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Killian Bell - page 193

Can Siri catch up with the do-it-all Google Assistant? [Friday Night Fights]

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Siri's slipping, but can it come back?
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

At its I/O conference in California this week, Google gave us a preview of the new Google Assistant that’s coming later this year. It’s like Siri, only it’s vastly more intelligent. It does everything you want a digital assistant to do and more.

FNF-bugAnd just like a lot of Google services, Assistant will be available on iOS — not only in the official Google app, but also inside the new Allo messenger. It will be competing with Apple’s AI in its own backyard, and the Cupertino company should be worried about that.

But can Siri catch up, or have Apple’s rivals now too far ahead in artificial intelligence? Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over digital assistants.

10 things you should know about Google’s Gboard keyboard

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gboard
Gboard is probably the best third-party keyboard on iOS.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Google now offers its very own keyboard for iOS, and it’s awesome. It’s packed full of useful features like glide typing and built-in search, and it has a clean and simple design that’s a pleasure to type on. It’s probably the best third-party keyboard on iPhone.

But there are 10 things you should know about Gboard before you get set up.

Indian actor teases ‘Apple VR’ after meeting Tim Cook

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Virtual reality was one of the first iPhone accessories Apple considered. Photo: USPTO/Apple
Is Apple finally getting eady to make this a reality?
Photo: Apple

Is Apple finally going to dip its toe into the fast-growing world of virtual reality?

Everyone’s been waiting for the Cupertino company to make its move as devices like the Samsung Gear VR become increasingly popular, and according to Indian actor Emraan Hashmi — who met with Tim Cook this week — “Apple VR” is on its way!

Apple yanks iOS 9.3.2 update for iPad Pro due to bricking issue

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iPad Pro 3
Your 9.7-inch iPad Pro is safe for now, but stuck on iOS 9.3.1.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has pulled its latest iOS 9.3.2 update for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro due to a mysterious bug that has bricked some devices. “Error 56” asked users to plug their tablets into iTunes, but many found that this didn’t resolve the issue.

Our favorite PDF app gets Apple Pencil support, more

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PDF Expert now plays nicely with Apple Pencil.
Photo: Readdle

Readdle’s excellent PDF Expert app, the best PDF management app on iOS, is now even greater thanks to Apple Pencil support, and a new transfer tool that makes moving files to and from your Mac easier than ever.

Google’s MacBook rivals will soon run Android apps

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Chrome OS is finally getting the Google Play Store.
Photo: HP

A Chromebook may be a super affordable alternative to the MacBook, but relying solely on web apps inside Google Chrome, they’re not ideal for those who have more than basic computing needs. Except they won’t just run web apps soon.

At its I/O conference in California today, Google announced that Chrome OS is finally getting the Google Play Store with full Android app support.

iOS 9 security update means more passcode unlocks

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There has to be a safer solution.
It's not just in your head.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

If you’ve found yourself entering your passcode more frequently since you updated to iOS 9 — even though you have Touch ID enabled — it’s thanks to Apple’s latest security measures.

In an update to its Security Guide, published this month, the company confirms that iOS 9 will make you enter your passcode if you haven’t used your iPhone or iPad in at least eight hours.

Yahoo Esports app brings big gaming events to your iPhone

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Yahoo-Esports-app
Yahoo Esports offers live coverage, breaking news, and more.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Yahoo Esports now has an official iPhone app, bringing scores, breaking news, and highlights from the biggest events in gaming. The app also offers live streams and recorded videos from top games, players, and events in high-definition.

Android Wear 2.0 plays catch up with Apple Watch

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You can add third-party complications to your favorite face in Wear 2.0.
Photo: Google

Google today gave us a glimpse at its upcoming Android Wear 2.0 update, which is going to make your smartwatch even smarter. It’s the biggest update to the wearable platform so far, with brand new features and big improvements — some of which were snagged from Apple Watch.

Google Duo is FaceTime for everyone, only better

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Google Duo
Google Duo makes cross-platform video calling great.
Photo: Google

Google has its very own answer to iMessage in Allo, and now it’s taking on FaceTime, too. Google Duo is a brand new video calling platform that’s available to Android and iOS users, and it’s packing unique features you won’t find elsewhere.

Google Home is the intelligent assistant that does it all

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Google Assistant will also power Google Home.
Google Home is coming later this year, and it looks amazing.
Photo: Google

Google is already helping you with everyday tasks on your smartphone, and now it’s coming to your home. With the new Google Home speaker, you get an intelligent digital assistant that’s there for you whenever you need it — and you’ll be amazed at what it can do.

Speck’s clever folding headset brings VR to iPhone

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Speck Pocket-VR
Pocket-VR makes taking your headset anywhere easier than ever!
Photo: Speck

It’s not easy to find a good VR headset for iPhone that’s easy to carry around. Google Cardboard will probably get crushed in your bag, and more robust models made out of plastic are just too bulky. But Speck has an awesome solution.

It’s called Pocket-VR, and it’s an iPhone-compatible virtual reality headset that folds up so small, you can easily fit it into your pants.

Watch today’s Google I/O keynote right here!

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Will Google I/O give Apple anything to worry about?
Photo: Google

Google is kicking off its I/O developer conference at 10 a.m. PT today, and it’s going to give us a great look at some of the things Apple will be competing with over the next 12 months.

If you’re interested in keeping up, you can watch the whole thing live right here.

BitTorrent to stream live content to Apple TV, iOS and Mac

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BitTorrent Live wants to make streaming even greater.
Photo: BitTorrent

In an effort to shake off its shady image, BitTorrent is launching a new streaming service that will bring a number of live channels to Apple TV, iOS, and Mac.

The service is called BitTorrent Live, and it will initially offer news, sport, music, and more.

iOS 9.3.2 is bricking some 9.7-inch iPad Pros

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iPad Pro 6
Avoid Apple's latest update if you have a 9.7-inch iPad Pro.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you haven’t already updated your 9.7-inch iPad Pro to iOS 9.3.2, then you might want to wait. Some users are being plagued by a mysterious error that renders their device completely unusable after installing Apple’s latest software.

Apple’s new hires point to iPhone wireless charging

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iPhone wireless charging
Will Apple finally make this a reality?
Photo: Ivo Marić and Tomislav Rastovac

Could the iPhone 7 be Apple’s first with wireless charging? Some reports have claimed the feature is coming, and it looks even more likely now that Apple has added a number of wireless charging experts to its ranks.

Apple suppliers bulk up for ‘complex’ iPhone 7

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Foxconn is recruiting early for this year's iPhone.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple suppliers in Taiwan are already taking on new recruits in preparation for the iPhone 7. Local sources say that the design of this year’s device is more complex to build than previous models, so manufacturers are getting to work early.

Apple to bring Intel on board for iPhone 7

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iPhone
But what about Qualcomm?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is preparing to team up with Intel for the upcoming iPhone 7, according to sources familiar with its plans. The chip maker is expected to supply up to 50 percent of Apple’s LTE modems for the new device.

Twitter will stop counting links against 140 character limit

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Twitter
Twitter wants to give you more flexibility.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Don’t you just hate it when you compose the perfect tweet and then insert a link that takes it over the 140 character limit? Well, that could soon become a thing of the past.

According to sources familiar with Twitter’s plans, the company will soon stop counting the URLs and photos inserted into your tweets.

Apple rolls out iOS 9.3.2 with big fixes, Night Shift changes

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iPad Pro 5
Get your hands on iOS 9.3.2 now!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

After more than a month of beta testing, Apple is now rolling out iOS 9.3.2 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update brings a bunch of big bug fixes, and the ability to use Night Shift while Low Power Mode is activated.