Netflix finally gets picture-in-picture support on the iPad

Better late than never, we say. Netflix’s latest update on iOS brings picture-in-picture mode support to its app. Version 8.7.0 will allow for multitasking if you use iOS version 9.3.2 or later. The app will shrink your videos into a thumbnail automatically if you hit home or switch to another app. From there, you can adjust the size of the viewing window or reposition it to where you want the window to be. You’re allowed to pull another window in using the Slide Over feature you it won’t let you play two videos at once. This new update brings with it the usual stability improvements and bug fixes as well.

Source: CNET

Napster makes a comeback

Some of you will remember Napster. It was the home for your music piracy needs back in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. That brand is making a comeback as music streaming service Rhapsody is rebranding and bringing the cool cat with headphones his name back. Rhapsody bought the service back in 2011 and it looks like they think that name has better pull than Rhapsody, who has also been in the music streaming business for quite a while. But with big names in the industry, they’ll need all the leverage they can get.

Rhapsody (or should we say Napster?) says in a blog post: “No changes to your playlists, favorites, albums, and artists. Same music. Same service. Same price. 100% the music you love.” And yes, we get the Game of Thrones reference, guys.

Source: The Verge

OnePlus 3 now available for preorder, no invitations needed

OnePlus has just made the OnePlus 3 available for sale and no longer requires the asinine invitation gimmick it has been using these past years to maintain an air of exclusivity.

The OnePlus 3 has some jaw dropping specs starting with a powerful multi-core Snapdragon 820 processor, 6GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage for a device costing CAD $ 519.00. OnePlus 3 also promises their Dash Charge feature will give a day's worth of battery in a 30 minute charge. You also get a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a full HF 1080p resolution, Dual-SIM capability and OxygenOS on tap. This is definitely a smartphone for enthusiasts and at a very reasonable price.

Apple's free Swift Playgrounds iPad app can empower future programmers

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

One of the announcements made at yesterday's WWDC keynote was the Swift Playgrounds iPad app. As Apple explains it, "Swift Playgrounds is a revolutionary new app for iPad that makes learning Swift interactive and fun. Solve puzzles to master the basics using Swift — a powerful programming language created by Apple and used by the pros to build many of today’s most popular apps."

Geared towards children but with enough content to delight users of all ages, the app gamifies programming and allows users to code on one part of the screen and run their program on the other, giving them instant and real-time access to their programs. Coming as a free download this fall, Swift Playgrounds looks like an empowering app and great place for anyone to get into the mindset of coding Swift for future success in the app economy.