By Roger Fingas Thursday, June 11, 2015, 08:28 am PT (11:28 am ET)
Apple quietly removed the iPod category from the top menu of its website earlier this week, in yet another sign that Apple is further sidelining the aging portable media player product category.
The iPod’s place in Apple’s website main menu has been taken up by Apple Music, which was announced during Monday’s WWDC keynote. In the company’s current product lineup, the menu space is otherwise reserved for hardware, including the Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
The disappearance from the top menu does not mean the end of the iPod yet: iPods are still being sold, but can only be found by going to the online Apple Store, or scrolling to the bottom of the Apple Music page.
The iPod lineup has become increasingly marginal to Apple financially, with sales declining every quarter for the past several years, and the company even declining to reveal quarterly sales going forward. This was precipitated at first by the iPhone, and then by the general popularity of smartphones, which have all but eliminated the need to carry a separate portable device for music.
No major iPod updates have been made since 2012. The iPod classic was in fact discontinued in September 2014, and recently the only sign of life has been a rumor that a product refresh could happen later this year.
If it does happen, changes are expected to revolve around the iPod touch, which might gain things like a faster processor and more memory. Less certain is the fate of the Nano, which sports an operating system that mimics iOS without using the same software architecture.
Apple could be grooming the Apple Watch as a kind of replacement. Although it costs at least $ 349 —$ 50 more than the most expensive 64-gigabyte iPod touch —it includes 8 gigabytes of onboard storage, capable of music playback when an iPhone is left at home. Future versions of the Watch could increase that storage and come down in price, and offer greater connectivity, such as tapping into the Apple Music streaming service.
Best Buy has a number of Black Friday deals on Apple MacBook laptops and iMac desktops.
Apple isn’t big on discounting, especially when it comes to its computers, which remain much higher priced than most Windows PCs. As hard as it’s getting to find iPad specials on Black Friday, it’s even harder to locate sales for MacBooks and iMacs. If you’re set on buying a Mac during this shopping holiday, however, there are a handful of deals we’ve tracked down below.
Black Friday 2016
CNET 2016 Holiday Gift Guide
Fry’s Black Friday deals include $ 98 Dell laptop, Apple Mac sales
Apple hints at Black Friday deals after skipping sales last year
Barnes & Noble launches $ 50 Nook Tablet 7-inch
Samsung’s laptop, Galaxy tablet deals
Microsoft preview of Surface devices, Windows laptops
Hhgregg ad has 12.9-inch iPad Pro deal
Office Depot/OfficeMax ad features $ 119 Windows 2-in-1 tablet, $ 169 HP laptop
Best Buy ad reveals $ 100 Windows laptop deal, $ 125 iPad Air 2, Pro savings
Walmart ad features $ 199 Apple iPad mini 2, $ 119 Chromebook deals
Target ad has iPad Pro for $ 449, iPad Air 2 for $ 274
HP ad leaks with PC deals from $ 250
Staples ad leaks with laptops, tablet deals
Costco ad leaks with laptop, desktop, tablet deals
Ads for Dell Small Business leak
BJ’s Wholesale ad features $ 33.33 Amazon Fire tablet
Sam’s Club ad leaks with HP laptop, desktop deals
Dell’s ad leaks with $ 100 laptop, desktop deals
We’ll be updating this when and if new deals arise. Also note that some of these sales won’t be available online, or will be gone quickly, so you may have to endure all of the pain of Black Friday shopping to snatch one up.
Apple MacBook Air
Apple’s cheapest laptop, relatively speaking, is now limited to a 13.3-inch version, as the 11-inch model has been discontinued. Best Buy takes $ 200 off the base configuration, lowering the price to $ 799. It also knocks the same amount offer the $ 1,199 version with double the solid-state storage, as does regional retailer Fry’s. If you want to upgrade to a Core i7 processor, B&H Photo takes anywhere from $ 100 to $ 200 off, depending on the specific configuration.
Apple MacBook
The most design-conscious Apple laptop gets little discount love from Best Buy, which is selling it at the regular price. You’ll have to rely on Amazon and B&H, both of which take $ 100 off the two basic models (regular prices of $ 1,299 and $ 1,599, respectively) and B&H knocking $ 150 off the pricier configuration with a Core m7 processor update.
Apple MacBook Pro
Apple just updated its pro-level laptop, which means you aren’t likely to see deals on the controversial refresh that are more than a few dollars off. Again, the exceptions are Amazon and B&H Photo, both of which cut $ 100 from the base 13-inch version. B&H Photo also offers discounts ranging from $ 100 to $ 200 on additional 13-inch configurations, but does not offer any specials on the 15-inch MacBook Pro. On the other hand, there will be plenty of price cuts on the now-discontinued configurations, so if you don’t want the latest and greatest MacBook Pro, this is your chance to save on older hardware.
Apple Mac mini
The least expensive Mac of all, the diminuitive mini hasn’t been updated in a while, and doesn’t receive much in the way of discounts. Best Buy has deals that take a smidge off the price of the base $ 499 version ($ 37 off) and the step-up version ($ 29 off), but you’ll have better luck through Amazon, which takes $ 70 off either the base config or the most expensive model (normally $ 999). B&H matches Amazon’s savings, but slashes $ 100 from the middle $ 699 edition.
Apple iMac
Apple’s popular all-in-one has three distinct versions currently available (21.5-inch, 21.5-inch with Retina 4k display, 27-inch with Retina 5k display), all of which have deals available from the same sources as above. Best Buy has the best price on the cheapest version, the 21.5-inch system that normally runs $ 1,099 receives a $ 200 discount. In comparison, B&H only offers $ 100 off, but does take $ 120 away from the $ 1,299 configuration price. It also does a little better on the base Retina 4k iMac, chopping $ 150 off the $ 1,499 price whereas Best Buy offers $ 100 off.
