MacRumors

Lifeprint, a company known for its iPhone-compatible ZINK photo printer, recently introduced a new, larger photo printer that's able to print images that are 3 by 4.5 inches instead of 2 by 3 inches, the normal standard size for mini printers designed for the iPhone.

The new Lifeprint 3x4.5 Hyperphoto Printer for iPhone, priced at $150, is an Apple exclusive that's designed to give customers a quick and easy way to instantly print their iPhone photos. Lifeprint asked me to check out the new 3x4.5 printer, and while I loved the larger image size, there are some drawbacks to be aware of before deciding to purchase one.

Design

The new Lifeprint printer is similar to a large hard drive or an iPad mini, and it's a little over an inch thick, so not quite as portable as the original version, but also not a space hog like a traditional printer. I can easily fit it into my backpack for use while on the go, but it's not pocketable like the ZIP.

It's constructed from plastic, with a silver plastic at the bottom and a glossy white plastic at the top, which matches the aesthetic of the iPhone. It's lightweight, but it doesn't feel like a cheap product.

The Lifeprint printer has a top that slides off, which is where the printer paper and the printing internals are located. When you need to add more printer paper, you'll need to slide the top off, put the paper in facedown, and then slide the top back on. It's a simple process.

At one side, there's a slot where the printed photos come out, and at the other side, there's a microUSB charging port, which is how the Lifeprint charges. The battery is rechargeable, so this printer is fully portable and does not need a constant power connection.

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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Mous to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an ultraprotective Limitless iPhone case for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or earlier iPhones.

Mous' Limitless cases all feature a shell that's made from a high impact "AiroShock" material, TPU, and Polycarbonate. Mous says the AiroShock lining of its cases contains thousands of micro air pockets. Air in the micro pockets acts as a spring in the event of a fall, minimizing the damage from an impact.

Mous ships its cases with an included screen protector that's made from a triple-layered blend of TPU, PET, and Silicon, which it says is able to absorb three times more impact than a normal screen protector.

Because of the AiroShock material, Limitless cases are able to offer military grade protection in a slim package. Each Limitless case adds 2.3mm to the thickness of the iPhone, and the tapered design at the middle allows the case to be flush with the iPhone screen.

In addition to offering complete device protection, Mous cases are also made from unique materials. Cases for the iPhone X, for example, are available in a dark carbon fiber, black leather, walnut wood, bamboo wood, or an iridescent shell, and every case is made from authentic materials.

Inside of each Mous case, there are small magnets that work with a series of accessories that are set to launch in early 2018, including different accessory plates. Despite the magnets, Mous cases are fully compatible with wireless charging.

Mous iPhone cases are priced starting at $45, but prices can vary based on material. We have 10 Mous cases to give away to MacRumors readers, with each winner able to choose case size and material. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (February 2) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 9. The winners will be chosen randomly on February 9 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

Apple began selling refurbished second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro models last month, just a few days after adding refurbished 10.5-inch iPad Pro models. This was brought to our attention today by Reddit user Chaseism, and we decided to share the news since it went unnoticed at the time.

Apple has steadily added various Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular configurations with 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB of storage since mid January, with prices reduced by around 15 percent compared to what Apple charges for brand new models. All three colors are available, including Space Gray, Silver, and Gold.

In the United States, for example, there are Wi-Fi models with 64GB of storage available for $679, a discount of $120. Wi-Fi models with 256GB and 512GB of storage are also in stock for $809 and $979, down from $949 and $1,149, respectively. Various other configurations are available, including in Canada.

Apple says its refurbished products are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a new white box and all manuals and accessories. Apple also installs a new battery and replaces the outer shell, making it nearly impossible to distinguish between a refurbished and brand new iPad Pro.

All refurbished iPad Pro models come with Apple's standard one-year warranty effective on the date the tablet is delivered. The warranty can be extended to up to two years from the original purchase date with AppleCare+ for iPad, at a cost of $99 in the United States and Canada for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

All in all, these deals provide customers with an opportunity to save between $120 and $170 off the second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, originally released in June 2017. Keep in mind better deals are often available from resellers, so keep an eye on our Apple Deals roundup for the latest sales.

Apple also began selling refurbished iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models in the United States for the first time yesterday.

Apple will be launching the newest activity challenge for Apple Watch wearers next week, with a focus on Heart Month. To complete the challenge, you'll need to close your Apple Watch's exercise ring for seven days in a row during one specific week: from February 8 to February 14, which fits with the heart theme and ends on Valentine's Day.

Apple hasn't detailed the rewards yet, but they're likely to be the same as previous activity challenges: a colorful badge in the "Achievements" tab of the Activity app, and a matching sticker within Messages to send to friends and family. Apple Watch owners should start noticing the Heart Month challenge within their Activity app on Tuesday, February 6, two days ahead of when it begins.

The February challenge is coming on the heels of this year's "Ring in the New Year" challenge, which tasked users with closing all three Activity rings for seven days in a row in January.

(Thanks, Clement!)

YouTube this morning teased that its YouTube TV Apple TV app was "coming very soon," and "coming very soon" apparently meant this afternoon.

The YouTube TV app is now available for download from the App Store on the Apple TV, where it is featured prominently in a banner.

YouTube TV's new Apple TV app comes just in time for Super Bowl LII, which is set to take place on Sunday, February 4. YouTube also recently expanded to Roku devices, presumably with the aim of luring new subscribers who want to watch the Super Bowl.

The YouTube TV service, which is priced at $35 per month, offers subscribers access to television shows on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW, Disney, ESPN, FX, USA, and dozens more.

