Apple

Poll: will you continue using Apple Music past the trial period?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

Apple Music has been available for a little more than a month now and the service already has dozens, if not hundreds of problems to complain about which have earned it mixed reviews from the press.

Apple Music's biggest advantage, its tight integration with the rest of the Apple ecosystem, is being erased for some amid a flurry of issues, ranging from disappearing music, issues with DRM, user interface inconsistencies and poor implementation in iTunes, to mention just a few.

You've heard the horror stories and have hopefully played long enough with Apple Music in order to make an informed decision as to whether or not you'll continue using it once the free three-month trial expires.

Apple posts an update improving FaceTime camera compatibility on Windows for Boot Camp users

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 29, 2015

If you use Apple's Boot Camp software to run Windows and OS X in a dual-boot configuration, you're advised to install the company's new driver update for the FaceTime camera on 2015 MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models.

The FaceTime Camera Driver Update, a manual download from Apple's website, improves FaceTime camera compatibility with Windows. This update is recommended for all Boot Camp users.

Breakthrough could bring 1,000 times faster flash storage with much longer lifespan to iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

Chip makers Intel and Micron today announced a major breakthrough in memory process technology which promises to increase the performance of NAND flash chips by a factor of 1,000.

The name of this game-changing technology is 3D Xpoint, pronounced as “crosspoint”. Not only does it enable 1,000 times faster performance, but has up to 1,000X greater endurance than NAND flash and is 10X denser than conventional memory.

By comparison, today's solid state drives typically offer between a hundred to up to a thousand times faster seek times versus traditional hard drive technology. Just don't count on Intel's new ultra-fast flash storage appearing in the next iPhone because a claimed logic board for an 'iPhone 6s' shows 19-nanometer flash memory chips by Toshiba.

How to hide Apple Music on your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 1, 2017

Now that you've tried Apple Music thanks to Apple's generous three-month free trial, you may have decided that the service just isn't cut for you.

Though impossible to get rid of it completely, you can temporarily hide most of Apple Music's aspects.

Our previous tutorial has taught you how to disconnect from Apple Music's Connect feature and today's how-to lays out the steps to hide Apple Music on your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac and go back to the old way of enjoying music.

Yahoo reportedly readying a new messaging app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 1, 2018

According to Re/code journalist and technology columnist Kara Swisher, the Internet's pioneering company, Yahoo, will announce a brand new mobile messaging app at a forthcoming media event.

The press conference is apparently scheduled for later this week, but the company has yet to formally announce it.

“It's likely a messaging app,“ Swisher wrote on Twitter this morning. Yahoo's press event should be held in New York City and serve as a launchpad for new consumer products focused on mobile.

Motorola takes on Apple’s iPhone with a trio of new Moto handsets

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 3, 2016

At a press event earlier this morning, handset maker Motorola unveiled a pair of new would-be iPhone killers, the larger-screened Moto X Style and the Moto X Play.

Additionally, the firm has refreshed its budget-minded Moto G handset, which now has a waterproof shell.

The 5.5-inch Moto X Style looks to one-up the latest iPhones with better hardware and will expectedly take on Apple's upcoming 'iPhone 6s' and 'iPhone 6s Plus' refreshes, which are expected to launch this fall.

The 5.5-inch Play, on the other hand, was designed to match most of the iPhone 6 Plus's innards. Both the Style and the Play blow iPhones out of the water with more advanced imaging features.

T-Mobile will let those who buy an iPhone 6 this summer upgrade to upcoming ‘iPhone 6s’ for free

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2015

Did you purchase your current iPhone 6 for $15 per month through T-Mobile's JUMP! On Demand trade-in program? If so, you'll be automatically eligible for a free upgrade to Apple's 'iPhone 6s'—or whatever it will be called when it's released this fall.

In addition to permitting its Simple Choice customers to listen to their favorite songs on Apple Music without taking a byte of their monthly 4G LTE data, carrier T-Mobile today announced that iPhone customers participating in said upgrade plan will be able to get their hands on Apple's next-gen handset without paying anything to upgrade or increasing their monthly JUMP! On Demand payment.

T-Mobile adds Apple Music to Music Freedom

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2015

T-Mobile has added Apple Music to the list of supported streaming services for Music Freedom, an initiative which allows subscribers to stream their favorite songs through services like Spotify, Pandora, Rdio and more, over T-Mobile's cellular network and without burning their 4G LTE data.

Hailed as T-Mobile's “last Un-Carrier Amped move of the summer,” Simple Choice customers can now enjoy Apple's streaming music service without worrying about Apple Music cellular data usage counting against their monthly 4G LTE allowance.

Motorola’s new wireless headphones come with an iOS app and Find My iPhone-like functionality

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 30, 2016

Motorola held 'A Better Mobile Relationship' press event this morning to announce some new hardware, including the third-generation Moto G handset, a second Moto X called the Moto X Play and its brand new flagship, the Moto X Style.

In addition to the new smartphones, the handset maker has released a pair of new wireless headphones: the $59.99 Moto pulse on-ear headphones and the $69.99 Moto surround in-ear earbuds.

Both are Bluetooth 4.1-compatible and use Motorola' companion iOS app called Motorola Connect for battery management, easy pairing, Find My iPhone-like functionality and other perks.

Apple Music reportedly signed up more than 10 million subscribers in its first month

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2015

A new report Tuesday by Hits Daily Double alleges that Apple's new streaming-music services has signed up more than ten million customers in its first four weeks. Citing “inside sources at some of the major labels,” the streaming statistics was reportedly shared with content owners by Apple itself.

Apple Music is free during its first three months, after which iTunes will charge customers' credit card on file $9.99 per month to continue using the service, or $14.99 for a family of six.

HSBC and First Direct customers in the UK can now use Apple Pay

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2015

Two weeks after Apple Pay launched in the United Kingdom, HSBC and First Direct customers can now use the service. Both banks were originally supposed to support Apple Pay at launch, and were even mentioned in Apple's support document listing participating banks, but were delayed due to “some issues” until late July.

Apple Pay in the UK imposes a £20 transaction limit as a security measure due to outdated POS terminals. Apple said the £20 limit will increase to £30 in September. The cap will go away once retailers roll out more modern contactless payment terminals.

Apple seeds OS X El Capitan beta 5 to developers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple on Monday released the fifth OS X El Capitan beta to developers. The new build is available to registered developers via the Updates section of the Mac App Store or through Apple’s Developer Center.

Today’s update comes less than a week after Apple pushed out the fourth beta of OS X El Capitan, and nearly two months after its initial release in early June during Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference.