Apple has been pushing deeper into news over the last year, increasing its focus on Apple News and publishing its own exclusive pieces. Now, a rumor is circulating that Apple might be interested in purchasing Condé Nast…
What is Halide, and why is everyone all over the internet talking about it?
What do you get when a prominent ex-Apple designer and former Twitter engineer join forces? A kick-ass camera app called Halide.
Sara Perez, TechCrunch:
The idea is to offer a variety of high-end tools for taking quality photographs, but packaged in a way where accessing those controls via gestures becomes like muscle memory – similar to using the dials on a camera.
The developers' website goes into detail as to why Halide was created and it essentially boils down to the fact that current mobile phone cameras are exquisite, but that just don't feel like the same quality as shooting with a DSLR.
Long story short, "It's a premium camera for your iPhone."
Check back here for the latest updates in Halide news.
iPhonography buffs, rejoice! Popular full-featured camera app Halide is back again with yet another really cool update featuring an Apple Watch companion app, location stripping, an increased focus on accessibility, and more.
According to the company's blog post, Halide 1.8 features the following:
A new Apple Watch companion app
Yep, you read that correctly: you can now use your Apple Watch (and the Halide Apple Watch app) to remotely frame shots, trigger Halide's shutter and set timers. The company claims that the app is "blazing fast," and says it shows a realtime preview on your watch's display for "easy shooting." To use this new feature, all you have to do is open Halide on your phone, then open the Halide Apple Watch app afterward.
A self-timer
Even if you don't have an Apple Watch, you can still take advantage of Halide's new self-timer feature. The app now lets you set a 3, 10, or 30 second timer to ensure you get the perfect shot. And if you're worried about not knowing exactly when the shutter will fire, don't fret: Halide also uses the iPhone flash to show the progress of the timer.
Improved privacy options
With internet privacy issues consuming the news lately, it's heartening to see a developer providing options that you can use to better protect yourself when posting things online. Each time you take a photo with your digital device, its metadata contains info like date, time, and the location the photo was taken (ascertained via GPS). If you share that photo online, people may have access to a wealth of personal info that you'd prefer not to share. With Halide 1.8 you can disable embedding location information in photos by toggling it off. The Halide team has also introduced a new advanced setting that limits location sharing with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Improved accessibility features
Halide is reportedly pushing hard for accessibility with this update (which, YES. Other app developers take note). The Halide team has worked with accessbility specialist Sommer Panage over the course of the past year, and as a result of her advice, 1.8 features "support for Dynamic and Bold Type throughout, VoiceOver support and many more enhancements. Even our 30 second timer option was included with Accessibility in mind, offering users with limited mobility more freedom to take photos." What's more, the team promises that they will "continue [their] push to make Halide the most accessible camera app around," and asks that if you are a user who benefits from accessibility features, you send them feedback on their implementation (and further improvements the company could make).
Contact Halide via email
Contact Halide via Twitter
Design tweaks and bug fixes
In addition to all the new major features, Halide's design and functionality has also been improved. Most notably, the photo reviewer has been overhauled with a grid view, which allows users to "scroll through a grid of their shots while still being able to flick back to their camera instantly."
For more details and to download Halide, check out the team's blog post here.
Desperately wishing Halide would take full advantage of Portrait mode? What about the iPhone X's TrueDepth camera? ARKit? Well, wish no longer. Today the high-end photography app's team launched an update with support for all of those features and more. Halide 1.7 makes what was already a powerful tool way more powerful, offering depth photography, semi-terrifying ARKit fun, and integration with popular image editing app Darkroom.
Now, when you pull up Halide's viewfinder on iPhones with a dual camera system, you'll see a depth button you can tap to switch to Portrait mode. Like the native iPhone camera app, Halide will show a preview of the Portrait photo before you take the shot. However, unlike the native app, Halide will also show you what it calls a "Depth Peaking" affect, which essentially shows how your phone is scanning the environment in three dimensions. To me it looks a bit like an electrical current moving up a Jacob's ladder. Unfortunately though, you can't use Depth Peaking and preview your Portrait mode image at the same time, so you have to choose between actually seeing what your photo will look like before you snap it and feeling like a cyborg analyzing your surroundings in some sort of dystopian future.
More importantly, though, is that the Halide's depth preview initiates super fast according to tests run by Federico Viticci at MacStories, making it seem even faster than Apple's Portrait mode at times. Viticci continued to go into further detail regarding the differences between Apple's camera app and Halide when it comes to capturing depth:
I did note, however, that Halide's Depth Preview effect often made the blur appear more aggressive than it actually ended up being in the processed shot; from this standpoint, Apple's Camera app was more consistent in its real-time preview and final Portrait photo. Furthermore, the default Camera app offers helpful tips for light and distance when in Portrait mode; Halide doesn't.
