IPhone game you can play without unlocking your phone – Steve The Jumping Dinosaur

Smartphones are pretty good for killing time – but what about when you are so lazy you can’t even be bothered to unlock your phone?

Relax, we’ve got your back.

Rather bafflingly, there’s a game you can play on iPhone without unlocking your handset – working as a widget in your Notifications screen.

Obviously, we’re not talking Destiny here – it’s a running dinosaur, similar to the one you can see in Chrome’s browser, and you tap to hurdle over stuff, in search of high scores.

It’s free, though: you can download Steve The Jumping Dinosaur here.

He runs along your screen, and you tap to make him jump – whoop whoop!

You can also unlock extra characters, including, inevitably, Nyan Cat.

‘Lookout’ for Apple Watch Alerts You if You Leave Your iPhone Behind

Mobile security company Lookout has released an app that alerts Apple Watchowners if they have left their iPhone behind. Lookout 4.3 runs on the iPhone and Apple Watch, monitoring the Bluetooth connection between the two, and if the connection is lost between the two, the app buzzes the user on their Watch.

If an iPhone has been misplaced, but is still within Bluetooth range, the users can check the Lookout distance meter on their Watch that shows how far away from the iPhone they currently are. (Sort of a “you’re getting warmer…” type of thing. Or, maybe it’s more like “Marco Polo” if you use the “Scream” function? – Ed.)

Lookout can also make an iPhone emit a loud “scream” to help the owner locate the device, even if it’s out of Bluetooth range, or set to silent mode. (The two devices do have to be connected to the same local Wi-Fi connection.)

If the iPhone is no longer connected via Bluetooth, or on the same Wi-Fi network, the app displays a map showing the device’s last known location, using it’s GPS signal, working similar to Apple’s Find my iPhone app. (Why hasn’t Apple released a version of Find my iPhone for the Apple Watch yet? Hmmm…)

Lookout is free, and is available for the iPhone and Apple Watch in the App Store. [GET IT HERE]

Yoink: A great utility for moving files around OS X

Yoink is a utility available on the Mac App Store that I find to be extremely useful. When you begin dragging a file on a Mac with Yoink installed, the utility’s interface appears on the side of the screen. Yoink serves as a temporary holding area for files on your Mac as you move them between apps, folders, and wherever else in the Finder.

There are few apps that I consider to be must-haves on OS X, but Yoink is certainly one of them. Moving files around the Mac is easier with Yoink installed, especially if you make the most of using full screen apps. Watch our video walkthrough inside to see how.

After installing Yoink, it’s just a matter of setting up its preferences to get going. I recommend enabling the option for the app to Launch at login so that it’s always available.

There are also preferences for establishing when the Yoink interface will appear on screen. By default, Yoink is set to appear on the side of the screen whenever you drag a file using your mouse or trackpad. In my opinion, this is the best way to use Yoink.

That said, options are available to make Yoink appear manually via a keyboard shortcut. You can also make the Yoink holding area move to your mouse location when a drag is initiated.

VIDEO WALKTHROUGH

Yoink’s preferences can be further configured by clicking on the gear icon at the bottom of its interface. From there, you can establish the location of the holding area window, along with its size.

Items are grouped into a stack when dragging more than one file into Yoink. Grouped items removed from Yoink will thus be removed as a group. If you hover over a stack of grouped files, you’ll see an icon that allows you to break apart all of the items in the stack. Doing so lets you manipulate each item in Yoink as individual files.

Yoink disappears after all of the items in its window have been removed. You can opt to use the sweep button in the bottom right-hand corner of its interface to clean out all items in one fell swoop.

Just reading this overview might not portray how useful such an app is, so be sure to watch the video walkthrough above for a visual look into its usage. Simply put, Yoink makes it easier to move files around OS X. If interested, head over to the Mac App Store where it can be downloaded for $6.99.

As a side note, if you’re keen on moving files between full screen apps, but wish to use features found natively within OS X, be sure to check out our tutorial for using Hot Corners with Mission Control.

Notarize documents remotely with new iPhone app

Legal documents of all types need to be notarized which has always meant a visit to a licensed notary. The notary verifies your identity in person and then witnesses your signing of the document(s) in front of him or her. It’s not something one has to do often but it’s a pain when required.

The free Notarize app for the iPhone makes this classic process possible on the phone. Running the app verifies your identity by scanning an acceptable ID – e. g. a driver’s license – and connects you over a video call to a licensed notary. The notary witnesses you signing the document and electronically stamps it as officially notarized.

Once stamped the document can be emailed to the appropriate authority and saved to the cloud for later referral.

The service is available in all 50 states. The Notarize app is available on the iTunes app storefor free.

13 tweaks to check out this weekend

We’re just days away from Apple unveiling new iOS devices and likely providing an official launch date for iOS 9. With new software come new challenges, and of course the continuation of the cat and mouse game. If rumors hold true, a jailbreak for iOS 9might never happen. We shall see, I guess. In the meantime, let’s enjoy what we have now.

