Microsoft is working on a pocket-sized dual-screen Surface device according to information sourced from Microsoft internal documents and shared by The Verge.
Called Andromeda, Microsoft's dual-screen Surface project has been in development for at least two years and it's designed to "blur the lines between mobile and stationary computing," according to an internal document.
Andromeda rendering via David Breyer
"It's a new pocketable Surface device form factor that brings together innovative new hardware and software experiences to create a truly personal and versatile computing experience," is exactly how Microsoft describes the device internally.
Microsoft's device will feature a wraparound display that bridges the gap of the hinge when it is fully opened, and according to The Verge, December renderings shared by David Breyer are "identical" to the current prototype versions of the upcoming Surface. The pocketable Surface can be folded in either direction or laid flat, as can be seen in the renderings.
Andromeda rendering via David Breyer
Microsoft is said to be experimenting with stylus input for the pocket Surface, with prototype devices equipped with styluses and notepad-like apps for note taking.
The Verge's sources warn that work on Andromeda could be ceased at anytime, but Microsoft is said to have tentative 2018 release date plans, which would mean development on the device is nearing completion.
Some nebulous rumors have suggested Apple too is exploring some similar concepts, working with LG to develop an iPhone with a foldable display. Apple explores many concepts and designs for its devices, so there is likely to be some truth to the rumor.
The folding display technology being developed by LG is still a few years off, so if Apple moves forward with some sort of design that's similar to what Microsoft is working on, we won't be seeing it for several years.
At the current time, Apple is focusing on edge-to-edge displays and making a transition to OLED technology. In fall 2018, Apple is expected to introduce a second-generation 5.8-inch OLED iPhone X, a 6.5-inch OLED device that can be thought of as an "iPhone X Plus," and a 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD display that will be available at a more affordable price point.
All three devices will feature edge-to-edge displays and no Home button, instead adopting Face ID and the TrueDepth camera system.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Plex to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a cord-cutting bundle that includes a lifetime Plex Pass, a TV tuner, and an antenna.
Plex, for those unfamiliar with it, is an all-in-one media hub that organizes your entire library of content, from TV shows and movies to music and photos, plus it offers free access to news, support for Podcasts, and, most importantly for those who want to cut ties with cable companies, access to live television.
To handle all of your own media content, you can set up the Plex Media Server on a Mac, which makes everything you own accessible on all of your devices through the Plex iOS and Apple TV apps, along with Plex apps for consoles, Android devices, and other set-top boxes. You can watch and stream all of your content along with live TV content, news, and more from your Mac to any device, anywhere.
Accessing the Plex Live TV service does not require a cable subscription, and it's relatively simple to set up if you know what to buy.
You'll need a digital tuner and a digital antenna to access HD content from channels that are available for free over-the-air, such as major U.S. networks like ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, the CW, and local programming that includes news and sports. You can enter your zip code on the Plex site to see the channels you can receive over the air in your area.
Plex's website also outlines the exact equipment that is compatible with Plex Live TV, and a tuner will run you about $50 to $150. For our giveaway, Plex is providing a Mac-compatible HD HomeRun Connect Quatro, which lets you watch live TV on up to four devices simultaneously.
TV tuners need to be paired with an antenna, priced right around $60. Our giveaway includes the ClearStream Flex Amplified Sure Grip Indoor HDTV Antenna, which can be stuck on any flat surface like a window or a wall to receive over-the-air television signals.
All in all, the setup will run you $100 to $200, but after that, you have the tools you need to get cable channels sans paying an exorbitant fee. You will need a Plex Pass subscription for Live TV access, priced at $5 per month, $40 per year, or $120 for a lifetime subscription, but that's cheaper than cable.
That price offers access to all of Plex's premium features, including live TV and the ability to pause and record shows and skip commercials with Plex DVR. All of your DVR content will sync seamlessly with your existing media library, and it can also be played anywhere.
Plex also just recently announced a new live TV grid view, which makes it easier than ever to see what's on and what's available to you, and it's simple to schedule your DVR recordings using either an Apple TV or an iOS device.
We have one cord-cutting bundle to give away, complete with Mac-compatible tuner and antenna plus a lifetime Plex Pass subscription. 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 MacRumorsFacebook 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 (June 29) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on July 6. The winner will be chosen randomly on July 6 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
At least one of Apple's widely rumored trio of new iPhones expected to be unveiled this September will feature dual-SIM, dual-standby, according to Chinese news publication 21st Century Business Herald via LoveiOS.
