Apple Stops Signing iOS 10.3.3 and iOS 11.0, Downgrading No Longer Possible

Wednesday October 4, 2017 4:44 pm PDT by
Following the release of iOS 11.0.1 and iOS 11.0.2 on September 26 and October 3, respectively, Apple has stopped signing both iOS 10.3.3 and iOS 11.0, the previous versions of iOS that were available to consumers. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners who have upgraded to iOS 11.0.1, iOS 11.0.2, or iOS 11 will no longer be able to downgrade to the iOS 10.3.3 operating system. Apple routinely ...

Renderings Imagine What an 'iPhone X Plus' Might Look Like

Wednesday October 4, 2017 4:09 pm PDT by
As Apple prepares to launch its first OLED iPhone with an edge-to-edge display, facial recognition, upgraded cameras, and other features, iDrop News has created renderings imagining what the future of the iPhone X might look like. The renderings pair the existing 5.8-inch iPhone X with a larger model that has a 6.4-inch screen, based on the hypothesis that Apple is planning to release an all...

Apple Watch Series 2 Prices Continue to Drop Following Launch of Series 3 Models

Wednesday October 4, 2017 1:05 pm PDT by
The debut of the Apple Watch Series 3 brought about a few price drops for the previous generation Series 2 models last month, with B&H Photo offering around $290 for 38mm cases and $320 for 42mm cases in Aluminum. This week at Best Buy, prices have continued to drop by about $20 for a wide variety of Series 2 Aluminum models, with most 38mm versions selling for $270 and 42mm versions selling for...

Apple to Remove Dice and Educational Games Subcategories, Catalogs Category From App Store

Wednesday October 4, 2017 11:12 am PDT by
Apple today informed developers that as of now, the Dice subcategory in the Games section of iTunes Connect has been eliminated, with Apple planning to remove the Dice section from the App Store in the near future. Developers who have apps in the Dice subcategory have received the email. Apple says that developers don't need to take any action, but can change their app's subcategory if desired....

Short Film Starring Pink Coming to Apple Music on October 13

Wednesday October 4, 2017 10:49 am PDT by
As Pink prepares to launch her seventh album "Beautiful Trauma," the singer is planning to release a short film on Apple Music, reports Variety. The film, titled "On the Record: P!nk -- Beautiful Trauma," will feature candid interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with Pink "reflecting on her art and her career, on motherhood and the world we live in--all with the sort of honesty and sense of ...

Amazon Drive Users Can Now Easily Share Files as iMessages

Wednesday October 4, 2017 7:40 am PDT by
Amazon Drive's iOS app has been updated with an iMessage app extension to easily share files in the Messages app on iPhone and iPad. After updating to version 1.9.0 of the app, Amazon Drive users can simply open Messages, tap the App Store logo to reveal the iMessage app drawer, and tap on the Amazon Drive icon. From the list of directories that appears, users can then select an individual...

Netflix's 'Stranger Things: The Game' Just Debuted on the App Store for Free

Wednesday October 4, 2017 3:13 am PDT by
The second season of Stranger Things doesn't hit TV screens for another few weeks yet, but fans of the Netflix original can stoke their excitement in the meantime by downloading the official new iOS game, released today on the App Store. Like the popular TV series, Stranger Things: The Game not only evokes authentic 80s nostalgia in its thematics, but also with its use of retro sounds,...

Dropbox Introduces New Brand Design With Bright Colors, Revamped Logo and New Typeface

Tuesday October 3, 2017 4:58 pm PDT by
Dropbox today announced a major brand redesign that focuses on bright, contrasting colors, with a new logo design, new illustration style, and a revamped signature font. According to Dropbox, the new design "juxtaposes color pairs in bold, unexpected ways," which will be used for marketing and branding purposes. The new colors will be applied to the redesigned Dropbox logo, which features the...

LIFX Unveils HomeKit-Compatible Decorative 'Beam' Light Set

Tuesday October 3, 2017 4:04 pm PDT by
Lighting company LIFX, known for its range of smart lighting products, today announced the LIFX Beam, its latest decorative smart light. Beam is a set of thin, rectangular lights that are meant to be used for accent lighting. There are six white plastic beam lights per kit, along with a power pack and 1 illuminated corner, which can be used to create "L" shaped designs when attached to a...

