AppleVis Blog

Over the past few weeks there has been much media speculation that Facebook will shortly be releasing a major update to its iOS app.

By all accounts, this will be a complete redesign, so it would seem timely to remind Facebook that it has a publicly stated commitment to providing a great experience for everyone, and that this is currently not the case for blind users of their iOS app.

Each month, the AppleVis Editorial Team selects an iOS or Mac app which has been submitted to the site in the previous month that we believe to be a must-download. This app can be from any category, and is chosen because our Team members think that it is the pick of all the apps posted in that month.

Making our selection for June was particularly difficult, as many new and noteworthy apps were posted to the site. However, after much discussion, we have picked NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile.

With so much interest in the imminent releases of Mountain Lion and iOS 6, it would seem both timely and appropriate to establish the position of AppleVis on the posting of information about beta versions of Apple Software.

As we all know, Apple strives to maintain legendary levels of secrecy when it comes to the release of new products.

In the case of software, Apple do this by requiring that anybody who legally downloads and installs beta or preview versions accepts a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Essentially, this means that you are not allowed to publicly talk about the software. Doing so could result in legal action from Apple.

It is with much regret that I have to announce that Amir has decided to step down from our Editorial Team.

I would like to publicly thank Amir for his contributions to the site. I am sure that I am not the only one who will miss his informed, and often provocative, blog posts.

We are pleased to announce that the latest iOS app to be inducted into our App Hall of Fame is Pandora Radio.

Pandora Radio is free personalized radio that only plays music you’ll love. Just start with the name of one of your favorite artists, songs or classical composers and Pandora will create a custom "station" that plays similar music.

Pandora has narrowly missed out on induction in the past, so we are sure that the many existing users of this popular app will endorse that it rightly deserves this recognition. Our congratulations go to the team at Pandora.

Fleksy is getting better on an almost daily basis as its betas reach testers. It's pushed my bluetooth keyboard to the sidelines and while it would be better if we could bring it up in each and every application instantly instead of typing in a separate application (if Apple had allowed it), that might not be quite far-off. Syntellia has made Fleksy's SDK available to developers, meaning they can integrate it into their products. Also, the first few developers that apply for the SDK will get it free of charge. So imagine being able to utilize it in typing-heavy applications such as IM apps or note-takers.

We are pleased and excited to announce that David Woodbridge has agreed to join the AppleVis Editorial Team.

As you might have read, we recently posted that we were looking for an experienced Mac user to join our Team and to help develop the Mac-specific areas of the website.

iOS 6 announcements
note: I did miss a few things because the audio was a bit difficult, so anyone who has the remaining info is welcome to post it.
Siri can now launch apps.
Also, more support for other languages and countries.
There are also more local search type options, including those outside the US.
Facebook integration.
Facebook and Twitter are now options in the Notification Center, and App Store gets Facebook integration so you can tell apps that your friends like.
Also, do not disturb mode, which allows you to make the phone go completely silent for a given period of time you specify.
Facetime added to cellular networks, though this feature was available in some beta releases of 5, so not necissarily new.