News - page 632

There are reasons why we haven’t seen many attempts at an Apple Watch band that discreetly houses a battery for on-the-wrist charging.

For one, Apple discourages them in its “Made for Apple Watch” program guidelines. Chargers can get hot and burn the skin, or worse, cause fire or electric shock if water is present. Such a band could also interfere with the watch’s sensors.

A company called Togvu believes it has solved those problems with a band that debuted on Kickstarter today called the Batfree Power Strap.

The Face ID biometric security system is already extremely accurate but Apple wants to make it even more safe. The company has come up with a method for telling the difference between two people who are almost identical because they’re closely related. 

The system would also prevent unlocking iPhone and iPad devices with 3D masks.

Microsoft’s Xbox Live network is officially making its way onto iOS and Android.

The company revealed today that it is launching a new SDK that will allow mobile developers to add Xbox Live functionality to their games, giving gamers the ability to score achievements on the go.

What’s better than trying something new? Trying something new and saving money.

Our friends at Just Mobile recently introduced the AluBase Wireless Charger and Gum Slim Hybrid Battery, and in celebration we’re knocking $10 off the price for the next week, through Wednesday. Grab the savings on the Cult of Mac Watch Store, and while you are there be sure to check out all our other power options.

The latest Shazam update is out now on iOS, giving users the ability to see exactly when they last searched for a certain song. Simply scroll through your history of Shazams and you’ll find a date and time alongside each entry.

Want to see what happens when an iPhone is placed into a high powered blender?

No, it’s not the kind of mindless destruction porn that often pops up on YouTube. Instead, it’s a serious scientific demonstration carried out by the U.K.’s University of Plymouth. The goal? To show exactly which chemical elements make up the pricey handsets we keep in our pockets. Check out the video below.

If you thought the iPhone XS Max was pricey, you probably should shield your eyes to avoid the sheer indulgent offensiveness of Caviar’s new Grand Complications Skeleton Tourbillon.

Most iPhone cases are supposed to protect the phone by taking the brunt of the damage in the event of a fall. Not so here! This $9,820 custom iPhone outer shell will make you even more nervous about whipping out your iPhone to bash out a quick text while walking down the street.

Apple is trying a new strategy to boost struggling iPhone sales in India, the world’s second largest country by population. Unfortunately, it’s one that’s going to make the base model iPhones even more expensive for the local population.

New AirPods and iPads are coming — and we just got the latest bit of evidence to support that.

According to a new report, four Apple suppliers are gearing up for mass production of both new products. Flexible PCB firm Flexium Interconnect and Zhen Ding Technology will be handling Apple’s next-gen iPad devices. Meanwhile, Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech PCB will supply rigid-flex boards for the sequel to Apple’s wireless AirPods.

Apple claims that Qualcomm’s motivation for taking Apple to court is because it was upset that Apple had switched to using Intel chips in iPhones. Prior to 2016, Qualcomm had enjoyed five years of being Apple’s exclusive chip maker.

The suggestion was made by Apple’s counsel in closing remarks Wednesday during the patent infringement trial in San Diego.

Apple bought a small startup that created an app that used machine learning to auotomically find news articles users would be interested in.

The acquisition of Laserlike is expected to  bolster Apple’s artificial intelligence efforts.

Vincent Van Gogh might have been kinder to his ear if only AirPods were around when he was alive and painting.

Art already gives us so much to ponder. As does Twitter, which a New York City creative agency used to call on followers to Photoshop Apple AirPods into famous works of art.

Enso looper is a big, big deal for iOS musicians. In principle, it works like any other looper app or hardware looper: You play music into it, and then that music is looped over and over, forming a backing track for more playing.

But Enso is hot, hot, hot for two reasons. One is the amount of control you have over the looping. The other is that it is an Audio Unit, which means that it can be used inside other apps, like GarageBand and AudioBus.

In what would have been radical change a few years ago, your Amazon Fire TV can now stream songs from the Apple Music service.

This is the latest move from the iPhone maker to allow users to access its services on hardware made by rival companies.

The first Apple event of 2019 is nearly here. Tim Cook and friends are set to take the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater on March 25 to unveil the company’s newest goodies, only instead of unveiling some shiny new gadgets you can buy, Apple is supposedly going to bust out some services you can subscribe to.

The Apple rumor mill has been working in overdrive leading up the event, so we have a pretty solid idea of what we’ll see.

If you hate Apple keynote spoilers, stop reading now.

Well behind arch-rival AT&T, Verizon will begin rolling out its 5G wireless network in two cities early in April.

This is the carrier’s first step in having this faster replacement for LTE available in 30 cities by the end of the year.

An apparent “iPad mini 5” case corroborates rumors that this year’s much-anticipated refresh won’t bring a spectacular new design to Apple’s smallest tablet.

The case also dashes hopes that the new device will pick up an LED camera flash, a Smart Connector, and four stereo speakers. But is it genuine?

Apple’s iPad lineup is about to get more crowded and confusing than ever in 2019.

With the company’s big March 25 event looming on the horizon, a new rumor claims Apple is planning to release not one but two iPads with a 10-inch screen this year that won’t fall under the “iPad Pro” brand.

Apple has created numerous shows for its streaming TV service, but is reportedly also negotiating deals to bring in content from other sources, including HBO and Showtime.

This should help the Apple TV service compete against established rivals, especially Netflix.

The iPhone has made news for stopping bullets. A man in Australia discovered his iPhone was durable enough to stop an arrow aimed at his head.

The man was under attack in his driveway by an acquaintance with a bow and arrow in the town of Nimbin in New South Wales. The victim raised his iPhone to get a picture of his attacker when an arrow struck and penetrated the handset.

Spotify has filed a legal complaint against Apple for what it believes is anti-competitive behavior.

The music streaming service, like many others, has an issue with the 30 percent cut Apple charges on App Store revenue. Spotify says Apple makes it very difficult to avoid the fee, which makes some services more expensive.

High-quality leather is a universal way to look and feel classy, timeless and powerful. Deck out your beloved Apple Watch in something it deserves, regardless of price point. Whether you’re buying on a budget or searching for the perfect splurge, your internet scouring ends here.

Check out our watch store guide to finding the perfect leather Apple Watch band for your budget.

Spark, the popular email client from Readdle, now lets you turn messages into tasks and delegate them to your colleagues.

The feature is available inside the latest Spark update on Mac and iOS. Readdle says it will be particularly useful for CEOs, managers, and team leaders who need to pass on communications and keep track of their progress.

Apple this week confirmed the expansion of coding initiatives in Southeast Asia.

The company is opening a second Apple Developer Academy in Surabaya, Indonesia, to help aspiring developers. It also plans to expand its App Development with Swift curriculum at partner schools in Singapore.

With B&H Photo offering up to $600 off the MacBook Pro at right now, and big discounts on other Apple computers popping up all over the place, it’s a great time to sell your old machine and bag a bargain upgrade.

And you could just be sitting on a small fortune. Cult of Mac typically pays more for your old Apple devices than other trade-in services — and we won’t leave you waiting ages for your cash. Get a quote today and find out how much your old Mac is really worth.