Augmented Reality Teddy Bear From Seedling Now Available Exclusively at Apple Retail Stores

Tuesday October 3, 2017 2:48 pm PDT by
Seedling today announced the launch of Parker, which it says is the world's first augmented reality teddy bear. Parker the bear is currently being sold exclusively at Apple's retail stores. Designed for children aged three and up, the teddy bear is just a plain plush bear with no electronics or batteries, but it "comes to life" with the accompanying Parker augmented reality app that's...

Review: Jaybird's New Wire-Free RUN Headphones Are Comfortable With Great Sound But Connection is Spotty

Friday November 16, 2018 6:27 pm PST by
Jaybird, known for its line of headphones aimed at runners and fitness enthusiasts, recently introduced the RUN, its first wire-free headphones designed to compete with the wide range of wire-free headphones that are now on the market, like Apple's AirPods. I went hands-on with the RUN to see how they compare to the AirPods and other Jaybird products like the new Freedom 2 headphones, also...

You Can Now Poll Your Followers in Instagram Stories

Tuesday October 3, 2017 9:54 am PDT by
Instagram today introduced an interactive poll sticker in Instagram Stories that lets you ask a question and see real-time results from followers. After you've taken a photo or video for your story, select the "poll" sticker and place it anywhere on the screen. Then, you can write a question and customize two answer options for followers to choose. Once the poll has been shared,...

YouTube iOS App Updated With iMessage Support for Easily Sharing Videos

Tuesday October 3, 2017 7:52 am PDT by
The YouTube iOS app today was updated to version 12.38, bringing a swipe-to-remove gesture for videos in playlists, as well as introducing support for iMessage. After updating the app you should see YouTube appear as a new icon in your Messages app drawer, and after tapping on it you can scroll to view your recently-watched videos, search YouTube for a specific video, and tap to send it to a...

'Nuraphone' Adapts to Your Ears and Automatically Adjusts Music Playback for Better Quality Audio

Tuesday October 3, 2017 7:23 am PDT by
The Nura headphones were funded on Kickstarter last year, surpassing a $100,000 goal and earning around $1.8 million from backers who were interested in the device's personal music calibration abilities. Today, the company is officially launching the $399 "Nuraphone" to backers from the Kickstarter campaign and to any new buyer through its website, with a pair of headphones that use a...

Philips Extends HomeKit Support to Hue Tap, Dimmer Switch, and Motion Sensor

Tuesday October 3, 2017 6:06 am PDT by
Philips today extended support for Apple's HomeKit platform to the Hue Tap switch, Hue dimmer switch, and Hue motion sensor. The trio of accessories can now be used to activate HomeKit scenes in the Home app to control other HomeKit-enabled accessories in a home.Philips Hue is extending its Apple HomeKit compatibility for Hue accessories: Hue tap, Hue dimmer switch and Hue motion sensor....

Amazon Rolls Out Alexa Device Messaging and Calling to U.K. and Germany

Tuesday October 3, 2017 4:57 am PDT by
Amazon is updating its Alexa app today to add support for messaging and calling on Alexa-powered smart devices in the U.K., Germany, and Austria (via The Verge). The second-generation Echo in Charcoal Fabric The Alexa voice calling feature will work on standard Echo and Echo Dot smart speakers, allowing users to call the devices free of charge. iPhone and Android owners can also use the Alexa ...

Leaked Images Show Google Pixel 2 XL Smartphone With Minimal Bezels

Tuesday October 3, 2017 4:21 am PDT by
A day ahead of Google's October hardware event, serial mobile leaker Evan Blass has shared images of the company's new 6-inch Pixel 2 XL smartphone, revealing a display with thin bezels and rounded corners reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy S8. Rumors suggest the Pixel 2 XL will feature a QHD+ display with an 18:9 (2:1) aspect ratio, 4GB of RAM, a 12-megapixel rear camera, and front-facing...

Microsoft Announces the End of Groove Music, Points Users to Spotify Instead

Tuesday October 3, 2017 3:16 am PDT by
Microsoft is shuttering Groove Music. The company announced the news on Monday in a blog post on its site, explaining that the streaming service will be discontinued on December 31 and any customers subscribed to the service will be refunded on a pro rata basis. Microsoft said it would cease sales of Groove Music Pass memberships soon, and in a partnership with Spotify, would make it easy for...