Zagg today announced the launch of the Zagg Flex Universal Keyboard and Stand, which is designed to work with any Bluetooth device. It can be paired to the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and more, along with smart TVs, other tablets, and other smartphones.
The Flex Universal Keyboard features a slim protective cover that keeps it safe when in a bag or a purse. When in use, the cover turns into a built-in stand that can hold any-sized smartphone or tablet at an ideal viewing angle.
Zagg has included support for multi-device pairing so the keyboard can be connected simultaneously to two devices, with a toggle available to switch between them.
Laptop-like keys offer a comfortable typing experience while on the go and backlighting for the keys allows the keyboard to be used in low-light conditions. A built-in battery lasts for up to one year before needing to be recharged.
According to Zagg, the Flex keyboard and cover have been designed to be detachable so it can also be used sans cover with devices that don't require a stand.
Zagg's Flex Universal Keyboard can be purchased from the Zagg website for $79.99. It will ship out to customers starting on September 19.
Jane Krakowski, known for her roles in "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "30 Rock," has joined the cast of Apple's upcoming "Dickinson" series, reports Variety.
"Dickinson," which Apple ordered back in May, is a half-hour show about the life of poet Emily Dickinson, who will be played by Hailee Steinfeld.
Also a musician, Steinfeld is known for her roles in "True Grit," "Pitch Perfect 2," "Pitch Perfect 3," "Ender's Game," and coming of age film "Edge of Seventeen."
Krakowski is joining "Dickinson" to play Mrs. Dickinson, Emily's mother. In addition to "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "30 Rock," Krakowski has also worked on "Ally McBeal, "Alfie," "Ice Age," and "National Lampoon's Vacation."
"Dickinson" has been described as a comedic look into Emily Dickinson's world that explores the constraints of society, gender, and family from the perspective of a budding writer who doesn't fit into her own time.
For those unfamiliar with Emily Dickinson, she was a prolific American poet known for short lines, slant rhymes, and irregular use of punctuation. Much of her work focused on death and immortality, and she was known for living a reclusive life.
The show is being written and executive produced by Alena Smith, who was previously a writer on "The Affair" and "The Newsroom." David Gordon Green, known for "Stronger," Red Oaks," "Vice Principals," and "Pineapple Express" will direct.
"Dickinson" is just one of more than a dozen television shows Apple has in the works. Several of the shows are now in the casting stages, including an untitled space drama from Ronald D. Moore that will star Joel Kinnaman, "Are You Sleeping" starring Octavia Spencer, world-building drama "See" that will star Jason Momoa, and a series based on child journalist Hilde Lysiak starring Brooklynn Prince.
Rumors have suggested that we'll see the first of Apple's television shows debut in March 2019. It's not yet entirely clear how Apple plans to distribute the TV shows, but given the sheer number of different shows in the works, it's likely Apple plans to introduce a new streaming service based on its original content.
According to a June report from The Information Apple is considering building a bundle that would include access to original TV content, Apple Music, and news and digital magazines for one monthly fee.
Square today announced that it has updated its original free Square Reader for Magstripe with a new Lightning connector, so sellers with the iPhone 7 and above will no longer need to use an adapter to accept payments from customers.
Prior to the Lighting connector update, the Square Reader plugged into the headphone jack on a device. Square users with the iPhone 7 or later were required to use an adapter with the Square Reader as Apple eliminated the headphone jack starting with the iPhone 7.
Square is also introducing support for using the original Square Reader with a computer using the Square Virtual Terminal. This setup is ideal for sellers who do the majority of their business on the computer, and the software is compatible with Apple's Macs and Chromebooks.
According to Square, users will need to plug the Square reader for Magstripe into the headphone jack on a computer and then open up the Virtual Terminal to begin accepting payments via computer.
Transactions made via the new Square Reader with Lightning or the Square Reader used with a computer incur a 2.75 percent fee per swipe for Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Manually entered computer payments incur a fee of 3.5 percent plus 15 cents.
The Square Reader for Magstripe with the new Lightning connector is available from the Square website for $10 or free for eligible merchants.
Avido's new WiBa Wireless and Stackable Power Bank and Charging Pad combines wireless charging with a wireless power bank, allowing for a completely wire-free iPhone charging experience both at home and on the go.
