Once in a while, an app comes along that changes the way you think of a computer platform. Like Photoshop on the Mac, Lotus 1-2-3 on the IBM PC, or GarageBand on the iPad. We just got another one of these apps Tuesday. It’s called Drambo, from veteran music-app developer BeepStreet, and it redefines music apps on iOS.
Yes, iOS. This amazing, modular, do-almost-anything app works on the iPhone as well as the iPad.
Got germs on the mind lately? So do we, which is why this disinfecting ultraviolet light caught our attention. It’s a quick and effective way of keeping your personal electronics germ-free.
Apple engineers have used FaceTime-style video calling to guide Chinese colleagues through iPhone prototype assembly, a recent report by the Wall Street Journal notes.
The report helps answer one key question about how Apple is able to get iPhone prototypes assembled at a time when travel restrictions stop Apple employees from making their usual trips to China. Apple tested out the process in January.
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models that launched in 2013 and 2014 will reportedly be placed on Apple’s list of “vintage and obsolete products” at the end of April.
Despite what the name implies, this doesn’t mean these devices just became useless. Instead, it’s going to be harder to get them serviced.
Being stuck at home with nothing to do but watch the world collapse around us is kind of a downer, but there are some upsides. One is that people are getting creative. Like, literally creative — making more music, writing and sharing videos. The other silver lining is that app-makers are offering big discounts and extended trials for some amazing apps.
For instance, Apple now offers a free, three-month trial of its music-production app, Logic Pro X. And Ableton just matched this offer with its Live Suite.
You’re stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, and maybe you’re spending lots of time keeping up with family and friends. But here’s an idea: Why not make a podcast? Not that you should stop actually talking to the people you like and love, but as a home project, making a podcast is a lot of fun.
And if you’re a musician, or you have kids, you can do a lot more than just monologuing into your iPhone’s mic. You can talk, add music, interview other family members, and anything else you can think of. Then, your friends and family will have a cool show to look forward to every day, or however often you publish.
The iCloud Keychain password manager built into iOS and macOS is reportedly getting support for two-factor authentication. This is a feature now only available in third-party password managers like Dashlane. It would make storing and using passwords more secure.
Apple’s most recent software updates have reportedly broken FaceTime compatibility with older iPhone and iPad models, leaving many users unable to make voice or video calls during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The issue affects devices running iOS 13.4 and macOS 10.15.4 when they attempt to connect with devices running iOS 9.3.5 or iOS 9.3.6 — or vice-versa. There is no fix for now.
One of the nicest features of the latest AirPods is the ability to charge them wirelessly. Just plunk them on top of a Qi-compatible charger and you’re good to go. But what about the original AirPods, which didn’t come with a wireless charging case?
Well, now you can add Qi charging for just $25, thanks to Elkson’s Wireless Charging and Bumper Case.
The T-Mobile and Sprint merger is now officially complete, transforming the third and fourth-biggest wireless carriers in the U.S. into a more giant-sized rival to take on Verizon and AT&T.
The New T-Mobile, as it will be known, will be run by CEO Mike Sievert. Sievert takes over from T-Mobile boss John Legere, who has been chief executive of T-Mobile since 2012. Legere will remain on T-Mobile’s board until June.
It’s always a good time to work on learning a new language. But during the coronavirus crisis, many of us have more down time than we’re probably used to. If you’ve been waiting to start practicing your French or Spanish or some other language, this massive deal on a top-rated subscription to Babbel is your cue to start.
The world’s biggest electronics contract manufacturer and Apple’s biggest supply chain partner has reassured investors that it can ready the 5G-capable iPhone 12 in time for a fall debut.
Tim Cook on Wednesday confirmed that Apple has more than doubled its donation to China’s COVID-19 relief efforts. The iPhone-maker has now handed over more than 50 billion yuan ($7 million).
Apple chipmaker TSMC is reportedly on track to move forward with volume production of its next-gen 5-nanometer chips. This most likely refers to Apple’s next A-series chips for the iPhone 12 series of handsets.
According to a report published Wednesday, this production process is currently on as scheduled. This counters recent speculation that Apple had asked TSMC to defer manufacturing for the new iPhone.
All the apps in Apple’s free iWork productivity suite for Mac now support iCloud Drive folder sharing, a collaboration feature that debuted last Tuesday in macOS 10.15.4.
This new feature is a highlight of each iWork application — Pages, Numbers and Keynote — reaching version 10.0. And there are numerous other enhancements, too.
Need a new MacBook Pro? You won’t want to miss Woot’s brilliant deal on 13-inch models, refurbished by Apple, which are now available for as little as $679.99. Or pick up the brand-new 2020 Mac mini from $699 — $100 off its usual price tag.
That’s just some of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup that will help you tackle self-isolation and working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. Other highlights include:
Find all these discounts and more in today’s Deals & Steals roundup.
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You may have seen a notification from Apple Music at some point. It popped up, told you about a new album from a favorite artist, and you thought, “Thanks Apple Music! That’s great news.” Finally, you thought to yourself, this is a machine doing what machines are supposed to do. Then maybe you clicked on that notification, and the Music app launched, but didn’t go to the artist or album. Or perhaps you dismissed the alert, and when you opened the Music app later, you were confused because you couldn’t find the notification anywhere.
Now, Apple has (maybe) fixed this problem. Instead of just plain old lock-screen notifications, the Music app will now show you new music alerts inside the app itself. Here’s how to switch them on.
Apple may eventually offer hyperlocal, down-to-the-minute forecasts.
Dark Sky Weather, the popular weather app, announced Tuesday it was acquired by Apple.
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, N95 filtration masks are in short supply worldwide. It remains unclear whether wearing a mask as a prophylactic is necessary, but that isn’t stopping people from strapping them on when they venture outside their homes. And if you are infected with the COVID-19 virus, or you are working closely with infected people, then you probably do want a mask.
Can these masks be reused? New guidance from Stanford Medicine says yes, you can sterilize N95 masks — by “baking” them in a low-temperature oven. However, you should definitely not do this at home.
Apple has supposedly penciled in an April 15 launch date for its low-cost iPhone 9.
New claims that surfaced Tuesday indicate the company held an internal briefing this week to decide “tentative” announcement and shipping dates for the new device. Those claims remind us, however, that “we’re in the middle of a pandemic, and things could change.”
Video-conferencing tool Zoom is seeing a surge in use during the coronavirus pandemic, due to people being stuck at home and unable to meet in meatspace groups. I’ve read about people using Zoom to drop in on yoga and pilates classes, as well as for more usual business-related activities.
Apple will roll out an iOS 13.4.1 update this week to fix a VPN bug on iPhone and iPad, according to a new report out Tuesday.
An earlier investigation revealed a security flaw in Apple’s most recent iOS releases that prevents virtual private networks from encrypting all traffic. The issue can cause data and IP addresses to be exposed.
One great way to spend newfound downtime during the coronavirus shutdown is to sharpen your skills. Jobs are growing scarce, so any edge you can give yourself is beneficial. One skill that’s almost universally valuable is a working knowledge of Excel, Microsoft’s industry-standard spreadsheet application.
Here’s something you probably thought you would never see: Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system running on an iPhone X.
The hack is made possible by an app called UTM, which allows virtual machines to run on iOS devices. And despite some issues — as you might expect — it really works rather well … if you have plenty of patience.
Lawyers representing a group of music composers from the 20th century have accused Apple of being “recklessly indifferent or willfully blind” to the actions of a company that operates a “massive music piracy operation” on iTunes.