Amazon joins the other two retailers in discounting the Retina 5k base model by $ 200, knocking the price down to $ 1,599. Best Buy also has sales on the other 5k configurations, taking $ 100 from the mid-range edition and $ 156 from the top-end one. You’ll have better luck at B&H, though, as it takes $ 170 and $ 250 off, respectively, from the same models.
Apple Mac Pro
You don’t buy a Mac Pro if you’re looking to save money, but just because you can spend at least $ 2,999 on a computer doesn’t mean you wouldn’t appreciate a discount if you can get it. Amazon and B&H take a hundred bucks off the base model’s price — Best Buy offered the same price cut, but is sold out online — while B&H slices $ 300 off the pricier edition that regularly costs $ 3,999.
This iPhone 8 concept is actually close to what the iPhone 8 is rumored to look like. That's rare for a concept mockup, and also bad news for those of us who like our iPhones non-smashed.
DON'T MISS: Walmart is having trouble delivering all those NES Classic Editions
Current wisdom has the iPhone 7 returning to the design language of the iPhone 4 generation, but with some changes. It's supposed to be glass front and back, with slightly curved screen edges, an aluminum chassis, and much thinner than the older generation.
Frankly, it looks fantastic. The thin design, bigger screen and wider camera lens look fantastic, and very evocative of the Jet Black color that's been so popular with the iPhone 8. Unfortunately, no one is ever going to see the design, because it's going to be perma-covered with a case.
Let's face it: an all-glass smartphone is going to get scratched and smashed so quickly. From my experience with all-glass Android phones, they're intensely slippery, so if you put it down on a table that's not perfectly flat, it's going to end on the floor, guaranteed.
I appreciate the design aesthetic that drives Apple, but iPhones are ultimately meant to be practical devices that everyone carries around. Why bother designing a phone so beautiful when it's going to be hidden in a $ 14.99 Amazon case for its entire life? The iPhone 5 and 6 series nailed the design: provided you're remotely careful, you can (and should) use the phone naked. This iPhone concept? Not so much.
Yet another secret cost. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Whether it's its new heartwarming Christmas ad or its giant iPhone 7 billboards, Apple frequently leads the way on both quality and quantity for its advertising.
But according to Apple's most recent 10-K annual report, recently filed with the SEC, it's no longer revealing what it spends to get to this point.
Instead, under the section of the report titled "advertising costs," Apple notes that such costs, "are expensed as incurred and included in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses."
Last year, Apple's ad spend increased by 50 percent to a $ 1.8 billion. According to an analyst at Wells Fargo, the reason Apple may now be clamming up about advertising spend could be because Apple is spending more advertising dollars per sale, which could be a boon to critics if news got out.
Interestingly, while it would make sense for Apple advertising costs to be even higher this year (or at least the same), SG&A — Selling, General and Administrative Expenses — were actually down by 1 percent in 2016. Apple notes that:
"The decrease in selling, general and administrative expense in 2016 compared to 2015 was due primarily to lower discretionary expenditures and advertising costs, partially offset by an increase in headcount and related expenses."
While that may be true, however, Wells Fargo also points out that S&GA expenses as an overall percentage of Apple sales is actually up this year to 7 percent.
With Apple ending 2016 with its lowest margins since 2009, it's quite possibly that Apple is spending more cash to persuade customers to part with their hard-earned money.
Source: Business Insider
Luke Dormehl is a UK-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems, And Create More and The Apple Revolution, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme, and other publications. He’d like you a lot if you followed him on Twitter.
The iPad might not be as popular with buyers as it used to be, but Apple still sells millions of them each quarter. Apple is very committed to the iPad, a device it sees as a PC replacement for most people, and it'll continue to launch new models in the coming years. A new report says that Apple is getting ready to launch two iPad lines that have not seen before in Apple's lineup, including a new size and a cheaper version of the iPad Pro.
DEAL ALERT: The best Black Friday sale of the year is happening right now!
The report comes from Digitimes and seems to corroborate an August research note from noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple is tipped to be prepping a 10.5-inch iPad that will be released next year, with production set to start in December. The device will join Apple's existing 7.9-inch iPad mini, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, and 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Apple's 10.5-inch iPad will supposedly cater to the enterprise and the education sector in the US, where 10-inch and larger tablets have been popular among customers. The device would pack an A10X processor, just like the one found in Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Apple is expected to sell 2 million 10.5-iPads in the first quarter of 2017, and up to 6 million over the course of 2017. Interestingly, the sources noted that Apple will also launch lower-price versions of the 9.7-inch iPad to compete with Android tablets, but more details about such devices were not shared with the Taiwanese news site.
It's unclear whether the 7.9-inch iPad mini will receive any updates in the future, but Digitimes indicates the smaller tablet will still be found in Apple's product lineup.
Kuo also said in August that Apple plans to launch an OLED iPad in the future, but that won't happen until sometime in 2018.
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
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Give thanks for an iPhone that lasts pasts the first course.
Heading into what could be, for some, a particularly contentious holiday dinner, one thing is true now more than ever:
We need our phones to last the entire day.
Maybe you need to be able to text with friends so that you don't go off on your in-laws. Maybe you need to hide in the bathroom and play Crossy Road until dessert. Or maybe you need to make sure your iPhone is ready so that you can start filming when your uncle goes on a tirade with a bra he's made out of napkins perched on top of his head.
Whatever the case, it's vital that battery power be conserved. And especially if you haven't upgraded to the iPhone 7, but have upgraded to iOS 10, you could be seeing less battery life than ever. Here's a collection of my favorite tips to help your phone make it until the last slice of pie is gone.