The WiBa kit comes with three pieces: a wireless charging pad, a 5,000 mAh battery pack, and a cable plus power adapter to power the wireless charging portion of the device. The battery pack is designed to charge on the charging pad with the iPhone able to charge on top of the battery pack, so you can charge both the iPhone and the battery pack all at once.
Made from a white plastic with a soft rubber coating, the WiBa wireless charging pad is about the size of the iPhone X when it comes to length and width, but it's much thicker.
The accompanying power bank is crafted from the same material and is the same size and length as the wireless charging pad. The power bank is even thicker than the pad, which means it's several times thicker than an iPhone X. Theoretically, you could pocket the power bank just like an iPhone X, but given its thickness, I'm not sure that you'd want to.
The power bank fits better in a bag or a backpack, but it's still going to take up more room than competing power banks that have the same battery capacity, which is one of the negatives to this accessory.
Because it's the same size as the iPhone X, the wireless charging pad also has a somewhat bigger footprint than most upright wireless chargers, so it's going to take up more space on a desk than some charging options. Compared to round flat chargers, though, the rectangular shape of the WiBa takes up less overall desk real estate.
At the bottom of the wireless charging pad, there's a magnetic attachment area where the power bank fits so that it can charge wirelessly. The magnet is nice because the power bank always slips right into the correct place when it needs to be charged with the charging pad, so I never had to fuss with it to find the ideal charging alignment.
There's also a magnet in the power bank, which works with a separate magnet attachment that's available for the iPhone to keep it in place while wirelessly charging. My test unit did not come with this accessory so I wasn't able to try it, but for those who don't mind a magnet stuck on the iPhone with adhesive, it should make wireless charging via the power bank more convenient.
Sans magnet, it's not really convenient to charge an iPhone with the wireless power bank unless it's set on a flat surface because the power bank has no way to attach to the iPhone.
On the wireless charging pad, there's a single USB-C port to connect it to the included power adapter, while the power bank features both a USB-C port and a USB-A port. The USB-C port can be used to charge the power bank more quickly if you don't want to use the wireless charging pad, while the USB-A port can be used to charge devices that don't support wireless charging.
Both the power bank and the charging pad feature an Avido logo front and center, which I wasn't a fan of. The power bank has four white LEDs on one side that let you know the charge and a bright green LED on the other side when it's turned on. Both the green LED and the white LEDs come on when the side button is pressed and charging is activated, and the green LED in particular is distracting. It does, however, turn off after a few minutes.
While the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X support 7.5W wireless charging, the WiBa is limited to 5W charging speeds, which is another downside to the product. It does charge at 10W for Android devices, but Avido told me it was capped at 5W for "safety precautions."
Avido also pointed out that there's often not a huge difference between 5W and 7.5W charging, which is not untrue. I've tested a lot of wireless charging options both at 5W and at 7.5W. In the best of conditions, you can eke out about 10 to 12 percent more charge over the course of an hour with a 7.5W charger, but the difference can be lower based on temperature and other factors.
I still generally find it worthwhile to choose 7.5W over 5W when possible, so it is disappointing not to see 7.5W support in the WiBa, especially at a $100 price point.
In multiple tests in Airplane mode and starting at a 1 percent charge, the WiBa wireless charging pad and the power bank charged my phone to 28 to 34 percent over the course of an hour, which is what I'd expect to see from a 5W charger. 28 to 34 percent is less than the charge you can expect to see from a wired power bank in an hour's time, so this isn't the most efficient on-the-go charging method.
The WiBa boasts a 5,000mAh battery that offers just about enough juice to charge an iPhone X from a dead battery to full once over. In two of my tests, the WiBa power bank charged my iPhone X to 85 percent before dying (again in Airplane mode) but in four other tests, it charged it up to 100 percent with about 5 percent of an additional charge left over.
It's safe to say that for the iPhone X, and the iPhone 8 Plus, which has a similar capacity battery, you can count on one additional full charge from the fully charged WiBa power bank. You might get one and a half to two full charges for the iPhone 8, which has a smaller battery.
As with the 5W charging limitation, I found the 5,000mAh capacity of the WiBa power bank to be disappointing given the size of the accessory and its price.
