Imagination Hopes for Closer Relationship With Apple

British chip designer Imagination sees the possibility of a closer relationship with Apple, according to its interim CEO. Ray Bingham made the comments in an interview with

The company’s new licensing agreement with Apple “certainly opens the door for more engagement with that company,” interim Chief Executive Officer Ray Bingham said in an interview. They announced in January they’d signed a multi-year license deal giving the Silicon Valley company access to a wide-range of Imagination’s designs. Imagination isn’t allowed to discuss its relationship with Apple beyond saying the Cupertino, California-based company is a licensee, but news that the computer maker is planning to start making more of its own chips doesn’t affect “our relationship with Apple in any negative way,” Bingham said.

Spotify Duo Launches in U.S. And Apple Music May Follow Suit

Spotify launched its Premium Duo option in the U.S., UK, and other countries on Wednesday. It means a couple or two flatmates can each have a premium account for a total of $12.99 per month. That’s a $2 a month reduction on the family bundle. As 9to5 Mac notes, Apple Music tends to not be so far behind in making such moves.

In addition to each getting individual premium accounts, Spotify says Duo also gives you a joint playlist selected by Spotify on the basis of your joint tastes…. The Duo Mix allows you to choose between Chill and Upbeat playlists, and you can also opt to filter out explicit songs. You can check whether your country is included by visiting spotify.com/duo. Historically, Apple Music and Spotify have mirrored each other’s membership types, so it is at least possible that Apple will choose to offer a similar account for couples.

Google Staff Told to Work From Home Until Labor Day After COVID-19 Spikes

Google spokesperson Katherine Williams confirmed to Reuters that the company will not reopen its U.S. offices as planned. The decision comes in the midst of a spike in COVID-19 cases in various states.

Williams confirmed a Bloomberg report that cited an internal memo to employees sent by a Google executive. “For all of you that are working from home, please continue to do so unless you are told otherwise by your manager,” Chris Rackow, Google’s vice president of global security, said in the memo. “We don’t expect this guidance to change until Monday, Sept. 7 (Labor Day) at the earliest,” Rackow wrote, adding that the recent rise in coronavirus cases in the United States demonstrates that “COVID-19 is still very much alive”.

Jamf Files For U.S. IPO With $100 Million Valuation

Jamf, which makes software that allows organizations to manage Apple devices, filed for U.S IPO on Tuesday. The initial valuation of the firm was $100 million, Bloomberg News, reported, although this will likely change.

The company was aiming to be valued at about $3 billion in the listing, Bloomberg News reported in January. Jamf, founded in 2002, makes MDM — mobile device management — software that lets organizations manage large numbers of iPhones, Macs, Apple TVs, and iPads. One of its features allows a company to update the software on all of its Apple devices at the same time. Apple itself has been a customer since 2010, the filing shows. Jamf’s dependence on the $1.6 trillion tech giant also features prominently in the section of the filing that outlines potential risks to its business, along with the potential financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, Apple represented less than 1% of Jamf’s total revenue.

What Does AirPods Pro Spatial Audio Mean for Augmented Reality?

Em Lazer-Walker digs into the AirPods Pro spatial audio feature announced at WWDC 2020. What does it mean for AR?

As Apple improves their indoor location technology, [spatial audio] could also easily become a big part of making indoor wayfinding viable before they ship AR glasses, since the ARKit model of “hold your phone out in front of you while you walk through a space” is both socially and physically awkward.

I can’t wait for spatial audio to arrive. I use an app I’ve mentioned before that uses 3D audio, and I wonder if Naturespace will make use of this technology.

How Apple Disrupted Certificate Authorities With Safari

In February, Apple implemented a rule in Safari in which TLS certificates have a lifespan of 398 days. According to ZDNet, Apple made this decision on its own without going through the standard procedure with certificate authorities.

Instead of calling for a vote, Apple simply announced its decision to implement 398-day lifespans on its devices, regardless of what the CAs in the CA/B Forum thought of the issue.

What took place this year is, in no simpler words, a demonstration that browser makers control the CA/B Forum, and that they hold full control of the HTTPS ecosystem, and that CAs are merely participants with no actual power.

Rumors Suggest iPhone 12 Pro May Support 4K Video at 240fps

The iPhone 12 Pro could support 4K video shooting at 240fps. That’s according to new leaks and rumors emerging from the EverythingApplePro YouTube channel and reported on by CultofMac.

