Shucks, it almost feels like a Tuesday "app-ageddon" here today, with the tabletized version of Google+ finally arriving alongside a fresh new Twitter and Readability updates. And if that's not enough, Dropbox Pro is doubling its storage tonight, making it a better deal than ever. Overwhelmed by all that app-tastic news? We're here to make sense of it all, so keep reading and find out the latest for this Tuesday, July 20, 2012.
Social networking junkies get a double dose of app updates for this Tuesday! First up is the long-awaited Google+ 3.0, which finally brings search giant's vast wasteland onto your iPad as well as the iPhone and iPod touch. Users will be able to participate in Events and start a Hangout from most anywhere, assuming you can find any of your chums using the service at that particular moment. Meanwhile, Twitter for iOS also gets an update to version 4.3 today, and it's pretty much exactly the update whose release notes were first leaked to iOS 6 beta testers four days ago. The update adds a host of iPhone-only features such as expanded Tweets, search autocomplete and push notifications. Not bad, but you'll still have to pry Echofon out of our cold, dead hands...
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the city of San Francisco is none too happy about Apple's decision to remove itself from EPEAT, a voluntary registry of green electronics. "Officials with the San Francisco Department of Environment told CIO Journal on Monday they would send out letters over the next two weeks, informing all 50 of the city’s agencies that Apple laptops and desktops 'will no longer qualify' for purchase with city funds," the report reveals. In late June, Apple chose to remove all 39 models of its certified MacBooks and desktop computers from the EPEAT registry -- a move that baffled many, given that the Cupertino company helped create the EPEAT standards back in 2006. Ironically, the boycott by San Francisco officials is largely symbolic, given that less than two percent (between 500 and 700 workers) actually use Macs purchased by the city in the first place.
Read later service Readability also got a bump to version 1.1 today for its iOS app, adding a new Top Reads feature alongside featured picks from Longform. The update also allows users to double-tap to scroll, but perhaps most importantly of all, the app is now up to eight times faster than before, depending on which device you happen to be using. "Our developers took advantage of the latest iOS software and hardware improvements to squeeze every drop of performance out of this release," the company notes in a blog post. Readability 1.1 is a free download from the App Store, and the service is now likewise free since ditching its subscription service.
We love Dropbox, but have to confess that the paltry storage plans offered with their Pro services have kept us from ever paying cold, hard cash for the service. That's probably going to change, as the company announced today it's beefing up its storage capacities while retaining the same low prices. Instead of 50GB and 100GB plans, Pro users will now enjoy 100GB or 200GB, respectively, with a brand new, super sized 500GB plan also being thrown in for good measure. Existing users will see their storage capacity magically expand overnight, and Dropbox is also allowing them to share a three-month Pro 100 trial with friends or family as an extra bonus. Boo-yah!
AT&T has announced a new version of its U-verse apps for iOS, now offering more second screen features than ever before. "An expanded lineup of on demand premium and TV content available through the U-verse App for iPhone and iPod touch and AT&T U-verse App for iPad at no extra charge, including HBO, Cinemax, HBO, STARZ, ENCORE, MOVIEPLEX and Music Choice video," AT&T noted in a press release on Monday. The iPad version can now link directly with a U-verse TV receiver to "access up to the minute sports companion content and scores from various leagues for today's games, a review of yesterday's games and to see who is playing tomorrow." And the update wouldn't be complete without the ability to share what you're watching with friends on Facebook and now Twitter. The free companion apps are now available in the App Store, but require a U-verse subscription to unlock the magic.
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