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Former iOS Chief Scott Forstall is Now a Broadway Producer

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Former Apple iOS chief turned Snapchat advisor Scott Forstall has taken on a new project, according to his first ever tweet on Twitter. Forstall is co-producing the upcoming Broadway musical Fun Home, a show that opens this Sunday.

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Forstall is listed as one of the producers of Fun Home along with his wife Molly on the Internet Broadway Database, and he and his wife also have a paragraph in the show's playbill.

The Forstalls (Producer). This is Scott and Molly Forstall's first foray on Broadway after years in Silicon Valley. They share their love of theatre with their children, Freya and Nils, both of whom are enthusiastic theatregoers and performers. Thanks to Carole for the magnificent journey.

Forstall's announcement of his position as Broadway producer comes just a day after leaked Sony emails suggested he'd received .11 percent of Snapchat's stock to serve as an advisor to the company. Since being ousted from Apple in 2012, Forstall has kept a very low profile, and this occasion marks his first public announcement and appearance in years.

Scott Forstall first fell in league with Apple in 1992, when he took on a job at Steve Jobs' company, NeXT. When NeXT was acquired by Apple in 1997, Forstall stayed on, working on the Macintosh user design team. He was promoted several times and in 2005, he began working on iOS. Forstall has been largely credited with the skeuomorphic design present in the early years of the operating system, an aesthetic that eventually led to disagreements with other executives at the company following Steve Jobs' death.

Tag: Scott Forstall
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MacRumors Giveaway: Massive Bundle of Custom Device Cases from Casetify

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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Casetify, a site that specializes in a whole range of custom-created iOS accessories, from iPhone and iPad cases to MacBook covers and Apple Watch straps.

Casetify lets users design their own cases using photos, text, and more, and it also offers hundreds of awesome community-created and curated designs that aren't quite like anything else on the market. You can add a collage of photos with dozens of layouts, select one photo, or customize an existing layout with the site's built-in tools or iPhone app. The base cases the company offers are nice quality and the printing comes out well.

Casetify is offering one lucky MacRumors reader the chance to win a massive bundle of accessories, worth over $500. It includes one of nearly all the accessories the company sells for the iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Apple Watch.

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The site has long offered iPhone cases in a variety of materials, including a simple polycarbonate snap-on case, a wood case, and the Metaluxe, a polycarbonate/aluminum combo case, featuring extra protection with an interchangeable backplate. Custom iPad Smart Covers are also available.

Recently, Casetify has also introduced two new products that will also go to the winner -- Apple Watch bands for the upcoming Apple Watch and new MacBook sleeves (there are also sleeves for the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro). Apple Watch bands can be customized with images and are made from a polycarbonate silicone.

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MacBook Sleeves are made of a lightweight polyester and neoprene, with velvet inside to keep a device safe. Like iPhone cases and iPad covers, MacBook Sleeves can be personalized with any image or chosen from the gallery collection.

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Casetify's full prize list is below. The winner will be able to create custom designs for all of these products, or choose pre-designed options from Casetify's store, filled with cool patterns and pictures. The prize pack is entirely customizable:

  • 1 Metaluxe Gold iPhone Case
  • 1 Metaluxe Silver iPhone Case
  • 1 Metaluxe Backplate
  • 1 Classic Snap iPhone Case
  • 1 Wood iPhone Case
  • 1 iPad Cover
  • 1 MacBook Sleeve
  • 1 Apple Watch Band
  • 1 Selfie Pack with Stick and Shutter
  • 2 iPhone Case Gift Vouchers

To enter to win the prize pack, use the Rafflecopter widget below. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube Channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the intricacies of international law regarding giveaways, this giveaway is open only to U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway will run from today, Friday, April 17 at 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time through Friday April 24 at 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time. Winners will be chosen randomly on April 24 and will be contacted through email. A response to our email is required within 48 hours or the winner will forfeit the prize and we will pick a new winner.

Casetify is also offering MacRumors readers a 10 percent discount off all products site wide with the code MR10. Discount is valid from 4/17 to 4/23.

