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How to Create a Virtual Home Button in iOS Using Assistive Touch

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After testing some apps on an old iPhone 6 recently, I started to notice the device's Home button was becoming less and less responsive to finger presses, especially when it came to double-clicking it. Sure enough, after a few more days' use, the Home button stopped working completely.

broken home button iphone

In memory of the Home button

Now, ordinarily this would have left me in the unenviable position of having to power off my iPhone and turn it on again whenever I wanted to exit out of a launched app, until I relinquished the device and sent it away for a costly repair.

Fortunately, however, the event jogged my memory of a friend who was able to continue using their iPhone even after a drop had left its Home button dangling by a wire (by some miracle, Touch ID still worked). They had set up iOS's Assistive Touch feature as a virtual Home button while they waited until they could afford a replacement.

If your iPhone's Home button is dead or dying and you want to take similar action, or if you just fancy reminding yourself what using a Home button was like before Apple removed them from its latest iPhones, here's how to set up Assistive Touch to mimic a virtual one.

Note that if your Home button is already broken and your iPhone is stuck in a launched app, simply power off the device and turn it on again to boot back into the Home screen and follow these steps.

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.

  2. Tap General.
    how to create a virtual home button with assistive touch 1

  3. Tap Accessibility.
  4. Scroll down and tap AssistiveTouch.
    how to create a virtual home button with assistive touch 2

  5. Slide the AssistiveTouch toggle to the green position to turn it on.
  6. Next, under Custom Actions, select Single-Tap.
    how to create a virtual home button with assistive touch 3

  7. In the next screen, tap Home to check it in the list.

With the AssistiveTouch virtual button enabled, simply touch it and it will behave just like a physical Home button.

how to use assistive touch as a virtual home button
Note that you can drag it around the screen to another location, and it will remain there until you move it again. You can also access it in running apps, as well as the Control Center.

Tag: Accessibility
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Apple to Present Plaque to Korean Police for Cracking Down on Sale of Fake Accessories

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Apple will express its gratitude to Korean police for seizing fake accessories worth 1 billion won ($892,000) by presenting a plaque to officers at a local police unit, reports The Korea Herald.

airpods usb c cable

As a token of thanks, Donald Shruhan, senior regional director for Apple's Asia-Pacific operations, will visit the Bucheon Sosa Police Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday to deliver a plaque of appreciation to investigators who arrested local distributors of fake Apple charging cables and earphones.

The fake products are said to have come from China, although authorities are still trying to work out how they made it into the country. The distributors are reportedly under investigation on suspicion of fraud and trademark violation, said the paper's sources.

Apple has a history of suffering from counterfeit Apple products originating from China, with authorities breaking up counterfeit iPhone rings and shutting down fake Apple Stores in the country down the years.

In 2015, one Chinese company was even caught selling fake versions of the then yet-to-be-released Apple Watch for $30 a pop at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Tags: Korea Herald, South Korea
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Apple Hires Prominent Facebook Critic for Internal-Facing Product Privacy Role

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Apple has recruited a former Facebook employee who went on to become one of the social network's most ardent critics, reports The Financial Times (paywall). Sandy Parakilas monitored the privacy and policy compliance of Facebook developers for 18 months before leaving the social network in 2012.

sandy parakilas privacy team apple

Sandy Parakilas talking to Bloomberg

During his time at the company, Parakilas felt his concerns about its data-sharing policies were downplayed, according to FT.

Last year, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Parakilas also gave evidence to the British parliament's digital, culture, media, and sport committee, and told MPs that Facebook's data protection practices were "far outside the bounds of what should have been allowed" between 2010 and 2014.

Mr Parakilas has urged the tech industry to improve its data protection practices, increase the use of encrypted messaging and "verify the truth of statements that can be viewed by millions of people".

"We now live in a world where racist demagogues and their dictator buddies can cynically exploit our tools to seize power," he wrote in a blog post in late 2016. "There is no such thing as a 'neutral platform'. Facebook, Twitter and Google all profited from this perversion of democracy."

According to FT's sources, Parakilas will work in Apple's privacy team as a product manager, an internal-facing role designed to ensure that new products in development protect users' privacy and minimize data collection.