A translated version of the article claims the functionality will be enabled by an embedded Apple SIM in the iPhones, in addition to a traditional SIM card placed into the usual tray. In China, where Apple SIM is not available, the report claims Apple will offer an iPhone with two physical SIM card trays.
Apple introduced its Apple SIM in 2014 to provide cellular iPad users with a convenient way to switch between carriers and use short-term data plans as needed, useful for those who travel between countries frequently. It works with select carriers in more than 180 countries and regions around the world.
Initially, the Apple SIM was only available as a physical card that needed to be inserted into the tray when needed, but it is now embedded inside the latest iPad Pro models. Apple still sells physical Apple SIMs at its retail stores in many countries for use with the lower-cost 9.7-inch iPad and other models.
The report doesn't specify which of the 2018 iPhones will have an embedded Apple SIM, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously said the 6.1-inch "budget iPhone X" and 6.5-inch "iPhone X Plus," but oddly not the second-generation 5.8-inch iPhone X, will support dual-SIM, dual-standby.
Kuo has also said Apple may release two 6.1-inch iPhone models, and in light of today's report, this could be referring to a nearly-worldwide variant with an embedded Apple SIM and a Chinese variant with dual SIM card trays.
All in all, it should be easier to switch between carriers and data plans on future iPhones, providing users with more flexibility.
eBay's latest sitewide coupon launched today, offering shoppers the chance to save 15 percent off nearly everything on eBay with coupon code PERFECTDAY. As usual, exclusions to "everything" include warranties and protection plans, coins and paper money, gift cards and coupons, and real estate.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Otherwise, eBay's sitewide coupons are always a great opportunity to get the best prices on a variety of tech items for a few hours, like a Nest Cam Outdoor 2-Pack ($254.99, down from $299.99), Philips Hue White 4-Bulb Starter Kit ($68.83, down from $80.99), Apple Pencil for $76.49 (down from $89.99), and more. Of course, since this is a sitewide coupon you could also use it on Macs, Apple Watches, video games, clothes, appliances, and any other non-excluded category.
As with all eBay browsing, shoppers should remember to remain aware of an item's condition and its seller's rating and review history, and get their orders in before the code's expiration date tonight at 9:00 p.m. PT. Terms and conditions require each purchase to be a minimum of $25, and the discount will be capped at a maximum value of $100. The discount price is applied to the purchase price and excludes shipping, handling, and taxes, and can be used by eBay shoppers in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
In other deals, this weekend many of Anker's ongoing June sales are set to expire Saturday, June 30. Check out the discounts and promo codes below, then head over to Amazon before they expire to make your purchase:
Another deal ending soon is Best Buy's one-day sale on the Ultimate Ears ROLL 2 Bluetooth Speaker, available for $45.99, down from $99.99 for today only. There's also the first ever discount on popular endless runner Alto's Odyssey [Direct Link], priced at $1.99, down from $4.99 for a limited time. For more details about new sales happening this summer, be sure to check out our full Deals Roundup.
Apple today announced that it will be rebuilding its Maps app "from the ground up" with street-level data collected from its fleet of Apple Maps vehicles, high resolution satellite imagery, and anonymized, random segments of navigation sessions from iPhone users, which Apple refers to as "probe data."
Image: TechCrunch
TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino has published an in-depth overview of the changes coming to Apple Maps, which will be available in the San Francisco area starting with the next iOS 12 beta next week, cover all of Northern California by this fall, and roll out across the rest of the United States over the next year.
In short, Panzarino says Apple Maps will be switching to its own base map, reducing but not fully eliminating its reliance on third-party providers like TomTom, which will yield significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, road systems, new construction, changes in pedestrian walkways, and more.
Apple also promises more relevant search results that, as Panzarino quips, are hopefully on the same continent now.
In a follow-up question-and-answer piece, Panzarino noted Apple Maps will more accurately display foliage like grass and trees, pools, parking lots, exact building shapes, sports areas like baseball diamonds, tennis and basketball courts, and pedestrian pathways that are commonly walked but previously unmapped.
His questionnaire also confirms that the overall design of Apple Maps will remain similar for now, beyond the additional detail.
