Mac, iOS and Apple Watch users get a trifecta of software updates

Apple's quietly rolled out software updates to OS X El Capitan, iOS 9 and Watch OS today. The updates bring a lot of improvements, fix bugs and improve the compatibility of these operating systems with various third-party apps.

OS X 10.11  for El Capitan gets bug fixes and improvements related to Office 2016 which has been quite problematic, Mail, VoiceOver also get updates and Apple's released more than 150 new emoji characters including some for tacos and the much anticipated middle finger emoji.

For iOS 9.1, Live Photos functionality on the iPhone 6S with motion sensing capability that avoids recording Live Photos when the iPhone is moving, we also get new wallpapers incliuding Mars, Jupiter, and Neptune. It is has been noted that this release is in preparation for AppleTV (coming next week) and the iPad Pro (November).

For WatchOS 2.0.1, focus is on a fix for an issue that could cause software updates to stall. Fixes for issues that were impacting battery performance. A resolution for an issue that could prevent a managed iPhone from syncing iOS Calendar events to Apple Watch. All of these updates are available via Software Update right now.

iRig Mic Lav is a Lavalier Microphone for iPhones and Androids

While new iPhones and Android devices can now capture ultra-sharp HD video and in some instances 4K video, their built-in microphones leave much to be desired because they're designed for phone use. iRig Mic Lav is a new broadcast audio quality microphone that is compact, chainable with built-in monitoring ability of the iPhone, iPad touch and Android.

As the shift from traditional standalone video and still cameras to smartphones continues, a product like the iRig Mic Lav is a powerful accessory that can elevate the quality of a video. Hit jump for more detai on this new microphone which ships in November.

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Apple's Health app adds support for Microsoft Band 2

The Health app for the iPhone gets an update to support different features of Microsoft's Band 2. The update adds things like a new barometer and tracking functions for things like VO2 max monitoring or recording shots during golf. It now even comes with a scorecard to record golf games. The Band 2 will start shipping at the end of the month on October 30th in the U.S. and retails for US$249. Hopefully it makes its way here soon. 

Source: Apple Insider 

Overcast for iOS is now free

You used to have to pay for certain features in Overcast for iOS but this podcast app is now completely free. Yes, you read that right. You now have access to all its features. The latest update also brings with it new features like chapter support and streaming options. This time you can stream episodes instead of having to download them. Also, if you’ve been listening to long podcasts, the app now has chapters so you can skip through parts much more easily.

Source: Lifehacker | Download: iTunes App Store (Free)