Apple CEO Tim Cook wants to weave artificial intelligence deeply into our lives, and he’s ready for a cashless society. The iPhone and Mac maker’s planned research center in Japan will play a role in those plans, and the country could be at the forefront of plans to push Apple Pay as the standard for a no-cash world.
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Samsung's Note 7 Banned from all US Flights as Hazardous Material
Don’t worry about powering down your Samsung Galaxy Note 7 before getting on your flight because the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration just banned the smartphone from all flights. As of Friday afternoon, the fire-prone Note 7 is classified as “forbidden hazardous material,” and come Saturday can’t be transported in your carry-on or checked luggage.
Nike+ Apple Watch Series 2 Available Oct 28
If you’ve been holding out for the Nike+ Apple Watch Series 2, you can finally put a date on your calendar. Apple will start selling the sports and fitness-focused version of its smartwatch on October 28.
Apple May Want Sonder's E Ink Keyboard for MacBook Pro
Apple’s plans for adaptive keyboard elements may go beyond replacing the function keys on the MacBook Pro with a touch sensitive OLED strip. A new report claims Apple wants Sonder’s E Ink-based keyboard system for future MacBook Pro models, and may be negotiating to buy Sonder the company.
Amazon Music Unlimited versus Prime Music: What's the Difference?
If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber you can already stream music, so why would you want to pay US$7.99 for the just launched Amazon Music Unlimited? It’s the extras you get with Amazon Music Unlimited that set the two apart—but they may not be worth the price.
3 Mostly Transparent Cases for the iPhone 7/Plus
The color choices for the iPhone 7/Plus are better than ever. A good case can protect that iPhone without covering up those amazing colors. John looks at three cases that are mostly transparent and provide a range of protection.
Amazon Plugs Ecosystem Hole with Streaming Music Service
Apple Music, Spotify, say hello to Amazon Music Unlimited. Amazon just launched its own streaming music service, and here’s the kicker: It doesn’t need to be better than Apple Music or Spotify, just more convenient. That’s enough to keep more people in Amazon’s ecosystem.
Supreme Court Wrestles with Apple, Samsung Patent Arguments
The U.S. Supreme Court heard testimony on from Apple, Samsung, and the Department of Justice on Tuesday on how damages should be calculated in design-related patent infringement cases. The hearing is the latest round in the mobile device patent infringement fight the two companies started in 2011, and underscores how confusing it can be to set damages values.
How to Recalibrate Apple Watch Fitness Tracking
Let’s say you followed my advice and calibrated your Apple Watch for better step count and distance accuracy, but something went wonky now it’s wrong again. That’s an easy fix, and a great excuse to get outside to walk some more. Read on to learn how to reset your Apple Watch fitness tracking calibration.
TMO's Jeff Gamet Talks iOS 10, macOS Sierra at MacinTech Tuesday Oct 11
The Mac Observer’s Managing Editor, Jeff Gamet, will be speaking at Denver’s MacinTech Macintosh User Group on Tuesday evening, October 11th, in Centennial, Colorado. Jeff will be diving into iOS 10 for the iPhone and iPad, along with macOS Sierra.
UK Prime Minister Bans Apple Watch from Cabinet Meetings
Wearing your Apple Watch to a UK Cabinet meeting is off the table over concerns Russians are hacking smartwatches to spy on foreign governments. The ban comes from UK Prime Minister Theresa May who is extending the scope of the smartphone ban put in place by her predecessor David Cameron, and most likely has banned other smartwatches, too.
Samsung Has to Pay $120M for Apple's Unlock Patent After All
Samsung’s on-again-off-again fine for infringing on Apple’s slide-to-unlock patent is back on again. A U.S. Federal Appeals Court overturned its own ruling on Friday that Samsung didn’t have to pay the fine, so now the smartphone maker owes Apple US$119.6 million for infringing on the unlock and autocorrect-related patents.
TMO's Apple AirPods Earbud Alternatives Roundup
Apple’s AirPods wireless are set to ship some time in October, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to get your hands on—or ears in—fully wireless earbuds. The Mac Observer found some options worth checking out, and they’re all available today.
Watch Out SoundCloud, Apple Music Just Got Remixes
SoundCloud is taking it on the chin because one of its standout features, DJ song remixes, just came to Apple Music and Spotify. The first to hit Apple’s streaming music service is DJ Jazzy Jeff’s remix of Room in Here from Anderson .Paak, and as more remixes roll out music fans will have fewer reasons to use SoundCloud.
Fujitsu Begins ScanSnap Fixes for macOS Sierra
Fujitsu announced a schedule for ScanSnap updates to correct issues in macOS Sierra. The company has been dealing with compatibility problems that threatened PDF content for Apple’s newest Mac operating system. Futjitsu pushed updates to some users on Thursday and unveiled a schedule for other devices later in October.
Facebook Messenger vs Apple Messages Encryption: Which is Better?
Facebook’s Messenger private chat feature now supports end-to-end encryption, much like Apple’s own Messages app. That said, there are differences in how the two handle keeping our chats private.
PDFpen Adds macOS Sierra Tabbed Window Support, More
Smile’s PDFpen and PDFpen Pro just got updates to version 8.2 that add support for macOS Sierra’s tabbed window feature. The update also adds iCloud file sync support for users for all users—a feature that previously was available only if you purchased PDFpen through Apple’s Mac App Store.
Siri Turns 5 Years Old, Feel Free to Sing to Her
Siri turned five years old Tuesday, having been launched on October 4th, 2011. She’s changed a lot in that time, grown up a bit. But she’s not too old to appreciate us singing to her.
New Apple Touch ID Patent Hints at iPhone Home Button's Demise
A just published Apple patent shows Touch ID sensors embedded throughout a device display, which means iPhone and iPad users could potentially touch anywhere on their screen to unlock with their finger print. Touch to unlock is currently a Home button feature, but if this patent finds its way into shipping products, it could be the demise for our little clickable friend.
macOS Sierra Now Auto-downloading, but not Auto-installing
If you haven’t upgraded to macOS Sierra yet, get ready for Apple to push it to your Mac automatically. That doesn’t, however, mean Apple is forcing you to upgrade because the automatically downloaded update isn’t auto-installing.
Apple Bumps Q4 Earnings Announcement and Call to Tuesday, October 25th
Apple announced Monday that it was rescheduling its fiscal fourth quarter earnings report and call to Tuesday, October 25th. The company cited an unspecified “scheduling conflict.” The call was originally scheduled for Wednesday, October 26th.
VirnetX Scores $302.4M Win from Apple in Patent Trial
The third time is a charm for VirnetX and its ongoing patent infringement lawsuit fight with Apple because a Tyler, Texas, Federal Court jury ruled the iPhone and iPad maker owes the company US$302.4 million. The patents in question cover secure communication and FaceTime, and now the case will head to the Appeals Court where VirnetX may have a harder time convincing a judge to let it keep the money.
CW Shows Come to Apple TV, No Cable Subscription Required
The CW made good on its promise to bring shows like Supergirl, The Flash, and iZombie to Apple TV for free. The network’s Apple TV app is available now, and doesn’t require a cable or satellite subscription to watch, or need any sort of login.
New Retina MacBook Pro Models Expected in October
That new MacBook Pro you’ve been holding out for may finally be only a few weeks away. A new report claims Apple plans to release updated models in the second half of October.