Tags: Casetify, Giveaway
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Apple Planning November Launch of Apple Pay in Canada

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applepayApple is planning to launch Apple Pay in Canada later this year, according to The Wall Street Journal. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, claims Apple is in negotiations with six Canadian banks about a potential November launch of the mobile payments service, which debuted in the United States last October and has yet to become available in other countries.

The six Canadian banks reportedly in talks with Apple include the Royal Bank of Canada, TD Canada Trust, Scotiabank, Bank of Montreal, CIBC and National Bank of Canada. The financial institutions, which together account for more than 90% of Canadian bank accounts, are open to supporting Apple Pay in Canada, although have expressed concern about higher fees and potential security issues.

"The banks are open to an agreement, but they aren’t happy with Apple’s fee proposals and are concerned about security vulnerabilities like the ones that U.S. banks experienced as they rolled out the service, the people said."

Canada is a well-prepared candidate to receive Apple Pay support, as many retailers and businesses across the country are already equipped with contactless payment terminals that are required for the iPhone-based mobile payments service. The country was one of the earlier adopters of Chip-and-PIN debit and credit cards that can be tapped against a payment terminal when making a purchase, and Apple Pay would be a natural extension of that functionality.

The six Canadian banks have reportedly formed a consortium and hired consultancy firm McKinsey & Co. to develop a security protocol for Apple Pay. The financial institutions have also considered the need for secondary authentication to verify customer information, such as entering a PIN, logging on to a mobile banking app or using a one-time passcode sent via text message before cards can be used on Apple Pay.

Apple announced last year that it is targeting international expansion of Apple Pay, and speculation has mainly been focused upon Canada, China and the United Kingdom. Apple's efforts to launch Apple Pay in China have faced some roadblocks, however, and Apple's talks to roll out Apple Pay in the United Kingdom during the first half of 2015 are similarly stalled as some banks are concerned about potential privacy issues.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: Canada
Related Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+
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Apple Watch Goes on Display in Milan, Phil Schiller and Marc Newson on Hand

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After being announced to appear at Milan's Salone Del Mobile Design Fair earlier in the week, today the Apple Watch was displayed for the first time to the public, outside of a retail store or pop up shop, at the design fair (via Macitynet) [Google Translate].

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The Apple Watch on display in the Carlo e Camilla restaurant

On display at the Carlo e Camilla restaurant in Segheria, the Watch is displayed in long rows of glass-topped tables, identical to its presentation in Apple's own retail locations. The fair is even allowing customers to experience the same try-on appointments happening in retail stores since pre-orders began one week ago.

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The entrance to the Apple Watch showcase at the fair

Interestingly, as the Watch is displayed at the Carlo e Camilla in Italy, pre-orders for the wearable aren't available to Italian customers due to Italy not being included in the first wave of launch countries for the Watch. There to experience the event is senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple, Phil Schiller, and Marc Newson, who works part time at Apple as a designer alongside Jony Ive.

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Phil Schiller at the event in Milan

Although Apple has yet to confirm pre-order numbers for the Watch, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the device could have sold more than 2.3 million units during the initial pre-order wave. While the exact number remains a mystery, stock of the Apple watch definitely remains constrained as pre-orders for all devices slipped to a 4-6 week dispatch date, and beyond, only 6 hours after going live.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Tags: Marc Newson, Phil Schiller
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Apple Watch With Custom Red Sport Band, Folding UK Plug Spotted in New Photos

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British cyclist and former professional rugby player Will Carling has shared a pair of new photos on Twitter that appear to reveal two unreleased Apple products. The first photo shows a stainless steel Apple Watch with what looks like a custom red sport band, while the second photo provides a side-by-side look at an Apple charger with a unique folding plug design for use in the United Kingdom.

Folding UK Plug and Red Apple Watch
Carling claims that Apple design chief Jony Ive provided him with the folding charger, which could be the official charger for the Apple Watch in the United Kingdom, and it is likely that is who gifted him the Apple Watch with a custom red sport band as well. Ive grew up in England and is known to be a rugby fan, and Carling was the former captain of England's national rugby team from 1988 to 1996.

It is possible that the photo is actually of an Apple Watch with the similar looking pink sport band, although the lighting in the shot gives the band more of a red appearance and Carling mentions that he prefers "the red band" on Twitter. Apple has given a custom watch to at least one other iconic figure, with designer Karl Lagerfeld spotted wearing an Apple Watch with gold link bracelet earlier this week.

