The invites are out! Apple will hold a Keynote Media Event on September 7th at 10 a.m. PDT at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. The event is most likely to announce the iPhone 7! 

Apple will be live streaming the event on their website and on Apple TV. 

Apple's WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) is nearly here! The annual event held by Apple in San Francisco, California, is the time of the year when Apple allows thousands of developers from all around the world to meet with Apple engineers and attend workshops.

Apple kick starts the event with a Keynote presentation that announces what to come from Apple later in the year, relating to software updates. 

This year, Apple is expected to unveil the latest (work-in-progress) updates to iOS, OS X, WatchOS and more... 

Apple will live stream the event on their website and on Apple TV, on June 13th at 10 a.m. PDT. 

If you'd like to watch the Keynote event with commentary from some of the best in tech, I'd recommend you check out TWiT.TV live coverage of the event. 

Instagram is rolling out an update today which features a revamped icon and interface.

The app has gained a new simpler colorful icon and has ditched it's user interface's old color scheme for a 'white and black' one - to add more emphasis on the photos.

"Today we�re introducing a new look. You�ll see an updated icon and app design for Instagram. Inspired by the previous app icon, the new one represents a simpler camera and the rainbow lives on in gradient form. 

We�ve made improvements to how the Instagram app looks on the inside as well. The simpler design puts more focus on your photos and videos without changing how you navigate the app." - Instagram Blog.

There is also icon updates for Instagram's other apps; Layout, Boomerang and Hyperlapse.

What do you think of the new icon and interface colors? Do you give it a heart? Let us know in the comments.


> Instagram (version: 8.0) is available for download for free from the App Store. 

A quick unboxing of the brand new iPad Pro 9.7 inch in Space-Gray. Stay tuned for a full review and comparison video to the iPad Air 2 in the coming days! Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay updated!

Having some issues loading YouTube videos in HD? Why not check what your connection speed on YouTube is downloading at! 

It's simple to do on a desktop or laptop computer. Play a video, then right click on the video. Select "Stats for Nerds". Then see, "Connection Speed".  

The speed is listed in Kbps (kilobits per second) not Kb/s (kilobytes per second) which is what you are probably more familiar with (the speed shown when downloading a file, for example). If you want to know the the Kb/s speed is, you can search Google for "Kbps to Kb/s" and use their conversion tool.

Another great way to test your internet's download and upload speed is by using the website and app Speedtest.net

Pok�mon is celebrating 20 years! And to celebrate, they even have their own Pok�mon Super Bowl spot! Check out the ad 'Train On' above.

Pok�mon is also expected to release a new game for mobile on iOS and Android, later this year, titled, Pok�mon GO - which will be a virtual reality game, that'll place Pok�mon in 'the wild', for everyone to battle, catch, and trade. More details about Pok�mon GO is expected to be released this March at GDC 2016.

Check out the official Pokemon20.com site for more.

A new The Angry Birds Movie trailer has been released today! The movie is scheduled for release this MAY. 
Enjoy!

The Australian Television Channel 9 app has gotten an upgrade and a new name today. 9Jumpin is now 9Now.

9Now is a online live streaming and on-demand app. You can watch Channel 9 live, or catch up on shows after they are aired.  You can access 9Now from your phone, tablet, computer, or TV.

So you can watch a range of shows on-demand, and Channel 9 live, with other Channel 9 networks like 9Go and 9Life coming soon.

The video quality seems good and adjusts with your internets connection speed. Note, you may want to make sure you switch on the option "Play on WiFi Only" in the settings, unless you have an awesome mobile data plan.

Now the downsides of the app. To watch anything, you'll need to create an account with 9Now. Also, there is no AirPlay option. And there are advertisements, of course, but that's to be expected, however unlike a recording on a DVR, you can't skip these ads. Other than that, the app seems okay so far.

