Samsung wants to take on Apple’s HomePod with its own smart speaker, which could arrive as soon as the first half of 2018, a new report claims.
Like Apple, the Samsung smart speaker will reportedly focus on high-end audio quality, as well as functioning as a hub for controlling smart home devices. The smart speaker will reportedly be based around Bixby, the Samsung AI assistant introduced this year for the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ handsets.
Apple is exploring new ways to make Siri smarter — and one of them involves letting Siri know when you want to keep the noise level low by whispering.
According to a patent application published this week, Apple is interested in, “a digital assistant that is capable of detecting a whispered speech input and providing a whispered speech response.” That could be useful in scenarios such as protecting your privacy, while still letting you use its speech capabilities, or settings where high volume levels are prohibited.
Amazon is finally back in the business of selling Apple TVs.
The online retail giant stopped selling Apple’s set-top-boxes back in 2015. But the company is extending an olive branch to both Apple and Google and has created new listings for the Apple TV and Chromecast.
Google launched a clutch of “experimental” photography apps for iOS and Android this week. The ones of interest to us are called Selfissimo! and Scrubbies. They’re both single-purpose apps, and they’re both free. What’s more, the two apps are also a lot of fun.
The iPad has many, many amazing effects apps for making music, and several high-level apps just for emulating guitar amplifiers and effects pedals. But what if you just want to plug in and play a song, and have your guitar sound just like the one on the record? That’s exactly what Tonebridge is for. Under the hood, this simulator app is as powerful as the others, but it’s way, way simpler to use.
Whereas most apps present a range or virtual pedals and amps, Tonebridge is based around songs. You fire it up, plug in your guitar, and search for the song you want to play. The app loads up the sound of the song, and you can play along. The app is impressive, nailing the tomes of pretty much any song you ask for, without any tweaking necessary.
But now, with the latest Tonebridge release, you can also dig in to the settings that used to sit behind the scenes. Let’s take a look.
The iMac Pro is the most secure Apple desktop ever built, and it’s got a special chip to prove it.
Early review units are starting to trickle out to tech experts and according to iOS and Mac developer Cabel Sasser, the iMac Pro packs a new T2 chip that is basically like a secure enclave for the iMac.
Apple CEO Tim Cook and Koch Industries CEO Charles Koch are usually on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but the two business titans are coming together to support a common cause: The Dreamers.
In a rare opinion piece authored by Cook and Koch, the two implore Congress to act now so that this holiday season isn’t the last one in the United States for 690,000 of our neighbors.
If you’re plagued by dropped calls and slow data, say hello to Firefly for iPhone. Thanks to “super antenna technology,” this case can boost cellular, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity while protecting your iPhone from scuffs and bumps.
It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have smart screen protectors, levitating home security cameras, and more!
In a shocking change to internet protocols in the US, the Federal Communications Commission has voted to repeal net neutrality.
The FCC voted to repeal the landmark rules that protect consumers from being charged special prices for accessing certain parts of the internet. By scraping the neutrality regulations, The FCC just opened the doorway for Internet service providers to block websites or make users pay more to get some content.
Apple’s is pushing to make Face ID as ubiquitous as Touch ID with its latest video that shows how the iPhone X makes Apple Pay even easier.
Because Apple removed the home button, activating Apple Pay on the iPhone X is a bit different than other iPhones. In the company’s new how-to video, Apple guides iPhone X owners through to process of making payments in stores.
Here’s how to do it:
Apple’s celebrated iMac Pro is finally available to buy, but it’s gonna cost you! The “basic” model will set you back only $4,999. But if you decide to shell out for the top-of-the-line version, your wallet is going to feel a whole lot lighter.
How much lighter? Checking all the boxes to upgrade the machine to its full potential brings the total iMac Pro price to a massive $13,926.98.
Apple’s eagerly-anticipaed iMac Pro is finally available to buy, six months after Apple first showcased the new computer at WWDC.
The “most powerful Mac ever” can be purchased today in 8-core and 10-core variations, while 14- and 18-core models can be pre-ordered for shipping in 6-8 weeks. Prices start at $4,999.
Now that you can edit 360-degree video in Final Cut Pro, you might get the urge to shoot your very own immersive videos. The iPhone can’t do that all by itself (yet), but it can if you add this tiny gadget.
It’s called Fishball, and it’s the world’s first 360-degree lens for iPhone. All you have to do is clip it on and you’re good to go.
If you’re planning on buying any Apple products for Christmas (whether that’s for friends and family or a sneaky Yuletide gift for yourself), Apple’s just announced a bit of good news.
For any in-stock items ordered up until 3pm local time on December 22 in the United States, Apple will guarantee next day delivery free of charge. Perfect for those last minute presents!
On the day that the long-awaited iMac Pro finally goes on sale, Apple has rolled out a big Final Cut Pro update. Its professional video editing software now supports HDR and 360-degree virtual reality content.
Expecting Android device makers to rip off Apple’s augmented reality technology any time soon? Not so fast, a new report claims.
Apple’s $390 million payday to TrueDepth sensor maker Finisar this week will reportedly help lock out rival companies like Samsung and Huawei from competing with its augmented reality ambitions, by giving Apple first dibs on the necessary components.
One of the iOS 11 features you may not know about is that Apple now offers indoor mapping support for a growing number of international airports and malls.
While the number of airports and malls covered is still relatively small — with 34 airports, mostly based in the U.S., and a handful of shopping malls — Apple has published a list of where these are located.
Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund to help U.S. manufacturing isn’t capped at $1 billion, according to chief operating office Jeff Williams.
The $1 billion investment was announced in May this year. At the time, Tim Cook said it was Apple’s “initial” investment, suggesting that there could be more money should things work out well. Clearly Apple has been impressed by the results because in a new interview with CNBC, Jeff Williams said the sum is “absolutely not” Apple’s final threshold.
Hot on the heels of today’s iOS update for the public, Apple has come out with a fresh set of beta updates for developers with the release of iOS 11.2.5 beta 1, along with new betas for Apple Watch and Apple TV too.
Looking to add some vintage vibes to your futuristic iPhone X?
The folks at Pad and Quill have you covered with the world’s first ever handmade leather bumper case for the iPhone X. The design for the case has been in the works for three years and was inspired by old school leather coin purses.
Take a closer look:
Most ad blockers block everything. You download the app, tell Safari to use it, and then no longer need to worry about sites serving bandwidth-burning scripts that leech your personal information.
But for many people, the blanket approach of nuking everything is too much. You may instead prefer to block some bad actors, but let most sites serve ads — the ads pay the writers who write for the sites, after all. That’s where the bluntly named Punish Website app comes in. The new app comes configured to block nothing, letting you add the sites you hate to your own personal blacklist.
Apple released a brand new iOS 11 update for the iPad and iPhone this morning that makes some big fixes to HomeKit.
iOS 11.2.1 comes a little over a week after Apple dropped iOS 11.2 on the public bringing Apple Pay Cash and a host of bug fixes. The new update is being released along with tvOS 11.2.1 to restore some HomeKit functionality after Apple patched a bug server-side earlier this week.
One of Apple’s biggest competitors in the music streaming business is about to bite the dust.
Tidal, the music streaming service owned by Jay-Z, is allegedly facing some serious money problems. According to a new report, user growth has stalled too making the company’s cash problems even worse.
Microsoft Edge for iOS wasn’t packing iPhone X support when it hit the App Store late last month. But its latest update, available to download now, takes full advantage of that larger, sharper Super Retina HD display.
Nintendo might be delivering on its promise to bring original titles like Super Mario Run and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp to iOS, but it’s also concerned about the timetable it is able to deliver these on. Or not deliver them on, as may be the case.
According to a new report, Nintendo is looking to team up with new smartphone game developers after its partnership with current mobile dev DeNA “fell behind schedule.”