BackupAX Command-Line Edition: The command line version of BackupAZ tool ($2.99)

BBM+: a suite of tweaks for BBM (free)

beINairPlay: lets you use AirPlay in the beIN Sports app (free)

BetterShutDown: an improved power down menu (free)

ColorFlow 2: modifies the Music app, Lock screen, and Spotify to match the album artwork($1.99)

Earth LockScreen: puts a rotating Earth on your Lock screen (free)

Indago: a floating browser for your iPhone ($1.99)

InstaBetter: a suite of tweaks for Instagram (free)

InstaTools: lets you zoom, download and share photos on Instagram (free)

Keek: give you a quick glance at apps in Control Center ($1.99)

NoSafariHistory: disables browsing and search history in iOS 8 (free)

QuickVolumeHUD+: dismisses the volume HUD quicker than normal (free)

SafariSearchHider: hides searches from history in Safari (free)

Tweaks of the week: FutureLock, MusicScroller, SimpleReach, and more.

Another interesting week for the jailbreak community. Despite the reports of thousands of iCloud account being compromised by some shady jailbreak tweaks installed from some shady repos you’ve probably never heard of, we’ve seen some good tweaks being released in Cydia.

In case you don’t want to scroll through dozens and dozens of packages, we round up all the new jailbreak tweaks that appeared this week on Cydia.

BootLogoCustomizer: changes the color of your boot logo ($1 )

Bragi: redesigned music controls for Control Center and Reachability ($1)

CCMore: adds more features to Control Center ($1.99)

Docker: doubles the capacity of your iPhone’s dock ($1.99)

Fast Freeze: an Activator action that freezes running apps in memory ($1)

FullResShare: allows you to attache full resolution album artworks for shared songs (free)

FutureLock: drastically enhances the Lock screen with various features ($2.50)

GrabKiller: lets you tap the Control Center grabber to kill all apps in the switcher (free)

Mezode: changes the Messages top bar color to the type of message you’re sending (free)

MusicScroller: adds a pop-up alphabet indicator to the Music app (free)

MusicTransport: sends music or sound effects over phone calls ($2.99)

NoUpdateAll: removes the Update All button in the App Store app (free)

PowerColor: brings custom color gradients to the iOS battery indicator (free)

PulseVolumeAlert: makes a vibration when you listen to music with headphones too loud (free)

QuickSwipe: lets you swipe to dismiss videos in Safari (free)

Rotary Lock: a combination lock for the Lock screen ($0.99)

Sentinel: an extension that gives you more control about numbers you block ($2.99)

SimpleReach: makes Reachability better ($0.99)

SmartClose: puts your app in deep freeze without unloading them (free)

TranslateMe: translate text with ActionMenu (free)

WGradRemover: gets rid of the wallpaper gradient overlay shadow (free)

PCalc brings its calculator app to Apple Watch w/ Glance & Send to iPhone feature.

TLA Systems has brought is popular calculator app to the Apple Watch today through the latest version of PCalc for iPhone. The PCalc Apple Watch app features a fully functional calculator for quickly crunching numbers from your watch — 1985 Casio-style like the similar Calcbot app — and similarly features a clever tip calculator that makes splitting the bill a cinch.

PCalc for Apple Watch also includes an app Glance that displays the most recent result from PCalc and serves as a shortcut to the calculator app from the watch face. Force Touching in PCalc on Apple Watch brings up a menu that includes a Send to iPhone feature as well.

While Apple includes a calculator app on the iPhone, it does not extend that to the Apple Watch. While it might seem like a throwback to the 80s, discretely calculating your tip and total at dinner has been a slick use of Apple Watch for me so far

PCalc for iPhone with Apple Watch support is available on the App Store for $9.99. Version 3.4 is a free update to existing PCalc 3 for iPhone users.

Office apps for iPad: iPad/iPhone Apps.

In this modern world of business, taking HQ with you is becoming easier than ever before. Keep your finger firmly on the pulse of your business from virtually anywhere with the best business tools available for the iPad. From email clients to collaboration tools, you’ll never miss a beat regardless of where your work takes you. Be forewarned, you may never want to go back to your desktop again.

• 
  

  Evernote

  by Evernote

  Evernote essentially becomes an extension of your brain, and it will be your go-to solution for every bit of information that you need to keep around for future reference. Once stored in Evernote, your notes will always be with you, and easily accessible at any time. Evernote offers a free account, which is already very robust, but signing up for a premium account will give you unlimited storage and even allow you to work with a large number of file types.

• 
  

  Dragon Dictation

  by Nuance Communications

  Typing can be a challenge for some on the iPad. Dragon Dictation is here to help you become a text input ninja on the iPad. The app follows all of the standard dictation input methods. This means that you can speak the word “period,” and it will enter a period. It’s worth your time to learn all of the different key words that can be used in this app. The text can be copied to your clipboard or emailed straight out of the app. Dragon Dictation is completely free and a wonderful addition to any iPad.

