How To Play YouTube Videos In The Background On iOS 7

Some might remember a time when YouTube was an built-in app on iOS devices – you could play YouTube videos in the background, thereby allowing you to use other apps (or turn the screen off) while still being able to listen to the audio of the YouTube clips.

Then iOS 6 came along and YouTube was removed and became an app in the iTunes App Store – as a result, the background playback feature was also removed. On iOS 7, however, there is actually a simple workaround, and that’s exactly what we’ll be showing you in this quick tutorial today.

Play YouTube In The Background On iOS 7

Instead of using the YouTube app, use Safari and navigate to any YouTube clip and hit the Play button.

Now, if you want to use other apps while having the YouTube video play in the background, just tap on the Home button to go to your homescreen.
When you’re on your homescreen, swipe up to launch the Control Center and tap on the Play/Pause button. You’ll now be able to listen to the audio of that YouTube video you selected earlier and use other apps at the same time.

You can also tap on your device’s power button to turn off the screen and still listen to the audio of that YouTube clip.

Via hongkiat

Google Maps for iOS Returns, Available for Download Now

Google Maps for iOS is back!
The app appeared in the App Store late Wednesday evening, providing joy and comfort to disgruntled Apple Maps users everywhere.
Rumors of the app's impending release appeared earlier this evening by way of AllThingsD.
Google Maps for iOS [iTunes link] looks and functions more similarly to its Android counterpart than it does to the version that used to be bundled with iOS.

The app also includes a few features formerly limited to the Android version of Google Maps, including guided turn-by-turn directions.
If you're having issues downloading the app, give it a few minutes. Within moments of its release, it appears as if Apple's servers were briefly crushed, with some users finding it difficult to download the app.
I've only spent a few minutes with the app, but here are my first impressions:

• The interface is noticeably cleaner than before, though I still prefer the looks -- if not always the accuracy -- of Apple Maps
• Users can choose to designate a home and work address within their profile, which is particularly handy
• Voice-guided turn-by-turn appears to work well
• Users can opt to view public transit as an overlay on the map itself, which is a nice touch
• I love being able to access public-transit directions within my maps app again
• Google Places have been more prominently integrated into the app

What do you think of Google Maps for iOS? Will you ditch Apple Maps and go back to Google, or are you happy with your current solution? Let us know in the comments below.
Image courtesy of Flickr, brewbooks

Set up Reminders and To Do’s with ’24me’ for iOS

Fancy a personal assistant to remind you of tasks or events that you need to do or attend? How about an assistant that can maintain your to-do list, delegate or share tasks with others, and even connect with the financial institutions or ‘providers’ (a.k.a. parties that you pay bills to) as well as contact lists and friends in order to coordinate everything you need to remember within the confines of a small smartphone screen.

If this sounds good, then check out ‘24 me’, one of the most simplest and most advanced FREE personal reminder/to-do apps available for iOS devices. Currently, the app is available for iPhone, iPod Touch and other iOS devices, but an Android version is in the works.



‘24 me’ is a seemingly simple, straightforward to-do app; however, it offers two things that are very convenient (1) reminders, and (2) connectivity with friends and other external entities.
You can simply enter your own tasks and set up reminders. But more than that, you can link to your friends who also use the app and share tasks and other items, such as be reminded of their birthdays as an example. However, a more interesting example is how it reminds you to pay bills: you can use ‘24 me’ to connect your bank accounts to the application and also link the app with your service providers (i.e. companies that bill you) to automatically take care of bills before the due date. The best feature is the fact that you can directly pay these bills from the application itself; however, this is not currently available everywhere (we assume it is US only).

The Verdict:

This app illustrates how to-do and task managers have evolved since the days when a simple text file could do the job. Not only does ‘24 me’ sit in your pocket, but it sounds alarms and reminders, connects with others you work with to share tasks, and could connect with external entities as well to remind you to pay your bills.

Overall this is a very nice to do/task management app that gives our favorite such app – Anydo -  a run for the money. With the whole connecting to financial intuitions bit ‘24 me’ is certainly more advanced; however, we are not 100% sold on this added layer of complexity, especially as we were not able to test this feature for this writeup.

We also hope that a desktop version might become available eventually, such that working with tasks might be possible from the device or PC.

Download 24me (iTunes App Store)