Apple today announced its Northbrook Court store in Northbrook, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, is moving to a new location within the shopping mall this weekend. The grand opening is set for Saturday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Apple's original store at Northbrook Court
The new store will be located across the hall on the lower level, between H&M and Banana Republic, according to property management GGP.
The current store, between Sephora and Finish Line, originally opened in July 2005. Friday will likely be its final day of business in that location.
The new store should be around 10,000 square feet, which is nearly double the size of the current store, according to Northbrook Court's leasing plan.
The new store will also be based on Apple's latest retail design, which typically includes wide, open spaces with some combination of large glass doors, sequoia wood tables and shelves, large video screens for Today at Apple sessions, and light boxes spanning the length of the ceiling.
All new Apple Stores opened since September 2015 have been based on the new design language, including flagship-tier locations such as Apple Union Square in San Francisco and Apple World Trade Center in New York City. Apple has renovated over 40 existing stores to reflect the newer aesthetic.
For the past few weeks, Twitter has been testing a Night Mode option for its desktop site, and as of today, the new Night Mode feature is rolling out to all Twitter users.
Designed to turn the Twitter interface darker to make it easier to read tweets at night, Night Mode can be enabled by clicking on your profile photo and choosing the "Night Mode" option from the drop-down menu. Turning it off is as simple as clicking the Night Mode setting a second time.
With Night Mode enabled, the traditional light colored interface is made darker with a black overall background and a darker blue background for tweets. Because Night Mode is enabled manually, it will stay activated until it's turned off.
Night Mode has been available on iOS devices since August of 2016 through the main Twitter for iOS app.
Night Mode on the desktop is currently rolling out to Twitter users so you may not see the option under your profile right away.
Apple's Developer site has been down for a couple of hours now, and while it originally seemed like the outage was related to maintenance, a few reports trickling in from developers suggests there could potentially be another cause.
Several developers are reporting that all of their developer account addresses have been updated with an address in Russia, perhaps indicating some kind of breach or serious internal error. According to multiple developer reports, their accounts list a Russian address instead of their correct address.
It's not clear what's going on with the developer site at this time. We have reached out to Apple for more information and will update this post should any new information become available.
@apple developer account addresses are all showing an address in Russia...
— David Negron (@dave_negron) September 6, 2017
Back in 2013, Apple's Developer Center was breached by hackers and was taken offline for several days as Apple worked to fix the breach, rebuild the developer database, and implement better security practices. At that time, Apple said sensitive personal information was encrypted and inaccessible, but some developers' names, mailing addresses, and email addresses may have been leaked.
Update: The Apple Developer site is now back up. No reason has been provided for the outage or the appearance of Russian addresses on some accounts.
Update 2: In a statement provided to MacRumors and sent out to affected developers, Apple's Developer Program support staff says there was no security breach. Instead, there was a bug in the account management application that caused address information to be temporarily displayed incorrectly.
"Due to a bug in our account management application, your address information was temporarily displayed incorrectly in your account details on the Apple Developer website. The same incorrect address was displayed to all affected developers. The underlying code-level bug was quickly resolved and your address information now shows correctly. There was no security breach and at no time were the Apple Developer website, applications, or services compromised; nor were any of your Apple Developer membership details accessed by, shared with, or displayed to anyone."
Fueled by the popularity of Nest, thermostats remain one of the more popular categories of smart home devices. I recently took at look at Honeywell's Lyric Round thermostat with HomeKit support, and today I'm following up with Emerson's latest HomeKit model, the Sensi Touch.
Announced back in May and launched in June, the Sensi Touch offers a horizontal design with a color touchscreen taking up much of the front of the device. Aside from onscreen controls, the Sensi Touch can also be managed via app or through HomeKit, offering a number of options for controls.
Installation
I've had a bit of previous experience swapping out thermostats, so I was already familiar with what needed to be done, and all told it took me less than 30 minutes to remove my old thermostat and get the Sensi Touch installed. After making sure the circuit breakers for my heating and air conditioning system were turned off, I launched the Sensi app on my iPhone and it walked me through all of the steps to get up and running.
