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News - page 671

Boosting users’ health is ‘Apple’s largest contribution to mankind,’ Tim Cook says

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Apple Watch Meidcare
The ECG could save your life.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s Electrocardiogram (ECG) feature on the Apple Watch Series 4 is finally launching to the public today and according to Tim Cook, it could be one of the most important things his company ever does.

Tim Cook and Apple COO Jeff Williams are putting on a full-court media press today doing interviews with TIME and CBS This Morning. With hundreds of millions of iPhones in pockets around the world and watches on tens of millions of wrists, Apple says it has a responsibility to empower people with more information about their health.

Luminar 3 imaging app gives photogs more time to shoot

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Luminar 3
Luminar 3 adds image libraries.
Photo: Skylum

Luminar, Skylum Software’s all-in-one photo editing program, will soon add more tools so photographers spend less time using it.

That may sound strange, but photographers would rather spend time behind the camera than in front of the computer. Skylum, formerly called Macphun, exists to make the complex tools for editing user-friendly.

If you picked Apple’s IPO over Microsoft’s, you can start crying now

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Microsoft Windows
Apple may be the cooler company, but Microsoft's where the money is.
Photo: Microsoft

If you’d had the foresight to invest in Apple and Microsoft back when they first went public, it’s no secret that you’d be sitting on a big old pile of cash today.

But which company would have made you more money? CNBC recently crunched the numbers and, well, the results are somewhat surprising.

Apple Pay teams up with retailers to offer festive discounts

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Apple Pay holidays 1
Here are some of the holiday savings you can make!
Photo: Apple

‘Tis the season to be jolly — and, if you’re Apple, to try and pick up a few more Apple Pay stragglers before the year ends.

With that in mind, Apple has launched its special Apple Pay holiday offers, granting users an assortment of festive discounts from 19 different retailers. The discounts are available when you use Apple Pay in certain retailers’ apps or on the web, through December 19. Here’s what’s on offer:

Apple Watch’s amazing ECG app arrives today

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Apple Watch ECG
And it might just save your life!
Photo: Apple

The long-awaited ECG app is almost available on Apple Watch Series 4 (if you live in the U.S.) with watchOS 5.1.2.

It is the first wearable of its kind to offer this functionality, which promises to help uses detect atrial fibrillation — the most common form or irregular rhythm. Irregular heart rhythm notifications have also landed on Series 1 devices and later.

Fortnite season 7 brings planes, zip lines and lots of snow

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Fortnite season 7
It's going to be a wonderful winter.
Photo: Epic Games

Grab your scarf and gloves because winter has arrived in Fortnite season seven.

The massive update brings big changes to the Battle Royale map, including zip lines that help you travel to and from high terrain. It also adds Stormwing planes, weapon and vehicle wraps, Creative Mode, and a brand new Battle Pass with more than 100 new rewards.

Handwritten Steve Jobs document fails to sell at auction

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Jobs document
A section of the Steve Jobs Apple-1 spec sheet, with two Polaroids.
Photo: Bonhams

A vintage handwritten spec sheet in which Steve Jobs called the Apple-1 motherboard a “great deal” has failed to sell at auction.

The document, written in the mid-1970s, was up for auction as part of Bonham’s “History of Science and Technology, Including Space History” collection. Its asking price was $60,000. However, the bidding “only” reached up to $28,000, thereby failing to meet its reserve. A couple of historical Apple items did sell, but for less than expected.

Aquarium calls out Apple’s incorrect squid emoji

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Squid 1
We don't want to get graphic, but Apple's squid emoji would poop out of its face.
Photo: Apple

The national nightmare that was “bagelgate” may be over, but Apple is apparently swimming into more controversial emoji territory. This time, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is pointing out that Apple’s squid emoji is physiologically incorrect.

Essentially, Apple’s lack of biological accuracy means that its squid emoji would, among other things, poop out of its face. For shame!

You can now use Siri to check up on your Apple Store orders

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
"OK, Siri, where's my new iPhone?"
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

You can now use Siri to check up on product availability or the whereabouts of your latest orders, courtesy of the official Apple Store app for iOS.

Version 5.2 of the app adds new Siri Shortcuts support, letting you create custom voice commands to carry out these tasks without having to open the app.

Apple’s little-known sleep tracker could get big update soon

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Beddit 3 sees you when you’re sleeping; it knows when you’re awake.
Beddit 3 sees you when you’re sleeping; it knows when you’re awake.
Photo: Beddit/Apple

The FCC granted its approval for Apple to make a “Sleep Monitor.” This is almost certainly an improved version of the Beddit, a product the company acquired last year.

It will apparently join Apple’s growing lineup of health-tracking products.

Get a second iPad Pro USB-C power charger for $29

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The power charger from the 2018 iPad Pro isn’t well suited for travel.
The power charger from the 2018 iPad Pro isn’t well suited for travel.
Photo: Apple

The 2018 iPad Pro comes with an 18W power adapter. Apple just began selling this as a separate item.

Having a second charger for your tablet when you’re on the go is convenient, but Apple’s $29 offering might not be the best choice.

macOS Mojave 10.14.2 tweaks Apple News, adds Real-Time Text support

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Get ready to go dark with macOS Mojave Dark Mode.
Update to macOS 10.14.2 today for a handful of small improvements.
Photo: Apple

September brought macOS Mojave 10.14 with a wide array of new features like Dark Mode. October saw the introduction of version 10.12.1 with Group FaceTime. And today there’s macOS 10.14.2 with… well, what are definitely some very minor improvements.