Gallery
8 Thanksgiving Tips To Save Your iPhone Battery
1. Don't Quit Background Apps to Conserve Battery Power
You know what's not relaxing? Listening to your Dyson Eye trying to find its base as you attempt to do half moon standing pose. (Image Credit: Anthony Karcz)
While double-clicking the Home button and swiping to close apps is second nature to a lot of iOS users, when you shut down frequently used apps, you actually use more power. It seems counter-intuitive, especially after years of learned behavior; but when you shut down an app, the next time it launches it needs to restore connections, launch processes, and allocate resources all over again so that it can run smoothly. That takes a lot more energy than if it was sitting idle in the background. Do that over and over for frequently used apps, and you'll burn through your battery in no time.
Home >Computing >How to transfer music from an iPod to a Mac or PC
ByTyler Lacoma— September 24, 2016 12:00 PM
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Do you still have an old iPod, iPod Touch or other iOS device lying around with songs that you really want on your desktop computer? Transferring those songs isn't always easy, especially if you want to mix and match tracks from the old days with your current collection. We'll show you how to do it effectively, no matter if you have a PC or a Mac.
Related: How to jailbreak your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch with Pangu
Prepare your devices
Take a minute to check all your software and get your songs ready. Whether you are using a PC or Mac, you will need to install iTunes and make sure that the latest updates have been installed (if nothing else, this adds some quality of life changes that will make the other steps easier). Likewise, if possible make sure that your mobile device is also updated. For older iPods and iPod Touch devices, update compatibility may have stopped some time ago. In this case, don't worry about updating.
It's generally easier to update your devices separately if possible. If you have to connect your iPod to your desktop computer for an update, make sure that you do not sync your music or do any other "automatic" tasks when performing the upgrade.
Also, iTunes is a little unpredictable in the way it handles duplicate songs. Typically, it copies the same song twice, which can be a little frustrating. Many people choose to fully wipe iTunes before beginning this process, since all the songs they want to transfer are already on an iPod or similar device. However, some people have gone through so many devices (iPod and other) that they end up mix and matching more carefully. Whichever way you choose, getting rid of duplicate songs and any other data you don't want to transfer over is a good idea.
Columbus Day is zeroing in, and eBay is brimming with offers for a number of tablets. Users might want to make most of the discounts for the Surface Pro 4, iPad Pro and iPad Air 2.
The discounted stocks are limited so customers might want to act fast before the sweet autumn sales run out.
Surface Pro 4
Microsoft’s tablet received a hefty price cut of 20 percent from $ 899.99 to $ 713.99. This means that users who purchase the tablet now get to save $ 186.
The discounted Surface Pro 4 relies on the processing power of an Intel i5 CPU clocked at 2.4 GHz, which is backed by 4 GB of RAM. Storage capacity sits at 128 GB, but a microSD slot allows further expansion. The display size is 12.3-inch, able to render resolutions of up to 2,736 x 1,824 pixels. The device runs on Windows 10 Pro and the standard battery run time reads nine hours.
To help you decide whether to purchase the 2-in-1 from Microsoft, check out Tech Times’ review roundup for Surface Pro 4.
iPad Pro
The iPad Pro comes with a whopping price cut of 41 percent, going down from $ 1,079.99 to $ 639.99. By tapping into the offer, potential customers can save $ 440.
Technical specs of the Apple tablet show a 12.9-inch screen able to display resolutions of 2,048 x 2,732 pixels. The CPU of the device runs at 2.26 GHz and is backed by 4 GB of RAM, with a storage capacity of 128 GB, just like the Surface Pro 4.
Internet connectivity options are Wi-Fi and 4G Cellular, and the operating system is iOS, with a default battery life of 10 hours, according to the manufacturer.
The built-in fingerprint scanner in the Home button will keep the tablet safe from privy roommates.
iPad Air 2
Coming close to the radical discount of its larger brother, the iPad Air 2 features a price cut of 40 percent, from $ 699.99 to $ 419.99. This saves potential buyers no less than $ 280.
When checking out the technical specs of the price-trimmed iPad Air 2, we find an A8X CPU clocked at 1.5 GHz, which is paired with 2 GB of RAM for processing speed. The iOS running device has a 9.7-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch with IPS screen able to showcase 2,048 x 1,536 pixels resolution.
The storage capacity of the iPad Air 2 matches those from iPad Pro and Surface Pro 4, sitting at 128 GB. Apple touts that the battery’s run time is up to 10 hours of normal use.
Security wise, the tablet has strong protection, thanks to a Fingerprint sensor embedded in the Home button.
You might want to read Tech Times’ review roundup of the iPad Air 2, as well.
Fax machines, floppy disks and apparently, the Big Mac.
McDonald's iconic burger is one of those things that have "gotten less relevant" with time, a top franchisee wrote in a memo to other operators in July, the Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the memo, just one out of five millennials, those between 18 to 34-years-old and the company's key demographic, has sunk their teeth into the Big Mac, as consumers turn their nose up at the frozen patty for made-to-order alternatives—a preference that has led to the rise of Shake Shack and fueled Chipotle's own foray into burgers.
Though the number of burgers McDonald's sold has not fallen in the past few years, it also hasn't grown, the Journal reported. The Big Mac makes up roughly 20% of McDonald's sales, and now the fast food chain is trying to tap into natural, made-to-order food movement to make a come back. Already, it has decided to use cage-free eggs, test fresh beef, and mac – Google News
Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that’s taken over our lives.
The iPhone 7 is waterproof. So you can give it a ducking.
James Martin/CNET
iPhones are frightfully clever.
I’ve never been able to work out, however, how they manage to think that the word “ducking” could be an adverb.
Yet, whenever my friends corral me into suggesting that they were “f*cking insane,” my iPhone insisted that they were, in fact, “ducking insane.”
The F-word has become more acceptable in certain circles, even exalted ones like HBO and the Guardian.
I’m grateful, therefore, to the Guardian’s own Steven Thrasher for posting a fascinating solution to a seemingly intractable ducking problem.
“Best life hack ever,” he tweeted on Thursday. “add ‘fuck fucker’ & ‘fucked fucking’ to your iPhone contacts & never mess with correcting ‘duck’ ‘ducked’ etc again.”