It is possible that Apple may eventually release a (PRODUCT)RED version of the Apple Watch by offering this custom red sport band for sale. Apple gives a portion of sales generated from (PRODUCT)RED merchandise to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa, raising over $70 million towards the initiative to date. Apple's current (PRODUCT)RED lineup includes iPods, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cases, and iPad Smart Cases and Covers.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Tag: (PRODUCT)RED
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Yelp Releases Apple Watch App With Nearby Location Listings, Reviews

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yelpapplewatchApple Maps partner Yelp has today announced an update to its iOS app that will bring the service to Apple Watch. The announcement comes in the midst of more and more companies announcing their Apple Watch apps as the April 24 launch races forward.

The Yelp app for Apple Watch serves up nearby restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and new businesses along with their star rating, review count, business category, price range, distance from your exact position, and hours of operation. We’ve stylishly packed in millions of local reviews with petite precision so you have vast insider knowledge right at your fingertips. Now that’s what we call a micro machine!

The app allows users to search for places of interest in addition to receiving recommendations nearby businesses and restaurants. It also comes with Handoff support, allowing users to jump from the Apple Watch to their iPhone to make a phone call, write a review, add photos or video, or check in for potential rewards. The Apple Watch app is live today.

Yelp can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Tags: Apple Watch Apps, Yelp
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Steve Dowling's Role as Apple PR Chief Now Permanent

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Longtime Apple public relations veteran Steve Dowling was today added to Apple's executive page, marking his official promotion to Vice President of Communications.

The role has been open since Katie Cotton retired in 2014, but Steve Dowling has been serving as the interim head of public relations for several months now. His position was initially temporary as Apple searched for other high-profile external candidates, but it appears Apple could not find a suitable external candidate to fill the role.

stevedowlingprchief
Following Katie Cotton's departure from Apple, Tim Cook was reportedly searching for a "friendlier" PR chief with a "more approachable face" to take over, to continue on with Apple's trend of being more open under Tim Cook's leadership.

Dowling has worked for Apple for twelve years and before taking over Cotton's former role, he served as the senior director of corporate public relations at the company. Before that he worked at CNBC's Washington Bureau for eight years.

Tag: Steve Dowling
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Former iOS Chief Scott Forstall Serving as Snapchat Advisor

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forstallAfter being forced out of Apple in 2012 following a major Maps debacle and clashes with other execs, former Apple Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott
Forstall has kept a low profile, largely staying out of the public eye.

He hasn't taken on a major role at any company, but in late 2013, news surfaced suggesting he had been spending his time advising startups and becoming involved in philanthropical causes. As of today, news has leaked about one of the startups Scott Forstall is involved in -- Snapchat.

A leaked email from the late 2014 Sony Pictures hack discovered by TechCrunch suggests that Scott Forstall has been serving as an advisor to popular ephemeral photo sharing app Snapchat, earning himself .11% of the company's stock. Forstall's shares in the company vest over the course of 24 months and could be worth approximately $16.5 million at Snapchat's current $15 billion valuation.

When TechCrunch questioned Snapchat about its relationship with Scott Forstall, the company did not deny that he was an advisor, stating "we have a number of advisors, but we don't comment on the specifics of their relationship with the company."

Scott Forstall first fell in league with Apple in 1992, when he took on a job at Steve Jobs' company, NeXT. When NeXT was acquired by Apple in 1997, Forstall stayed on, working on the Macintosh user design team. He was promoted several times and in 2005, he began working on iOS. Forstall has been largely credited with the skeuomorphic design present in the early years of the operating system, an aesthetic that eventually led to disagreements with other executives at the company following Steve Jobs' death.

Tag: Scott Forstall
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Apple Stores to Offer 'Apple Watch Basics' Workshops Beginning April 24

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Starting on April 24, it appears that Apple will be offering "Apple Watch Basics" workshops in some of its retail stores around the world, helping customers who begin receiving their watches on that day to learn how to use them.

The classes are listed as an available option on April 24 on individual retail store websites and in the "Stores" section of the Apple Store app. Not all retail locations are displaying Apple Watch workshop availability at this time, but select stores both in the United States and in other countries are offering workshops as of today. Workshops take place at 1.5 hour intervals all day long in most locations and are also available on Saturday and Sunday. It appears that some locations may also be offering extended hours to allow more time for hosting workshops.

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Customers who are interested in attending one of these workshops to learn more about the Apple Watch can schedule an appointment beginning today in a store where the appointments are listed. Not all stores are showing the workshops that will be available on April 24, however.

Some stores are showing additional Apple Watch classes beyond the introductory basics class, with a "Stay in Touch with Apple Watch" class also available in select locations.

applewatchbasicsappointment
Due to constrained supplies, there will be a limited number of customers who will be receiving their Apple Watches on April 24, but users who have pre-ordered and do not yet have their devices can also attend to learn more about the device. Given the few customers who will have watches in-hand on April 24, Apple recently ceased emphasizing the date on its website, replacing all "available 4.24.15" launch wording with "the Watch is coming."

Pre-orders for the Apple Watch began on April 10 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time and began selling out within mere minutes. Within six hours, all Apple Watches were sold out and no models offered the initial 4/24 to 5/8 shipping estimate. Apple Watch orders placed today will not ship until June and beyond.

(Thanks, Caleb!)

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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CarPlay Now Available in Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia and Sweden

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Apple today updated its iOS 8 Feature Availability page to note that CarPlay can now be used in five additional countries: Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, and Sweden. With the addition of these five countries, CarPlay is now available in a total of 25 countries around the world.

Pioneer CarPlay NEX
Apple's been expanding CarPlay support to additional countries rapidly in the month of April. On April 8, CarPlay support was added to Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Turkey.

Due to the wide range of partners Apple has to work with and varying methods of implementing support, CarPlay has been slow to get off the ground. CarPlay continues to be primarily available through aftermarket in-dash systems from companies like Pioneer and Alpine, but several car manufacturers have pledged to release vehicles with support for CarPlay in 2015.

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Reminder: Apple Watch Pre-Orders Have Standard 14-Day Return Policy

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While the wait continues for Apple Watch pre-orders to be processed and prepared for shipment, it is worth a reminder that the wrist-worn device has the same standard 14-day return policy as other Apple products such as the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Apple Watch Edition models can only be returned if they are determined to be in original condition after passing inspection at an offsite Apple facility.

Apple Watch Trio
The 14-day return policy applies to the date that the customer receives the Apple Watch, meaning that those who pre-ordered the device can rest assured that they will have a full two weeks to test the smartwatch before having to return it. Apple Watch pre-orders made online can be shipped back to Apple or brought to an Apple Store in the same country of purchase for a refund in the original form of tender.

A growing number of users have turned to the MacRumors forums to discuss about their Apple Watch pre-orders, with the conversation divided into three threads based on shipping estimates of 4/24—5/8, 4-6 weeks or June. Given that Apple Watch supply appears to be limited, it remains unknown how many customers will have their pre-order fulfilled by launch day on April 24. Choose your thread and share what you think.

Forum Discussion Threads

  1. 4/24—5/8 Delivery Estimate Discussion
  2. 4-6 Weeks (May 13—27) Delivery Estimate Discussion
  3. June Delivery Estimate Discussion

Apple Watch pre-orders began on April 10 at 12:01 AM Pacific in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom, and completely sold out in less than six hours on the U.S. storefront. While some early customers received a shipping estimate of 4/24—5/8 for certain Apple Watch models, many others were given a delivery estimate of 4-6 weeks or June.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Tags: PSA, Return Policy
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Apple Seeds First OS X 10.10.4 Yosemite Beta to Developers

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Apple today seeded the first beta of OS X 10.10.4 to developers, just over a week after releasing OS X 10.10.3 with the Photos for OS X app to the public.

The new beta, build 14E7f, can be downloaded from the Mac Developer Center.

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It is not yet clear what's new in the 10.10.4 beta, but according to the release notes, the update "improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac." Earlier OS X Yosemite updates, including OS X 10.10.1 and OS X 10.10.2 brought only minor changes to the operating system in the form of bug fixes and performance enhancements. OS X 10.10.4 may serve the same purpose.

