Instagram parent company Facebook said in August said that it would introduce tools to let users know how much time they're spending in the Instagram app, and as of today, that feature is rolling out to Instagram users.
As noted by The Verge, Instagram has a new "Your Activity" section accessible by tapping the hamburger button on your profile page.
"Your Activity" displays the time that you've spent in the Instagram app over the course of the last week, providing a daily average.
There are options to set a daily time limit with a reminder to be sent when that time limit is reached, useful for those who want to cut down on their social media usage. This section also allows includes controls for managing notifications, with toggles for customizing the notifications that you receive.
Apple also natively monitors time spent in various apps like Instagram through the Screen Time feature that was introduced in iOS 12. Screen Time info can be accessed in the Settings app on iPhones and iPads.
Facebook, like Instagram, is supposed to be gaining an activity monitoring feature, but it hasn't yet been introduced.
Richard Zhu and Amat Cama, two white hat hackers, recently teamed up at the Mobile Pwn2Own contest in Tokyo and ended up earning a $60,000 prize after finding an iPhone exploit, according to a blog post on the Zero Day Initiative website.
The duo used a Safari weakness on an iPhone X running iOS 12.1 to retrieve a photo that had recently been deleted from the device. The hackers used a malicious Wi-Fi access point to exploit a just-in-time (JIT) compiler vulnerability.
The exploit the two hackers discovered can also be used to access additional files beyond deleted photos; the deleted photo just happened to be the first file the two came across and so it was used as a demonstration.
Next up, Amat and Richard returned to the Short Distance category. This time, they were targeting the iPhone X over Wi-Fi. They used a pair of bugs – a JIT vulnerability in the web browser followed by an Out-Of-Bounds write for the sandbox escape and escalation. The successful demonstration earned them $60,000 USD more and 10 additional Master of Pwn points. This ends their first day of competition with $140,000 USD and a commanding lead for the Master of Pwn with 31 points.
With the prize money and points awarded from the iPhone vulnerability along with other exploits shown off at the event, Zhu and Cama won the "Master of Pwn" title.
Apple has been informed of the vulnerability and will likely address it in an upcoming iOS update.
Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts today accepted the Thomson Reuters Foundation's Stop Slavery Award on behalf of Apple at the Trust Conference, an annual human rights gathering.
Apple received the award for its efforts to stop forced labor in its supply chain. Apple has long banned suppliers from requiring workers to pay off debt or withholding passports.
Ahrendts told attendees that Apple is teaming up with the UN's International Organization for Migration for an initiative that may eventually help victims of human trafficking to get jobs behind-the-scenes at Apple retail locations.
Apple will not know which individuals are being hired through the program, with participating people set to be hired by Apple suppliers rather than Apple directly to start with.
Proud of this team and the work they do to leave our world better than we found it. Congratulations and thank you! https://t.co/fHKEuMqUOC
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) November 14, 2018
Apple will, however, monitor the initiative, and the company may eventually extend the program to allow human trafficking victims to be hired in Apple retail locations, according to the BBC.
"Though we have only just started, we see huge opportunity to be a beacon of hope for trafficking survivors integrating them into our retail team," Ms Ahrendts said in her acceptance speech.
"These efforts are just a part of a broader set of initiatives to eliminate modern slavery from every part of our company, in every part of the world."
Apple conducts ongoing audits of its supply chain partners and punishes those who are found to be defying the protections put in place for workers. Suppliers who repay fees are put on probation, and those that do not are banned.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.
Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go, has been developing a new Harry Potter augmented reality game in partnership with Warner Bros, which is called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
Today, Niantic shared some new details on the upcoming game in the form of a teaser trailer that gives a first look at gameplay.
Niantic first announced Wizards Unite in November 2017, but we've heard little word on the game since then. In today's trailer, Niantic clarifies that we won't be seeing Wizards Unite until sometime in 2019.
In Wizards Unite, players will learn spells, explore real world neighborhoods turned magical through augmented reality, fight legendary beasts, and team up with others to take down enemies.
On the Wizards Unite website, it appears the plot will deal with traces of magic showing up in the muggle world, which will require witches and wizards to contain the threat by joining the Statute of Secrecy Task Force.
Please resist the urge to panic. Traces of magic are appearing across the Muggle world without warning and in a rather chaotic manner. We worry it is only a matter of time before even the most incurious Muggles catch wind of it. We call on all witches and wizards to help contain the Calamity or risk the worst of times since You Know Who. Brush up on your spells, get your wand ready, and enlist immediately.
Players who are looking forward to Niantic's new game can sign up for email updates on the Wizards Unite website.
