The popular iOS podcast client is now available on the Mac. How does it stack up with its arch-rival, Instacast?

Lumosity is an iOS app that promises to make you smarter while you have fun. But does it work? Josh Centers explores the app and the science behind it, but isn’t sure if he has become more intelligent in the process.

Eyestrain is a constant irritation for anyone who works with text all day. Read on to learn about a setup that we’ve found to reduce eye strain and increase productivity, for free. What’s not to like?

The United States Department of Justice has recommend a series of remedies in response to Apple’s conviction for colluding with publishers to fix the prices of ebooks. If approved by the court, Apple will have to cancel all existing deals with publishers, and for five years would be unable to enter into “most favored nation” agreements that bar it from competing on price. Apple would also be disallowed from being a conduit for communication between publishers, or threatening publishers who charge lower prices at other retailers. More drastically, Apple would be restricted from any arrangement that would cause the price of any media, including ebooks, music, and movies, to rise, and for two years Apple would have to allow competing book retailers, such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble, to link to their own bookstores in their own apps. Finally, Apple would be required to hire a monitor to ensure that they comply with the DOJ’s recommendations.

Although Apple stopped Amazon from including direct purchasing links inside the Kindle app for iOS, Amazon has now come up with a clever workaround for avoiding Apple’s 30 percent fee: free book samples within the app. Kindle users can now search for and preview books on an iOS device, and the Kindle app offers the option to send a purchase link via email at the end. Also new to the app is the capability to use custom dictionaries, and an accessibility quick reference for vision-impaired users.

At a mere $35, Google’s new Chromecast is a tempting alternative to the Apple TV, but how does it stack up for Apple users, including educators and business professionals? Josh Centers put it through its paces, and even tried a game to see how it compares to the Apple TV.

Bob Mansfield, ostensibly Apple’s SVP of Technologies, was suddenly removed from Apple’s leadership Web site over the weekend. Apple spokesman Steve Dowling told AllThingsD that Mansfield is no longer on Apple’s executive team, but is working on “special projects,” reporting directly to Tim Cook. Dowling would not say whether Mansfield is still SVP of Technologies. Paul Deneve, former CEO of fashion giant Yves Saint Laurent, joined Apple earlier this year, also to work on “special projects.” Mansfield had announced his retirement last June, but was convinced to stay for at least two more years, taking on a larger role after the ouster of SVP of iOS Software Scott Forstall. It should be noted that Mansfield’s departure is different from Forstall’s, who was placed in an “advisory role” until he left the company at the end of 2012 — Mansfield is set to remain at Apple for the foreseeable future.

Two new titles demonstrate exciting new possibilities for the iPhone and Apple TV as gaming platforms.

It has been over a week since the Apple Developer Center Web site went offline, with no indication of when it will be fully back. However, Apple has created a status page displaying an itemized checklist of what services are online. (Alas, you can’t click the icons to bring services up and down!) In email to developers, Apple announced that it is prioritizing the order in which updated systems will be made available. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles, Apple Developer Forums, Bug Reporter, pre-release developer libraries, and videos will be available first, followed by software downloads and remaining systems. (Most Developer Center systems have since come back online.)

Writer and developer Matt Gemmell has detailed how to connect an Apple Newton to a contemporary Mac running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Sold by Apple from 1993 until 1998, the Newton was a groundbreaking handheld device that featured handwriting recognition but wasn’t commercially successful. If you have an old Newton kicking around, Gemmell advises acquiring the software and hardware required to connect it to your computer now, as it’s likely to become harder to obtain in the future. And if you’re just Newton-curious, Gemmell discusses some Newton emulators with which you can experiment.

It’s looking increasingly likely that Apple is readying a cheaper iPhone with a plastic case instead of the glass-and-aluminum case of the current line. But why not just sell the iPhone 5 at a discount once the presumed iPhone 5S appears? Josh Centers digs into the numbers to explain why.

Apple’s accessibility features in iOS aren’t just for the disabled. Josh Centers shows how AssistiveTouch can help get you out of a hardware jam.

An East Texas appeals panel has effectively put a stop to the Eolas patents, which threatened the Web for nearly 20 years. A man named Michael Doyle, with the help of the University of California, gained a patent over essential Web technologies. He then founded a company called Eolas, which then spent years successfully collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements from major technology companies, including Adobe, Amazon, and Apple. A Texas jury struck down the patents in 2012, and the subsequent appeal denial should end Eolas’ lawsuits forever.