Apple is reportedly working on the second generation Apple Pencil with built-in magnets that lock to your iPad when you aren’t drawing or writing. Assuming the report is legit, Apple plans to ship Apple Pencil 2 along side new iPad models some time this year.
Product News
Apple Offers 'Major Updates' to Logic Pro X and GarageBand
Apple announced “major updates” to GarageBand for iOS and Logic Pro X on Wednesday (for NAMM), going so far as to issue a press release for the updates. The consumer-oriented GarageBand is getting the Alchemy synthesizer and a new browser for finding and using sounds. Apple’s professional DAW—Logic Pro X—gets support for Touch Bar, Track Alternatives, an updated interface, and other changes. Both updates are free.
Astropad Studio Turns Your iPad Pro into a Pro-level Mac Graphics Tablet
Astropad is a cool app that lets you use your iPad as a full-on graphics tablet for your Mac, but may be a little limited for pro users looking for an alternative to Wacom’s Cintiq tablets. That’s not a problem any more thanks to today’s Astropad Studio launch.
Steel HR Combines Elegance of Analog Watch with Sophistication of Digital
LAS VEGAS — Withings (a Nokia company) was showing Steel HR, a watch that combines the elegance of an analog watch with the features of a smart watch, at CES Unveiled 2017. Rob Le Bras-Brown, Chief Marketing Officer, gave John F. Braun the scoop.
TrackR Delivers New pixel, wallet 2.0, atlas Products, and Alexa Integration
LAS VEGAS — At CES Unveiled 2017, TrackR demonstrated several new products in their line of personal item management devices. In other words, they help you find not only your stuff, but stuff that other people have misplaced. Mia Costa, Vice President of Marketing, gave John F. Braun an overview.
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 Preserves eSATA Ports for Legacy Drives
CalDigit has joined the Thunderbolt 3 crowd with the announcement of its new Thunderbolt Station 3 docking station. In addition to all the usual ports you’d expect in a docking station, CalDigit is one of the only options for those who need eSATA support for their legacy storage drives.
Make Your Apple Watch More Versatile With the Twelve South ActionSleeve
Do you like the fitness features of Apple Watch but hate to wear it on your wrist during your intense workouts? Check out ActionSleeve from Twelve South, an armband case for Apple Watch that may even improve the accuracy of its heart rate sensor.
Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station Powers Dual 4K Displays
Elgato is joining the Thunderbolt 3 parade with the announcement of its new Thunderbolt 3 Dock. Available at the end of January for $299.95, the dock will support both 5K and dual 4K display outputs along with a range of ports for your 13- or 15-inch MacBook Pro.
The OWC DEC Promises to Make Your MacBook "Pro" Again
Do you find the 2016 MacBook Pro’s lack of ports a bit limiting? OWC may have the solution for you with the DEC, an upcoming accessory that attaches flush to the bottom of your MacBook Pro and adds external storage and a full array of ports including USB Type A, SD Card, and Ethernet.
AirPods Production in Overtime to Cut Shipping Delays
It may be easier to get ahold of AirPods soon because Inventec, the company manufacturing them for Apple, is expanding its production. That’s good news for impatient consumers who are currently waiting upwards of six weeks for theirs to arrive.
Super Mario Run Downloads Top 40M in 4 Days
Nintendo’s Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad is off to a great start topping 40 million downloads in only four days. This follows the US$5 million the game brought in during its first 24 hours.
Apple Extends USB-C Dongle Discounts to March 31 2017
Apple’s discount on USB-C adapters was set to end on December 31st, but the company extended that out to March 31st, 2017. The extension means new MacBook Pro owners have more time to but the dongles they need at a substantially lower price.
Apple Stopped Signing iOS 10.1 and 10.1.1 - What That Means
Now that iOS 10.2 is officially released to the public, Apple has stopped signing iOS 10.1 and iOS 10.1.1. Users won’t be able to downgrade if you run into issues with iOS 10.2. Andrew Orr explains what that means.
Apple Updates AirPort Firmware to Fix Disappearing Base Station Issue
Apple released AirPort Base Station Firmware Update 7.7.8 on Tuesday. The update fixes an issue that caused some AirPort Base Stations to disappear from AirPort Utility when Find My Mac is on. It’s specifically for AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations with 802.11ac.
AirPods Available in Apple's Retail Stores on Dec 19
If you missed out on ordering your AirPods for a pre-Christmas delivery, there’s still a chance you might get ahold of a pair because they’ll be available in Apple’s retail stores on Monday, December 19th. Don’t, however, get your hopes up because this will likely mirror the Apple Pencil launch where “available in store” really means “good luck with that.”
Super Mario Run Available for iPhone and iPad
As promised, Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad launched on Apple’s App Store on Thursday. The game marks Mario’s first official appearance on Apple’s mobile devices and was first teased this fall, and if the hype is any indication productivity is going to take a serious hit for the rest of today.
Apple Releases iTunes 12.5.4 with Touch Bar Scrubbing, TV App, Windows Security Patches
Apple updated iTunes on Tuesday to version 12.5.4. The update adds two specific features, scrubbing in the Touch Bar on MacBook pro and support for the TV app across iOS devices. There were also security holes patched in the Windows version.
Apple Addresses MacBook Pro Video Issue with macOS Sierra 10.12.2
Apple released macOS Sierra 10.12.2 on Tuesday with a fix for the video artifacting issue many Touch Bar MacBook Pro users have been experiencing. The update also ensures System Integrity Protection is enabled on the new laptop model, and improves Auto Unlock reliability, too.
Apple AirPods Finally Available, Delivering Dec 21
Apple’s AirPods are finally available for order and will start delivering to customers on December 21st, just in time for the Christmas holiday. The wireless earbuds were originally scheduled for an October release, but were delayed until now.
Apple Squashes 11 Security Holes in iOS 10.2
Apple released iOS 10.2 on Monday, and the company was much quicker than normal in releasing the security patch notes for the release. According to those notes, there are 11 security holes fixed in the release. Most of those holes are serious, and some allowed access to various aspects of a device when it should be locked.
Apple Ships iOS 10.2 with TV App, New Emojis, and Music Star Ratings
Apple shipped iOS 10.2 on Monday. The update includes a long list of improvements and changes, including the new TV app. That app gives iPhone and iPad users unified access to their movies and TV shows in line with the app of the same name on tvOS for Apple TV. Apple also emphasized redesigned emoji and the addition of 100 new one. Bryan Chaffin’s favorite feature, though, is the return of Star Ratings to Music.
Setapp Brings Netflix-style Downloads to Mac Apps
Paying a monthly subscription to watch as many TV shows and movies as you want is a pretty good business model for Netflix, and MacPaw thinks it’ll work for software, too. The company’s trying that out with its new Setapp service where subscribers pay a monthly fee to get access to a growing list of apps from several developers.
Apple Beta Testing Improved iCloud Photos Interface
Apple is now beta testing a number of improvements to iCloud.com Photos, including a new sidebar, easier navigation between photos, and initial support for the Touch Bar on the 2016 MacBook Pro.
Apple Adds Online Form for Checking iPhone 6s Battery Replacement Eligibility
Apple added an online form for checking your iPhone 6s eligibility for a battery replacement program. The program itself was announced in November, but it was initially up to customers to figure out if their serial number was eligible. The form allows owners to simply enter that serial number and be told if it’s eligible.