Apple has made much of its privacy focus in recent years. In 2018, CEO Tim Cook singled out user privacy a "core value" of Apple's that reaches way back to before smartphones had become a feature of people's daily lives.

Recently, in the heart of Las Vegas where the Consumer Electronics Show is currently underway, Apple put up a giant sign touting the security of its devices to remind the tech industry of its heavy emphasis on privacy.

Apple does not have a presence at the show, but CES attendees will be seeing products from companies with less of a privacy focus like Google and Amazon.

Tags: Apple Privacy, Facebook
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CES 2019: Gardena Smart System Now Works With Apple HomeKit

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The Gardena Smart System is gaining support for Apple's HomeKit, with HomeKit integration coming to Gardena devices like the Smart Water Control, Smart Irrigation Control, Smart Sensor, and Smart Power.

Gardena accessories are gaining HomeKit compatibility through a software update, allowing existing Gardena Smart System owners to upgrade their systems to work with the Apple Home app and Siri voice commands.

gardenahomekit
Gardena's Smart System consists of a range of products, including watering sets for various areas like hedges and bushes or balconies, irrigation controls for controlling multiple irrigation zones, a control set for managing water usage, a water controller for automatic irrigation, sensors for measuring soil moisture and other parameters, and a smart power adapter.

The Gardena devices, available since 2016, are designed to allow gardeners to precisely monitor everything that goes on in their homes while also automating care in many ways. All of the devices have been able to be controlled via the Gardena app, but HomeKit offers more versatility and allows for integration with other HomeKit devices like outdoor lights, sensors, and more.

HomeKit compatibility will be added by the end of the first quarter of 2019.

Tags: CES 2019, HomeKit Guide
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Apple Tells Suppliers to Cut iPhone XR and XS Production by 10% for Next Three Months

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Apple is telling its suppliers to cut production on new iPhones by 10 percent over the course of the next three months, reports Nikkei.

Apple made the request of its suppliers late last month, asking them to produce fewer iPhones for the January-March quarter.

iphone xs vs xr
This is the second time that Apple has recently cut down on iPhone production, and Nikkei says Apple made the decision prior to issuing its guidance downgrade last week.

The production revision applies to all of Apple's new iPhone models, including the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. "The level of revision is different for each supplier and depends on the product mix they supply," an unnamed source told Nikkei.

A second source said that overall production volume of both new and old iPhones will be reduced by approximately 40 to 43 million units for the January-March quarter, down from an earlier projection of 47 to 48 million units.

Due to weak iPhone sales in China, the effects of the U.S.-China trade war, cheap battery replacements, and other factors, Apple cut its Q1 2019 revenue guidance to $84 billion, down from the $89 to $93 billion guidance issued in November, and with the production cuts, those issues may continue further into the year.

Apple CEO Tim Cook just today said, however, that reports suggesting the iPhone XR is a flop or selling poorly are "bologna," and that the device has been the best selling iPhone every day since it launched.

Tag: Nikkei
Related Forum: iPhone
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Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'Apple's Most Important Contribution to Mankind' Will Be in Health

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In an interview with Mad Money's Jim Cramer that aired tonight, Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed a wide range of topics, including Apple's future product plans, its health ambitions, wearable sales, and Siri improvements.

According to Cook, Apple's product pipeline has "never been better," a line that he often repeats. Apple is, in fact, working on new services that are coming this year, says Cook, though he declined to provide additional detail.

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I believe it'll be material over time. I'm not gonna forecast precisely, the ramps and so forth. But they're things that we feel really great about, that we've been working on for multiple years.

We do know that Apple has a major TV-related service in the works, with more than a dozen original television shows and movies being produced right now.

Cook also said that health is a major focus of Apple, and that health may actually end up being "Apple's greatest contribution to mankind."

We are taking what has been with the institution and empowering the individual to manage their health. And we're just at the front end of this. But I do think, looking back, in the future, you will answer that question, Apple's most-important contribution to mankind has been in health.

Cook pointed towards Apple's work on Research Kit and CareKit for increasing research pools and improving bedside care, along with the Medical Records feature that allows users to access their medical records from multiple providers right on their iPhones.

