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News - page 830

Buoy is a smart home water system that gives you complete control

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Buoy
Buoy makes managing water easy.
Photo: Buoy

Smart appliances have allowed us to take control of our home security, heating, lighting, and more. Now you can do the same with your water supply, thanks to Buoy.

This revolutionary new smart device uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to give you a complete understanding and complete control over your water. It alerts you when there’s a leak, lets you shut off supply remotely, and helps you avoid unexpected bills.

Steve Jobs had a thing for ‘Billie Jean’

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Jobs
Steve Jobs was a fan of Michael Jackson's music, especially Billie Jean.
Photo: Esther Dyson/Flickr CC

There was a time in the 1980s when Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” was a balm that could sooth the prickly nature of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

His former publicist remembers having to play the song over and over again because it was the only way he got through a particular photo shoot.

Foxconn will be assembling Apple’s HomePod speaker for 2018

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Apple's new HomePod smart speaker is ready to rock your house.
HomePod's delay will help Amazon.
Photo: Apple

Foxconn is joining the HomePod supply chain to help assemble Apple’s delayed smart speakers, a new report claims.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. — to use Foxconn’s full name — is currently the sole manufacturer of Apple’s iPhone X. However, despite the massive demand for that device, various manufacturing issues with the iPhone X recently caused Foxconn to report its biggest decline in profits in nearly a decade.

That evidently isn’t putting it off working with Apple, however.

Apple forced to pull Skype from Chinese App Store

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Skype for Web
Skype is the latest app to run into problems in China.
Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

China may be working to ban Skype, with the phone call and messaging service disappearing from a number of sites, including Apple’s App Store in the country.

“We have been notified by the Ministry of Public Security that a number of voice over internet protocol apps do not comply with local law,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement. “Therefore these apps have been removed from the App Store in China.”

AT&T’s merger with Time Warner hits major roadblock

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AT&T logo
U.S. government says AT&T/Time Warner merger would hurt customers
Photo: Luismt94/Wikipedia CC

The U.S. Justice Department has filed an antitrust lawsuit to block a planned AT&T and Time Warner deal — marking the first time in several decades the government has tried to block a merger between two companies that don’t directly compete with each other.

The AT&T chief says the suit, “defies logic and is unprecedented,” but the Justice Department claims that AT&T’s $85.4 billion bid to buy Time Warner would mean higher fees and fewer choices for customers.

Rare working Apple Lisa-1 sells for $50,000

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Take a sneak peek at upcoming Apple Lisa documentary
The Lisa was one of Apple's more notorious flops.
Photo: Auction Team Breker

If you feel foolish for having spent $10,000 for an Apple Lisa-1 computer in 1983, you hopefully kept it.

A working model recently sold for more than $50,000 at auction.

One of Apple’s biggest commercial failures is now one of the most coveted pieces of vintage tech. The steep price, clunky performance, and unreliable Twiggy floppy disks led to poor sales. Apple made improvements and dropped the price on the Lisa-2, but the launch of the Apple MacIntosh pretty much ended Lisa’s life.

iPhone X goes super-tiny in new concept designs

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iPhone XS
Which iPhone would you choose?
Photo: Curved

Tiny iPhones could make a big comeback in the near future if Apple ever decides to bring the iPhone X display to an iPhone SE-sized device.

It’s only a matter of time before the edge-to-edge display of the iPhone X makes its way to all of Apple’s other iPhones and based on some new concept mockups, we can’t wait to see it on the smaller iPhone SE body.

Prepare to drool:

Animal Crossing lands on iOS this week

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Nintendo introduces 2 paid subscriptions for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
Nintendo introduces 2 paid subscriptions for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
Photo: Nintendo

Nintendo has something sweet up its sleeve that will keep you entertained over Thanksgiving. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is finally coming to Android and iOS this week.

I made my own smart HomePod speaker, and it’s awesome

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iPod Hi-Fi
The iPod Hi-Fi has aged well. Initially a dud, it's now a collectors' piece. And it sounds great.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Last week’s crushing news that Apple’s HomePod won’t be available for Christmas was a blow to some.

But I shrugged it off.

That’s because I made my own HomePod smart speaker. It cost me about $60 and sounds absolutely great.

How a dev’s lies caused a panic on eve of Apple Watch debut

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apple watch
Belle Gibson was profiled on many TV shows, largely thanks to Apple's promotion.
Photo: Sunrise

Apple found itself in an awkward situation prior to the launch of the Apple Watch, when one of its star developers was exposed as a fraud who had lied about her health condition to become famous.

