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News - page 817

Speck iPhone case will mount to magnetic holder

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Presidio MOUNT
Speck's Presidio MOUNT case for iPhone pairs nicely with Scosche's MagicMount
Photo: Speck

CES 2018 bug Speck and Scosche have teamed up for a new iPhone case with magnetic mounts so users can engage their phones hands-free.

Announced Monday ahead of the big CES show in Las Vegas, the Speck Presidio Mount is designed to work with Scosche’s MagicMount, a smartphone/tablet mount designed for vehicle or office use.

GoPro grounds its drone business

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Karma out
GoPro discontinues the Karma and its drone business.
Photo: GoPro

While consumer drone leader DJI makes headlines at this week’s CES with new products, GoPro announced Monday it would pull out of the drone business after it sells its remaining stock of Karma drones.

The news comes after word leaked last week that GoPro was about to lay off more than 250 workers from its aerial division. The layoffs and Karma kill-off comes amid estimates that GoPro’s fourth-quarter revenues will fall more than $100 million short of projections.

Eve Button is a remote control for your HomeKit devices

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The Elgato Eve Button puts control of your HomeKit devices at your fingertips.
The Eve Button puts control of your HomeKit devices at your fingertips.
Photo: Elgato

CES 2018 bug Sometimes Siri isn’t around to help you manage your smart home. The new Elgato Eve Button puts your HomeKit-enabled devices and scenes at your fingertips when you don’t have your smartphone at the ready.

The new HomeKit controller also means guests or kids can easily turn on the lights, lock the doors or whatever else needs doing — all with a quick press on the Eve Button.

Apple Watch will soon control Whirlpool appliances

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apple watch 1
Control everything from your oven to your dryer from your wrist.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

CES 2018 bug Nothing says “we’re living in the future” quite like the ability to control household appliances using your smartwatch. Fortunately, that’s what you’ll be able to do with manufacturer Whirlpool’s Wi-Fi-connected ovens, washing machines and dryers from later this year.

Announced at CES 2018, the company’s Whirlpool app will work with Apple Watch from later in 2018, giving you the ability to control upwards of 20 smart Whirlpool appliances from your wrist.

Intel’s first chips with AMD graphics mean new hope for MacBook Pro

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Intel AMD chip
Intel forms unlikely friendship with AMD.
Photo: Intel

CES 2018 bugUnlikely duo Intel and AMD have delivered a new generation of Core processors with discrete Radeon RX Vega M graphics.

They are the most powerful processors available for notebooks, Intel says, with each unit packing 4GB of memory dedicated to video. There’s a good chance you’ll see them in a future MacBook Pro.

DJI’s new Osmo 2 gimbal makes smooth iPhone footage cheap

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Osmo 2
The Osmo 2 is insanely cheap!
Photo: DJI

CES 2018 bug Capturing super-smooth video on your iPhone is about to get a lot easier (AND cheaper) thanks to the folks at DJI.

Ahead of the opening day of CES 2018, DJI unveiled its newest handheld smartphone gimbal today called the Osmo 2. The new gimbal packs simplified controls to allow anyone to record shake-free video from their iPhone, and it’s got some new tricks you won’t find on its predecessor.

This smoke detector can also run Siri and be an AirPlay 2 speaker

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smoke detector
That's one versatile alarm.
Photo: First Alert

CES 2018 bug Want a smoke detector that can double as a premium HomeKit-enabled smart speaker? Of course you do, and smoke detector company First Alert is here to help.

Debuting at CES 2018, First Alert’s Onelink Safe & Sound smoke and carbon monoxide alarm is an in-ceiling device that could save your life. But it also can be utilized as an entertainment system, with support for Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Google Assistant AI voice assistants.

We could be waiting another 4-6 weeks for HomePod

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HomePod
Apple's smart speaker was originally scheduled for the holidays.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s eagerly anticipated HomePod smart speaker will launch in the next four to six weeks, claim tech analysts at the research firm GBH Insights.

The artificial intelligence-infused smart speaker, powered by Siri, was originally supposed to launch in December 2017. However, with just weeks to go, Apple wound up delaying the launch until an unspecified time in early 2018, saying that “we need a little more time before it’s ready for our customers.”

iPhone X users report overheating, excessive data consumption

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iPhone X
Ready to ditch your iPhone X already? There's still time to get a great price!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Life with an iPhone X isn’t as rosy as it should be for some adopters. Many report that their handsets are plagued by frequent overheating and excessive data consumption. Some have even resorted to placing their handset in a freezer to cool it down.

This smart shower can be controlled by Siri

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moen shower
"Hey Siri, run me my morning shower!"
Photo: Moen

CES 2018 bug Even in the days of water-resistant iPhones, taking a shower with Siri sounds risky. But bathroom fixtures company Moen wants to make it possible, useful and, well, less dangerous with its new smart shower system.

