Hints about when Apple Pay is coming to Germany have been few and far between over the last year, with negotiations between Apple and German banks allegedly stalling due to conflicting views over fees and controls.
The last rumor came back in May and suggested that Apple Pay would launch in the country in the fall or winter, but today one MacRumors reader provided us with another potential hint that Apple is gearing up to introduce its mobile payment system in Germany imminently.
While setting up a new Apple Watch on the fifth regional betas of iOS 11 and watchOS 4, developer Philipp Ebener was presented with the option to add German bank cards to Apple Pay for the first time.
Philipp reports that he wasn't able to register any of his German credit cards with the system, but the fact that the feature has been partially enabled suggests full activation could come with the official public launch of both operating systems.
Smart thermostat company Nest this week announced a new energy saving initiative coming on the day of the total solar eclipse, August 21, 2017. During the eclipse, clean solar energy will be reduced and in some areas of the United States traditional power plants will have to fire up in order to cover the energy shortfall for a brief period of time.
Nest's solution is a "Solar Eclipse Rush Hour" setting that will be sent to thermostats across the U.S. days ahead of the eclipse. The program will help offset the drop in energy production during the eclipse by automatically pre-cooling homes ahead of time. Once users notice the message, and agree to participate, the Nest Thermostat will lower the temperature of their home before the eclipse.
So, we’re encouraging people across the US to help offset this drop in energy production by pre-cooling their homes before the eclipse. If you don’t own a Nest thermostat, you can manually adjust the temperature by one or two degrees during the eclipse. If you join, a few hours before the eclipse hits your area, your Nest Thermostat may automatically pre-cool your home so that you can save energy during the eclipse. After the eclipse, your thermostat will go back to its regular schedule.
The company said that with enough Nest devices participating, users will be able to "meaningfully reduce" energy demand during the eclipse. Of course, if the temperature becomes too warm during the time of the eclipse, users can still manually change the temperature at any time. Once the eclipse has ended, Nest will go back to its regular schedule of warming and cooling.
Nest's new Solar Eclipse Rush Hour is part of the Rush Hour program that began back in 2013, which has a similar energy-saving goal. In that program, Nest Thermostats warn users of when a high-demand energy period is coming, particularly during warm days when many people will activate their air conditioners. If participating, Nest will automatically pre-cool the home and keep its energy output low during the Rush Hour -- enough to keep users comfortable -- and then return to regular programming afterward.
Over the summer, a rumor came out that Nest was potentially considering adding HomeKit support into its smart thermostat products. However, a subsequent report that cited a Nest employee said that the company has "no immediate plans" to support Apple's smart home platform and "no roadmap" for such an update. Apple has a few smart thermostats it highlights and sells in the HomeKit section of its online store, including those made by ecobee, iDevices, and Honeywell.
In regards to the eclipse, the partial phase will hit Oregon at around 9 a.m. PT on August 21, with totality occurring about one hour later. For more local times on when the eclipse will be near your area, and the safety precautions you should take when trying to view the event, check out NASA's web page.
Popular game-streaming platform Twitch officially launched its first desktop app on Thursday, allowing Mac users to enjoy all the features of the existing web-based platform within a standalone native application.
Based on the CurseForge platform acquired last year, the Twitch Desktop App lets users watch live streams, clips, and video on demand, all while chatting with fellow gamers. Plus there's a new Friend Sync feature that promises to help users find friends "across the creator-verse".
In addition to private messaging, Twitch on Mac supports voice and video calls, indicating a clear bid to compete with rival platform Discord, which began testing a new video chat feature yesterday. The app also supports thousands of game add-ons made by the modding community, as well as in-game overlays so users can manage calls without needing to switch between windows.
The desktop app also includes the Dark Mode recently introduced in the mobile version, making watching streams in low light environments easier on the eyes. Amazon-owned Twitch is also promising a cloud storage feature in the near future that will allow users to access their data remotely.
In addition to established features, the Twitch desktop app introduces Servers, a new virtual home for gaming communities where users can watch video, play, and chat together even when a game stream is offline.
The Twitch desktop app for macOS is available now and can be downloaded for free directly from the Twitch website.
Google introduced an anti-phishing feature for Gmail on Android earlier this year after millions of users were affected by a widespread attack. On Thursday, the company announced it is now extending the functionality to the iOS version of its mail app to protect users on Apple devices.
Going forward, whenever a user clicks on a suspicious link in a Gmail message on iPhone or iPad, Gmail will show a prompt warning them of visiting the associated site.
The cautionary feature is actually double-layered, so if users choose to proceed after the first dialog, they will be shown a page warning them against visiting the original URL given the high likelihood that it's a forgery.
Users don't need to install any updates to see the new anti-phishing feature as it will appear in accounts automatically, although Google says rollout could take up to 15 days for all users to see the change as it propagates through Gmail's scheduled and rapid release tracks.
Gmail is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]
Each week, Apple chooses an "App of the Week" to highlight, which means it can be downloaded for free. This week's pick is a puzzle game named Colorcube, which is normally priced at $0.99 and has never been free before since its July 2016 release.
Colorcube requires players to turn differently shaped pieces to blend colors and solve puzzles. The game is described as a "minimal yet visually stunning puzzler" with more than 250 levels. Apple's editorial description for the pick is below:
Calming colors? Check. Ambient soundtrack? Check. A refreshingly simple premise? Check. Colorcube has all the right ingredients for the perfect chill-out session at the end of a long day. With hundreds of levels to complete, this deceptively challenging game is as stimulating as it is serene... and surprisingly compelling to boot.
Colorcube can be downloaded for free for the next seven days, and after that, a new App of the Week will be chosen. [Direct Link]
With the prospective launch date of the new 2017 iPhone models just weeks away, iPhone 8 dummy models, printed mockups, and clones have been circulating regularly, giving us an idea of what to expect with Apple's radically redesigned edge-to-edge OLED iPhone is unveiled.
We got our hands on one of the high-quality iPhone 8 dummy models that's been making the rounds thanks to MobileFun and Olixar, and we've done a hands-on video to give MacRumors readers a close look at the design of the device and how it measures up to existing devices.
Our iPhone 8 dummy is silver, and with the glass backing, it looks almost like a liquid silver. The front features an edge-to-edge panel, and both the front and the back are encased by a stainless steel frame that matches the silver hue of the body.
There are thin silver bezels at the front of the device, and there's also a "notch" that houses the speaker, front-facing camera, and sensors, with this setup being used to enable a new facial recognition feature.
On one side, there's an elongated power button, while the other side houses standard volume buttons and a mute switch. At the bottom, there's a Lightning port and speaker holes, but no headphone jack.
When it comes to size, the iPhone 8 is slightly larger than an iPhone 7 and much smaller than an iPhone 7 Plus, but its display size is similar to the display of the iPhone 7 Plus because it does away with all of the thick bezels. This is a dummy model so it's not a functional unit, but the smooth glass back is believed to enable an inductive charging feature that will let the iPhone 8 work with wireless charging accessories.
The dummy model we have on hand is silver, but there are also dummy models available in a deep black and a sort of copper gold, and we've heard rumors suggesting the iPhone 8 (and the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus) will only launch in three shades - silver, gold, and black.
We can't be 100 percent sure the dummy models we've seen are accurate representations of what we can expect when the iPhone 8 launches, but they match up with leaked factory specifications, part leaks, CAD drawings, and information culled from the HomePod firmware Apple released in late July.
For that reason, we believe the dummy model in the video offers up a clear look at what Apple's iPhone 8 looks like.
Ulysses, the company behind the popular Ulysses writing apps for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, today announced that it is transitioning to a subscription model going forward.
Starting today, Ulysses will be priced at $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year, with a subscription plan unlocking Ulysses for use on all devices. Ulysses is also offering a student plan with six months of access for $10.99, and there are now two-week free trials available.
With a subscription model, Ulysses says the company will be able to do steady, small releases more often, focusing more on the needs of the user base rather than aiming for big updates to lure in new customers.
