App Recap: Edison Mail, Here Kitty!, Whisk, and Major App Updates

In this week's App Recap, we've highlighted three new apps that are worth checking out. We've also compiled a list of apps that received major updates this week.

App Recap 4

New Apps

  • Email - Edison Mail (Free) - Popular mobile app Edison Mail is now available on Mac App Store for the very first time. With its fast and simple user interface, the app touts the ability to make your email experience both fast and better organized than ever before. Some of its notable features include the ability to block email read receipts, convenient shortcuts and gestures, and a built in AI powered search. This week, Mac users gained a new primary inbox which focuses on important emails and an option to mute email notifications from selected senders.
  • Here Kitty! (Free) - Here Kitty! is a new interactive game that will children will love to play while at home. The game works by hiding an iPhone face down in a good hiding spot. Children can then try to find the "Kitty" either by calling out for it or by clapping, and the "Kitty" will respond with a meow. The app also records the amount of time it took to find the "Kitty," so it can even be played competitively. In addition, a new character will join the game each Saturday, so kids will enjoy getting to meet a new friendly creature each week.

  • Whisk (Free) - Whisk is a web page editor with a live preview that updates as you type. The app, formerly named HyperEdit in its first version, was recently revived after several years and brought to the Mac App Store for the first time. Some of the app's main features include the ability to render HTML and PHP as typed, previewing to other browsers, and live HTML W3C-based validation. Whisk can be used for crafting HTML, writing blog posts, running and debugging JavaScript, creating entire websites, and more. Although the app is free to download, it is worth noting that the initial download only contains a document viewer mode and a 14 day trial of the full version, so users looking to gain access to all of the app's functionality must pay a one-time fee of $29.99.

App Updates

  • Google Drive - Google this week updated its Google Drive app with a new Privacy Screen feature that allows users to enable either Face ID or a passcode authentication whenever the app is opened on their device. The app gives users the options to activate the new Privacy Screen feature either immediately when the app is opened or 10 seconds, one minute, or 10 minutes later.
  • Microsoft Outlook - Microsoft this week updated its Outlook app with a new Ignore Conversations feature that allows users to remove repetitive multi-reply email threads from their inbox. Although the feature has been available on other devices for quite some time, the feature was just added to the Outlook app for iPhone and iPad.
  • Stack - Stack, a popular web browser, released version 3.0 of its browser this week. The update introduces a subscription based pro version of Stack, a full redesign of the sidebar, and more. Stack's isn't like a traditional web browser, as its main purpose is to separate web apps from less important web pages and organize them in one place to enhance efficiency.

  • Twitter - Although not a specific update, Twitter announced this week that it would be testing a new threaded conversations layout for some iOS and web users. Twitter mentioned that users who do see the change will notice new lines and indentations to make it clearer as to who is replying. Additionally, the change will allow for more of a conversation to be displayed at once.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Shares Full List of Over 250 New Features and Changes Coming With iOS 18

Wednesday September 11, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Following its iPhone 16 event on Monday, Apple shared a PDF on its website with a list of all new features and changes coming with iOS 18. The list includes many features that were already announced, including Apple Intelligence, new customization options for the Home Screen and Control Center, a redesigned Photos app, several enhancements to the Messages app, a Passwords app, and more....
iphone 16 pro pro max

First iPhone 16 Carrier Deals Include iPhone 16/16 Pro For Free, $1,000 Off iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday September 9, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple today announced the latest lineup of iPhones, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Pre-orders for these devices begin September 13, and if you plan on ordering from a cellular carrier in the United States, there will be plenty of options for discounts from the major carriers. AT&T is offering the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro at no cost with...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Skipping the iPhone 16 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 17 Pro

Wednesday September 11, 2024 8:20 am PDT by
Will you be skipping the iPhone 16 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 17 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap key new features rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far: 24MP front camera for all iPhone 17 models: All four iPhone 17 models will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to Apple supply chain analysts Ming-Chi...
iphone 16 lineup colors

