MacRumors

Honeywell today announced that its Lyric Controller home security system is now compatible with Apple's HomeKit platform.

HomeKit support can be enabled with a free software update available to both current and future Lyric Controller customers, allowing the home security system to be controlled with Apple's Home app or Siri on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

By using Siri, homeowners can control the security system's personalized presets and automate scenes for energy saving and security.

Honeywell's Lyric Controller has a seven-inch touchscreen and a built-in camera. If a Lyric sensor or motion detector detects an unusual situation, the system will provide visual and audible alerts and send notifications to an iPhone or iPad.

The home security system can be purchased on Amazon for $288 in the United States and is available at select other resellers around the world.

Music streaming service Tidal on Wednesday announced its compatibility with Apple CarPlay, enabling subscribers to stream music through their vehicle's dash-integrated infotainment systems.

The support comes via an iOS app update, which also includes interface harmonization with iPhone X screens, ensuring Tidal's default dark theme makes the most of those 5.8-inch OLED displays.

The My Collection section of the app is the hub of Tidal's CarPlay integration, where listeners can gain access to their favorited tracks, albums, and playlists.

As noted by The Verge, a special version of the Explore section will also let users find new music and podcasts, including the most played versions of both.

The update follows Tidal's announcement last month that it was providing in-app support for Sonos speaker systems, allowing subscribers to control their Sonos home sound systems directly from within the Tidal interface.

Eternal Storms today released version 1.1 of Yoink for iPhone and iPad, the mobile version of the popular drag-and-drop Mac app. On iOS 11, Yoink acts like a convenient shelf for users to drag in files and other content, do something else (switch apps, tabs, and so on) and then easily access those items again by dragging them out of Yoink.

A handful of new iOS integrations are particularly notable in the latest update. For example, Yoink now offers enhanced clipboard awareness, so that when users copy something to the clipboard, Yoink will automatically offer to store it for them.

Elsewhere, when sharing a URL with Yoink through its new action extension in a share sheet, the app offers to either store the URL itself in Yoink or to download the file the URL points to in the background.

There's also a new Today Widget, offering quick access to the most recent items stored in Yoink as well as another avenue to storing clipboard contents, while additional 3D Touch Quick Actions make it easier to add clipboard contents from the home screen.

Meanwhile, the app's UI design has been tweaked for iPhone X support, and each item and stack in Yoink now has a button that can be tapped to quickly copy, share, select, delete, and more. After the update has been applied, items stored in Yoink can be accessed from any app that supports iOS 11's Files browser.

Other improvements to the app in this version include a smaller memory footprint, easier stacking of items via drag and drop, a new "never-delete" auto-empty trash option, Spotlight indexing for text items, and a number of bug fixes.

Yoink is available on the App Store for $2.99 in a limited time deal (regular price $4.99). The app is localized in English, German, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese, with
more languages will follow. The Mac version of Yoink is available for $6.99.

Apple today published its annual lists featuring the most popular media content in the iTunes Store and iBooks Store in 2017, highlighting the best music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and books.

"The Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran was the top song of the year, while the top album was Drake's "More Life." Other hit albums included Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN," Taylor Swift's "Reputation," Ed Sheeran's "Divide," and "Starboy" from The Weeknd.

Top movies in 2017 included "Moana," "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," "Wonder Woman," "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2," and "Sing."

The Top TV shows were "Game of Thrones," "The Walking Dead," "The Big Bang Theory," "The Americans," and "Rick and Morty."

NPR's "Fresh Air" was the most downloaded podcast, followed by "The Joe Rogan EXperience" and "Stuff You Should Know."

The best selling fiction book of the year was "Camino Island: by John Grisham, followed by "The Handmade's Tale" by Margaret Atwood and "Origin" by Dan Brown. "Hillbilly Elegy" was the number one nonfiction book, followed by "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson and "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" by Neil de Grasse Tyson.