Apple's Mac mini machines ship sans peripherals, which means there's no display, keyboard, or mouse included. It's a bring-your-own desktop.
As it turns out, if you have one of the new Mac minis, you can use an iPad Pro as a display with Astropad's Luna Display dongle, which is designed to turn an iPad into a second display for a Mac.
Luna Display hasn't previously been used as a primary display because it's been paired with Macs that come equipped with a display, but since the Mac mini has no display, it's the perfect machine for testing an iPad Pro as a primary display.
In a blog post, Astropad explains how the Luna Display dongle, the iPad app, and Mac app can be used together to turn the iPad Pro into a Mac mini display, with full instructions available.
According to the Astropad team, using the iPad Pro this way was like a "whole new product" because it's essentially macOS on the iPad with the Luna app, and a regular iPad Pro when not in the Luna app
This setup truly combines the best of both Mac and iPad, with the processing power of the Mac Mini and the edge-to-edge retina display of the iPad. Using Luna, we're able to take full advantage of every pixel on the iPad at full retina resolution. It offers more ways to interact with your macOS too, where you can seamlessly flow from mouse, to keyboard, to Apple Pencil, to touch interactions. And since Luna runs over WiFi, you have the flexibility of a completely wireless workspace. It all just works.
To get the same setup, you'll need a Luna Display dongle to plug into the Mac mini's USB-C port, the accompanying apps, an iPad Pro (any will work, but best results will be seen with Apple's newest model), a keyboard, a mouse, and a reliable WiFi network.
Apple in October gave us a major surprise with the launch of an entirely revamped, updated version of the MacBook Air, its most popular and affordable notebook option.
We went hands-on with the MacBook Air last week, and this week, we picked up an older MacBook Air to compare the new model to see just what's different and whether it's still worth buying the old version, which sells for $200 less than the current model.
The previous-generation MacBook Air is a 2015 design, but in 2017, Apple introduced 1.8GHz Broadwell-generation chips that were a slight upgrade from the 1.6GHz chips the machine had previously used. No other changes were made, so technically, Apple's old MacBook Air is outdated by several years.
Design wise, the new MacBook Air features a smaller, slimmer body that weighs a bit less, and the slimmer design is noticeable. It continues to feature the same tapered design as the previous models, and we didn't think the weight difference of a quarter of a pound stood out.
Along with a slimmed down body, the new MacBook Air comes in three color options: Space Gray, Gold, and the traditional Silver. Space Gray and Gold are colors that are new to the MacBook Air lineup.
The biggest change to the 2018 MacBook Air models is the display, which is now Retina and a huge improvement over the low-resolution display in the previous MacBook Air. The MacBook Air used to be the sole Apple device sans at least a Retina display option, but now Apple uses higher-resolution displays across its entire product lineup with the exception of the entry-level 21.5-inch iMac.
We thought the MacBook Air's new display offered a significant improvement over the previous MacBook Air's display, but it doesn't quite measure up to the display of the MacBook Pro because it's just not that bright. Brightness can be an issue outdoors in sunlight, so that's something to be aware of.
Design wise, the front of the MacBook Air has been overhauled. Those thick silver bezels from the previous version have been replaced with sleek, slim MacBook Pro-style black bezels that look much, much nicer.
Several other MacBook Pro features have been brought to the new MacBook Air and are upgrades over the previous model. There's a larger Force Touch trackpad, a third-generation butterfly keyboard, better speakers, a Touch ID button for authentication purposes, and a T2 chip for improved security.
Inside, the new MacBook Air is sporting a 7W 8th-generation 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor, and unsurprisingly, it's much speedier than the three-year-old processors used in the prior MacBook Air. Apple used to use 15W chips in the MacBook Air models, but this new, lower power 7W chip is both fast and efficient, allowing for longer battery life than ever.
The last super notable change is to the port setup. The new MacBook Air has two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack, with Apple eliminating the USB-A ports and the SD card slot from the older model. The addition of Thunderbolt 3 brings the MacBook Air in line with the rest of the Mac lineup and allows it to connect to 4K and 5K displays, faster Thunderbolt 3 storage, eGPUs, and more.
All of these changes have raised the base price of the MacBook Air. Prior to the October update, the MacBook Air sold for $999, but now the base model sells for $1,199, a $200 premium. Given the scope of the revamp, the $200 upgrade fee is well worth paying for anyone thinking of purchasing a MacBook Air.
Apple is still selling the older model at the same $999 price point, but it's just not worth purchasing because the components are so outdated at this point.
What do you think of Apple's new MacBook Air? Let us know in the comments.