• 
  

  OmniFocus 2

  by The Omni Group

  If you’re looking for the crème de la crème of task managers, download OmniFocus 2. Yes, it is on the pricier side, but it is one of the best out there. This is definitely for someone that is looking for a task manager with the “bells and whistles,” with features such as organizing tasks into projects and folders, breaking up large tasks into small steps, mapping your tasks, tracking the details of your tasks, and more. It is not for someone who is just looking for a simple task manager.

• 
  

  ZOOM Cloud Meetings

  by Zoom

  ZOOM Cloud Meetings provides a way to run online meetings right from your iPad. The meeting can support up to 25 people and allows users to screen share with others in the meeting. The app exhibits outstanding quality in the audio and video department as well.

• 
  

  GoodReader

  by Good.iWare Ltd.

  GoodReader is an excellent file manager that anyone wishing for a shared file system is going to enjoy. You are able to access a variety of storage services and unzip archived files. If that isn’t enough, GoodReader also serves as a great PDF annotator with tons of editing tools at your fingertips.

• 
  

  Dropbox

  by Dropbox

  Facilitate large file transfers from virtually anywhere with Dropbox for iOS. The app allows you to sync files with your iPhone, desktop, or web accounts, and then share files via link or invite. When your important documents are over the 25MB email limit, Dropbox is the best way to ensure they get to where they’re going.

• 
  

  Scanner Pro by Readdle

  by Readdle

  During a busy work week, scanning documents can be an inefficient time-waster. Scanner Pro is an easy, accurate way to scan a document and convert it into a .pdf using the iPad’s camera. So long as there is somewhat decent lighting, Scanner Pro’s finished product is of equal quality to the traditional methods of scanning. From there, the user can share the document with others or save it to the device, making fully executed agreements in a snap.

• 
  

  PrintCentral

  by EuroSmartz Ltd

  PrintCentral is a reliable utility that allows users to print from any app, straight from their iPads. All you need is a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, or Network-enabled printer, and your iPad to use PrintCentral. No additional drivers are required.

• 
  

  Mailbox

  by Dropbox

  You may have heard some of the hype surrounding the new Mailbox app by Orchestra that had people waiting in a virtual line to get their hands on the app. The rumors are true. Mailbox has completely rethought the way users read, process, and organize email. Swipe and tap to put an email off until later, and the email will reenter your inbox only when you’ve designated. With a clean inbox, addressing more pressing emails has never been easier. Note: Mailbox is currently only available for Gmail clients. Other platforms are coming soon.

• 
  

  Concur – Travel, Receipts, Expense Reports

  by Concur

  Concur is a must-have for any business traveler. Within a single app, you can manage travel bookings, record receipts, and even submit your expense report. With Concur handling the details of the trip, you can focus on the meetings at hand instead of the trip leading up to it.

Microsoft brings its OneNote scanner to the iPhone with Office Lens.

Microsoft is bringing its OneNote scanner app called Office Lens to the iPhone after first launching on Windows Phone a year ago. Office Lens is similar to other on-the-go scanner apps letting you use your iPhone camera to capture information from receipts, documents, and other information around you. Office Lens is different, however, because it’s connected directly with OneNote, Microsoft’s cloud-syncing notebook service.

Office Lens can automatically crop images for you by finding the corners of cards or sheets of paper, and images are enhanced and cleaned up before being sent to OneNote or OneDrive. The automatic enhancement appear rather sophisticated with a high tolerance for rough image captures.

Images can even be converted to Word, PowerPoint, and PDF formats from the app. OCR, or optical character recognition, is built right in letting you search for text from scanned documents. Using this same technology, Office Lens can create contacts by scanning business cards and parsing the text.

The latest iOS app from Microsoft follows last month’s preview release of Office 2016 for Mac. Microsoft Office apps for iPhone and iPad are also available. Office Lens for iPhone is available for free on the App Store.

SmartScan Express: Take a photo of a document and turn it into a scanned item for yourself or sending out.

SmartScan Express: the fastest pocket scanner
(4 stars with 358 Ratings) 
iPhone App

$0.99 → Free for a limited time 

We live in a world that is getting increasingly paperless, but that doesn’t mean there are moments where paper isn’t called for. But if you want to digitize those necessary physical documents and items, you can do that on your iPhone with today’s app, SmartScan Express.

SmartScan Express is a simple scanner in your pocket, requiring you to simply take a photo of your document, and then let the app work its magic. You can create PDFs in a jiffy, and then send them out to colleagues as an email attachment. Once you’ve taken the photo, the app will automatically scan for the edges of the documents, and you can adjust them if necessary.

You can then choose to process the document and remove unnecessary shadows and help highlight the document’s content for you. This works for anything from posters to business cards, receipts, and anything else on paper. If you want to go paperless, SmartScan Express could be of service.

App Screenshots