The Breakroom • A blog for the Iconfactory

Birds of a Feather

January 11, 2018

We’re pleased as punch to announce the availability of some fun new t-shirts, courtesy of our good friends at Cotton Bureau. The shirt depicts Twitterrific’s adorable mascot, Ollie, and makes the perfect fashion statement for today’s social media conscious world.

The design is available in three styles/colors – 100% Cotton Cool Blue, Tri-blend Vintage Navy and 100% Cotton Purple Rush in both men and women’s sizes.

The deadline to order your Ollie apparel is Thursday, January 25th so don’t wait. Wing your way over to Cotton Bureau and pick up your Twitterrific t-shirts today!

2017: Something Old, Something New

December 28, 2017

By Webmaster

This year at the Iconfactory was an especially busy place and much of that was because of you. Thanks to your support, we were able to bring a fine feathered friend back from the ashes. We also launched exciting new products and helped clients around the world expand their Emoji and icon offerings.

The year started out with a bang when we launched Linea, our humble digital sketchbook for the iPad. We designed Linea to be a drawing tool that was easily approachable, yet powerful in just the right places. Linea launched in January, and we quickly added major Apple Pencil improvements the following month. Linea Link for Mac was released in May and allowed users to quickly and easily transfer images to the desktop.

We were floored by the response to Linea from both critics and customers alike. They agreed that our simple and elegant approach on the iPad gets the job done without complications. Stay tuned for a major update in the new year as we implement some of your most requested features!

Something else amazing happened in February. We took a step outside our comfort zone and launched Project Phoenix – a Kickstarter campaign to resurrect the long-dead version of Twitterrific on the Mac. The entire effort was a huge gamble. Would enough people back the project? Would we be able to fulfill our promises and deliver the final app on time? Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long to find out the answer to the first question: Phoenix was funded in less than 30 days with the help of over 2,800 backers.

Development started in earnest with frequent Kickstarter updates and beta releases: backers gave us great feedback and helped squash bugs throughout entire process. When Twitterrific for macOS finally hit the App Store in October, it was both gratifying and humbling. Even with a monkey wrench in the works when Twitter changed replies, Ollie rolled with the punches and took flight only a few weeks behind schedule.

In December, Twitterrific for macOS was bestowed the AppleVis Golden Apple Award. Given to apps & developers who help empower blind and low-vision users via accessibility, we are grateful to have been given the chance to update Twitterrific and make it accessible for everyone. Project Phoenix kept us busy throughout the year with design and engineering challenges but we couldn’t be happier with the result.

In early spring we were delighted when Apple featured our sticker pack, Route 66, as part of a nation-wide ad campaign for iMessage. We were gratified to be included along side so many other wonderful sticker collections and we look forward to next evolution of stickers & Emoji in 2018.

Speaking of Emoji, all of the artists and designers here at the Iconfactory helped create thousands of new Emoji and icons last year for clients like Twitter, Warner Bros., and many more we can’t talk about. You’ve probably used some of our iconic creations on popular social media in 2017 and didn’t even realize it! We’re looking forward to expanding the Emoji universe even further in the months ahead and stand ready to help you, your brand, and your business prosper in the coming year.

We’re always amazed when the year ends, and not only are we still alive and kicking, but also thriving. In 2017 we found new ways of expanding our business and bringing the kinds of software and services you love, to life. We look forward to continuing the tradition in 2018 and hope you’ll join us. From our entire Iconfactory family, have the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year.

App Santa, Say Hello to Ollie

December 19, 2017

By Webmaster

The Iconfactory is pleased to be taking part in App Santa. This yearly event brings together award-winning apps for iOS and Mac, exclusively from small independent developers, and offers them at amazing discounts for Christmas. Now’s a great time to get our popular Twitter apps at 50% off the regular price!

For a limited time, Twitterrific for macOS is available from the Mac App Store for just $9.99. And while Twitterrific for iOS is a free download, we’ve discounted all of the app’s advanced features (Everything IAP) to just $2.99.

But that’s not all! We’re also putting Linea, our wildly popular sketching app, on sale at the same time. If you find a new iPad Pro or Pencil under your tree, or if you just want to get yourself a little something, it’s the perfect time to get the app at a 50% savings.

