MacRumors

Facebook today announced that it will begin allowing its users to generate their own crowdfunding campaigns directly within the social network's mobile app, meant as a way "to raise money for themselves, a friend, or someone or something not on Facebook, for example a pet." Any user 18 or older will be able to set up a personal fundraiser, which Facebook hopes will be a way for people to more easily reach potential project backers like close friends and family members.

The catch is that fundraisers will be locked into six specific categories: education, medical, pet medical, crisis relief, personal emergency, and funeral and loss. Every fundraiser will also face a 24-hour review process by Facebook to ensure that the project's creator and its goals are legitimate. The company broke down the six categories in today's press release:

• Education: such as tuition, books or classroom supplies
• Medical: such as medical procedures, treatments or injuries
• Pet Medical: such as veterinary procedures, treatments or injuries
• Crisis Relief: such as public crises or natural disasters
• Personal Emergency: such as a house fire, theft or car accident
• Funeral and Loss: such as burial expenses or living costs after losing a loved one

On the donator side of things, friends and family will be able to support a user's fundraiser in a few taps and without leaving the Facebook app. The company said that all payments are secure and that donators will have more peace of mind thanks to Facebook's use of real profile information for the person raising the funds, and the person or cause the money will go to.

Personal fundraisers allow people to reach friends where they already are to quickly build momentum for their cause. Friends can donate in a few taps with secure payments, without leaving Facebook. Since you can see real profiles on Facebook, donors will see how they are connected to the person who created the fundraiser, the person benefiting and others who are supporting the fundraiser.

The update is also bringing donate buttons to Facebook Live streams of verified pages, which the company said will give "public figures, brands, businesses and organizations new ways to fundraise on Facebook for the nonprofits they support." With a simple tap, watchers of live streams can donate to a specified cause that the page is supporting.

Facebook said that personal fundraisers will be entering a beta over the next few weeks, and should face a wider launch sometime after that.

Uber today is beginning to roll out a new "pickup corrections" feature in its iOS app, which will allow riders to change their pickup location after it's been entered and a ride has been requested. With the new addition, riders who accidentally enter a wrong pickup location can tap "edit" next to it, enter the new address, confirm it, and send it to the driver, who is updated on-the-fly about the new location.

The pickup is a core part of the Uber experience and we’re always looking for ways to make it as painless as possible for both riders and drivers. This simple fix gives riders more control over their pickup experience and saves everyone time and avoidable headaches.

The new update also comes with a collection of driver-side support tweaks, which "give drivers more of a say on concerns and complaints that affect their bottom line." This includes ways for Uber to validate a driver corresponds correctly to their in-app profile to satisfy riders, an adjustment to the scale of the rider complaint system, changes to how disputes are handled on fare adjustments, and more.

The new pickup corrections update will begin rolling out today to users in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, and should take a few weeks to get to everyone. Uber this week also published a humorous post that looks at the most common items lost on trips, the most forgetful cities, and the most common days of the week during which riders forget items.

Mobile messaging app Telegram introduced voice calls today, bringing the communications platform's secure feature list up to date and more in line with rival chat apps WhatsApp, Viber, Messenger, and Signal.

Telegram said in a blog post that the voice calls are based on the same end-to-end encryption methods as its Secret chats feature, but says it has introduced a new "key exchange mechanism" to make sure calls are even more secure.

The key verification UI we came up with in 2013 to protect against man-in-the-middle attacks served well for Telegram (and for other apps that adopted it), but for Calls we needed something easier. That‘s why we’ve improved the key exchange mechanism.

To make sure your call is 100% secure, you and your recipient just need to compare four emoji over the phone. No lengthy codes or complicated pictures!

Whenever possible, calls go over a peer-to-peer connection, "using the best audio codecs to save traffic while providing crystal-clear quality", according to Telegram. If a peer-to-peer connection can't be established, the closest server to the user is connected to instead.

Once a voice call is made, a dedicated tab for calls appears on the main screen of the app. The Voice Calls feature rolls out in Western Europe today, with the rest of the world to get them "very soon".

In addition to voice calls, the latest v3.18 version of the app also offers users direct control over the quality of videos shared over the platform. Telegram remembers the compression rate once it has been selected, and uses it as the default setting for future video uploads.