Image: TechCrunch
Panzarino spoke in detail about the changes with Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue, who oversees Apple Maps:
"Since we introduced this six years ago — we won't rehash all the issues we've had when we introduced it — we've done a huge investment in getting the map up to par," said Cue. "When we launched, a lot of it was all about directions and getting to a certain place. Finding the place and getting directions to that place. We've done a huge investment of making millions of changes, adding millions of locations, updating the map and changing the map more frequently. All of those things over the past six years."
Cue noted further improvements will take Apple Maps to "the next level":
"We wanted to take this to the next level," says Cue. "We have been working on trying to create what we hope is going to be the best map app in the world, taking it to the next step. That is building all of our own map data from the ground up."
More from Cue:
"We don't think there's anybody doing this level of work that we're doing," adds Cue. "We haven't announced this. We haven't told anybody about this. It's one of those things that we've been able to keep pretty much a secret. Nobody really knows about it. We're excited to get it out there. Over the next year, we'll be rolling it out, section by section in the US."
Cue's notion that nobody really knew about these plans is debatable, as its Apple Maps vehicles have been a telltale sign since 2015, the same year Mark Gurman reported that Apple would switch to its own base map by 2018.
Apple's in-house base map will continue to improve thanks to probe data. When an iPhone user is navigating with Apple Maps, Apple may collect anonymized data from middle segments of the trip, but never the beginning or end point. Apple says no personal information is ever attached to the data it receives.
The secret sauce here is what Apple calls probe data. Essentially little slices of vector data that represent direction and speed transmitted back to Apple completely anonymized with no way to tie it to a specific user or even any given trip. It’s reaching in and sipping a tiny amount of data from millions of users instead, giving it a holistic, real-time picture without compromising user privacy.
Despite the privacy push, iPhone users can still disable the collection of probe data from their device, if they so desire, by opening the Settings app and tapping Privacy > Location Services > Maps > Never.
Image: TechCrunch
In addition to improved accuracy, Cue said Apple will be able to quickly make changes and updates to its base map, such as new roads:
"For example, a road network is something that takes a much longer time to change currently. In the new map infrastructure, we can change that relatively quickly. If a new road opens up, immediately we can see that and make that change very, very quickly around it. It's much, much more rapid to do changes in the new map environment."
Apple did not confirm when the improvements could reach other countries, but Cue noted that the Apple Maps team is global, and Apple Maps vehicles have already surveyed parts of at least ten other countries, including Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
iPad-based system in Apple Maps vehicle via TechCrunch
Apple also hasn't confirmed if it will use the data it collects to eventually introduce its own street view feature like Google Maps.
The full article is well worth a read, diving deep into advanced technologies like 3D point clouds and Deep Lambertian Networks that Apple is using to parse its mapping data. Panzarino was also invited for a ride in an Apple Maps vehicle, and he shared interesting photos and details about their setup.
Apple has expanded carrier billing to TIM in Italy, Bite in Latvia and Lithuania, U Mobile in Malaysia, Singtel and StarHub in Singapore, Sunrise in Switzerland, and O2 in the UK, according to an updated support document.
The payment method enables customers to make purchases in the iTunes Store, App Store, and Apple Books, and pay for an Apple Music subscription, without needing to link a debit or credit card to their Apple ID account. Instead, purchases are added to a customer's phone bill, and paid in full when due.
The payment method is already offered by select carriers in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Italy, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and the UK.
Meanwhile, Apple Maps lane guidance has expanded to Croatia and Slovenia, according to Apple's updated iOS Feature Availability page.
While navigating with Apple Maps via iPhone or CarPlay in those countries, a set of directional arrows will now appear at the top of the screen that indicate which lane your vehicle should be in to exit a freeway or complete a turn.
Apple Maps lane guidance debuted in the United States and China in iOS 11. The feature has since expanded to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
One week after unveiling its new live streaming service "WatchTV," AT&T has now begun rolling out the platform's app on fourth-generation and fifth-generation Apple TV boxes, as well as on iOS [Direct Link] (via BestAppleTV). The service is a free add-on for anyone on AT&T's new "Unlimited &More" and "Unlimited &More Premium" cellular plans, and is also available as a $15/month service for everyone else.