The 9Now app is FREE to download for iOS (iPhone & iPad) and Android. You can also access 9Now from the web at https://www.9now.com.au

It's 2016 and can you believe that Instagram still doesn't have an app for the iPad?! They seem to be focused on mobile only � but the iPad does make for a great viewing platform. But it doesn't matter, because if all you want to do is view photos and videos from Instagram on your iPad, there is a great third-party-app available.

'Flow for Instagram' by Codegent Bangkok, is what the iPad app of Instagram should be. Works in both landscape and portrait, Flow features Instagram pictures nicely laid out in a scrollable grid.

Tap a picture to enlarge and show other details that you'd expect like likes and comments. You can even zoom in on pictures by pinching and share, send, or even save to your camera roll* (requires paid version of app).



The main layout of Flow features buttons for:

- Home: the photos and videos from who you follow.
- Your Likes: the pics/videos you've liked.
- Favorites: your bookmarked users, tags, and places.
- Suggested/top pics: like the explore posts on Instagram.
- And Search: where you can search for users, tags, and places.

You also have easy access to other Instagram features like viewing complete pages of who you are following, your followers, requests, search, etc...

In the upgraded paid version (Flow+) you can choose between a light or dark theme for the app. *comes with dark theme - must upgrade for light theme. Also add multiple accounts, hide users posts, get a extended home feed, save pictures and videos and more.

Because this is a third-party-app, you cannot upload images from to Instagram from Flow. But, this app does makes for a great way to view your Instagram feed on your iPad.

Flow for Instagram is available to download for free (with a paid "Plus+" version available through in-app purchase) for iPhone and iPad - from the App Store.

Google has today released it's YouTube Kids app internationally for certain countries outside the U.S.A. at the moment including; the UK, Ireland and Australia. YouTube Kids launched in the USA nine months ago.

YouTube Kids is a free app, designed for kids aged 5 and under. The app is designed to exclude content that may not be appropriate for a young audience - however YouTube notes that not all videos are manually reviewed.

When setting up at app, parents can choose whether they want to allow search. If you allow search, kids can search through millions of videos on YouTube (with restrictions). With search off, only the videos on the apps home screen and recommendations will be shown. However the security that keeps search off is four written numbers that the apps asks you to type in. So, if your kid can read numbers...  

The app is divided into four sections: Shows, Music, Learning, and Explore. Videos that can be expected on the app are favorites like; Thomas & Friends, Hi-5, Banana's in Pajamas, Sesame Street and more.

Also it's important to note that this app is not advertisement free. YouTube writes that the app "...contains paid ads in order to offer the app for free. Your child may also see videos with commercial content from YouTube creators that are not paid ads."

> View YouTube Kids app on the iTunes App Store. 

Got videos on your Mac that you want to transfer to your iPhone? Or videos from your iPhone (or iPad) that you want to transfer to your Mac? It's actually very simple to do.

You could connect your iOS device via the Lightning Cable to your Mac computer and use iTunes or Apple's Photos app, but an even better and easier (cordless) way is to use AirDrop.  

To transfer videos via AirDrop and use them on the built-in iOS Photos app  -  you'll need the videos to be .mov, .mp4 or .m4v files.  If you are unsure what file type your video is, on your Mac, check the end of the file name or if it doesn't show, Control + Click and select Get Info. Anything that writes H.264, MPEG-4 or QuickTime should be fine.  

First, make sure you have AirDrop switched on: On iOS, slide up the Control Center panel, tap AirDrop and select either Everyone or Contacts Only (if you have your contact info added). On Mac, open Finder, tap AirDrop on the sidebar, then click "Allow me to be discovered by:" and select again, Everyone or Contacts Only. 

From Mac to iPhone or iPad, all your need to do is select and drag the file in Finder, hover over AirDrop - wait for AirDrop to find your iOS device and then hover-over and release and accept the file transfer on your iOS device, if prompted. 

From iPhone/iPad to Mac, find and select the video in your Camera Roll. Tap the Share button (square with up-pointing arrow) - and wait for your Mac device to be found and show in the AirDrop section - then tap your device and wait for the file to transfer.

