Apple

This new service basically offers ‘the command line for the real world’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 26, 2016

A brand new Y Combinator-backed startup, Prompt, has introduced a really cool service which it likens to “the command line for the real world.” Available via SMS, through Slack's chat bot and on the web, Prompt lets you send simple text commands to access a myriad of online services, make purchases and control Internet of Things devices such as Nest's intelligent thermostats and smoke detectors, WeMo switches, Hue bulbs, Rachio sprinklers and more.

This Apple Watch app buzzes your wrist if you’re about to leave your iPhone behind

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 8, 2016

The Apple Watch has a nifty built-in feature that lets you ping your misplaced iPhone over Bluetooth, but wouldn't it be nice if the watch could automatically notify you when you're about to leave without an iPhone in your pocket?

A new free of charge app, Lookout, solves that problem in one fell swoop. It keeps not only your iPhone, but your iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch safe and secure and protects your devices from data loss, theft and more.

Rumor: Apple planning massive 5.8-inch iPhone model with AMOLED display

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 8, 2016

Citing Taiwan-based Apple supply chain makers, Taiwanese publication DigiTimes wrote in a pre-publication note yesterday that Apple is planning a huge iPhone model with a 5.8-inch screen based on the superior AMOLED display technology.

Apple is reportedly rumored to “have plans to launch a 5.8-inch iPhone featuring rigid AMOLED display panels in 2018 or even earlier in 2017,” reads the note. Currently, Apple's iPhone 6/6s series is offered in two screen sizes—4.7 and 5.5 inches—while the older iPhone 5s and the upcoming 'iPhone SE' address the market segment for four-inch smartphones.

Ahead of the big tournament, March Madness Apple TV app gains split-screen functionality

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 8, 2016

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced that fans will be able to enjoy the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship tournament action across more places than ever before.

The official NCAA March Madness Live app now supports a dozen platforms such as the Apple TV, the Apple Watch, Amazon's Fire TV devices, Android tablets and smartphones, Windows devices, Roku players and more.

The Apple TV app promises a redesigned GameCenter experience, support for wireless streaming from a mobile device via Google Cast or AirPlay, enhanced VoD capabilities and an updated Bracket Challenge Game for further access to tournament content.

In addition, the app offers an exclusive Apple TV feature which permits fans to enjoy two live games at once with the split-screen feature.

ExxonMobil implements Apple Pay support within its Speedpass+ app

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 8, 2016

Oil giant ExxonMobil is rolling out support for Apple Pay to 6,000 gas stations within its Speedpass+ app for the iPhone and iPad. The in-app feature lets customers pay for fuel at the pump with their iPhone by selecting Apple Pay as a payment option. Availability will reach more than 8,000 Exxon- and Mobil-branded stores by mid-year, said the company.

Apple Maps adds 23 new Flyover locations

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 8, 2016

Apple continues to expand availability of the Flyover feature in its mapping service with today's backend update having enabled a total of 23 new landmark locations all over the world where three-dimensional Flyover view is available.

Select new cities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Taiwan have gained support for Flyover, such as Spain's A Coruña, Australia's Newcastle, England's Nottingham and more.

My 5 favorite accessories to use with my MacBook Pro

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 8, 2016

Whenever I'm using my MacBook Pro, there are a number of third-party accessories I like to use to glorify my user experience based on what I may be using it for. In this piece, I'll share with you my five favorite accessories that I use with my 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display regularly.

Apple approves f.lux-like app ‘FlexBright’ [u]

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 10, 2023

Apple has approved a new app called FlexBright, which allows you to manually adjust the display temperature of your iPhone or iPad. That makes this one of the first third-party apps to make it into the App Store that provides a feature similar to iOS 9.3's Night Shift mode.

It's interesting that Apple would green-light a title like FlexBright, given its history. For those who aren't familiar with the story, last fall the iPhone-maker asked the developers of f.lux—a long-running app with similar functionality to FlexBright—to shutdown their iOS work.

Update: the app has been pulled from the App Store. The developer mentioned on Twitter that Apple hasn't provided any reason for removing the app.

How to start up your Mac in Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test mode

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2024

Apple gives you a number of options if you need to troubleshoot software and hardware issues that might be plaguing your Mac. If you cannot determine the root cause of your problem by isolating issues in macOS, your first port of call should be macOS' built-in recovery tools.

But that may not be necessarily enough and Recovery Mode may be unable to help you get your Mac back to working order.

As the last option, you can boot your Mac in a hardware diagnostics mode, which on newer Macs is called Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test on older models. In this tutorial, we'll show you how to enter Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test mode to identify the potential source of a hardware issue.

Apple seeds beta 6 of iOS 9.3 and watchOS 2.2

Cody Lee ∙ March 7, 2016

Apple on Monday released iOS 9.3 beta 6 to developers and public testers. The update is available in both Apple's dev center and public testing portal, as well as via an over-the-air update for folks running the previous beta.

Today’s seed comes less than a week week after the previous beta 5, which brought about various changes and improvements to Night Shift mode, and some two months after the original 9.3 beta was pushed to developers.

Apple will pay $450 million fine in e-book case as Supreme Court declines to hear appeal

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 7, 2016

Apple's legal battle with the United States government over alleged price fixing in an e-book antitrust case has now come to an end after nearly three years.

As the United States Supreme Court has declined to hear Apple's appeal, the iPhone maker will have to pay a $450 million fine to settle its long-standing federal court case with class action lawyers and state district attorneys.

Bloomberg reported Monday that the justices turned away Apple's appeal without comment. Apple has been found to have conspired with major book publishers and orchestrated a scheme to raise prices of electronic books on the iBooks Store.

Is Apple prepping to refresh Thunderbolt Display?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 22, 2016

Apple hasn't refreshed the beautiful Thunderbolt Display since its July 2011 debut. That could change soon, however, as shipping times for the Thunderbolt Display have risen sharply across its European stores.

As first noted by German blog Macerkopf.de, customers in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, the United Kingdom and other major markets in Europe are now faced with an eight-day delay when ordering a Thunderbolt Display.