DA 5Star for iOS and iPadOS is Launched
DA 5Star is 33% off until 2020-10-21.
To celebrate the launch, DA 5Star is 33% off until 2020-10-21.
App Store link: https://apps.apple.com/app/da-5star/id1473088658. If you already purchased the macOS version, you can get the iOS and iPadOS version for free.
What is DA 5Star?
DA 5Star is an iOS and iPadOS 14 home screen widget app that displays a random 5-star review of your apps and podcasts, and refreshes after however long you choose. It also has a macOS version that displays 5-star reviews as wallpapers.
Features
- Widgets: This is the sole purpose of DA 5Star. It displays a random 5-star review of your apps and podcasts in the widget, and refreshes after however long you choose.
- Apps and podcasts: It supports 5-star reviews of apps and podcasts on Apple platforms.
- Custom themes: You can customize the widget themes so they fit on your home screen.
- Review list: You can view the list of 5-star reviews of your apps and podcasts.
- iCloud sync: Your added apps and podcasts are synced with iCloud (macOS version is not yet supported).
- Custom app icons: It provides 5 alternative app icons.
- Dark mode: Yes.
The story behind DA 5Star
On July 6, 2019, I was listening to EP 56: The happiest Customer of the Independence podcast. Curtis pitched this app idea:
A mac app, that will sit in your menu bar. You can feed it your iTunes connect information. And it will go to your ratings, pull random 5-star rating every however many hours. And have like kind that those motivational quote things, but have in your wallpaper.
After hearing it, I just couldn't stop thinking about it. As developers, we all experienced those 1-star ratings that ruin our day or week. We humans are bad at ignoring them. We fail to remind ourselves that there are more important 5-star customer ratings out there. So I immediately created the Xcode project and started implemented. On the next day I sent the hosts @eataduckimust, @parrots, @jellybeansoup a demo. I got great feedbacks and launched the first version in two weeks. I later then released 5 updates to improve it.
I didn't expect other huge updates to the app. Until one day after 2020's WWDC, I realized that this app is now viable after the introduction of iOS 14 home screen widgets. So the iOS version was born.
NOTE: The initial macOS version was a $1.99 (USD) paid upfront app. I decided to raise the price to $2.99 (USD) with the launch of the iOS and iPadOS version (it's a universal purchase). But I'm keeping the original price for another three days, so it's effectively a 33% off launch sale.
Again, you can purchase DA 5Star here: https://apps.apple.com/app/da-5star/id1473088658.
∞ Apple Publishes New Webpages Explaining the Benefits of the App Store and the Company’s Developer Program
The more PR effort Apple puts into this, the worse their image is. Wake up.
DA CamCal is Now FREE
To give more people the choice, DA CamCal is now FREE with ads by default. You can still pay a one time fee to remove them. Don't worry if you have previously purchased the app (thank you!), you won't see ads.
Happy photographing no matter where you are.
-- Dolee ^_^
∞ GitHub is Now Free for Teams
We’re happy to announce we’re making private repositories with unlimited collaborators available to all GitHub accounts. All of the core GitHub features are now free for everyone. 🎉
Microsoft has risen again.
Official trailer for The Half of It, from writer/director Alice Wu:
Shy, straight-A student Ellie is hired by sweet but inarticulate jock Paul, who needs help winning over a popular girl. But their new and unlikely friendship gets complicated when Ellie discovers she has feelings for the same girl.
😍 I can't wait for this.
∞ Othering the Virus
In the West, perception of the virus as a threat came only very late. Terrifying news from China was available since late January: High death rates, permanent damage from the disease, people dying in their homes or in the street in front of overloaded hospitals, entire families dying. But far into February, western observers did not see an urgent need to act.
This is a good read, from Marius Meinhof, a sociologist at the University of Bielefeld in Germany.
Most of the “Face with Medical Mask” emojis should be redesigned. The face should be completely neutral, even just closing eyes is not neutral.
Google Maps Ditched the Hamburger Menu
Everyone else focused on the icon update, but I’d really like to zoom in with the removal of hamburger menu in Google Maps for iOS:
Screenshot of Google Maps for iOS
The hamburger menu now is just a placer holder with no functions, and I expect it to be removed in a future update. And they also moved more features to the bottom tab bar. What a welcome change. It certainly feels more homey on iOS. Therefore, I forgive the new icon 😜
Hanabira工房 Makes Crazy Detailed Miniature Houses
Check out Hanabira工房's YouTube Channel, every single one of their videos is a treasure.
∞ Apple Weighs Letting Users Switch Default iPhone Apps to Rivals
Mark Gurman, reporting for Bloomberg:
The technology giant is discussing whether to let users choose third-party web browser and mail applications as their default options on Apple’s mobile devices, replacing the company’s Safari browser and Mail app, according to people familiar with the matter. Since launching the App Store in 2008, Apple hasn’t allowed users to replace pre-installed apps such as these with third-party services. That has made it difficult for some developers to compete, and has raised concerns from lawmakers probing potential antitrust violations in the technology industry.
Let me check, what apps do I need an alternative default? Mail, Maps, Calendar, Calculator, Reminder, Camera, Weather, Photos, Notes, News. 10 freaking apps.
I also just realized that, the Keyboard effectively already allows alternative default. Files app too.
(News is special here because RSS URLs are forced to be opened by it, 🖕 Apple News.)