Like a few other live TV platforms, WatchTV includes just over 30 channels that you can stream live, including breaking news and film channels (but not sports). The service has 15,000 titles available to watch on demand, and subscribers to AT&T's new &More Premium phone plan will be able to add one of several premium services for no extra charge: HBO, SHOWTIME, Cinemax, Starz, Amazon Music Unlimited, Pandora Premium, or VRV.
The full list of channels on WatchTV includes:
A&E
AMC
Animal Planet
Audience
BBC World News
BBC America
Boomerang
Cartoon Network
CNN
Discovery
Food Network
FYI
Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
HGTV
History
HLN
IFC
Investigation Discovery
Lifetime
Lifetime Movies
OWN
Sundance TV
TBS
TCM
TLC
TNT
TRU TV
Velocity
Viceland
WE TV
Channels coming soon after launch include:
BET
Comedy Central
MTV 2
Nicktoons
Teennick
VH1
Users can stream on up to two devices at the same time, but WatchTV does not have a cloud DVR feature or any local news stations. Other than tvOS and iOS, the app is out now on Android, Amazon Fire TV, and Google Chromecast.
WatchTV is a direct result of AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner, with many of the channels on the service falling under the Time Warner umbrella. This week, the company raised the price of of the "administrative fee" it charges customers, which was speculated as a move to offset the debt incurred by its $85.4 billion purchase of Time Warner, although AT&T denied that by stating the administrative fee price is "standard" across the wireless industry.
LinkedIn is adding a couple of new features to its iOS app that should make it easier for users to expand their professional networks on the service.
For the first time, QR codes can now be used to connect with other user profiles. This can be done by either tapping the QR code icon in the Home tab search bar to launch the QR scanner, or uploading a photo of a code taken with your device's camera. As you'd expect, LinkedIn profile codes can also be shared easily over email or messaging platforms as well as displayed on websites and relevant merchandise.
In addition, the LinkedIn app will soon boast a translation feature powered by Microsoft Text Analytics (the same API that provides translations for Skype, Office, and Twitter). The feature, which supports over 60 languages, is accessed via a "See Translation" button that will appears in relevant LinkedIn feed posts, as well as on users' profile and recent activity screens.
As of writing, the translation feature is only available on the desktop and mobile web versions of LinkedIn, but the company says it will be accessible in its mobile apps in the coming weeks.
LinkedIn is a free download for iPhone available on the App Store. [Direct Link]
Apps developed for the Mac often don't receive as much attention as apps made for iOS devices, so we've been doing a monthly series here at MacRumors that highlights useful, interesting Mac apps that are worth checking out and investing in.
This month's picks include apps for revamping your dock, finding duplicate files, keeping track of your copy paste history, tweeting quickly from the desktop, and more. Many of our highlighted apps this week were chosen by MacRumors forum members.
uBar ($30) - uBar is a dock replacement, app manager, and window organizer that's designed for the Mac. You can configure the uBar as a dock, with apps of your choice, or as a task bar for doing things like quickly accessing Finder options. Apps in the dock will let you know how many windows are open, and you can enable features like window previews. uBar is expandable, re-positionable, resizable, and supports multiple monitors. The app is $30, but a free 14 day trial is available.
Gemini 2 ($19.99) - Gemini 2 is an app from MacPaw that's designed to help you find and manage all duplicate and similar files on your machine. It is ideal for cleaning up your music library and your photo library to clear up space on your Mac. A free trial is available.
Paste ($14.99) - Paste is a copy paste manager that keeps track of and organizes all of the files, photos, website URLs, and text snippets that you've copied and pasted on your Mac and other devices. Paste is described as a sort of Time Machine for your clipboard, because it saves everything and offers robust search capabilities so you can always find what you're looking for. Pinboards give you access to things you copy and paste often, while custom shortcuts make it easier to copy and paste. Paste is a Mac App Store app, but a free trial is also available on the Paste website.
Tweetfast ($1.99) - Tweetfast is a Twitter for Mac client that's gives you a menu bar widget for quickly composing and sharing tweets on the social network without having to switch to a full Twitter client or the Twitter website. It's simple, quick, and has a dark mode so it's macOS Mojave ready.
Infinity Dashboard ($14.99) - Infinity Dashboard is a smart little app that's designed to let you track and monitor anything, from your wife's birthday to the weather at your upcoming vacation spot to the current price of Bitcoin. There are 35 built-in modules for tracking weather, travel times, website stacks, stock prices, social network metrics, and more, and you can also write your own custom modules. Some modules, like price trackers, support notifications, and there are several design themes to choose from. A free trial is available.