Telegram is a free download for iPhone on the App Store. [Direct Link]

All regulatory hurdles that previously made it difficult for Apple to sell the iPhone in Argentina are set to be removed next month, allowing Apple's suite of smartphones to be legitimately sold in the country for the first time in years. According to a person familiar with the Argentinian government's plans (via Bloomberg), President Mauricio Macri is seeking to lift restrictions placed by his predecessor in 2009 that pressured companies to assemble products locally.

Some companies abided by these rules and opened factories in Argentina, including Samsung, but Apple never did. Now with the restrictions being lifted, Apple will be able to import and sell iPhones created elsewhere to customers in Argentina, although the company will face a hefty import tax. iPhones in Argentina could be "at least 25 percent more expensive" than smartphones assembled locally, according to Bloomberg's source.

One Apple reseller in the country, Hector Goldin, thinks it could cost even more than that. Goldin is already preparing pre-orders for iPhones, even though the customers placing the orders have yet to discover exactly how much they'll be paying for Apple's smartphone. Goldin is set to sell five iPhone models at his reseller location in Argentina beginning April 7, and is said to have been informed of the prices of each model, some of which could run "double the price in the U.S." In the past, Apple devices like the iPad have sold for three times as much in Argentina as they did in the U.S.

He declined to give prices, saying Apple doesn’t like to disclose such details until device goes on sale, but said it will be expensive -- perhaps double the price in the U.S. and 40 percent higher than in neighboring Chile because of sales, import and income taxes. But Argentines who do buy local will have be able to get full service on certified iPhones, he said.

“It’s hard to explain how happy I am,” he said. “I am already receiving the new ones for sale and at the same time getting reservations from clients who still don’t know the final price.”

Despite the steep price of the iPhone, local phone companies have been wanting to offer the smartphone "for high-end users" who aren't bothered by the expensive cost. Monthly installment plans will also be used by carriers in a bid to make iPhones "more accessible" to a wider group of Argentinians. Before the restriction's lift, iPhones found their way into users' hands in Argentina thanks to "gray market" resellers that imported the devices to sell online.

Apple is also expanding into Argentina with a new retail location set to open up in Buenos Aires in 2018, which will become Apple's first official retail location in the country. It was reported last month that a group of third-party retailers will also begin selling Apple products in 2017, including electronics chain Frávega, and with today's news that should begin including the iPhone as well.

Apple is currently offering panoramic Instagram image-sharing tool Panols as a free download from within its Apple Store iOS app.

Usually $1.99, the Panols app takes pictures from a user's photo library that have been shot in panoramic mode and accurately splits them into three images. The triptych of photos can then be uploaded in the official Instagram app using the new Multiple Picture post feature, after which they appear in an account feed as a carousel-like seamless panoramic image.

"Panols can be used by any iPhone photographer to display their Panorama photos the way they were meant to be seen. Users are no longer shackled by the limitations of Instagram, and instead can share their wide-screen shots in a fun and creative way."

The app lets users edit the metadata of each shot, including name, description, and geolocation, while Panols images are stored in a separate "Panols" album in the Camera Roll.

To get the Panols app, users can scroll down to find it in the Discover section of the Apple Store app, which a free download from the App Store. [Direct link]

Connected home security cameras have been on the market for quite some time, but D-Link recently began selling the first HomeKit-compatible security camera.

Priced competitively at $199, the D-Link Omna 180 Cam HD camera has several perks over competing cameras that don't offer HomeKit integration -- it's guaranteed to have Apple's required level of encryption, it works with Siri, and it can be viewed right in the Apple-created Home app.

Design

The Omna is made from brushed aluminum and is palm-sized, so it can be placed just about anywhere, but it needs to go on a flat surface and can't be wall mounted like some other options. Size wise, it's a bit taller than a standard soda can, but skinnier.

The camera portion is mounted on the front, a microSD card slot is at the bottom along with a reset button, and there's a small grated area at the bottom, presumably for heat dissipation, since the Omna does get somewhat warm. A green LED on the front lights up when it's powered on, and a power cord is attached to the back.

➜ Click here to read more...

