Apple wants its stores to be the place you hang out at with your friends, and part of the push to make that happen includes a new program called “Today at Apple.” The program includes free seminars to teach creative skills using Apple products taught by employees, and where available, industry experts.
Alphabet's Waymo Offers 'Early Riders' Driverless Rides in Phoenix
Alphabet’s driverless car company—Waymo—announced an “Early Rider” program for its driverless cars. The company has invited the general public to apply to be part of the program, saying “We’re searching for early riders in parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area, including Chandler, Tempe, Mesa and Gilbert. Come join us in making it safer and easier for everyone to get around!” The feel-good video below features a family that participated in small-scale tests, and Waymo said it would accept a “limited number” of additional participants in the expanded program. Alphabet CEO Larry Page has been an enthusiastic pursuer of driverless car technology since before Google, and Waymo’s goal is to launch a ride-hailing service based on its driverless platform. Apple, Didi, Uber, and a variety of other tech companies are all invested in a similar vision. Waymo’s testing in Arizona is a sharp reminder that a driverless future is marching inexorably closer. You can apply at Waymo’s site.
Uber iPhone Tracking, Carpool Karaoke Delay - TMO Daily Observations 2017-04-25
Uber tried to pull one over on Apple by tracking iPhones in violation of App Store guidelines. Jeff Butts and Bryan Chaffin dive into what Uber did with Jeff Gamet, plus they share their thoughts on Apple postponing Carpool Karaoke’s premiere again.
Yet Another Report Pegs October, November for iPhone 8 Release
Another report saying the iPhone 8 won’t ship until October or November is out, and like those we’ve already seen it blames OLED displays for at least part of the problem.
Apple Bumps April's Carpool Karaoke Launch to Later this Year
Apple had planned on launching its Carpool Karaoke: The Series on Apple Music this month, but that’s been pushed out until some time later this year. This is the second delay for the show’s launch, and Apple isn’t offering up any explanation for the delayed debut.
1 Year Subscription to Instaread: $24.99
We have a deal on a 1-year subscription to Instaread. This service offers condensed digests of books on The New York Times Best Seller List. It’s half off through our deal, $24.99.
Apple Snags Another AR/VR Expert, this Time from NASA
Apple has hired another expert in the fields of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Bloomberg reported that Apple has hired Jeff Norris, an 18-year veteran of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ecobee4 HomeKit Smart Thermostat Teased Ahead of May 5 Unveiling
Smart thermostat maker ecobee is teasing its upcoming ecobee4, which is set to debut on May 3rd. The new model is rumored to include a built-in microphone and speaker with Amazon Alexa voice control built-in. ecobee4 will reportedly have a sleeker, yet familiar, design and the separate room sensors are said to be silver instead of white. The company also lowered the ecobee3 price ahead of next week’s announcement from US$249 to $199. That’s a pretty sweet deal for a full-features smart thermostat that’s also HomeKit compatible. If you want to follow along with ecobee’s announcements next Wednesday you’ll need to head over to the company’s Facebook page.
Siri Could Access Federal Information One Day
The General Services Administration is launching a pilot program aimed at opening up access to federal information to third-party virtual assistants. Agencies include the departments of Energy, Homeland Security and Housing and Urban development. The purpose is to make it easier for American citizens to find governmental information they need.
A Network Scanner Helps You Secure Your Wi-Fi Router
When you secure your Wi-Fi or wired router, a network scanner is an essential utility you should have on your Mac and iOS device. Jeff Butts has explored several options for letting you know what devices are connected to your network, and gives you an overview of what they can and cannot do.