Nomad, a company that makes various cables, chargers, cases, and other accessories for Apple devices, recently came out with an updated version of its Base Station charger.
While the original Base Station is designed to wirelessly charge two iPhones at once, the updated Apple Watch version is able to charge an iPhone and an Apple Watch.
The Base Station Apple Watch Edition features a flat, leather covered aluminum wireless charging pad that has an elevated Apple Watch magnetic charging puck on the left side to accommodate an Apple Watch. The positioning of the Apple Watch charger allows for the Apple Watch to be placed into nightstand mode, ideal for charging on a bedside table.
Design wise, the Base Station is a sleek black color, which will fit well into any modern office or room setup. The bottom features two non-slip rubber strips to keep it in place, and the leather pad keeps the iPhone from moving around while charging while also offering a soft place to put it.
When it comes to size, because this is a flat charger, it takes up more space than an upright charger might. It measures in at a little over six inches long and about 4 inches wide, so it's not huge, but it's definitely bigger than some other combined Apple Watch/iPhone chargers. I'd like to see Nomad make one of these with a smaller footprint that has an upright charger option and an Apple Watch charging option.
Apple today updated its website to introduce its annual holiday gift guide, recommending Apple products for people to purchase for friends and family this holiday season.
This year's gift guide is streamlined and simple, focusing primarily on Apple's newest selection of devices organized into different color collections.
The $999 iPhone XS, the $159 AirPods, and the Apple Watch Series 4, starting at $499, are the top three recommendations in the gift guide and these are the devices that are also likely to top many holiday wishlists.
Apple's AirPods in particular have been an incredibly popular gift choice since they launched and their popularity has shown no signs of waning.
iPhone XS cases, stainless steel Apple Watch Series 4 models, and Apple Watch Sport Loops in shades of pink, gray, and brown are also top picks, but scrolling down on the page, there's an iPhone XR-focused section.
In this portion of the guide, Apple recommends the $749 iPhone XR, which comes in a variety of colors, along with the $349 HomePod, iTunes gift cards, and Apple Watch bands and iPhone XS cases in shades of gray, blue, and cream.
Apple can't recommend iPhone XR cases in this iPhone XR section because it hasn't come out with first-party iPhone XR case options.
A third section recommends devices like the new iPad Pro, which starts at $799, the Apple Pencil 2, and the Smart Keyboard Folio for the iPad, while other recommendations further in the guide cover the Apple TV 4K, the Magic Mouse 2, the 13-inch MacBook Air, and more.
Apple usually recommends some third-party products in its gift guide, but has not done so this year, choosing instead to focus on its own devices.
In addition to sharing its gift guide, Apple today also kicked off its holiday return period, offering a holiday extension on its typical two week return period. Most Apple products purchased between November 14, 2018 and December 25, 2018 can be returned to Apple through January 8, 2019.
Extended holiday returns are available in the United States, Canada, Australia, the UK, and other select regions. As is typical, Apple is offering two-day shipping on all purchases, and later in December, will likely offer one-day shipping options for last minute shoppers.
Apple today released a new version of its Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock, which carries a model number of MU9F2AM/A and was added to the online Apple Store today.
The previous version of the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock, which had a model number of MLDW2AM/A, has been removed from the online store.
There are no design tweaks to the dock, which suggests that the new model includes unspecified internal updates. It is not known why Apple has introduced a revamped version, but the changes are likely to be minor.
The new Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock has also received FCC approval according to a filing that was shared today. The FCC filing provides no additional information on the dock or what might have been tweaked.
Apple's updated Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock can be purchased from the Apple website for $79. The device is available for delivery starting on Friday, November 16, and should be in retail stores soon.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced over two years ago in March of 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 70 includes bug fixes and feature improvements for Web Animations, Intersection Observer, CSS, WebRTC, Rendering, Web Inspector, Storage, Media, Payment Request, and Security UI.
The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS High Sierra and macOS Mojave, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was released to the public in September.
Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Apple today announced that its annual extended holiday return policy begins today in the United States and several other countries around the world.
Under the policy, eligible products purchased between November 14, 2018 and December 25, 2018 can be returned until January 8, 2019 in the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and select other regions. You can return something ordered online or purchased in store, and Apple's policy states that the items can be sent back to Apple for free through the mail or dropped off at any Apple Store.
In countries like Japan and Spain, the policy is slightly different and extends from November 14, 2018 to January 6, 2019, with a return deadline of January 20, 2019 in these regions.
In all regions, items excluded from the return policy include Apple or iTunes gift cards. Otherwise, most products can be returned, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and more. The devices can be opened and used prior to being returned, but they must be undamaged and in their original packaging.