[Filip] Koroy reportedly found evidence of the new high resolution, slow-mo format in the iOS 14 beta code. Whether this is accurate remains to be seen. If it is, it would be far above what is available in other smartphone models right now. It would also make it likely that Apple will sell a shedload of high storage handsets this year — or way more iCloud subscriptions. The report also mentions that the iPhone 12 Pro could boast a ProMotion 120Hz high-refresh display, citing information from Apple leaker Max Weinbach. Apple introduced the 120Hz ProMotion iPad Pro back in 2017. Like the iPad Pro, which first debuted ProMotion, the iPhone 12 Pro could dynamically switch between 60Hz and 120Hz to save on battery. The regular iPhone 12, meanwhile, may stick with a regular 60Hz display. ProMotion for the iPhone 12 was first rumored at the end of 2019.

Disney Research Outlines Neural Face Swapping Technique That May Offer Hi-Res, Photorealistic Video

A new research paper from Disney Research and ETH Zurich offers a possible neural face swapping technique that will result in hi-resolution, photorealistic video. That means the technique could be applicable in TV and film, according to Techcrunch. There is also a video displaying the technology in action.

The researchers specifically intend this tech for use in replacing an existing actor’s performance with a substitute actor’s face, for instance when de-aging or increasing the age of someone, or potentially when portraying an actor who has passed away. They also suggest it could be used for replacing the faces of stunt doubles in cases where the conditions of a scene call for them to be used. This new method is unique from other approaches in a number of ways, including that any face used in the set can be swapped with any recorded performance, making it possible to relatively easily re-image the actors on demand. The other is that it kindles contrast- and light conditions in a compositing step to ensure the actor looks like they were actually present in the same conditions as the scene.

InPaint Photo Editing App Bundle for Mac and Windows: $24.99

We have a deal on the InPaint Photo Editing App Bundle for Mac and Windows, a collection of photo editing apps. Those apps include InPaint, iResizer, iResizer, Multi-View, Multi-View, BatchInpaint, and PhotoStitcher. All apps work on either Mac or Windows, but note that the license is for one device only. You can read up on the details of each app in the deal listing. This app bundle is $24.99 through our deal.

16 Web APIs Apple Avoided Over Privacy Concerns

ZDnet has a list of 16 Web APIs that Apple declined to add to Safari over concerns they could be used to track users.

The vast majority of these APIs are only implemented in Chromium-based browsers, and very few on Mozilla’s platform.

Apple claims that the 16 Web APIs above would allow online advertisers and data analytics firms to create scripts that fingerprint users and their devices.

Universal Mobile Phone Screen Magnifier with Speaker: $21.99

We have a deal on a Universal Mobile Phone Screen Magnifier. This device features an acrylic lens screen that zooms your phone screen 2 to 3 times to avoid visual fatigue and better viewing. It also features a built-in Bluetooth speaker. Check out the details on the full deal listing. This device is $21.99 through our deal.

Microsoft to Permanently Close Retail Locations

Microsoft is to close all but four of retail locations, The Verge reported Friday, including the one in London that is just steps away from the city’s flagship Apple Store. The sites that remain will be turned into experience centers, but will not sell any products.

Those locations are New York City (Fifth Ave), London (Oxford Circus), Sydney (Westfield Sydney), and the Redmond campus location. The London store only just opened about a year ago. All other Microsoft Store locations across the United States and globally will be closing, and the company will concentrate on digital retail moving forward. Microsoft says Microsoft.com and the Xbox and Windows storefronts reach “up to 1.2 billion monthly customers in 190 markets.” The company tells The Verge that no layoffs will result from today’s decision. “Our commitment to growing and developing careers from this diverse talent pool is stronger than ever,” Microsoft Store VP David Porter said in a LinkedIn post on the move.

macOS 11’s Design Language is Meant for Augmented Reality

Jack Koloskus wrote about an emerging design language called neumorphism. Some of the new icons in macOS 11 are part of this design, like the Messages bubble that looks 3D. He believes we’ll be seeing more of this, while I am of the opinion that Apple, with this design, is laying the foundations for an AR/VR user interface. Of course an AR interface looks a bit odd on a 2D screen.

When you boil it down, neumorphism is a focus on how light moves in three-dimensional space […] What sets neumorphism apart from its progenitor is that the focus is on the light itself and how it interacts with a variety of objects in a purely digital space. The light simulations in neumorphism are more complex, and are focused on how light from one object could affect another, or the function of the object itself.

Ozone Generator and Air Purifier: $29.95

Our friends at Stack Commerce have another cool gadget deal for us today, an ozone generator and air purifier. It has a built-in rechargeable 600mA battery so you can take it with you anywhere, and it has a max sound output of 35dB. This device is $29.95 through us.