Cook also mentioned the Apple Watch earlier in the interview, and said that he regularly reads emails from customers who tell him how the Apple Watch has changed their lives by motivating them to be more fit or finding heart problems through the new ECG feature that detects atrial fibrillation. "These are life-changing things," said Cook.

Apple's wearables business, which includes the Apple Watch and the AirPods, has already exceeded the iPod business by 50 percent at the iPod's peak, Cook went on to say.

And so already, exceeded it by 50 percent at its peak. At its peak. Also, if you take AirPods and the Watch separately, and you sort of back these up and align it to the launch date of iPod, as well, and, you know, where all of them have a comparable amount of time, you would find that each one, independently, is, like, four to six times ahead of where iPod was at a comparable period of time.

Cook was also asked about Siri, and whether Apple would throw more money at it if the company had "unlimited capital." In response, Cook said that Apple is "putting a ton of investment" in Siri.

There are more than 500 million devices using Siri in 21 languages and 30 countries. Cook says Apple wants Siri to be in every country, and that "quality is going up."

You know voice is a never-ending journey. We all speak a bit differently. I have a southern dialect, not as southern as I used to. But there's a lot of stuff to do there. But I'm highly confident in our ability to keep innovating like crazy there.

A complete transcript of Cook's Mad Money interview is available from CNBC. Cook also covered topics like Apple's earnings downgrade, iPhone XR sales, and its dispute with Qualcomm.

Tag: Tim Cook
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Apple's Legal Dispute With Qualcomm to Continue as Tim Cook Says Claims of Settlement Talks Are False

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In an interview today with Mad Money's Jim Cramer, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared some details about the company's ongoing legal battle with Qualcomm.

Despite rumors of settlement talks, Cook says that Apple has not been in any settlement discussions with Qualcomm since the third calendar quarter of last year. And in response to a question about whether Apple will cave and enter into a settlement with Qualcomm given the import bans in China and Germany, Cook said "no."

qualcomm iphone 7
He then went on to blast Qualcomm for its pricing and licensing practices, calling them "illegal," and he commented on Qualcomm's tactic of spreading fake news, calling it "not how things should operate" and saying it "should be beneath companies."

The issues that we have with Qualcomm is that they have a policy of no license, no chips. This is, in our view, illegal. And so many regulators in many different countries agree with this. And then secondly, the obligation to offer their patent portfolio on a fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory basis. And they don't do that. They charge exorbitant prices. And they have a lot of different tactics they use to do that. And that's not just us saying that. I mean, you can see what's coming out of the FTC trial here in the United States.

Apple and Qualcomm have been involved in an increasingly bitter legal battle since 2017. Qualcomm has resorted to filing lawsuits against Apple for patent infringement and has won preliminary import bans against older iPhones in China and Germany.

The FTC's antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm kicked off this week, with the FTC claiming, like Apple, that Qualcomm has used its position and portfolio of patents to impose anticompetitive supply and licensing terms on manufacturers.

Tag: Qualcomm
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Calls Reports That iPhone XR is a Flop 'Bologna'

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Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sat down for an interview with Mad Money's Jim Cramer, which aired today at 6:00 p.m Eastern Time. CNBC shared tidbits of the interview this morning, but now the full discussion is available.

Cook covered topics that include Apple's recent earnings downgrade, Apple's performance in China, iPhone upgrades, how well the iPhone XR sold, and more.

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When asked about reports that the iPhone XR was a flop, Cook says he calls "bologna on that." The iPhone XR has, in fact, been the most popular iPhone "every single day" since it started shipping out to customers.

Cook did, however, demur when asked about iPhone XR sales relative to other sales, saying only that he'd like to sell more, and that Apple is "working on that."

According to Cook, naysayers have been saying similar things about Apple for many years now, but Apple is focused on the long term. Cook pointed towards Apple's large active install base, high customer satisfaction rating, and growing services business as positives.

On the topic of poor iPhone sales in China, Cook said that the Chinese economy is slowing, and that trade tension with the U.S. created a "more-sharp downturn." He said that he believes trade tensions are temporary, and that he's heard "some very encouraging words" recently.

As for upgrades, which were impacted in 2018 by the availability of cheaper $29 battery replacements for older devices, Cook said he's not bothered, and that the number of iPhones sold in a 90-day period, which many analysts believe is the "most important metric" is "far, far, far" down on his list of concerns.