As with any holiday purchase, make sure you keep your receipts when buying on Apple.com or in an Apple retail store, to ensure that your purchase falls within the timeframe of the extended holiday return policy. If you bought something from Apple prior to today, it will fall under Apple's typical 14-day return policy.
After debuting a few new Apple Watch band colors following the September keynote event, Apple today updated its website with a new (PRODUCT)RED Sport Loop. The $49.00 accessory is available in both 40mm and 44mm, and it will also fit previous Apple Watch generations with 38mm and 42mm measurements.
This marks the first time that a Sport Loop band has gained the (PRODUCT)RED color option. Devices and accessories marked with the (PRODUCT)RED brand name represent Apple's partnership with (RED), an organization that supports HIV/AIDS programs; offers counseling, testing, and medicine; and works to prevent further spread of the disease. Every (PRODUCT)RED item purchased through Apple contributes directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.
In September, Apple didn't introduce any new band styles for Apple Watch, but there were a few new colors that matched the new iPhone XS and XS Max cases. For the Sport Loop specifically, there were five new colors: Cape Cod Blue, Nectarine, Hibiscus, Storm Gray, and Indigo. It's also available in the Pink Sand, Seashell, and Black options. Like the new (PRODUCT)RED Sport Loop, all versions of the band sell for $49.00.
Apple has also trimmed down the selection of bands available in its "previous seasons" section, discontinuing the following options:
- Sport Band: Gray, Pink Sand, Midnight Blue, White - Nike Sport Band: Pure Platinum/Black, Obsidian/Black, Anthracite/Black - Sport Loop: Seashell, Pink Sand, Black - Stainless Steel: Silver Milanese Loop
Several of these bands were already in limited supply and only available in either the 38 or 42 mm size.
Following its October 30 media event, Apple quietly announced in its MacBook Air press release that new AMD Radeon Pro Vega graphics would be coming to the 15-inch MacBook Pro as of November 14, and the new options have just gone live in Apple's online store.
The high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro can now be custom configured with with Radeon Pro Vega 16 graphics for an additional $250 or Radeon Pro Vega 20 graphics for an additional $350.
Configuring a MacBook Pro with the new Vega graphics pushes delivery estimates to November 20 at the earliest, which is a fairly standard timeframe for custom orders.
In what is likely the result of a bug, a number of SSD custom-built configuration options have disappeared from Apple's 27-inch iMac lineup in its online store, with 1 TB and 2 TB options now missing entirely.
On the 27-inch iMac, available storage upgrades have varied depending on which stock configuration is used as the starting point, with the low-end and middle-tier models allowing customers to select from 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB of SSD storage as upgrades from the standard 1 TB Fusion Drives, while the high-end model allowed for upgrading to 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB of SSD storage from the standard 2 TB Fusion Drive.
As of today, however, the available SSD options on the 27-inch iMac lineup in Apple's online store are much more limited and somewhat conflicting depending on the starting configuration. On the low-end model, 256 GB is now the only SSD upgrade option available, while on the middle-tier model Apple is showing no SSD options at all. For the high-end configuration, only a 512 GB SSD option is available.
While the change is consistent across Apple's online stores in multiple countries, the Apple Store iOS app continues to show all of the usual SSD options.
The 21-inch iMac is also unaffected in either the online store or the app, with Apple offering up to 512 GB or 1 TB of SSD storage depending on starting configuration, and it makes little sense for the 21-inch model to offer better SSD options than its larger sibling.
As a result, this is very likely a bug with Apple's online store that should be fixed relatively shortly.
Update 4:15 PM: Apple says this is indeed an error and is fixing the issue.
As Netflix tries to grow subscriber numbers outside of the United States, TechCrunch reports today that the streaming video company is testing out a subscription model where users are only able to watch on a phone or a tablet. With this stipulation, the cost of Netflix is cut by as much as 50 percent from the "Basic" tier, down to around $4/month from $8/month.
Right now, the test appears to be centered in Malaysia, but earlier in the week Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told Bloomberg that the company plans to test numerous lower-price plans throughout Asia. A Netflix spokesperson speaking to TechCrunch confirmed that similar mobile-only trials are "running in a few countries."
For the mobile-only option, users can only watch shows in SD, and if they ever want to watch Netflix on a laptop or television, they'll have to upgrade their plan. Like many companies, Netflix is always testing out new features and updates to its service, so it's unclear if mobile-only options will grow beyond trials and enter countries where Netflix is already popular, like the United States.