Apple also just introduced iOS 12.1.1 with improvements for FaceTime and Face ID. In addition, tvOS 12.1.1 was released with some minor bug fixes.

Macworld mag signed by Steve Jobs goes up for auction

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Steve Jobs Macworld autograph
Not everyone gets Steve Jobs to give an autograph.
Photo: RR Auction

A piece of a well-known story about Steve Jobs’ disdain for giving autographs goes on the auction block Thursday.

At the 2006 opening of an Apple Store in New York City, the Apple co-founder initially refused the request of a man in a wheelchair who had hoped Jobs would sign his copy of the premiere issue of Macworld magazine.

Jobs, according to witnesses, was joking when he said no. He eventually acquiesced and signed the magazine, “To Matt” followed by “steven jobs.” (He rarely used capital letters when signing his name.)

Google and Amazon plan to copy AirPods in 2019

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Earphones
AirPods rule the roost now, but serious competition is coming.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has a real winner in AirPods. But the company’s slow pace of updating them is reportedly giving competitors a chance to catch up.

A respected analyst says Google and Amazon will have their own versions out next year.

iOS 12.1.1 is out with improvements for FaceTime and Face ID

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Struggling Apple display-maker secures massive bailout
iOS 12.1.1 makes it easier to expand notifications on the iPhone XR.
Photo: Apple

Apple has come out with a big new update for iOS 12 today that brings a host of new features and bug fixes to the iPhone and iPad.

iOS 12.1.1 is available now as an over-the-air update, adding expanded eSIM support on the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max as well as some changes to FaceTime and fixes for Face ID.

iPhone’s Health app helps solve UK murder

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A marathon runner's dashboard setup in the Health app.
The Health app can be a valuable tool for police too.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

A UK pharmacist’s attempt to collect more than $2.5 million in life insurance after murdering his wife was thwarted by Apple’s Health app for iOS.

Mitesh Patel strangled his wife, Jessica after five years of planning her murder, according to police. He attempted to make the entire murder look like a break in, but when authorities accessed the Health app on his iPhone and the one on his wife’s iPhone, the data told a completely different story.

Apple Store creator tells how disagreeing with Steve Jobs perfected retail

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Ron Johnson when he was with Apple
Ron Johnson, with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs at the grand opening of an Apple Store.
Photo: Richard Agullar

Steve Jobs’ hands-on approach to just about every project at Apple is part of his legend.

Ron Johnson, Apple’s first head of retail, offers fascinating detail about Jobs and the work leading up to the first Apple Store during a recent episode of the Gimlet podcast Without Fail hosted by Andy Blumberg.

Jobs was demanding and described by many as often difficult to work with. But Johnson says working with Jobs was a “gift.”

Apple finally starts selling its first iPhone XR case

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iPhone XR Clear Case
Protect the iPhone XR without spoiling its design.
Photo: Apple

Apple has finally started selling its first official iPhone XR case, more than a month after the handset made its debut.

The Clear Case, which leaked out in October, is made with a “blend of optically clear polycarbonate and flexible TPU materials” so that you can enjoy your iPhone XR’s design while keeping it protected.

Apple Music could soon be open to businesses

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apple-music
Grab the latest update from the Play Store now.
Photo: Apple

Apple Music could be opened up to businesses to allow streaming in public places.

The “Apple Music for Business” trademark was filed for late last month in the U.S. — and in other territories back in June. The filing states the trademark would be applied to a number of different areas, including commercial use.

Apple and suppliers suffer a bruising day on stock market

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money
AAPL is having a tough time right now. At least comparatively.
Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple stock took another plunge yesterday, finishing down 4.4 percent. The reason for the fall is continuing concerns about the iPhone, which have caused numerous analysts to downgrade their price targets for AAPL.

It’s not just Apple that’s being affected, either. The company’s suppliers have also been hit by fears about the future of iPhone sales. Multiple suppliers associated with Apple have seen their stock prices decline by up to 5 percent as a result.

The wait for Tropico on iOS is almost over

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Tropico for iOS
You’ll be able to play it first on iPad.
Photo: Feral Interactive

Popular construction simulator Tropico finally has a release date for iOS. You’ll be able to play it before the end of the year on your iPad and in 2019 on your iPhone.

Pre-order the game today to have it download automatically as soon as it hits the App Store.

Apple’s aborted data center still causing problems in Ireland

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Politicians receive frightening threats about cancelled Apple data center
The data center as it would have looked.
Photo: Apple

Endless delays may have caused Apple to ditch its plans for a giant data center in County Galway in Ireland, but the repercussions are still being felt.

Galways’s Supreme Court will sit in March to hear an appeal regarding whether An Bord Pleanála, the independent planning body, “breached its legal obligations” by approving the first part of the proposed $960 million Apple development.

Fortnite will get an exciting new Creative Mode in season 7

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Fortnite Fly Explosives game mode
It’s your turn to make the rules.
Photo: Epic Games

We’re just a day away from the launch of Fortnite season seven and players have plenty to look forward to. One thing we really weren’t expecting was just revealed in a brand new leak.

Fortnite is getting a new Creative Mode that will give fans the opportunity to build their own islands and run their own servers for private Battle Royale matches with custom rules.