In addition to depth photography utilizing the dual cameras on the back of the phone, Halide 1.7 also offers integration with the iPhone X's front-facing TrueDepth camera, allowing users to take selfies in Portrait mode as well. And, in what is perhaps the most simultaneously cool and unsettling new feature in this update, Halide allows you to view your Portrait photos with ARKit, creating "3D posters" that you can walk around and look at from all angles. However, the end result is pretty disconcerting, and kind of ends up making the subject look like they're being sucked into an unseen black hole.
Finally, Halide 1.7 supports integration with Bergen Co.'s Darkroom — a powerful photo editor that you can now access with the touch of a button after you capture an image using Halide. This makes it easier than ever to quickly and easily take your iPhoneography to the next level.
For a more in-depth review of Halide 1.7 (and a hilarious demo of the new ARKit feature), check out MacStories' full piece.
Today, Halide announced an update focused specifically on speed. Halide 1.6, dubbed "The Speed Update" by the Halide team, is the first "under-the-hood" update since the app's redesign for iPhone X just over a month ago, and features faster photo capture, a new lock screen widget, voice over features for the visually impaired, and more.
The most major changes that 1.6 offers, as mentioned above, are meant to make it easier than ever to take, save, and view one's photographs quickly. With the updated Halide, users can now snap photos two to four times faster — the time between tapping the shutter button and revealing the photo has been cut down significantly, meaning there will be no more waiting around to see whether or not you got a shot that's to your liking. What's more, the Halide team has added a lock screen widget so you can launch the app with one tap, assuring that you won't miss any perfect photo ops. There are even brand new 3D shortcuts to launch the app in either Manual or Auto mode, so there won't be any toying around with settings necessary before you can snap your pic.
On the saving end, the Halide team has finally tackled an issue users had been encountering with moderate frequency. Prior to now, when users went to edit their Halide-captured photos in a separate app, they would show up blurry, as many apps can't read Halide's RAW image format. With this update, however, Halide will now intelligently save a processed image alongside the user's RAW shot, allowing editing apps to fall back on the non-RAW image so it can still be altered however the user desires. Plus, now all RAW images taken with Halide will be sorted into a special album in the user's photo library titled "RAW" so that they can effortlessly and painlessly be found later. And if you're concerned about compatibility with HEIC (or would just prefer to save your images in a different format), it is now possible for you to switch from "Most Efficient" to "Most Compatible" so Halide will use JPEG instead. The Halide team detailed more format options in its press release:
In situations where Halide can't shoot RAW, we offer MAX mode, which saves a HEIC or JPEG in the highest quality setting. We now also have TIFF! It's lossless, but uses three times the storage.
In addition to the speed-centric changes, Halide got a few aesthetic and accessibility changes as well. Thanks to co-creator Sebastiaan de With, the app has received a shiny new icon. The team also states that Halide is now also the first manual camera app to support VoiceOver, Apple's assistive technology for the visually impaired.
Version 1.6 will be rolling out to all Halide users starting today.
Ex-Apple designer Sebastiaan de With announced on Medium today that his and Ben Sandofsky's gorgeous iPhone camera app Halide is getting a new update, just in time for the release of the iPhone X. The app hasn't only been adapted to scale correctly on the new screen, however — it's been completely redesigned from the ground up to take full advantage of the iPhone X's strengths.
On the iPhone X, Halide 1.5's camera UI stretches from edge-to-edge, utilizing every pixel of the screen's unique shape and size. It even uses the top corners on either side of the infamous notch to display camera data like exposure values. And because of the iPhone X's extra space, nothing obstructs the viewfinder: all of Halide's controls are now within reach of your thumb below the viewfinder, getting them out of the way. This also means that you can use Halide one-handed without any trouble.
In addition to the new camera UI, Halide 1.5 captures Depth on supported iPhone models, letting users to apply Portrait Mode effects to their snapshots in the Photos app after they've captured them. New hardware-based noise reduction has also been introduced in 1.5, giving you the sharpest images possible. And like the native Camera app on newer iPhones, Halide is able to capture photos in HEIC, allowing for higher quality files that take up less space.
Now go forth and upgrade so you can start your iPhonography binge as soon as you get your hands on your new iPhone X!
Using tools like tactile controls to quickly change between autofocus and manual focus, bring down the exposure with a fast swipe, and more, Halide aims to imitate older photographic cameras like a Lecia or a Pentax.
Halide also focuses on giving users super simple access to professional camera tools: with the app you can choose to shoot photos as RAW or JPEGS, adjust manual focus, and even tweak things like focus peaking and the ability to snap stunning photographs with full ISO and shutter controls.
The app is designed with other smart features like:
Smart auto, which intelligently optimizers both your ISO and shutter speeds for super sharp images.
Quick EV, which allows you to adjust exposure with a mere swipe of your finger.