Co-founder Max Seelemann about the new subscription model: "This step was necessary to put Ulysses' future development on a solid foundation. We weighed several alternatives -- paid updates among them -- and concluded that the subscription model, as it is available with the App Store since 2016, is best suited to meet both our customers' needs and our needs as developers."
To encourage existing customers to switch over to the new subscription model, Ulysses is offering a permanent life-long discount on the yearly plan, dropping the price from $40 per year to $30 per year (50% off a monthly subscription).
Customers who recently purchased Ulysses for Mac can get up to 12 months of free use, while customers who have purchased the app on an iOS device can get up to six months of free use based on grace periods calculated from the date of purchase. Ulysses plans to inform customers about the offers from within the app.
The single-purchase versions of Ulysses have been removed from sale but will remain functional. The apps are updated for High Sierra and iOS 11, but going forward, new features will only be added to the subscription versions of the apps.
Ulysses for Mac can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Ulysses for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Password management app Dashlane has enlisted a group of researchers to assess and rank the password policy and security of 37 consumer and 11 enterprise websites. The study examined five password security criteria to result in a point-based ranking system, with points awarded for the following categories: requiring 8+ characters, needing alphanumeric passwords, including a password strength assessment indicator, passing brute force attack simulations, and supporting 2-factor authentication.
Based on these data points, the Apple ID sign-in page scored a 4/5 and earned a "Good" ranking. Apple passed on all criteria except for the brute force attack test, where researchers said they were never presented with a security warning ("such as a CAPTCHA code or the account automatically locking") after entering incorrect credentials 10 times in a row. Dashlane mentioned that the study was completed during the week of July 5 - July 14, 2017.
"We created the Password Power Rankings to make everyone aware that many sites they regularly use do not have policies in place to enforce secure password measures. It's our job as users to be especially vigilant about our cybersecurity, and that starts with having strong and unique passwords for every account," said Dashlane CEO Emmanuel Schalit. "However, companies are responsible for their users, and should guide them toward better password practices."
Above Apple with perfect scores were GoDaddy, Stripe, and QuickBooks, but at the very low end with a score of 0/5 were Netflix, Pandora, Spotify, Uber, and Amazon Web Services. Dashlane said that in total 46 percent of consumer sites have "dangerously lax" password policies, while 36 percent of enterprise websites face the same issue.
The researchers said that some of the more troubling findings related to being able to create a password using nothing but the lowercase letter "a" on Amazon, Dropbox, Google, Instagram, LinkedIn, Netflix, Spotify, Uber, and Venmo. The Apple ID sign-in page was one of six sites that did not have a policy to prevent brute force attacks, also including Dropbox, Google, Twitter, Venmo, and Walmart.
Visit Dashlane's website here for more information on the 2017 Password Power Rankings, including a few infographics. Dashlane has performed similar studies of password security policies in years past.
This is the first time the 2017 machines have been available through the refurbished store since their June 2017 release following the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple was offering approximately 15 models at the time this article was written, with each MacBook Pro approximately 15 to 16 percent off. A top-of-the-line 3.5GHz/16GB/1TB model that normally sells for $2,899, is available for $2,459 in the refurbished store, for example.
Apple has both Silver and Space Gray models in a range of configurations, with prices as low as $1,529 for the entry-level Touch Bar machine.
15-inch MacBook Pro machines released in June of 2017 are not yet available in the refurbished store, but could be added soon.
All of Apple’s refurbished products go through a rigorous refurbishment process before being offered for sale, which includes inspection, repairs, cleaning, and repackaging. Refurbished Macs come with a one-year warranty that can be extended with an AppleCare+ purchase. For more tips on purchasing a refurbished product, make sure to check out our guide.
After previously giving four Microsoft Surface devices a purchase "recommendation" status, Consumer Reports today has pulled that status from the Microsoft products. The publication said that because of "poor predicted reliability" in comparison with rival brands, it can no longer recommend any Surface laptops or tablets to consumers.
The decision specifically targets four Microsoft Surface devices, including the Surface Book (128GB and 512GB versions) and the Surface Laptop (128GB and 256GB versions). Although only four devices are losing their previously designated "recommended" status, Consumer Reports pointed out that its inability to recommend Microsoft Surface products extends across the company's laptop and tablet devices, including the Surface Pro.
As usual, Consumer Reports based its decision on a survey conducted by its subscribers and the devices they own and use each day, this time focusing on over 90,000 tablets and laptops from multiple brands purchased between 2014 and early 2017. The study found that an estimated 25 percent of Microsoft tablets and laptops will "present their owners with problems" as soon as the end of the second year of ownership.
In its findings, the publication said the differences between the breakage rates of Microsoft devices and other brands were "statistically significant."
Microsoft’s estimated breakage rate for its laptops and tablets was higher than most other brands’. The differences were statistically significant, which is why Microsoft doesn’t meet CR’s standards for recommended products. The surveys are conducted annually. Microsoft defended the reliability of its laptops and tablets.
Originally, multiple Microsoft Surface products performed well in Consumer Reports' lab testing, but as time has passed and as more data has been collected a reliability issue has come into question. Survey respondents mentioned device startup problems, unexpected freezes or shut downs, and unresponsive touch screens, all occurring well after the devices were purchased.
Microsoft gave the following statement in an email sent to Consumer Reports regarding the new findings:
“Microsoft’s real-world return and support rates for past models differ significantly from Consumer Reports’ breakage predictability,” Microsoft said in an emailed statement. “We don’t believe these findings accurately reflect Surface owners’ true experiences or capture the performance and reliability improvements made with every Surface generation.”
Chinese company Huawei will likely become the world's second largest smartphone maker in the third quarter, based on shipments from July through September, according to Taiwanese publication DigiTimes.
The report, citing sources from Taiwan's handset supply chain, said sales of Huawei's high-end smartphones like the P10 and Mate 9, as well as its more affordable Honor-branded models, have continued to gain momentum. Enough momentum, perhaps, to briefly overtake Apple's iPhone.
Huawei shipped 38.4 million smartphones last quarter, according to research firm Strategy Analytics. Buoyed by seasonal factors, the supply chain sources believe Huawei will continue to ramp up its shipments to over 40 million units this quarter, which could eclipse iPhone shipments over the same period.
Apple reported it sold 41 million iPhones last quarter, but that total could drop slightly this quarter due to frequent rumors about the highly-anticipated iPhone 8, which may lead some customers to delay purchasing a new iPhone.
"We do think that based on the amount of rumors, and the volume of them, that there's some pause in our current numbers," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, referring to iPhone sales. "Where that affects us in the short term, even though we had great results, it probably bodes well later on."
Apple hasn't reported lower iPhone sales in the September-ending quarter versus the June-ending quarter since 2011, however, so if customers truly are holding off, it'll be the first decline over the summer in six years.
It would also be the first time that Apple drops out of the top two spots in smartphone shipments since 2011.
It's quite possible, however, that Apple launches its new iPhone lineup in early September and, in line with the past five years, begins shipping the smartphones to customers by mid month. And given the current quarter doesn't end until September 30, Apple could still outpace Huawei with a few weeks of strong sales.
Even if the launch is delayed, sales of the new iPhone lineup in the following quarter will almost certainly be well above Huawei's.
For what it's worth, Apple probably isn't too concerned about where it ranks in smartphone shipments. First, shipments within distribution channels don't necessarily reflect sales to end customers. Second, Apple cashes in the overwhelming majority of profits in the smartphone industry.
Huawei, on the other hand, will likely feel quite accomplished if it can surpass the iconic iPhone for even one quarter.
"Huawei is now closing in fast on Apple and Apple will be looking nervously over its shoulder in the next few quarters," said Woody Oh, Director at Strategy Analytics. "Huawei is outperforming across Asia, Europe and Africa with popular Android models such as the P10 and Mate 9."
Huawei held just 1 percent market share in the United States as of the first quarter, according to research firm IDC.
Ride hailing app Uber today announced an in-app chat feature that lets riders and drivers communicate with one another without leaving the app. Uber said this update allows drivers to better communicate with riders when sudden road closures or other delays happen en route to the rider's location.