It's a great setup process, with easy to follow instructions that integrate with the iPhone's Camera app to take a photo of your existing thermostat wiring for reference, as well as a terminal picker that lets you tell the app exactly which wires your current system uses so that it can guide you in connecting the Sensi Touch.
As with most other thermostats, the Sensi Touch comes in two pieces, a rear plate that is screwed to the wall and contains the terminals for the wiring coming out of the wall, paired with a main body that snaps onto the rear plate for a clean look.
The Sensi Touch's rear plate is well designed, using small paddles under each terminal to secure the wires in their terminals. The paddles are big enough to press with your finger, yet the terminal array remains compact on the rear plate.
The rear plate also includes a handy light that can be operated by switch to help you see what you're doing while connecting the wires. Once the thermostat is fully operational, this light can also be used as a night light to backlight the entire thermostat, but allowing it to be used during setup even without the main body of the thermostat installed is a really nice touch.
The Sensi Touch rear plate includes a pair of screw holes for mounting, one each with play in the horizontal and vertical directions to allow some flexibility. A built-in bubble level makes it easy to ensure everything is lined up properly. Unfortunately, my troublesome thermostat wiring setup with a full junction box located in the wall caused a few problems for me, albeit in a slightly different way than with the Honeywell Lyric Round.
On the positive side, the holes in the Sensi Touch rear plate line up perfectly with the junction box holes, making it simple to mount the thermostat. But its slim profile means the entire thermostat isn't much larger than the junction box itself, and so a bit of rough drywall cutout around the box as well as a screw hole from my Lyric Round installation are visible even with the Sensi Touch fully installed. The screw hole is easy enough to patch, but cleaning up the ragged drywall along the top will be a bit more work.
Setup and App Controls
After the Sensi Touch is mounted to the wall and the circuit breakers are turned back on, the Sensi app continues to walk you through the setup process, allowing you to configure Wi-Fi and connect to HomeKit.
Once it's connected, you can use either the thermostat interface itself or the Sensi app to set up schedules based on time and day of the week, automatically changing temperature set points throughout the day to account for comfortable sleeping conditions, times when you're up and about, and times when you're away.
Setting up schedules on the thermostat
Oddly, schedules can only be set directly on the Sensi Touch if you turn off Wi-Fi on the thermostat, and as I unfortunately discovered, once you turn off Wi-Fi there's apparently no way to turn it back on and reconnect to the app without completely resetting the thermostat.
Display
While the Sensi Touch includes a color display, it retains a relatively monochromatic appearance to keep the look simple, opting for white text on various shades of either blue when in cooling mode or orange when in heating mode.
Home screen in heating mode
If you choose to manage schedules through the app, the functionality available through the thermostat is rather basic, primarily consisting of adjustments to the temperature setting and changing the fan and heating/cooling modes. Manually adjusting the temperature when a schedule is in effect will temporarily hold the new temperature until the next schedule change or for at least two hours.
Night light
Other options include preferences for the home screen such as whether to show indoor humidity and the time of day, as well as whether to use Fahrenheit or Celsius units. A separate page in the settings lets you turn on the backlight for use as a night light.
Sleep display while in heating mode
When you're not interacting with the thermostat, you have the option of showing a blank screen or a dimmed screen that shows only the current inside temperature, again on a blue background for cooling or an orange background for heating. It's a very bland look considering the large, color display, and I'd definitely prefer something a bit more interesting.
Sensi App
The app is pretty straightforward, offering a main screen that lets you manage multiple thermostats and then a summary screen for each thermostat that prominently displays the current temperature and humidity, as well as the weather for your location and the set point of the thermostat. Adjusting the set point is simple, requiring just a tap on arrows along the right side of the screen to raise or lower the temperature.