Grid and level, which lets you be precise with your shooting with the help of a subtle overlay grid.
… And so, so much more!
Halide will set you back about $5, but for everything you get to do with this camera app, it should probably be priced a little bit higher.
John Grubber:
This sort of maniacal attention to the smallest of details deserves to be celebrated.
Right here!
Will you be downloading and using Halide, or do you think any camera app besides the default camera app is a waste of time, effort, and money?
Let us know what you think about Halide (and share any questions you might have) in the comments below!
A couple of new renders and a video from a reliable source show what might be the next-generation iPhone SE. The device shown looks a lot like the earlier version, but updated with some of Apple’s newest tech. Most notably, the Home button is gone, being replaced by a screen cutout with Face ID sensors. […]
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
WhatsApp cofounder Jan Koum announced today that he will be leaving the company. While Koum himself doesn’t elaborate on reasoning for the departure, a report from The Washington Post indicates that the decision comes amid growing discord with WhatsApp parent company, Facebook…
iDB’s Daily Deals post is a roundup of our favorite deals on tech and tech-related products from around the web. This includes everything from smartphones, tablets and accessories, to connected devices and even video games.
Every deal you see below has been hand-picked based on a variety of factors including personal experience, online reviews from customers and experts, and discount percentage. So what are you waiting for? Get shopping!... Read the rest of this post here
"Daily Deals: $280 in-dash CarPlay receiver, $80 Logitech keyboard case, and more" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com.
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Apple will soon drop support for 32-bit Mac apps, and they will no longer work on your computer. Here's how to find which apps on your Mac are still 32-bit.
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
A job post shows Apple is hiring an engineer to lead a team designing 5G modems. This may be mean that the company is going to stop outsourcing these wireless chips. Apple currently sources its LTE modems from Qualcomm, but there have been reports that it’s working with Intel on next-generation modems. Maybe the iPhone […]
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
There are a lot of little tweaks in macOS that I rely on to make a Mac feel like my own. Placing frequently accessed folders on the right side of the Dock, turning off auto-correct, and turning up mouse and trackpad tracking speed are all in this category for me.
A rather hidden but critical example is Hot Corners. My Mac just feels broken with Hot Corners disabled, and my workflow is severely slowed. Here’s how it works:
Swift Playgrounds, Apple’s introductory programming application for iPad, has been updated today with a few notable features.
Apple today released an update for Final Cut Pro X that addresses a couple of annoying bugs that some users may have been experiencing. Version 10.4.2 of Final Cut Pro X arrives three weeks after version 10.4.1, a major update that brought about new features like closed captioning workflows and ProRes RAW support. more…
Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis and his associates speculate that iPhones Apple will release this year may not come bundled with the Lightning to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter.... Read the rest of this post here
"2018 iPhones may not bundle Lightning to headphone jack adapter" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com.
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Apple might be planning to make it even more difficult to use your old 3.5mm headphones if you buy a new iPhone this year. New iPhones have included a Lightning port adapter for headphones ever since Apple removed the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. That free dongle is about to go away this year, […]
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
Bear's latest update brings new customization capabilities, archiving, and more.
Attention, avid note-takers: version 1.5 of popular note-taking and writing app Bear is rolling out today, offering a handful new features that the company hopes will make taking digital notes more efficient than ever before.
According to the developer's blog post, the most fun change to the app is perhaps is the ability to pick your own TagCons for any and all tags. If you've never used Bear before, TagCons are the little icons that appear next to popular tags in the app's sidebar. Prior to now, TagCons couldn't be switched from the default for each tag. With this update, however, you can choose from 169 TagCons (80 of which are new), connecting your notes' tags with the image you'd most like them associated with. This is great for visual thinkers who benefit from tethering information to images — the customization allows for easier mental categorization and less dissonance between a topic and its graphic representation. What's more, Bear's devs confirmed that intend to expand the app's TagCon collection in the future, which will give users an even larger library to pull from. Once you've selected a tag on iPhone and iPad, Bear will display its TagCon in the Notes List header to remind you of the current tag you're viewing.
In addition to customizable TagCons, Bear 1.5 also offers the ability to hide notes you don't necessarily need anymore but that you also don't want to delete forever and ever. With the update, you can now archive them for safe keeping. They won't appear in your Notes List anymore, and will instead find their home in the app's new Archive section. If you don't see the new section right away, don't panic — you have to archive at least one note first before it becomes available to you. Archive isn't the only new section in town either, by the way: Untagged, ToDo, Today, and others have also been added to help you find the note you want more easily.
The final big feature introduced by the update is the ability to export notes into the ePub digital book format in a simple and straightforward way, allowing you to self-publish your literary masterpiece. Unfortunately, this feature is restricted to paid Bear Pro users, so if you're writing your groundbreaking novel using a free account, you'll have to upgrade to take advantage of it.
