Shelly Palmer Digital Living - Daily Radio Report

There are so many new features tucked away within iOS 7 that you may still find new ones for weeks to come. Here are some of my favorites that you may or may not have found yet. Apple has added in the ability for your iDevice to auto-update your apps. You’ll no longer need to manually update them from the App Store – heading into the App Store settings menu will give you the option to automatically let your device keep all of your apps up to date. It’s not very battery- or data-friendly, but the option is there if you want it. Speaking of updated apps, whenever an app gets updated – either manually or automatically – a little blue dot appears next to the app’s name on your home screen to show you there’s been a change. It’s a subtle reminder, and very effective. Another subtle addition can be found in the Messages app. By swiping message bubbles to the left, you’ll see the exact time stamp every message was sent and received.

If you’re a Verizon FiOS customer who’s always on the go, keeping up with your favorite shows just got a little easier. Last week, Verizon announced an update to the company’s FiOS Mobile App, which now lets FiOS customers watch live TV and video on demand anywhere they want on iOS, Android and Kindle Fire devices. The initial rollout only features nine channels, but includes BBC America, EPIX, NFL Network, Food Network and Travel Channel, all available to be watched wherever you are. And, as an added bonus to customers in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., news and weather from local affiliates of the major broadcast networks are also available through the app. The update is aimed at Verizon’s “Borderless Lifestyle” customers – the 40 percent Verizon customers … like me … who use multiple devices and need to stay connected 24/7. The updated app is available for download now, so go get it and start watching TV anywhere you want.

iOS 7 launched last week with a whole suite of new features, but none may be more important than Command Center. By swiping up from the bottom of screen at any time, even if your device is locked, you’re given quick access to the features you’re most likely to use. Command Center features one-touch access to flashlight, alarm, calculator and camera apps, as well as one-press toggles for Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb and Portrait Orientation. By grouping these functions in one place, Apple significantly cut down on the time you waste seeking out these features scattered across your homescreens, folders and settings menus. Command Center also gives you access to slide bars for screen brightness and volume, as well as playback functionality for whatever you’re listening to. But one of the smartest things Apple did is include the option for you to disable access to Command Center while playing games; no, Temple Run, I don’t want to change my screen’s brightness, I just want to clear that gap!

Apple may have shown off two brand new iPhones last week and confirmed a date for iOS 7 and iTunes Radio, but very little was made of Apple TV. Leading up to the event, it was rumored Apple would release a new version of its media streaming box, but instead Apple simply announced a software refresh alongside the launch of iOS 7. But if new reports are to be believed, we may not be too far off from new hardware after all. 9to5Mac reports that we may see brand new Apple TVs as soon as October, when Apple is also rumored to launch new iPads and iPad minis. So what might these new Apple TVs feature? Apple has reportedly been testing motion sensors similar to those found in Microsoft’s Kinect, which would help turn the Apple TV into a gaming platform. There’s also a strong possibility that Apple could include support for 4K video output. Whatever the next version of Apple TV holds, we probably won’t have to wait long to find out.

One of the best parts of Android is Google Now, the world's best task manager. One of Apple's most innovative features in recent years has been Siri. So what does Microsoft have up its sleeve to compete? Meet Cortana, a Halo-inspired personal assistant, coming... eventually... to Windows Phone. As Windows Phone moves toward its “Blue” release in the early part of next year, major upgrades and improvements are expected to hit the platform, and Cortana would fit right into this plan. Cortana would be able to learn from and adapt to your behaviors, and it’s rumored that Cortana will be more than just a personal assistant – reports say it’s a key element to the makeover of the entire “shell” of the Windows platform, which means we may see it on Xbox, Surface and PC, too. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has hinted at a unified “service-enabled shell,” but neither he nor Microsoft has announced anything officially. As Windows Blue nears, expect to hear far more about Cortana and other upgrades to Windows Phone.

When Apple unveiled its iPhone 5C last week, we finally learned what the "C" stands for, and it certainly isn't "cheap." While the phone's subsidized price of $99 is half that of the iPhone 5S, the phone off contract is nearly as expensive as Apple's fully-featured device. Many thought the 5C would be a way for Apple to gain some worldwide market share back from Android. But in China, where Apple owns only five percent of the market share, the 5C costs over $700, only about $130 less than the current price of the iPhone 5 and far, far more expensive than many Huawei and other midrange smartphones, which usually clock in around $150. So what does the “C” actually stand for when it comes to the iPhone 5C? Color. Available in white, pink, yellow, blue and green, the iPhone 5C is the most colorful iPhone ever. If you want a pink iPhone, the may be perfect for you. For everyone else? This one is a swing and a miss.

Do you ever wish you could get rid of your cable box altogether and just watch everything through one device? If you're a Time Warner customer, you may soon be able to do just that. Time Warner recently admitted that many of its customers hate set top boxes, so the company is working on making your life set top box free. Time Warner customers can already stream live TV through devices like the Xbox 360 and Roku, but these devices are only secondary units and require a Time Warner box in the house. Time Warner is working on ways to make boxes like the Roku your primary device and eliminate set top boxes. It'd require you to subscribe to Time Warner for both TV and Internet to verify that you're watching channels you pay for. It's a ways off for now, and Time Warner says don't expect anything for about a year. But if you hate set top boxes and want to rid your life of them altogether, you may soon get your wish.

