Year: 2016

Samsung confirms iPhone support for the new Gear S3 smartwatches

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

Samsung recently opened up a beta program to test its upcoming Gear Manager for iOS, and we know from before that the Gear S2 will work with the iPhone—but what about the just-announced Gear S3 Classic and Frontier? Will these new devices support Apple's smartphone, too? In a word, yes. SamMobile was able to confirm with a Samsung representative at today's press event that its latest and greatest smartwatches will also work with the iPhone.

Tweetbot creators invite you to beta-test Pastebot clipboard manager for the Mac

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

Tapbots, the makers of Tweetbot, the popular Twitter client for iOS and macOS, today released the first public beta of Pastebot for Mac. Fans of Tapbots' work will remember Pastebot for iPhone, which allowed you to copy and paste text between iOS devices and Macs.

I've used past tense because Pastebot for iOS is no more: the app was discontinued more than two years ago as developers reshuffled their roadmap. Well, Pastebot for Mac is the successor to the phased-out iOS app and you can now take it for a spin.

Want to get rid of ads on CBS All Access? That’ll be an extra $4 per month

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

CBS's over-the-top streaming services, All Access, is available on wide variety of platforms including the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and more. Subscriptions are priced at $5.99 per month, but now you can pay an extra $4 per month for a commercial-free experience, the broadcaster announced Wednesday.

Samsung pulls back the curtain on two new wearables: Gear S3 Classic and Frontier

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

It is no secret that the Gear S2 watches were far from perfect even though they were a step in the right direction for Samsung. Today, the South Korean company has expanded its smartwatch lineup with the introduction of a pair of new wearables—the Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier. More elegant and rugged than ever, the new Samsung watches have embedded GPS and cellular LTE connectivity.

Like the 2015 Gear S2, the new S3 range is based on the Tizen operating system that brings some updated software features to the mix. The Gear S3 Classic and Frontier will start shipping later this year.

Apple’s spun Turi into its machine learning division

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

After acquiring machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) startup Turi for a reported $200 million, Apple is now ramping up hiring for its new machine learning division and has spun Turi into that unit, according to job posts first discovered by MacRumors. Apple's new division should remain in Seattle, where Turi was originally based.

How to install a glowing Apple logo on iPhone 6s

Jim Gresham ∙ August 31, 2016

An iconic image, the glowing Apple logo adorns store locations and flagship MacBook devices. It is the quickest way to spot an Apple device in the wild. However, Apple refuses to provide the same iconic design on iPhones and iPads. To resolve this conundrum, that meant taking matters into my own hands.

For years, I wanted an iPhone with a glowing logo. All the way back to iPhone 4, it has been possible to mod your device with a small LED. However, with iPhone 6, @theunlockr is offering a simple all-in-one DIY kit, helping transform your device in about 30-60 minutes. Take a step inside to see my personal handy work and a great tutorial video to ease your nerves.

Instagram gains pinch-zoom on photos and videos, a new button to improve low-light shots

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

Instagram today announced that users of its free of charge iPhone app can now use the familiar pinch-zoom gesture to zoom in on photos—and videos—found in their feed and elsewhere in the app. I've long craved for this feature: in fact, I've been using iOS's system-wide Zoom feature to get a closer look at photos in the Instagram app that interest me. Just yesterday, Instagram pushed another update which brings out a new low-light button for its built-in camera.

Suppliers gearing up for production of iPhone 8’s curved-glass chassis

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

In 2017, the iPhone should undergo a top-to-bottom industrial design overhaul with a number of hardware improvements planned for the handset, such as a wraparound AMOLED display curved at both sides like that on Samsung's Note 7 and the Galaxy S6/S7 range, as well as an all-new glass enclosure.

According to a recent Chinese-language Commercial Times report cited by DigiTimes, Taiwanese suppliers are now ordering machinery for the production of curved glass chassis for next year's iPhone lineup. The glass casing should help differentiate the Tenth Anniversary iPhone, as the media affectionally calls the device, and give Apple fans more reasons to upgrade.

Samsung allegedly readying dual-camera Galaxy S8 with 4K screen for February 2017 unveiling

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

Samsung's Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, along with the recently launched Note 7, may not be enough to steal Apple's thunder as the Cupertino firm preps to unveil its next iPhone on September 7.

According to the rumors, a sophisticated dual-lens camera system is expected to give the iPhone 7 DSLR-like features with RAW camera capture, optical zoom, better lowlight photography and more.

With that in mind, little wonder that Samsung is now reportedly looking to update its flagship smartphone line with dual cameras of its own.

First hands-on demo of Siri’s app integration doesn’t disappoint

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 14, 2017

Capabilities of SiriKit, a new iOS 10 framework that lets third-party apps work with Siri, were on full display in the first hands-on demonstration given to Nathan Olivarez-Giles of the Wall Street Journal. In addition to extending Siri’s support for messaging, photo search and phone calls to more apps, SiriKit also adds support for new services, including ride booking and personal payments.

Nathan was pretty impressed with the usefulness of Siri's app integration on iOS 10, calling it a “long-overdue” enhancement that will make Apple's personal digital assistant “more useful in everyday life” than it's ever been.

iPhone 7 might ship with Lightning EarPods and 3.5mm headphone jack adapter

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

An image of another claimed spec sheet has surfaced on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo, indicating that the iPhone 7 could come with both a Lightning edition of Apple's wired EarPods and a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter in the box. As a result, the iPhone 7 should provide its owners with an appropriate solution for connecting their existing wired headphones to the handset right out of the box, without requiring them to purchase a standalone adapter.

This tweak lets you keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on when you toggle Airplane Mode

Anthony Bouchard ∙ August 31, 2016

With a new jailbreak tweak released by the name of Keep On Airplane Mode, you can now use the feature to toggle only your cellular radios off while keeping your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios active.