At the bottom of the main display are a pair of buttons, one that lets you change the mode among heating, cooling, automatic, or off, and the other that sets the fan to automatic or always-on. I wish those buttons were a little bigger as hit targets, but you're not going to need to use them very often, so it's not a big deal.
Additional tabs for each thermostat are accessible along the bottom of the screen. One is a Settings tab that primarily displays your setup information but also lets you adjust a few options such as whether temperatures are displayed in Fahrenheit or Celsius and whether the humidity and current time are displayed. More advanced settings include the ability to delay cooling on rapid cycles to prevent system damage, lock out control for the thermostat itself, customize an offset if the thermostat reads a different temperature than you expect, and change heating and cooling cycle rates.
The final tab is for Scheduling, which allows you to create or edit schedules based on time and day of the week and adjust temperatures based on activity in the home. A couple of advanced options let you create multiple schedules in case your needs vary from week to week and turn on an "Early Start" toggle that intelligently starts your heating or cooling early so that your home reaches your desired temperature right at the scheduled time.
The Sensi Touch also includes a beta geofencing feature, which will automatically set back the thermostat by three degrees once you're more than three miles from home in order to save energy. It's not as advanced as Honeywell's geofencing which lets you define a custom radius and customize the set point for when you're away, but at least it's something.
The Sensi Touch will send alerts in a variety of situations to let you know of problems with your heating and air conditioning system, such as if inside temperature reaches 99ºF or 45ºF, humidity exceeds 78 percent, or inside temperature goes up or down by 5ºF even though the system is trying to cool or heat. It would be nice if these thresholds were customizable, but at a minimum the 5º alert should cover most circumstances where your system has failed. It would also be nice if the app could send reminders to change your air filters.
HomeKit
As a HomeKit thermostat, the Sensi Touch works with the Home app on iOS to help you see all of your HomeKit-compatible smart home devices in one app. You can easily adjust the thermostat's temperature setting via the Home app or Siri, and you can incorporate it into scenes and triggers to integrate with other HomeKit accessories. For example, you can include the thermostat in a "Good night" scene that locks your front door, turns off lights, and adjusts the thermostat when you're heading for bed.
Beyond simple temperature and mode settings and automation through HomeKit, other settings must be adjusted either on the thermostat itself or through the Sensi app.
Wrap-up
Emerson's Sensi Touch is a nice addition to the HomeKit thermostat market. Its large color display is visually engaging when you're interacting with it, although I wish it took better advantage of the display even when you're simply glancing at it. The Sensi Touch's touchscreen controls are responsive and setup is extremely easy, with a great app that walks you through everything you need to do.
On the downside, I wish the geofencing features were a little more robust, as I appreciated the customizability offered by Honeywell. The Sensi Touch also lacks many of the learning features that are the hallmark of Nest's thermostats and which contribute significantly to energy savings. Finally, the inability to easily adjust schedules directly from the thermostat can be inconvenient.
At a list price of $200, the Sensi Touch is obviously much more expensive than a traditional thermostat, even digital ones that offer scheduling features, but it's competitive with other smart thermostats, particularly if you can find it cheaper such as through Amazon where we've occasionally seen it for as low as $159 through third-party sellers, but availability varies significantly and pricing is more typically in the $180–$200 range.
Note: Emerson provided the Sensi Touch to MacRumors free of charge for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and may earn commissions on purchases made through links in this article.
Apple today seeded the tenth beta of iOS 11 to developers for testing purposes, just under one week after releasing the ninth beta and three months after introducing the new update at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Registered developers can download the new iOS 11 beta from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed. A new beta has also been made available for Apple's public beta testing group.
iOS 11 brings several new design changes like a customizable Control Center and a new Lock screen that's been merged with the Notification Center. Peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments are coming in the Messages app, which is also gaining a new App Drawer, and there's a Do Not Disturb While Driving feature that's meant to help drivers stay focused on the road. Siri, Photos, the Camera app, and more are also gaining new features and refinements.