Riders can also send chats to drivers to indicate where they're waiting for the car, or give a distinct piece of clothing or accessory to allow the driver to easily identify them.
To do so, riders can navigate to the Uber feed, tap "contact," and then tap "Chat," and when the driver gets the message the app will read it aloud to them automatically so they aren't distracted. A one-tap response feature sends a quick thumbs up to the rider so they know their message was read.
Every great ride starts with the pickup, so we’re always thinking about ways to make the pickup experience as frictionless as possible for riders and drivers alike. That includes helping riders and drivers connect should they need to get in touch with one another to solve for things like road closures, or to just provide information on their exact location.
So we’re adding a way for riders and drivers to chat right in the Uber app. It’s now easier than ever to get in touch.
Speaking with TechCrunch, Uber product manager Jeremy Lermitte said this will help keep user data more private, because drivers and riders won't have to share personal contact information outside of Uber. Additionally, the company is considering adding the chat feature into other apps, including UberEATS.
In-app chat is rolling out globally over the coming weeks to all Uber riders and drivers, and the company described the update as a "first step" towards introducing more communication and messaging experiences within its app.
A group of 28 developers in China have enlisted a local law firm to file a complaint against Apple in a case alleging that the company engaged in "monopolistic behavior" during some of the actions it has taken to regulate the App Store in China (via The Wall Street Journal).
Lin Wei, an attorney with Dare & Sure Law Firm, filed the complaint this week and targeted Apple for removing apps from the App Store "without detailed explanation and charging excessive fees for in-app purchases." Wei said that Dare & Sure has spoken to different enterprises and received a "very strong response" from each, related to potential antitrust violations with Apple's App Store localization processes.
The complaint accuses Apple of engaging in monopolistic behavior by removing apps from the App Store without detailed explanation and charging excessive fees for in-app purchases. The complaint also alleges Apple doesn’t give details on why apps are removed and puts local developers at a disadvantage by not responding to queries in Chinese.
“There is a lack of transparency in the App Store operation,” Mr. Lin said. “At this stage, we think complaining to the Chinese regulators to get them involved is most ideal.”
According to Reuters, the case dates back to April of this year, when Dare & Sure invited developers to join and ended up with the 28 in question who are now part of the official complaint made this week. The law firm filed the complaint with two organizations that handle antitrust matters: China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission.
The details of what developers and which apps are involved in the complaint were not given, although an Apple spokeswoman mentioned in a brief comment to Reuters that app publishing remains consistent across all countries. There are some exceptions, however, when local laws force Apple to change its policies, most recently when the company pulled the majority of virtual private network apps from the App Store in China because of strict regulations in the country that require VPN apps to be authorized by the government.
In addition, the Apple spokeswoman said that the company is currently working on expanding its local developer relations team to help bolster app development in the country. Apple has faced issues in the past within China, particularly related to controversial content it has sold on the iTunes and iBooks storefronts, but earlier this year Apple CEO Tim Cook reiterated on the company's plans to continue investing in the country, telling local media, "We're here to stay."
EENA, short for the European Emergency Number Association, has called on Apple to integrate a solution called Advanced Mobile Location into iOS to improve the safety of iPhone users in emergency situations.
Advanced Mobile Location recognizes when an emergency call is made and, if not already activated, activates a smartphone's GPS or Wi-Fi to collect the caller's precise location information. The handset then sends an automatic SMS to the emergency services with the caller's location, before turning the GPS off again.
For months, EENA said it has tried to establish contact with Apple to work on a solution that automatically provides accurate location derived from iPhones to emergency services and rescuers, but with no result so far.
Advanced Mobile Location is allegedly up to 4,000 times more accurate than current emergency systems, which rely on cell tower location with a radius of up to several miles, or assisted GPS, which can fail indoors. EENA lists several real scenarios where AML's location accuracy was less than 12 meters.
Last year, Google implemented a new AML-based solution called Emergency Location Service into Google Play services that automatically works on Android smartphones running its Gingerbread operating system or newer.
