News - page 408

Level Home’s second HomeKit-compatible smart lock lets you use your fingertip as a key. But you won’t even really need that finger tap to open your door. The new lock, called the Level Touch, offers a variety of entry methods — including fully automatic (triggered by your smartphone’s Bluetooth connection when you arrive home).

“With Level Touch, keys are optional,” the company said in a press release Tuesday unveiling the new device. “You can enter and exit in any way that is most convenient for you, with the touch of a finger, using your voice or even an included programmable keycard. All of this while maintaining the highest level of residential security of any smart lock to date.”

Bucardo has been slashing prices across its entire lineup of unique, luxury necklaces for Apple Watch. Get yours, made from premium materials and finished with Swarovski crystals, for as little as $49.

Apple seeded the sixth beta of iOS 14 to developers Tuesday, along with the iPad equivalent. That’s a week since the last betas were introduced — and the quick turnaround is a strong sign that Apple won’t add any more surprise features before the full release of these operating systems this autumn.

Plugable decided to stand out in the crowded market for USB-C multiport adapters with a low-price offering. On Tuesday, it unveiled a 7-in-1 Hub that comes in at a significantly lower cost than many of its rivals.

Even so, it can connect to multiple legacy USB-A accessories, a external monitor and removable memory cards.

Apple is planning a “less ambitious” wireless charging gadget that will fill the gap left by AirPower’s cancellation, according to a new report.

Cupertino’s original plans for a wireless charger included the ability to charge iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. It’s unclear if its replacement will support more than just iPhone and AirPods.

Apple rolled out major improvements to Final Cut Pro X on Tuesday that promise to make life a little easier for remote video editors. The changes are designed to speed up workflows and enhance portability.

Here are all the changes this update brings.

Keira Knightley will head up a TV adaptation of Sarah Perry’s 2016 novel The Essex Serpent for Apple TV+.

The novel, which is a period piece set in 1893, tells the story of a widow, Cora Seagrave, who moves from London to a small village in Essex after her marriage to an abusive husband comes to an end. There, she becomes interested in a local legend about a creature called the Essex Serpent.

Apple will open its first Apple Online Store for the India market next month, according to a new report by Bloomberg.

The online store will reportedly be up and running for the Dussehra through Diwali holiday season, which kicks off October 25 and runs through November 14. It comes as Apple is upping its focus on the India market.

Tim Cook, a freshly minted billionaire thanks to Apple’s continued powerhouse performance, last week gifted more than $5 million worth of Apple shares to charity.

According to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, Cook donated 10,715 shares on Friday. At close of play Friday, Apple was trading at $497.48. This week it has passed $500.

Apple A-series chip manufacturer TSMC has obtained land upon which it plans to build a 2-nanometer fabrication plant, the company’s senior vice president for operations revealed.

In a report published Tuesday, YP Chin said the next-next gen chip fab facility will be located in Hsinchu, a city in northern Taiwan. While there’s no confirmation on when the 2-nm chips will debut, if past patterns are anything to go by, it’s likely they will debut with the 2024 iPhone.

In an order issued Monday night, a U.S. district judge blocked Apple from revoking Epic Games’ developer accounts as the legal battle between the two companies moves toward trial.

The move protects Unreal Engine, Epic’s software suite that is widely used by other game developers, from becoming collateral damage in the high-profile legal battle.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra survived a series of drop tests better than the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max. And that’s exactly what’s to be expected.

The Note 20 only just started reaching customer’s hands, giving it access to the latest, toughest version of Gorilla Glass. The iPhone 11 debuted almost a year ago, and is about to be replaced.

The National Park Service service turns 104 on Tuesday, and to help celebrate, there is a new Apple Pay donation program and special content collections on Apple TV and the App Store. Plus, there’s an upcoming Apple Watch Activity Challenge.

Apple reportedly explored adding an iPod port to the Mac mini. Images of a prototype unit surfaced online over the weekend, showing a product Apple decided not to release.

Apple’s market cap has surged by $600 billion in the past 20 days. That’s nearly the equivalent of Tesla’s $394 billion and Netflix’s $218 billion market caps combined, Above Avalon analyst Neil Cybart points out on Twitter.

Upcoming live-action Disney movie Mulan will be available to purchase through Apple’s TV app, Variety reports.

A remake of the 1998 animated movie, the 2020 Mulan will cost $29.99 to purchase on third-party platforms — Apple’s included — starting September 4. If that’s the only Disney content you’re interested in seeing right now, that’s actually cheaper than watching it via Disney+.

Apple won’t be forced to boot messaging app WeChat out of the App Store in China, Bloomberg claims in a weekend report.

According to the publication, the Trump administration is “privately seeking to reassure” American companies like Apple that they can still do business with WeChat in China. Two weeks ago, Trump ordered a U.S. ban on WeChat, although the details were not clarified.

Possibly the most spectacular Apple Store yet is set to open in Singapore, Apple’s third retail store in the country.

Apple Marina Bay Sands has a look like no Apple Store before it. It resembles a geodesic dome or giant lantern sitting on a body of water in the iconic Marina Bay, a luxury venue which first opened its doors in 2010.

Apple’s South Korea business has said that it will make a 100 billion won ($84 million) payout to support small businesses and help consumers. This is to address antitrust concerns raised in the country.

Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has been investigating Apple Korea for reportedly forcing mobile carriers to pay for advertising and warranty repairs. The payout — which is phrased like a pledge, but also sounds like a fine — will act as a make-good on Apple’s “unfair” terms.

You can get a comprehensive overview of all your HomeKit cams with Eve’s latest app update. And if you spot neighbors doing something fishy on your property, you can use Jury to settle the dispute virtually rather than taking them to court (or throwing fists like a barbarian).

Those are just two of the featured apps in our roundup of the week’s best new apps and updates.

Apple’s brain-melting march beyond a $2 trillion market cap might be just the start. Find out how high AAPL stock might go (and why all this success might have Apple fans tired of winning).

Plus, we’ve got more Apple rumors, this time concerning a potential cheaper Apple Watch and more! And Epic Games unleashes yet another creative salvo in its battle royale with Apple. (Surprise, surprise — Cupertino fires back in court.)

You can read all these stories, plus plenty of Apple how-tos and product reviews, in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now!

Apple on Friday asked a judge to deny Epic Games’ request for a court order forcing Apple to return Fortnite to the App Store. In a filing, the iPhone-maker said Epic Games brought the ban on itself by its own actions.

The court’s decision will determine whether this wildly popular game will be available for iPhone and iPad users while a potentially lengthy court battle between Apple and Epic Games goes on.

This week on The CultCast: It’s a battle of the titans! Fortnite developer Epic Games takes Apple to court over its App Store policies, and the dev just might get its way. Plus: Apple and its stock hit another astonishing milestone; Jon Prosser was right — Apple has begun rebranding Beats; and Apple TV+ finally makes the move we’ve been waiting for: bundling premium channels for one low price.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

The Apple Watch essentially launched the smartwatch category, and continues to dominate it. And rather than competitors catching up, Apple’s share of this market in increasing. It took in 51.4% of the worldwide revenue from shipments of smartwatches during the first half of 2020, a significant rise from the same period last year.

Keep your AirPods looking cool this summer with the super-sweet Ice Cream case from Elago. Available in four delicious color options, it not only looks great, but also keeps your AirPods protected on the go.

What’s more, it’s a steal at just $18.