ARKit for developers will bring a range of new augmented reality apps and games to iOS devices, and a new Core ML SDK will let developers build smarter apps. iOS 11 is also the biggest update ever for the iPad, with a new Dock that introduces much improved multitasking, a Files app for better managing files, improved Apple Pencil support, a revamped App Switcher, and a system-wide drag and drop feature.
iOS 11 is available for both registered developers and public beta testers and will be released to the public in September alongside new iPhones. We are getting closer to the end of the beta testing process and should see a golden master release candidate soon.
Samsung is one of the only companies able to reliably mass produce OLED displays suitable for Apple's smartphone needs, giving Samsung a monopoly over OLED panel display and allowing the South Korean company to charge high prices.
In a new research note shared with investors this morning, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says OLED iPhone panel supply is "controlled wholly by Samsung," with Samsung likely charging Apple $120 to $130 per OLED panel module, which is approximately $75 more than the 5.5-inch LCD module price of $45 to $55 for "Plus" sized iPhones.
The high price Apple is currently shelling out for OLED displays explain in part why we're hearing rumors suggesting pricing on the upcoming OLED-equipped "iPhone 8" could start at somewhere right around $1,000 for the entry-level model. Along with an OLED panel, it also uses 3D sensor camera components for facial recognition and many other advanced components that could also add a premium to the price.
OLED displays being provided by a single manufacturer may also explains some of the rumors we've heard about manufacturing difficulties and supply constraints. We're still expecting the new OLED iPhone to be available in limited quantities for several months after its launch.
Kuo says Apple urgently needs to find another company that can supply OLED displays, and Apple is making an effort to do so. Apple is said to be investing billions in LG's OLED smartphone production with the goal of eventually securing 45,000 panels per month for future iPhones starting in 2019.
Apple is also rumored to have purchased OLED display production machinery from a company in Taiwan to research OLED technology in order to cut down on its reliance on Samsung, and there have been rumors pointing towards a partnership with Japan Display.
Until Apple is able to diversify its OLED supply chain, it will be difficult for the company to secure enough inventory at a reasonable enough price to build a full iPhone lineup with OLED panels, which is its ultimate goal for 2018 or 2019. This year, Apple will introduce one OLED iPhone and two iPhones that use standard LCD panels.
Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller and his wife Kim have donated $10 million to Bowdoin College's Coastal Studies Center on Harpswell Sound in Harpswell, Maine, as a user on Reddit pointed out today. In a press release, Bowdoin explained that the gift will allow it to "substantially expand" the facilities in which students perform ocean research and study environmental education.
Specifically, Bowdoin said that thanks to the gift from the Schillers, the college will be able to add a state-of-the art dry laboratory, convening center, modern classrooms, and housing and dining facilities.
“This extraordinary act of generosity and vision by Phil and Kim Schiller will transform the Coastal Studies Center into a facility where students and faculty from Bowdoin and from other institutions can gather together for concentrated periods to learn from each other and to advance knowledge and understanding about the ocean, marine science and the impact of climate change on marine life.”
Phil Schiller explained the family's donation in a video shared recently by Bowdoin, citing the college's efforts in developing new methods to research and fight against pollution, climate change, and other environmental issues. Schiller himself was born on the east coast in Natick, Massachusetts and graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Boston College. One of his sons, Mark, graduated from Bowdoin earlier in 2017.
In response to the $10 million donation, Bowdoin has named the center the "Schiller Coastal Studies Center (SCSC)." The SCSC is located on 118 acres of land that occupies 2.5 miles of the Maine coastline, and is situated on Orr's Island, about 12 miles outside of Bowdoin's main campus. For more information about the center, and the Schillers' donation to Bowdoin, check out the college's website here.
T-Mobile today announced that its T-Mobile ONE family plans will come with free Netflix subscriptions beginning September 12, allowing plan members to stream Netflix content at no additional monthly charge. To qualify, users will need two or more paid voice lines on a T-Mobile ONE family plan, and if customers already pay for a Netflix subscription, the un-carrier will cover the cost of the standard price: "meaning you’ll save nearly $120 every year."