Bottom Line
The WiBa charger is a nice idea, and I can't argue that it's not convenient, but it doesn't feel like it's offering enough utility for the high price tag.
This is essentially a 5W wireless charger paired with a 5,000mAh battery pack. You can buy a 5,000mAh power bank on Amazon for about $10 to $15, and a wireless charger costs right around $15 to $20, for a total of $25 to $35.
That means Avido is charging quite a premium for the sake of convenience. Sure, you don't need to plug in the power bank while it charges or the iPhone while it charges from the power bank, but what's that shortcut worth?
I personally would opt for a standalone 7.5W wireless charger and wired power bank over this particular solution, but people who are looking for a grab and go no-hassle solution where the extra battery is simple to charge may prefer the WiBa setup.
I really would have liked to see a higher capacity battery with the WiBa, because a single extra charge for $100 doesn't feel worthwhile. Power banks that offer three times more capacity don't even cost $100.
It's also worth noting that wireless charging may not be the best power bank solution. Most people likely reach for a power bank when an iPhone's battery is critically low, and faster charging speeds are preferred in these situations. As a reminder, an hour of charging with the WiBa got my iPhone X to about 28 to 34% across multiple tests.
Note: Avido provided MacRumors with a WiBa wireless charger and power bank for the purpose of this review, which was returned to Avido at the conclusion of the review. No other compensation was received.
Apple on Tuesday released macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Supplemental Update 2, exclusively for 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models, but the release notes only mention improved stability and reliability.
When contacted by MacRumors for clarification, Apple said the Supplemental Update improves system stability and reliability across a number of areas, and addresses several issues, including crackling audio and kernel panics. Apple said it recommends all users install the update on their MacBook Pros.
Apple Support Communities user takashiyoshida, for example, claimed his MacBook Pro "no longer outputs the crackling noise" after updating.
"This evening, I set the microphone and speaker's sampling format to 44100 Hz and began playing back music on iTunes," he explained. "Before the update, I would normally hear the noise in about an hour. I left my MacBook Pro to play music for about three hours and so far I am not hearing any noises."
Reddit user onceARMY, however, commented that he was "still getting audio crackling noise while playing YouTube content on Safari." He did note that there were "no issues with the Spotify app" after installing the update.
As far as kernel panics are concerned, a handful of users have reported experiencing at least one since installing the Supplemental Update.
"Installed today's update… and then it happened," wrote MacRumors forum member King724, referring to a kernel panic. He shared a log indicating a system crash related to bridgeOS, the device firmware on the logic board that controls many functions on the 2018 MacBook Pro, including the Apple T2 chip.
Similar reports of kernel panicking began last year with the iMac Pro, which is also equipped with the T2, so it did—or perhaps still does—seem to be a potential issue with the chip, or the bridgeOS firmware that manages it. There was some speculation that the T2 chip was also to blame for the crackling.
For context, the T2 chip integrates several previously separate components, including the system management controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller. It also features a Secure Enclave coprocessor for secure boot, encrypted storage, and authenticating Touch ID.
Prior to yesterday's Supplemental Update, Apple support representatives provided customers with a wide variety of potential solutions to mitigate these issues, ranging from disabling FileVault to turning off Power Nap, but none of the workarounds appeared to permanently fix the problems.
Apple also asked some customers if they would be willing to send in their MacBook Pros so that its engineers can look into the issues. Some customers were apparently told that fixes were in the works, and at least based on what Apple told us, they are included in the Supplemental Update.
This is the second macOS High Sierra Supplemental Update for the 2018 MacBook Pro in as many months, with the first addressing a bug that contributed to excessive throttling of clock speeds under heavy thermal loads.
The Supplemental Update is not available to macOS Mojave users, but the issues could be resolved in future beta versions.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced over two years ago in March of 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 64 includes bug fixes and feature improvements for Custom Elements, Web API, Media, JavaScript, Storage Access API, Web Inspector, WebDriver, CSS, WebGL, Safari Push Notifications, and Safari Reader.
The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS High Sierra and macOS Mojave, the newest version of the Mac operating system that’s currently being beta tested by developers.
The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store (or in System Preferences in Mojave) to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.
Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Sonos today announced the launch of the Sonos Amp, a new audio hub that's designed to replace the existing Connect:Amp. The Sonos Amp is able to connect to traditional home audio speakers and integrate them into a Sonos home sound system.
According to Sonos, its new Sonos Amp is twice as powerful as the Connect:Amp with the ability to power four speakers with 125 watts per channel, up from two. It supports AirPlay 2 and more than 100 streaming services, in addition to including an HDMI Arc port to connect to TVs and line-in ports to connect devices like turntables, CD changers and other audio components.
Two Amps can be paired together for surround sound, and using the aforementioned HDMI Arc port, it can be used to add stereo sound to a TV or wireless rears to a home-theater setup.
Sonos is pricing the Amp at $599, $100 more than the previous Connect:Amp product. It will be available to professional installers in the U.S. and Canada starting in December, with global availability coming in February 2019.
The Amp is part of a new three-prong approach to better integrating Sonos into smart homes, which also includes speakers created in partnership with Sonance and new platform APIs.
Sonos is partnering with Sonance for three new architectural speakers, including in-wall, in-ceiling, and outdoor, which will be able to be paired with the new Sonos Amp. The three new speakers will be marketed and sold by Sonos and will launch in early 2019.
Starting in September, Sonos plans to open up its developer platform to all potential partners, and it will introduce a new set of Control APIs that will make it easier to integrate Sonos products into smart homes run by systems like Control4 or Crestron.
The new Control APIs will include support for line-in switching to allow line-in components to be selected within a third-party control interface, volume pass-through for easier volume control, the ability to add Sonos playlists using a third-party interface, and as a preview option, capabilities to provide notifications and alerts from third-party devices like doorbells through Sonos speakers.
Following DirecTV Now's addition of numerous local stations for its customers, Sony this week announced the addition of around 200 new local network affiliates for PlayStation Vue users in cities across the United States. These include affiliate partners with ABC, FOX, and NBC in cities like Buffalo, Honolulu, Memphis, Austin, and many more.
ABC affiliates on PS Vue now include Cincinnati, Ohio (9 On Your Side); Columbia, South Carolina (ABC Columbia); Corpus Christi, Texas (KIII-TV 3); Lafayette, Louisiana (KATC TV 3); and Baton Rouge, Louisiana (WBRZ 2). A few Fox affiliates include Bangor, Maine (FOX 22); Denver, Colorado (FOX 31); Eureka, California (FOX 28); and Jackson, Mississippi (FOX 40). Lastly, some NBC affiliates include Alexandria, Louisiana (KALB); Anchorage, Alaska (KTUU); Fargo, North Dakota (KVLY); and Lima, Ohio (WLIO). Check out PS Vue's FAQ page for the entire list of new local stations.
PS Vue head Dwayne Benefield made the announcement on the PlayStation Blog:
I am excited to announce that PS Vue users in select markets will gain access to local broadcast stations at no extra cost, starting today. With this expansion, PS Vue now offers more than 450 local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC stations, in cities all over the US – from Buffalo, NY, to Honolulu, HI.
As we gear up for football season and Fall TV premieres, now over 97% of the US population has access to at least one major broadcast station from ABC, CBS, FOX, and/ or NBC.
Unfortunately, there are many local stations that are restricted from recording shows through PS Vue's cloud DVR, including every station listed above and what appears to be every station added onto the service this week. The company says this restriction is "due to streaming rights," and it also extends to certain on demand channels, HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax.
With the expansion, Sony says PS Vue now supports "more than 450 local stations" from ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. Like other OTT services, PS Vue lets users stream live television through apps available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, and PlayStation consoles, starting at $44.99/month. Features include being able to stream on up to five devices at once, a cloud DVR, on demand content, and more.
PlayStation Vue is one of the major live TV streaming services along with DirecTV Now, Hulu With Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV.
A trio of former Mophie/Zagg employees today launched a new accessory brand called "Nimble," which is aimed at crafting smartphone and tech accessories that are environmentally friendly (via CNET).
Those behind Nimble include Ross Howe (Nimble CEO), Jon Bradley (creative director), and Kevin Malinowski (brand marketing), who were all originally part of Mophie when the company merged with Zagg in 2016. The creators of Nimble say they didn't mesh with the company following the Zagg merger, and left in March 2018.