On top of all the larger changes, Bear 1.5 also brings pull-down gesture controls, an iPhone X-optimized theme, and added support for code syntax highlighting for nearly 30 languages.
If you're interested in giving Bear a try, you can download it for free by tapping on the links below. If you'd like the more full-featured version of the app, you'll have to shell out a pretty reasonable $1.49 a month or $14.99 per year for Bear Pro.
Are you an avid Bear user? Share your experience with the app (and its most recent update) in the comments below!
Do you love the iOS 11 Dock, but hate the way it uses up three slots to automatically display suggestions and recents? Here's how to switch that off.
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
Though no wireless workout headphone set is perfect, the Jaybird X3s are pretty close.
Jaybird's wireless headphones have long been a favorite of the iMore staff and workout fiends alike, and the X3 is no exception. The $129.99 wireless neck-cord set offers 8 hours of play time, with a fifteen-minute quick charge to add an extra hour. It has both a slightly better fit and better audio quality than our budget pick, though that better fit comes at the expense of using a custom charging clip in lieu of a traditional micro-USB plug.
Bottom line: Jaybird's X3 headphones are the wireless workout headphones to beat.
Status: Released October 2016 (X3); no successor.
The best wireless workout headphones you can buy.
These days, there are headphones for just about every activity, and working out is no exception. Bluetooth-connected workout headphones have come a long way from the days of 3-hour play time and lengthy charging — today, you can find a number of good options with sweat-proofing, 6+ hours of battery life, a customizable fit, and slim profiles.
When considering workout headphones, we eliminated any headphones that weren't rated for sweat- and water-resistance — sorry, AirPods and Beats X. If you use any pair of headphones often enough, they will fail; add sweat or water to the equation, and that danger is amplified.
Even "sweat-proof" headphones aren't sweat-proof forever: The special nano-coating that keeps most sport and workout headphones from breaking after a hard gym session will wear down over time; it's why you'll often see reviews of sport headphones with complaints about non-functioning headphones after a certain period of time.
Of the headphones we've tested, Jaybird's X-series has repeatedly withstood heavy sweat sessions more reliably than its competition; I've worn them under a roller derby helmet for multi-hour practices, at the gym while lifting weights and running, and even on the beach (though not in the water itself).
The X3 took me longer than other headphones of its type to fit correctly, in part owing to the multiple wingtip and earbud types you can attach, but once I found the right fit, they've stayed securely in my ears without issue, whether I was skating, jumping, running, or lifting. The cord can be worn either around the back of the ears or below, depending on your fit and preference; I've tried both, and slightly prefer the latter, but your choices may vary.
I also appreciate the X3's 8-hour battery life, which I've received fairly consistently when using the product. Wireless headphone battery life can vary immensely from box specs to actual daily use, but Jaybird's measurements continue to be near-perfect in that regard. While I wish we'd see an X-series model that had closer to 10 or 12 hours of battery life for distance runners and hikers, I appreciate the size of the X3, as to achieve that size, Apple's PowerBeats line had to include larger-than-average earbuds (and the weight that goes along with that).
As part of the X3's slim profile, you do have to use a custom contact-based charger to USB cord, which means remembering the cord (or having to replace it if you leave it behind) when you're traveling. It's a minor pain in the grand scheme of technology charging, but if you're often on the road, you may want a set of headphones that takes a standard micro-USB charger.
The X3 will fail eventually, as its competition has — but that's a fact of life where workout headphones are concerned. If there's one hesitation I have when recommending the X3 over something like our budget pick, it would be Jaybird's warranty team: While X3 models would appear to fail less often than their competition, Jaybird support can be slow to deal with repairs or replacements; though Jaybird offers a one-year warranty covering devices that "fail because of perspiration," I've heard multiple stories from users who had lengthy wait times trying to get Jaybird to replace their headphones.
That said, Jaybird will replace headphones that fail from sweat within a year — competing products like Apple's PowerBeats 3 have no such guarantee. The process just might take longer than you'd like.
For those who hate workout headphones with cords, Jaybird's $179.99 Run earbuds offer a reduced four hours of playtime, but bring you a sweat-proof version of the AirPods lifestyle.
Worth noting: Unlike the AirPods, which can function independently of each other, the Bluetooth connection is solely in the Run's right earbud — so you can't use the left one alone if the right one dies. Original Run pairs suffered from connectivity issues due to this configuration, but Jaybird claims to have fixed the issue in subsequent pairs; for what it's worth, I haven't had any issues with my test pair while putting it through its paces shoveling snow, skating, and doing floor workouts.
Bottom line: If you want a cord-free alternative to our top pick, the Jaybird Run are the first reliable workout headphones we've seen on the market that fit the bill.
Status: Released September 2017; no successor.
If you don't have a big budget for listening to music while you work out, Aukey's $25.99 Latitude Wireless buds offer a great entry point.
