We finally have the winner of our iPhone 16 Pro international giveaway! Congratulations to Oliver T., and a huge thank you to everyone who participated.
Apple Pay Launches in South Africa for Contactless Payments
Contactless payment service Apple Pay has launched in South Africa, joining Samsung Pay which launched in the country in 2018.
Microsoft Shuts Down its Cortana App on Mobile
As of March 31, 2021, Microsoft’s Cortana app on iOS and Android will no longer be supported.
As of March 31, 2021, the Cortana content you created–such as reminders and lists–will no longer function in the Cortana mobile app, but can still be accessed through Cortana in Windows. Also, Cortana reminders, lists, and tasks are automatically synced to the Microsoft To Do app, which you can download to your phone for free.
Eve Systems Adds Thread Support to Eve Aqua
Eve Systems announced on Thursday that it added Thread support for Eve Aqua in its latest firmware update.
Executive Zennen Clifton Joins Apple TV+ Team
Apple TV+ has hired executive Zennen Clifton from 3BD Networks as a member of the team responsible for scripted series.
Happy Birthday Apple - Founded April 1, 1976
Happy Birthday Apple – founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on April 1, 1976, in a Mountain View apartment.
Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Developer Beta Six
Apple has released iOS 14.5 developer beta six, just over a week after the previous developer beta was seeded.
Siri Gets Two New Voices in Latest Beta Version of iOS, Female no Longer Default
Apple has given Siri two new voices in the latest beta version of iOS 14, and users will no longer get the female one as default.
Opening Day 2021: How Artists Reimagined the Baseball Card With iPad Pro and Apple Pencil
Apple shared the story of artists who used the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to reimagine the classic baseball card ahead of opening day 2021.
Aduro U-Light Desktop Lamp Organizer with Wireless Charging Stand: $19.99
We have a deal on a desk lamp that includes a built-in wireless charger for your iPhone and an organizing cup for your pens, Apple Pencil, and the like. The touch control LED lamp has fully customizable brightness settings that you can set to your preferred level, and it features a flexible gooseneck. It’s $19.99 through our deal.
World Backup Day: How to Get 4TB of iCloud Storage
When it comes to backups, iCloud plays a key role for many people, and now there is a way to get a total of 4TB of storage via that service.
Apple Partners With University of South Carolina on Products
Governor Henry McMaster has awarded US$6 million so the University of South Carolina and Benedict College can create eight Apple computer labs.
World Backup Day – TMO Daily Observations 2021-03-31
Dave Hamilton and Charlotte Henry join host Kelly Guimont to discuss World Backup Day, including the history of Time Machine and testing backups.
Apple Leads US$50M Investment Round in 'Record Label in Your Pocket' UnitedMasters
Apple has led a $50 million Series B investment round in UnitedMasters, an independent artist distribution platform.
Apple Moves to Unblock Asian Content in iOS 14.5
Apple is moving to unblock Asian content in iOS 14.5 after a series of news reports noticed something weird going on.
Apple is Building a Battery Farm Capable of Storing 240MW Hours of Energy
Apple shared some environmental news on Wednesday, including an energy storage project capable of storing 240 megawatt-hours of energy.
New Siri Remote for Apple TV on the Way
There are lots of rumors currently flying around about an updated Siri remote, with a new Apple TV expected. 9to5Mac has a good roundup, including details of the product’s code name.
Details about this new Apple TV Remote are still unknown, but 9to5Mac’s sources have told us that this model is being developed under the code name “B519,” which is quite different from the code name of the current Siri Remote — internally identified as “B439.” When Apple introduced the Apple TV 4K in 2017, the Siri Remote had a small change with a white ring around the Menu button, which made it be identified as a new model. However, as the new Remote has an internal model number way above the current version, we believe the changes will be more significant. Siri Remote has always been a controversial accessory among Apple TV users. While some people love it, there are a significant number of users who hate it for not having physical navigation buttons or for having a glass surface, which makes it extremely fragile. With a new Apple TV model on the way, this could be the perfect opportunity for Apple to create an improved Remote
Spotify Looks to Take on Clubhouse With New Live Audio Experience
Spotify announced Tuesday that it had acquired the creators of live audio app Locker Room, and will be moving into that space. The move is part of its attempts to take on Clubhouse.
“Creators and fans have been asking for live formats on Spotify, and we’re excited that soon, we’ll make them available to hundreds of millions of listeners and millions of creators on our platform,” said Gustav Söderström, Chief Research & Development Officer at Spotify. “The world already turns to us for music, podcasts, and other unique audio experiences, and this new live audio experience is a powerful complement that will enhance and extend the on-demand experience we provide today.” In the coming months, Spotify will evolve and expand Locker Room into an enhanced live audio experience for a wider range of creators and fans. Through this new live experience, Spotify will offer a range of sports, music, and cultural programming, as well as a host of interactive features that enable creators to connect with audiences in real time. We’ll give professional athletes, writers, musicians, songwriters, podcasters, and other global voices opportunities to host real-time discussions, debates, ask me anything (AMA) sessions, and more.
Epic Games Files Anti-Apple Complaint to UK Regulator
Epic Games has filed a complaint to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority alleging that Apple has engaged in anticompetitive behavior.
BackPack Magnetic 5,000mAh Powerbank: $39.99
We have a deal on BackPack, a magnetic wireless charger equipped with extra strength magnets inside, which perfectly align and attach to your iPhone 12 family of devices. It has a built-in 5,000mAh battery, and bottom ports allow Type-C out and/or Type-A out. It’s $39.99 through our deal.
Making a Call on 'Calls' — Media+
Dave Hamilton, The Mac Observer’s co-founder and host of Mac Geek Gab, joins Charlotte Henry to discuss a new Apple TV+ offering – ‘Calls’. They think this audio-led programming gives us a hint at what Apple will look to do in the future.
WWDC 2021 Details – TMO Daily Observations 2021-03-30
Charlotte Henry and Dave Hamilton join host Kelly Guimont to discuss today’s WWDC 2021 announcement and the future of nerds in June in San Jose.
Google Maps Will Provide 'Eco-Friendly' Routes to Drivers
Google Maps is to provide an ‘eco-friendly’ route to drivers by default, Reuters reported. Further upgrades to make comparing transit options are also on the way.
Unless users opt out, the default route will be the “eco-friendly” one if comparable options take about the same time, Google said. When alternatives are significantly faster, Google will offer choices and let users compare estimated emissions. “What we are seeing is for around half of routes, we are able to find an option more eco-friendly with minimal or no time-cost tradeoff,” Russell Dicker, a director of product at Google, told reporters on Monday. Google said it derives emissions relative estimates by testing across different types of vehicles and road types, drawing on insights from the U.S. government’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). Road grade data comes from its Street View cars as well as aerial and satellite imagery. The potential effect on emissions from the feature is unclear.
Twelve South Launches MagicBridge Extended to Join Magic Keyboard and Trackpad
On Tuesday Twelve South launched a new product called MagicBridge Extended. It’s an enclosure to combine an Apple Magic Trackpad 2 with a Magic Keyboard.
PayPal Will Let Customers Pay With Bitcoin at Online Merchants
PayPal users with Bitcoin can now pay with the cryptocurrency at supported online merchants globally. It will be rolled out later in 2021.
The ability to pay with bitcoin at checkouts with PayPal’s estimated 29 million merchants means that cryptocurrency use is now easier than ever before. Despite all of this, there is still some concern about the volatility of bitcoin and other cryptos, though PayPal hopes to address this with the conversion to fiat currency.