AML also must be supported by carriers. EENA said the service is fully operational in several European countries, including the UK, Estonia, Lithuania, Austria, and Iceland, as well as New Zealand, on all mobile networks.
In terms of privacy, Google said it never sees or handles the precise location obtained by its Emergency Location Service feature. Instead, the location is sent from the smartphone to emergency services only when a user explicitly places an emergency call, either directly or through their mobile network.
EENA said AML has saved many lives by more accurately pinpointing a person's position. Accordingly, several minutes of time can be saved, according to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute:
Ambulance Service measurements show that, on average, 30 seconds per call can be saved if a precise location is automatically provided, and several minutes can be saved where callers are unable to verbally describe their location due to stress, injury, language or simple unfamiliarity with an area.
EENA said it recognizes the efforts of Apple to improve the safety of its customers. It acknowledged the SOS functionality of the Apple Watch, which can automatically send the location of a caller to a specified contact. However, it believes the location should be sent to emergency services and rescuers as well.
Apple certainly cares about the safety of its customers. It doesn't appear to have publicly provided a reason against supporting AML.
Yesterday, HomePod firmware revealed that the iPhone 8's facial recognition software will seemingly support Apple Pay, multiple facial profiles, and third-party apps. Now, as the uncovering of Apple secrets within HomePod firmware continues apace, developer Steven Troughton-Smith has revealed details on Twitter about the iPhone 8's virtual home button, stating that it "resizes" as needed to fit certain tasks on the smartphone.
Specifically, Troughton-Smith described a "periphery" area of the system user interface that expands/minimizes and shows/hides the iPhone 8's virtual home button as it's needed. There will be tab bars that extend under this periphery area, and no evidence was discovered of an ability for this part of the UI to change color. According to Troughton-Smith, this means that the indicator Apple is building for the virtual home button area "will have to contrast well" with any background and colors displayed on the rest of the display.
Proposed iPhone 8 "function area" by Ming-Chi Kuo
There was also no evidence found that suggests any piece of app UI will be part of the home button area in any form, meaning Apple plans to keep the bottom home button piece of UI clean and uniform whenever it's brought up. Troughton-Smith did mention that whenever a user plays a fullscreen video, the content will hide the home button controls.
We know some facts re iPhone 8 home button area:
• it resizes • indicator can be hidden • no API to change color • tab bars extend under it
— Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) August 10, 2017
The idea of a virtual "function area" on the iPhone 8 was detailed earlier this year in a report written by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who stated the the 5.8-inch screen on the device would have a 5.15-inch usable display. The remaining area of the screen would be reserved for an area of virtual buttons, including a home button, but Kuo's report never hinted that the function area might resize or be "hidden" completely whenever the UI allows it, as Troughton-Smith has discovered.
In addition, Troughton-Smith tweeted out the metrics for the upper status bar on the iPhone 8. The code further confirmed previous HomePod firmware findings that related to a "split" status bar on the device, with what's expected to be camera and sensor hardware sitting between two virtual pieces of UI. Designer Olivier Charavel has already used the metrics to create a mockup of what this status bar should look like on the real iPhone 8, including connection strength and a battery indicator.
Previously, Troughton-Smith said the new status bar seemed "more complex and powerful" in its design, and even said that it could be "interactive" in some way.
In regards to the iPhone 8's bottom area and virtual home button findings, Troughton-Smith tweeted that, "all of these things are supported by API evidence, so this is the clearest picture of its functionality we have to work from." HomePod firmware is building up a good indicator of what we can expect from the iPhone 8 when Apple announces the device next month, including advanced facial recognition features likely replacing Touch ID completely, 4K video recording, "SmartCamera" functionality, and more.
IKEA's Trådfri smart lighting system is now officially compatible with HomeKit, Apple's smart home management platform.
The support was confirmed in IKEA's response to a question posted on its Facebook page this morning, after a customer noticed a change in the technical specifications on the company's Trådfri product page.
According to a thread in the Philips Hue developer support forum, IKEA's smart lighting bulbs are now also compatible with the Philips Hue Bridge, once the products' software has been manually updated.
Existing Trådfri gateway owners need to ensure they have the latest firmware upgrade for their devices to pair them with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Home.