In the interests of the greater populace, I tried his suggestion. I took the phone numbers of the two people I most dislike (I think they know who they are) and entered them with the monikers Thrasher suggested. Then I typed an iMessage.
It worked.
I know this suggestion isn’t palatable to all.
I think, though, of the number of times that I’ve seen people trying to type and becoming frustrated at the iPhone’s ducking obsession.
It makes them curse out loud, as opposed to merely in silent letters on their phones.
I am, therefore, propagating a social service.
Please remember that your new iPhone 7 is water-resistant. You are therefore free to perform this marvelous hack and then give it a ducking to celebrate.
Apple has now released iOS 10 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to the public. The free update adds many new features to iOS including a new Messages app with enhanced emoji, stickers, Digital Touch and iMessage apps; third-party app integration with Siri voice queries; redesigned Music and Maps apps with a new visual style and simpler user interfaces; automatic face and object tagging in Photos and much more.
Read below to find out how to update (and if your device is compatible) then check out our walkthrough of everything new.
How to update to iOS 10?
To update to iOS 10, visit Software Update in Settings. Connect your iPhone or iPad to a power source and tap Install Now. Firstly, the OS must download the OTA file in order to begin setup. After the download has finished, the device will then begin the update process and eventually reboot into iOS 10.
The iOS 10 update weighs in at about 1.7 GB and will take several minutes to install, perhaps up to half an hour. If you don't have the time right now to update, you can let iOS automatically install it at a later date (it will intelligently choose a time when you are likely to be asleep).
iOS 10 will install on most devices that run iOS 9. Here's the full compatibility list. Note that iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will come preinstalled with iOS 10, when they deliver later this week.
iOS 10 runs on:
iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, iPad 4th generation, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro 9.7 inch and iPad Pro 12.9 inch
iPod touch 6th generation.
As always, some features of iOS 10 are limited to specific hardware so not all devices get all the features. Raise To Wake requires iPhone 6s or iPhone 7, for example.
iOS 10 has a lot of new stuff: read all about it in our feature walkthrough. Messages has rich support for stickers and 3x bigger emoji as well as animated screen and bubble effects. There is even an App Store inside the Messages app. iOS 10 brings redesigns for Music, Maps and News. There's a whole new Home app for managing your HomeKit smart home accessories. This barely scratches the surface: read our full walkthrough of everything new in iOS 10.
Updating should be a fairly straightforward process, although it's always good to check you have a backup (either using iCloud Backup or iTunes Backup on the Mac/PC) before doing any major system upgrades.
Just be aware about one thing in particular when updating: Apple has changed how the lock screen works in iOS 10. Slide to Unlock no longer exists. Instead, you must press the Home Button in order to get to the Home Screen of apps. On iPhone 6s or later, the phone will actually wake itself from sleep when you raise the device This can be jarring until your habits adjust to the new behavior.
Also note that some features of iOS 10 will not be visible immediately. Faces and object detection will take some time to index; the initial indexing will not happen until the device is plugged into power for a few hours. Other proactive features will also take time to show up, like suggested apps, contextual locations, or Photo Memories.
As always, battery drain for iOS 10 is likely going to be higher on the first day of use. iOS 10 does a lot of indexing and caching and these all get flushed on system update. We'll be on the lookout for show-stopping bugs or battery drain issues but we don't expect to see anything like that. The numerous iOS 10 betas have been very solid.
Enjoy iOS 10! Let us know what you think of Apple's latest mobile operating system in the comments.
As you may know, macOS Sierra (finally) brings Siri, Apple's voice assistant, to the Mac! This feature is available under a colorful new Dock icon…
…and menu bar icon:
Clicking either of those will play the familiar "I'm listening" beeps that you'll recognize from iOS, and you can then ask all sorts of questions, just like on your mobile devices. You can ask about weather, for example:
If you're feeling fancy, you can even ask macOS Sierra Siri about stuff on your computer, such as "find files created in the last five days," or even "find emails from Melissa Holt." Neat!
You should know, though, that you can configure some things about how Siri works, and those options are available under System Preferences > Siri.
Within that pane, there are choices for which macOS Sierra Siri voice to use, the input source, and even a checkbox for whether to show Siri in the menu bar at all. What I find most interesting, though, is the "Keyboard Shortcut" drop-down. I think the best choice here is to use Hold Command Space; since that's the same shortcut as Spotlight, it'll make it easier to remember! So if you pick that, you'll pressCommand-Space to search, and holdCommand-Space for Siri. Of course, if you don't like whatever it's set to, you can use that same drop-down to switch it to what you'd prefer or even configure a custom shortcut.
But that's all there is to it! When you install Sierra, you can feel free to use the voice assistant on your Mac as much as you'd like, and if you work in an office, you can also enjoy annoying the crap out of coworkers by asking Siri a bunch of questions every hour. I highly recommend that, actually.
On Tuesday Apple released iOS 10, the company’s newest mobile operating system for iOS devices.
The update includes a wide range of new features, improving upon iMessage by adding apps, a revamped Music app, new Control Center panels, Siri apps and plenty more hidden features.
You have two different options to update your iOS device, but before we cover those, make sure you read through our guide to preparing for the iOS 10 update along with creating a backup should anything go haywire during the process.
Over-the-air
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The quickest and easiest method to install an update is built right into your iOS device. You can download the update directly to your phone or tablet, and install it without much fuss.
Open Settings > General > Software Updates. iOS will automatically check for an update, then prompt you to download and install iOS 10.
Be sure to have a solid Wi-Fi connection and that your charger handy. The update will take some time to install, and the last thing you want is for your phone to turn off mid-installation. In fact, iOS blocks the installation from starting until your iOS device is at 50 percent charged.
iTunes
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
You can use iTunes to install iOS 10, should you prefer the more traditional approach to installing updates.