This means that users who take advantage of the offer will get Netflix's $9.99/month, 2-screen subscription plan at no additional cost.
The company is calling the new addition "Netflix On Us," and described it as a way for T-Mobile to tackle "one of the biggest customer pain points" in mobile networking contracts, which is bigger bundles at increased prices. T-Mobile said that while other carrier bundles are about including some features users want and some they don't, with the end goal of increased monthly prices, Netflix On Us adds a service that most T-Mobile customers already use at no extra cost.
“The future of mobile entertainment is not about bolting a satellite dish to the side of your house or resuscitating faded 90s dotcoms. The future is mobile, over-the-top and unlimited,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “While the carriers spend billions on their franken-strategies to cobble together carrier–cable–content mashups, the Un-carrier just leapfrogged them all by partnering with the best and giving it to customers at no extra charge. Because that’s what we always do. Give more to you without asking more from you.”
“This is the right move at the right time — for all the right reasons,” said Reed Hastings, co-founder and CEO of Netflix. “More and more fans are bingeing on mobile, so we’re bringing together Netflix’s award-winning TV shows and movies with T-Mobile’s award-winning, unlimited network.”
T-Mobile ONE customers with unlimited everything can also now add Netflix On Us, as well as customers with free lines from T-Mobile's recent "line-on-us" deals. To celebrate the new partnership, T-Mobile is launching a Twitter "meme-a-thon" tomorrow, September 7, where users will be able to enter to win smartphones, Netflix and T-Mobile swag, and BingeBoxes filled with "bingeing essentials" by responding to the company's Twitter account with Netflix show quotes, GIFs, and memes.
For more information about Netflix On Us, visit T-Mobile's website right here.
As its hunt for original television and film content heats up, Apple is now reportedly looking to land film distribution rights to the James Bond film franchise (via The Hollywood Reporter). Warner Bros. is said to be the front contender, but Apple and fellow tech company Amazon are both in "hot pursuit" of the spy series.
Sony's distribution rights for James Bond films ended with the release of the latest entry, 2015's Spectre, leading to multiple studios and companies vying for the rights. Sources close to the deal said that Apple and Amazon are willing to spend "in the same ballpark" as Warner Bros, "if not much more," in order to beef up their respective streaming businesses. Besides these companies, Universal and Fox are also pursuing the rights to the franchise.
The deal is said to include the streaming rights to the entire James Bond film back catalogue, and potentially even "the future of the franchise." In recent James Bond news, Daniel Craig confirmed he'll be back to play the titular character in future movies.
But the emergence of Apple — which is considered such a viable competitor that Warners is now pressing MGM hard to close a deal — and Amazon shows that the digital giants consider Bond one of the last untapped brands (like a Marvel, Pixar or Lucasfilm) that could act as a game-changer in the content space. Apple’s and Amazon’s inclusion in the chase would indicate that more is on the table than film rights, including the future of the franchise if MGM will sell or license out for the right price.
Newly hired Apple executives Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht are said to be spearheading the effort to acquire the James Bond franchise on Apple's behalf. Those close to the deal estimate that the property could be worth somewhere between $2 billion and $5 billion.
We're six days away from Apple's iPhone 8 reveal event, set to be the first major product unveiling taking place at Apple Park, in the new Steve Jobs Theater auditorium. To get fans ready, Bloomberg today posted a detailed look into the internals of the Steve Jobs Theater, highlighting a few well-known facts while also sharing new tidbits of information about the building that's dedicated in memory of the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
The theater is built on a piece of high ground, allowing its occupants to catch a wide view of Apple Park from inside its glass walls, as well as hiding the building's four underground stories. The media will enter through the glass-encased lobby, and will be able to descend down two curved staircases into the main auditorium. However, two custom-made rotating elevators will also shuttle occupants into the lower sections and back up again after the event.
