Apple patents hybrid wireless/wired earbuds for iPhone that are magnetically detachable

The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) on Tuesday awarded Apple a patent for magnetically detachable earbuds for an iPhone that could work in both wired and wireless mode. The invention is of particular interest in light of the rumor that the next iPhone will ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of Lightning-enabled and wireless Bluetooth headphones.

The proposed device would use two cables, one to connect the headphones together in wireless mode (like the connecting cable found on the Beats Solo2 wireless headphones) and the other to connect the headphones to a host device in wired mode.

Sony confirms remote play feature for PlayStation 4 games coming to the Mac soon

Sony today confirmed in a blog post that it's working on a Mac and Windows app with remote play functionality for PlayStation 4 games.

“We’re bringing PS4 Remote Play to Windows PC and Mac,” said the Japanese gaming giant. “This feature won’t be available to test in the beta, but you can look forward to it soon.”

Remote play via Mac and Windows will require the forthcoming PlayStation system software update version 3.50, codenamed “Musashi,” which is now available to those who have signed up for the beta and were selected.

Let’s Talk iOS 124: Downgrading the iPad

Episode 124: It is impossible not to talk about the upcoming event Apple is rumored to be holding in March where it may unveil a new iPad, as well as a new iPhone. Before talking about a more serious topic like the ongoing battle between Apple and the FBI, Cody and Sebastien discuss their favorite Apple Watch bands. Finally, the discussion drifts to our favorite mail clients for both iOS and Mac.

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LMcable: a 2-in-1 Lightning and Micro USB connector

Lovers of technology who own both iOS and Android devices are forced to use two different cables for charging their batteries – a Lightning cable and a Micro-USB cable.

The discrepancy in charging cable type can be a pain for people who don't want to carry around more than one cable with them, and that's why a new Kickstarter campaign for a product called LMcable is trying to make its way onto the market to make charging easier for everyone.

New York judge rules in favor of Apple in separate iPhone unlock case

A Brooklyn judge has ruled in favor of Apple in a New York iPhone case, reports TechCrunch. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein of the US District Court has denied a U.S. government request to compel Apple to unlock an iPhone that has been deemed evidence in a drug case.

This is a separate case from the one going on in California involving an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardinho shooters, that has garnered so much attention in recent weeks. But the circumstances are similar enough that the judge's ruling is sure to help Apple in its FBI battle.

Upcoming 9.7-inch iPad Pro may feature 12MP camera

The upcoming 9.7-inch iPad Pro will likely feature a 12-megapixel rear camera, reports 9to5Mac. The site claims that prototypes of the rumored tablet being used inside Apple have a rear camera comparable to the sensor in the iPhone 6s.

This would mark an improvement over the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which debuted in November with an 8MP camera. The reasoning behind the move is the smaller iPad is more portable, thus more folks will likely use it to take photos.

Dual-lens iPhone 7 to be called iPhone 7 Pro?

My Drivers, a Chinese website that covers IT industry, is reporting today that Apple's next smartphone refresh will come with a tweaked naming scheme. A high-end iPhone 7 Plus model with dual cameras will be reportedly getting a 'Pro' moniker in order to better distinguish itself from the regular iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models.

Apple's product naming scheme is currently all over the place.

The upcoming four-inch iPhone, for example, is said to be marketed as 'iPhone SE,' marking the first iPhone upgrade without a number in its name. And, of course, we now have the iPad Pro, in addition to the iPad Air and iPad mini lineups.

Purported iPhone 7 frame has leaked, but it’s 5.2 inches and has a hole for the headphone jack

A batch of images have been leaked on the web by an Apple supplier, potentially giving us a look at a purported chassis for Apple's upcoming iPhone 7.

Published by French blog NowhereElse.fr, which does due diligence before posting part leaks, the photos show what looks like a Unibody frame handled by a factory worker, resembling Apple's design style for the iPhone 6/6s series.

Reality checks, however, lead us to the conclusion that this likely is not a genuine iPhone 7 part, but a frame belonging to another handset.

Extensify soft launches, lets you install ‘tweaks’ without a jailbreak

Last August, we showed you a really cool project known as Extensify, which is a third-party extension store that allows you to install 'tweaks' for App Store apps on your device without a jailbreak.

Created by iOS developers Majd Alfhaily and Kevin Ko, who are both well-known in the jailbreak community, this extension store works on iOS 9 devices and is side-loaded through Safari.

As of Monday, you can now apply to be a part of the app's soft-launch program via the Extensify website.

How to restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup in Recovery Mode

Suppose a software update or an app you installed has corrupted system files and as a result your Mac refuses to start up properly, what do you do?

Those who have planned ahead and created a bootable USB install disk for El Capitan can do a clean install of macOS, and then restore their Mac from the most recent Time Machine backup.

But there's a better way to deal with such situations. In this tutorial, we'll educate you on booting into macOS' Recovery Mode and using the built-in recovery tools to restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup.