Monday, January 7, 2019

CES 2019: ZAGG Launches New Keyboards for 9.7-Inch iPad and New iPad Pro Models

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http://bit.ly/2H0ccPY today unveiled a new line of keyboard products designed for Apple's latest iPads, including the fifth and sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPads and the 2018 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models.

Slim Book Go


ZAGG's Slim Book Go offers full protection for the iPad, with a stand-style case and detachable keyboard.

Designed to be slim and lightweight for easy transport, the Slim Book Go offers multiple viewing angles, backlit laptop style keys that can be set to seven colors, and a built-in holder for the Apple Pencil.


It's able to connect to up to two devices at once, with an option to easily toggle between them, making it ideal for use with both an iPad and an iPhone. The keyboard is battery powered and it is able to last up to a year between charges depending on usage.

The Slim Book Go is available for the 9.7-inch iPad starting today at a price point of $99.99. Versions for the 11-inch iPad Pro and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be coming this spring, with the 11-inch model priced at $99.99 and the 12.9-inch model priced at $129.99.

Rugged Book Go


The Rugged Book Go is similar in design to the Slim Book Go, but it features better drop protection, much like other products in ZAGG's rugged lineup.

It will be able to withstand drops of up to 6.6 feet thanks to a durable TPU-wrapped enclosure. ZAGG plans to release the Rugged Book Go for the 11-inch iPad Pro this spring at a price point of $149.99.

Messenger Folio


ZAGG also plans to expand its Messenger Folio line, introducing a version for Apple's 11-inch iPad Pro. The Messenger Folio is ZAGG's more affordable keyboard series, offering up a lightweight protective case and a keyboard that does not feature backlit keys.

Unlike the Slim Book Go, the Messenger Folio is not a two-piece setup and the keyboard is not detachable. It does, however, feature a folio-style casing as the name suggests, with a built-in stand for the iPad.

The Messenger Folio features a tab for holding the Apple Pencil in place and a magnetic lock closure to keep the case closed up when the keyboard is not in use.

ZAGG plans to release the Messenger Folio for the 11-inch iPad Pro in February for $69.99.

Glass+ VisionGuard Screen Protector


Along with its new keyboards, ZAGG today announced that it is introducing an InvisibleGlass+ VisionGuard screen protector for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and the 2018 iPad Pro models.

The VisionGuard is designed to cut down on blue light exposure while also keeping the iPad's display safe from scratches and dings.

InvisibleShield Glass+ VisionGuard screen protectors are available for the 11-inch iPad Pro ($64.99), 12.9-inch iPad Pro ($74.99), and 9.7-inch iPad Pro ($59.99) starting today from the Zagg website.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with ZAGG. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Tags: Zagg, CES 2019

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Judge Cuts Patent Licensing Company WiLan's $145.1M Award From Apple to $10M

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Back in August, a California jury awarded Canadian patent holding company WiLan $145.1 million in an ongoing dispute with Apple after the iPhone was found to have infringed on two WiLan patents related to wireless communications technology.

Apple won't be paying WiLan $145.1 million, though, as the court recently decided that WiLAN must accept reduced damages of $10 million or prepare for a new trial to figure out how much Apple needs to pay.


The court did agree, however, that Apple infringed on the two patents, so the company will need to pay WiLan some amount in damages.

WiLan and Apple have been ordered to enter into discussions to attempt to find a resolution, and WiLan says that it remains open to a "fair and reasonable" settlement with Apple.

WiLan describes itself as "one of the most successful patent licensing companies in the world." Apple's legal dispute with WiLan started back in 2010, when WiLan claimed Apple violated one of its Bluetooth related products.

Tags: patent trials, Patent lawsuits

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Deals: Save on Apple Watch Series 3 and 4, Anker's USB-C Hubs, AirPods, and More

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There are quite a few notable deals that began today to kick off the new year, starting with discounts on Anker's wall chargers, wireless chargers, car chargers, Bluetooth speakers, and more. Many of the sales don't require a discount code, and these will be lasting for most of January.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Anker January Codes
No Codes Needed
At Costco, members can save on both Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 4 models. Because of their age, Series 3 models have the best discounts, with prices as low as $229.99 for the 38mm aluminum model. Series 4 models are being discounted by about $15 across the board, beating the price of rival retailers like Best Buy and Target. To see the savings, you'll need to be a Costco member.


If you're close to a Micro Center store, the retailer has Apple's AirPods for $139.99, down from the regular $159.99 price tag. This sale is only available in Micro Center's retail stores, but it's worth it if you are near one, since this discount is one of the better prices we've seen on AirPods recently.

There are also quite a few iPad deals carrying over from 2018 into this year, with offerings from Amazon and B&H Photo. At B&H Photo you'll find the older 2017 models of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with discounts of as much as $280 off the regular price of each device (including both Wi-Fi and Cellular options).

