Official WWE Network Channel For Apple TV Will Be Available On February 24th

The fortunes of Apple TV have completely transformed during the past year or so, with the Cupertino’s set-top box having been dragged from relative obscurity to now being a serious contender in the battle for supremacy in the ever-evolving TV market. Speaking of battles, it looks like Apple TV users will have plenty to look forward to, with today’s news that the World Wrestling Entertainment Network Channel will be joining its roster from the 24th of this month. Details after the break.

Scores of channels have been added regularly to Apple TV, just recently. The fruit company has managed to strike deals with numerous entities, including, most recently, Red Bull, and adding the WWE to the fold certainly helps to broaden the appeal of the little black box.

The fact that the content keeps on coming doesn’t bode particularly well for those hoping that Apple will come through with a connected TV effort, but with such a product not seeming viable at a time when consumers are looking for the cheapest ways to find the stuff they want to watch, this concerted push to broaden the range of streaming and on-demand video seems a much more worthwhile enterprise.

The WWE Network was announced last month for a number of platforms, but only now are we learning, courtesy of a representative on the WWE’s official Facebook page (via MacRumors), that it will be hitting Apple TV on February 24th. The network will run for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the time will be filled up with various shows related to the world of wrestling.

On top of that, you will, of course, get your main events — the likes of WrestleMania and such — with 12 pay-per-view events available to watch as part of the monthly subscription. The World Wrestling Entertainment Network will cost $9.99 a month, although there will be a one-week free trial for those who like to test the water before parting with their hard-earned cash.

The WWE Network is set to launch on a plethora of devices, including iOS, Android, Xbox, PlayStation, on February 24th, and it does look all-but certain that Apple TV will be included.

We’ll update you guys with a reminder when the WWE Network does become available across the board, so stay tuned!

Read More

News Beat 12:12  No comment

Pebble 2.0 Firmware, Appstore And New iPhone App Goes Live!

Pebble took the start-up world by storm with its introduction of the first contemporary smartwatch as we know it. Having already pushed over 300,000 units, the company has faced pressure from the likes of Sony and Samsung, but so far – and largely due to the ineptness of the aforementioned – Pebble has weathered the storm. Today, as promised, the company has rolled out its tailored Pebble appstore as part of its version 2.0 firmware and iPhone app to reinforce its position in the smartwatch market.

Firmware 2.0 for Pebble, which includes built-in support for the new appstore and Notification center, has just rolled out immediately. The new firmware can be downloaded on the smartwatch from the Pebble iOS app 2.0 for iPhone. Unfortunately, Android users will have to wait for the updated Pebble app, since the new update requires some fine tuning, but the Pebble team promises that it will hit the Google Play Store very soon.

The Pebble appstore provides a one-stop for users of the Pebble to easily locate content in an organized manner. As previously announced, popular apps such as Yelp, ESPN, GoPro, Pandora and Foursquare have been readied for this official launch, and with a total in excess of 1,000 apps and watchfaces, it makes a very strong statement of intent.

New Pebble iOS app running Pebble appstore.

There are numerous sections within the new appstore making, it very easy to source fresh content, with categories such as Daily, Tools & Utilities, Notifications, Remotes, Fitness, and Games.

It is worth noting, however, that while this portal makes it a great deal easier to find new apps and watchfaces, you can still download them through other means, so if we’re thinking in terms of the two current market leaders in mobile app distribution, this isn’t so much a PebbleApp Store as a Pebble Play Store.

Foursquare app for Pebble 2.0

Along with these significant software updates, Pebble also recently launched Pebble Steel of its wrist-worn gadget, which has been retailing since the tail end of January. Having followed the start-up through the Kickstarter days, it’s great to see the success continuing a couple of years on, and even though this year could see the likes of Google and Apple join the smartwatch fray, this resilient little startup company definitely has something of its own to bring to the table.

So, if you’re a Pebbler, grab the iOS software below, and we’ll be sure to let you know just as soon as the corresponding update arrives for Android.

(Download: Pebble Smartwatch for iPhone on App Store)

Read More

News Beat 12:11  No comment

How To Rename Messages Thread In Stock iOS 7 App

Instant messaging apps are ubiquitous, but although we all have our favorite third-party utilities such as WhatsApp, Skype, and others, the stock Messages app for iOS still gets plenty of use. This goes a long way to explaining why we have currently such a large count of tweaks being made specifically for Messages, and while there are swathes of great, powerful, and robust tweaks for this very purpose within Cydia, sometimes, we only want to make a subtle alteration here and there. MessageRenamer7 falls squarely within this category, allowing you to tidy up your list of messages by renaming them to whatever you like.

One of the great features of iMessage, which first came about with iOS 5, is the fact that you can have group conversations going, and you’ll find that if you have several going at any one time, it can be rather tedious trying to discern between them. This is where a tweak like MessageRenamer7 could come in particularly handy, allowing you to easily apply a different label depending on the group of people (perhaps a nickname related to the friends therein), and keep things looking relatively organized.

The tweak has long since been around from iOS 6, and has just been updated for iOS 7. The tweak has been re-written from the ground up for the new firmware according to the release notes, and also features 64-bit support.

While the old version was, and still remains free of charge, the developer is asking for 99 cents from those on iOS 7. If your Messages app is looking a bit unkempt and you’d like a way to establish a degree of order, this tweak offers a perfect solution, and having been optimized for the wave of new devices, should offer a slick, stock-like experience from the onset.

MessageRenamer7 can be picked up from the BigBoss repository in Cydia, and as aforementioned, costs one cent shy of a dollar. To locate it, simply open up the Cydia app on your home screen, tap on search, and type in MessageRenamer7.

Read More

News Beat 12:09  No comment