This is far, far, far down my list. The point is, if somebody decides to buy an iPhone a little later, because of the battery, huge discount that we gave, they decide to hold on a little longer, I'm I'm great with that.

I want the customer to be happy. We work for them. And so the important thing is that they're happy. Because if they're happy, they will eventually replace that product with another. And the services and the ecosystem around that will thrive.

Apple does plan to encourage upgrades, however, through features like new phone setup, data transfer, and older device trade-ins to lower the base cost of a new device.

Cook went on to explain that Apple's "not about making the cheapest" products, instead focusing on making the "best product that enriches people's lives."

Now, the best phones, we knew that, as we went to the X and then the follow-on of the XS and the XS Max, that everybody would not want to spend $1,000 for the phone. So we made the iPhone XR.

The most important thing, says Cook, is that "customers are satisfied."

A full transcript of Cook's Mad Money interview is available from CNBC.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook Earned Over $15 Million in 2018, Not Counting Stock Awards

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cook heroApple CEO Tim Cook earned more than $15 million in salary in 2018 according to the 2018 proxy statement Apple filed with the SEC today.

Cook earned a base salary of $3 million along with $12 million in incentives awarded for performance-based reasons, and another $682,000 in unspecified "Other Compensation." Cook earned a total of $3 million more than he did in 2017.

Cook's listed salary does not include stock awards that he received in 2018, and when taking that into account, he earned an additional $121 million. In the future, Cook is set to receive stock worth upwards of $189 million as shares vest.

Other Apple executives received a base salary of $1 million, along with bonuses of more than $25 million. Angela Ahrendts, Jeff Williams, Luca Maestri, and Kate Adams, Apple's general counsel, all earned over $26 million in 2018, stock awards included.

All Apple executives are earning well over the median salary at Apple, which was $55,426 owing to the large number of retail and support employees that work for Apple. At almost $16 million, Cook earns 283 times what the median Apple employees do.

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Apple's full proxy statement contains additional salary details, proposals that will be voted on at the shareholders meeting in March, and information on Apple's achievements in 2018, such as reaching 100 percent renewable energy in its global facilities, shipping the two billionth iOS device, launching the Everyone Can Create curriculum, and more.

Tag: Tim Cook
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Apple Maps Gains New Indoor Mall Maps and Flyover Locations

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According to its Feature Availability page, Apple today introduced a number of new features for Apple Maps. Several new Flyover locations have been added, and available maps for indoor malls have expanded.

In some of these locations, the updates may have actually rolled out a few months ago, but Apple's updated list lets us know exactly where Maps feature are available. In other areas, the Flyover updates appear to be new and aren't showing up just yet.

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New Flyover Locations

  • Aix-en-Provence, France
  • Aizuwakamatsu, Japan
  • Albuquerque, NM
  • Cannes, France
  • Charleston, SC
  • Cincinnati, OH
  • Collioure, France
  • Foxboro, MA
  • Freeport, Bahamas
  • Granada, Spain
  • Gifu, Japan
  • Greensboro, NC
  • Hikone, Japan
  • Himeji, Japan
  • Infantes, Spain
  • Izumo, Japan
  • Izushi, Japan
  • Joshua Tree National Park
  • Kahului, HI
  • Kanazawa, Japan
  • Kapaa, HI
  • Key West, FL
  • Kitakyushu, Japan
  • Kōya, Japan
  • Lahaina, HI
  • Lake Tahoe, CA
  • Lens, France
  • Lihue, HI
  • Matsumoto, Japan
  • Monaco
  • Nara, Japan
  • Naha, Japan
  • Odawara, Japan
  • Padua, Italy
  • Preston, England
  • Queenstown, New Zealand
  • Reggio Di Calabria, Italy
  • Remoulins, France
  • Sakai, Japan
  • Siracusa, Italy
  • Takahashi, Japan
  • Takamatsu, Japan
  • Tōjinbō, Japan
  • Toledo, OH
  • Treviso, Italy
  • Tsu, Japan
  • Twelve Apostles
  • Valladolid, Spain
  • Wailua, HI
  • Yokkaichi, Japan
  • Zaragoza, Spain

Indoor Maps

Apple Maps indoor mapping feature has expanded to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina, and dozens of malls across the United States and other countries. We're not going to list them just because of the sheer number of new additions to the list, but mall maps have expanded in a major way since first being introduced in iOS 11.