Amazon has the the latest 11-inch iPad Pro and 9.7-inch iPad models, including Wi-Fi and Cellular devices. A few of these prices are matched at MacMall, and you can find all of the sales in the list below.

2017 12.9-inch iPad Pro at B&H



11-inch iPad Pro at Amazon



9.7-inch iPad (2018) at Amazon
For more information on the latest sales, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Ikea's HomeKit-Enabled Smart Blinds Launch in Germany

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Ikea this week added to its line of HomeKit-connected smart home products with the launch of the Kadrilj and Fyrtur smart roller blinds, which are now available for purchase in Germany.

Both of the smart blind products are powered via a battery that allows users to raise or lower them through an included remote control, a smartphone app, or through Alexa, Google Assistant, or HomeKit.

Demo video via Zatz Not Funny

The blinds come in six different sizes to fit a variety of windows, ranging from 80x195cm to 140x195cm. Both are a gray shade, but the Kadrilj is a darker gray than the Fyrtur and less transparent.


Ikea's website says that the blinds are available in some German Ikea stores, and will be available online starting on February 2. Pricing starts at 99 euros for Kadrilj and 199 euros for Fyrtur.


It's not yet clear if the February 2 online rollout will include availability in the United States, but with the blinds available in Germany, a U.S. launch is not likely to be too far behind.

Tags: HomeKit, Ikea

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Initial benchmark and impressions: HP Chromebook 14 with AMD processor for $269


via About Chromebooks http://bit.ly/2Fg0M9p
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CES 2019: Seagate Launches New Seagate and LaCie SSDs and HDDs

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At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Seagate is launching a number of new external hard drives and solid state drives under its Seagate and LaCie brand names, offering up a new range of data storage solutions.

Seagate's premium LaCie brand is launching two new products, including the LaCie Mobile Drive and the LaCie Mobile SSD.

The LaCie Mobile Drive offers up to 5TB of storage for those who need a lot of storage space, while the LaCie Mobile SSD offers up to 2TB of storage space and transfer speeds of 540MB/s, for instances when quick data transfer is needed.


The two new LaCie drives, which are launching in January, feature a unique diamond-cut design that's meant to complement the aesthetics of Apple's Mac notebook lineup.

LaCie's Mobile Drive offers a two year warranty, while the LaCie Mobile SSD offers a three year warranty and a three year subscription to the Seagate Rescue Data Recovery plan.

Under the Seagate brand, multiple new Backup Plus drives are launching. The Backup Plus Ultra Touch, available in 1TB or 2TB capacities, is designed to offer a "high-touch sensory experience" with features that include automatic backup and multi-device folder sync.


The Backup Plus Slim, available in 1TB and 2TB capacities, and the Backup Plus Portable, in 4TB and 5TB capacities, are Seagate's newest drives in a classic line, offering an aluminum finish in black, blue, and silver, with automatic backup included.

All new Backup Plus models ship with a complimentary two month subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan.

Seagate's Backup Plus Ultra Touch will be available starting in February. while the Backup Plus Slim and Backup Plus Portable will launch in March.

Tags: LaCie, Seagate, CES 2019

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2019 iPhones Could Feature Smaller Notch as Apple Supplier Announces Under-Display Light and Proximity Sensors

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Austrian Apple supplier AMS today announced the launch of new sensor technology that could be incorporated into future iPhones to cut down on the size of the notch that houses the TrueDepth Camera System used for Face ID.

AMS has developed a new RGB light and IR proximity sensor that's designed to be installed behind a smartphone's OLED display, reducing the outside area required for these sensors.


The company says that its new light and proximity sensor could perhaps result in the elimination of the bezel in its entirety.
"Smartphone OEMs today are striving to maximize their products' screen-to-body ratio, reducing the bezel area as much as possible on the display's face," said David Moon, Senior Marketing Manager at ams. "The TCS3701 enables phone designers to take this trend to a new level, potentially eliminating the bezel entirely. This is only possible because the TCS3701 can operate behind an OLED display, a breakthrough enabled by the outstanding sensitivity of the device and by the implementation of sophisticated measurement algorithms to compensate for the optical distortion caused by the OLED display."
According to AMS, the light and IR proximity sensor can sense ambient light passing through an OLED display, with unique algorithms developed to allow for accurate detection of ambient light without interference by the display's pixel brightness.

As noted by Reuters, AMS is the company that provides Apple with optical sensors for the TrueDepth camera system on the iPhone X, XR, XS, and XS Max. While AMS does not list Apple as a customer, analysts believe Apple accounts for approximately 45 percent of AMS' business.

Rumors have suggested that Apple is planning to introduce a smaller notch in its 2019 iPhones, and this new technology from AMS paves the way. We've also heard rumors suggesting Apple could debut an iPhone design that eliminates the notch entirely, but it's not entirely clear just how that would work as the front-facing camera still needs to be able to function even with some sensors under the display.

Related Roundup: 2019 iPhones

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