It also boasts two custom-made rotating elevators, which turn as they ascend and descend so that passengers enter and exit by the same door even as they go in and out from different directions. So far, so Apple—the more elegant single door, with its complex engineering, preferred to the more obvious double-door solution.
Down in the auditorium, the 1,000-occupant capacity theater holds as many leather seats, and earlier reports estimated each to cost around $14,000. In these seats, onlookers will get to watch the unveiling of the iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and more next Tuesday, September 12, and afterwards more architectural "surprises" will be presented to Steve Jobs Theater attendees as they leave the auditorium.
One section of the theater's wall space near the entranceway of the building is said to "obscure a hollow space below the floating saucer." This way, upon entry attendees won't see what's behind the wall, but as the event ends and they walk back towards the surface, a product demonstration room will be revealed with all of the just-announced devices available for the first hands-on coverage.
Once CEO Tim Cook and his cohorts finish showing off the new iPhones, Apple Watch and TV onstage, a surprise will await the departing attendees. An inside wall, which obscures a hollow space below the floating saucer, will retract to reveal the product demonstration room, according to someone with knowledge of the design. For fellow Brits: think the Thunderbird 3 launchpad underneath Tracy Island's circular pool house.
Last night the latest Apple Park drone video was shared by Duncan Sinfield, providing a clear glimpse into the Steve Jobs Theater as people moved around inside the building and sat nearby on benches outside of the lobby. The lobby itself is a 20-foot tall glass cylinder that overlooks the main campus building and is surrounded by landscaping, also boasting the world's largest freestanding carbon fiber roof.
Facebook has begun testing out a new commenting feature on iOS and Android devices, allowing users to choose a custom colored background for their comment that all Facebook users will see underneath the original post. As of now, only "a small fraction" of users have noticed the new feature on mobile (via Evert Groot and The Next Web), so it appears this is just one of many early-on tests that Facebook performs in order to see how it might implement the new feature to a wider audience, or scrap it altogether.
The colorful comments are an extension of Facebook's custom post background feature, which lets users choose a colored background and write a text-only post on the social network. That feature was one that originally began as a small test in December of 2016, and eventually expanded to all Facebook users throughout 2017. Some Facebook tests make it through to become official features, like the new Reaction buttons, but others end up simply disappearing.
Most recently, Facebook launched its new "Watch" tab on mobile devices, the web, and in Facebook's TV apps. The tab is full of Facebook-exclusive shows that are "made up of episodes -- live or recorded -- and follow a theme or storyline." Discovery is encouraged with user-specific recommendations, and a Watchlist allows users to save videos to watch at a later time.
In a separate report this week by Bloomberg, Facebook is said to be aggressively pursuing contracts with major record labels and music publishers in order to allow its users to legally upload videos with copyrighted music in them. The social network is willing to spend upwards of "hundreds of millions of dollars" in seeking these contracts, with negotiations having been ongoing for the past few months.
Apple has begun sharing tips to users on iPhone and iPad concerning the newest features of iOS 11, which is expected to debut sometime later this month. Users on Twitter and Reddit pointed out the new iOS 11 Tips section starting last night, noticing a few push notifications that encouraged them to read up on tips for Control Center, Siri Translate, the new iPad Dock, and more.
Users on iOS 10 in multiple countries are sharing the new additions within Tips, which allows Apple to prepare those on the current version of iOS for the impending launch of iOS 11. Looking back at previous release schedules for iOS versions, Apple typically launches the new iOS to the public about one week after its fall iPhone event, and two days before the debut of the new iPhone devices, with a few exceptions.
