How do you gift an app to friends or family, or redeem one gifted to you? Right from the App Store, that’s how!

Did you get an iTunes gift card for your b-day? You don’t have to spend it on music or movies or TV in the iTunes Store, you can buy apps too! You can even bump up your balance and gift content to another lucky iPhone or iPad user, right from the App Store.

How to redeem iTunes gift cards in the App Store for iPhone and iPad
How to view your current balance in the iTunes Store on iPhone and iPad
How to set up payment options in the App Store on iPhone and iPad
How to gift content from the App Store for iPhone and iPad
How to send a gift card from the App Store for iPhone and iPad

How to redeem iTunes gift cards in the App Store for iPhone and iPad

Launch the App Store from your Home screen.
Tap Sign In and sign in to your Apple ID if you’re not already.
Tap Redeem.
Enter your Apple ID password.
Tap OK.

Choose a method to enter the redemption code:

Tap Use Camera if …

New light has been shed on Apple’s long-rumored efforts to launch a TV streaming service, and the struggles the company seems to have faced in doing so. Difficulties in securing deals for the service reportedly come down to the company’s aggressive negotiating style, and what TV execs considered unrealistic demands.

From The Wall Street Journal:

In online TV, Apple wants to combine a selection of popular live channels with an on-demand library stockpiled with full seasons of hit shows. The streaming TV service pitched to Disney would have cost $30 a month.

Apple’s roaring success and assertive negotiating style are kinks in that strategy. Media companies worry that agreeing to Apple’s sweetheart terms could allow traditional cable-TV distributors to demand the same deal and make it harder to recoup their investments in original shows.

Apple, led in negotiations by Eddy Cue, apparently pressed on through stalled talks with the idea of a ”skinny bundle,” a collection of p…

Apple has reportedly hired Dan Dodge, formerly of BlackBerry-owned QNX, to work on Project Titan, the company’s electric car project. Dodge previously ran BlackBerry’s automotive software group.

From Bloomberg:

Dan Dodge, the founder and former chief executive officer of QNX, the operating system developer that BlackBerry acquired in 2010, joined Apple earlier this year, the people said. He is part of a team headed by Bob Mansfield, who, since taking over leadership of the cars initiative — dubbed Project Titan — has heralded a shift in strategy, according to a person familiar with the plan. 

This news comes following a recent report claiming that Apple had tapped former hardware engineering SVP Bob Mansfield to head up the project. What Dodge’s roll in Apple’s car project could be is unknown, but given that QNX is used as the embedded operating system for a number automotive systems, it seems likely that he would be working on at least some of the vehicle’s software co…

Telus is looking to make it easier for customers to use their cell service while traveling abroad by adding even more countries to its Easy Roam options. In addition to the U.S., Telus says that customers traveling to England, China and more can now take advantage of its cheaper and less-confusing Easy Roam international roaming option.

From Telus:

Canadian travellers visiting our American neighbours already have access to Easy Roam for just $7 a day. Now, TELUS customers jetting off to Turks and Caicos, England or China, can tap into Easy Roam when travelling to 127 destinations around the world. Once the feature is added to their account, Easy Roam enables TELUS postpaid customers on almost all Canadian rate plans to access the minutes, text messages and data included in their existing rate plan for just $10 a day while roaming abroad.

All you have to do to get started, Telus says, is to either log into your account online to check your roaming options, or simply text TRAVE…

Apple will open a new retail store at the World Trade Center in New York City. The store will be located in the Transportation Hub area, putting the store underground.

From CNET:

The tech titan plans to open an Apple Store in the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, according to Jason Barlia, head of Apple’s marketing for New York stores. He spoke at the opening of Apple’s first Brooklyn store.

The World Trade Center location would be the latest in a long list of retail locations that Apple has opened throughout New York, which include stores at Grand Central Station, Madison Avenue, and Fifth Avenue.
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Make your vacation the best ever with these great apps!

If you are packing up for your summer vacation, you’re going to want to make sure you pack a few important things, like a toothbrush, clean socks, an extra pair of shoes, and these apps, which will help you make your trip unforgettable.

TripIt

TripIt is, in my opinion, quite possibly the best vacation planning app in existence. It organizes your hotel, plane, car, and dinner reservations into trip itineraries and all you have to do is forward your email confirmations. If you use Gmail, it does it automatically. When you are on your vacation, use TripIt to access your travel plans, even while offline. You’ll see date and time schedules and have access to all of your confirmation numbers without having to dig through your emails. Each destination also connects to Google Maps for quick driving directions. It’s a true time saver when you are lugging around a half dozen suitcases and a couple of screaming kids.

Use TripIt to ke…

How do you get the Apple Watch Sport Band look for less? By checking out these alternatives!

The Apple Watch sport band has been released in 21 different colors. Maybe your Apple Watch came with one of the unique, fluoroelastomer bands with pin-and-tuck closure and you’re looking to get some more. Maybe your Apple Watch came with a different band and you’ve had your eye on a sport band (or several) ever since. The thing is, the real Apple bands are $49 a pop. And while they’re certainly worth it, there are also several really good alternatives you can try for much, much less.

MoKo replacement sport band
top4cus replacement sport strap
Valuebuybuy sports wristband
Teslasz sports wristbands
FanTEK sport style strap

MoKo replacement sport band

MoKo makes over 20 color and pattern variations for their replacement sport band. The soft silicone is flexible, lightweight, and available for both the 38mm and 42mm versions.

It features the same pin-and-tuck clasp that the original Appl…

Phil Schiller, Apple’s SVP of worldwide marketing has joined the board of directors for the DNA sequencing company Illumina.

Illumina’s press release indicates that the company believes Schiller’s work at Apple to market and sell products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad will be an asset:

”Phil’s track record and global experience in bringing world-class products to market will help guide us as we continue to develop innovative new solutions for our customers,” said Francis deSouza, Illumina President and Chief Executive Officer. ”His vision, integrity and passion are fully aligned with Illumina’s core values.”

Illumina is based in San Diego but has over 5,000 team members worldwide. TechCrunch notes the company has helped to bring down the price of DNA sequencing from $1 million in 2007 to a mere $4,000 in 2013.
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