Now, the Nimble brand will sell products that are similar to Mophie's devices, including wireless charging pads, portable battery packs, and charging cables. All of Nimble's products will be available on Amazon and its own website, but the company is avoiding retail outlets to reduce prices and compete with budget brands like Aukey and Anker, although they won't be quite as cheap.
Nimble products won't be cheaper than Anker's products but CEO Howe says they're better. "With this model, we can make more premium accessories with premium features that cost less." It's something he wanted to do with Mophie but just couldn't quite pull off.
Nimble products include a 10,000 mAh Portable Charger at $49.95, 13,000 mAh at $59.95, 20,000 mAh at $69.95, and 26,000 mAh at $99.95. Each of these support fast charging for iPhone with 18W power delivery, can charge multiple devices at once, and include a magnetic cable management system that attaches to the bottom of the charger.
The other main product line is a series of wireless charging pads, including the Wireless Pad for $39.95, Wireless Dual Pad for $49.95, Wireless Stand for $49.95, and Wireless Travel Kit for $59.95. These can wirelessly charge an iPhone at 7.5W, but Nimble gives no mention of official Qi compatibility as of yet.
Other Nimble accessories include a Dual USB Wall Charger for $19.95, USB Wall Charger for $9.95, and USB-C Cable 2-Pack for $12.95-$17.95. On the bottom of every product page, Nimble highlights how much the devices would be if sold at retail in its attempt to be as transparent as possible in regards to its pricing structure.
On its "Why We're Different" webpage, Nimble mentions working only with "thoughtful suppliers" who share its values on workers' rights and sustainable materials. The company also says it supports eco-friendly packaging, better materials to reduce its carbon footprint, and a "one-for-one" tech recovery project. In regards to that project, Nimble sends a pre-paid return envelope with every device you buy, allowing you to send old or obsolete electronics directly to its e-waste recycling partner.
Nimble's website supports Apple Pay during the checkout process and offers free shipping and returns to customers in the United States.
Spotify and Hulu are further sweetening their student subscription offer by adding a monthly Showtime subscription into the mix, pricing everything at $0.99 for the first three months and $4.99 per month after (via The Verge). This means that eligible college students can get a Spotify Premium subscription ($9.99/month), Hulu With Limited Commercials subscription ($7.99/month), and a Showtime subscription ($10.99/month) for $4.99 per month.
The updated student subscription is available beginning today and is open only to higher education students above the age of 18 who haven't already tried Spotify Premium. The offer will be live for just over one month, expiring on October 9, 2018. To verify your status as a student, Spotify uses a third party service called SheerID.
With the deal, users will be granted access to Showtime via Hulu's in-app premium network add-on feature. Of course, customers can also use their Hulu log-in information to gain access to the separate Showtime Anytime app on devices like iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. For more information about the new student plan, check out Spotify's page right here.
Spotify chief premium business officer told The Verge that its Hulu partnership has been "an overwhelming success."
“We’re always trying to find creative solutions to add value back to our premium customers, especially via partnerships, and our focus is on the long-term relationship with each subscriber. If we do the right thing, they reward us with loyalty.”
For Showtime, the move provides an excellent way to get in front of — and attempt to lock in — the next generation of potential premium cable subscribers. “We had to figure out ways to get into a place where kids could stream us easily,” Showtime COO Tom Christie tells The Verge. “There’s no other brand out there today that’s been more successful in setting up streaming business on campus than Spotify”
Spotify and Hulu originally partnered for a student plan back in September 2017, offering access to Spotify Premium and Hulu With Limited Commercials at $4.99 per month. Due to its popularity, the companies then expanded to offer a similar plan to all users in April 2018 at a price point of $12.99 per month. Showtime says it is "having conversations" about potentially joining the non-student bundle as well.
It's now been two years since Pokémon Go launched on iOS, becoming immensely popular with players across iOS and Android in the months that followed its debut. Although the number of players in the game has lessened since then, Pokémon Go has remained consistently popular among its fans, and this week Sensor Tower reports that it's seen a "resurgence" this summer thanks to the long-awaited Pokémon trading update.
