Facebook's smart speaker is on the back burner. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Embroiled in controversy, Facebook has delayed the release of its smart speaker. Caught leaking data on millions of its users, the company apparently decided this would be the wrong time to introduce a product designed to gather even more such information.
Pages’ pixels might finally be better than paper. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
In Pages 4.0 for iPad, you can use Apple Pencil for more than just tapping stuff. Now you can use two great new iOS-only features in Apple’s word processing software. Smart Annotations lets you mark up text just like a teacher would — scoring red lines through words, running a highlighter over a sentence, etc. And a new drawing mode means you can easily add a sketch to a page just by tapping it with the pencil.
The drawing feature is neat, and brings Pages into line with Apple’s Notes app. But Smart Annotations will be a game-changer for many people, because it replicates something many folks still prefer to do on paper. Here’s how to take advantage of the new Pages features.
Unlike HomePod, UPstage 360 supports all your favorite services. Photo: UPstage 360
If HomePod just doesn’t do it for you, you need the immersive sound of the UPstage 360. This incredible speaker uses patented technology to deliver high-quality sound that fills almost any room, and it connects to all your favorite services.
It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have smart home doorbells, stunning mechanical keyboards, and more!
How Apple could give watchOS a tune-up. Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
In the three short years since Apple Watch debuted, Cupertino has massively improved its smartwatch. Remember the early days, when Glances took ages to load, only to show out-of-date information? When the Fitness app refused to stay in the foreground during a workout? Or when the side button launched a doodling app?
Since the launch, Apple has rolled out big upgrades to watchOS every year at its Worldwide Developers Conference. But there is still loads more that could be done to really unleash Apple Watch’s full potential.
With this year’s WWDC confirmed for June, here’s my wish list of the all the new watchOS stuff I’m hoping will be announced in San Jose, California. It’s a pretty long list, so I’ve broken it down into three separate posts, starting with usability. In followup posts, I’ll focus on fitness, apps and setup.
Apple wants to teach the world to Swift. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
The site of Apple’s education-themed event yesterday, Lane Tech College Prep High School, is set to become a special hub for the company’s “Everyone Can Code” initiative.
Working with Chicago Public Schools and Northwestern University, Apple announced that the Chicago-based institute will become a special “Center for Excellence” that will be used as a teaching and learning hub to introduce high school teachers to the Swift-focused curriculum.
Apple is on track to hit $1 trillion valuation this year. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Tech stocks are dominating right now, but they got a bit of a wakeup call yesterday. Apple included.
According to a new report, a plethora of tech giants — inlcuding Apple, Alibaba, Amazon, Baidu, Facebook, Google, Netflix, Nvidia, Tesla and Twitter — all suffered falls yesterday. It was the worst drop in the NYSE FANG+ Index, which tracks global tech giants, since it was established four years ago.
The Master Storyteller’s Bundle is packed with quality apps. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
There’s a story in all of us. To get it out, though, you’ll need more than just a tale to tell. You’ll need skills and tools to connect your stories with an audience. And in the digital age, there are plenty of tools to master.
At least 59 lawsuits have been filed against Apple so far. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple’s iPhone throttling iOS update may have died down in the news cycle, but that doesn’t mean that the complaints are going away. According to a new report, Apple currently has at least 59 separate lawsuits being leveled against it by customers on this charge.
That number could soon be reduced, however, since a meeting in Atlanta this week will aim to combine all U.S. cases into one giant class action lawsuit against Apple.
Exclusive loot you can’t buy from the Fortnite shop. Photo: Epic Games
Fortnite players can now get their hands on exclusive loot simply by linking their Twitch Prime accounts. The gear pack includes two outfits, back bling, and a glider — and Epic just revealed a sweet pickaxe skin to go with it.
Leading the pack is designer Martin Hajek, who has taken a page out of Apple’s 2017 playbook (when it introduced the PRODUCT(RED) iPhone 7) by giving us a mockup of what a red iPhone X may look us. The answer? Pretty darn sweet.
Apple is making education a bigger focus. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Apple is ready to make a major push into the education market. During its keynote in Chicago this morning, the company revealed how it plans to make students and teachers fall in love with Apple.
Armed with a bevy of new apps, APIs and other software tools, Tim Cook and company revealed Apple’s cheapest iPad ever. Apple pitched it specifically at students, though we suspect it will prove pretty popular with normal Apple fans, too.