The headphones offer an 8-hour play time and sweat-resistance; they also use magnetic clasps (like the Beats X) to magnetically snap around your neck. While my pair has yet to fail me, they don't quite have the same reliability reputation as our top pick; that said, it's a pretty easy sell to pay $26 to pick up a spare pair instead of $100+.
Bottom line: Aukey's Latitude Wireless headphones provide quality far above their price point for everyday gym use.
Status: Released 2017; no successor.
For a complete workout training within a set of headphones, you're going to want to look into Vi. It's a set of in-ear headphones that include a personal training system for runners, along with workout sensors to track heart rate, elevation, cadence, speed, time, and location.
Vi comes in at a hefty price tag of $249, so we don't recommend it for everyone. If you're a runner who wants both workout sensors and coaching tips in your headphones, however, Vi is the perfect companion for listening to tunes while tracking your stats.
Bottom line: If you want an all-in-one package for tracking stats and offering coaching help alongside your music, check out Vi.
Status: Released 2017; no successor.
I've been testing Libratone's first wireless in-ear option, TRACK+, for the last few weeks, and early results are super promising. It's a great wireless set, and I've enjoyed using it in the gym. That said, I want to spend another month with the headphones to really compare it against the Jaybird X3 before I change my primary pick.
We previously also had both the JLab Epic 2 and Plantronics BackBeat FIT on this list, but both headphones have been discontinued.
Jaybird's wireless headphones have long been a favorite of the iMore staff and workout fiends alike, and the X3 is no exception. The $129.99 wireless neck-cord set offers 8 hours of play time, with a fifteen-minute quick charge to add an extra hour. It has both a slightly better fit and better audio quality than our budget pick, though that better fit comes at the expense of using a custom charging clip in lieu of a traditional micro-USB plug.
Bottom line: Jaybird's X3 headphones are the wireless workout headphones to beat.
Status: Released October 2016 (X3); no successor.
Updated April 30, 2018: The Jaybird X3 is still our favorite set of workout headphones, but we're in process of testing the Libratone Track+ and will update next month with any changes.
Due to technical difficulties with macOS, Elite Dangerous on Mac will be shutting down later this year.
Frontier Developments massive online multiplayer space adventure game Elite Dangerous has had quite a bit of success on almost every platform it has launched on, from Windows to PlayStation; however, its struggled on macOS.
Today, Edward Lewis from Frontier Developments took to the forums to announce that support for Elite Dangerous on Mac would be ending.
"It is with great sadness that we must announce the upcoming end of Elite Dangerous on Mac. Firstly, we want to reassure you that this decision did not come lightly and is something that we have been investigating for some time. As many of you will know, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to bring Elite Dangerous Horizons to Mac since launch due to technical barriers. With the planned improvements coming in our Chapter Four update of the Beyond season we have felt it necessary to make this difficult decision to allow us to bring in content and features in the way that we felt was best for the overall Elite Dangerous experience. It is for this reason that we wanted to give you as much notice as possible."
As for when exactly Elite Dangerous wouldn't be compatible with Mac, Edward Lewis went on to say this:
"With the release of the Q4 update, coming towards the end of the year, you will no longer be able to play Elite Dangerous on Mac. As soon as we have a date for the update to share, we will do so here.At the point of the Q4 update, you will no longer be able to access Elite Dangerous products through the Mac OS. However, you will still be able to log into your account on PC (or via Bootcamp.) We hope you will understand why we have taken this course of action and would encourage those of you who have questions or concerns, to please contact our Support Team HERE who are on hand and ready to help!"
It's sad to see such a beloved game (both by the community and the developers) fail to succeed on macOS due to system requirements that can't be accommodated.
Have you been playing Elite Dangerous on Mac? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
The second Apple earnings report of 2018 is set to come out on May 1 and Wall Street’s top analysts are worried that disappointing news is on the horizon. Rumors have been circulating for months that iPhone X sales have been far weaker than Apple expected. The company’s stock price has been slipping in the […]
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
Back your data up.
Amazon currently has a pair of WD My Passport Mac external hard drives on sale for as little as $62.99. The most affordable option is the 2TB external drive for $62.99. It has both a USB-A and USB-C port, and out of the box is formatted and ready to be used on your MacOS machine.
If you want something with more space, you can opt for the 4TB model for $99.99. This one also has both USB-A and USB-C ports and is ready for your Mac. They are both Time Machine ready, so there's no excuse not to be buying one today and ensuring that all of your files are always backed up.
These drives are part of a larger one-day sale at Amazon on a variety of PC peripherals, like mice, keyboard, drives, and more.
