iOS

User experience (UX) design studio Teehan+Lax is offering a free downloadable Photoshop file containing interface elements from the first beta release of iOS 7. You can grab the iOS7 GUI PSD file by visiting their Web site.

Lots of people itch to try new iOS beta versions when they become available and iOS 7 has definitely attracted lots of people that were curious to try out the new features ahead of time. If you were one of those and didn't heed our warning about betas, you may find yourself frustrated with lots of bugs and annoyances.

Fortunately, there's a pretty easy way to get back onto iOS 6 without too much fuss. If you're regretting the decision to install iOS 7 beta, follow along and we'll help you get back to iOS 6.

Introducing iOS 7 at WWDC last week, Apple's Craig Federighi mentioned MFi game controller support in passing. Apple's announcement has long-term ramifications for iOS 7 as viable gaming platform.

Logitech already makes some great accessories for iOS devices, and if this blurrycam image is to be believed, it looks like they might have an iPhone 5 gamepad on the way. This image acquired by the folks at Kotaku, purports to be a future G-Series gaming add-on for the iPhone 5 complete with Lightning port, D-Pad and four physical buttons.

iOS 7 is not only the most skeuomorphic and liberating version of Apple's mobile operating system to date, it's also potentially the most fun. (I say potentially because it's not finished yet, and we'll likely only know whether Apple truly achieves their vision once it launches this fall.) This idea -- the gamificaton of interface -- isn't new, of course. With iOS 7, Apple's simply, audaciously attempting to take it to the next level. Here's how...

Thoughtful post from Chris Clark on the changes Apple made in iOS 7, the realities of the design languages old and new, and what it means for developers and designers. From his Release Candidate One blog:

Apple's iOS 7, announced earlier this week, brings a lot of changes to all areas of the operating system, and security is no exception. iOS 7, at least as much of it as has been publicly disclosed by Apple to date, includes a number of security-related enhancements, seeking not just to make your data more secure, but also make security more convenient.

One of the many new additions to iOS 7 is Control Center. Apple bills it as "quick access to the controls and apps you always seem to need right this second." There's plenty packed in there, too; a series of quick toggles for such things as WiFi and Bluetooth, quick brightness settings, music player controls, AirDrop, AirPlay and quick shortcuts to some of the stock apps and a flashlight. All of this is accessible anywhere within the OS with a simple swipe up from the bottom of the screen, so the quick access part is definitely correct. But, we want to know your thoughts on whether you think Control Center is really a useful addition to iOS?

I meant to publish this on Monday but I messed up and forgot to. Sorry about that. But it's the same every year. The iOS 7 beta is intended for developers to test for bugs and software compatibility. It's not intended to be an early release preview, or the daily driver for anyone's main phone. This year more than ever, iOS 7 is really beta. It's not done. It's not cooked. It's cool as hell but there's a reason there's a lineup at the Apple Store outside Moscone for iPod touches. Not even developers want to risk their main phone. (I don't have it on my main phone either.) So here's the deal...

iOS 7 is turbulence. It's change. That scares some people, and makes others hungry. It divides sentiment and reaction, and creates as much fear and noise as it does thoughtful analysis and future thinking. That iOS 7 in its current form had to be realized in under 8 months, that it involved designers at Apple outside the usual interactive team, and that the beta came in so hot the iPad version wasn't even ready, adds to the turbulence, and to the uneasy feeling that we're still in the midst of change rather than comfortably through it.