That update came this past June, allowing players to trade Pokémon with nearby friends -- a feature that took the company two years to implement because it "wanted to make sure" the mechanic was done right, according to Niantic software engineer Kiersten Koa.
Now, Sensor Tower says that Pokémon Go players have spent an average of $2.5 million per day in the game since the June 19 update. In the 60 days leading to the update, players worldwide were spending about $1.8 million per day in the app. This means that the trading update has increased Pokémon Go's daily revenue by $700,000 per day, representing a 39 percent increase.
Sensor Tower points out that this daily spending "hasn't been seen since its summer 2016 launch."
Niantic’s Pokémon GO has never stopped being popular, but it’s definitely had its share of peaks and valleys when it comes to player spending. Right now, it’s in the midst of a resurgence the likes of which hasn’t been seen since its summer 2016 launch, and the game’s most fevered spending has come in the wake of June’s big friends and trading update.
Next, Sensor Tower says it's looking to see how the change of seasons will affect the game, since its revenue tends to peak during the summer months as more players venture outside to play the game. Still, another major update is scheduled to arrive before the end of 2018, enabling a player-versus-player mode, which should again "propel player spending back to the levels seen at the game's launch."
Although not part of Nintendo's mobile gaming initiative with developer partners like DeNA and Cygames, Nintendo does have a stake in Pokémon Go's success since it owns part of The Pokémon Company. The next main Nintendo game to see a smartphone launch will be Dragalia Lost, which was just announced to have a debut on September 27.
Following an announcement in April, Nintendo's next mobile game Dragalia Lost will officially launch on iOS and Android devices on September 27 in the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau (via Engadget). The company tweeted the news late last night, also confirming that the mobile game will be getting a Nintendo Direct of its own later tonight at 8:30 p.m. PT.
In the reveal earlier in the year, Nintendo described Dragalia Lost as an "original action RPG," co-developed by Nintendo and Japanese mobile developer Cygames. Otherwise, not much is known about the game besides that it will be an RPG, but we should know more tonight following the Nintendo Direct.
This marks one of the first times Nintendo has not partnered with DeNA on a mobile game, the developer behind its original string of smartphone apps including Miitomo, Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and the upcoming Mario Kart Tour. Nintendo decided to expand its roster of smartphone game developers after its partnership with DeNA "fell behind schedule."
The two companies originally claimed that their first app would launch in 2015, and five more would debut by March 2017. Eventually, Miitomo launched in March 2016, Super Mario Run launched in December 2016, Fire Emblem Heroes launched in February 2017, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp launched in November 2017. Besides Super Mario Run, every mobile game released by Nintendo and made by DeNA was delayed at some point.
This year, Nintendo's new president Shuntaro Furukawa stated that mobile game apps will be what he "wants to expand the most," and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto said the company will "continue pushing" for its games to be offered at a singular, fixed price. So far, only Super Mario Run has seen an upfront price structure, running for $9.99 originally and $4.99 during a few select sales over the years.
Apple will add 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models released in Mid 2012 to its vintage and obsolete products list on August 31, according to an internal document distributed to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers and obtained by MacRumors from a reliable source.
Normally, this would mean the 2012 MacBook Air is no longer eligible for hardware service, except where required by law. However, Apple has decided to include the notebook in its recently launched pilot program that allows for repairs to continue into the vintage period, subject to parts availability.
Apple says 2012 MacBook Air models will remain eligible for service at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers worldwide through August 31, 2020, a full two years after the notebook is classified as vintage. Mail-in service will also be an option in the United States and Japan through that date.
Apple launched this pilot program in February, starting with 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac models released in Mid 2011, but only in the United States and Turkey, so this marks the first time the initiative has expanded worldwide.
The coverage period for the Mid 2011 iMac models was initially set to expire August 31, 2018, but Apple has extended it to January 1, 2019, according to internal documents. However, unlike the 2012 MacBook Air, service for the Mid 2011 iMac remains available in the United States and Turkey only.
Apple's pilot program chart reproduced by MacRumors
If parts are unavailable for a specific repair for these vintage Macs, Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are instructed to decline service. This is also a pilot program to begin with, so it is subject to change or end at any time.
