Apple

Amazon new hands-free camera judges your outfit in comparison with others

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 26, 2017

Online retail giant Amazon today introed a hands-free camera which has been specifically designed to judge your wardrobe choices in comparison with others. Dubbed Echo Look, it features built-in LED lighting, depth sensing, machine learning and Alexa-driven voice features.

Working in conjunction with the free mobile app for iOS and Android, it lets you snap a photo or shoot a short video of your outfit with a simple voice command. Data from the onboard depth-sensing sensor lets the device blur out your background to focus on your wardrobe.

New iPhone 8 schematic hints at wireless charging, vertically stacked cameras & no rear Touch ID

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 26, 2017

Multiple sources, including KK Leaks, OnLeaks and Benjamin Geskin, have tweeted out this claimed iPhone 8 schematic obtained from an unknown source. The alleged technical drawing may help cast light on some of the more prominently rumored features of the OLED-based device, namely wireless charging, a vertically aligned dual-lens camera on the back and—thankfully—no rear Touch ID. We cannot vouch for the legitimacy of the leaked diagram so you're advised to approach this report with some skepticism.

Chinese ride-hailing service Didi to receive $5B in funding for automated driving expansion

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 26, 2017

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing is near an agreement to raise $5 billion to $6 billion for automated driving expansion, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. The financing round will lift Didi’s valuation to a cool $50 billion, up from a previous $34 billion after its acquisition of Uber’s China business. It would make the Beijing-based company the country's top startup by market valuation, even surpassing handset maker Xiaomi, and the most valuable startup in the world after Uber.

These renders conceptualize all-glass iPhone 8 with stainless steel frame

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 26, 2017

Last year, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo speculated that nearly a dozen iPhone prototypes Apple's been testing in its labs probably include an iPhone 8 prototype with iPhone 4/4s-like design using chemically hardened curved glass on both its front and back.

To give you a visual idea of what an all-glass iPhone might look and possibly feel like, we're showcasing conceptual renderings created by artist Steel Drake. His work is a great attempt at visualizing a future OLED-based iPhone with the glass sandwich design held together by the stainless steel edges.

Just like Apple Maps, Google Maps now remembers where you parked your car

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 28, 2023

Google today announced a useful new parking-reminder feature on Google Maps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Like Apple's implementation, Google Maps does not require you to manually save the location of your parked vehicle thanks to the automatic parking detection which requires that your iPhone be connected to your car using USB audio or Bluetooth.

Apple announces that Final Cut Pro X now has two million users

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 26, 2017

Apple announced at this week’s annual National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference that its Final Cut Pro X video-editing software for Mac has now reached two million users, or “seats“. Five years ago, the Cupertino company launched a major redesign of the app which temporarily killed many advanced features.

Needless to say, the move irked Apple's pro users some of whom have since switched to Adobe Premiere and other rival apps. Thankfully, Apple has since added back a lot of the missing features via free updates.

Instagram passes 700 million users

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 26, 2017

Photo-sharing service Instagram announced Wednesday that its mobile app for iOS and Android has passed 700 million users. Instagram hit the 600 million users milestone in December 2016, meaning the Facebook-owned company has managed to attract a hundred million new users to its platform in less than five months.

Apple postpones its Carpool Karaoke spinoff until later this year

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 25, 2017

“Carpool Karaoke”, Apple's first original series based on the popular segment of “The Late Late Show” with James Corden, has been officially delayed until later this year, Reuters was able to confirm Tuesday. The show was supposed to make its debut on Apple Music this month and Apple has even created a star-laden trailer for it ahead of launch.

According to Reuters' sources, a premiere party for the series was originally scheduled for March in Los Angeles, but got postponed without explanation days before it was to take place.

Apple hires former NASA veterans for augmented reality and self-driving software testing

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

Apple has hired several expets from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), including three engineers who worked at the space organization's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They, along with other engineers, have been tasked with working on Apple's rumored augmented reality projects and self-driving software initiatives.

According to the latest articles from Bloomberg, Dow Jones Newswire and Business Insider, a rare bureaucratic mistake has revealed Apple’s secret team of NASA veterans and experts holding PhDs in robotics and other related fields. They were apparently recruited for Project Titan, Apple's self-driving car project, and augmented reality, another not-so-secret Apple initiative.

“Today at Apple” educational sessions coming to Apple Stores in May

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 25, 2017

Apple announced Tuesday that dozens of new educational sessions will be launching next month across the 495 retail outlets the company operates in the United States and around the world.

These hands-on sessions, collectively called “Today at Apple,” have been offered at Apple's flagship Union Square store in San Francisco since last year, with topics ranging from photo/video to music, coding, art, design and more. Apple says these sessions cater to all skill levels/ages and include how-to lessons, professional-level courses and more.

Dutch court rules Apple cannot replace broken iOS gadgets with refurbished or remanufactured ones

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 25, 2017

A judge in the Subdistrict Court of Amsterdam has ruled that Apple cannot replace broken iPhone, iPad or iPod touch devices with refurbished or remanufactured units, Dutch outlet Tweakers reported Tuesday. That ruling arrived after a similar decision in December 2016 forced the Cupertino giant to replace a Danish man’s broken iPhone with a new unit rather than a refurbished model that he was entitled to in accordance with local law.

Super Mario Run gains Game Center achievements, new buildings & other perks

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

Nintendo just issued a second major update to Super Mario Run for iPhone following the game's App Store inception in December 2016. Version 2.1 includes several enhancements and perks, such as official support for Game Center achievements (finally!), the ability to use your bespoke Miitomo character as your in-game player icon, new buildings including the 8-bit Bowser Statue, Bullet Bill Statue and Bob-omb Statue, plus additional changes and improvements.