If you have a favorite must-have Mac app that we haven't highlighted yet, let us know in the comments, and we might feature it in a future video. Many of this month's app picks came directly from recommendations from our forum members, and it's these recommendations that have helped make this series useful.
Instagram today updated its Stories feature with the ability to add a soundtrack for background music, with Instagram offering thousands of popular songs to choose from.
You can add music to Stories by tapping to add a sticker and then choosing the new "Music" sticker that's available in the list alongside other stickers like Location, Mention, Hashtag, and more.
Tapping on the Music sticker opens up a library that includes thousands of songs, with search tools for finding a specific mood or genre, along with a list of what's popular. You can press the play button to hear a preview of a song.
Once a song is selected, you can then fast forward and rewind to choose the exact part of the song that fits your story. Songs can also be chosen before taking a video by swiping to the new "Music" option located under the record button. From here, you can choose a song, select a portion of the song, and then record a video as the song plays.
Instagram Stories with songs attached will play the song and a sticker will be added with the song title and the artist name.
Along with music options in Instagram Stories, Instagram today also announced that Stories has 400 million daily active users.
Instagram says the music sticker is available in Instagram 51, which is the latest version of the Instagram app in the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]
AT&T is paying the Federal Communications Commission a $5.25 million fine to settle an investigation into a pair of 2017 outages that blocked over 15,000 people from making 911 calls.
According to the FCC [PDF], during a five hour outage on March 8, 2017, 12,600 unique users across the United States saw their emergency 911 calls fail, while during a 47 minute outage on May 1, 2017, 2,600 users had 911 calls fail.
The outages, which impacted AT&T's Voice over LTE network used by many modern smartphones, were caused by planned network changes that were implemented on those days that inadvertently interfered with the routing of 911 calls.
During the March outage, the FCC says that AT&T also failed to "quickly, clearly, and fully notify" affected 911 call centers. These kinds of outages are "unacceptable" and according to the FCC, carriers have a responsibility to both prevent outages and in the event of an outage, notify call centers immediately.
Such preventable outages are unacceptable. Robust and reliable 911 service is a national priority, as repeatedly expressed by both Congress and the Commission. Carriers have a responsibility to both prevent outages and, if they do take place, quickly inform the Commission and affected 911 call centers. FCC rules mandate that mobile phone service providers "transmit all wireless 911 calls" and inform 911 call centers of any 911 network outage that lasts 30 minutes or more.
In addition to paying a $5.25 million fine to end the investigation, AT&T is also required to implement "proactive system changes" to reduce the likelihood and impact of future 911 outages, improve its processes for notifying 911 call centers of future outages, ensure reliable 911 call completion, and file regular compliance reports with the FCC.
Today and tomorrow only MacRumors readers can save 45 percent sitewide on Speck's website, making a great opportunity to purchase a new case for your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook at a discounted price. To take advantage of the deal, head over to Speck, find a case or accessory, add it to your cart, and enter MACRUMORS45 in the discount code box.
This will net you 45 percent off up to two Speck products per order, although the promo code excludes any existing markdowns and can't be combined with Speck's other offers or coupons.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
As an idea of how much you can save, Speck's lower-cost iPhone and iPad cases run for around $40, meaning accessories like the Presidio Grip for iPhone X (including World Cup colors), Balance Folio for iPad, and Presidio Clear for iPhone 8 are all discounted down to $21.97 in the sale. Head over to Speck's website to browse and make your purchase before the promo code expires tomorrow, June 29.
Over on Amazon, accessory company Choetech is offering its T511 Wireless Charger (Black) for just $6.47 with MacRumors exclusive promo code MACRUM50, down from $12.95. For any of our readers who have been looking to add a few more iPhone-compatible wireless charging mats around a home or apartment, this is a solid time to expand your collection.
There are a few other Choetech deals happening on Amazon this week as well: a 3-pack of USB-C Braided Cables for $5.99 with code 3N2LZXJP, down from $14.99 and a 6-Pack of USB-C Cables for $7.99 with code 9ARQ5ZD6, down from $12.99. With the cables, you can stock up on extra chargers for your MacBook ahead of any trips you might be taking this summer.
