Happy election day! We don't know about you, but we'll be quite happy to see those political ads leave the airwaves come Wednesday so things can get back to normal with corporations trying to sell us their wares instead. Before you head out to vote today, why not take a quick look at a handful of stories you might have missed on Monday?
Social network giant Facebook pushed out yet another update to its universal iOS app on Monday afternoon, making it easier to chat with friends and share multiple photos. Version 5.1 introduces the ability to swipe left from anywhere in the app to send a message or see who's online, as well as adding friends to a Favorites list so they'll never be more than a tap away. The app also now allows multiple photo uploads and introduces the ability to give real gifts to your friends, but only for U.S. users for now. Facebook for iOS 5.1 is now available in the App Store.
After a number of months as an invite-only beta, cloud storage service Cubby has announced it is moving on to the "open beta" phase, swinging the doors wide open for any and all users to sign up. The service still offers 5GB of free storage to get started, with the option to get 25GB free via referrals -- every person you invite will net you an extra 1GB. Since Cubby is owned by the folks at LogMeIn, there's no need for a cumbersome signup process if you already use a LogMeIn or join.me account -- simply sign in to Cubby and you're good to go. Cubby also has a number of changes including a new look for the website, image thumbnails, sync status and pause control, action buttons and soon, an "ideas community" for voting on the features you'd most like to see on the service. To join up, head to the Cubby website and grab your free 5GB.
While the controversy over Apple's new iOS 6 Maps app appears to have subsided for the moment, sources at Google appear to be "not optimistic" about their chances for their own Maps app getting approved by Cupertino. The Guardian reported Monday that the standalone Google Maps app is still on track for the end of the year, but many within the company think an App Store approval remains "unlikely," even with the departure of Apple VP Scott Forstall, the man behind the company's own Maps solution. The Google sources claim Apple would rather "keep moving forward in an effort to make its obviously inferior product better" rather than approve a competitor's solution, despite CEO Tim Cook's public apology shortly after the controversy first erupted.
Better late than never, Sony Electronics Inc. has brought their e-book Reader service to iOS at last with a free, universal app now available in the App Store. The app even comes with a free, exclusive short story to entice iOS users into giving it a short, courtesy of bestselling and celebrated urban fantasy author Kim Harrison. Judging from the screenshots, the app appears quite slick and just as capable as other solutions, and the customer reviews seem quite thankful for Sony finally bringing it to their favorite platform as well. Won't you give it a try next…?
Good news! The Hulu Blog announced on Monday that the streaming provider has finally scored a deal with network CBS -- but only for their older TV content that's no longer on the air. (Aw, shucks.) Bummer though that may be, the deal will bring more than 2,600 episodes from CBS classics such as Star Trek, Medium, I Love Lucy and CSI: Miami to Hulu Plus users, but not until January, 2013. The free Hulu.com service will also get a taste of that CBS goodness, with a selection of shows rotating through the website over time.
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