News - page 459

WhatsApp on Tuesday outlined measures to keep its more than 2 billion users safe and secure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measures include tighter limits on message forwarding, and working with organizations and governments like the World Health Organization to help connect user with more accurate information.

“We believe that now more than ever people need to be able to connect privately,” WhatsApp said. “Our teams are hard at work to keep WhatsApp running reliably during this unprecedented global crisis.”

Pixelmator Photo, the desktop-class image editing app for iPad, now takes full advantage of Apple’s most recent iPadOS 13.4 update. Users can enjoy improved mouse and trackpad support, as well as Split View.

The version 1.2 release also brings color matching powered by machine learning, color intensity controls, and more.

New images leaked online seems to confirm rumors that iOS 14 will offer Home screen widgets similar to the ones found on Android. These widgets could potentially provide useful pieces of information to suit each user.

The same image also appears to confirm that the iPhone 12’s notch will hang around for another year. However, although it may get a bit smaller than previous iterations.

World War II strategy game Company of Heroes is on its way to iPhone. The award-winning PC classic has already enjoyed a successful launch on iPad, and will soon be easier to play anywhere.

Appropriately enough at a time we’re worried about touching any surface without immediately washing our hands, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has published an eye-tracking patent application from Apple describing a method of letting users control an interface with nothing more than a simple glance.

The application possibly sheds light on one of the features of Apple’s rumored head-mounted display for augmented and virtual reality.

Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber said Monday that he has confirmed “with a little birdie” that there is indeed no U1 chip in the new iPad Pro.

The U1 Ultra Wideband chip debuted with the iPhone 11. It allows the iPhone to detect its exact position relative to other devices in the same room. That gives it a sense of spatial awareness for things like targeted AirDrop by pointing one iPhone at another to share a file.

Apple will join platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, and others in streaming a multi-hour music and entertainment broadcast, called One World: Together at Home. It is intended to support the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

The “global live-cast,” announced Monday, will take place on April 18. It promises to feature musical performances from a number of big names such as Lady Gaga, Elton John, Alanis Morissette, Billie Eilish, Chris Martin, Paul McCartney and Keith Urban.

Whoop is the latest wearable being enlisted to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical researchers hope the fitness band company’s data could prove an invaluable tool for measuring symptoms caused by the coronavirus.

The Cleveland Clinic and Central Queensland University in Australia are partnering with Whoop to study changes in respiration rates. Whoop’s wearable collects health data 24/7. It could possibly be used to create an early warning system for people infected by COVID-19 but not exhibiting symptoms yet.

Anyone looking for free entertainment without having to leave their home can watch the dozens of free classic movies available from Voleflix. There’s drama, romance and horror films with stars like Cary Grant, Vincent Price and Mickey Mouse.

CBS has found a novel way to continue filming its TV show All Rise during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The courthouse legal drama will film a virtual episode using FaceTime, WebEx and Zoom from the actors’ homes making it the first primetime show to be filmed while still practicing social distancing.

Mac users are venting in online forums about frequent system crashes that began after they updated to macOS Catalina 10.15.4.

The crash reports are popping up on a number of online forums with most saying kernel panics seem to happen after attempting large file transfers.

Drop your iPhone into the Totallee UV Phone Sanitizer and a pair of ultraviolet lights will kill the germs and bacteria that handsets tend to get coated in. And, as a bonus, this accessory also works as a wireless phone charger.

Totallee makes no promises this product works against the novel coronavirus that’s causing the current pandemic. But earlier studies have shown that the UVC light this accessory emits is effective against other viruses.

A brilliant new iOS 14 concept shows how useful it would be to have multiple docks at the bottom of the iPhone’s Home screen.

The multiple-dock UI, published by designer Alessandro Chiarlitti over the weekend, would basically let you toggle between different widgets at the bottom of the screen. That would give you quick access to music controls and other apps without opening them.

Check it out in action:

It’s not necessary to enter credit card info to sign up for a week of free Sling TV live channels and on-demand movies. The streaming service includes CNN, HGTV Cartoon Network and much more. And it’s all available for seven days with no strings attached to people sheltering at home during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Outrun is a privacy-focused run-tracking app that integrates with the Health app. (It’s also a seminal arcade racing game from 1986, but that’s not what we’re talking about today.) The Outrun running app is a great alternative to all those running and cycling apps that upload and/or sell your data to anyone who wants it, or drive you crazy with ads. Or both.

A pair of easy-to-see buttons have been added at the top of the Google Maps iPhone and Android apps to help users find restaurants in their area that offer takeout and delivery service. These point people toward nearby eateries still offering service during the coronavirus crisis.

A new streaming service started Monday — but put down the remote. You won’t find Quibi on your television.

Instead, Quibi – its title a mashup of the words quick and bites – brings short-form entertainment through an app downloaded to an iPhone or iPad. If you are just hearing about Quibi, here’s a quick primer on the new streaming service.

Your favorite games may soon be reminding you to stay at home and save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of developers have begun injecting the messages into popular titles across all platforms — including mobile.

The last episode of Amazing Stories season 1 already aired last week, and if you haven’t binged the Steven Spielberg-led series yet, Apple’s new behind-the-scenes look at the show will have you ready to dive in.

Apple published an inside look of Amazing Stories today on YouTube with interviews from executive producers Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz. The duo, along with cast members from each episode, discuss their drive to create fantasy and sci-fi stories that still resonate with the complexities of human reality. To be honest, I always thought the show looked kind of boring but this new featurette has me pretty intrigued.

Take a look:

Accessory-maker Casetify on Monday lifted the lid on its exciting new collaboration with Coca-Cola. The partnership will bring a range of awesome iPhone cases, Apple Watch bands, and other Coca-Cola-branded accessories.

Join the waitlist today for your chance to order as soon as they’re available.

The latest iOS 14 leaks hint that new wallpaper settings and Home screen widgets are coming to iPhone and iPad.

Apple is expected to separate its default backgrounds into categories. It also might give users the ability to place real widgets anywhere they like on their Home screen — a feature Android has had for more than a decade.

Save 20% on the Cult of Mac Store’s entire lineup of awesome accessories from Twelve South. AirPods cases, iPhone chargers, iPad stands and more are all available at a discounted rate for a limited time only.

The sale includes some of Twelve South’s most popular products, including HiRise Wireless, AirSnap, and BookArc. The discounts disappear tonight, so enjoy them while you can!

Along with just about every other part of the education system right now, commencement addresses are going virtual. And who better to deliver one than the much sought-after commencement speaker whose company created FaceTime?

Announced by Ohio State University, Apple CEO Tim Cook will give a virtual address to graduating students this May. The speech will be broadcast online May 3.

iPhone resellers in China are offering big discounts on Apple’s latest handsets in an effort to reverse falling sales amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suning, one of Apple’s largest retail partners in China, is offering discounts of up to 1,500 yuan (approximately $212) on the iPhone 11 series. The move is expected to trigger further price adjustments on other 4G smartphones.

There’s more evidence that the new low-cost iPhone alternately referred to as the iPhone SE/iPhone SE 2/iPhone 9 is about ready to launch, thanks to two pieces of fresh evidence which appeared over the weekend.

The first is a placeholder page on the major Chinese retailer JD.com. The second is a reference to the “iPhone 9” in a Verizon document about iPhone trade-ins. While there’s no more detail on the phone itself, it suggests that the new iPhone is indeed on its way.