firehose

Roughly five years ago, Apple released iWork '09. But at the time, a different Apple lived in a different world: (non-Web) iPhone apps had been introduced only six months earlier and all Macs except the woefully underpowered first-gen MacBook Air still had optical drives. Small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri, and pro applications were real pro applications.

In the intermediate years, Apple updated the three iWork applications—Keynote, Pages, and Numbers—to support features such as the new document model (i.e., autosaving) in Lion and the HiDPI mode, which powers the retinavaganza that has pervaded the MacBook Pro line. Slimmed down versions of Keynote, Pages, and Numbers even came to iOS. But these were all smaller wrinkles. Long-standing issues and the most requested missing features haven't been addressed since the introduction of iWork '09.

The icons for Keynote 6.0, Pages 5.0, and Numbers 3.0 (iWork '13).

The icons for Keynote 5.3, Pages 4.3, and Numbers 2.3 (iWork '09).

Finally, Apple has released the update we've all been waiting for: iWork '13, Keynote 6.0, Pages 5.0, and Numbers 3.0. Apparently the band has split up. The iWork name is gone from Apple's website except for some small print at the bottom of a few pages and long-defunct pages promoting previous versions. It's not a total surprise, as the three apps have also been for sale individually ever since they came to the Mac and iOS app stores.

We've been hearing about it for months, and the day has finally arrived. Today the 50th anniversary special Doctor Who: Day of the Doctor will be simulcast around the globe in more than 75 countries, starting at 2:50PM ET. The special will pair the current — and soon to be former — Doctor Matt Smith with his predecessor, David Tennant. Along for the ride will be the Doctor's current companion, played by Jenna Coleman, fan favorite Billie Piper, and yet another mysterior iteration of the Doctor, played by John Hurt. In the US the special will be airing on BBC America, while in the UK it will be on BBC One.

Not only will the special be shown at the exact same time on televisions around the world, but it will also shown in movie theaters in eight different countries as well. The return of Tennant and Piper has had fans of Doctor Who excited since word first leaked about the possibility earlier this year. While it's been reported that the special will not feature Christopher Eccleston, the actor that kicked off the new Doctor Who in 2005, it should nonetheless be considered a seminal moment in the history of the series — made all the more poignant given that Peter Capaldi will be taking over for Matt Smith for the season ahead.

We're including a partial list of times below. You can visit the full list of participating countries along with channel information here.

• 11:50AM - Pacific
• 12:50PM - Mountain
• 01:50PM - Central
• 02:50PM - Eastern
• 07:50PM - London
• 08:50PM - Paris
• 10:50PM - Moscow
• 04:50AM (November 24th) - Sydney

By Cassandra Khaw on November 23rd, 2013 at 11:00 am.

Ah, Thanksgiving. ‘Tis indeed the hour of luscious poultry and marshmallow-crusted sweet potatoes, a time to loosen belts and snipe jovially at family members you haven’t seen in years. Sigh. I can’t tell if I’m glad or disappointed that Thanksgiving isn’t practiced here in my corner of the globe. At least this means the Christmas pounds won’t be having playmates. Regardless of whether you’re voluntarily or involuntarily turkey-less next week, you’re welcome to come trawl this week’s — immediate gratification is always satisfying — Bargain Bucket for gloriously underpriced video games.

The Video Game Bundle 2.0
$3 for five titles, $10 for nine

Actually, forget video games. Let’s talk video games literature. If you’ve ever wanted to imbibe an eloquent love letter to the Dreamcast or chart the Rise of the Videogame Zinesters, now’s an excellent time to get out ye olde wallet. Spend a minimum of $3 to acquire five of the nine volumes available. Fork out $10 for the full nine (ahem!) yards. Go ahead. Indulge your inner academic.

Bioshock Triple Pack
$14.99

I’m largely ambivalent about Infinite, conflicted about Bioshock 2 and almost entirely smitten with Bioshock. Regardless of where you’re actually positioned on the matter, you most likely have an opinion on what is arguably Irrational Games’ most beloved series. And my opinion is that you need to capitalize on this 85% price cut. No, I don’t care if you’ve played through them. The season of commercialized giving is encroaching. Find a dewy-eyed, fresh-faced cousin to give Rapture to. (Wait, that could be construed inappropriately..)

Super Sanctum TD & Sanctum 2
Super Sanctum TD –  $0.99
Sanctum 2 – $3.74

I’ll never forget the day when a friend told me that RockPaperShotgun called Coffee Stain Studios’ Sanctum a dong. The Ghost of Spluttered Coffee reminds me of it each time I put on that one specific shirt. Months later, the Swedish start-up returned with not one but two games in the universe. Sanctum 2′s essentially the original Sanctum. Except with more guns, more characters, more awesome and more, well, everything, really. Super Sanctum TD, on the other hand, is an isometric, “retro”-styled tower defense game set inside an arcade cabinet inside Sanctum 2 — which is a tower defense game with guns. How meta. Both are 75% off. You know you want these mega-evolved peni — NOPE. Your mind can go there by itself, thank you very much.

Arma 2: Complete Collection
$8.00

It says a lot when the company describes the complete collection of an iconic title as, “Everything you need to play a mod.” Then again, Bohemia Interactive would be crazy to not use DayZ’s flabbergasting popularity as leverage over the penny-pinching masses. Sure, the standalone version is tottering somewhere on the far edge of release but do you really want to wait that long? Eight bucks is hardly astronomical especially when you factor in all of the gritty, uncomfortably realistic shooting involved.

Total War Sale
Empire: Total War Collection – $7.49
Medieval II: Total War Collection – $4.99
Napolean: Total War Collection – $7.49
Rome: Total War Collection – $3.24
Total War Battles: Shogun – $2.49
Total War: Grand Master Collection – $41.24
Total War: Master Collection – $22.49
Total War: Shogun 2 Collection- $12.49

Did you miss the recent Green Man Gaming sales? Yeah, I did too. Fortunately, there is a contingency plan. Get Games is currently hosting a massive Total War sale. If you’re a history buff with a predilection for turn-based strategy and leading pixel people through real-time, full-scale wars, you may find a soulmate in this sometimes fiddly but frequently awesome franchise. Although everything else is at least 50% off, Rome II only features a demure 25% discount. Boo. Hiss.

The XCOM Collection
$9.99

Save the world and save yourself from unnecessary expenditure all at the same time. Who said heroism isn’t practical? While impressive XCOM-related savings aren’t uncommon, few digital distribution sites provide such tempting access to the sum of the XCOM experience. With just $10, you’ll be able to saunter home with virtually every member of this deliciously sadistic turn-based, sci-fi series. Brash youngest cousin “Enemy Within” is, of course, absent from the discounted bunch. (He’ll join the brood after the new game smell wears off. Don’t worry.)

Portal & Portal 2
Portal – $2.49
Portal 2 – $4.99

You didn’t really need an introduction to the Portal series, did you? I mean, they’re only some of the most impressive puzzle games to have ever graced the PC. Entire countries of memes were built on these guys. They even catalyzed plushies. Plushies, I tell you. Of Cubes. If, for some reason, you still don’t own these two titles, you should really correct that right this instant. Both Portal & Portal 2 are going for amazingly cheap over at GameFly.

Also of note:

Europa Universalis IV – $19.99
The overlords waxed rather poetic about it.

Majestic Indie Bundle – $4.02
Absolutely mad little collection of indie titles. I’d buy it just for Shelter and Mount & Blade.

Humble Weekly Sales: Zen Studios - $6 to get all eight games
I’m not a big fan of digital pinball machines but if you are, you should think about snagging this.