Monday, November 5, 2018

Apple Highlights iPad Pro Reviews

Nike+ Run Club App Gains Support for Siri Suggestions and New Complications

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Nike today updated its popular Nike+ Run Club app to add several new features to support recent Apple hardware and software updates.

The Nike+ Run Club app now support Siri Suggestions, allowing Siri to suggest ideal times for a run based on run history. Siri Suggestions can be enabled by going to Settings > Siri & Search > Nike Run Club.

On the Apple Watch, the Nike+ Run Club app now offers complications that are designed to be used with the Infograph watch faces on the Apple Watch Series 4 models.

Nike recommends using the Apple Watch app on the iPhone to add and customize the new Nike Run Club complications.

Nike+ Run Club can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

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Apple Updates iTunes Remote App With Support for New iPad Pro Models

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Apple today updated its Apple Remote app to version 4.4.1, introducing support for Apple's 2018 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models.

The iTunes Remote app is designed to allow you to control iTunes from anywhere in your home with the iPhone or the iPad.

Apple says today's update also introduces improved network connectivity, shortcuts to play and shuffle playlists and albums, and improved access to Now Playing and AirPlay.
What's New
iTunes Remote has been updated to add support for the new iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) and iPad Pro 11-inch.

This update also includes:
- Improved network connectivity
- New shortcuts to play and shuffle playlists and albums
- Improved access to Now Playing and AirPlay
The iTunes Remote app for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]


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Google Assistant Arrives In Chrome OS Dev Update


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Apple's Confusing Mac Lineup: MacBook Air vs. MacBook

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Apple at its October event unveiled a new 2018 MacBook Air that's been entirely overhauled with a Retina display, Thunderbolt 3, a slimmed down design, a faster processor, and other hardware upgrades.

The new $1,199 machine is a great addition to the MacBook Pro, but there's just one problem - Apple already had a notebook with all of these features. The 2018 MacBook Air is very similar to the 12-inch MacBook, which did not receive a 2018 update.

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The 2018 MacBook Air, which Apple is selling for $1,199, is better in almost every way than the 12-inch MacBook, which is still priced at $1,299. It has a larger Retina display, a faster Amber Lake processor, upgraded Intel UHD Graphics 617, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, up to 1.5TB of storage, Touch ID and T2 chip, better battery life, and it costs $100 less (though you're getting 128GB storage instead of 256GB with the base model).

At this point in time, with no update, all the MacBook has going for it is a slimmer body and a lighter weight, but even then, the difference is minute given the revamped design of the MacBook Air.


The 2018 MacBook Air measures in at 0.16 to 0.61 inches thick, compared to the MacBook, which comes in at 0.14 to 0.52 inches. It also weighs 2.75 pounds instead of the MacBook's 2 pounds, but those are really the only differentiating factors.

Right now, there is absolutely no good reason to purchase a MacBook over a MacBook Air, and anyone considering a new Apple notebook that's aiming for portability and good battery life should choose the MacBook Air.


You can get close to MacBook Air performance with the upgraded MacBook with a 1.4GHz Core M processor, but the MacBook Air is still going to beat it because it's using eighth-generation processors instead of seventh-generation and it costs $1,549 to upgrade to that higher-powered processor.

If and when Apple upgrades the MacBook with next-generation Intel chips, it's still going to be almost on par with the MacBook Air if there are no other changes to form factor or specifications, so it's a mystery why the MacBook is still in Apple's lineup and why Apple has opted to have two machines that are so similar.


Prior to the October update, Apple hadn't made significant changes to the MacBook Air since 2015, and it was believed that the machine, which was priced at $999, was sticking around as a low-cost option until component prices for the MacBook came down. With the launch of the new version, that's clearly no longer Apple's plan, and the future of the MacBook and MacBook Air is murkier than ever.

As for the MacBook Air vs. the MacBook Pro, things are a bit clearer. The MacBook Air is still the lower-cost lower-performance option that is ideal for lighter workloads that don't require high-powered software.