Full top lists for movies, TV shows, books, music, and podcasts can be found in Apple Music, the iTunes Store and the iBooks Store.

Apple today updated its Apple Store app to version 4.4, introducing iOS 11 enhancements and a new scanner feature for quickly adding your credit card information at checkout.

According to the release notes, the app update also allows customers to bypass pre-authorization and activate later on full price purchases of iPhones, a purchasing option that has been available for the iPhone X on the Apple Store website since November.

What's New in Version 4.4
- iOS 11 enhancements
- Scanner now available to easily add your credit card information at checkout
- Customers now have the option to bypass pre-authorization and activate later on full price purchases of iPhones on AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint

The Apple Store app is Apple's iOS storefront, allowing customers to find and purchase a range of Apple products and accessories. It can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

With the release of iOS 11.2, faster 7.5W wireless charging is available on the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus.

Currently, there are two chargers that Apple has confirmed support 7.5W wireless charging: the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad and the Mophie Wireless Charging Base, both of which are sold by Apple.

Now that 7.5W wireless charging has been implemented, we thought we'd take a look at both charger options for those of you who are considering a purchase following the update.

Both the Mophie and Belkin wireless chargers are priced at $60 and offer the same charging speeds, but there are some distinct design differences between the two. The Mophie charger is smaller in diameter and is available only in black, while the Belkin model is larger and available only in white.

There are dozens if not hundreds of less expensive wireless chargers available, but it's not yet entirely clear which of these - if any - support 7.5W wireless charging in Apple's new devices at this point in time. It looks like there may be an Apple-controlled factor that prevents some existing higher-watt chargers from offering 7.5W charging speeds on the new iPhones, but that's something we're still investigating in a forthcoming post comparing wireless charging options.

We tested the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad on both an iPhone X running iOS 11.1.2 with 5W charging speeds and on iOS 11.2 with 7.5W charging speeds, and we did notice a small difference, but wireless charging speed is dependent on many different variables and it can vary.

In our current testing, 7.5W wireless charging was faster than both 5W wired and 5W wireless charging, so iPhone owners who are looking for faster wireless charging speeds may be interested in considering one of the chargers offered by Apple.

Both the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad and the Mophie Wireless Charging Base can be purchased from the Apple Online store and in retail shops around the world.

MacRumors has partnered up with accessory maker Nomad to offer our readers an exclusive promotional code for 15 percent off any full-priced items on the company's website. To receive the promotion, all you have to do is enter the code MRUMORS15 during checkout and any full-priced items will get marked down by 15 percent. Note that this offer excludes any Nomad accessories already on sale.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

If your cart includes both full-priced and sale items, the promo code will automatically apply to the correct items and exclude any that are already discounted. The offer will be live from today through Monday, December 18, which should provide enough time for any items to arrive to your home in time for Christmas. Since this promo code can be used across most of the Nomad storefront, we've rounded up some the company's products to give you a few browsing ideas.

• 0.3M Universal Cable - $25.46, down from $29.95
• Space Gray Stand for Apple Watch - $33.96, down from $39.95
• Leather Case for iPhone 7 Plus/8 Plus - $33.96, down from $39.95
• Rugged Case for iPhone X - $38.21, down from $44.95
• 5-Port USB Hub - $42.46, down from $49.95
• Modern Strap - $50.96, down from $59.95
• PowerPack - $101.96, down from $119.95

Anyone browsing Nomad's site will also notice that the company has a sitewide 10 percent off coupon that you can obtain by entering your email address, but this will not stack with our exclusive offer. Head over to Nomad to see more of the company's products, and be sure to place any orders before December 18 to take advantage of the promotion.

Check out our Deals Roundup for more sales going on throughout the holidays, this week including a 25 percent off coupon at eBay on select orders in Tech, Home, Fashion, and more totaling $25 and over. Also don't forget about the ongoing Apple TV 4K offer from DirecTV Now, which nets you a $180 32GB Apple TV 4K at no cost when you pay for four months of the over-the-top streaming service upfront at $140. You can find more information on that deal in our blog post here.