Even better, this year App Santa will be donating 25% of the profits from affiliate revenue to App Camp for Girls, a non-profit program that promotes gender equity in technology by empowering youth through accessible education, community, and mentorship. You can learn more about the work they are doing by visiting their website or @AppCamp4Girls.

App Santa runs from December 19th through to December 26th and includes award-winning apps from many great developers. Learn more at appsanta.co and we hope that Ollie helps make your holidays even happier!

Appearances Can Be Appealing

December 13, 2017

By Ged Maheux

Today we’re releasing updates for both the macOS and iOS versions of Twitterrific that include a host of new features and improvements for Themes, Muffles, and much more.

Key among these improvements is an updated Appearance panel that now includes new customizable avatar shapes and themes. Set user avatars to display as rounded rectangles, circles, squares or even squircles. In addition, Twitterrific on iOS now supports Apple’s Dynamic Type for a greater range of text sizes and increased granularity when adjusting font sizes. Turn on Dynamic Type under iOS Settings > General > Accessibility > Larger Text and Twitterrific will automatically adjust text size accordingly.

We’ve also added something users have been craving since Apple announced the release of its new iPhone – a true black theme for iPhone X. Running Twitterrific with this new theme looks amazingly sharp and feels great. The timeline and user profiles seem to extend right off the edges of the device creating a wonderful visual experience. We think you’ll be pleased. Lastly, the update includes redesigned versions of Twitterrific’s light and dark themes, both of which have been adjusted for greater contrast and clarity across platforms.

Other improvements include being able to disable Muffle rules without deleting them, the ability to completely turn off media on iOS, inclusion of experimental support for Twitter polls on iOS and a fun holiday edition of our app’s icon called ‘Jolly Ollie’. Finally, an important fix for a Mac memory leak that was causing Twitterrific to use more RAM than was necessary over extended periods of time.

Today’s fixes and improvements are recommended for all Twitterrific users. Be sure to check out the complete list of what’s new in Twitterrific 5.2.2 for macOS and 5.18 for iOS and then download the updates from the App Store. Enjoy!

Exify Updated for New iPhone and Image Formats

November 29, 2017

By Craig Hockenberry

Our handy app for iPhone photographers has been updated for Apple’s new iPhone X and HEIC/DNG file formats. Exify 1.2 also provides full compatibility with iOS 11 and contains a host of improvements that makes examining your shots quicker and easier than ever.

To learn more about Exify, check out the product website. The site also has a full list of changes in this new version.

This update is FREE and available to download on the App Store.

‘Tis the Season for T-Shirts

November 15, 2017

By Webmaster

We’re pleased to announce that the Iconfactory has been invited to participate in Cotton Bureau’s “All the Tees” holiday promotion. This means that some of your favorite Iconfactory t-shirts are back on sale in time for the holidays.

Now you can grab our slick Linea tee, perfect for the budding young artist on your Christmas list. Our snarky Deadpoo t-shirt is the perfect stocking stuffer for that comic book fan in your family. Also included in the promotion is our standard Iconfactory corporate logo design, available on a number of shirt styles and finally a special entry we think you’ll love – Uglysweaterfactory. If you’re a fan of ugly Christmas sweaters then this is the ~~sweater~~ t-shirt for you!

All of Cotton Bureau’s t-shirts in this promotion are available for the next two weeks which means you should get yours in time for Christmas. Don’t wait, this sale won’t last long so dash away, dash away, dash away, all!

A Poll By Any Other Name

November 7, 2017

By Ged Maheux

Today’s release of Twitterrific 5.2 for macOS adds a host of important features and improvements including the ability to quickly search for a user (CMD-U), restoration of Searches and Lists between launches, improved syncing of your reading position, and much more. It also contains a fun experiment in the form of automatic Twitter poll detection. Back in October of 2015, Twitter launched the ability to create polls on their service as a way for users to survey their followers on a topic of their own creation. Unfortunately Twitter didn’t release an API for third party developers like us to be able to support them inside apps like Twitterrific.

