Apple

First HomeKit certified chips now shipping to smart home device makers

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 4, 2014

Although Apple hasn't officially launched its HomeKit yet (they're still finalizing the protocol), first certified chips that run a beat version of the upcoming HomeKit firmware have begun shipping to smart home device vendors such as makers of connected climate controls, lighting, security cameras and door locks, Forbes reported Tuesday.

The iPhone maker requires that accessory makers use officially certified Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips from Apple-approved chipmakers Texas Instruments, Marvell and Broadcom, which have now started shipping HomeKit chips to device vendors. By all accounts, there shouldn't be too long a wait until first HomeKit-certified smart home devices arrive.

Apple seeds first iOS 8.1.1 beta to developers

Cody Lee ∙ November 3, 2014

Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 8.1.1 this evening, with build number 12B432. The release comes just a few hours after Apple pushed out the first beta of OS X Yosemite 10.10.1, and roughly two weeks after it officially launched iOS 8.1 to the public.

Folks who are jailbroken may want to hold off from updating, until it's clear that this won't hamper the Pangu Untether in anyway. Otherwise, feel free to check it out, although you'll likely disappointed—we're not expecting much more than bug fixes here.

Apple rumored to drop iPad mini development to focus on larger ‘iPad Pro’

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple is dropping iPad mini development in order to focus its efforts on the so-called 'iPad Pro,' according to a sketchy new report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News this evening. The site claims that this year's iPad mini 3 model will be the last for the 7.9-inch tablet line.

Such a move wouldn't be surprising, as Apple gave little attention to the smaller iPad at last month's event. It's believed that the mini is far less popular than its larger sibling in terms of sales, and due to production costs and pricing, it provides much smaller profit margins.

Apple seeds first OS X 10.10.1 Yosemite beta to developers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple has seeded the first beta of OS X 10.10.1 Yosemite this evening. The update, labeled build 14B17, is available through the Update tab in the Mac App Store and the Mac Dev Center for all registered developers.

Today's release comes nearly three weeks after Apple officially launched OS X Yosemite to the public, which brought about a number of improvements, including a redesigned UI, text message forwarding and more.

Christian Bale withdraws from Steve Jobs biopic deciding he wasn’t ‘right for the part’

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 3, 2014

Following the confirmation that he was going to play Steve Jobs in an upcoming Sony movie about Apple's legendary co-founder, actor Christian Bale has reportedly changed his mind and pulled out of the upcoming project deciding he was “not right for the part,” according to a report Monday by The Hollywood Reporter.

This marks another high-profile actor who decided against portraying Apple's mercurial co-founder after Leonardo DiCaprio earlier this year passed on the Steve Jobs role after weeks of discussions with the producers.

The unexpected development arrives less than two weeks after screenwriter Aaron Sorkin told Bloomberg Television’s Emily Chang in no ambiguous terms that the British actor, 40 years old, was picked as “the best actor on the board in a certain age range,” Sorkin said.

Native Google Calendar app with Material Design coming to iPhone soon

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 3, 2014

Fantastical, Sunrise, Readdle, Tempo... You can safely add Google to your list of stock calendar replacements on iOS as the search giant confirmed today bringing the native Google Calendar experience to the iPhone and iPad soon, though without providing a timeframe for availability.

Google currently does not have a Calendar app in the App Store, but that's going to change soon as it's now started rolling out a brand new Calendar experience to first Android 5.0 Lollipop devices.

“Yes, we’re also working on a version for iPhone,” the Gmail team said in a blog post Monday announcing the new Google Calendar for Android 5.0 with Material Design.

Your iPhone becomes virtual room key in select Starwood hotels beginning Wednesday

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 17, 2019

Following an extensive pilot program of a new SPG Keyless service at select Manhattan and Silicon Valley locations since January 2014, Starwood Hotels & Resorts has now begun rolling out virtual room keys that do away with key cards altogether to let guests enter their rooms using smartphones.

Beginning this Wednesday, ten Starwood properties around the world under the Starwood's Aloft, Element and W brands will allow guests to walk past the check-in desk and enter their rooms by using an iPhone as a room key.

This includes hotels in Beijing, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles and Doha, the company said in a media release Monday. The service is set to become available on 30,000 doors in 150 hotels around the globe by early 2015.

Microsoft starts signing up early adopters for Skype Translator early preview

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 3, 2014

Windows giant Microsoft, which owns the popular VoIP platform Skype, on Monday announced it's started taking sign-ups for an early preview of Skype Translator, an awesome real-time voice translation feature coming to Skype that was shown off at Recode’s Code Conference back in May 2014.

The Redmond headquartered software giant said that it's started accepting submissions for a Skype Translator Early Preview, which will be released later this year, via a sign-up page.

Apple Pay goes live for U.S. Bank, Navy Federal, PNC, Barclaycard and M&T customers

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 3, 2014

Apple's press release announcing Apple Pay said the mobile payments service would later come to Barclaycard, Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC Bank, USAA and U.S. Bank. Monday, U.S. Bank confirmed in a media release that customers can now start using Apple Pay, followed by a similar press release from Navy Federal and multiple reports from readers confirming Apple Pay working for PNC, Barclaycard and M&T customers.

The iPhone maker's support document outlining supported Apple Pay cards and banks had not been updated at post time with new information.

Southwest Airlines brings free Beats Music streaming to in-flight entertainment service

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 3, 2014

Southwest Airlines on Monday announced an interesting partnership with Apple bringing Beats Music streaming music app to its in-flight entertainment service.

The subscription on-demand streaming music service, which Apple acquired as part of its $3 billion Beats buy in May of this year, is offered for free.

Beginning today, Beats Music is available onboard select Southwest Airlines WiFi-enabled aircraft featuring a library of hundreds of human-curated playlists.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Companion app hits iOS ahead of tomorrow’s console release

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

The official mobile companion app of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare has been released in the App Store on Monday ahead of the game's global release on consoles tomorrow, November 4.

Featuring Clan Wars, emblem editor and more, the companion app makes it easy to create and manage your clan, produce in-game player and clan emblems on mobile for the first time ever that sync with the console game and even participate in Clan Wars on your iPhone and iPad.

The app is available free of charge in the App Store.