An article published in the Australian newspaper The Age reveals just how close Apple was to wellness blogger and developer Belle Gibson — and how the company was ultimately forced to make the call to drop her just before its important Apple Watch went on sale in 2015, after the true story came out.

Apple’s micro LED display research hits a bump in the road

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iphone x
Despite its recent switch to Super Retina, Apple is continuing to explore new types of display.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly downsizing the R&D team that it currently has developing micro LED display products in Taiwan, due to production issues.

A previous report from earlier this year said that Apple was producing a small number of trial micro LED screens during the second half of 2017 to evaluate whether or not these might be a good fit for future devices.

Turns out they may not be!

Apple launching special Thanksgiving challenge for Apple Watch users

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Get in shape with your new Apple Watch
If you run 5k this Thursday, Apple will let you brag about it.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Ahead of Thanksgiving on Thursday, Apple is launching its Apple Watch Activity Challenge for customers in the United States.

U.S.-based Apple Watch users who rack up a 5K workout this Thursday, November 23, will be rewarded with the 2017 Thanksgiving Activity badge and iMessage sticker.

Shadows Remain, Duolingo, and other awesome apps of the week

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

A brilliantly spooky, story-driven augmented reality game in which you search for your missing child in a new house is just one of our picks for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week.”

In addition, we’ve got a great app for teaching you Mandarin, another ARKit title that lets you get a closer look at some of the world’s top supercars, and a brilliant photo app for getting the most out of your iPhone or iPad.

Check our selections below. You won’t regret it!

Apple Watch bands are hand-colored in hues for fall [Watch Store]

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ullu

Photo:

Ullu offers up a vibrant assortment of handcrafted leather bands for Apple Watch, perfect for fall styling. For Halloween, treat yourself to 20 percent off any of Ullu’s Hand-Colored or Premium Leather bands.

Based in Dubai, Ullu loves luxury and embraces the finer things. Its bands are made by hand from Italian full-grain calf’s leather. Each strap is unique, beautiful and impeccably finished.

Cops want Texas church shooter’s iCloud data

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Texas mass shooter's iPhone
This picture of Devin Patrick Kelley's iPhone SE was filed in court with a search warrant request asking Apple to retrieve iCloud data.
Photo: San Antonio Express-News

Texas Rangers served a search warrant on Apple in hopes of getting data from the iPhone of Sutherland Springs mass shooter Devin Patrick Kelley.

Rangers obtained search warrants on Nov. 9 for files stored on Kelley’s iPhone SE, which was found with him after he took his own life following a high-speed chase. The warrant also requests any files stored on Kelley’s iCloud account.

Apple seeds fourth beta of iOS 11.2

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iPhone X
iOS 11.2 has some special tweaks for iPhone X.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is back with a new batch of beta updates for developers today, bringing a host of bug fixes and performance improvements to the iPad and iPhone with the fourth build of iOS 11.2.

The new update comes just four days after Apple released the last iOS 11.2 beta update. Developers can also grab the fourth beta builds of watchOS 4.2 and tvOS 11.2.

Apple Park visitor center opens doors to the public

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Apple Park
They're not waiting for the iPhone X.
Photo: Shara Tibken/Twitter

Apple opened the doors to the visitor center at Apple Park to the public this morning. And of course, there was a line to get in.

Construction is still being completed on the main campus but you can now get a first-hand view of the campus at the visitors center. The newly opened building looks a lot like a regular Apple store on the inside, except it features some products you can only buy at Apple Park.

Sign up to DirecTV Now and get a free Apple TV 4K

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Apple TV ad
Apple TV 4K usually costs $179.
Screenshot: DirecTV Now

DirectTV Now is offering a free Apple TV 4K to customers who sign up for fourth months of its streaming TV service for an upfront cost of $140.

The model being given away as part of the offer is an entry level 32GB Apple TV 4K, which usually retails at $179.

iPhone X pre-orders sell out in minutes on Samsung’s home turf

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iphone x
Pre-orders in South Korea were incredibly strong.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone X may have greater levels of availability in Apple Stores than many predicted, but there’s one place you’ll struggle to get your hands on one: South Korea.

According to a new report, Samsung’s home turf experienced a massive surge of orders for the iPhone X when it was made available for pre-order, ahead of its November 24 launch. In total, the allocated iPhone X shipments for the country sold out within minutes.

iOS 11.1.2 lets you use your iPhone X in cold weather

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iPhone X
iPhone X is better with iOS 11.1.2.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

You can now use your iPhone X in cold weather, thanks to iOS 11.1.2. Apple’s latest update fixes an issue that causes Super Retina HD displays to become unresponsive when it gets chilly, as well as problems with Live Photos and video capturing.