Incipio is also marking down many of its products this Fourth of July, with promo code PWR4U taking 20 percent off all Incipio power accessories. These include smart cases, portable battery packs, cables, wireless chargers, and more. The discount code is already live ahead of next week's national holiday, so head over to Incipio's power accessory page to browse items available under the discount.
Finally, app developer Softorino is offering MacRumors readers an exclusive 40 percent off of its WALTR 2 software with promo code MACRUMORS. WALTR 2 is a drag-and-drop utility that allows you to quickly and easily move music, ringtones, videos, and other files onto your iOS devices. WALTR 2 works over Wi-Fi and lets you avoid using iTunes for file transfers while also automatically converting file types like FLAC and MKV that aren't otherwise supported by iTunes.
Head over to our full Deals Roundup for more information on the latest sales happening this week.
DC Comics today revealed new details about its upcoming "DC Universe" streaming platform, which will hit iOS and tvOS devices this fall. Before that time, the company will launch a beta of the platform in August, allowing a small group of users to test out DC Universe before a wide rollout.
The main draw of the service will be exclusive TV shows that feature popular DC characters, including live action shows like Titans, Doom Patrol, and Swamp Thing, and animated series like Young Justice: Outsiders and Harley Quinn.
Existing DC films and TV shows will also be available on DC Universe, like Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, the original Christopher Reeve Superman movies, Lois and Clark, and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman series, available for the first time in HD.
“DC UNIVERSE is so much more than a streaming service. It’s a welcoming place for everyone to immerse themselves in their own level of DC fandom, with the epic characters, stories, and experiences they have come to expect from DC,” said Jim Lee, chief creative officer and publisher, DC Entertainment.
“We are investing in and creating original, high-quality shows including the new Titans series, and curating the most beloved nostalgic content, while at the same time elevating the comic reading experience to new heights. Nothing this robust has ever been offered to fans before.”
Additionally, DC revealed that DC Universe will house more than just TV shows and movies, but also include comics, a merchandise shop, community forums, an interactive encyclopedia of DC characters, and more. Comics will include both modern and classic digital series, from Action Comics #1 and the first appearance of Superman to the recent "Rebirth" event -- and even support reading on big screen apps like Apple TV.
Members of DC UNIVERSE can:
WATCH exclusive originals and classic favorites; READ from an extensive list of curated comic books; CONNECT with the DC community; EXPLORE the latest breaking news and the ever-expanding DC encyclopedia; WIN premium rewards and participate in sweepstakes and contests; SHOP for exclusive merchandise.
As of now, DC has not hinted at how much subscribers will be paying monthly for DC Universe. The platform will be entering a heavily saturated market of streaming services (soon to include Apple), but its focus on popular characters in the DC canon should prove to be favorable and worth a monthly subscription for some users.
Disney is also planning its own streaming service for launch at the end of 2018, which is rumored to bundle Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation Studios content under one monthly price. After Disney announced it will remove its TV shows and films from Netflix beginning this year, rumors swirled that Marvel would be getting its own dedicated service -- like DC Universe -- but Disney CEO Bob Iger quickly denied those rumors and confirmed Marvel will be found alongside Disney's content in the upcoming streaming app.
For DC Universe, the service will launch on desktop, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Google Chromecast this fall, and those interested can sign up to be among the first to receive beta news on the company's website.
Comic-Con Update: Warner Bros. has announced that DC Universe will cost $74.99 per year or $7.99 per month, and users are now available to pre-order their subscriptions for the service at the $74.99 annual fee. Anyone who chooses to pre-order before launch will also get an additional three months of DC Universe at no cost.
Sling TV today announced that it will be increasing the price of its entry-level Sling Orange service by $5 per month, jumping the price up to $25 per month for subscribers. Existing subscribers will not be grandfathered in to their old price, and all Sling Orange customers will see the new monthly $25 price reflected in their bills starting in August.
Sling TV president Warren Schlichting explained in a blog post today that while the company's goal is to keep subscriber prices as low as possible, programming fees and other aspects of the service necessitate the monthly price hike. "Our team works hard to negotiate fair programming deals, with the goal of keeping your price as low as possible," Schlichting said. "Programming fees, however, only go one direction, and that’s up!"