At long last, the iPhone 5S is here. Last week, Apple unveiled its newest iPhone, which looks nearly identical to the iPhone 5 but now comes in three colors: silver, gold and space gray. The new iPhone, which is available starting this Friday, September 20, will also sport a silver or gold ring around the home button, which signifies the biggest upgrade from the iPhone 5: a fingerprint scanner. Dubbed “Touch ID,” the scanner will let you unlock your phone using your thumb, rather than a passcode, and will also simplify the process of buying things in iTunes. The biggest internal change is a bump in the processing speed. The iPhone 5S features Apple’s new A7 processor, which is a 64-bit chip. That means it’s twice as fast as the iPhone 5 and forty times faster than the original iPhone. Apple also bumped up the camera and battery in its newest model. If you want the best Apple has to offer, the iPhone 5S goes on sale this Friday, starting at $199.

PayPal just released an update to its iOS and Android app, making it possible for users to get coupons and offers, order ahead at restaurants, pay at the table and even have a built-in credit line through Bill Me Later. When you check in at a restaurant, you’ll be greeted with coupons and offers that you can use then and there. You’re also able to order more food directly through the app, and even pay your bill and leave a tip directly through your phone, which means no more waiting for a waiter to see that you need his attention. If you want to pick up food and skip most of the restaurant experience, PayPal now lets you order ahead and pay through the app, so you can walk in and out with your food in a matter of minutes. While these features are only available at a few restaurant chains right now, expect forward-thinking, technology-hungry restaurants to add in PayPal functionality in the near future.

One of the best parts of taking a vacation with family and friends is being able to re-live the memories after you get back. And where’s the best place to do just that? Facebook’s photo albums, of course! The social media giant just made it easier than ever before to share your photos with family and friends by announcing shared photo albums. After creating a photo album on Facebook, you can share access to as many as 50 “contributors” who can each add up to 200 photos to your album. This is a major bump up from past photo album limitations, which were limited to only the person who created the album and limited to 1,000 total photos. The shared album’s creator also has control over the album’s three available privacy settings: public, friends of contributors and contributors only. So the next time you have a big event – camping trip, wedding or family reunion – give shared Facebook photo albums a try and let everyone in on the social media sharing fun.

The internet’s favorite type of picture, the GIF, has finally made its way to Facebook’s Timeline. Sort of. Giphy, a website that’s basically a search engine for GIFs, recently designed a workaround to get animated pictures onto your Facebook page. Giphy has created a code that makes GIFs loop on Facebook, and it works exactly like posting a link to a video. You can’t upload any GIF you want, though – it has to be one you find on Giphy’s site. Once you find an image you want to share, copy the URL from that page or click “Share GIF” to add it to your Timeline or Newsfeed. Your Facebook friends will see it as a video, and when they click the play button you’ll get the looping GIF animation we’ve come to know and love. Facebook commented by saying the site does not support animated GIFs. While the workaround is somewhat limited and is far from officially sanctioned, GIFs have at long last made their way to Facebook.

With the newest installments of its megahit Pokemon games on the way, Nintendo recently unveiled a new handheld gaming device: the 2DS. Shaped like a thin piece of cake, the 2DS plays both DS and 3DS games, but doesn’t offer the optional 3D feature that Nintendo’s 3DS offers. That feature was never fully embraced by gamers, as Nintendo warned parents not to let children under the age of 8 use the feature while many older gamers complained it hurt their eyes. Launching alongside the new Pokemon games this October, the 2DS will cost $129.99, making it $40 cheaper than Nintendo’s 3DS and $70 cheaper than the 3DS XL. The reveal was met with mixed reactions, as many tech sites wondered why anyone would ever buy this device. But with screens the same size as the 3DS and a much lower price point, this new 2DS will be very appealing to parents with young children who want to play the new Pokemon games when they hit shelves alongside the 2DS on October 12.

With the reveal and launch of Apple’s newest iPhones coming ever closer, Apple recently launched the “iPhone Reuse and Recycling Program,” a trade-in program available for upgrading your old iPhone. If you’ve got an iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S or 5 kicking around and you wish to upgrade, bring your device in to receive a gift card based on the condition of your old device’s screen, buttons, overall hardware quality and more. There are a few catches, though: You must use that gift card for a new iPhone, which has to be bought during that same transaction and has to be an activated phone on a contract. Reports say that the trade-in value varies, but a 16 GB iPhone 5 in good condition will fetch about $250 and a GSM 8 GB iPhone 4 will get you about $130. Be warned that these prices are significantly lower than competing services, but if you want one-stop shopping for upgrading your iPhone, Apple’s trade-in program is live today.

Everyone knows that texting while driving is a bad idea, illegal and very, very dangerous. A court in New Jersey recently decided that drivers alone aren’t responsible – if you send a text message to another person you know is behind the wheel, you can be held liable in the event of an accident. This stemmed from a court case where a distracted teenage driver severely injured a married couple on a motorcycle while he was texting his girlfriend. The couple had reached a settlement with the driver, but also wanted to charge the girl he was texting with negligence. The New Jersey court didn’t bring charges against the girl, but thought the idea was interesting enough to consider in future cases. The court said that remote texters only have a “limited duty,” and you have to wonder how in most cases someone could prove you knowingly texted a driver. Regardless of the legal implications, though, if you think your friend or loved one is driving, don’t text them. Whatever you have to say can wait.

Do you have a special skill set and want to make a little extra cash? Google Plus may be the perfect place for you. Google recently launched a site for “Google Helpouts,” a new video chat helpline service. You can sign up to receive help, or earn money by helping someone else. After entering your skills, availability, qualifications and rate, Google will match you with people who need your help. You can even upload an intro video to answer basic questions about the services you’ll be providing. Designate when you’re available each week, and customers can schedule a video chat session during your available hours. All the payments are handled through Google Wallet, and Google takes a 20 percent cut of whatever you charge. Google is even promising a 100 percent money-back guarantee for anyone not completely satisfied. Google Helpouts works on desktop, Android and iOS, so if it sounds like something you want to try out, head over to helpouts.google.com, request an invite and let me know how it goes.