Friday, November 2, 2018

Apple Highlights Depth Control Feature on iPhone XS, XS Max and XR With New How To Video

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Apple today shared a new how to video that's designed to walk new iPhone users through using the Depth Control feature on the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR.

Depth Control, a feature new to the 2018 iPhones, lets you adjust the amount of background blur in a photo taken with Portrait Mode using either the front or rear camera.


Depth Control can be accessed by choosing a Portrait Mode photo from the Photos app, selecting the "Edit" button, and using the slider at the bottom of the screen to adjust the blur from f/1.4 (maximum blur) to f/16 (no blur).

Depth Control is available when editing an already-captured photo and as of iOS 12.1, there's a real-time Depth Control feature for adjusting blur before you take a photo.

Apple has in the past shared multiple short how to videos like this to highlight photography capabilities on the iPhone along with iPhone X features.

We're likely going to see several more videos focused on the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR in the coming weeks as Apple helps users adjust to the new features available on the devices.

Related Roundups: iPhone XS, iPhone XR

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Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS Mojave 10.14.2 to Public Beta Testers

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Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.2 update to its public beta testing group, two days after seeding the beta to developers and a few days after releasing macOS Mojave 10.14.1.

We don't know what improvements the second update to macOS Mojave might bring, but it is likely to include performance improvements and bug fixes for issues that weren't able to be addressed in the macOS 10.14.1 update.


Nothing new was discovered in the macOS Mojave 10.14.2 update provided to developers, so this software may be focused on under-the-hood changes that might not be discovered until it's released. Apple's release notes only mention an upcoming change requiring TLS certificates issued after October 15 to meet Apple's Certificate Transparency policy.
macOS 10.14.2 requires that publicly-trusted Transport Layer Security (TLS) server authentication certificates issued after October 15, 2018 meet the Certificate Transparency policy to be evaluated as trusted on Apple platforms.
macOS 10.14.2 follows macOS 10.14.1, an update that introduced Group FaceTime support for chatting with up to 32 people at one time and new emoji characters.

Related Roundup: macOS Mojave

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Samung’s LTE-enabled Chromebook Plus Is Now Available


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Apple Now Selling Refurbished iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus Models

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Apple today added the 2017 iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus to its online store for refurbished products in the United States, offering the smartphone at a discount for the first time.

The refurbished store has a selection of 64GB iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray for sale, all of which are discounted by 14 to 16 percent.


The 64GB iPhone 8 models are priced at $499, a discount of $100 off of the regular price of $599, while the 64GB iPhone 8 Plus models in the refurbished store are available for $599, also a $100 discount off of the regular $699 price.

Apple sells the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus as lower-cost alternatives to the flagship iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. The devices feature a fast A11 Bionic chip, a Touch ID Home button, and a glass body for wireless charging.

There are no iPhone 8 or 8 Plus models with higher storage capacities available from the refurbished store at this time, but refurbished stock fluctuates frequently based on the available devices that Apple has on hand.

Refurbished stock is also limited in quantity and can sell out. Checking the refurbished site often or using a tracking site is the best way to figure out when a particular model that you might want is in stock.

Apple has been offering iPhones in its online refurbished store since 2016, but it often takes some time for new models to show up there. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, for example, were released in September 2017 but have just shown up on the refurbished site.

Purchasing a refurbished iPhone from Apple is a good way to get a like-new device at a lower price point. All of Apple's refurbished products are tested, certified, cleaned, and guaranteed with a one-year warranty that can be extended with AppleCare+.

For refurbished iPhone models, Apple provides a fresh battery and a new outer shell, ensuring peak performance and no scratches or other cosmetic damage on the device that you receive.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8

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Review: BodyGuardz Pure 2 EyeGuard Provides Great Drop Protection, Blue Light Filtering as Added Bonus

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With the new Pure 2 EyeGuard Blue Light Glass Screen Protector, accessory company BodyGuardz is selling a screen protector that promises extreme impact shock absorption, along with the added bonus of blue light filtering for your eyes.