As Apple collectibles go, a Steve Jobs autograph is almost as rare as the Apple 1. Both are pricey investments. However, a TIME magazine cover featuring Jobs and the signature he loathed giving out is kind of a bargain at a penny shy of $20,000. The seller, Press Pass Collectibles, has even dropped the advertised […]
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
Facebook is extending its downvote button trial to more users.... Read the rest of this post here
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Amazon is continuously adding new movies and TV shows to its Prime video streaming service, and each week, we'll bring you the best it has to offer!
In this week's selection of films and shows on Amazon Prime, continue following the exploits of Vikings during the Viking Age, including the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok. Check out the story of a gifted young author that mysteriously disappears and the enigmatic detective that sets out to find him following a string of mysterious arsons involving his first novel. Finally, best friends Gluko and Lennon work to help the people of Townoplois live their best lives while going on wacky adventures across the land.
This week's new additions to Amazon's Prime Video lineup starts with Rocky, a film about a down-on-his-luck nobody boxer that gets a chance to prove himself in the sport that he loves when the heavyweight champion purposes a stunt in which the two would face off. You can check out Bull Durham, in which a veteran minor league catcher is sent down to single-A ball to get a powerful but wild young pitcher ready for the majors. Finally, Best Picture winner The Hurt Locker tells the story of an Army bomb disposal team in the early years of the Iraq war and the new member that joins to lead the team.
If you're not an Amazon Prime member, you can try the service free for 30 days right here. Bookmark this page and check back next week for more from Amazon!
Rumor has it Apple could be ready to breathe new life in the old Air. MacBook Air that is.
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April 30, 2018: New rumors suggest the updated MacBook Air might not ship until fall 2018
Rumors about rumored products are as sketchy as they get. But, due to the availability of components or the need to finalize software, Apple has pushed back several products in recent years, both internally and publicly. So, it wouldn't be surprising if the supposed new, updated MacBook Air was caught up, for example, waiting on Intel.
From DigiTimes:
The sources said that Apple has informed supply chain partners that mass production of its new notebook model for 2018 will not kick off until the second half of the year, yet without explaining the rescheduling move. Some partners speculated that the postponement might be caused by problems with some key components such as processors.
The planned new MacBook Air will have a slim design, and come with Retina high-resolution screen and Intel's latest notebook processor. Unit price for the new model is expected to be lowered from US$999 to US$899 or down further to US$799, which in turn may push up sales of MacBook series by over 10% in 2018 to regain part of market shares held by Chromebooks, according to market observers.
We, of course, can only wait and see.
Apple has let the MacBook Air lie fallow for years now, despite it being an ultra-light, port-strewn, entry-level consumer favorite. It's not Retina. It's old architecture. And the 12-inch MacBook simply hasn't come down in price or up in ports to take its place. But now, rumor has it Apple could be ready to breathe new life in the old Air.
From the report, shared by MacRumors:
We expect Apple (US) to roll out the new MacBook Air with a lower price tag in 2Q18. We forecast total shipments of MacBook models will grow 10-15% YoY in 2018 (vs. 0-5% YoY decline for the NB industry), up from 15.5-16mn units in 2017. While Quanta, Radiant, Catcher and SZS are likely to benefit from strong shipments momentum, SZS also stands to benefit from increased market share and a higher ASP.
Interestingly, the video above, which I shot with analyst Ben Bajarin on Thursday and posted early this morning, begins like this:
If all they did was update the [MacBook] Air with Retina and modern specs, and price it around $899, [Apple] would take share like nobody's business.
They would really disrupt PC sales in a significant way.
I'll have a full transcript posted soon but, in the meantime, hit play for more on the potential MacBook Air update and a full preview of what might be coming from Apple at the rumored March Event.
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Safely charge in the car.
Odds are you've heard of iOttie's awesome car mounts in the past, but did you know the company also sells some with wireless charging capabilities built in? They may sound expensive, but right now at Amazon they are on sale for 32% off, which drops the price down to just $33.95. There are two different options available, one which goes into a CD slot and one which clips into your vehicle's air vents. Obviously, if your vehicle doesn't have a CD player, you won't be able to pick this option, and the air vent one is pretty universal.
Of course, you'll need to have a compatible phone, like the iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S9, or similar. The cigarette plug has a built-in USB port as well, so you can charge another device via a USB cable while wirelessly charging your main phone.
Both options were released back in February and have never dropped in price before this deal, so don't miss out.
amiibo must be loved, cherished, and taken with you and your wonderfully portable Nintendo Switch.
So you have a Nintendo Switch. And you love it. And the best thing about your Nintendo Switch is that you can take it from the charging dock, slide it into your bag, and take it to the park, on an airplane, or to one of those ever-popular rooftop wine parties. Your friends have gathered around your Switch with glasses of Merlot and you're about to show them how to scan in Epona in Breath of the Wild, but when you open your bag, chaos! You have 20+ amiibo all jumbled together, falling over one another, and by the time you find your Smash Bros. Link, they've all wandered off to play 1-2-Switch with your rival, Claudia. What's a Switch-carrying amiibo fan to do?