As of now, Netflix offers three subscription tiers: Basic, Standard, and Premium. Basic costs $7.99/month, offers one screen to stream content on at a time, and only in SD. Standard upgrades this by offering two simultaneous streams in HD for $10.99/month, while Premium has the most simultaneous streams on offer at four, as well as HD and Ultra HD content, all for $13.99/month. One year ago Netflix increased the price of its Standard and Premium tiers, which previously cost $9.99 and $11.99 respectively.
Since the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus introduced Qi wireless charging into Apple products for the first time last year, more and more users have begun hunting for the best wireless charging pad out there. We've detailed this topic in numerous posts over the past year, and in the end, many buying recommendations for Qi mats come down to support for Apple's 7.5W fast wireless charging and overall design.
In both categories, Twelve South's all new PowerPic Frame for iPhone excels. The accessory is a wooden picture frame that fits any vertically framed 5"x7" photo, while also charging any Qi-compatible smartphone. In Apple's lineup of devices, that means it supports the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, XS, XS Max, and XR, but if you use Google or other Android smartphones that have Qi wireless charging, you can use the PowerPic as well.
Setup
PowerPic essentially comes in three pieces: the wooden picture frame, the back plate that makes up the main charging section of the device, and a small metal support arm. The support arm connects easily into the back of the PowerPic, and a little cutout allows for cable organization.
The included cable is a 1.5m USB-C to USB-A cable. PowerPic doesn't come with an AC adapter, so if you want to plug it into a wall then your outlet will need a USB socket, or you can use any traditional wall adapter brick.
To change the image in the frame, PowerPic is built like a regular picture frame. The back has small clips that hold the charging plate in place, and if you swivel these clips away, the plate will disengage from the wooden frame. Even with the added weight of the charging plate, PowerPic didn't feel particularly heavy to me, and the support arm kept the accessory nice and sturdy wherever I placed it.
This article shows you how to change the icon of any file or folder on your Mac. Apart from adding a bit of personal style to your desktop, there are good practical reasons why you might want to do so.
For example, perhaps you've dragged some folders to your Dock so that you can easily drop items into them, but you don't want to have to keep hovering your mouse over their generic blue icons to identify which is which.
To customize a file or folder icon, simply follow the steps below. You can use your own pictures as icons. Alternatively, there are a wealth of icon libraries hosted online, so you could try a web search for free icon pack downloads for Mac.
Note: If you find icons online in the .icns format, you can drag these icon types directly onto the icon in a file or folder's Info panel, thereby skipping the Preview steps described below.
Double-click the picture or icon you want to use to open it in your Mac's built-in Preview app.
Choose Edit -> Select All in Preview's menu bar, or use the keyboard shortcut Command-A.
Choose Edit -> Copy in Preview's menu bar, or use the keyboard shortcut Command-C.
Next, right-click (or Ctrl-click) the file or folder whose icon you want to change and select Get Info from the contextual menu.
Click the icon in the top left of the Info panel to select it.
Choose Edit -> Paste from the menu bar, or use the keyboard shortcut Command-V.
Click the red traffic light to close the Info panel, and you're done.
If you want to revert a file or folder to its default icon, open its Get Info panel again, click the icon in the panel to select it, and choose Edit -> Cut or use the keyboard shortcut Command-X. You can also select and copy (Edit -> Copy) a file or folder's icon in its Info panel for use elsewhere.
Withings today announced the Pulse HR, the first all-new addition to its health and fitness tracker range since the French company relaunched two months ago.
Reviving the classic design of Withings Pulse – the first tracker Withings ever launched in 2013 – Pulse HR matches an OLED display in stainless steel casing with a silicone wristband that comes in several optional colors.
Under the Pulse HR is a PPG heart rate sensor capable of measuring pulse at 10-minute intervals and continuous heart rate measurements during workout sessions, which include a full breakdown of HR zones synced to the Health Mate app.
By raising their wrist or using the tracker's button, users can scroll through time/date, heart rate, calories burned, activity goal progress, real-time workout information, and smartphone notifications.
Like the Withings Steel HR smartwatch, Pulse HR includes multi-sport tracking for over 30 different activities from yoga, volleyball, and rowing to boxing, skiing and ice hockey. It also offers GPS-connected automatic activity recognition for over 10 activities including walking, running and swimming, and is water resistant up to 50 meters.
The 20-day battery life enables full sleep tracking, including a Smart Wake-up feature that can wake users with vibration alarms at the most optimal times during their sleep cycle.
Pulse HR begins pre-orders today and will ship in time for the holidays on December 5, priced $129.95. Additional information is available on the Withings website, where customers can browse its full range of fitness trackers and other connected products like scales, blood pressure monitors, smart thermometers, sleep trackers, and more.
Apple today 