No other aspects of Sling Orange have been changed, so users can still subscribe to the $25 plan and get just over 30 live channels (including ESPN) and DVR features. Comparatively, Sling Orange is still one of the cheapest entries in live TV streaming market, with DirecTV Now starting at $35/month (down to $20/month for AT&T Unlimited plans), and Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV starting at $40/month.
Alongside the price increase, Sling TV revealed a slew of new updates aimed at introducing free content, à la carte channels, movies on-demand, and more without requiring customers to pay for a base subscription (for now only on Roku devices). Part of the announcement is an attempt to get anyone who previously subscribed to Sling TV to return to the service.
When returning customers re-open the Sling TV app, they'll be able to access more than 100 hours of free TV shows and movies without restarting their subscription. These customers will also see ribbons that highlight free shows and films to watch, at launch including "Good Behavior," "Wrecked," "The Detour," and more.
Additionally, anyone can now purchase select channels à la carte without needing to sign up for an entire Sling TV tier. Right now, there are only eight channels available, but with the update if you're interested in only watching one of these channels in the Sling TV app, you can pay individually per month to get the access you want without other channels you might not watch. The company said that more channels will be added in the future, but as of now include:
- Showtime: $10 - CuriosityStream: $6 - Stingray Karaoke: $7 - Dove Channel: $5 - Outside TV Features: $5 - Up Faith & Family: $5 - Pantaya: $6 - NBA League Pass: $28.99
Outside of a Sling TV subscription, customers can now buy pay-per-view events as a one-time purchase in the app as well. There's also the option to buy movies in Sling TV without a monthly subscription, including a catalog of 5,000 popular films.
The company didn't clarify when exactly non-Roku users will see these updates, but confirmed other devices will be supported "in the near future."
Rogue Amoeba today announced it has updated its audio recording utility Audio Hijack with support for streaming audio to SHOUTcast and Icecast servers, ideal for live podcast recordings, live DJ sets, and internet radio.
Audio Hijack version 3.5 features a new Broadcast block that can stream audio to Shoutcast 2, Shoutcast 1, and Icecast 2 streaming servers in either the popular MP3 streaming format or the more modern AAC streaming format.
By placing multiple Broadcast blocks in one Audio Hijack session, you can create multiple streams for multiple servers, making it easy to offer high and low quality broadcasts, or stream audio in multiple audio formats.
To help beginners get started with broadcasting, Audio Hijack version 3.5 includes a new template for "Internet Radio."
The latest version of Audio Hijack serves as a replacement for Rogue Amoeba's dedicated audio broadcasting tool Nicecast, which the company ceased development of in March, and will stop supporting at the end of 2018.
Rogue Amoeba strongly encourages all Nicecast users to migrate to Audio Hijack for a more modern broadcasting setup with several advantages, including full SHOUTcast 2 support, AAC/AAC+ streaming, the ability to create multiple streams for multiple servers, track titles, and improved accessibility.
Rogue Amoeba notes that the last version of Nicecast, version 1.11.13, works as expected on macOS High Sierra and earlier, but may experience compatibility issues with macOS Mojave. And, as a 32-bit app, Nicecast will eventually not work at all once a future macOS release only supports 64-bit apps.
After a soft launch of just one model earlier this spring, GE today announced the launch of its full lineup of HomeKit-enabled window air conditioning units. While there are a few other HomeKit air conditioners on the market outside of the United States, the new units represent the first HomeKit-compatible air conditioners to launch in the U.S.
GE's air conditioners deliver 8,000 to 12,000 BTUs and can cool medium- to large-sized rooms, according to the company. With HomeKit control, customers can add the units into the Home app on iOS, connecting them to Scenes, controlling them with Siri, or automating them to activate and deactivate when they arrive and leave their home.
“Consumers told us they like how they can create their own schedules to keep rooms comfortable without wasting energy,” said John Desmarais, Commercial Director, Window A/C, Portables & Dehumidifiers for GE Appliances.
“Many people also found peace of mind in having control of the unit anywhere they have internet access. We’re pleased to offer the very first air conditioners with HomeKit integration, bringing simple and secure control through the Apple Home app and using Siri. We are confident owners will find the convenience at the tip of their fingers.”
Each unit has cooling settings for four-way air direction and an "Energy Saver" mode that automatically shuts off the fan and compressor when the room is cool enough, reducing electricity consumption and helping to save money on monthly bills. Although HomeKit control is supported, GE's air conditioners also come with an electronic digital thermostat and remote control.