Apple products become vintage five years after they are last manufactured, at which point they typically become ineligible for hardware service. 2012 MacBook Air models were last sold in June 2013, slightly over five years ago, but they'll now receive an impressive eight years of repair support.
The exact reason for the pilot program is unclear, beyond Apple apparently having a surplus of repair parts for these specific MacBook Air and iMac models. Any extension of hardware service eligibility is certainly a bonus for customers.
At IFA Berlin, ZENS today announced a new range of wireless chargers, each including an ultra-thin aluminum design. All of the new wireless chargers will be available beginning September 15.
First is the Single Aluminum Wireless Charger, which is a simple single-device Qi-enabled wireless charging pad, much like those launched from companies including Belkin, Mophie, Anker, RAVPower, and more. ZENS' solution supports fast charging and has a maximum output of 10 watts, and will cost $49.99 at launch.
The next accessory is the Dual Aluminum Wireless Charger, which can charge two Qi-compatible smartphones at the same time, with a total output of 20 watts. This charger is priced at $79.99.
Lastly, the Dual+Watch Aluminum Wireless Charger also charges two smartphones simultaneously, but includes an additional perch for the Apple Watch. Similar to the Dual Aluminum Wireless Charger, the Dual+Watch accessory supports fast charging and has a total output of 20 watts. This one is also MFI-certified and is priced at $99.99.
Unlike the AirPower, for the ZENS Dual and Dual+Watch Wireless Chargers you will need to place devices in a certain position on the mat to charge. With Apple's upcoming wireless charger, there isn't a required "sweet spot" for iPhones or the Apple Watch, as they can be placed anywhere on the mat to be charged.
More announcements are expected to come out of IFA Berlin, which doesn't officially kick off until this Friday, August 31, and lasts through September 5.
Priced at $65, the Tesla Wireless Charger features a 6,000mAh battery so it can be used for charging while on the go. According to Tesla, it's been constructed using the "same design language" used in Tesla energy products like Powerwall, featuring a sleek black or white enclosure.
In addition to wireless charging, the Tesla Wireless Charger includes a built-in USB-C cable for charging USB-C Android devices. For non-USB-C devices, there's a USB-A port that can be used for faster wired charging. A built-in USB-A cable is used to charge the Wireless Charger from any USB-A port.
According to Tesla, the wireless charging is limited to 5W, which is slower than the faster 7.5W charging that is available on the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus. Other 5W chargers can be purchased on Amazon for as little as $10, which means Tesla is charging quite a premium for the Tesla branding and design of this accessory.
Update: It appears Tesla may have removed the Wireless Charger from its website as the store links to the device no longer work nor does a search on the site bring it up.
Apple CEO Tim Cook last Friday was awarded 560,000 shares of Apple stock as payment for his service as Apple's CEO and Apple's strong performance under his leadership.
Following the award, Cook this week sold more than 265,000 of those shares at prices ranging from $216.96 to $218.54, netting him nearly $57.8 million. The remaining 294,840 shares worth more than $63 million were withheld by Apple for taxes.
As with all transactions where Apple executives sell stock, the sale was done under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan that was adopted on May 4, 2018.
The stock Cook received last week included 280,000 vested restricted stock units (RSUs) provided to him as part of his compensation as CEO and another 280,000 vested RSUs awarded because Apple achieved a higher shareholder return than at least two-thirds of other companies in the S&P from August 25, 2015 to August 24, 2018.
Mr. Cook's award provides that if Apple's relative TSR performance is within the top third of the companies that remain in the S&P 500 for the entire performance period, the 280,000 performance-based RSUs vest in full. If Apple's performance is in the middle third, the RSUs will be reduced by 50%, and if Apple's performance is in the bottom third, the RSUs will be reduced to zero. Apple needed to achieve a TSR of at least 56.23% to outperform the middle third of the companies in the S&P 500 for the performance period, and at least 19.94% to outperform the bottom third of the companies. Apple's TSR for the three-year period was 89.94%, which ranked 50th of the 423 companies that were included in the S&P 500 for the entire period and placed Apple in the 88th percentile. Therefore, all 280,000 of the RSUs subject to performance requirements vested.