Google today announced it has updated its Calendar app with long-awaited iPad support.

The app is essentially the same as the iPhone version, but it is now optimized for the tablet's larger screen. Google said a Today view widget for Notification Center and the Lock screen is coming soon.

Here's a quick overview of the app's features:

• Different ways to view your calendar - Quickly switch between month, week and day view.
• Events from Gmail - Flight, hotel, concert, restaurant reservations and more are added to your calendar automatically.
• To-dos - Use Reminders to create and view to-dos alongside your events.
• Goals - Add personal goals—like “run 3 times a week”—and Calendar will schedule time for them automatically.
• Quick event creation - Smart suggestions for event titles, places and people save you time when creating events.
• All your calendars in one place - Google Calendar works with all calendars on your device, including Exchange and iCloud

Google Calendar can be downloaded for free on the App Store [Direct Link].

Apple today provided its public beta testing group with iOS 10.3.2, an upcoming update that was first released to developers on March 28. iOS 10.3.2 comes shortly after the release of iOS 10.3, a major update that brought features like a new Find My AirPods feature and Apple File System.

Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will receive the iOS 10.3.2 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on their iOS device.

Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to both iOS and macOS Sierra betas. Betas are not stable and include many bugs, so they should be installed on a secondary device.

Apple has said that the update fixes SiriKit car commands, which should now be working as expected. Beyond that, we don't yet know what features or improvements are coming in iOS 10.3.2, as Apple doesn't offer detailed release notes and nothing notable has been discovered in the betas we've received so far.

As a minor 10.x.x update, iOS 10.3.2 likely focuses on bug fixes, performance improvements, and security enhancements rather than outward-facing features.

Readdle has hired former Apple Mail engineering manager Terry Blanchard in a position that will focus on creating the "future of email" for Readdle's popular email client "Spark," working with an entirely new team of his choosing in Silicon Valley. Blanchard's new role, per his LinkedIn page, is vice president of engineering for Readdle.

Spark is modernizing email as we know it. We share a fundamental vision of what the future of email should be. I’ve always admired Readdle for their beautiful and innovative products, which makes them the ideal company to turn that vision into a reality.

At Apple Blanchard worked on the Mail team for six years, where he led a team of developers which created and continually fostered updates for the UX design and development of Apple's first party email client, simply called Mail on iOS and macOS. Besides his new title and location in Silicon Valley, Blanchard's role at Readdle hasn't been given many specifics but it's expected that the engineer will take his expertise in the email client design space and apply it to Readdle's popular stock of iOS and macOS applications.

Last November Readdle launched Spark on Mac, bringing the app's Smart Inbox feature to Apple's desktop and laptop computers for the first time. Smart Inbox intelligently organizes email into different categories (Personal, Notification, and Newsletters), making sure important messages are always highlighted first. Spark continuously learns which emails are most important for you to make inbox management as easy as possible, and on Mac also includes Quick Replies, Touch Bar support, snooze capabilities, and cross-device syncing.

Regarding its new hire, Readdle said that "Terry is a valuable addition to our team and brings years of experience from one of the best companies in the world."

Readdle's range of productivity apps for Apple devices includes PDF Expert, Spark, Scanner Pro, Calendar 5, PDF Office, Printer Pro, PDF Converter, and Documents.

Last year Apple Music announced that it would be launching a new version of James Corden's Carpool Karaoke as a standalone, original series for subscribers of Apple's streaming music service. Today, Spotify has countered Apple's move with its own car-based music series called Traffic Jams, which has a twist focused on original music creation in an attempt to differentiate itself from Carpool Karaoke (via Variety).

On Traffic Jams Spotify will team up "well-known hip-hop producers and rappers," but instead of singing along to popular songs, the participants on the show will have to produce an entirely new track in the backseat of a moving car. Record producer Southside and rapper T-Pain are set to be the first to appear on the show, which will launch on mobile and desktop Spotify applications on April 4. Once they have created their new track, they'll have to perform it in front of a live audience at the end of the show.

The streaming music service announced a new original video show Wednesday that takes some cues from James Corden’s hit series, but shoots for a different audience altogether: “Traffic Jams” teams up well-known hip-hop producers and rappers, and challenges them to produce a track in the backseat of a driving car.