You can see a full list of malls (and airports) that have indoor maps available in Apple Maps on Apple's Feature Availability page.

Speed Limits

In Canada, Apple has confirmed official support for speed limits within Apple Maps, a feature that Canadian users first began noticing a few months ago. Prior to the addition of Canada, speed limit information, a new iOS 12 feature, was only available in the UK and the United States.

Transit

Transit directions now also appear to be available across the states of Louisiana and Minnesota, with Apple updating previous listings that specified just Minneapolis and New Orleans.

Tag: Apple Maps
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CES 2019: The Best of Pepcom With Mophie, Brilliant, Aibo and More

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The 2019 Consumer Electronics Show officially kicked off today, with thousands of vendors showing off everything from smart toilets to new battery packs for the iPhone.

At CES, there are several major media events that are less overwhelming than the show floor, like Unveiled, Pepcom, and ShowStoppers. Pepcom took place last night, and MacRumors was on hand to check out some of the most interesting products and accessories that were being demoed.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

Mophie is showing off its new Juice Pack battery cases for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR at CES, and was on hand at Pepcom for a quick hands-on. The new cases charge the iPhone using Qi wireless charging, leaving the Lightning port free in case you want to plug in real quick or use Lightning based headphones. The cases themselves charge via Qi wireless charging or over USB-C, and Mophie plans to launch them in the first quarter of 2019 for $119.95.

Tons of other accessories were available at Pepcom, like Otterbox's new Otter + Pop iPhone cases, which it created in partnership with PopSocket. There's a collapsible, interchangeable PopGrip on the back of the new Otter + Pop case, which PopSocket lovers are sure to like.

There were no shortage of HomeKit devices at Pepcom, with many manufacturers introducing new HomeKit-compatible accessories at CES. We got to see Brilliant's smart light switch in action, a product that will soon support HomeKit. The Brilliant Control replaces any existing light switch and adds physical controls along with a touch display that can be used to control other smart devices in the home.

Parents might be interested in the $149 Coolpad Dyno Smartwatch, which, while not iOS-based, is useful for children. It's an Android smart watch that has built-in LTE connectivity and a simple UI that's easy for kids to use. It can be used to send a call or a text to a parent, with a built-in SOS safety feature that calls 911 in an emergency if parents can't be reached. It is water resistant, durable, and has GPS tracking so parents can keep an eye on their kids' location.

The Cemtrex Smartdesk caught our eye because it's a massive desk with a PC built right in. It comes equipped with three integrated touch displays that all work together, gesture support, a wireless charging pad, and sit/stand adjustability. There are plenty of other bells and whistles, which is unsurprising because this desk costs $4,499 to $5,699. Cemtrex doesn't have a Mac option right now, but says one could launch in the future.

Telepresence devices have been around for awhile, but the latest is Temi, the personal robot. Priced at $1,500, Temi is a home robot that can navigate around the house, let you communicate with friends and family, help you cook, follow you, and tons more.

For those who like the outdoors, Furrion was on-hand with weatherproof electronics like a 4K TV, a waterproof solar battery, and a massive battery powered cooler that makes camping a whole lot nicer.

Finally, we got to see Aibo, Sony's robotic dog. Priced at $3,000, Aibo is an adorable, endearing little robot that offers the companionship of a pet without the downsides like fur and cleanup. Aibo features a unique personality, lifelike movements, and an innate curiosity about its environment. Aibo learns its environment, develops relationships with people, and becomes smarter over time.

Want to see more cool tech being shown off at CES? Make sure to check out our CES Unveiled video from yesterday and our full CES 2019 hub. Stay tuned to MacRumors, because we'll also have more videos coming later this week.

Tag: CES 2019
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Apple's Annual Shareholders Meeting to Take Place on March 1 at Apple Park, Pre-Registration Required

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Apple LogoApple's annual shareholders meeting is set to take place at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 1, 2019, the company said today in a filing with the SEC.

