Review: SanDisk's iXpand Base Offers an Expensive but Simple iPhone Backup Solution

Friday November 16, 2018 6:28 pm PST by
Western Digital recently introduced its newest SanDisk-branded backup product for iOS devices, the SanDisk iXpand Base, which combines nightly charging with backing up to make for an easy and intuitive way to protect your data. The idea is to put the iXpand Base on your nightstand, plug it into the wall, and then plug your iPhone into the Lightning port at night. This charges the iPhone and...

Apple Facing Struggle to Convince Chinese Smartphone Users to Switch Allegiance [Updated]

Friday September 8, 2017 5:57 am PDT by
Apple is facing an uphill struggle in its attempts to wean Chinese smartphone users off cheaper rival devices in a saturated mobile market, according to a new Bloomberg report. With Apple gearing up to sell its most ambitious but most expensive iPhone yet, local competitors like Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi are already poised to compete by launching their own less expensive feature-packed devices...

Fitbit Announces Deal to Bring Glucose Monitoring Data to its Ionic Smartwatch

Friday September 8, 2017 4:48 am PDT by
Fitbit has announced a new partnership with glucose monitoring device company Dexcom that is set to bring diabetes monitoring capabilities to the fitness tracker company's new Ionic smartwatch. The deal initially means Ionic users will be able to connect a Dexcom device to the Fitbit app and seamlessly transfer up-to-date glucose level data to the smartwatch, making the information more easily ...

Spotify Announces First Live Music Event in the U.K.

Friday September 8, 2017 4:12 am PDT by
Spotify has announced its first live music event in the U.K., just days after Apple axed its own annual London music festival (via The Verge). Called "Who We Be", the event is scheduled to take place at London's Alexandra Palace on November 30 and will have a rap and grime theme, with a line-up featuring the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Bugzy Malone, Cardi B, Giggs, J Has, and Stefflon Don....

Covers for TIME Magazine Special Series Shot Entirely on iPhone

Thursday September 7, 2017 6:33 pm PDT by
The iPhone offers a high-quality camera that Apple improves with every iteration, and the photos and videos that it takes have been used for fashion runways, feature films, and other professional applications. TIME Magazine is the latest publication to exclusively use the iPhone's camera for a photo shoot, with its new "Firsts: Women Who Are Changing The World" series, which features iPhone...

Fitness App 'Streaks Workout' Available for Free as Apple's App of the Week

Thursday September 7, 2017 3:46 pm PDT by
Each week, Apple chooses an "App of the Week" to highlight in the App Store, making it free to download for seven days. This week's pick is a fitness app called Streaks Workout, which is normally priced at $2.99. Streaks Workout was first launched in December of 2015 and has never before been free to download. Described as a "personal trainer that you actually want to use," Streaks...

iCloud Mail Unavailable for Some Users

Thursday September 7, 2017 3:31 pm PDT by
Apple's iCloud Mail servers seem to be experiencing some downtime, with multiple reports on Twitter suggesting the service is unavailable for a number of users. iCloud Mail issues appear to have started just before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, which is around when we here at MacRumors first noticed problems with our own accounts. Affected users are seeing pop up alerts when attempting to...

Elevation Lab Debuts New ElevationDock 4 for iPhone and iPad

Thursday September 7, 2017 12:01 pm PDT by
Elevation Lab made a name for itself with the ultra popular Elevation Dock, which was introduced in 2012 through a Kickstarter project that brought in over a million dollars. Today, Elevation Lab is unveiling its newest dock, the ElevationDock 4, an amalgamation of everything the company has learned about docks over the course of the last five years. ElevationDock 4 features a compact...

Disney Confirms Upcoming Streaming Service Will Include Marvel and Star Wars Films

Thursday September 7, 2017 10:42 am PDT by
In early August, Disney revealed that it plans to pull all of its movies from Netflix and launch its own streaming service in 2019. Users were understandably curious as to which Disney-owned brands that might include, particularly once Disney CEO Bob Iger referenced the company's interest in potentially branching off Marvel and Star Wars into their own, separate streaming services. Today, Iger ...