All MacBook Pro models, including the 2017 non-Touch Bar models, offer better performance than the MacBook Air's 7W Amber Lake processor, but with the base MacBook Air vs. the base non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro priced at $1,299, there's not a huge difference. When deciding between these two machines, it's going to come down to whether you prefer a smaller form factor and Touch ID or slightly better performance.

What do you think Apple is planning for the MacBook in the future? Let us know in the comments.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Buy Now)

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New AirPods Model Numbers Show Up in Bluetooth Database, Hinting at Upcoming Release

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New AirPods listings were added to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group's regulatory database on November 1, 2018, suggesting a refreshed version of the accessory could be coming in the near future.

The AirPods listing, noticed first by MySmartPrice, features model numbers A2031 and A2032, which seems to correspond to a left AirPod and a right AirPod, both of which have completed the Bluetooth Qualification Process.


Apple's hardware version number is listed as REV1.1, compared to the REV1.0 hardware listing of the original AirPods. The new AirPods connect to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac using Bluetooth 5.0, according to the details provided, but little else about them can be gleaned from the listing.


Rumors have suggested that Apple is working on second-generation AirPods with an improved wireless chip that supports hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality. AirPods with "Hey Siri" support were shown off in a September Apple video when the iPhone launched, but upgraded AirPods did not make an appearance at Apple's September or October events.

We've also been expecting a new AirPods wireless charging case for use with the AirPower, but Apple's Charging Case for the AirPods is not listed in the Bluetooth database, so it is not known if an updated version accompanies the revised version of the AirPods.

A new AirPods Wireless Charging Case was shown off when AirPower was first announced

If these new AirPods are indeed going to launch with a Charging Case that supports wireless charging, it could also mean that Apple is planning to launch its AirPower charging mat in the near future. The AirPower was first introduced in September 2017 and is meant to charge the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once.


Difficulties with heat management, interference, and inter-device communication are said to have delayed the AirPower. Apple has removed most AirPower mentions from its website, but packaging materials for the recent iPhone XS and XS Max continue to mention AirPower, leaving hope that it's still coming at some point.

We don't know when to expect upgraded AirPods to launch, but the first AirPods were added to the database on November 20, 2016 ahead of a December 13, 2016 launch date. If Apple follows the same timeline, we could see new AirPods in late November or early December.

Related Roundup: AirPods
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution)

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Apple Releases watchOS 5.1.1 to Solve watchOS 5.1 Bricking Issue

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Following the release of watchOS 5.1 last Tuesday morning, some Apple Watch Series 4 owners began complaining that the update had bricked their watches, leaving the devices stuck at the Apple logo.

The complaints led Apple to pull the watchOS 5.1 update to avoid further incidents, and it's been unavailable since Tuesday afternoon.


As of today, Apple has released an updated version of watchOS, watchOS 5.1.1, that fixes the bug that caused some Apple Watch devices to be rendered non-functional.

Not all Apple Watch owners who downloaded the original watchOS 5.1 update were impacted by the bug, but those who were will need to contact Apple as Apple has been sending out replacement Apple Watches. Non-functional Apple Watches need to be repaired by Apple and won't be fixable with the new watchOS 5.1.1 update.

watchOS 5.1 introduced several new features to the watchOS operating system. It brought support for Group FaceTime in an audio-only capacity, allowing Apple Watch owners to join in on group calls, and it introduced support for more than 70 new emoji characters like face with hearts, red hair, gray hair, curly hair, super heroes, kangaroo, peacock, parrot, lobster, cupcake, mango, and more.


The update also included a new full-screen "Color" watch face option for the Apple Watch Series 4 models, with users able to choose between dozens of shades. There's also a filled-in circular option for older Apple Watch models that joins the standard Color clock face.


Fall detection was improved, two bugs that could prevent Walkie-Talkie from working were addressed, and an issue that could cause some Activity awards not to show up properly was resolved.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

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