This week, on The CultCast: Apple makes a curious investment in China’s version of Uber; iPhones that charge wirelessly in your pocket; Siri is coming to a Mac near you; more weird and wacky stories from the Cult of Mac; and we tell you what we like (and what we don’t) about the gadgets we’re currently testing in an all-new Under Review.
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Episode
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This week’s links
Intro: Your future computer, The Knowledge Navigator
Apple invests $1 billion in Chinese Uber rival
- Apple has invested $1 billion in Chinese Uber rival Didi Chuxing
- Tim Cook says the deal “reflects our excitement about their growing business … and also our continued confidence in the long term in China’s economy.”
- Cook told Reuters: “We are making the investment for a number of strategic reasons, including a chance to learn more about certain segments of the China market”
- Jack Kent of tech analytical firm IHS Technology said partnering with Chinese companies is a common way for international companies to get into the massive Asian market.
Apple’s new hires point to iPhone wireless charging
- In the last four months Apple has hired two former uBeam engineers with expertise in wireless charging and ultrasonic technology
- The Verge did some investigating, and discovered that in fact the in the last two years Apple has hired more than a dozen staffers with expertise in wireless charging.
- Earlier this year Bloomberg reported that Apple was hoping to add wireless charging to the new iPhone it releases in 2017.
- According to Bloomberg’s sources, Apple wants to implement a much more advanced technology that would allow you to walk around a room and have your phone charging the entire time.
- Is the smart dock a stop gap?
Siri for Mac icons leak ahead of WWDC
- Apple’s digital assistant Siri is expected to finally arrive on Macs later this year with the next OS X update
- Cool icon in dock, plus accessible via the menu bar and Hey Siri option
Buster’s reviewing the Garmin Phoenix 3
Leander’s been listening to the Moshi Avanti on-ear headphones
Erfon’s lighting his house with the illumi smart bulbs
Erfon Elijah is the producer and host of The CultCast. When not editing podcasts or watching Mrs. Doubtfire, you’ll find him on Xbox Live hunting CoD Ghosts foes like the Predator. Here are his tweets…
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