Apple

Get Ghostbusters 1 and 2, and other movie bundles for just $9.99 right now

Great news movie fans! iTunes is offering up some excellent deals on a number of movie bundles for a limited time. You can score Ghostbusters 1 and 2, Bad Boys 1 and 2, and several other bundles for $9.99—a nice savings of $16 and $6, respectively.

While the iTunes Store has a permanent Movie Bundles section that offers film packages at cheaper-than-full-retail prices, these particular double features have been further discounted—some by more than $20. We have a full list of the bundles below.

Apple said to be planning October 24 launch for new iPads

Apple is planning to launch its new iPads on October 24, according to a new report from MacRumors. Citing a reliable source, the outlet claims that the new tablets expected to be unveiled on Thursday will become available for purchase on Friday of the following week.

The source told the site that Apple was shipping "mass quantities" of a new product to the United States, in preparation for the October 24 launch, although they did not specifically say iPads. That being said, given timing and context, the product is almost certainly tablets. 

Macworld/iWorld 2015 canceled, event on indefinite hiatus

Bad news for the Apple community on Tuesday, as news broke that the 2015 Macworld/iWorld Expo has been canceled, and the trade show is going on an indefinite hiatus. IDG made the announcement this morning, thanking the community for "30 amazing years."

The group didn't offer up any explanation for its decision to cancel the event, but it's not hard to guess what happened. Attendance at the annual convention has been on the decline since 2009, when Apple decided to quit attending and host its own media events.

Experience Instagram in a whole new way with Grids for Mac

There's no shortage of unofficial Instagram clients for the Mac, even if the vast majority of them offer limited functionality and clunky user interfaces. Enter Grids by ThinkTime Creations, a beautiful new way to experience Instagram on your Mac with its adaptive grid-based interface, deep interactions and a number of other compelling features.

The $1.99 app, which launched earlier today, offers full Retina display support, native full-screen mode, notifications for new feeds, the ability to interact with your followers, their Instagram snaps and videos and much more.

Borderlands: The Pre Sequel launches on Mac alongside console and PC release

Aspyr Media, the games publisher specializing in porting top AAA games to the Mac, on Tuesday announced immediate release of Borderlands: The Pre Sequel, the latest installment in the popular Borderlands franchise by 2K and Gearbox Software.

Combining aspects of shooters and role-playing games, the game has you floating through the air while taking enemies down from above using new ice and laser weapons, exploring the lunar landscape with new vehicles allowing for more levels of destructive mayhem while gradually unfolding the story behind Borderlands 2 villain, Handsome Jack and his rise to power.

Microsoft launches Skype Qik, its own ephemeral video messaging app

Tuesday, software giant Microsoft launched a brand new ephemeral messaging app, Skype Qik, in a bid to take on the likes of Snapchat and other applications in the increasingly crowded ephemeral messaging space.

“Imagine if you could reinvent the Skype experience, taking into account how messaging, selfies and app culture have changed the way we communicate,” reads the blurb.

The free of charge iPhone app is based on Microsoft's $100 million acquisition of the mobile video provider Qik three years ago. Microsoft retired the original Qik app soon after, clearing the way for a re-introduction of the reimagined Qik software for iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

As the name suggests, Skype Qik is being promoted through the Skype brand, itself owned by Microsoft. Matter of fact, Qik runs alongside Skype to provide an ongoing form of video chat allowing you to share laughs, and chat with groups of friends.

Apple to add after-sales service for Beats headphones and speakers

Apple mays start providing after-sales service for Beats headphones and speakers soon, according to a report from Greek technology blog TechInGreek.com [Google Translate] which dug up an internal document showing that Apple Service Providers in the country are gearing up to provide service for Beats Electronics gear.

If authorized Service Providers are going to be adding Beats after-sales service, Apple should follow suit.

Indeed, “in the near future, Apple will be responsible for providing service to customers with Beats Electronics products and accessories,” reads the memo Apple sent out to its Service Providers.

Stop what you’re doing and grab Cycloramic for iPhone 6, free for a very limited time

Chances are you've heard about Cycloramic, a stupendously amazing iPhone photography software which allows you to capture stunning, accessory-free 360-degree video using custom vibration patterns in your device and an Apple power adapter.

If you haven't taken the plunge yet, please don't pass on this opportunity as Cycloramic has just gone free for the first time ever.

A $1.99 saving, only the iPhone 6 edition of the app is free, and for “a very limited time”, according to developer Egos Ventures. The iPhone 5/5s version, which hasn't been discounted and is available for $1.99 a pop, relies on the handset's squared base and the vibration motor to spin the device around its axis.

Apple could also launch new iPad mini and Smart Covers with new colors this Thursday

Rumors of a third-generation iPad mini arriving in 2015 (ahead of another rumored device, a 12.9-inch iPad Pro) rather than alongside the iPad Air 2 as previously suspected may have been greatly exaggerated after all, according to the fairly accurate Japanese blog MacOtakara [Google Translate] which today asserted that the Cupertino firm is in fact going to refresh the smaller device alongside its bigger sibling at this Thursday's press conference.

The event should unsurprisingly see the addition of new colors to Apple's Smart Cover case lineup, said to receive a tweaked design to accommodate the changes in the iPad's form factor.

Clearer circuit board photo reiterates iPad Air 2 may have faster A8X chip with 2GB of RAM

Following a blurry shot posted by Taiwanese blog Apple.club.tw this weekend that purportedly depicts a claimed iPad Air 2 logic board with a chip labeled 'A8X', the same source Monday republished a much clearer image. It should be music to the ears of everyone hoping Apple will bump the forthcoming iPad Air 2 to two gigabytes of RAM. The RAM module appears to be built by Elpida, one of Apple's memory suppliers, as determined by the markings on the chip.

Doubling the amount of RAM would admittedly allow the tablet to keep more applications active and result in smoother multitasking, faster graphics and performance improvements across the board.

Facebook now lets you comment with stickers in posts, groups and on events

The social networking giant Facebook on Monday unveiled a new feature: stickers in comments. This marks the first time users are allowed to send stickers in comments to (hopefully) add some depth to their posts and better express how they feel about topics of conversation.

Originally started as a hackathon project in New York, stickers were then rolled out to Facebook Messenger and quickly took off from there.

To comment with stickers across Facebook, just tap the smiley face icon in the bottom-right of any comment field in Facebook's desktop interface or mobile apps. Facebook has enabled stickers in comments in all posts from people, in groups and on events.

Use them sparingly as these huge smiley images take up more space compared to your regular emojis.

Apple not going to unveil Retina MacBook Air this Thursday, reliable report claims

Monday, Re/code's well-informed John Paczkowski poured cold water on rumors calling for a Retina MacBook Air introduction at Apple's upcoming media event this Thursday. The Cupertino company is not going to unveil a new MacBook Air model with a twelve-inch Retina display at the event, Paczkowski has learned from plugged-in sources.

“Sources familiar with Apple’s plans tell me that the company’s latest reimagining of the ultralight laptop won’t be shown off at its Thursday event,” he said. As Paczkowski previously reported, the forthcoming press conference — which Apple teased under the 'It's been way too long' tagline — should be about new iPads, OS X Yosemite and “a new hi-res iMac”.