Connect your iOS device to your computer using the Lightning cable and open iTunes. Click the iPhone or iPad icon in the top-left corner of iTunes, next to the drop-down menu for the various sections of your iTunes library.
Then click on Update > Download and Update. Follow the prompts, accept the terms, and let iTunes do its job.
If you run into any issues, double-check you have the most current version of iTunes installed. You can do this on a Mac through the App Store’s Updates tab, or on Windows by clicking on Help > Check for Updates with iTunes open.
Jeff Williams of Apple showed off the new version of the Apple Watch last week.Credit Beck Diefenbach/Reuters
After Apple unveiled new iPhones and smartwatches last week, we asked readers to send us their questions about the devices.J. D. Biersdorfer and Brian X. Chen answer the queries.
Q. How much is the new iPhone going to cost? Do the wireless headphones come with the phone or is a separate payment needed? What colors do they come in again? â€" Stephanie
J.D.: Here is the breakdown for the iPhone 7, without carrier subsidies or trade-up deals factored in:
̢РThe 32-gigabyte model: $ 650.
̢РThe 128-gigabyte model: $ 750.
̢РThe 256-gigabyte model (the one with the largest capacity): $ 850.
For the larger iPhone 7 Plus:
̢РThe 32-gigabyte model: $ 770.
̢РThe 128-gigabyte model: $ 870.
̢РThe 256-gigabyte model: $ 970.
Apple and most wireless carriers offer monthly payment plans to carve up the cost into smaller cash chunks. Wired earbuds are included in the box, but the wireless AirPods are not part of the package and will cost an additional $ 160 when they arrive in late October.
As for colors, you have your choice of silver, gold, pink (“rose goldâ€) or flat black for all models. A new glossy ebony shade called “jet black†is also available for both iPhone 7 models in the 128- and 256-gigabyte capacities, but Footnote No. 1 on Apple’s product specifications page warns that the color’s “high shine may show fine microabrasions with use.†It suggests getting a case to protect it â€" which may defeat the purpose of getting the stylish new color unless you like scratches or clear plastic phone cases.
I have an iPhone 6 I purchased in November 2014 with a warranty, which expires in November 2016. Is it worth it for me to purchase an iPhone 7? â€" Jack Bertolino
Brian: Based on speed alone, it is probably worthwhile to upgrade if you currently own an iPhone 6. The iPhone 7 is significantly faster than the iPhone 6. In speed tests conducted with the app Geekbench 4, the iPhone 7 was 114 percent faster than the iPhone 6.
Other than that, the iPhone 7 camera is significantly better than the one on the iPhone 6. And when you consider the benefits of the iPhone 7̢۪s being water-and dust-resistant, over all this is a meaningful upgrade if you own an iPhone that is at least two years old.
What is the weight difference for the new phones compared to past models? â€" Burt Herman
J. D.: For the iPhone models with the 4.7-inch screen size, Apple’s specifications state the iPhone 6 from two years ago tipped the scales at 4.55 ounces and last year’s iPhone 6s came in at 5.04 ounces â€" but the iPhone 7 dips back down to 4.87 ounces. In the 5.5-inch screen category, the larger iPhone 6 Plus model has a listed weight of 6.07 ounces and the iPhone 6s Plus is 6.77 ounces, but the iPhone 7 Plus edges down to 6.63 ounces. In comparison, the lightest model currently for sale is the iPhone SE, which was released earlier this year. The iPhone SE, with a smaller four-inch screen, is a comparatively svelte 3.99 ounces.
Can other brands of wireless headphones be used with the new 7? Or are you limited to the Apple headphones because ofa new type of chip in the device? â€" Mark Singleton
Brian: The iPhone 7 supports the open Bluetooth standard, so third-party wireless headphones will be compatible with it. The proprietary chip you are referring to, called W1, is inside the AirPods, Apple̢۪s new wireless earbuds. The AirPods will work fully only with Apple devices. While non-Apple Bluetooth devices can connect with the AirPods for audio, they would not be able to take advantage of the AirPods̢۪ special auto-pairing feature or Siri.
How does the iPhone 7 camera differ from the ones on the iPhone 6 and 6s? â€" Pat Well
J. D.: Far from the measly fixed-focus, two-megapixel camera in 2007’s original iPhone, the iPhone 6 line of 2014 had an eight-megapixel camera with a five-element lens, f/2.2 aperture, a True Tone Flash, face detection and other advanced features; the larger 6 Plus also provided optical image stabilization. The iPhone 6s series bumped up the camera resolution to 12 megapixels and added the animated Live Photos feature and 4K video support â€" but kept the five-element lens and f/2.2 aperture, while optical image stabilization stayed exclusive to the Plus-size version.
However, the iPhone 7 provides optical image stabilization in both the regular and supersize models, and upgrades the hardware to a six-element lens for more colorful photos with greater image detail. The lens also has a larger aperture of f/1.8 and this year̢۪s iPhones have a flash that is 50 percent brighter than the one on last year̢۪s models.
Devotion to serious smartphone photography is where the iPhone 7 line diverges, as the bigger iPhone 7 Plus adds a second camera on the back â€" a 12-megapixel telephoto unit with a f/2.8 aperture, as well as optical and digital zoom. To get professional-quality portraits, the 7 Plus uses the two cameras together to show the picture’s main subject in sharp focus while gently blurring the background.
For those concerned with the selfie quality in their Instagram feeds, the resolution on the front FaceTime camera has taken a huge leap since the 1.2-megapixel version on the iPhone 6, and even the five-megapixel front camera on last year̢۪s iPhone 6s. The iPhone 7 now tops the line with a seven-megapixel camera staring you in the face.
When you are in an app and you accidentally touch the iPhone’s new home button, as it is touch-sensitive now, will the app close out? â€" Amanda
Brian: No, the app will not close out. The virtual home button is not just touch-sensitive; it is force-sensitive, meaning it can detect how hard you press. In other words, you have to press down on the button to return to the home screen; when you do, the home button will vibrate in response.