YouTube TV boasts more than 40 channels, including live sports and news. It also offers unlimited DVR storage space and allows subscribers to access their shows from anywhere in the United States, plus it includes content from the $9.99 per month YouTube Red service.

Introduced back in April, YouTube TV is a live streaming service designed to compete with offerings like Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV Now, and Playstation Vue, all of which are available via apps on fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models.

Apple Pay is set to expand to a Brazil later this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed in today's first quarter earnings call. While Apple didn't provide an exact date for the launch of Apple Pay in Brazil, Cook did say it would come soon.

We began hearing rumors of an Apple Pay expansion to Brazil two years ago, but in December of last year, iPhone users in Brazil were able to see terms of service information when attempting to add a Visa Platinum Personnalité card from Itaú Unibanco, suggesting an imminent launch.

It is not yet clear which banks will support Apple Pay when the feature launches, as there is not yet an Apple Pay website for the feature in the country. More details are likely to be available soon.

Since its 2014 launch, Apple has expanded Apple Pay to more than a dozen countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, Hong Kong, France, Russia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and United Arab Emirates.

Apple Pay works on all iPhones with Touch ID or Face ID, including iPhone 6, 6s, 6, 7, 8, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 7 Plus, 8 Plus, SE, and X. It is also available on all Apple Watch models and can be used to make purchases in apps and on the web on Macs and iPads.

During today's earnings call, Apple also shared some details on Apple Pay, which saw its best ever quarter in Q1 2018.

Apple Pay grew 50 percent year-over-year, and it is now accepted at more than half of all retail locations in the United States, and at 2/3rds of the country's top retailers. Global Apple Pay purchase volume was also up.

Update: Apple has launched an Apple Pay webpage on its Brazilian site.

Apple's services category continues to grow rapidly, and in the first fiscal quarter of 2018, Apple services, which includes iTunes, the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, Apple Pay, and AppleCare, saw revenue of $8.5 billion, up 18 percent year over year.

The App Store saw its best holiday season ever, and Q1 2018 marked the best quarter ever for not only the App Store, but also Apple Music, iCloud, and Apple Pay. Apple Music, iCloud, and Apple Pay all saw significant growth in active users.

Paid subscriptions passed 240 million by the end of the December quarter, which Apple says is an increase of $30 million in the last 90 days alone, the largest quarterly growth ever.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says Apple is well on its way to reaching its goal to double its services revenue by 2020.

Apple today announced that its active installed base of devices has reached 1.3 billion, a milestone the company hit in January. That includes iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch models in use around the world.

The number was shared by Apple CEO Tim Cook in a press release announcing the company's record earnings for the first fiscal quarter of 2018. Cook says that Apple has seen the number of active devices grow 30 percent over the course of the last two years. Apple hit its 1 billion active device milestone back in January of 2016.

"We've also achieved a significant milestone with our active installed base of devices reaching 1.3 billion in January. That's an increase of 30 percent in just two years, which is a testament to the popularity of our products and the loyalty and satisfaction of our customers."

Apple this afternoon said it sold 77.3 million iPhones, 13.2 million iPads, and 5.1 million Macs during the first quarter of 2018.

One of the surprises of this year's Consumer Electronics Show was a smart toothbrush from Colgate, which, as it turns out, was designed to be an Apple Store exclusive.

The new $100 Colgate Smart Electronic Toothbrush is both Colgate's first smart iPhone-connected brush and the first personal hygiene product you can get right from an Apple Store.

Toothbrushes that connect to your iPhone have become a thing over the course of the last couple of years, and you can now get smart brushes from most of the major brands, including Philips and Oral-B. I'm no stranger to smart toothbrushes -- I've previously reviewed the Oral-B SmartSeries, the Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected, and the Sonicare DiamondClean Smart, and for the last couple of weeks, I've been testing the Colgate Smart Electronic Toothbrush.

Colgate's Smart Toothbrush is the simplest smart toothbrush that I've tested so far, but as you'll see in my review below, there are some shortcomings to be aware of if you're considering this brush.

Design and Features

Colgate partnered with Kolibree for the Smart Electronic Toothbrush, and the brush itself appears to be a Kolibree design because it's almost identical to the $129 Kolibree Ara. This Kolibree mirror is the first higher-end toothbrush that Colgate's come out with, so it's different from all other Colgate brushes on the market, which are typically not priced over $10.

Design wise, the brush is made from a lightweight white plastic material, and it consists of two pieces: a removable and replaceable brush head and the vibrating base that the brush head fits on. The brush head pops onto the base of the toothbrush and then twists to lock in place.

There's single button on the base of the Colgate Smart that turns it on or turns it off, and that's the extent of the functionality, too. It's on or it's off. There are no modes or sensitivity levels to switch between, so you can't alter brushing length (it goes for two minutes), brushing intensity, or any other parameter.

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Instagram today announced the launch of a new "Type" mode in stories, a feature that the company was previously testing with a small number of users.

Type mode is designed to allow Instagram users to share text-only posts in Instagram Stories, and the feature is similar in design to the Facebook option that lets you accentuate text-only posts with large fonts and colorful backgrounds.

According to Instagram, Type uses creative text styles and backgrounds to allow users to turn their "most random thoughts into something colorful and expressive."

Type mode can be accessed by opening up the Instagram Stories camera and selecting "Type" next to normal under the record button.

Tap "Type" and write whatever comes to mind -- your favorite lyrics, a silly thought or a random idea -- and play with different styles to change the look and feel. Then, you can pick different background colors, highlight words and phrases or add a background photo.

The new styles introduced with the Type feature can also be used when adding text to any photo or video, and as with all Stories posts, content will disappear after 24 hours.

Type content is part of Instagram version 30 for iOS, which can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]