Australians, free television networks are making watching your favorite shows easier and more convenient for you. We now have more content online than ever before and if you have an iPhone, iPad, or computer, it's never been easier to catch up on TV in your own time. 

All major Australian television networks have iOS apps available. The Seven Network has Plus7, Channel 9 has 9jumpin, Network Ten has Tenplay, there is also SBS On Demand, ABC iview and ABC KIDS iview. 

But how do all these apps really perform? Are they worthy of even being on your iOS device? Will you have a great experience? And can I steam the video to my Apple TV? These are the main questions that I'll be answering in these reviews. 

Reviewing these apps, I'll be looking to for the following criteria: picture and sound quality. General features and user interface. The catalog of available shows to watch. How advertising effects the watch-ability and if the app supports AirPlay streaming to a Apple TV. 

Also note, these reviews are based on playback on a iPhone 6 and streaming to a 2014 Apple TV (not the newest one). These networks also have websites available where you can access many, if not all, of the same features. 

Plus7

Picture and sound quality: Picture was ok, clear, but far from a HD clear image. Sound was ok for watching on a iPhone or iPad. 

Noteworthy Feature: Plus7 has recently added new live streaming of their three main channels to the app. You can live stream Channel 7, 7two, and 7mate. 

Show catalog: 7Plus features heaps of there shows, including: A Touch of Frost, Beach Cops, Better Homes and Gardens, Blindspot, Castle, Grimm, Heroes Reborn, Home and Away, How to Get Away with Murder, The Blacklist, The Chase, and many more... 

Ads: Yes. The 'hour long' episode that I watched featured seven commercial breaks. Commercial breaks featured multiple ads.  

AirPlay support?: No. 

9Jumpin

Picture and sound quality: Quality improves based on your internet connection. Picture and sound was very good on mobile. 

Noteworthy Features: View shows previews, read up on the show and characters, and view Twitter feeds. *on selected shows.  

Show catalog: 9jumpin features many shows from there three main channels, including: 60 Minutes, Arrow, The Bachelor, The Big Bang Theory, Celebrity Apprentice, A Current Affair, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Hot Seat, Survivor, and more... 

Ads: Yes. The 'half hour show' featured four commercial breaks. Commercial breaks feature multiple ads. 

AirPlay support?: Yes. No button on the app, however you can switch on AirPlay to your Apple TV on through the iOS Control Panel. Streaming quality was very clear once it adjusted to your connections speed - this happens after every commercial break, as well. One problem however, if my iPhone's screen switched off, the video paused. Ad volume was also inconsistent. 

Tenplay

Picture and sound quality: Picture frequently was blurring and low quality on mobile. Sound was clear and fine for mobile. Picture quality on the Apple TV app varies. Maybe based on show, but sometimes was very low quality and hard to watch. Most shows were blurry and nowhere near even DVD quality.  

Noteworthy Features: With the MyTV feature, if you sign up, you can add favorite shows, create a watchlist's and episode playlists. Your can also set reminders. 

Show catalog: shows featured on Tenplay include: TBL Families, Homeland, Scream Queens, Have You Been Paying Attention, Limitless, Madam Secretary, Empire, Hawaii Five-O, Supernatural, Family Feud, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and more.   

Ads: Yes. Four commercial breaks on the 'half hour show'. Commercial breaks feature multiple ads. Volume is inconsistent, with some ads being much louder than the TV show.   

AirPlay support?: Tenplay wins in Apple TV support, because they are the only app at the moment that actually is featured as an official app on the Apple TV itself. No need to stream from your iPhone or iPad, you can watch whatever is available right from the Apple TV. 

> Continue to Part 2 

Part two of my Australian TV network apps on iOS review. These reviews are looking for the following criteria: picture and sound quality. General features and user interface. The catalog of available shows to watch. How advertising effects the watch-ability and if the app supports AirPlay streaming to a Apple TV. 

