Apple

Apple shows off Watch at Milan’s Salone Del Mobile Design Fair, with executives on hand

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 14, 2017

Apple is showing off the Apple Watch at the Salone Del Mobile Design fair in Milan, Italy, with SVP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, and industrial designer, Marc Newson, both on hand at the event.

The device is displayed in rows of glass-topped tables inside the Carlo e Camilla restaurant in Segheria. In addition to using literally the same tables found in its own retail stores, Apple's replicated the U.S. Apple Store try-on experience at the fair.

This despite the device not yet being available for pre-order in Italy. Thankfully, Italian blog Macitynet.it and French site iGen.fr have provided several photographs of Schiller and Newson showing off their device and posing for photographs.

Twitterrific hits Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2015

Twitterrific developer The Iconfactory last evening announced immediate availability of Twitterrific for Apple Watch.

The company's freemium Twitter client for the iPhone and iPad was refreshed on the App Store with all-new Apple Watch functionality in the form of Glances, Notifications and the recent activity view. Twitterrific's Glances put retweets, favorites and new followers you’ve received over the past 24 hours, in addition to the current unread tweet count, right on your wrist.

But don't you worry, you'll be able to fine-tune which Twitter notifications appear on your Watch so you don't get inundated with unwanted alerts. Interestingly enough, The Iconfactory has opted for an unusual route of by requiring you to upgrade to Twitterrific's push notifications via a one-time $1.99 In-App Purchase in order to unlock the full Apple Watch functionality.

Apple Pay reportedly launches in Canada in November, banks mulling secondary authentication

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2015

It appears that the rumor which asserted that talks about bringing Apple Pay to more countries were stalling isn't entirely accurate after all. As CNBC tweeted out on Friday, based on a Dow Jones report, Apple aims to launch Apple Pay in Canada this fall, marking the start of its international expansion of the mobile payment service.

Apparently, the Cupertino firm is in talks with the country's six biggest banks about a potential November launch for Apple Pay's first venture outside the U.S.

Bing for iPhone gains private mode, revamped Image search, app links in search results and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2015

Microsoft today refreshed Bing for iPhone, adding more than half a dozen useful new features and enhancements, beginning with the Private Search Mode which will not remember your search history and sites you have visited.

Other new features include better management of your search history settings, the ability to launch native iPhone applications right from the search results page, inline previews of clips in Video search and more.

Select Apple Stores now offering Watch workshops

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 17, 2015

In a bid to get new Watch customers up to speed and help them learn how to use their Apple wearable device, select brick-and-mortar stores are now offering a brand new workshop called 'Apple Watch Basics,' MacRumors discovered earlier today.

The program can be booked now and is showing up as a Concierge option on Apple's website, with first in-store workshops slated to begin on April 24. According to Apple's website, select stores both in the United States and in other countries are offering workshops as of today, including locations like Xidan Joy City in China.

Apple officially names Steve Dowling VP of Communications

Cody Lee ∙ April 16, 2015

Apple added Steve Dowling to its online Executive Profile page on Thursday, officially naming him Vice President of Communications. Dowling had been serving as interim public relations chief since October of last year, while Apple analyzed candidates for the permanent gig.

The position opened up last summer, when longtime PR chief Katie Cotton announced her retirement. Cotton was a polarizing figure in the tech world, and well known for her aggressive protection of Apple and tight control over information during her nearly 20-year tenure.

Apple expands CarPlay to 5 new countries

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple on Thursday announced that it has expanded CarPlay availability to 5 new countries, including Russia, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. This brings the total amount of CarPlay countries to 25.

Folks in these countries now have the ability to use Apple's hands-free display-streaming feature with compatible vehicle models and head units, as long as they have an iPhone 5 or newer, running iOS 7.1 or later firmware.

Former iOS chief Scott Forstall is an advisor for Snapchat

Cody Lee ∙ April 16, 2015

Those wondering what former iOS chief Scott Forstall has been up to since leaving Apple in 2013 may be interested to know that he has been helping out Snapchat. According to leaked emails from Snapchat board member Michael Lynton, Forstall has been a paid advisor for the messaging startup since January 2014.

In fact, he's very well paid. Lynton's email indicates that Snapchat set aside .11% of fully-diluted stock for the ex-Apple exec, with options vesting over 24 months. And given that the company was recently valued at $15 billion, that would make Forstall's stake worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $16.5 million.

Grab Pursuit of Light, Apple’s new Free App of the Week on the App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 16, 2015

It's Thursday and you know what that means, no? That's right, another previously paid app has gone free for a week as part of Apple's ongoing Free App of the Week promotion.

This time around, it's Pursuit of Light, a cool action adventure game set in a mystery world created by developer Lemon Jam Studio and released by publisher Zhipeng Wang.

Regularly a 99-cent download, Pursuit of Light features intuitive touch controls, eighty challenging dreams, beautiful music and design, Game Center support and other perks. The game has you playing as a little girl who strives desperately to find the light and get out of the endless dream she's found herself in.

LAUSD asking Apple for multimillion-dollar refund for failed iPad program

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) told Apple on Wednesday that it will not spend another dollar on the Pearson software installed on its iPads, reports local public radio station KPCC. Additionally, the school district is seeking a multimillion-dollar refund from the Cupertino giant for its failed technology initiative to put a tablet in the hands of each of its 650,000 students.

Apple seeds OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 beta 1 to developers

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 16, 2015

Thursday, Apple seeded the first beta of the upcoming OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 software update to its Mac developers, as first reported by MacRumors. Registered Mac developers can grab the installer manually through Apple's portal for developers, or automatically, using the OS X Software Update Seed Configuration Utility.

We'll be reporting on any interesting new features, changes and enhancements in OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 beta 1 as we encounter them.

Tim Cook makes TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Tim Cook added to his long list of accolades on Thursday, by making TIME's annual '100 Most Influential People' list. The Apple CEO joins other pioneers, leaders and cultural icons such as rap artist Kanye West, Pope Francis, and Xiaomi founder Lei Jun.

Civil rights leader and Georgia Congressman John Lewis calls Cook a 'courageous innovator' in his TIME piece on the executive, praising him for both the work he has done at Apple, and his unwavering commitment to the fight for equality and human rights.