A new interview with CEO Tim Cook, lead designer Jonathan Ive, and Operations head Jeff Williams sheds some light on the development of the Apple Watch. Ive remarks that Apple first began working on the project about three years ago, and calls it "probably one of the most difficult projects I have ever worked on." The company delved into an extreme amount of research, going so far as to invite watch historians to speak at its Cupertino headquarters. "What was interesting is that it [watches] took centuries to find the wrist and then it didn't go anywhere else," Ive says. "I would argue the...
-- For more information read the original article here.
-- For more information read the original article here.
At its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple unveiled Metal, an API designed to improve game performance on iOS. Epic Games took the stage during the event to show off Epic Zen Garden, a game built using the Unreal 4 Engine and the Metal API.
The game, which was designed to show off the impressive graphic enhancement features possible with Metal, demonstrated an expansive world with a fully interactive environment. Users could touch a tree to send a cascade of leaves and cherry blossoms swirling to the ground or interact with a group of koi fish.
As of today, Epic Zen Garden is available for download, letting users see some of the things that will be possible in iOS games in the near future. The game supports a resolution of 1440 x 1080 at 30fps, and can display 3,500 butterflies at once. One of the major features of Metal is that it allows for more draw calls, letting a huge number of objects be displayed on the screen.
Epic Zen Garden can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
(Thanks, Eli!)
Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Apple TV Updated With Beats Music Channel, Revamped Design, iOS 8 Feature Support
• iPhone 4s Users May Want to Avoid iOS 8 Due to Performance and Screen Size Issues
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• 1Password for iOS Available for Free Ahead of iOS 8 Launch [Updated]
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<br -- For more information read the original article here.
The game, which was designed to show off the impressive graphic enhancement features possible with Metal, demonstrated an expansive world with a fully interactive environment. Users could touch a tree to send a cascade of leaves and cherry blossoms swirling to the ground or interact with a group of koi fish.
As of today, Epic Zen Garden is available for download, letting users see some of the things that will be possible in iOS games in the near future. The game supports a resolution of 1440 x 1080 at 30fps, and can display 3,500 butterflies at once. One of the major features of Metal is that it allows for more draw calls, letting a huge number of objects be displayed on the screen.
Epic Zen Garden is a beautiful graphical environment showcasing the power of iOS 8, developed by Epic Games with Unreal Engine 4. Tap to navigate this interactive oasis brimming unmatched detail on mobile. Swipe the Sakura tree to make thousands of cherry blossoms swirl in the air, graze the koi pond to summon leagues of fish, and rake the sand with your finger to create subtle designs. Touch the well to bring throngs of butterflies out of hiding.More information on how Metal works, Epic Zen Garden and the Unreal Engine 4 can be seen in the video below.
Epic Zen Garden can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
(Thanks, Eli!)
Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Apple TV Updated With Beats Music Channel, Revamped Design, iOS 8 Feature Support
• iPhone 4s Users May Want to Avoid iOS 8 Due to Performance and Screen Size Issues
• Fleksy's Speed-Focused Gesture Keyboard for iOS 8 Launching Today
• LG to Supply Apple Watch Displays, Apple Aiming to Sell 50 Million Units in 2015
• 1Password for iOS Available for Free Ahead of iOS 8 Launch [Updated]
• First iPhone 6 Unboxing Video Surfaces
• Official iPhone 6 Plus Reviews Report 1 GB RAM
• SwiftKey's Systemwide Gesture Keyboard Launching Alongside iOS 8 for Free
<br -- For more information read the original article here.
Apple has released a statement regarding today's issues with their new HealthKit framework, which was released today alongside iOS 8. The company began pulling apps today from the App Store that sync with the HealthKit framework, leading users to... -- For more information read the original article here.
Apple's servers are being put to the test today. In addition to the release of iOS 8, Apple earlier today also rolled out a software update for Apple TV which brings with it a number of enhancements.
First, the Apple TV design interface has been... -- For more information read the original article here.
The Wall Street Journal's Geoffrey Fowler has had a chance to take the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung's Galaxy S5 on a test run from a photographic perspective, comparing the built-in cameras on each. On paper, the iPhone models were at a serious disadvantage: the photo modules are only 8MP, compared to the 16 megapixel units on Samsung's flagship smartphone. Nevertheless, Fowler's photos make clear that Apple's combination of lenses, camera, sensor and post-processing technologies create consistently better pictures....
-- For more information read the original article here.
-- For more information read the original article here.
Apple on Wednesday updated its customer privacy webpage to reflect new security initiatives, highlighting a letter written by CEO Tim Cook, who restated the company's business is in selling products, not harvesting data. -- For more information read the original article here.
Among the privacy policies outlined by Apple in a new webpage on Wednesday is a new iOS 8 feature that makes it technically impossible for the company to decrypt a device for law enforcement agencies. -- For more information read the original article here.
In what is likely the final numerical update for OS X Mavericks, Apple has released version 10.9.5 just one day after it was seeded to AppleCare representatives. The release notes indicate that it improves the reliability of VPN connections requiring USB smart cards, and access to files on SMB servers. The patch also includes Safari 7.0.6, though it was released separately about a month ago, alongside v6.1.6 for older operating systems for security patches. The company also updated iMovie for iOS to add iOS 8 compatibility....
-- For more information read the original article here.
-- For more information read the original article here.
You don't need supernatural powers to realize that it's been 12 months since a Kindle Paperwhite refresh, ergo we're due a new one. It also kinda helps when Amazon's own web-store lets slip a little bit of info. Some eager searchers spotted a listing... -- For more information read the original article here.
Auth0, a startup offering what it calls “identity-as-a-service”, is announcing that it has raised $2.4 million in seed funding.
CEO Jon Gelsey told me that Auth0 (for those of you who have the same question I did: It's pronounced “auth-zero”) is trying to solve a problem that team members faced themselves when they worked as developers, namely that it's… Read More
-- For more information read the original article here.