has some handy shortcuts for sending pictures, sound bites and videos, but the caveat is that these features are only enabled when contacting users who have the iMessage service. If your recipient has a device that only uses SMS, then the Messages interface remains the same as before, lacking the quick shortcuts for sending audio or video new in iOS 8. That doesn't mean videos and pictures can't be sent; it just means that contacts relying on SMS do not show the updated interface.

When you are using the iMessage service, there is a camera and a microphone icon to the left and right respectively of the Messages text input area. Holding down the microphone automatically initiates a recording session, enabling you to give a quick spoken reply. When finished, without lifting your thumb, you can swipe left with your thumb to delete, or swipe up with your thumb to send.

The recipient will receive an audio file inline in the text conversation. This file displays as an audio waveform that can be played by tapping a play button. The message can also be played from the Lock Screen by simply raising the phone; the iPhone will sense the gesture and automatically play the message once you place the phone to your ear. From here, you can respond, and when you lower your iPhone, your voice response is automatically sent.

After using it over the summer, I found this to be a truly neat and welcome way to communicate, with all of the benefits of texting (such as the ability to pause and think before replying) without the pesky texting part.

Videos and pictures can be quickly recorded and sent, too. To send a picture, press and hold the camera icon to the left of the entry field, point at your subject, and then swipe up with your thumb. With this motion, the iPhone will take a picture and then automatically send it to your recipient.

To send a video, tap and hold the camera icon and slide your thumb to the right; the video will automatically start recording. To send the video, lift your thumb and tap to stop recording. Tap the up icon to send or the X button to cancel. As with the audio messages, recipients will receive the pictures and movies in the conversation text, and they'll have the option to keep or delete the media.

By default, incoming audio and video messages are set to self-destruct within two minutes unless the settings have been changed under Settings: Messages.

One last update to Messages (and this actually applies to all updated apps): There's a new photo picker featuring a much larger photo preview. When the photo picker is active, you can scroll through some recent photos from left to right, allowing you to select and send multiple photos and videos.

Photos

Speaking of photos, the Photos app also gets welcome updates.

Located at the top right of the Photo app, just to the left of the Select button, there is now a Spotlight icon (Spotlight is the iOS search engine). This allows you to search for photos using location and dates, which should help you find that specific picture you're looking for. The Photo search field automatically includes recent results as well as some smart searches of recent photos. Interestingly, photo results are not available when a Spotlight search is conducted from the Home screen.

The Photos app has gained some new editing features, too. When you select the Edit button on the upper right, the button is replaced by a magic wand icon, which automatically adjusts your photo to what it interprets as optimal levels. Generally, this auto-enhance feature does a good job bringing out colors and compensating for common lighting errors.

Near the bottom of the screen, there are buttons to Cancel the editing mode, Crop, Filters, Manual Adjustments and an option to Revert back to the original photo. Each button does what you would think; the Manual Adjustments button lets you tweak light, color and other settings using a simple drag-to-adjust mechanism that automatically adjusts specific parameters such as Exposure, Brightness, Shadows, Contrast and more. These settings can also be manually fine-tuned, if you're inclined to tweak by hand. During editing, if you wish to see a before and after comparison of the photo, just press and hold your finger on the picture; the software will display the original file.

Within the Photos app, just above the Home button, there is an icon in the shape of a heart. Tapping this heart will automatically make that photo a Favorite and store that photo in a Favorites album on this device -- and the Favorites album of every device that your Apple ID is linked to.

Given that the iPhone -- and smartphones like it -- went a long way to killing the consumer digital camera market, it only makes sense that Apple engineers would figure out ways to make photo-taking better.

One of the enhancements built into the Camera app is the option for a self-timer. Previously, this was available in third-party applications like Gorilla Cam, but it's a welcome feature to have built in. The icon is located at the top menu to the left of the Camera Flip button. When tapped, the icon slides out of the way to reveal a 3- or 10-second countdown option. When either option is selected, the Self-Timer changes to reflect the change, which is helpful in determining at a glance if the Timer feature is on or off. Press the shutter to begin the countdown, with the remaining time in the countdown displaying on screen. Pressing the shutter button while the timer counts down cancels picture-taking process.