IKEA had promised HomeKit support for its affordable range of home lighting products back in May. The system was originally announced in late March, and includes LED bulbs, illuminated panels, a motion sensor kit, a gateway kit, and dimming lights.
Update: Sadly, it looks as if IKEA's confirmation of Trådfri HomeKit support earlier today was in error. IKEA has since made the following statement on its Swedish Facebook page:
There has been information going out today about the compatibility of TRÅDFRI. We can now inform you that TRÅDFRI is not yet compatible with Apple, Amazon and Google. The plan is that everything will work as we'd like this fall. We are very sorry for the confusion!
Note: This does not apply to the Philips Hue Bridge compatibility, as reported from the separate source above.
Popular accessory company Anker launched its own low-cost smart speaker with built-in Alexa on Wednesday called the Eufy Genie. Costing $35, the Genie is a little bigger than Amazon's Echo Dot, which retails at $50, but claims to offer stronger bass and double the volume of Amazon's equivalent device thanks to a 2W speaker.
The Genie's list of features pretty much tallies with Echo Dot's abilities, so it can play music, control other smart home devices, order products, answer questions, set calendars, report the weather and news, and more.
According to Anker, it's also possible to use the Amazon Alexa app with the Genie to access over 10,000 skills and services, such as Pandora, Domino's Pizza, Uber, ESPN, NPR News, and more. Future updates from Eufy are said to include the ability directly control Spotify with your voice, and Alexa messaging and calling.
The Genie also links up to other smart products under Anker's Eufy brand, which include a robotic vacuum cleaner, air purifier devices, and a range of domestic lighting. According to The Verge, Anker also plans to introduce a $40 version of the Eufy Genie that includes Bluetooth support, which might let it connect to external speakers for playing music.
The Eufy Genie is available to pre-order off Amazon today but doesn't ship until August 16. Eufy plans to launch the speaker in Europe around mid-October. Further details on the Genie and Anker's other products under the Eufy brand can be found on the Eufy website.
Note: Amazon is an affiliate of MacRumors and we may benefit from clicked links in this article.
Vivaldi web browser, the spiritual successor to Opera 12, reached version 1.11 on Thursday, bringing an improved Reader Mode, animation controls, and advanced accessibility features to the highly configurable Mac app.
Vivaldi, which claims to be the most customizable browser for power users, has quietly been carving its own niche in the desktop web browser market and now boasts over 1 million users. The browser is aimed at staunch technologists, heavy internet users, and previous Opera web browser users disgruntled by Opera's transition to the Blink layout engine, which removed many popular features.
First up in v1.11, there are tweaks to Vivaldi's existing Reader Mode, which offers a clutter-free reading environment by stripping off unwanted advertisements, videos and other distractions. Users can now adjust the settings at the top of the page they're currently viewing in the Reader Mode, including the ability to choose the font type and size of the text, set the column width and line height, as well as select either dark or light background.
On top of those changes, Vivaldi's custom Themes add another dimension, allowing users to choose their custom Theme and apply it to the Reader Mode. Custom Themes in Vivaldi also have programmatic support to enforce minimal contrast, which aims to make the browser more comfortable for people with visual impairments.
Elsewhere, Vivaldi now offers a simple way of turning off GIF animations, for people who react to flashing images and want to avoid them. Clicking on the Toggle Images icon in the Status Bar at the bottom of the screen reveals three options for loading animations – always, once or never.
There's also an improvement to Editable Mouse Gestures in Vivaldi that let users execute a command with a simple movement of the mouse. In version 1.11, users have increased control over this feature with the ability to set the minimum stroke length for the gesture they want to register. Additional accessibility options in this version also include quick commands and keyboard shortcuts, and the ability to zoom on selected pages and set a zoom level on a per tab basis.
Vivaldi browser is a free download for Mac available directly from the Vivaldi website.
A group of 28 developers in China have enlisted a local law firm to file a complaint against Apple in a case alleging that the company engaged in "monopolistic behavior" during some of the actions it has taken to regulate the App Store in China (via 