Note: These reviews are based on playback on a iPhone 6 and streaming to a 2014 Apple TV (not the newest one). These networks also have websites available where you can access many, if not all, of the same features. 

(Click to view Part 1)  

Part 2 of Aussie TV App For iOS: 

SBS On Demand

Notable Problems: Firstly, videos play with the iPhone's status bar overlaying. Great that I can see the time and my battery level - but this is annoying. Video sometimes failed to even begin - though it's funny - the advertisement played fine. And I say advertisement and not 'advertisements' because the same one played over and over. App is not even readjusted for larger iPhone screens and is still just enlarged to fit. 

Picture and sound quality: Just watchable. Video has poor frame rate and pixel banding issues. Could do with a much higher Bit Rate.  

Show catalog: Some on the shows available to watch are: American Ninja Warrior, South Park, Letters & Numbers, Ali G: Remixed, Australia with Simon Reeve, Awaken, Bref, Dateline, Fargo, Maison Close, If You Are The One, a lot of documentaries, and many more...  

Ads: Yes. Run through out the program. 

AirPlay support?: Sort of. I want to say "no". No button on the apps screen, however you can switch it on in the iOS Control Panel. When the iPhone screen sleeps, sometimes so did the playing video. Video also has a hard time resuming playback position after an ad plays and often stay in an endless crashed loop of not loading anything. Video would not even close when 'Done' was pressed. You no what - just don't even attempt to AirPlay video from this app.  

ABC iview

Picture and sound quality: Sound was good for iPhone or iPad. Picture quality adjusts with your internet connection, however the best I experienced looked just 'okay' on iPhone and could of been much better. The picture isn't high quality 'sharp' and there was definitely pixel banding in areas. The low picture quality is much more noticeable on iPad or when AirPlayed to a TV screen.    

Noteworthy Features: You can browse content by channel. Choose shows from ABC, or ABC 2, ABC 3, ABC Kids, News, Arts, and ABC Presents. 

Show catalog: A wide variety of shows are on the ABC networks, but to name a few: Doctor Who, Making Families Happy, Catalyst, Four Corners, Antiques Roadshow, The Beautiful Lie, The Next Step, Camp Lakebottom, Numb Chucks, Play School, and many more... 

Ads: In the couple of programs I watched, there was no advertisements. 

AirPlay support?: Yes! You can AirPlay the video to an Apple TV. 

ABC KIDS iview 

A dedicated app just for kids, ABC KIDS iview app opened with volume that was not controlled by my iPhone's volume level. All sounds in this app (except playing video) do this. Really annoying. 


Based on the security of the Settings, I assume this app is intended for kids who cant read numbers yet. 

Picture and sound quality: Sound is fine, picture on the other hand is pretty low quality in my experience. It's 'okay' on iPhone and even streamed to a Apple TV, but it's not very sharp. 

Noteworthy Features: The app features a grid of shows to choose from. Tap a show to bring up available videos. Parents can also set a timer to lock the screen. 

Show catalog: Among the list are: Hey Duggee, 64 Zoo Lane, Bananas in Pajamas, Big Block SingSong, Bob the Builder, Dinosaur Train, dirtgirlworld, Emma!, Fireman Sam, and more...  

Ads: None that I saw. 

AirPlay support?: Yes! You can AirPlay the video to an Apple TV. 

Thanks for reading, be sure to share if you liked these reviews! 

Image Credit: Boomerang from Instagram

Instagram has released a new app today called, 'Boomerang from Instagram', which almost to me seems to be the Instagram answer to Apple's new iPhone 6S feature, 'Live Photos'.

Taking selfies or filming others, Boomerang takes 10 rapid photos and stitches them together to form a short 4 second looping back and forth video. For best results, Boomerang suggests you film moving objects with this app.

Once you have taken your Boomerang video, you can share it to Facebook or Instagram directly from within the app. It'll also be saved to your Camera Roll.

Some tech specs for those wondering: the saved video file is a .MOV using the H.264 codec at the resolution of full HD, 1080 x 1920.

> Go to: Boomerang from Instagram on the App Store. 

Apple last month released some new colors to the Sport Band Apple Watch range. One of the new colors is 'Midnight Blue'. This band was first seen by many on director J.J. Abrams at a Star Wars panel. 
Now, you can buy the Midnight Blue Sport Band with the new Aluminum Gold Apple Watch Sport, or on its own, separately. 
The Midnight Blue Sport Band lives up to its name - it is a dark colored blue, but light enough to distinguish it from the Black Sport Band and it's also appears much lighter in the daylight. Check out the unboxing and review on the video above with the Midnight Blue Sport Band attached to the Stainless Steel Apple Watch. 

From Vanity Fair and moderated by the Academy Award-winning producer Brain Grazer, watch Apple's Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and director of the new movie Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams, talk in a conversation about 'Inventing Worlds in a Changing One'.  

Google has today released its Material Design makeover for its YouTube app for iOS devices, months after the update was released for Android devices.

The new update brings a redesign that skewers away from the iOS 'look' of the previous version in favor of a Android look.

The redesign offers a new three part system: Home, Subscriptions, and Account, with the buttons in a huge red bar that unnecessarily takes up around one quarter of the screen (on iPhone).

Also included in the update is new in-app editing tool, making it easy for users to create and edit a video on the fly. There is also a new app icon which is the red YouTube play button logo on a white background, matching other Google apps on iOS.

The update is slowing roiling out to users in the App Store, even the redesign may not appear immediately after updating.

> YouTube for iOS is available for free from the App Store.

A new feature added in iOS 9 is the ability to zoom in on videos! Now with any video that you have recorded into your Camera Roll, you can zoom in simply by using 'pinch and zoom'. You can also pan around in the zoomed in video. 

Another new feature added in iOS 9 is the ability to take a photo while recording video. As you are recording a video you'll see another White button on the screen. Tap the white capture button to take a photo while filming. The photo taken isn't as good as a photo that is taken in the normal photo mode, but the resolution is 2720x1532, which is higher than the 1080p of the HD video.

Also new in iOS 9 for your camera - higher HD frame rate. There is a new option to enable 60 frames per second HD video recording, a bump up from the 30fps in iOS 8. Changing the frame rate to 60fps will give you much nicer and smoother motion in your videos. You'll need to enable this in Settings. Go to: Settings > Photo & Camera > under 'Camera' heading, "Record Video" > and select "1080p HD at 60 fps" for the best quality (unless you have a iPhone 6s, then '4K' for the highest picture quality). Remember, higher quality means that it'll use up more space on your iOS device.  

Angry Birds, the worlds most popular smartphone app (probably), with millions of users, across multiple Angry Birds games - from Angry Birds, to Angry Birds 2, the Star Wars edition, the Transformers one, the one in go-karts, the spin-off Stella game, Angry Birds Fight, and Angry Birds Epic, to name a few. And the next epic thing from Angry Birds? The Angry Birds Movie!

Finally want to know why the birds are so angry?? Watch the teaser trailer for your first look at The Angry Birds Movie -the hilarious 3D adventure coming May 2016 - Sony Pictures Entertainment

The Angry Birds Movie [IMDb Link] is coming in May 2016 and today, Sony Pictures Entertainment has released a first look trailer of the movie - and it actually looks pretty funny! Check it out, above. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook made a guest appearance on CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tonight. 

The interview touched on topics of the iPhone 6s, with Colbert showing off the new Rose Gold iPhone 6S. 3D Touch, the possibility of an Apple Car, charity and responsibilities, and more. For a good written summary, check out this article on re/code. 

You can watch a clip of the interview above, made available by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert YouTube page, or if you're in the U.S.A. you can watch the entire episode on CBS.com.