For those unaware, many people face overexposure to blue light from displays used in their jobs, which has been shown to result in the damage of light-sensitive cells in the eye's retina and other potentially harmful effects. In a day-to-day sense, this means that computer-heavy work can cause eye strain, fatigue, headaches, dry eyes, blurry vision, and more.


While blue light isn't only found in modern displays, new technologies and companies are emerging to combat the specific fight against this digital eye strain that results from ongoing exposure to blue light from digital screens, including BodyGuardz's Pure 2 EyeGuard Screen Protector.

The BodyGuardz accessory promises to filter out up to 43 percent of blue light in an effort to protect your eyes from digital eye strain, while simultaneously safeguarding an iPhone from dangerous drops. The Pure 2 EyeGuard is sized to fit iPhone X and iPhone XS, with an edge-to-edge design that's also compatible with iPhone cases.

Installation Process


Installing a screen protector can be a daunting process, but BodyGuardz includes a few helpful accessories that make the Pure 2 EyeGuard a bit less of a hassle to place on an iPhone. There is a plastic guide to ensure the screen protector goes on straight, dust removal stickers, a clean wipe, dust wipe, and the screen protector itself.


To start, I placed the plastic guide around the edges of my iPhone X. This acts as a sort of border for your installation process, and definitely makes getting the perfect angle on your iPhone much easier. Next I wiped my iPhone's screen with the included wet wipe, then finished off with the soft dust wipe cloth.

My iPhone immediately after installing the Pure 2 EyeGuard (left) vs after cleaning it up with dust removal stickers and waiting for bubbles to disappear (right)

I continued by peeling off the screen protector from the plastic sheet it came on, and carefully placing it on top of my iPhone. As it fell into the plastic tray, the edges of the protector lined up easily with the small black bezels of my iPhone X and the top notch. BodyGuardz then guides you to press firmly from the middle of the protector and smooth it outwards.


The company warns that whatever bubbles you see will disappear within 24 to 48 hours, and over the course of my testing I did see fewer bubbles. When I initially installed, however, I just pressed firmly with my thumb to smooth the screen protector out and managed to have no large or unsightly bubbles on the display.

Blue Light Filtering Quality


I have a little bit of experience with blue light filtering technology as I've worn Felix Gray glasses for about five months. I'm prone to headaches in the afternoon, after I've stared at my Mac's screen for several hours, and I have found slight alleviation from my symptoms after avoiding blue light overexposure.

I haven't seen any similar effect using the Pure 2 EyeGuard for the past few weeks. I have a feeling this is likely due to the fact that I don't stare at my iPhone's display for extended periods of time like I do my iMac or MacBook; it's simply not as predominant a worry for me personally as it has been on my larger devices.


Halfway through my testing I increased my iPhone usage to further look into the screen protector's blue light filtering quality. I found similar results to my initial tests, with no noticeable positive (or negative) outcome or any quantifiable decreases in typical blue light effects.

While I believe in the potential harmful effects of blue light overexposure and will continue to use filtering technologies like the Pure 2 EyeGuard and Felix Gray glasses (mainly because they integrate into my daily routine without any hassle), I've found at-home remedies to potentially help the best of all. If you have eye strain, the 20-20-20 rule is surprisingly helpful when you can't get away from work but need some relief, as is simply taking short breaks from a screen throughout the day.

Daily Use


Throughout testing, I never found the Pure 2 EyeGuard to alter or negatively impact the color or brightness of the display in any noticeable way. My iPhone remained reliably bright and colorful, and the useful True Tone and Night Shift features in iOS were visibly unchanged.


As with most thick screen protectors, one issue with the Pure 2 EyeGuard is the sometimes unreliable inputs you'll get when using the iOS keyboard. I haven't used a screen protector in a few months, so there was definitely an adjustment period where I made more typing errors than usual and it took me longer to type out messages. After a week or two, I got used to the Pure 2 EyeGuard on my iPhone X and texting speed returned to normal.