2012: Event Sept 12 / iOS 6 releases Sept 19 / iPhone 5 released Sept 21 2013: Event Sept 10 / iOS 7 released Sept 18 / iPhone 5s released Sept 20 2014: Event Sept 9 / iOS 8 released Sept 17 / iPhone 6 released Sept 19 2015: Event Sept 9 / iOS 9 released Sept 16 / iPhone 6s released Sept 25 2016: Event Sept 7 /iOS 10 release Sept 13 / iPhone 7 released Sept 16
This year, the iPhone event is on September 12, while the so-called iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, and iPhone 7s Plus are predicted to debut on September 22. This would place the official public release of iOS 11 around September 20, although Apple could decide to release iOS 11 a bit earlier ahead of the iPhone launch, like it did in 2015 and to a lesser extent in 2016.
Apple is starting to use the Tips app to prepare users for some rather large changes in iOS 11’s operation and functionality. #iOSpic.twitter.com/FePjGbn1eh
— Brad Rowden (@bradrowden) September 6, 2017
When it launches, iOS 11 will bring about a few notable changes to the iPhone and iPad operating system for its users, including peer to peer Apple Pay, improvements to Siri, Do Not Disturb While Driving, Control Center customization, and many overhauls to the UI and dock functionality on iPad. With less than a week to go until Apple officially announces the release date of iOS 11, along with the unveiling of the iPhone 8, be sure to follow the @MacRumors and @MacRumorsLive Twitter accounts on September 12 for all the latest information.
Canadian ebook giant Rakuten Kobo today added audiobooks to its iOS app catalog, rolling out the change in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand via an update.
Kobo customers can buy audiobooks on an individual basis, or through the company's $10 per month subscription service, which gets users one book each month. The same monthly subscription costs $13 in Canada, £6.99 in the U.K, $13 in Australia, and $14 in New Zealand.
Alternatively, it's possible to buy a three-pack credit and store up to 24 credits in a subscription account. A 30-day free trial is also on offer for users to see how the system works before they commit.
Once an audiobook is purchased, customers can make use of the app's built-in audiobook player, which includes options to change the narration speed, check the time remaining, and set a sleep timer.
Logitech resurrected the trackball device today with its announcement of the MX ERGO, which the company is calling its "first new innovative trackball in nearly a decade".
Pitched to consumers looking for alternatives to mice and touchpads, the Bluetooth-based MX ERGO features an adjustable metal hinge with angle options at either zero or 20 degrees for personalizing the comfort level, which improves wrist posture and pronation, according to Logitech.
"We are so excited by this new trackball. It is back, better than ever and the idea for this trackball innovation was inspired by our users, who invented creative ways to achieve their desired level of comfort, sometimes adding additional wedges under their trackball for elevated angles," said Anatoliy Polyanker, global portfolio and brand director at Logitech. "The MX ERGO is our first adjustable trackball that delivers on the need for elevated comfort in a beautiful design."
The sculpted shape is designed to offer full palm and finger support, with a soft rubber on top for a comfortable grip over many hours of work. An LED light indicates when "precision mode" is activated using the dedicated button on the side of the MX ERGO. This special mode is said to allow the user to instantly change cursor speed and accuracy.
The device also supports multi-device connectivity through Logitech's Easy-Switch and Logitech Flow software, which allows users to seamlessly switch between two computers with one mouse, as well as copy and paste content, images and documents between them.
The rechargeable battery lasts up to four months on a full charge, depending on usage, and Logitech reckons the MX ERGO can give a complete day of work with just one minute of charge if the device is low on power.
The Logitech MX ERGO is priced at $99.99 and should be available to buy on the Logitech website and select retail stores throughout the U.S. in September.
Apple's refusal to approve the Indian government's anti-spam iPhone app has infuriated state regulators, which could work against the company's efforts to increase its market share in the country, a report on Wednesday revealed.
According to Bloomberg, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has so far been unable to get its Do Not Disturb (DND) software on the App Store. The app allows people to share spam call and text message logs with the agency, which then sends the data to mobile operators for them to block the spammers. However, Apple has told regulators that the app violates its privacy policy.
“Nobody's asking Apple to violate its privacy policy," said Ram Sewak Sharma, chairman of the Delhi-based telecom regulator. "It is a ridiculous situation, no company can be allowed to be the guardian of a user's data."