AirPods and AirPods Pro Updates Coming With iOS 14

There is a lot coming with iOS 14. Some of the updates announced involved AirPods and AirPods Pro. AppleInsider has a good rundown.

Of all the new features coming in iOS 14, the most headline-grabbing is spacial audio for AirPods Pro. This works with 5.1, 7.1, and even Dolby Atmos encoded audio to create immersive sound that goes far beyond simple stereo playback. So much content is now coming in HDR Dolby Vision video and Dolby Atmos audio these days that it makes sense for Apple to continue to invest in these. Creating 3D sound from a set of headphones isn’t easy but Apple took it a step further.

Apple And Google Displayed Unaccountable Power Over COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Apple and Google have had a major influence in how COVID-19 contact tracing has progressed, or hasn’t, in various countries. Writing for Businesss Insider, Tom Loosemore, a cofounder of the UK’s Government Digital Service, expressed concern at their unaccountable power.

I hope I am wrong, but I fear that Google and Apple’s approach will not prove particularly valuable in the messy real world of contact tracing. It is just too crude. Google and Apple have given governments an abacus in an era of machine learning. I’ll admit I was instinctively pleased when I heard of Google and Apple’s decision. Throughout my career, I’ve defended people’s privacy from your typical state’s propensity to collect ever more data about their citizens, often without reason. But in the weeks since April 10, I’ve reflected more on the nature of power. Who has power? And how is it held to account?

Everything You Want to Know About iOS 14 Notes and Reminders

Ryan Christoffel has a nice write-up of iOS 14 Notes and Reminders in the developer beta, which I’ve been avoiding since I don’t have spare test devices. If you specifically want to know about Apple Notes and Reminders like me, check out the article. I was hoping for more features, like tags for notes, but I’m glad the texture is gone.

Though neither app’s improvements have been held up as tentpole features of this fall’s releases, Apple has nonetheless given noteworthy attention to making the user experience for each app better in a variety of key ways. You won’t find fundamental evolutions in how either app works, but these updates prove the power of iteration.

Starting Today Get ’Magic: The Gathering Arena’ on Mac

Starting today, gamers can download “Magic: The Gathering Arena” on Mac through the Epic Games Store.

Our macOS release will feature full cross-platform support in parity with our Windows client, including the upcoming release of Core Set 2021. New and current players will find the same cards, formats, events, play queues, and features on macOS as they can on Windows.

With an AI Smart Chip, This Massage Gun Adjusts to Your Muscle Condition: $84.95

We have a deal on Actigun, a percussive massager with what the company calls an AI Smart Chip that offers you a humanized intelligent interactive experience by reacting to the condition of your muscle. In other words, it self-adjusts according to what the device senses as it goes to work. It comes with 4 massage heads to suit all your massage need, and it’s wireless. It’s $84.95 through our deal.

‘Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act’ is Latest Encryption Attack

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) introduced the Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act yesterday. It seeks to bring back the Crypto Wars of the 1990s by crippling encryption with the introduction of backdoors.

Yet increasingly, technology providers are deliberately designing their products and services so that only the user, and not law enforcement, has access to content – even when criminal activity is clearly taking place.  This type of “warrant-proof” encryption adds little to the security of the communications of the ordinary user, but it is a serious benefit for those who use the internet for illicit purposes.

”Adds little to the security of the communications of the ordinary user.” That’s the level of contempt these people have for the rest of us.

Apple Silicon Goes Beyond ARM

Undoubtedly one of the biggest announcements from WWDC 2020 was the forthcoming rollout of Apple Silicon. As AppleInsider explained, the move is about more than ARM-chips.

Many custom software optimizations already developed for iOS — such as Metal graphics — can be brought over to the Mac directly now that both share the same access to Apple’s own sophisticated silicon. Currently, Apple has had to develop two versions of Metal, one for iOS and another for the GPUs used on Macs. So Apple isn’t just arbitrarily moving from “x86 to ARM,” but rather using its custom silicon work to enhance the performance, features, and deep integration on its Macs. Moving “to ARM” is sort of a side effect of Apple’s wanting to use its own custom silicon. Up to this point, Apple has been limited to adding a helper chip like the T2 to its Intel Macs to handle custom features like Touch ID and Touch Bar.

Nordic Hygge AirChill Personal Evaporative Cooler: $69.99

We have a deal on the Nordic Hygge AirChill, a personal evaporative cooler. It’s designed to cool and humidify the air, and is best for hot dry summers at home or in the office. It’s powered by a high-speed, 9-blade fan for steady wind and rapid cooling, and it doesn’t need an app to control it. This device is $69.99 through our deal.