Springtime comes to Apple cases and bands with fun color options. Photo: Apple
Celebrate spring with new iPhone and iPad cases, plus new Apple Watch bands, all now available in seasonal colors. Yellow, blue and pink are everywhere, with leather, silicone and nylon as materials.
Your wardrobe changes with the seasons, and your phone, tablet and watch can bust out in brighter colors, too, now that winter is behind us.
You don't have to be a student to get the new iPad for $309. Photo: Apple
Apple unveiled its cheapest 9.7-inch iPad ever today, only there’s a catch: it’s only the cheapest iPad ever if you meet certain qualifications
Most normal customer won’t qualify for the special $309 price tag and will have to shell out $329 for the Apple Pencil-supported iPad. However, there are still ways to qualify even if you’re not a student.
A ‘Facebook Container’ inside Firefox. Photo: Mozilla
None of us are happy with the way in which Facebook is handling our data, but many of us rely on the platform too much to follow the #deletefacebook movement. Thanks to Mozilla, you can now enjoy the best of both worlds (almost).
Its new Firefox extension puts Facebook inside a “container” so that you can enjoy the platform without having to worry about it tracking everything you do online.
Skeuomorphism isn't all bad. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Moog — pronounced “Moog” — is famous for its awesome-sounding synthesizers. But recently it has has also become famous for making dome of the best iOS music apps. For instance, Moog’s Model 15 is a perfect digital reproduction of its modular synth that sounds as good as the real thing. Which is to say, it sounds incredible. Now Moog has made the Model D, an app version of the original 1970 Minimoog keyboard. And it is just as rad as you might hope,
Raise to wake might finally be coming to an end. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple Watch isn’t just growing in sales — it’s about to grow in size, too. At least, that’s the prediction of an analyst with long track record for accuracy.
A larger display would make room for a bigger battery. Apple likely will build new health features into its updated wearable as well.
Moment brings the silver screen to your tiny screen. Photo: Moment
Moment, the maker of premium smartphone lens attachments, unveiled a filmmaker bundle Tuesday that includes an anamorphic lens.
The square lens will give iPhone video a similar look to the wide, letterbox view created with the large, expensive cameras used in the motion picture industry.
The iPad might finally be better than paper. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
The iPad has replaced many things — it’s a TV, it’s a games console, it’s a book, it’s a (huge) camera, and it’s even a typewriter. But until recently, it hasn’t made a very good alternative to paper. But thanks to the Apple Pencil, and to iOS 11, that has changed. Now you can write and draw a note without even unlocking your iPad, and you can search for anything you write, just as if it were text. Let’s check out lock-screen notes.
Homework was always a dreaded task back in the days of paper and pencil but in Apple’s new ad, doing homework looks like a total blast.
Eager to highlight its skills in the education market, Apple’s new iPad ad shows how the tablet can be used in creative ways to make learning a fun experience. The two minute ad follows a group of kids as they do a series of gravity experiments utilizing the iPad and Apple Pencil to complete the project.
Get the new Apple keyboard while it's hot. Photo: Apple
Mac fans that love the look of the new space gray iMac Pro — but don’t want to plop down four grand — can finally buy the computer’s coveted accessories separately.
Apple is ready to takeover the classroom. Photo: Ian Fuchs
Apple is ready to unleash a wave of new software for teachers going into the 2018 school year.
At its big “field trip” education event in Chicago today, Apple unveiled a series of new apps and APIs that will make it easier for students and teachers to embrace the iPad. From the redesigned iWork iOS apps to the new ClassKit framework, Apple’s got something new for students, teachers and developers.
It's for kids and budget-conscious adults! Photo: Apple Events
The Apple Pencil is a great accessory, but it’s prohibitively pricey for schools to buy in bulk. To give students the chance to use a stylus without breaking the bank, Logitech created a more affordable stylus. It’s called the Crayon, and it will be sold by Apple directly to schools.
The iPad (2018) is aimed at students. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Apple just unveiled a 9.7-inch iPad that will cost schools just $299. The debut came at today’s education-oriented event in Chicago because this tablet is designed for students, with Apple Pencil support and a faster processor.
Tim Cook and crew did not unveil this tablet at a high school by accident. Apple is aiming the new iPad straight at classrooms and budget-conscious school districts. Support for Apple’s pressure-sensitive stylus is a big part of that.
The inspiring new video talks about how “one person can change the world” by creating something that’s never been created before. While showing a bunch of children playing at school, the ad has voice-overs of the kids giving uplifting messages on how they view the future.