The Camera app now has five modes: Panorama, Square, Photo, Video and Time-Lapse. If you're on an iPhone 5S or later, you also have a Slo-Mo option as well.

Personally, the time-lapse option is the one I'm most interested in. Anyone who follows me on Twitter and/or Vimeo, knows I love time-lapse shots. Before this feature was added to the iPhone, I used a cumbersome multistep routine with a GoPro camera to capture the footage, and a third-party application on the Mac called Zeitraffer to process it into a movie. By adding the Time-Lapse mode, Apple has turned this cumbersome multistep process into one that can be accomplished with ease: Press the Record button in the Time-Lapse section to start and press it again to stop. You can trim the resulting video by dragging a pair of sliders on either end of the video previews.

Another new feature: The Photo and Square shooting modes now offer built-in filters to the right of the on-screen shutter. Tapping the Filters button, represented by a three circle graphic, gives access to nine real-time previews of the filters. If you like a filter, tapping on it results in a full-screen preview.

Siri

Apple's voice assistant, Siri, picks up a couple of tricks in iOS 8. It shows you exactly what you're saying as you're saying it and now lets you purchase iTunes content without launching the iTunes app.

But by far the most important feature update is the new Hey, Siri command. Now, when your iOS device is plugged into power, Siri listens for the command Hey, Siri. This is a feature I longed for years ago, and I'm glad it's here. I found the Hey, Siri command especially useful in two specific situations: If you work from home (or in an area where talking out loud to the phone isn't a big deal) or in the car. In fact, the Hey, Siri hand's free functionality may tide over some Apple fans who are waiting for their cars to support Apple's CarPlay technology.

source: http://www.computerworld.com/article/2683989/deep-dive-review-ios-8-packs-some-snappy-new-features.html

by Michael deAgonia

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Refurbished Apple iPad Mini - Best iPad Mini Cases - buyEtail.com

The original iPad mini is still a solid tablet and worth checking out if you want to save a few dollars. But if you want an uncompromising iOS experience in a petite form-factor, the iPad Mini With Retina Display is the way to go.

The impeccable 2,048-by-1,536 LCD is the centerpiece here, but the diminutive mini also packs the same 64-bit A7 processor you'll find in the iPhone 5s and iPad Air, which delivers significant upgrades in performance and efficiency over previous generations. And while the resolutions are the same between the full-sized Air and mini, the advantage in sharpness lies with the smaller iPad. Packing all of those pixels into a smaller 7.9-inch display yields an impressive 326 pixels per inch, which trounces the original mini's 163ppi and even outdoes the Air's 264ppi.

In typical Apple tradition, this second-generation iPad mini looks and feels basically identical to its forbearer. It's imperceptibly thicker and heavier by 0.01-inch and 0.8 ounces, but even the most discerning critics will likely fail to find any real difference here. And even so, those slight changes are undoubtedly worth the new high-resolution display and the powerful new processor.

With that beautiful display, though, a case to protect your iPad might be more important than ever. Luckily, since both models are nearly identical, there's already a wealth of cases out there to choose from, and pretty much all cases made for the original iPad mini will fit the newer Retina model.

In addition to protection, many cases also add functionality. Folio cases are a popular option that work as a case when in transit and a stand once you're ready to start browsing the Web or catching up on your favorite TV shows. Then there are shells, sleeves, skins and everything in between.

When you're an iPad owner, the world is your oyster—pretty much every major accessory maker has cases made just for your tablet. If all the choices have your head spinning, we've rounded up some of the best iPad mini cases out there, so hit the slideshow to check out some of our favorites.

Lego fans will definitely get a kick out of this playful case from Belkin. TheLEGO Builder Case adds protection with a twist, providing a blank Lego canvas on its back. You can snap on actual Lego bricks for endless fun and customization.

The iPad mini's petite form makes it a great tablet for kids, but before you hand over the pricey iPad, you'll probably want to protect it with something like the Belkin Air Protect, which features closed-cell foam to shield the mini from bumps and drops.