Starting today, the units are available at The Home Depot (which has three models) and Lowe's (which has two models), and at local authorized GE Appliance dealers. Prices on the units vary depending on the amount of BTUs, starting around $279 (8,000 BTUs) and increasing to $349 (10,000 BTUs) and more.
In an effort that would give future Echo speakers with Alexa a new advantage over Apple's HomePod, Reuters today reports that Amazon is working with chipmakers to build Alexa speakers that would not require a constant power source. As it stands, most smart assistant devices -- Amazon's main Echo, Apple HomePod, Google Home, etc -- require a constant draw of power due to their always-on microphones listening for the user's voice commands, among other reasons.
Now, Amazon has partnered with chipmaker DSP Group to build a standardized chip that is "a little smaller than a U.S. 10-cent coin" and optimized for lower power consumption. Amazon and other companies will be able to use the chip to place Alexa into their own smart devices that offer greater portability to users.
Amazon already has the Amazon Tap, a portable Bluetooth speaker that doesn't need to be plugged in to use all of its features. With a "hands-free mode" users can ask Alexa questions and command her to play music, which slightly affects battery life: 9 hours of continuous playback compared to 8 hours with hands-free mode activated.
There are also third-party companies like Fabriq that sell portable Alexa solutions, but these devices are still a small portion of the market in comparison to AC-powered speakers. With Amazon and DSP Group's new partnership, it appears that Amazon is looking to greatly bolster the amount of cord-free Alexa devices available to buy, while also improving the user experience with internal chips that can run always-on listening features without as much of a hit to battery life.
Amazon also has numerous other chipmakers offering solutions for Alexa -- including Intel and Qualcomm -- but as of now DSP is said to be the sole supplier competing with a chip that offers low power consumption. DSP's current client roster includes making chips for Samsung smart watches, cameras for GoPro, and a wireless speaker for Logitech.
Those are all large companies with many engineers, but by working with Amazon to make its chip easier to use in a device, DSP is hoping to spur more products from gadget makers of all sizes to include Alexa, Elyakim said.
“We are at a fairly early level in this market, but I think over the next 12 months we’ll see a lot of announcements,” he said.
For Apple's HomePod, the main rumor for the next-generation speaker centers around its price tag, with numerous reports earlier this year suggesting Apple is "mulling" and "low-cost version" of the HomePod that will run between $150-$200. What this means for specific features remains unclear, but since the original speaker is believed to have underperformed due to ecosystem limitations and Siri issues, some theorize Apple could focus on combating these problems in the cheaper HomePod.
The only time that portability and a future version of HomePod were tied together came from a questionable report earlier this spring, which claimed that the "low-priced" HomePod will be placed under the Beats by Dre brand, which only sells portable rechargeable speakers. Apple has yet to introduce its Siri assistant into any non-Apple product, and one reason Beats Pill devices don't have "Hey Siri" is likely due to their portability and lack of constant power.
Although unlikely at this point, the speculative HomePod/Beats speaker was described in a way that suggested a more portable smart speaker than the first generation, and could be similar to the proposed future versions of Amazon Echo from today's report. As it stands, there are many pros and cons to both the HomePod and Echo, as Apple's more expensive speaker focuses on sound quality first, while Amazon's speaker provides one of the most robust smart home hubs on the market thanks to its numerous Alexa Skills.
This week's Apple Pay promotion is offering customers the chance to save on their Fourth of July dinners with 20 percent off from restaurant chain TGI Fridays. If you use Apple Pay to checkout in the TGI Fridays iOS app, select the order for pickup, and use the promo code APPLE20, you'll get 20 percent off your meal through Sunday, July 8.
Apple's new promotion encourages users to get out and shop to prepare for their Fourth of July celebrations, suggesting stores like Trader Joe's, Party City, BevMo!, Hannaford Supermarkets, and BJ's Wholesale Club, all of which support Apple Pay. The email also mentions Apple Pay support at ACE Hardware, where users can find supplies for summer projects.
The last few Apple Pay promotions have been themed around summer activities as well, offering customers the chance to save money on new Adidas shoes to wear during summer workouts, and two free bike rides with the ofo app. Apple tends to theme its weekly promotions around big holidays or events when they happen, offering $5 off movie tickets with Fandango in celebration of the Oscars and a free Postmates Unlimited subscription for holiday dinners last November.
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