Apple Discontinues iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 13

Monday September 9, 2024 2:09 pm PDT by
With the launch of the new iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple has discontinued some of its older iPhones. As of today, Apple is no longer selling the iPhone 13, and the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have been replaced with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The iPhone SE remains as Apple's most affordable device, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone...
16 pro

Apple Announces iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with Larger Displays, New Camera Control, and More

Monday September 9, 2024 11:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max—its latest flagship smartphones—featuring larger displays, an all-new Camera Control button, and the A18 Pro chip. The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch display—the biggest iPhone display ever. The borders around the display are the thinnest of any Apple device. The...
airpods pro 2 pink

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Firmware With Support for iOS 18 Features

Tuesday September 10, 2024 11:40 am PDT by
Apple today released a new firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2, including both the Lightning and USB-C versions. The firmware has a build number of 7A294, up from 6F8, and it is available for all AirPods Pro 2 users. Apple has been beta testing this update, but it is launching ahead of when iOS 18 becomes available next Monday. There are multiple features that Apple is adding to the...
maxresdefault

Everything Apple Announced at Today's Event in 13 Minutes

Monday September 9, 2024 6:02 pm PDT by
Apple today held the "It's Glowtime" fall event to debut new iPhone 16 models, a new version of the Apple Watch, new AirPods, and more. It took Apple more than an hour and a half to introduce the new devices, but we've recapped everything in a quick 13 minute video for our readers who want a short but detailed overview of what's new. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. ...

Top Rated Comments

Rigby Avatar
57 months ago
Another notable feature of the Edison app is that it scans your mailbox and sells your data to the highest bidder ...

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkekmb/free-email-apps-spying-on-you-edison-slice-cleanfox
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rigby Avatar
57 months ago

Edison also allows you to turn Data Sharing off.

In app: Settings: Manage Privacy: Opt-out to Data Sharing
Even if that does what they claim it does, they still scan your mailbox for their "assistance" features. All your mails go through their servers, and they store your email account password as well. They are essentially a man-in-the-middle with full control over your account. And they have been caught doing shady things ('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/07/02/third-party-email-apps-reading-user-emails/') before.

Given how many things today depend on your email (including many other online accounts, banking etc.), you have to have a lot of trust to give what is essentially a marketing company complete access like that. And all for some gimmicky assistance features. Personally I don't understand how anyone would consider this a reasonable trade-off.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mick-Mac Avatar
57 months ago
I would never use a "free" app like a mail reader because it'll just be data mined.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rigby Avatar
57 months ago

I know most won't read past the headline but the story details:

"Return Path, Edison, and other developers of apps that work with Gmail and similar email services don't appear to have misused customer information"
And you coveniently cut off the second part of the sentence:

"but many customers are likely to be concerned about the fact that employees at some email companies are reading their emails"
and "In a written statement, Google said that it provides data to outside developers who have been vetted and who have been granted permission by users to access their email."
Edison does not need Google's permission, since they don't use their offical API access. If you use their app, they can scan your mailbox regardless of what email provider you use.
It's too late for paranoia! ?
Corporate surveillance is very real and has nothing to do with paranoia. Incredible that after all the breaches and scandals like Cambridge Analytica some are still trying to downplay the risks.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Erehy Dobon Avatar
57 months ago

Can you do that before setting up your accounts? Would be a bit pointless otherwise as it’s probably already scanned and shared your data before you turn of the setting.
Yes, you will be prompted to opt-out during the setup process. Read the prompts slowly and carefully.

A wise person would also use an e-mail account that has no messages/no archive/no notes/no address book for the initial setup. I have several such IMAP accounts. No data = no data mining = no ad revenue fodder. Give them valid login credentials for an empty account.

The first post-setup step would be to open up the application settings and go through them thoroughly a few times to make sure to turn off features, etc. that you don't want to be involved with. Review these periodically to make sure they don't try to sneak in new undesirable "features."

Personally I would never use my primary e-mail account with a brand new e-mail client.

Trust is EARNED.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morgenland Avatar
57 months ago
Never tried Apple's Mail? There's nothing missing.
Muting email notifications from selected senders is always a hassle in any IT company. This is never easy to do in reality, therefore Apple has deliberately not integrated such an idea.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)