How do you charge the new AirPods? â€" John Steel
J. D.: The new wireless earbuds will come with a special portable case that both stores and charges the headphones; numerous people have already described it as looking like a large dental floss dispenser. The AirPods themselves are supposed to get about five hours of use per full charge â€" or a minimum of three charging sessions to get through all four operas in Richard Wagner’s epic .
When the juice runs out, you put the AirPods in the little white charging case to power up again. Apple estimates 15 minutes in the case should get the AirPods about three hours of listening time or at least an hour of talk time, as the earbuds also include microphones for phone calls or Siri commands. The special charging case needs its own power refill after about 24 hours of listening time. So before long trips, remember to charge the charging case as you charge the AirPods so the music doesn̢۪t die while you are in transit.
Can the AirPods be used with older phones? â€" Curtis Bale
Brian: Older iPhones capable of running the new operating system, iOS 10, will be compatible with the AirPods. Apple̢۪s website says that iPhones all the way back to the four-year-old iPhone 5 can run iOS 10.
The M-A-C Star Trek makeup line on display at San Diego Comic-Con 2016.
Credit: M-A-C via Twitter
The makeup mavens at M-A-C beamed their new ”Star Trek” line of cosmetics to San Diego Comic-Con this week (complete with their own transporter pad) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic science fiction franchise.
“The collection of lipsticks, powders, eye shadows, nail lacquer, eye liner, lash and brushes is inspired by Star Trek and, more specifically, Deanna Troi, Uhura, Seven of Nine and the Orion Girl, Vina,” according to StarTrek.com, where you can see more photos of the M-A-C Star Trek display at SDCC 2016.
M-A-C’s “Star Trek” cosmetics line isn’t the first inspired by science fiction. Last year, Covergirl launched a “Star Wars” makeup collection in the months leading up to the release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
Make it…fabulous https://t.co/XrJMEjsnDh @MACcosmetics @Comic_Con #MACStarTrek #StarTrek50 #SDCC pic.twitter.com/82BMbByTS7
— Star Trek (@StarTrek) July 22, 2016
But M-A-C pulled out all the stops for their “Star Trek” line launch at SDCC 2016.
“M-A-C commissioned a huge, sectioned, spherical and very Trek-like station that features a Ten Forward area, an interactive transporter section (yes, you can beam up and down), and an engineering warp core, along with Trek music, atmospheric smoke, view screens, computer terminals and more,” StarTrek.com reported.
Actors in Trek uniforms are making regular appearances at the exhibit to talk with visitors, pose for photos and – in the case of Uhura and Spock – sing a duet.
You can find more details behind the new “Star Trek” makeup line, including a talk with M-A-C senior artist and Trek fan Dominic Skinner, at StarTrek.com here.
M-A-C’s “Star Trek” cosmetics will warp into stores on Sept. 1.
Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him@tariqjmalikandGoogle+. Follow us@Spacedotcom,Facebook andGoogle+. Original article onSpace.com.
Got a used iPod? A local concert promoter is collecting them for nursing homes and senior facilities, as part of the Music & Memory program that helps dementia and Alzheimer's patients reconnect with their past by listening to favorite tunes.
"A lot of people have pushed their music onto their smartphone, and their iPods are in drawers somewhere," said Forrest Reed, a volunteer fundraiser for Music & Memory. "They need to be recycled."
He said he became interested in the program after discovering that listening to old Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra songs helped calm his aging mother, who recently died.
Reed has set up drop-off sites for old iPods at 13 locations, including Dimple Record stores and Sunrise Senior Living centers in Sacramento, Fair Oaks and Carmichael. Donations are being accepted through November.
On Saturday, he has also helped organize a concert featuring saxophonist Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers at The Grove at the Red Lion Hotel Woodlake, which is dedicating a portion of ticket sales to Music & Memory. All the proceeds and iPods collected will help equip California skilled nursing, assisted living, hospice and senior centers with iPods and headsets.
The nonprofit Music & Memory, started in 2010 by New York social worker Dan Cohen, is based on research by UC Davis and other institutions showing the musical-memory part of the brain is one of the last to atrophy in Alzheimer's patients. For the last six years, Cohen has helped thousands of senior facilities nationwide provide their patients with a personalized play list of favorite songs, whether it's blues, country or rock 'n' roll.
In a pilot project underway in hundreds of California skilled nursing homes, including a handful in Sacramento, staffers say the music soothes agitated patients and can comfort those who are otherwise isolated by their dementia or Alzheimer's. It also can be a boon to family members who otherwise can't converse or elicit a response from loved ones afflicted with memory loss.
For more details, contact Reed at forresttreed@gmail.com.
Will the next iPad mini be called the iPad mini 5, or the iPad Pro mini? We…
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iPad Pro mini | iPad mini 5 release date, price and specs rumours
Apple has historically refreshed its iPad mini line-up annually and the new iPad mini 5 is expected in September 2016. Here's what you need to know about the new 7.9in iPad as we round up the iPad mini 5 (or iPad Pro mini) UK release date, price, new feature and specification rumours.
Here’s what you need to know about the new iPad Pro mini rumours. The iPad mini 5 is expected to launch in September 2016
By Marie Brewis| 22 Jul 16
When will Apple launch the iPad mini 5, you ask. The 7.9in tablet, which could even be called the iPad Pro mini, is expected in September. Here's what you need to know about the fifth-gen iPad mini, including UK release date, price, new feature and specification rumours. Also see: Best new tablets coming in 2016.
Updated 22 July to include design rumours.
iPad mini 5 release date rumours: When is the new iPad mini coming out?
iPad mini 5 UK launch expected: September 2016
On 9 September 2015 Apple unveiled its iPad mini 4. This was a month earlier than usual, and with no separate iPad launch event scheduled for October it appeared alongside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
Rather than cancelling this second launch event, Apple has simply spread out its events calendar more evenly: it had one launch event in March, the WWDC developers conference in June, and a second launch event in September.