Update: The exclusive promo code has been extended to last until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20.

Ultimate Ears is known for its line of rugged, waterproof speakers that come in bright colors and offer high-quality sound at prices that aren't exorbitant.

In October, Ultimate Ears expanded its product lineup with two new flagship devices, the Blast and the Megablast, successors to the Boom 2 and the Megaboom, with revamped designs and, for the first time, Wi-Fi support with Amazon Alexa integration.

I tested the new Ultimate Ears speakers, and I liked the addition of Alexa integration, especially in a wire-free device. There were, however, some limitations and caveats that may not make this the best speaker for everyone.

Design

Blast and Megablast don't look too different from previous-generation Ultimate Ears speakers, but they do sport a new, more modern design with a flatter top and less rounded edges for a decidedly cleaner and sleeker appearance.

They use the same cylindrical design as past speakers, offering 360 degree sound. The top and the bottom of the Blast and Megablast feature a soft rubber material with bluetooth/power/Alexa buttons and access to a charging port, while most of the rest of the speaker is made from a matching mesh.

Both speakers continue to feature prominent "+" and "-" buttons that are used for controlling volume. Some people don't like these buttons because of the resemblance to a cross, but I've always been a fan of the bold look and easy-access volume controls. The speakers each come in a range of colors, including Blue Steel, Merlot, Blizzard, and Graphite. The Megablast I have on hand is Blue Steel, while the Blast is Merlot, and both colors are subdued and even elegant, able to match well with any decor.

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Apple's short film "The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day" was the eighth most watched ad on YouTube around the world in 2017, according to Adweek.

Adweek says the ad has been viewed more than 25 million times, although that figure is based on Apple's channel for India rather than the United States, where the video has amassed nearly 18 million views.

With the views from all of Apple's regional YouTube channels combined, the ad has actually received over 80 million views to date, but that includes the possibility of some duplicate views from the same users.

"The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day" stars actor and professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who uses Siri throughout an eventful day in which he pilots an airplane, floats in space, prepares fine cuisine, acts on a set, and more.

The theme of the short film, released in July, is that Siri can be used for a wide variety of tasks, such as checking calendar appointments, setting reminders, starting a timer, reading emails, starting an Apple Music playlist, and more.

The ad was certainly unorthodox for Apple and had mixed reception, with some finding it funny and others feeling it was cringeworthy.

The most watched YouTube ad of the year came from Samsung, promoting its customer service vans in India, according to Adweek. The four-minute video has received over 150 million views on the Samsung India channel.

Other ads that made the top 10 were shared by brands such as Adidas, Budweiser, Levi's, Mr. Clean, Oreo, Clash Royale, and Miss Dior.

The latest addition to Apple's video team is Michelle Lee, who is taking on a role as a creative executive, reports Variety. Lee will report to Matt Cherniss, the former president and general manager of WGN America who now leads development of Apple's worldwide video unit.

Prior to joining Apple, Lee worked with Jason Katims at the Universal Television-based True Jack Productions, where she helped develop and produce several series. "Rise," "The Path," "About a Boy," and "Pure Genius" are some of the shows that she worked on. Prior to that, she worked with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci on "Sleepy Hollow" and "Fringe."

Apple started building its new video division in June with the hiring of Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, two former Sony executives who now report to Apple senior vice president of internet software and services Eddy Cue. Erlicht and Van Amburg helped produce shows like "Breaking Bad," "Better Caul Saul," "The Crown," and more.

Erlicht and Amburg have made several hires since then, bringing on Matt Cherniss in August and former Amazon Studios executive Morgan Wandell in October, along with other television executives.

Apple's video team is currently pursuing two shows, including a reboot of Steven Spielberg's sci-fi series "Amazing Stories" and an untitled "morning show drama" that will star Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston.