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Luke Dormehl - page 213

Ready, get set, go download Super Mario Run for iOS

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Super-Mario-Run-Dec-15
That's today!
Photo: Nintendo

At long last, Nintendo’s long-awaited Super Mario Run has sprinted into the App Store, in what is certainly the biggest iOS game launch of 2016 after Pokémon Go.

Marking the first time Nintendo’s most iconic character has been available on iOS — outside of dodgy third-party game emulators — a demo of Super Mario Run is downloadable for free, while the whole game priced at $9.99.

Japanese ad shows off speed of Apple Pay

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Apple Pay
One of the big Apple Pay selling points in Japan is the ability to use it on the subway.
Photo: Apple

Like a short, Apple-produced version of the movie Sliding Doors, the company’s latest ad for the Japanese market pits two parallel versions of the same character against each other — one with Apple Pay, one without.

Guess which one makes it onto the train home in time? (Hint: the answer probably won’t shock you!)

New wireless tech could allow iPhones to charge from across the room

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iPhone wireless charging
You call this wireless charging?
Photo: Ivo Marić and Tomislav Rastovac

Apple could incorporate some impressively cutting edge wireless charging tech into its future devices, claims a new report — and it’s got the perfect partner companies to work with.

According to Fast Company, Apple may draw on the wireless company Energous and chip maker Dialog to usher in technology that would allow users to charge their iOS devices from across the room, rather than using the kind of charging mats employed by rivals like Samsung.

Apple is hiring more automotive mapping experts

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Apple Maps reservation OpenTable
Apple is working to improve its mapping services.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s continuing to ramp up its automotive mapping experts by poaching employees from the German company Here, owned by Audi, BMW, and Daimler.

A new report claims that Apple has hired around a dozen employees over the past several months for software or mapping-related roles.

Microsoft Cortana will open up to third-party devs

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Cortana was named after a character from Halo 4
The battle to establish a dominant AI assistant is ramping up.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft has just announced new Software Developer Kits (SDKs) for its Cortana virtual assistant, allowing developers to create new Cortana skills, as well as to integrate it into smart devices.

Check out the video below for a look at some of the skills Microsoft’s Cortana can offer when incorporated into a smart device.

Apple store employee: iPhone battery replacement is a mess

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iphone-7
Genius Bar expert says Apple has "no real plan" to deal with problem.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple was quick to rectify the “random shutdown” problem affecting some iPhones by offering in-store battery replacements for affected customers. Unfortunately, it seems that already-busy Apple store employees aren’t too happy about the replacement program.

Given that each replacement takes between 20 and 45 minutes, and staffers are doing 15 to 30 replacements per day, it’s quickly adding up to “more than we [can] replace,” according to a longtime Genius Bar guru.

Apple’s Support app is now available in the U.S.

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Supportapp
There's a new way to get help from Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple has launched its new Support app in the U.S., giving customers the ability to get expert help with devices and software — as well as scheduling repairs at the Apple store if necessary — from the comfort of their iOS device.

Handily, the app also provides a catalog of support articles designed to help users fix common issues.

Stream 360-degree video from your iPhone

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giroptic-io-usecase-1
Take this 360 camera for a spin. Get it?
Photo: Giroptic

360-degree photography is all the rage these days, and a new third-party iPhone accessory could further add to that — by giving users the chance to easily record 360 photo and video using their trusty iPhones.

Designed to allow for live-streaming via Facebook and YouTube, the iO device takes both 4K still photos and enhanced 2K video. Check out a video demonstration below:

BeatsX in-ear headphones will ship in February

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Screen Shot 2016-12-13 at 15.12.13
You'll be waiting just a bit longer for these headphones.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s much-delayed AirPods may be shipping in time for Christmas, but if you’re after the BeatsX in-ear headphones announced at exactly the same time, you’ll be waiting a bit longer than that.

That’s according to Apple, which just updated its official webpage to note that the new headphones won’t be shipping until February — or considerably later than the Fall release date they originally had.

AirPods finally available with shipping in time for Christmas

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x
Apple won't miss out on the all-important holiday market after all!
Photo: Apple

Update: Well that didn’t last long! Already it seems that AirPod demand has exceeded supply, as shipping times have been pushed back past Christmas into 2017.

Apple’s long-awaited, sometimes derided wireless AirPods are finally available to buy through Apple’s online store — priced at $159.

While it’s not known when they’ll be available for sale in brick-and-mortar Apple retail stores, you can breathe a sigh of relief, since orders placed through Apple’s online store are currently showing a pre-Christmas delivery date of December 21.

Samsung may spin off its chip business as standalone company

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A10 Fusion
Losing Apple's A-series chip orders may have prompted the move.
Photo: Apple

Samsung may spin off its chip-making business as part of a company-wide restructuring, claims a new report.

The move would be a response to Samsung’s loss of Apple’s A-series chip orders to rival chipmaker TSMC for the iPhone 7 and, potentially, future iOS chips as well.

How to fix Mac App Store download problems

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App Store tutorial
If you're experiencing certain download issues, this is an early bit of troubleshooting to do.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Macs are renowned for “just working,” but sometimes you might run into problems while downloading software from the Mac App Store. You might encounter files that say they’ve downloaded despite evidence to the contrary, or face verification errors or other installation difficulties.

If so, a relatively common fix involves emptying your Mac App Store temporary download cache folder. If you find yourself running into any of the Mac installation problems mentioned above, cleaning out this folder should be one of your first tasks.