The regulator is currently seeking public and stakeholder comments on a consultative paper on users’ control over their personal information and rules on the flow of data through telecommunications networks. The process, scheduled to be completed in September, could eventually lead to new rules governing user data. That could also become part of the telecom licensing process, Sharma said.
Apple has been in talks with the Indian government to open retail stores and to gain permission to sell used iPhones imported into the country. The company is also seeking economic concessions including tax breaks as it sets up local manufacturing plants there, but those efforts could be negatively impacted by Apple's refusal to approve the anti-spam software.
In 2016, Apple shipped 2.5 million iPhones in India, and this year one of its suppliers began assembling a limited number of iPhones in Bangalore. So far, India's government has declined Apple's request to import used iPhones and has yet to respond to the company's other demands.
Half a dozen meetings with Apple have reportedly failed to resolve the standoff over the anti-spam app. While Apple's privacy policy allows it to share user data with affiliates and strategic partners, Sharma said the Indian government's Do Not Disturb app only requires a limited, pre-approved level of data sharing. However, Apple's policy states that sharing data with any other entity isn't permitted.
"The problem of who controls user data is getting acute and we have to plug the loose ends," Sharma said. "This is not the regulator versus Apple, but Apple versus its own users."
Nissan today unveiled its redesigned 2018 all-electric Nissan Leaf, and one of the features new to the vehicle is support for Apple CarPlay. The new Nissan Leaf comes equipped with a 7-inch display that's compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto.
Nissan announced its first CarPlay-compatible vehicles back in June of 2016, and has thus far implemented support in the 2017 Maxima, Micra, and Murano.
Along with CarPlay, the Nissan Leaf features a range of 150 miles, ProPILOT driving assistance with speed maintenance, steering guidance, and braking, a single e-Pedal for braking and accelerating, and a revamped design.
Customers who reserve a Nissan Leaf are eligible for an exclusive gift that includes an Apple Watch Series 2, a GoPro HERO5 Black, or a Nest and Google Home bundle.
CarPlay support was slow to roll out following its initial introduction, but interest has picked up. Many 2016 and 2017 vehicles from a range of manufacturers offer the feature. Apple maintains a list of vehicles that are compatible with CarPlay on its website.
Construction on Apple Park is nearing completion and Apple is putting the finishing touches on the Steve Jobs Theater where next week's iPhone-centric event will be held, according to a new video shared this evening by drone pilot Duncan Sinfield.
Sinfield's video offers up a close look at the now-finished theater and it depicts landscaping progress at the campus, both inside and outside of the ring-shaped main building.
The theater is a 20-foot tall glass cylinder that overlooks the main campus building and is surrounded by greenery. It boasts the world's largest freestanding carbon fiber roof and spans 120,000 square feet with an underground auditorium area that seats 1,000 people.
Apple named the theater in honor of late Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, who envisioned the design for Apple Park before his death in 2011.
Apple's iPhone keynote, which takes place on Tuesday, September 12, will be the inaugural event at the Steve Jobs Theater. Apple announced Apple Park as the location for the event when it sent out media invites last Thursday.
Ahead of its iPhone-centric event set to take place on Tuesday, September 12, Apple has updated its Apple Events app designed for the fourth-generation Apple TV, adding new artwork and details about the upcoming keynote.
"Watch the first-ever special event held at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California," reads the text of the updated app. The date and time for the event, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time are listed, and the app's icon and internal art has been updated with the multi-colored Apple logo featured on media invites.
The Apple Events app will be used to live stream the iPhone event on the fourth-generation Apple TV, and it can be downloaded from the tvOS App Store for no cost. [Direct Link]
Those who have already downloaded the app should see the update automatically, but it can be forced by finding the app in the tvOS App Store and selecting "Update."
Apple's event is expected to include the revamped OLED iPhone 8, an iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus, an LTE Apple Watch, and a 4K Apple TV.
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