We expect Apple to follow that pattern this year. We've already seen the March launch event, where we took our first look at the iPhone SE and iPad Pro 9.7; and WWDC was dedicated to announcing software updates.
In the past we've had to wait a week or so following the launch event for the iPad mini to go on sale, but Apple began selling the iPad mini 4 immediately after its announcement in September 2015. See also: iPad Air 3 rumours and iPad Pro 2 rumours
iPad mini 5 UK price rumours: How much will the new iPad mini cost?
Apple tends to keep the price of its iPad mini line-up the same, reducing the price of its previous-generation mini when the new model goes on sale.
Based on 2015's iPad mini 4 pricing, we can expect the iPad mini 5 to be priced as follows:
The iPad mini 4 is available – and the iPad mini 5 will be available – direct from Apple, as well as third-party vendors such as John Lewis and Currys.
iPad mini 5 or iPad Pro mini?
The jury's still out on whether Apple will introduce a mini model in its Pro iPad line-up. It's entirely possible – after all, in March we were hopeful for a new iPad Air 3 (the iPad Air 2 was not refreshed last September alongside the iPad mini), and instead we got the iPad Pro 9.7. Perhaps Apple will update its standard and Pro iPads on a biennial basis.
On the other hand, you could argue that the 7.9in screen is too small for productivity (or an even smaller keyboard cover) so it’s just as feasible that Apple will keep the ‘Pro’ suffix for the 9.7in and 12.9in models. And if it is only a suffix, it could even be called the iPad mini Pro.
iPad mini 5 design rumours: What will the new iPad mini look like?
The iPad mini 5 is more than likely going to look very familiar to the iPad mini 4, with the same 7.9in Retina display. However, it's tipped to feature a 7000-series aluminium chassis, which will make it more durable. That's handy, since it's also rumoured to be thinner than its predecessor: just 5mm thick.
Also expect Apple to introduce a Rose Gold colour option, as it has done elsewhere in its hardware line-up.
iPad mini 5 new feature rumours: What's new in the new iPad mini?
• 3D Touch: Apple introduced 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and it's expected to make its way to the iPad mini line in 2016. 3D Touch is able to register how much pressure is applied to the screen and offer differing options as a result.
• IP68 protection: None of Apple's hardware is waterproof, but it is a soughtafter feature in the Android world, with Sony leading the pack and Samsung reintroducing water- and dust protection in its S7 series. We'd love to see IP68 certification in an iPad, but we can't avoid the feeling this tip may be just wishful thinking.
• Apple Pencil: Should Apple decide to introduce an iPad Pro mini rather than an iPad mini 5, the new iPad mini will more than likely feature Apple's posh new stylus.
• iOS 10: We know a new version of Apple's iPad and iPhone operating system will be released on the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, so any new iPads Apple might release will also feature iOS 10.
iPad mini 5 specification rumours: What to expect from the new iPad mini
• Processor: The iPad mini 4 features the Apple A8 processor and M8 motion co-processor, so expect to see the A9 and M9 in the iPad mini 5.
• 32GB storage as standard: The iPad mini 4 is currently offered in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB versions. We'd love to see Apple ditch the 16GB iPad mini, which we feel just isn't enough storage for most users' needs. An iPad mini with 32GB of storage as standard would be brilliant, and is exactly what is offered with the new iPad Pro, so certainly a possibility.
• Screen: We doubt Apple will upgrade the screen resolution, because doing so would go against all it said previously about the Retina display. As before expect a 7.9in Retina IPS display, but here with the possible addition of 3D Touch.
• Battery: According to Cult of Mac the iPad mini 5 will feature a smaller-capacity battery in order to fit into 5mm frame, but using improved technology so it doesn't negatively impact runtime. The iPad mini 4 features a 5,124mAh battery.
• Cameras: No changes are expected here. The new iPad mini will likely feature an 8Mp camera at the rear and 1.2Mp at the front.
• No headphone port: The iPhone 7 is widely tipped to ditch the standard 3.5mm headphone jack in favour of a new D-jack. And if the iPhone loses the headphone connector, you can guarantee the new iPad mini will do so also.
• NFC: Although it is possible to use Apple Pay on the iPad mini, doing so isn't seamless because it doesn't support NFC. Apple has bitten the bullet with the iPhone; expect it to do the same with the iPad mini.
• Aluminium chassis: We anticipate the new iPad mini 5 to be protected with an aluminium body. More specifically, the 7000-series aluminium chassis allowing the iPad to be thinner and more durable.
Other specs, such as the TouchID fingerprint scanner, are likely to remain the same.
For more new iPad mini rumours check out our sister site Macworld.
Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter.
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NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and hacker Andrew Huang have designed an add-on device for iPhone 6 that would alert the user if they are being tracked. Here’s why it matters to IT.
9 Ways To Bulletproof Your Privacy Policy
(Click image for larger view and slideshow.)
Former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor and government whistleblower Edward Snowden is collaborating with well-known hacker Andrew “Bunnie” Huang to create an iPhone add-on device designed to alert users if they are being spied on.
The research was announced this week at an invitation-only video webcast featuring Snowden and produced by MIT Media Lab’s Forbidden Research. Snowden spoke via a video connection from Russia where he is living in exile, according to a report by the New York Times.
Snowden said that he was concerned that cellphones and smartphones serve as tracking devices that automatically create electronic dossiers that give third parties, such as governments, detailed information on the owner’s location.
That’s likely how Syrian forces located and killed journalist Marie Colvin, alleges a lawsuit filed by Colvin’s family against the Syrian government.
Snowden’s presentation included the story of Colvin, a journalist from New York, who entered the city of Homs, Syria while reporting for London’s Sunday Times. Colvin reported from inside this city, but Syrian forces bombed her base there, killing her and one other journalist, and injuring two others.