Cook is set to receive an additional 560,000 shares each year for the next three years if he remains Apple's CEO and Apple's shareholder return continues to be among the top-third of companies in the S&P 500. Cook will also see 700,000 RSUs vest on August 24, 2021.
After selling the stock that he received this year, Cook continues to own 878,425 shares, worth close to $193 million at today's closing price of $219.70.
In the past, Cook has said that he plans to donate the majority of his fortune to charity. Cook last week donated almost $5 million worth of Apple stock to an unnamed charity.
Intel this afternoon officially debuted its new eighth-generation U-series "Whiskey Lake" and Y-series "Amber Lake" chips, which are designed for use in thin, light notebooks like the MacBook and the MacBook Air.
The new "Amber Lake" Y-series processors, which include the i7-8500Y, i5-8200Y, and the m3-8100Y, are successors to the current chips that Apple uses in the 12-inch MacBook lineup. Apple is working on updated 12-inch MacBook models set to come out this fall that could use the new Amber Lake processors.
Intel's new 15W U-series "Whiskey Lake" chips, which include the i7-8565U, i5-8265U, and i3-8145U, would be appropriate for a refreshed MacBook Air, and rumors have suggested that such a machine is perhaps in the works.
While details haven't been entirely clear, Apple is working on a followup to the MacBook Air that features a 13-inch Retina display, and if this machine uses chips similar to the chips that MacBook Air models have used for years, the new Whiskey Lake chips are suitable.
According to Intel, its new Whiskey Lake and Amber Lake chips "raise the bar for connectivity, performance, entertainment, and productivity." The U-series chips introduce support for integrated Gigabit Wi-Fi for up to 12-times faster connectivity speeds, support for USB 3.1 Gen 2 transfer speeds, and built-in support for voice services like Alexa and Cortana.
Intel says that compared to a 5-year-old PC, the new U-series processors offer two times better performance and double-digit gains in office productivity for everyday web browsing and content creation over previous-generation chips.
The high-end Intel Core i7 8565U processor enables Intel Thermal Velocity Boost for additional single core performance, while all the U-series chips offer 16 PCIe lanes, up from 12.
Using these new chips, 2 in 1 machines can last up to 16 hours on a single charge, while power optimized systems can last as long as 19 hours. Intel says "many systems" using the U-series chips will offer over 10 hours of battery life.
Intel's Y-series chips offer faster Wi-Fi and LTE capabilities and double-digit gains in performance compared to the previous-generation, enabling new, compact notebook designs with better battery life. The chips offer Gen 3 PCIe support for higher data transfer rates, along with NVMe PCIe x4 solid state drives.
Both the new Y-series and U-series chips are considered 8th-Generation, a designation that also includes Intel's previously-announced Kaby Lake Refresh processors.
Intel says that laptops and 2 in 1s powered by the new chips will be available starting this fall.
Apple today released updated 7.8 firmware for 2012 802.11n AirPort Express models, introducing support for AirPlay 2.
The new software can be downloaded onto compatible AirPort Express devices using the AirPort Utility app for iOS devices.
After downloading the firmware update, AirPort Express users have reported being able to target the AirPort Express right alongside other AirPlay 2 devices when running iOS 11.4.1 or iOS 12. With the AirPlay 2 update, 2012 AirPort Express models offer support for multi-room audio and are able to work with other AirPlay 2 devices such as the HomePod, the Apple TV, and Sonos speakers.
There has been speculation that the AirPort Express would be updated to include AirPlay 2 support after the accessory started showing up in the Home app as an AirPlay 2 accessory in the iOS 12 beta.
Apple in April announced that its entire AirPort wireless router lineup, AirPort Express included, had been discontinued. Apple sold the AirPort Express until available stock ran out, but it is no longer available for purchase at this time.
Because the AirPort Express was discontinued, it wasn't clear if it would indeed gain AirPlay 2 support because Apple's AirPort unit was disbanded, but Apple did indeed opt to introduce support for customers who are still using the AirPort Express units.
Apple plans to provide service and parts for current AirPort Base stations for the next five years.
Jane Krakowski, known for her roles in "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "30 Rock," has joined the cast of Apple's upcoming "Dickinson" series, reports 
Apple today 
Apple CEO Tim Cook last Friday 
