Thursday, July 16, 2020

Best waterproof iPhone cases & pouches 2020

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Make your iPhone 11/XR/XS/X/8/7 or older iPhone fully waterproof. Here are the best iPhone cases for snorkeling or diving.

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European Commission Launches Internet of Things Probe Targeting Siri, Alexa and More

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Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant, and other voice assistants and connected home products are the target of a new Internet of Things probe the European Commission launched today.

The European Commission says that it's aiming to prevent big companies from becoming "gatekeepers" of the Internet of Things through market domination and data collection.

The potential is incredible. But we'll only see the full benefits - low prices, wide choice, innovative products and services - if the markets for these devices stay open and competitive. And the trouble is that competition in digital markets can be fragile. When big companies abuse their power, they can very quickly push markets beyond the tipping point, where competition turns to monopoly. We've seen that happen before. If we don't act in good time, there's a serious risk that it will happen again, with the Internet of Things.

And one of the key issues here is data. Voice assistants and smart devices can collect a vast amount of data about our habits. And there's a risk that big companies could misuse the data collected through such devices, to cement their position in the market against the challenges of competition. They might even use their knowledge of how we access other services to enter the market for those services and take it over.
It's important, says the European Commission, to ensure that smart devices are "truly interoperable" with one another as the Internet of Things market grows, allowing customers the freedom to find the best product on the market without worrying which about which devices it might or might not be compatible with.

The sector inquiry into the Internet of Things will allow the European Commission to "spot problems" and then "take action while there's still time." Right now, the European Commission is seeking data and has sent questionnaires to 400 companies in Europe, Asia, and America that sell smart home appliances, wearables, and voice assistants, along with businesses that provide services that can be used through the aforementioned devices.

The European Commission is questioning companies on how smart products work together and possible problems that might arise making them interoperable. The results of the questionnaires will let the commission find situations where "companies may have broken the competition rules" and will provide information for future regulatory initiatives.

Apple's ‌Siri‌ voice assistant was specifically mentioned in the commission's letter, and the Cupertino-based company will also likely have to answer questions about HomeKit, its smart home framework that supports HomeKit-connected devices.
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Apple Inks Deal for 'Echo 3' Adaptation of Israeli Action Thriller 'When Heroes Fly'

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Apple has signed a deal for a new 10-episode action thriller series called "Echo 3," which is based on Israeli TV show "When Heroes Fly," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Israeli version of the show was loosely based on the novel of the same name by Amir Gutfreund.

Israeli TV series 'When Heroes Fly'

"Echo 3" tells the story of Amber Chesborough, a young scientist who goes missing at the Colombia-Venezuela border. Her brother and her husband, who both have "deep military experience and complicated pasts" struggle to find her.

The show was created by Mark Boal, known for "The Hurt Locker" and "Zero Dark Thirty," with Boal serving as showrunner along with Jason Horwitch, known for "House of Cards." The show is part of Apple's international originals and it will feature dialog in both English and Spanish.

"When Heroes Fly," the original TV show "Echo 3" is based on," is available to watch on Netflix.

Apple is working with Israeli company Keshet on the series, as Keshet owns the rights to "When Heroes Fly." Apple has also teamed up with Keshet for "Suspicion," a drama starring Uma Thurman based on Israeli TV series "False Flag."
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Verizon Now Offering Six Months of Apple News+ Free With iPad Purchase and Activation on Data Plan

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Verizon today began offering a free six-month Apple News+ subscription with the purchase and activation of a cellular iPad with a data plan.

The promotion applies to the purchase of any cellular iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad mini through January 15, 2021 in the United States. Those who have never subscribed to Apple News+ will receive six months of free access, while users that have already taken advantage of Apple's standard one-month trial will receive five months free.


For those not interested in purchasing an iPad, Best Buy is also offering a free four-month subscription to Apple News+ in the United States, with the only requirement being a free Best Buy account. This offer is available to first-time subscribers only, but previous trial users can still receive an additional three months of free access.

Apple News gained several new features alongside the release of iOS 13.6 and macOS 10.15.6 this week, including audio versions of select stories for News+ subscribers, a daily audio news briefing podcast hosted by Apple News editors, and curated local news collections starting in the San Francisco Bay Area, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York City.

Verizon's plan to offer a free six months of Apple News+ was first reported by 9to5Mac and the promotion is now live.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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Facebook Messenger iOS App Gains Screen Sharing Feature for Video Calls

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Facebook today announced that a new screen sharing feature is now available in the Messenger app on iOS and Android. The feature was first available on the web version of Facebook, and on desktop apps.


On iOS, you can share a live view of your iPhone screen with a friend or family member. When video calling someone, you can tap to expand the bottom menu and find the "Share Your Screen" option.

After it's selected, you can then navigate to your Photos app to share pictures, browse Instagram with a friend, shop online, and more.

Screen sharing can be used in a one-on-one call, in a group video call with up to eight people, or in a Messenger Rooms conversation with up to 16 people.

Facebook said the screen sharing feature is available across the globe starting today.
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Apple Maps Vehicles Now Surveying Finland, Norway, and Sweden

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Apple Maps vehicles will be surveying select regions of Finland, Norway, and Sweden through August, collecting street-level imagery and data, according to a list of locations maintained on Apple's website.


The data collected will be used to improve Apple Maps and to expand its Look Around feature, which remains limited to large U.S. cities like Chicago and Los Angeles. Introduced in iOS 13, Look Around is similar to Google's Street View, providing a street-level view of a location with high-resolution 3D imagery that can be zoomed and panned.

One advantage of Look Around over Street View is smoother panning when moving around the map for a more immersive experience. As with Street View, Apple blurs faces and license plates in all of the 3D imagery that it makes available.

In areas where Look Around is available, a binoculars icon will appear in the top-right corner of ‌Apple Maps‌. Tapping that icon opens a street-level view in a card overlay at the top of the screen, which can then be expanded to a full-screen view. Look Around also appears in the search results for a supported city, below the Flyover and Directions buttons.

Apple also removed the U.K. from its list of locations, perhaps signaling that data collection has finished in that country. In January, Apple said that its revamped Maps experience will start rolling out in Europe later this year.

Apple Maps‌ vehicles have also surveyed parts of the United States, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Portugal, Croatia, Japan, Andorra, and Puerto Rico since data collection began in 2015. In some areas where streets are not easily accessible, Apple uses employees wearing a backpack system to collect data.
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Apple Helps Facilitate Coding and Creativity Opportunities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

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As part of its Community Education Initiative, Apple today announced it is partnering with an additional 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to bring coding and creativity opportunities to their campuses.


Apple says this initiative will introduce more students and adult learners to coding and app design through its free "Everyone Can Code" and "Everyone Can Create" curricula, helping to facilitate coding clubs, for-credit coding courses, community coding events, and workforce development opportunities for learners of all ages.

"Apple is committed to working alongside communities of color to advance educational equity," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives. "We see this expansion of our Community Education Initiative and partnership with HBCUs as another step toward helping Black students realize their dreams and solve the problems of tomorrow."

The 10 new HBCUs include: Arkansas Baptist College, Central State University, Claflin University, Dillard University, Fisk University, Lawson State Community College, Morehouse College, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University at Shreveport, and Tougaloo College. Apple expects to double its number of HBCU partners by the end of this summer.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
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