Comedian DoBoy will be driving the car and providing commentary on the proceedings, similar to James Corden's position in the original Carpool Karaoke series from The Late Late Show With James Corden. Spotify will debut a new episode of Traffic Jams each week for eight weeks straight, representing the show's first season of content. CNET reported on the official episode list, including:

• April 4 - T-Pain & Southside
• April 11 - D.R.A.M. & MeLo-X
• April 18 - Joey Bada$$ & Cardo
• April 25 - Pell & !llmind
• May 2 - Jidenna & Sonny Digital
• May 9- Madeintyo & AarabMuzik
• May 16 - Dae Dae & Marvel Alexander
• May 23 - E-40 & Willie B

For Apple's Carpool Karaoke: The Series, the company has yet to announce an official launch date, so it appears that Spotify's just-announced series will get a leg up on Apple Music's foray into original video content. In terms of overall subscribers, Spotify's 50 million paid subscribers are still far ahead of Apple Music's 20 million.

Apple SIM partner GigSky today announced that its data plans are now available in over 180 countries around the world.

MacRumors obtained a list of the 40 or so new countries and territories that GigSky has expanded into as of this week:

Apple SIM enables iPad users to easily switch between different short-term data plans from select carrier partners without needing multiple SIM cards. Given that GigSky supports more than 180 countries around the world, Apple SIM is particularly convenient for staying connected while traveling.

GigSky data plans start at between one and five cents per MB depending on the country. To purchase an Apple SIM plan, open the Settings app and tap Cellular/Mobile Data > Set Up Cellular/Mobile Data. Data is activated immediately following payment. Plans work in the country in which they are purchased only.

GigSky's announcement also outlined some new deals:

30-day plans in Canada and Mexico now include 5GB for $50, previously 1GB for the same price. Plans in the United States and Puerto Rico include 5GB for $50, up from 3GB for the same price — and most $50 GigSky plans in Europe offer 3GB of data. Customers will receive a minimum of 1GB in all other destinations, with many plans offering 2GB or more.

Apple SIM is embedded in the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and preinstalled in the cellular-enabled new 9.7-inch iPad, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, and 12.9-inch iPad Pro sold in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK.

Apple SIM is also available for purchase separately at Apple Store locations in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Keep in mind that not all carriers support Apple SIM, and it is not available in China.

GigSky's competitors include AlwaysOnline Wireless and Truphone. Visit the Apple SIM website for other partners and countries supported.

Apple yesterday updated its iTunes U education app with some notable new annotation and media sharing features.

In an extension of iTunes U's markup support, which was previously limited to PDF documents, version 3.5 of the app now enables users to apply visual notes to image files using the same annotation toolset.

Elsewhere, video messages can now be shared between teachers and students, while the ability to open audio and video files in other apps has also been included.

The update comes on the heels of changes earlier this week to Apple's Classroom app, which lets teachers set up iPads for educational settings. That update gave educators the ability to create classes manually and send invitation codes to students for them to join, as well as extending classroom file sharing options with AirDrop support.

iTunes U is a free download for iPad and iPhone available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Google announced a fresh update to its Search app yesterday, highlighting Gboard keyboard integration, a raft of 3D Touch enhancements, and a new Trending widget.

Launched last May, Gboard offers users the ability to search for emoji, includes a built-in animated GIF search, and supports glide typing and voice transcription. Users can also use the keyboard to share information and content sourced from online searches, including video and images. The option to enable Gboard can be found in the Google Search app's settings after the app has been updated.

While the Gboard integration was slipped in some weeks ago, the latest update brings a new "Trending on Google" widget that keeps users in the know about hot topics and breaking news by displaying live trending Google searches. Tapping on a trending search opens the Search app where users can find out more.

The Trending widget can be accessed using a 3D Touch hard press on the Search app icon, or by swiping right on the home screen and activating it via the Edit option at the bottom of the main widget screen.

Google has also added a number of other 3D Touch Quick Actions to the Search app icon, including Quick Search, Voice Search, Search for Images, and Search Incognito. In addition, additional in-app 3D Touch integrations mean users can hard press on web pages, map results, cards in the feed, or search results for previews and more information.

Google Search is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]