Apple’s 2017 iPhone refresh may sport dual-camera 3D photo support based on LG Innotek camera technology. That sounds pretty cool and could be a sign Apple is ready to add adjustable depth of field and 3D image support to the iPhone lineup.
macOS Sierra: Enabling Your Mac's Firewall and Stealth Mode
Your Mac is pretty safe on your private home network, but what about when you’re surfing the Web in coffee shops? Anyone with a computer and rudimentary hacking skills could target you, which is why it’s important to make sure your Mac’s built-in firewall is enabled—and that Stealth Mode is turned on, too. Read on to learn how.
Mesh Deals for Black Friday through Cyber Monday: Sonos and eero
Seems that I’m a sucker for a well-made mesh network, likely because “well-made mesh” means “it’s simple and it works without you having to mess with it.” Or, said another way, “mesh not mess.” Ok, enough of that, on to the deals, shall we? These are from two companies that traditionally do not offer discounts, and they’re only good through Monday, so snap them up while you can.
Apple Black Friday 2016 Deals Revealed
Apple’s Black Friday deals are in. As expected, they’re the same as the ones in Australia revealed earlier in the day: a free gift cards with a purchase. The company is offering US$25 gift cards with an Apple Watch Series 1, up to $50 with an iPhone, up to $100 with an iPad, and a $150 gift card with a Mac.
Apple's Black Friday Aussie Deals: Free Gift Cards with Purchase
Apple’s Black Friday deals in Australia are in, and they’re free gift cards with a purchase. This is very likely to be what Apple is doing in the U.S. and other countries further behind the date line. The company is offering AUS$35 gift cards with an Apple Watch, up to $70 with an iPhone, up to $140 with an iPad, and a $200 gift card with a Mac.
Happy Thanksgiving from The Mac Observer!
It’s Thanksgiving in the U.S., so that means The Mac Observer is taking Thursday and Friday off to celebrate the holiday. We’ll be back with our regular news, analysis, tips and reviews on Monday, November 28th. We hope everyone has a great weekend even if Thanksgiving isn’t part of your annual holiday schedule.
![10 Black Friday Sales Apple Customers Might Have Missed [Update]](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/black-friday-sale-wide.jpg)
10 Black Friday Sales Apple Customers Might Have Missed [Update]
Black Friday has some of the biggest sales in retail, but you can also find a lot of software on sale. I put together a list of nine Black Friday sales that will appeal to Apple customers that you might have otherwise missed, plus a reminder that Apple is doing a promo.
iOS and watchOS: Seeing Historical Heart Rate Data
Today’s Quick Tip is all about using the iPhone’s Health app to view collected heart rate data from your Apple Watch. If you’ve never looked through that info, then boy, are you gonna be surprised at how much you can see! It’s a little nuts, to be honest.
Apple's Intent Isn't the Same as Committing to Mac Automation
Last week Sal Soghoian announced his job as Apple’s Manager of Automation Technologies had been eliminated, and this week senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi says Apple intends to continue supporting scripting technologies on the Mac. That’s a little reassuring, although “intending to support” is a far cry from “committed to continue developing.”
Samsung's New Smartphone Innovation: Jet Black
Samsung has an idea for goosing Galaxy S7 smartphone sales: make a jet black model. The glossy black version is reportedly a move to compete with Apple’s latest iPhone color option, and an effort to boost sales following the Galaxy Note 7 explode-a-phone debacle.
Wi-Fi Mesh Systems Compared: eero, Orbi, AmpliFi
The future of home Wi-Fi is mesh networking, a new approach to consumer wireless networks that includes smart management and multiple radios designed to handle the load of today’s gadgets. If you’ve been fighting with range extenders and other solutions to broaden your Wi-Fi coverage and keep your streams alive, you can now stop all that silliness and blanket your home with Wi-Fi. The future is here, and that future is mesh networking.
Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard: The Apple Keyboard You've Been Looking For
John Kheit has been searching for a wireless keyboard with a numeric trackpad that he likes, and he’s finally found it, the Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard. He put it through its paces and fell in love. Check out his full review for more.
Apple Watch Users get 5K Challenge for Thanksgiving
Apple Watch owners got a special challenge Monday morning when Apple urged them to walk, run, or wheelchair 3.1 miles, or 5K, on November 24th. That’s the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, so instead of spending the day binging on turkey, pie, and watching football, Apple is pushing to get people outside and active by offering a special Thanksgiving Day Challenge badge.
Apple Quietly Kills AirPort Extreme by Breaking Up Wireless Router Team
There’s a good chance the next time you buy a Wi-Fi router for you Mac, iPhone and iPad network it won’t come from Apple. The company reassigned the engineers from its wireless networking team to other projects and doesn’t have plans to continue developing its AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express, and Time Capsule products.
Apple Launches Multi-Touch Repair Program for iPhone 6 Plus
Apple has launched a repair program for iPhone 6 Plus devices that suffer a flickering display or Multi-Touch issues. The program’s description specifies devices that experience these troubles “after being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device.”
iOS 10: Deleting Previous Handwritten Messages
If you haven’t tried out iOS 10’s new handwriting mode in Messages, you’re gonna want to check out today’s Quick Tip. We’ll cover not only how to use this feature but how to erase the (potentially embarrassing) things you’ve drawn!
Apple Opens Registration for 'Hour of Code' Workshops at Apple Stores
Apple opened registration for its popular Hour of Code workshops on Thursday. The workshops will take place from December 5th through December 11th at all 487 of Apple’s retail locations, which are now just called “Apple.”
Brydge 12.9 Aluminum Keyboard for iPad Pro Exudes Class
Apple has waxed enthusiastic about keyboards for the iPad and now offers its own. But the design may not be for everyone. If you’ve been thinking about a sturdy, aluminum keyboard/case for your iPad Pro, one that makes it look (and function) very much like a MacBook, then you’ll want to read John’s review of the Brydge 12.9 model for iPad Pro.
iOS: Shake to Undo on iPhone and iPad, and How to Turn it Off
Did you know you can shake your iPhone to undo many of your most-recent tasks? The reality is that many of us do know this, but everyone I’ve talked to—including me—forgets it. Some people will find it handy, though, so let’s take a look at it. For those who don’t like it, Bryan Chaffin will show you how to turn it off.
TOMS Straps for Apple Watch Include Solar Power Donation
TOMS announced Thursday a line of straps for Apple Watch. The straps are part of the Made for Apple Watch program from Apple, and continue TOMS’s philanthropic practice of including a charitable donation with each purchase.
Apple Cuts Mac Automation Manager Sal Soghoian
Sal Soghoian is the godfather of AppleScript and automation on the Mac, but not for much longer. He announced at MacTech Conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday that Apple is eliminating the Product Manager of Automation Technologies he’s held since 1997.
iOS 10: Drawing on Your Pictures in Messages
If you liked Melissa Holt’s Quick Tip about using Photos on the Mac to mark up images, then you’re gonna need to check out this one too. Wanna annoy your friends and family by drawing on the pictures you send them through Messages? Sure you do, and we’ll tell you how!
Thinking Differently about Apple's $299 Coffee Table Book
Apple launched a new product on Tuesday, a coffee table book titled Designed by Apple in California. It will come in two sizes, 13″ at $199 and 16″ at $299, and both contain some 450 photographs of Apple products. I have very mixed feelings about this, but the short version is that Bryan Chaffin gets why Apple is making this book. Read on for more.
AT&T to Intro Opt-out 'Stream Saver' Video Quality Throttling in 2017
AT&T is launching a new feature in early 2017 called Stream Saver that throttles streaming video quality in the name of saving customers from hitting their wireless data caps. The cell service provider seems to have learned from T-Mobile’s headaches, however, because Stream Saver doesn’t include any streaming partners, and users can easily turn it on or off whenever they like.