Pebble Founder Launches Kickstarter for iPhone 7/AirPods Battery Case 'PodCase'

Thursday September 7, 2017 9:32 am PDT by
After Pebble was acquired by Fitbit late last year, Pebble said that its hardware devices would continue to function as normal for at least another year, with any future support for its services heading into 2018 unclear. Today, Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky has revealed his next project, and it's a Kickstarter for a case aimed at the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus that also charges AirPods, called "...

Spotify and Hulu Team Up to Offer Students a $5/Month Combo Subscription Plan

Thursday September 7, 2017 7:38 am PDT by
Streaming companies Spotify and Hulu today announced a new partnership that will allow eligible students to sign up for Spotify Premium for Students at its normal $4.99/month price tag, and gain access to Hulu's Limited Commercials plan at no extra charge. In Hulu's press release, the company said that the offer streamlines two popular services commonly used by busy students into a single...

Facebook Turns to Instagram to Drive Engagement of Facebook Stories

Thursday September 7, 2017 4:31 am PDT by
Instagram is currently testing a new feature that allows users to share new Instagram Stories directly to their Facebook account. The feature, first reported by Mashable, appears to be Facebook's latest attempt to increase the visibility of Stories in its main app, essentially by getting users of its more visual-oriented Instagram network to double-post stories as Facebook Stories. 🚨 ALERT 🚨I ...

Google Maps App Update Brings 'Measure Distance' Feature to iPhone and iPad

Thursday September 7, 2017 3:36 am PDT by
Google updated the Google Maps app for iOS on Wednesday and brought a useful measurement feature to iPhone and iPad that has been available on the Maps web interface for some time. Maps apps are usually the first port of call for finding out how far away somewhere is and how long it will take to get there via car, public transport, or walking, but these directions rarely reveal the actual...

Logitech Circle 2 Wired Home Security Camera Updated With HomeKit Support

Thursday September 7, 2017 1:01 am PDT by
Logitech's recently released Circle 2 Wired home security camera is today gaining support for HomeKit, which will allow the device to interface with other HomeKit apps, send notifications, work with Siri voice commands, and be controlled through the dedicated Home app on iOS devices. "HomeKit truly complements the simplicity of setting up and using Circle 2," said Vincent Borel, director of...

Apple Establishes New Streaming Deal With Warner Music Group, Will Pay Lower Rates

Wednesday September 6, 2017 6:16 pm PDT by
As Apple's original Apple Music deals with record labels begin expiring, Apple has been pursuing lower streaming rates as it negotiates new deals. Apple recently reached a deal with Warner Music Group, reports Bloomberg, and the Cupertino company was indeed able to secure a lower rate. Warner Music Group will provide Apple with a catalog that includes Ed Sheeran, the Red Hot Chili Peppers,...

Twitter Night Mode Now Available on Desktop

Wednesday September 6, 2017 3:38 pm PDT by
For the past few weeks, Twitter has been testing a Night Mode option for its desktop site, and as of today, the new Night Mode feature is rolling out to all Twitter users. Designed to turn the Twitter interface darker to make it easier to read tweets at night, Night Mode can be enabled by clicking on your profile photo and choosing the "Night Mode" option from the drop-down menu. Turning it...

Review: Emerson's $200 Sensi Touch HomeKit Thermostat Offers a Large Color Display and Easy Setup

Wednesday September 6, 2017 1:18 pm PDT by
Fueled by the popularity of Nest, thermostats remain one of the more popular categories of smart home devices. I recently took at look at Honeywell's Lyric Round thermostat with HomeKit support, and today I'm following up with Emerson's latest HomeKit model, the Sensi Touch. Announced back in May and launched in June, the Sensi Touch offers a horizontal design with a color touchscreen taking ...

T-Mobile ONE Family Plans Will Include Free Netflix Subscriptions Starting September 12

Wednesday September 6, 2017 9:44 am PDT by
T-Mobile today announced that its T-Mobile ONE family plans will come with free Netflix subscriptions beginning September 12, allowing plan members to stream Netflix content at no additional monthly charge. To qualify, users will need two or more paid voice lines on a T-Mobile ONE family plan, and if customers already pay for a Netflix subscription, the un-carrier will cover the cost of the...