Apple has been holding its shareholder meetings at Steve Jobs Theater since last year, and because space is limited, the company asks that shareholders pre-register for the event.

Shareholders can register to attend the meeting at Proxyvote.com starting at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 6. Apple says that registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The record date for the meeting is January 2, 2019, and only shareholders as of the record date who have registered in advance and have a valid registration confirmation will be allowed to enter the meeting.

Last year's shareholders meeting was rather tame, focusing primarily on discussing shareholder proposals, many of which were routine proposals for re-electing the board of directors, compensating executives, and more. Apple did make a few comments about topics that include acquisitions, customer satisfaction, and wearables, so similar information could be shared this year.

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CES 2019: Pad & Quill Expands TechFolio Series With New Mini and Pro Options for Storing Your Gear

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Pad & Quill, known for its line of Apple accessories made from high-quality leather, is expanding its TechFolio series that's designed to house cords, cables, power adapters, Apple Watch bands, the Apple Pencil, and more in one convenient place.

To go along with the existing Classic TechFolio Cord Organizer, Pad & Quill is adding the new TechFolio Mini ($59.95) and the new TechFolio Pro ($119.95).

originaltechfolio

Original TechFolio

The original TechFolio has nine compartments for cords and accessories along with an Apple Pencil holder, while the Mini version, designed for the iPad Pro, is smaller.

It has a cord organizer pocket for cables along with a strap to secure them, plus an Apple Pencil slot, an SD card holder, and a slot where you can keep power adapters, battery packs, and other accessories.

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TechFolio Mini

There are also two additional pockets for cords, dongles, and anything else you might need to store, and the whole thing folds up into a little bundle that can then be tucked into a bag or backpack.

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TechFolio Mini

The TechFolio Pro is the opposite of the Mini, adding even more storage space to the original TechFolio design. The TechFolio Pro is the ultimate travel companion and accessory organizer with a total of 15 pockets.

Like the other TechFolio products, the TechFolio Pro is made from full-grain leather with a canvas interior and leather accents. There are five cord organizing pockets for your cables, complete with rivet closures, along with an Apple Pencil slot.

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TechFolio Pro

Two large zipper pockets offer up storage space for power adapters, battery packs, and hard drives, and there are two slots where you can store small things like SD cards or house keys.

Larger cords fit into two additional pockets, and a flap-covered medium-sized pocket is ideal for any dongles and adapters you might have. A slip pocket can hold things like credit cards and your passport, and there's another smaller slip pocket for anything else you might need to store.

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TechFolio Pro

Once packed with accessories, the TechFolio Pro folds up neatly into thirds so you can tuck it away in your pack.

Pad & Quill's new TechFolios can be purchased from the Pad & Quill website. The original TechFolio is available for $$89.95 and ships immediately. The TechFolio Mini, priced at $59.95 and the TechFolio Pro, priced at $119.95, can be pre-ordered and will ship out in early February.

MacRumors readers interested in purchasing a TechFolio from Pad & Quill can use the promo code MR15 to get a $15 discount.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner Pad & Quill. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Tags: CES 2019, Pad & Quill
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CES 2019: LifeProof Launches $99 'Lifeactiv' Water Resistant Battery Pack

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LifeProof today announced the launch of a $99 Lifeactiv Power Pack 20, a 20,000 mAh battery pack that features a USB-C port and built-in water resistance.

The Lifeactiv Power Pack 20 includes two 10,000mAh batteries inside, and with the USB-C port, it can charge Apple's USB-C MacBooks, iPad Pro models, and iPhones with a USB-C to Lightning cable.

lifeproofbatterypack
According to LifeProof, the Power Pack is waterproof in up to 6.6 feet of water for a period of one hour, drop proof up to 6.6 feet, and sealed from dirt and snow, making it an ideal battery pack for outdoor usage.

To survive a water drop and to keep it safe from liquids, the charging port door on the Lifeactiv needs to be closed before it's exposed to moisture.

The 20,000mAh Lifeactiv Power Pack 20 from LifeProof is available for purchase today for $99 from the LifeProof website.

Tags: CES 2019, LifeProof
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CES 2019: OtterBox Teams Up With Corning for New Line of Screen Protectors

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OtterBox today announced that it's teaming up with Corning for a new line of Amplify screen protectors for smartphones.