But how do you do it? Follow our easy “how to” guide below.

Tim Cook gets ready to stare down EU over giant tax bill

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Tim Cook takes home $125 million for Apple’s best year since 2009
The only three things that are for sure: death, taxes, and thinner iPhones.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

So far, most of Apple’s wrangles concerning its European tax issues has been carried out by the company’s accountants and legal team.

That could change in 2017, however, when none other than Tim Cook has been requested to attend a meeting in Dublin, Ireland, alongside the EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager.

Tim Cook will meet with President-elect Donald Trump this week

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Maybe Trump wants to know where his AirPods are!
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Tim Cook is one of a number of tech executives who will meet with President-elect Donald Trump this week, a new report claims.

The meeting will take place at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Wednesday, and will also be attended by Alphabet CEO Larry Page, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, alongside a handful of others.

Bully, Touch Bar Piano, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

Somehow it’s the weekend again, and to help you celebrate we’ve combed through the week’s best apps to help you sort the wheat from the chaff.

Whether you’re after a great Tetris-style puzzler, the reissue of a tremendous Rockstar Games classic, or a Touch Bar-compatible music player, we’re confident we’ve got what you’re looking for.

Check out our list below.

Brain-teasing iPhone puzzler is Tetris with rings

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Dropa
It's like Tetris crossed with that fingerprint pattern used for setting up Touch ID.
Photo: Midnight Tea Studio

As much as I like the kind of long, winding, RPG-style games you can get lost in for months at a time, I’ll always be a sucker for a great mobile puzzle game.

That’s exactly what developer Midnight Tea Studio offers with its new game Dropa! Pitched somewhere between Tetris and that fingerprint pattern you have to fill in when you set up a new Touch ID profile, it’s a game that’s sure to keep you busy during the holiday season.

Check out the trailer below.

Super Mario Run will require always-on internet connection to play

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Super-Mario-Run-Dec-15
Mario won't run anywhere in offline mode.
Photo: Nintendo

Super Mario Run will sprint into the App Store on December 15, but while there’s plenty to be excited about with Nintendo’s first Mario game to hit iOS, there is one big potential downside for users: the game requires constant internet connectivity.

According to Mario creator and Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto, the decision to include no offline mode was made for anti-piracy reasons.

Tim Cook will drop his wisdom on MIT grads next June

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Tim Cook
This will be Cook's third time as a university commencement speaker.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Steve Jobs gave one of the most memorable commencement speeches in living memory, and it seems that Tim Cook is set to take on the same challenge when he delivers the address at MIT’s 2017 graduation event next June.

“Mr. Cook’s brilliance as a business leader, his genuineness as a human being, and his passion for issues that matter to our community make his voice one that I know will resonate deeply with our graduates,” MIT President L. Rafael Reif said. “I am delighted that he will join us for commencement and eagerly await his charge to the class of 2017.”

Apple claims exploding iPhones in China are not its fault

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iPhone 7
Apple says flaming Chinese iPhones were not based on manufacturing issues.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has denied that it is responsible for eight iPhone 6-series handsets bursting into flames in China, blaming the fiery phones on “external factors.”

The company came under fire (pun semi-intended) from Shanghai’s consumer watchdog for the alleged fault, but Apple said its own investigations have shown there is “no cause for concern.”

iPad sales could hit record low in 2017

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iPad Pro 2
Ain't that just the way that sales go down, down, down, down.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly set to launch new iPad Pros in the first half of 2017, but that may not be enough to stop iPad demand slipping to its lowest level to a new record low, claims a new report.

Citing sources in the supply chain, the report claims that chip demand for the iPad has continued to slow, meaning that shipments of iPad devices for 2016 may struggle to hit 40 million units in total. And things are likely to get even worse.

Apple Pay is now accepted by 35% of U.S. retailers

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple has big plans for 2017, too.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay is accepted at 35 percent of retailers — or around 4 million locations — in the U.S., claims Jennifer Bailey, the VP in charge of Apple Pay.

Speaking at San Francisco’s Code Commerce conference (try saying that five times quickly!), Bailey cited it as a victory for Apple, and evidence that the service is finding its mark.

Apple Music racks up more than 20 million subscribers

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Apple-Music-Android
Apple Music has hit a big milestone!
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Music has passed the 20 million subscriber mark, according to new figures released by Apple.

Last time the company released adoption figures, back in September, those numbers hovered around 17 million — meaning the number of paying Apple Music users jumped 15 percent in the past three months.

Apple gives us its list of the year’s best apps, movies, music and podcasts

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bestof2016
Apple's got some recommendations for you!
Photo: Apple

Looking for recommendations for possible Christmas gifts or end of year purchases? Don’t worry, Apple’s got you covered — and, crazily enough, all of it’s stuff you can buy through Apple.

Kidding aside, Apple just dropped its 2016 picks for the years best apps, movies, music, TV shows, podcasts and books. It’s a comprehensive list, and you can check out all the details below.

Apple is finally ready to spill some of its AI secrets

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Apple is opening up about its AI work.
Photo: Hardmaru/Twitter

In a break from its ultra-secretive attitude toward R&D, Apple is set to start engaging more with the AI academic community by allowing its researchers to publish their work in machine learning journals.

The news was announced by Russ Salakhutd, director of AI research at Apple and a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. He made the announcement at the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) conference earlier today.