If you're looking to accessorize your iPad mini—and not just protect it—theBelkin Quilted Cover has a unique look that stands out from the crowd. The quilted exterior should provide good protection, while the adjustable stand inside allows you to read, type, or watch movies comfortably. The magnetic tab closure helps keep the case closed and your iPad out of harm's way when not in use.

Maybe even the Smart Cover is too bulky for your taste. In that case, a thin film like the BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber could be exactly what you're looking for. This PVC-based film is easy to apply (and remove), and will keep your iPad safe from scratches. Available in black, red, or white, the Armor Carbon Fiber includes a screen protector and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/304634/best-ipad-mini-cases/5

by Eugene Kim

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Great buy on Thomas Kinkade's Evening Majesty - 1999 - buy through buyEtail.com

Evening Majesty - 1999

The real star of "Evening Majesty," first in my Beginning of a Perfect Evening collection, is the luminous sunset. To my mind, this would be the perfect place to curl up by the fire.

--Thomas Kinkade

 

source: http://www.thomaskinkadegallery.com/store/index.php/evening-majesty-1999.html

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Refurbished iPhone 5's - Healthy iPhone LifeStyle Health Apps - buyEtail.com

The fast pace of today’s world brings with it more distractions and less time to relax. It’s easy to forget what your body needs. Luckily, the very same devices that sometimes act as distractions can be used to promote healthy living.

These best apps of 2014 can help by doing things like tracking and improving your personal health metrics. The best part is that most of these can be used on the go —even if you’re going to sleep. Keep reading to learn more about these handy apps for a healthier lifestyle.

If a person speaks in their sleep but there’s no one there to hear them, do they make a sound? Definitely. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 50 percent of children and 5 percent of adults talk in their sleep. If you’re one of them, there’s a way to find out what you’re saying. With Sleep Talk Recorder, you can keep track of what you or your child says during the night.

The app saves your recordings and places them on a timeline for easy navigation and playback. At best, you might find that you have decoded the Voynich manuscript in your sleep. At worst, you’ll have some hilarious audio to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter. 

This app is a real lifesaver. Pocket First Aid & CPR is an easy-to-use emergency guide that includes information on First Aid Basics, CPR, automated external defibrillators (AED), and medical, injury, and environmental emergencies. Rest assured, all content is provided by the American Heart Association, the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization. You may not need to use Pocket First Aid every day, but when you do need it, you’ll sure be glad you have it.

When you need reliable information about a certain medication, all you need to do is check your phone! For the ultimate guide in everything medication-related, check out the Drugs.com app.

Personalize your own drug list to keep track of what medications you’re taking and receive relevant medical information. Use the search tool to browse through the extensive drug database. And identify unknown pills by entering their imprint, shape, or color. Drugs.com is the leading online drug resource, so it’s no wonder this app is so useful.

source: http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/top-iphone-android-apps-healthy-lifestyle#1

by Elea Carey

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Refurbished iPad and iPhone - Daily iPad App: My Measures & Dimensions PRO - buyEtail.com

Today's Daily iPad App is My Measures & Dimensions PRO. It's universal, but I only tested it on the iPad. The app is a beautiful and useful tool for anyone who needs to take measurements around the house. Though it's designed with carpenters, engineers, architects or landscapers in mind I found it an incredibly useful app to have during my recent move between flats.

My Measures & Dimensions PRO allows you to snap a picture quickly or choose an existing picture from your library and add photos with measurements to objects in the app. For example, say you're viewing a new apartment and you want to know if your furniture is going to fit. With the app, simply take a picture of the new apartment, tap the screen with two fingers and then drag to place a lined arrow on the desired area. Then simply add the measurement of the area you are recording. Measurements can be entered in Imperial, metric, Chinese or Japanese standards. Measurements must obviously be inputted manually as the app cannot calculate the distance between two points just from a photo.