Make your amiibo portable, of course. Here's how.
Okay, yes, this is a fairly obvious solution. It's one step up from throwing them all in a backpack and letting them rattle against one another while you walk around. Once you hit the threshold of four+ amiibo you probably should consider investing in something to keep them neatly sorted while you travel. Fortunately, Amazon has a variety of solutions that won't break the bank; most are around $15.
When purchasing a carrying case, keep in mind how many amiibo you want to carry, how concerned you are that they do or do not get scratched up, and if you want to carry anything else with them. Many cases are just big boxes you can toss all the amiibo in--little more than a backpack. Good cases have dividers or separate pockets for individual amiibo, and some come with neat mesh pockets that your Nintendo Switch might fit in. Know you needs and don't spend more on space you won't use.
amiibo cards, upon launch, sounded like a great way to pack all the fun of amiibo into your purse, backpack, or pocket. And they are! But unfortunately, amiibo cards have been relegated only to Animal Crossing characters and Mewtwo.
The upside is that amiibo cards still work to give you items or bonuses in most games that take any amiibo. Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and many other Nintendo Switch games will accept amiibo cards for small rewards, so if all you're using an amiibo for is a quick boost, just pack your favorite card into your wallet and be on your way.
I know, we're getting dangerous here. But bear with me. Please only do this to amiibo you actually, legally own yourself.
amiibo are awesome, collectible figurines. If you want them for their collectibility, then by all means, put them in a case and don't do this. But if you just want amiibo to be functional with games, then the figurine part of the amiibo is helping you not at all. You could remove Samus or Kirby or whoever from their base, and the base (which has the NFC chip) would still work with the game. And, bonus, it would be way easier to fit into a case for a Switch, a purse or backpack pocket, or even your actual pocket.
If this sounds appealing to you, then all you need to do is snap the figurine off the base, and voila. But here are some cautionary notes before you do so:
The above technique does not work with yarn Yoshi or Poochy amiibo, but don't worry. They have little ribbon loops on their heads that you can use to turn them into keychains!
You can also do the same with any leftover amiibo figurines that have the bases removed, if you want a neat decoration. None of these have loops, so if you're handy you can take a drill with a small bit and create a hole near the top of the amiibo, then string whatever you like through the top. Leftover amiibo figurines can make great holiday ornaments, keychains, or other decorations. Get creative!
Need help deciding the best way to transport your amiibo? Just ask me in the comments!
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Apple is offering a free book excerpt from Senator John McCain’s new political memoir, The Restless Waves, coming out on May 22. The section, which is available through the Apple News app, is referred to as an Apple News exclusive. While it was not written exclusively by Apple, it nonetheless underlines how Apple is taking […]
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
Halide Camera, the premium RAW and manual camera app by Chroma Noir LLC, was updated on App Store this morning with an all-new Apple Watch remote function, a self-timer feature, a redesigned reviewer and other perks.... Read the rest of this post here
"Halide Camera gains Apple Watch remote, self-timer, revamped reviewer & more" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com.
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Philips Hue may offer one of the best smart lighting systems on the market, but its smart light strip has some worthwhile competitors.
Philips Hue's smart lighting line can give you everything you need from smart bulbs to smart accent lighting, but there's one place where its product line fails to — pardon the pun — shine: Its smart light strip. The 80-inch LED light strip is fine but for its price, it's not great. For about $90, you get a strand of LEDs that light in one color. There are alternative, similarly priced strips that offer more functionality and alternative, lesser priced strips that offer the same functionality. If you're looking to save a little money while adding smart accent lighting to your home, check out these alternatives!
The $90 LIFX Z smart LED strip is easily my choice for the best Philips Hue alternative. This 6.6-foot strip has eight individual zones, meaning you can alter the color of each of these zones independently. Instead of a single accent color, you can paint your wall or entertainment center with multiple colors, creating all kinds of fun looks.
The LIFX Z works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and the Google Assistant, which means you'll be able to use your voice to control your light strip on an iPhone, an Amazon Echo, a Google Home, or any number of other smart devices. The strip is also incredibly bright and full of color — it cranks out a whopping 1400 lumens in 16 million colors and white color temperatures.
Feel like one strip won't do it for you? The LIFX Z is expandable up to 10 meters and yep, each of the eight zones in each of those extensions is individually addressable. You can paint your whole doggone room in color. If you want even more color options than the Philips Hue light strip provides with the same quality and integrations, the LIFX Z smart light strip is a no brainer.
This $36 Sylvania Smart+ Light Strip starter kit nets you three two-foot LED strips (six feet in total) that you can adhere and mold into all kinds of shapes. With three individual strips, you can add some lighting to your favorite bookcase, create a cozy light feature for your kitchen cabinets, add some bias lighting to your television — the modular nature of this kit means you've got loads of possible arrangements.