A report in the Intercept, the news site startup spawned by Snowden’s work with The Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald and others, noted that a lawsuit filed by Colvin’s family says that Syrian forces may have found Colvin by tracing her phone.
Conceptual rendering of a “battery case” style introspection engine, piggybacked on an iPhone 6.
(Image: conceptual rendering via Andrew Huang and Edward Snowden)
In the Forbidden Research webcast, Snowden said it’s become increasingly difficult for users to trust their smartphones. These devices may even be carrying malware that transmits location information even when the user thinks the phone has been placed into a safe “airplane mode.”
And that’s particularly dangerous for journalists, and should be an issue at the top of mind for the IT departments that protect them.
“One good journalist in the right place at the right time can change history,” Snowden told the MIT Media Lab audience, according to a report in WIRED. “This makes them a target, and increasingly tools of the trade are being used against them.”
To protect them, Huang and Snowden designed the device. The work aims to give journalists the ability to know when their smartphones are tracking or disclosing their location when the devices are supposed to be in airplane mode, according to a detailed document written by Huang and Snowden.
“We propose to accomplish this via direct introspection of signals controlling the phones hardware,” they wrote. “The introspection engine will be an open source, ‘user-inspectable’ and field-verifiable module attached to an existing smart phone that makes no assumptions about the trustability of the phone’s operating system.”
[Should corporations side with government on breaking encryption? Read Tim Cook Vs. FBI: Why Apple Is Fighting The Good Fight.]
For their research, Snowden and Huang focused on the 4.7″ iPhone 6 design by Apple.
From the outside, the introspection engine looks and behaves like a typical battery case for an iPhone 6, but inside it also includes independent electronics and an independent screen to provide the user with updates on radio status.
Huang and Snowden said in their paper that they hope to prototype and verify the introspection engine’s abilities in the year ahead. The techniques used to develop the design for this prototype may also be applied to other makes and models of smartphones.
IT organizations mostly have a vested interest in being able to track end-user devices and monitor how those devices are used. For instance, a trucking company may include dispatch apps on its drivers’ iPhones.
But if an iPhone is issued to a journalist in the field in a warzone, that phone’s own tracking and monitoring features can be used against the worker and perhaps even endanger his or her life. In that case, IT would most likely want to enable technology to disable tracking and monitoring. The idea takes mobile device monitoring to a whole new level.
Jessica Davis has spent a career covering the intersection of business and technology at titles including IDG’s Infoworld, Ziff Davis Enterprise’s eWeek and Channel Insider, and Penton Technology’s MSPmentor. She’s passionate about the practical use of business intelligence, … View Full Bio
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With Apple's tablet sales in decline, all eyes are now on an expected iPad refresh coming in March, the so-called iPad Air 3.
Officially, Apple hasn't said a word about the next 9.7-inch consumer iPad, but several hints from its supply chain have pointed to a hefty upgrade for the device, with many features that could be borrowed from the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, released in November 2015. Here's what to look for in Apple's upcoming tablet:
Smart Connector
Apple's next 9.7-inch tablet could take a page out of the iPad Pro's playbook by including a smart connector, a physical connector located on the side of the iPad. This would enable the tablet to use smart keyboard covers developed by Apple or third-party accessory makers, such as Logitech, according to leaked renderings obtained by Engadget.
The smart connector was introduced with the iPad Pro in 2015. Prior to its launch, customers had to rely on connecting a keyboard to their iPad via a Lightning connector or Bluetooth. With the latter option, the keyboards also required their own battery pack, whereas the iPad Pro's smart connector provides both a data connection and power between the accessory and the tablet. While the general size of the iPad Air 3 is expected to remain the same, there could be some slight size differences, with 0.05 mm added to its thickness and a 0.1 mm to its width.
Rear LED Flash
Since the iPad 2's release in 2011, Apple has included a built-in camera in all of its tablet lines. But one feature that’s been missing is a way to light the shots taken with the tablet in dimly lit situations. With the iPad Air 3, this could change with the addition of a dedicated LED flash built into the tablet's rear case, according to schematics obtained by French Apple blog Nowhereelse.fr.
More Speakers
Another feature that Apple's 9.7-inch tablet may borrow from the iPad Pro is four speakers, one at each corner of the device, to produce louder stereo sound. The feature, which debuted in the iPad Pro, was built directly into the 12.9-inch tablet and automatically adjusts how it outputs sound based on the orientation of the device.
Apple Pencil Support
In addition to many features that mirror the iPad Pro, Apple's upcoming tablet may also take on support for the $ 99 Apple Pencil, according to 9to5Mac. The pencil is a specially designed iPad stylus that is pressure-sensitive and enables users to shade drawings based on the tilt of the instrument. While some styluses are charged using an external USB cable, the pencil can be recharged with the iPad's built-in Lightning port.
Display, RAM and Processor Upgrades
Apple may bump up the screen resolution of the iPad Air 2 from 2048×1536 pixels to 4K resolution — about four times as many pixels as a 1080p display, according to Taiwan's Digitimes. To help power the higher-resolution screen and apps, Apple could also include up to 4GB in memory. A chip based on the iPhone 6S A9 is also expected for the tablet.
Release Date
Apple is expected to unveil the iPad Air 3 during a March 15 media event, which may also include a 4-inch "iPhone 5se" and new Apple Watch bands. The 4-inch smartphone is expected to replace the iPhone 5S and come with features such as the Apple Pay mobile payment system, faster processor and upgraded camera. Both devices are expected to go on sale March 18, three days after the event, according to 9to5Mac.
Yet another secret cost.
Luke Dormehl is a UK-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems, And Create More and The Apple Revolution, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme, and other publications. He’d like you a lot if you followed him on Twitter. 
If you're feeling fancy, you can even ask macOS Sierra Siri about stuff on your computer, such as "find files created in the last five days," or even "find emails from Melissa Holt." Neat!