Another great feature is the ability to easily add angle measurements. Just select the angle tool and adjust its degrees by dragging the tool to match the angles and the photograph. Angles are calculated automatically. What's really great about the app is it can also calculate the sum of all your measurements and even the surface area of your measurements. Lastly, the app allows you to write simple text on photos so you can make notes on the same canvas you're recording dimensions on.

What My Measures & Dimensions PRO does is it allows you to stop carrying around a pen and paper for your measuring needs. By taking a photo and recording measurement on a photo you'll have a much better idea of what the space you are working in actually provides and looks like. Another nice feature lets you export your measurements as a PDF. That way you can share your measurements with just about anyone.

There is also a basic version of My Measures & Dimensions PRO. That version, called My Measures & Dimensions, is a few dollars cheaper and lacks some of the features of the PRO version including iCloud sync and backup, the ability to zoom in on pictures, the ability to snap arrowheads together, and loupes and cross mode.

The only problem I had with My Measures & Dimensions PRO was that the iCloud sync feature didn't appear to work on the iPad version of the app. I took photos and measurements with the iPhone version of the app and I could see that those documents were stored in my iCloud account, but for some reason the iPad app couldn't see the documents were there. Still, once that bug is ironed out, I can't recommend My Measures & Dimensions PRO enough.

Great Buy on Thomas Kinkade's Conquering the Storms - 1999 - buy through buyEtail.com

Conquering the Storms - 1999

In Conquering the Storms, sixth in my Seaside memories collection, I confront images of Gods awesome power- lightning, storm clouds, driving winds, pounding surf. Here in truth, is a storm that can shake us to the core of our being. And yet, if we hold onto the rock of our faith, we can ride out any storms.

-- Thomas Kinkade

source: http://www.thomaskinkadegallery.com/store/index.php/images-gallery/lighthouses-and-seascapes/conquering-the-storms-1999.html

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Refurbished Apple iPad - Apps to Help you Sleep - buyEtail.com

Have trouble sleeping? You can count sheep, count backwards, take some medication... or you could try using your iPhone, iPod, or iPad to bring some relaxation to your life. Try these apps to slow down, rejuvenate, and get some sleep!

Ambiance

by Urban Apps

I've been using this awesome sound generator for a couple of years now and it's always being updated with great relaxing sounds. Search for and mark your favorite sounds. It's got a very easy, but beautiful UI and with push notifications on, it will alert you when new sounds are available for download. No extra in app purchases necessary. Great Sound App that will certainly have you snoring in no time!

Power Sleep & Nap | AmbiScience™ • Binaural & Isochronic Ambient Sleep Utility

by Tesla Audio Sciences

Designed specifically for sleep, Power Sleep & Nap by Ambiscience takes the listener on a voyage of electronica entrainment tracks that are proven to bring the user to a blissful peace of mind (in other words, sleep like a baby!). It includes 11 long professional Ambient tracks, 8 Entrainment programs, and 9 beautiful ambient tracks. Power Sleep & Nap also includes an alarm with snooze option and frequent free updates.

Count Sheep HD

by Taber Buhl

If you're a sheep counter, then why not count some cute little virtual sheep as they jump over a wooden fence? This iPad HD app is helpful for putting the kids to bed and it certainly is better than staring at the ceiling! It's a well designed, simple app that allows for song randomization. Watch the stars slowly twinkle in the background! Just prop up your iPad near the bed and count till you fall asleep. Set a timer and the screen and music will gently fade when the timer runs out.

source: http://appadvice.com/applists/show/apps-to-sleep

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Great buy on Thomas Kinkade's Rock of Salvation - 2001 - buy through buyEtail.com

Rock of Salvation - 2001

I was struck, recently, by the gospel music phrase the rock of salvation and suddenly felt myself challenged to present the phrase in one of my prints. Rock of Salvation will be the last creation in my Seaside Memories series. Though watching the sun set over this seven-year series of work is nostalgic and slightly bittersweet, I look forward to the sunrise of a new coastal series in the future.

-- Thomas Kinkade

source: http://www.thomaskinkadegallery.com/store/index.php/rock-of-salvation-2001.html

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Have a Great Labor Day from buyEtail.com

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