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News - page 927

Google’s iPhone keyboard gets voice dictation, more languages

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gboard
Gboard just got even better.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Google’s awesome Gboard keyboard for iPhone finally supports voice dictation. The feature is powered by Google’s own voice recognition technology, and you can access it quickly by holding down the space bar.

This update also brings new emoji, Google Doodles, and support for 15 additional languages.

Pokémon GO players can hunt ‘festive hat’ Pikachu this month

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birthday
Pokémon turns the legal drinking age this month.
Photo: Pokémon GO

In news that makes us feel pretty darn ancient, this month marks 21 years since the first Pokémon game launched in Japan — and Pokémon GO is getting in on the action!

As part of the #PokemonDay celebrations, starting February 26 at 1PM PST and running through the next day, Pokémon GO players will be able to hunt and capture a wild Pikachu adored with “festive party hat.”

In other words, you’d better carve out some free time if you really want to catch ’em all!

Apple slams Trump’s reversal of transgender bathroom ruling

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Apple is clashing with President Trump again.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Apple has criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to reverse a policy that allowed transgender students to use bathrooms according to the gender they identify as.

The controversial stance on bathroom usage was put in place by former President Barack Obama’s administration last May. At the time, it was hailed as a significant victory for transgender rights.

Verizon plans to roll out 5G network in 11 cities

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Verizon is about to get more expensive.
5G is coming to Verizon in 2017.
Photo: Verizon

The next generation of wireless internet speed is nearly here. But only if you have a Verizon account.

The carrier said today that it plans to start rolling out its high-speed wireless 5G network in the United States during the first half of 2017, making it the first cellular network to offer the new technology.

Nearly 80% of all iOS devices now run iOS 10

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iPhone 7
iOS 10 brought a ton of new features to iPhone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

It’s only been five months since Apple unleashed iOS 10 on the world, but the new mobile operating system is already installed on nearly 4 out of 5 iOS devices.

Apple revealed its latest App Store stats today that show iOS 10’s install base has grown to account for 79% of all mobile Apple devices, making it one of Apple’s fastest adopted releases ever.

Donkey goes free to celebrate BASIC inventor’s birthday

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Donkey
Before there was Windows, there was Donkey. Yes, that Windows!
Photo: DONKEY

Today marks the 88th birthday of professor Thomas Kurtz, who invented the BASIC programming language with his colleague John Kemeny.

To mark the occasion, the iOS and Apple Watch port of DONKEY.APP, a game originally programmed in BASIC by none other than Bill Gates, has been made temporarily available for free by its developers.

What better way to celebrate Kurtz’s birthday than by playing the modern port of a clunky old 1981 driving game?

Apple hits the right notes with new ads for wireless AirPods

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AirPods ad
New AirPod ads are targeted at the U.K. market.
Photo: Apple

Apple has rolled out four new ads for its wireless AirPods, each one using the same motif of sheet music with the individual AirPods representing notes.

The ads were shared on Apple’s U.K. YouTube channel, and boast music from British artists Lianne La Havas, Craig David, and The 1975.

Check them out below.

Apple buys iCloud domain from Chinese social network

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iCloud site
Breaking news: iCloud's closing. (Not that one!)
Photo: iCloud.net

In an attempt to crack down on confusion and protect its intellectual property rights, Apple has acquired the website iCloud.net, previously the home of a small Chinese social network.

The web address now displays a message revealing that the site as it currently exists will be closing at the end of the month, and that all existing user data will be destroyed.

Apple hits yet another all-time stock price high

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appl-apple-stock-780x520
What goes up must go... up further?
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

AAPL shares closed at yet another all-time high on Tuesday, with a value of $136.68 — or an increase of 0.71 percent.

The previous closing record was set last Friday when Apple reached $135.72. Do you think Tim Cook ever gets bored of winning?

Complaints fly about MacBook Pro’s fancy new keyboard

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15 inch MacBook Pro
The new MacBook Pro has an all-new keyboard.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar may have some serious keyboard problems.

A number of 2016 MacBook Pro owners are reporting issues with the new keyboard, which features a redesign of the butterfly mechanism that Apple introduced on the super-thin retina MacBook.

World’s smallest flashlight, markers made from air pollution and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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Crowdfund Roundup
Help turn these awesome ideas into reality!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Still worried that smartphone signals will fry your brain? What about your manhood? Spartan boxer shorts can prevent it from happening by blocking over 99 percent of wireless signals.