OS X 10.10.3, released last week, was the first major update to OS X Yosemite that brought new features, including the Photos for OS X app, a redesigned emoji picker, and new diversified emoji.

Tag: OS X 10.10.4
Related Forum: OS X Yosemite
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Stylus Review: Hands-On With the $75 Pen-Like Adonit Jot Script 2

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Adonit recently announced the launch of a new version of its popular Bluetooth-enabled Jot Script stylus, featuring a rechargeable battery, a revamped body, and iPad Air 2 support. When Adonit asked if we'd like to review the new stylus, we jumped at the chance because our last stylus review covering the Adonit Jot Pro and Jot Mini was popular with MacRumors readers.

The Jot Script 2 Evernote Edition is one of Adonit's higher-end styluses, connecting to an iPhone or iPad over Bluetooth. It's a digital stylus, so it's able to offer the accuracy of a regular rubber-tipped stylus with a tip that's only 1.9mm, giving it a pen-like feel.

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Adonit's Jot Script 2 improves upon the original Jot Script with a redesigned slimmer body that has a better grip, an upgraded Pixelpoint tip, and longer battery life. It's been launched in partnership with Evernote, so it works with Evernote's Penultimate app, and it comes with six months of Evernote's premium service.

Apple introduced new display technology with the iPad Air 2, breaking a lot of digital styluses, including Adonit's previous Jot Script. Older styluses don't work as well with the iPad Air 2, resulting in a lot of missing contact. The Jot Script 2 is one of the first styluses that works well with Apple's newest tablet.

➜ Click here to read more...

Tags: Adonit, Jot Script, Review
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How to Migrate Pictures from iPhoto or Aperture to Photos for OS X

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With the launch of OS X 10.10.3 Yosemite, Apple released its much-anticipated Photos app, which was first announced during its Worldwide Developers Conference in 2014. The Photos for OS X app took several months to complete because it was designed from the ground up to work with OS X Yosemite and integrate with both the Photos for iOS app and iCloud Photo Library.

Because Photos for OS X replaces both of Apple's existing photo apps, Aperture and iPhoto, you're going to need to migrate your Aperture and iPhoto libraries into the new Photos app if you want to be able to use Apple's latest and greatest photo editing tools with your images.

How To Merge Libraries to Photos 2
The migration from iPhoto or Aperture to Photos actually happens automatically if you only have one library in your Pictures folder. However, you may have more than one photo library on your Mac if you've split your iPhoto library up or if you use both iPhoto and Aperture, which makes things a little more difficult. You may need some help figuring out how to manually migrate additional libraries, so we've created a handy guide to explain how to get those other libraries into Photos quickly and easily.

One quick note: Before you migrate all of your existing photos into Photos for OS X, make sure you have enough iCloud storage space if you want to take advantage of iCloud Photo Library, which syncs your images across al of your devices. With iCloud Photo Library turned on in the Photos app, all of your images will be uploaded to the cloud, which does eat up your iCloud storage space. You can use Photos without iCloud Photo Library -- just make sure you turn it off in the Preferences menu.

➜ Click here to read more...

Tags: Aperture, iPhoto, Photos for OS X
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Google Updates Chrome Browser for iOS With Notification Center Widget, App Extensions

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Google today released a significant update to its Chrome browser for iOS, adding several features to improve its compatibility with iOS 8. There's a new Notification Center widget that includes controls to let users launch a new tab or initiate a voice search directly from the Today view of the Notification Center.

Tapping on "New Tab" or on "Voice Search" will automatically launch the Chrome web browser with a new search tab open or an activated voice search, making it handier to look things up quickly. There's no comparable Safari widget for quick launching searches, so the new Chrome widget gives it a bit of a leg up over Apple's built-in browser. Safari users can, however, use Siri for quick searches.

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The app also includes support for iOS Extensions for apps like 1Password and LastPass, so it's now easier to input passwords into Chrome with those apps.

Other new features include the ability to pull to reload and open and close tabs and easier-to-open links copied from other apps.