Over the years we’ve had hundreds of users ask when we’ll support Twitter polls and our answer has always been that we can’t do so until Twitter decides to invite us (and other third party developers) to the poll party. Today however, we’re trying something new with our latest macOS update. Twitterrific now attempts to automatically detect when a tweet contains a poll and displays a new status button at the bottom of the tweet for it. Clicking this button opens the poll in a mini-browser which you can use to quickly vote in the poll, all within Twitterrific. As with any of the app’s popover windows, you can even detach it from the main timeline to keep tabs on the results!

So the question you’re probably asking is if there’s no API for polls how is this possible? Since there’s no official support, Twitterrific’s poll detection isn’t perfect. The app looks for specific markers that give clues it might be a poll, such as hashtags like #poll, as well as the graph and ballot box emoji. It also cleverly looks for specifically structured questions and if any of these factors are positive, the poll status button is displayed. So the next time you create a poll (something you still can only do via official Twitter channels) be sure to tag your tweet with #poll to help let other Twitterrific users know they can take part.

We’re looking forward to the feedback for this new feature and hope to eventually bring it to the iOS client if it’s received well. Be sure to check out the complete list of what’s new in Twitterrific 5.2 for macOS including automatic poll detection and then download the update from the App Store. Enjoy!

Twitterrific for macOS Adds A Host of Features

October 23, 2017

By Webmaster

We’re pleased to follow up the initial release of Twitterrific for macOS with an important update that adds several crucial features and makes the app even more of a joy to use. Today’s 5.1 update brings the ability to muffle & mute tweets, adds a general preference to keep your timeline pinned to the top, adds status indicators on the Dock and menu bar icons, and much more.

Muffles and Mutes

You can now quickly add usernames, keywords, phrases, hashtags, and domains to your list of items to be muffled in the timeline. Simply click the ⋯ Action menu, pick “Muffle Tweet”, and select an item from the list to instantly minimize matching tweets. Muffles stay out of the way and let you avoid spoilers or discussions about people or topics. However, if you want to see what’s being said, simply click on a muffled tweet to “peek” at it. When you scroll away, the tweet re-collapses automatically.

We’ve also added a handy feature for the Mac – if you want to muffle a word or phrase in the tweet, select that text in the body of the tweet before muffling and Twitterrific will present it as an option.

Twitterrific 5.1 also lets you manage your muffles or convert them into full mutes that are completely removed from the timeline. Open Preferences and select the Muffles panel to access the new editor. From here you can type new words, phrases, and even complex regular expressions to hide a wide range of tweets.

Finally, we’ve added something new to Twitterrific just for this release – muffling by client. You can now prevent posts from specific Twitter apps from appearing in your timeline. As with all muffles, everything is synced seamlessly via iCloud so you can avoid annoying tweets wherever you are. Reminder: You must have iCloud Drive enabled on your Mac for Muffles to sync.

Automatic Scrolling

With today’s release we’ve added one of our users’ most requested features – automatic scrolling. First, enable “Keep timeline pinned to top” in General preferences and then scroll your timeline to the very top. Any new tweets will then automatically scroll into view. If you wish to pause automatic scrolling, simply scroll the timeline away from the top tweet temporarily. Auto scrolling will resume as soon as you return to the top.

Improvements & Bug Fixes

This update contains a host of improvements that make using Twitterrific for macOS even better. Be sure to visit the version history page for the complete list, but here are just some of the highlights:

Status indicators for new mentions & direct messages
Right-click on Direct Message thread to mark as read or delete
Added a new, smaller text size setting called “Miniature”
Added new, lighter display fonts: “System Light” and “Avenir Light”
You can now use the HJKL keys to navigate the timeline
Hover over timestamp for a tooltip showing the app used to post
Added “Jump To Marker” and “Jump To Last Unread” to the Timeline menu

There’s much to explore in the latest update (~~including a fun surprise~~ incluyendo un premio divertido). We hope you enjoy checking out all the new features we’ve packed into this release. Twitterrific 5.1 is available today in the Mac App Store. Enjoy!

Stick-Or-Treat!