For those unfamiliar with Corning, Corning is the company that creates the super strong Gorilla Glass that's used in Apple's iOS devices and other electronics.

corningotterbox
OtterBox and Corning plan to create a "full portfolio" of "innovative glass solutions" to provide additional protection to smartphones and tablets while also improving the user experience.

The Amplify screen protectors will use proprietary engineering and manufacturing techniques for longer-lasting protection and durability.

"We understand that your phone screen is the window into your world and a gateway to your most important memories," said OtterBox CEO Jim Parke. "Corning is the leading glass innovation company in the world, and we look forward to this partnership improving smartphone screen protection for our customers."

According to OtterBox, the Amplify line of screen protectors will be launching soon for the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Tags: CES 2019, Corning, Gorilla Glass, OtterBox
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Google Assistant Coming to Google Maps for iOS Today

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googlemapsGoogle is adding its Google Assistant feature to the Google Maps apps for iOS and Android, Google announced today.

The feature will be available on iPhones starting this afternoon, with Google planning to enable Assistant for Google Maps via an update that's rolling out "shortly."

On iOS and Android devices, Google Assistant will allow Google Maps users to control their navigation, reply to texts, and control music. On Android, it is also able to send messages through various messaging apps, a feature not available on iOS.

It can also do things like calculate your ETA so you can let friends and family know when you're set to arrive.

Google Assistant is already available on iOS devices through the dedicated Google Assistant app, but adding it into Maps makes it more readily accessible for the millions of people who already use the Google Maps app.

Tags: Google, Google Assistant, Google Maps
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Apple CEO Tim Cook: Apple's 'Ecosystem Has Never Been Stronger' and Long-Term Health Has 'Never Been Better'

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Apple CEO Tim Cook will appear on CNBC's "Mad Money" show this evening, where he will speak with host Jim Cramer, and ahead of the interview, CNBC has shared some of what was discussed.

The topic was, of course, Apple's recent guidance downgrade, where Cook said that factors like poor sales in China, a strong U.S. dollar, and cheap battery replacements impacted Q1 2019 earnings.

timcookmadmoney2019
According to Cook, Apple's ecosystem of devices and services is "probably underappreciated" by naysayers, which is something that he's heard over and over again over the years.

"I'm not defensive on it. This is America and you can say what you want," Cook continued. "But ... my honest opinion is that there is a culture of innovation in Apple and that culture of innovation combined with these incredible, loyal customers, happy customers, this ecosystem, this virtuous ecosystem, is something that is probably underappreciated."

Cook went on to say that he wasn't surprised at the drop in Apple stock following the news, because the market is "quite emotional in the short term." Cook says that Apple "looks through all of that" and focuses more on the longer term.


Apple's long-term health has "never been better," the product pipeline has "never been better" and the "ecosystem has never been stronger," especially when it comes to services, according to Cook.


Cook's full interview on "Mad Money" with further commentary on Apple's upcoming earnings is set to air tonight at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Tags: CNBC, Tim Cook
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CES 2019: Yubico Debuts First Apple-Approved Lightning-Enabled YubiKey for Secure Physical Authentication on iOS Devices

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Yubico, a company that makes physical security keys for physical two-factor authentication, today announced the upcoming launch of a Lightning-based YubiKey device that will work with Apple's iPhones and iPads.

Yubico has long offered USB-A, USB-C, and NFC-based YubiKey options for PCs, Macs, and mobile devices, but there has never been a Lightning-based option before.

yubikeyforlightning
YubiKey for Lightning, which has been approved by Apple, has been designed to be used with both Lightning devices and Apple's latest Macs thanks to a Lightning connector on one end and a USB-C connector on the other end.

The new accessory will offer up seamless authentication across Apple's desktop and mobile devices. Yubico is launching a YubiKey for Lightning program, which will let developers and services adopt support for the YubiKey.

YubiKey for Lightning is in a private preview and available only for participants in the YubiKey for Lightning program, with more information on general availability to come at a later date.


Yubico is today also announcing an a new version of its Security Key NFC for tap-and-go authentication on supported devices like Android smartphones and Windows 10 computers.

Tag: CES 2019
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