What's new
- Start searching and browsing faster: quick access to Voice Search and open new tabs from the Today View
- Ergonomically-designed: Pull to reload and open/close tabs
- Support for iOS App Extensions, such as 1Password and LastPass
- Easily open links copied from other apps

The Chrome web browser can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tags: Chrome for iOS, Google
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J.J. Abrams Wears Apple Watch During Star Wars Panel in Anaheim

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Famous film director and producer J.J. Abrams is the latest celebrity to be spotted with an Apple Watch, which he's wearing right now during the Force Awakens Panel at the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California. Abrams appears to be wearing a stainless steel Apple Watch with a blue band. It is possible that the band is the Blue Modern buckle for the 38mm Apple Watch, but there's also a possibility that it's a custom made navy blue Sport Band created specifically for Abrams.

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Along with Abrams, several other celebrities have been seen wearing the Apple Watch. Pharrell Williams wore it on reality TV show The Voice, and both Katy Perry and Drake shared Instagram photos of themselves wearing gold Apple Watch Edition models. Yesterday, a photo surfaced of designer Karl Lagerfeld with a custom gold Apple Watch with matching gold Link Bracelet.


As the launch of the Apple Watch approaches, we're likely to see it popping up on the wrists of other style icons, including celebrities, fashion designers, directors, and more, in an effort to introduce the Apple Watch to the public through these influencers. Apple's also been heavily marketing the Apple Watch in magazines and on television.

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Apple Releases OS X 10.10.3 Supplemental Update With Video Driver Fix

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os_x_yosemite_round_iconFollowing the April 8 public release of OS X 10.10.3, Apple has today released a supplemental update for software, which fixes a video driver bug that prevented Macs from starting when running certain apps that are designed to capture video.

Today's supplemental update is available immediately for all OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 users from the Mac App Store.

The OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 Supplemental Update fixes a video driver issue that may prevent your Mac from starting up when running certain apps that capture video.

OS X 10.10.3 brought several new features to Apple's desktop operating system, including the new Photos for OS X app, a revamped emoji picker, new diversified emoji, Spotlight suggestions for lookup, and a bunch of bug fixes and performance improvements.

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Apple Watch Brings Your TV's Remote Control to Your Wrist

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While the Apple Watch is marketed as "the most advanced timepiece ever created, a revolutionary new way to connect with others, and a comprehensive health and fitness companion," the wrist-worn device has a number of other use cases that should prove convenient for many day-to-day tasks. The apps and accessories below, for example, will turn the Apple Watch into a remote control for controlling a TV from your wrist.

SamMote for Apple Watch

SamMote Apple WatchSamMote was recently updated to allow Apple Watch users to control supported Samsung TVs using their wrist. The third-party app, created by developer Eric Degrange and noted by A-Watch.fr, is compatible with most Samsung Smart TVs manufactured between 2011 and 2014 (Series D through Series H models). SamMote is free on the App Store [Direct Link] and also supports iPhone and iPad, so it is worth testing the remote control app works with your own Samsung television.

Roomie Remote for Apple Watch

Roomie Apple Watch copyRoomie Remote is a Wi-Fi-based universal remote app for home theater and automation that controls thousands of devices like TVs, cable and satellite boxes, receivers, Blu-ray players, lights and thermostats. The app also allows you to control Apple TV. iPhone and iPad versions of the app have been available since February 2012, and earlier this week the app was updated with Apple Watch support as well. Roomie Remote works with a wide variety of devices, but is $9.99 on the App Store [Direct Link] and may require additional in-app purchases depending on what devices you want to control.

Pronto for Apple Watch

Pronto is a 360-degree infrared remote receiver and blaster that will enable Apple Watch users to control their TV using the smartwatch. The cylindrical-like accessory was created through a partnership between the Peel Smart Remote app and Pronto and can be placed anywhere in your living room to control TVs, set-top boxes, DVD and Blu-ray players, and more. Pronto is compatible with all iOS devices that support low-energy Bluetooth, and soon the Apple Watch.


The device must be paired with the Peel Smart Remote & TV Guide app on the App Store [Direct Link] and gets approximately one year of battery life. Pronto is listed for $49.99 at Best Buy and is also available at NewEgg in the United States, and Staples in Canada. Included in the box is 1 IR extension cable and 4 AA alkaline batteries.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Tag: Remote Control
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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