That’s just one of the awesome ideas we have in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We’ve also got the world’s smallest flashlight, ink made from air pollution, a cute little personal assistant robot, and more.

iPhone users spend more than ever on apps

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iPhone 7
App spending is on the rise.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

When it comes to buying apps, iPhone users aren’t afraid to bust out their wallets for good software.

Spending on iOS apps increased during 2016, according to the latest data from app analytics firm SensorTower which claims the average iPhone user spends $27 a year just on games.

macOS 10.12.4 beta 3 arrives for devs and public testers

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macOS Sierra is here!
Grab the new macOS beta while it's hot.
Photo: Apple

Developers and members of Apple’s public beta software program can now install the latest beta of macOS 10.12.4 after Apple seeded the new update to testers this morning.

The new beta comes just one day after Apple gave developers a new fresh of software update for iOS 10.3, tvOS 10.2 and watchOS 3.2, bringing a bunch of bug fixes and under the hood improvements.

How much did FBI’s iPhone hack cost taxpayers?

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Hacking the iPhone 5c probably cost the FBI more than $1 million.
Hacking the iPhone 5c probably cost the FBI more than $1 million.
Photo: Apple

The FBI may soon be forced to reveal how much money it spent to hack into the San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone 5c last year.

FBI Director James Comey told the public that his agency paid “more than I will make in the remainder of this job” to unlock the device after Apple refused to help. Now a group of news organizations have asked a judge to force the government to show exactly how much it cost taxpayers.

Apple Watch Series 3 to adopt new display technology

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Apple Watch
Apple is making another display change for this year's Apple Watch.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch Series 3 will ship with a new display technology as Apple looks to move away from the “touch-on-lens” (TOL) panels it adopted for Series 2.

Not only are TOL displays more expensive than alternate solutions, but Apple’s manufacturing partners are struggling to produce enough to meet demand. Apple is instead expected to switch to “glass-film” displays for its next model.

iPhone 8’s wireless charging won’t be as good as we hoped

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iPhone 8 wireless charging
iPhone 8 will have wireless charging, but it won't be special.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you were hoping Apple had developed a spectacular new wireless charging system for iPhone 8, you’re going to be disappointed come September.

The latest rumor claims that Apple won’t be using range charging technology developed by Energous as previously expected, but instead one of the existing solutions already found in rival smartphones like those made by Samsung.

Apple Pay looks set to arrive in Germany and Italy soon

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple could be on its way to two new markets.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay may be set to arrive in two new markets, as Apple has updated the local support document pages for both Germany and Italy.

The pages now include translations of the “About Apple Pay” document which can be found in other markets where Apple Pay is already active. The pages were both updated last week.

Apple: Europe doesn’t understand how we make money

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money
Tim Cook has always insisted that Apple is no tax dodger.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has filed a defense against its massive European Commission tax bill, arguing that it shouldn’t have to pay its $14 billion tax bill, and that the request should be either totally or partially annulled.

The argument, essentially, is a 14-point extension of Tim Cook’s previous assertion that existing tax codes are designed for an industrial, rather than a digital age.

Apple asserts that the European Commission misunderstands Apple’s business dealings, and says the reason it shouldn’t have to pay massive taxes in Ireland is because the actual profit-driving work Apple does is carried out elsewhere.

iPhone 8’s ‘revolutionary’ FaceTime camera to bring facial recognition

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iPhone 8 facial recognition
You'll be able to unlock your iPhone simply by looking at it.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

This year’s iPhone 8 will offer a “revolutionary” FaceTime camera that will be capable of facial recognition and iris scanning, according to one reliable analyst.

Apple is expected to do away with the handset’s physical Home button and Touch ID in favor of a larger display and a mini Touch Bar. Facial recognition could well become the new method of unlocking your iPhone and securing your apps.

Apple debuts two new ads showing off iPhone 7 Plus Portrait Mode

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Screen Shot 2017-02-21 at 12.27.41
Portrait Mode is a big selling point for the iPhone 7 Plus.
Photo: Apple

Apple has debuted two new ads, both shared to its YouTube page, showing off the Portrait Mode feature of the iPhone 7 Plus.

As with other ads in the series, Apple shows how the larger-sized iPhone is able to detect depth in pictures and use this to improve the quality of snaps by separating the subject from their background.

Check the ads out below.