Unveiled at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, the new U by Moen shower system allows users to control the water temperature and other features with voice control, either using Apple’s AI assistant or Amazon’s Alexa via an in-shower control panel.

Latest Foxconn suicide raises concerns about working conditions

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Foxconn Wisconsin
Foxconn is one of Apple's leading manufacturers.
Photo: Foxconn

Another Foxconn worker committed suicide over the weekend at the firm’s phone assembly plant  in Zhengzhou, China, according to U.S.-based Chinese workers’ rights organization China Labor Watch (CLW).

The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, January 6, when 31-year-old Li Min jumped to his death from the factory. CLW posted video showing the aftermath of the suicide. No explanation for why Li Min took his own life have been made public, although he had only been working and living at Foxconn for a little over two months.

Nvidia unleashes 65-inch TVs fit for gaming

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NVIDIA gaming TV
NVIDIA's BFGDs bring ultra-fast gaming to the big screen.
Photo: NVIDIA

CES 2018 bugNvidia has unleashed the world’s first lineup of big-screen TVs fit for gaming.

They’re called BFGDs (Big Format Gaming Displays) and they’re capable of displaying 4K content at an ultra-fast 120Hz. They boast support for Nvidia G-Sync and HDR — and they have a Shield TV built right in.

Apple shareholders demand study on smartphone addiction among kids

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Summer camp is coming to an Apple Store near you.
Kids drawing on an iPad at an Apple Store.
Photo: Apple

An activist investor and pension fund with shares in Apple is asking the company to respond to a “growing public-health crisis” concerning smartphone addiction among young people.

Jana Partners and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, or Calstrs, sent a letter to Apple over the weekend, asking it to develop software to let parents limit phone use. They also want Apple to carry out a study investigating the impact of smartphone overuse on mental health. The two groups control a total of around $2 billion worth of AAPL shares.

Death Road to Canada, and other awesome apps of the week

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

A well-timed January update of one of my favorite games of the last year — combining road trip action and zombie invasion — is just of one of the picks for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week.”

In addition, we’ve got a great arcade-style space blaster, a superb data-heavy weather app given an iPhone X polish, and an excellent task manager. Check out our picks below.

Cult of Mac Magazine: Why you shouldn’t panic over iPhone and Mac CPU flaws, and more!

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cover
Apple's A series chips could also be vulnerable to a nasty flaw.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A nasty CPU flaw that leaves computer users’ most sensitive data at risk is also present in iPhone and iPad processors, Apple confirmed Thursday. The “Spectre” bug has been discovered in the mobile ARM processors that power iOS devices, as well as Apple TV — but there’s probably no need to panic.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Learn how to get the longest life out of your iPhone battery. Get a sneak peek at next year’s emojis. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

App Store and Google Play raked in $60 billion last year

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iOS 11
iOS 11 made big changes to the App Store.
Photo: Apple

2017 was a great year to be an app developer, based on new data that show smartphone users spent more money than ever on apps last year.

According to a new report from Sensor Tower, customers spent $58.6 billion on apps and games in 2017 on the App Store and Google Play. And iOS developers took away the most cash.

Apple orders new TV series all about extravagant homes

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Steve Jobs Theater
The meeting takes place inside the Steve Jobs Theater on February 26.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

Get ready to dive into the lifestyles of the rich and fabulous with a new Apple TV show that just got the green light.

Apple reportedly gave a straight-to-series order for a new docuseries called Home that will explore some of the most extravagant abodes in the world, along with the minds that made them.

AirPower knockoffs are already rolling out of China

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AirPower
Will we finally get a release date for AirPower?
Photo: Apple

It’s taken no time at all for Chinese companies to copy one of Apple’s most anticipated products of 2018, and it’s not even out yet.

Apple’s AirPower wireless charging pad isn’t expected to roll out for a few months, but one company in Shenzhen China has already come out with its version that looks and performs just like Apple’s.

Check it out:

Justin Timberlake channels his inner Steve Jobs in new music video

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Justin Jobs?
Justin Jobs?
Photo: Justin Timberlake/Vevo

Justin Timberlake is bringing Jobsy back.

In the new music video for his song “Filthy”, Justin Timberlake does his best Steve Jobs impression for the unveiling of a futuristic robot. The track is the first song released from Justin’s highly-anticipated new album Man of the Woods that’s coming out next month.

The video kicks off with Justin donning Steve Job’s iconic black turtleneck and glasses while gazing onto the stage with Job’s famous pose. One thing’s for sure though. Steve Jobs never had dance moves like these:

What to expect from Apple in 2018

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iPhone plus model next to iPhone X
Could we see a iPhone X Plus this year?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

We’re only five days into the new year and I’m personally already itching to see what Apple has planned for this year.

While 2017 was a disappointment of a year in general, Apple released some brilliant products. But what better way to get excited about the year than rounding up all of the rumors for what to expect this year.