October 17, 2017

By Ged Maheux

That’s right, it’s our favorite time of the year once again. Time when the air turns crisp, night time takes on a eerie vibe and the ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties come out to play. To celebrate, we’ve summoned the spooky Iconfactory design from its long slumber, complete with links to some of our favorite freeware icon sets and desktop wallpapers. If you’re looking to get in the creepy holiday spirit, look no further!

We’ve also resurrected last year’s Halloween iMessage sticker packs for iOS and placed them back up for sale on the App Store. They’re the perfect way to send a fun, Halloween hello to a friend or family member. Grab your candlestick and explore the dark halls of Ravenswood Mannor or share a sticky-sweet treat with the Spook On sticker set. Want to really scare the pants off your friends? Then the Macabre sticker pack may be just what the demented doctor ordered! Finally, carve up your own iMessage virtual Jack-O-Lanterns with the Iconfactory’s own Hack-O-Lantern sticker set. All the fun of pumpkin carving without any of the mess! Don’t forget about our other spooky sticker sets too like Lore and Bone Headz – they’re eager to join in the haunted fun!

We hope you have a very special, spooky and safe Halloween this year and invite you to join in the annual fun with our incredibly creepy tricks-or-treats for your screens this holiday season. Enjoy and… boo!

Introducing Twitterrific for macOS

October 10, 2017

By Webmaster

Today we’re pleased to announce the all-new Twitterrific for macOS. Over 9 months in development, it’s the latest and greatest version of the third-party Twitter app that started it all. The app has been re-imagined from the ground up to be both fast and friendly, and is chock full of modern features that make Twitter fun to use. Here are just some of the ways the new release makes Twitter terrific:

Twitter Your Way

Twitterrific for macOS features a clean, uncluttered timeline displaying just the content you care about. There are no advertisements, promoted tweets, or “while you were away” updates getting in the way of the stuff you care about most. In addition, tweets are presented in chronological order and other people’s likes aren’t cluttering up your timeline.

Designed for macOS

You’ll quickly see the new version feels right at home on the Mac. The app supports Notification Center for mentions and direct messages, and provides built-in sharing for Mail, Messages, or social media services like Facebook. The app also sports beautiful animations, full-screen mode, and more. And all of it designed for Apple’s gorgeous high resolution Retina displays.

Mutli-Timeline Support

Take control of your tweets with multiple windows for a single or multiple accounts, all neatly organized on your Mac’s desktop. Twitterrific’s new Media Viewer lets you easily browse multiple images or watch videos. Media and popover windows can be detached from a timeline for easy reference or tracking conversations.

Full Accessibility

Twitterrific’s award-winning accessibility on iOS has come to the Mac, making it the most accessible Twitter client available anywhere. Navigate your timelines, compose tweets, and even attach image descriptions quickly and easily using VoiceOver. Image descriptions included in a tweet are also read along with the rest of the text. Users with vision difficulties can use the appearance panel described below to improve readability.

Tweet In Style

Twitterrific’s appearance panel supports dark and light themes, lets you customize fonts and type sizes, and even control how media appears in the timeline. Media thumbnails can be large for easy viewing, minimized for fewer distractions, or hidden altogether: it’s your choice.

Read Anywhere

Whether you use Twitterrific on your iPhone, iPad, or another Mac, the app automatically syncs your reading position for a seamless Twitter experience. Catch up on your latest tweets on mobile, then pick up right where you left off when you’re back at your desktop, just like magic! Twitterrific also syncs your muffles and mutes from iOS to help you avoid spoilers and unwanted tweets on your Mac’s desktop.

There are also a host of other features that you’re sure to enjoy while using Twitterrific. Here are just a few:

• Quickly delete and edit your own tweets
• Quick access to Emoji when composing new tweets and messages
• Support for tweet storms and chained tweet threads
• Translate tweets to your native language
• View user profiles complete with past tweets, likes, and mentions
• Block and report spammers with a single click from their profile
• Robust keyboard control

The new Twitterrific for macOS joins our venerable iOS app in creating a wonderful Twitter experience regardless of platform. Designed for ease of use, accessibility, and the modern macOS desktop, the app is a stylish companion to keep up with what’s happening on Twitter. Twitterrific for macOS is available today from the Mac App Store. Enjoy!

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