The accessory also has opaque black borders all the way around, which are slightly curved to match the curvature of the iPhone X's front display. Because of this, the Pure 2 EyeGuard avoids any "halo" effect disadvantages that some other glass screen protectors face, when they stick out at the edges and accumulate dust and other debris while not sticking directly to the smartphone. I definitely still saw a few dust particles sticking around the edges of the screen protector, but it was never to an extent that I found it bothersome.

Screen Damage Prevention


Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), I got to test out the full screen protection capabilities of the Pure 2 EyeGuard. Customers who face drops and scratches, and who are part of the loyalty program (which only requires your name, email address, and a password), will get free lifetime replacements for all screen protectors and full-body skins. The only catch is you'll have to pay shipping and have to return the original BodyGuardz product within 60 days.


The strong impact absorption and helpful customer service are perhaps the biggest advantages of the Pure 2 EyeGuard I discovered over the past few weeks. A few days into my testing, I knocked my iPhone off of a couch and into the metal leg of a nearby coffee table, where it made contact with the bottom edge of the iPhone, which is largely defenseless due to the design of Apple's silicone cases.


At first I thought some of the cracks that immediately appeared on the screen were part of the iPhone X's OLED display, but once I removed the Pure 2 EyeGuard from the iPhone I found that the aluminosilicate glass of BodyGuardz's accessory had taken the entire brunt of the damage. No cracks, hairline fractures, or scratches whatsoever had surfaced on the iPhone's display.


I contacted BodyGuardz about the incident, and while most of the loyalty program process was expedited for review purposes, it appears like it would be as seamless for all customers. I had a new Pure 2 EyeGuard in the mail within a week of dropping my iPhone, and have decided to keep it on for the foreseeable future following the incident.

Bottom Line


The BodyGuardz Pure 2 EyeGuard is a high-quality, super-reliable glass screen protector with a simple installation process and noteworthy replacement program.


While blue light filtering is a big part of the Pure 2 EyeGuard marketing, I'd describe it as more of an added bonus for people who are apt to use their iPhone heavily throughout the day. You might see positive effects from the accessory, and even if you don't you'll still have a sturdy screen protector.

How To Buy


The BodyGuardz Pure 2 EyeGuard is available for $44.95 on the company's website and on Amazon, with occasional sales discounting the protector to around $28.

BodyGuardz provided MacRumors with two Pure 2 EyeGuard screen protectors for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. 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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Lenovo K5X Images, Specifications Leak: Android Smartphone With 6-Inch Screen, 6GB RAM, And Other Features


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First Mac Mini Benchmark Surfaces Ahead of November 7 Launch

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The first Geekbench benchmark for one of the 2018 Mac mini models has surfaced (via VentureBeat), giving us an initial look at the performance we can expect from Apple's revamped desktop machine.

The benchmarked model is a higher-end custom configuration that features a 3.2GHz 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, UHD Graphics 630, and 32GB RAM. At a minimum, this configuration would cost $1,699.


Two scores for the machine were uploaded today from the same user taken eight minutes apart. The first features a single-core score of 5070 and a multi-core score of 16818, while the second, which suggests much better performance, features a single-core of 5512 and a multi-core score of 23516.

The higher-end score set puts this particular Mac mini configuration right on par with the high-end 2.9GHz 2018 MacBook Pro, which earned a single-core Geekbench score of 5433 and a multi-core score of 22556. Given the price point of this Mac mini's configuration, its MacBook Pro-matching performance comes as no surprise.

The Mac mini also closely matches the 2013 Mac Pro models when it comes to multi-core performance and exceeds them when it comes to single-core performance. With the exception of the iMac Pro, it outperforms 2017 iMac models, which were not refreshed this year.

It's not clear why there's such a disparity between the two Geekbench readings, but it's possible with the first that background tasks produced a lower result, hence the retest.

We should see additional Mac mini benchmarks surfacing in the near future as the device is set to launch on November 7. Benchmarks of the base models will give us a better idea of what to expect from the lower priced versions of the device.

MacBook Air and iPad Pro benchmarks have also surfaced over the course of the week, with the iPad Pro also demonstrating MacBook Pro-class performance.

Related Roundup: Mac mini
Buyer's Guide: Mac Mini (Buy Now)

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