The three strips are capable of producing more than 16 million colors and white color temperatures. If you've got a big lighting project on your hand, it's worth noting you can expand the basic six-foot lighting kit up to 20 feet by purchasing the Sylvania Smart+ expansion strips.
You will need a ZigBee hub to control this lighting kit (Amazon's $150 Echo Plus comes with a ZigBee hub built in) but once you've got a ZigBee hub, you'll be able to control your light strip with your voice using the Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa voice assistant. If you're looking for similar functionality to the Philip Hue light strip at a far more reasonable price, this light strip starter kit is perfect!
YEELIGHT's $30 6.5-foot light strip is quite a deal. With built-in Wi-Fi, you won't need a special hub to connect and control the YEELIGHT — you can use the free app or bark out commands via Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant.
The peel-and-stick, flexible design makes it easy to decorate your cabinets, entertainment center, desk, or television and this light strip provides a unique feature that you don't often see on Wi-Fi smart strips: a built-in button for toggling power and changing the color of the lights.
You may be wondering how YEELIGHT is able to sell a Wi-Fi connected light strip at such a low cost in comparison to the Philips Hue strip (I was, too!). It seems the one tradeoff you're going to get by going with the YEELIGHT strip is brightness. At a mere 180 lumens, the strip outputs a small fraction of light compared to other smart strips. If you're looking for a light strip that'll provide a reasonable amount of lighting (as opposed to ambience), you may want to go with a different strip. If you're just looking to paint your living room or under cabinet area with color, this is an inexpensive way to achieve the effect.
Do you have any of the smart light strips on the list? Do you love your Philips Hue light strip and would never betray its trust by buying any of the options I've listed here? Let me know! Give me a shout in the comments or over on Twitter!
Limited time offers.
Best Buy has launched a new one-day sale that includes a bunch of Apple's best hardware at up to $500 off. Whether you are in the market for a new MacBook, a Series 3 Apple Watch, or even the previous-generation 128GB iPad, there's something here worth buying. The 12-inch MacBook is $350 off right now, and the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro is currently $500 off.
If you want something a bit more portable, the 2017 iPad 9.7-inch is $100 off if you opt for the 128GB model. Sure, the newer model is already out, but if you don't need Apple Pencil support, this is a great way to save a few more bucks.
For your wrist, you can grab the Apple Watch Series 3 for as little as $280. This deal is also available at Costco, if you're a club member. All of these prices are good for today only, meaning that you don't have a ton of time to order the ones you want.
Back in 2015, I gave my view of how I’d revamp the MacBook line-up. Leaving aside the specific sizes, based on a then-rumor that never panned out, I suggested that it didn’t make sense to retain three categories.
It seemed to me untidy to have a range which ran MacBook Air then MacBook then MacBook Pro. Assuming the reports of this year’s MacBook Air are broadly correct, things could potentially get even messier this year.
Already, the smallest laptop sits in the middle of the price range, but the rumors say this year’s MacBook Air will have a Retina display and a ‘slim design.’ If the new MacBook Air gets slimmer, and it gets a Retina display, then why would anyone pay $1299 for a MacBook rather than $899 for a MacBook Air with a slightly bigger screen … ?
Here’s an interesting observation from Walt Mossberg: Apple News is promoting an ‘Apple News Exclusive’ today, complete with a special badge and top spot on the front page of the app.
The ‘News Editors’ Picks’ exclusive isn’t original reporting, however, but instead a book excerpt from Senator John McCain’s new book due out next month.
Using a password manager is a great way to make your online logins and forms easier and more secure. It organizes and deploys all of your login information from a central, secure location. So when you login somewhere, you can save time and worry in keeping your passwords strong and secure. Here at Cult of […]
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
Grab what you need.
Amazon has a huge selection of computer gear down to low prices for one day only. The sale features a variety of major brands like Toshiba, HyperX, Logitech, and more. Items include portable hard drives, new headsets, mechanical keyboards, and more.
Here's a few of the other items on sale:
The full sale has even more awesome stuff on sale.
Ming-Chi Kuo, arguably the most reliable Apple analyst out there who has been breaking major news about the Cupertino tech giant for years, has departed KGI Securities.... Read the rest of this post here
"Revered Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has departed KGI Securities" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com.
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In a disastrous turn of events, Apple may have lost up to half its market share in Greater China, analysts report. A combination of poor adoption of Apple’s latest generation of iPhone handsets and increased competition from domestic handset makers like Huawei and Oppo might have slashed Apple’s business in a market Tim Cook is […]
(via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
Mass production of Apple’s rumored 13-inch MacBook has been reportedly delayed to the second half of this year, supply chain sources told Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes.... Read the rest of this post here
"WWDC launch of Apple’s rumored 13″ MacBook unlikely amid production delay rumors" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com.
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