Apple

Apple will bring back UI navigation with Apple Pencil in the next iOS 9.3 beta

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2016

Well, that didn't take long. In response to concerns that it is taking features away from the iPad Pro's Pencil, Apple confirmed in a statement to The Verge that the next iOS 9.3 beta will reinstate the Pencil's ability to be used as a finger replacement for the user interface navigation.

“We will add this functionality back in the next beta of iOS 9.3,” said a company spokesperson. Earlier today, MacRumors discovered that the most recent beta of iOS 9.3 has removed the ability for iPad Pro customers to use the Pencil to navigate the entirety of the iOS user interface.

13 System Settings tricks every Mac owner should know

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 20, 2023

In this tutorial, you will learn about the most important System Settings (previously called System Preferences) shortcuts and see how to leverage them to make the most of this essential app on your Mac.

YouTube picks up native resolution support on iPad Pro

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2016

Google on Tuesday issued a small update to its YouTube client in the App Store, adding support for the iPad Pro's 12.9-inch 2,732-by-2,048 pixel resolution screen, bringing the app's version number to 11.0.6.

Unfortunately, advanced iPad-only features provided by iOS 9 are not yet supported in YouTube for iOS, namely the new Slide Over and Split View multitasking modes.

This edition of YouTube also fixed a bug that caused the keyboard to freeze while commenting and another one which caused the app to crash after adding a Google or YouTube account on iOS 7.

Elgato Eve Energy review: a HomeKit-enabled wireless sensor & switch

Andrew O'Hara ∙ February 23, 2016

Apple’s HomeKit has had a bit of a rocky start. The home automation platform that was meant to tie all of your smart home devices together was plagued by delays from Apple, as well as manufacturers. Devices started to hit the market in the middle of last year, and this year at CES, we saw many new options that are slowly starting to trickle out. Today, we are going to take a look at one of those devices, Eve Energy from Elgato. It is a simple solutions for those who want to start or grow their smart home, without breaking the bank.

iOS 9.3 beta 4 and OS X 10.11.4 El Capitan beta 4 now available for public beta-testing

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2016

A day after it has released a fourth beta of iOS 9.3 and a fourth beta of OS X 10.11.4 to its registered developers, Apple today has made both software updates available to users who are signed up for the Apple Beta Software Program.

Public beta builds of both iOS 9.3 beta 4 and OS X 10.11.4 beta 4 can be downloaded directly on devices that are enrolled in Apple's beta program through the Software Update mechanism.

It seems Apple might intentionally remove important functionality from its stylus

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2016

The most recent beta of iOS 9.3 has removed the important functionality for the Apple Pencil: the ability to use the stylus accessory as a finger replacement to select options and menus in apps, swipe between apps, tap on buttons and use the Pencil for general navigational purposes throughout iOS.

If Apple does not change its mind and re-add this functionality in a final version of iOS 9.3, people who rely on the Pencil to edit content on their iPad Pro will be forced to use their hand to select tools in apps like Pixelmator, for example, marking a major usability regression.

As first noted by MacRumors, the disturbing feature removal which limits the Pencil's functionality has enraged users who have grown accustomed to using the stylus for navigational purposes.

Skype is shutting down Qik

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 6, 2018

Microsoft has confirmed that it it will be shutting down Qik, its ephemeral mobile video messaging app which debuted on mobile in October of 2014. Marketed under the Skype brand, the app promised to make video conversations “more spontaneous and fun so you don’t have to wait until your next call to connect with your favorite people.”

Following a few updates, the app has introduced support for the iPhone 6/6s screen sizes and added some new languages and video effects, but not much in way of new features.

Apple TV universal search gains support for Watch ABC and 3 additional Disney channels

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2016

A newly updated Apple support document has indicated that owners of the fourth-generation Apple TV have just gained the ability to search videos across four new content sources, Watch ABC and three major Disney properties: Disney Channel, Disney Jr and Disney X.D.

Users who have one of these channel apps installed on their device can now take advantage of Siri and tvOS's universal search to have shows like “Modern Family” surfaced in their search results.

tvOS App Store gains ‘Not on This Apple TV’ listing in Purchased section

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2016

Apple has quietly issued a backend update to the tvOS App Store, adding a new 'Not on This Apple TV' option to the Purchased section, making it easier to spot apps that users previously purchased on their iPhone and iPad which have since been updated to support the fourth-generation Apple TV.

As mentioned, the new option should appear on users' fourth-generation Apple TV boxes without requiring a software update.

Apple to live-stream ‘The 1975’ concert on Beats 1 this Thursday

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 1, 2018

Apple on Monday announced that its Beats 1 radio station will be live-streaming a concert for the band The 1975 this week. The news comes via the official Twitter and Snapchat accounts for Apple Music, which had been teasing the event all day with posts of band lyrics and set photos.

The concert will take place on a rooftop in Los Angeles, on Thursday, February 25 at 9am (PST). The band is expected to play songs from their new album "I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, but it's unclear if the stream will be audio-only, or video.

Apple recruits cable TV PR veteran for Apple TV and iTunes content marketing role

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 24, 2016

Bernadette Simpao, previously working at AMC and Viacom in public relations capacity, is joining Apple to handle the company's PR efforts for content and apps related to the new Apple TV, as well as TV shows, movies, apps, books and podcasts that Apple carries on the iTunes Store's virtual shelves.

According to Variety, Simpao spent ten years at Viacom in various communication roles, including Senior Director of Communications for Viacom International Media Networks, before joining AMC.

IBM is bringing Apple’s Swift programming language to the cloud

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

Swift, Apple's new programming language for iOS and OS X development, was recently released to the community on an open-source basis and today computer giant IBM announced that it is bringing Swift to the cloud. As a result, people who write enterprise applications for the Mac, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad can now leverage the power of Apple's modern programming language in writing server-side apps in Swift which support IBM's cloud services.