MacRumors

Razer this week has Tweeted a teaser image for what appears to be a handheld device, with speculation circling that the image hints at the company's announcement of its first smartphone. Razer said that the official debut of the product will happen on November 1, calling the device reveal its "biggest unveiling" yet (via 9to5Google).

The new teaser image emphasizes the word "Watch," and includes a collection of background screenshots of what appear to be clips from various video games. Razer is mostly known for its gaming laptops and PCs, but the company did launch a handheld product a few years back called the Razer Edge Pro that attempted to merge high-end PC gaming in the form of a portable tablet device.

Earlier this year Razer acquired smartphone company Nextbit, sparking the first rumors that the gaming hardware maker could be interested in building a dedicated smartphone for its users. A report by Bloomberg over the summer further cemented these rumors, stating that Razer was planning to develop a "mobile device tailored for its consumer base of hardcore gamers."

Razer invites those interested to visit its website and sign up for updates about the announcement ahead of the November 1 product unveiling.

Yale today announced it is releasing its first two smart locks with support for Apple's HomeKit platform.

Both the Assure Lock SL (YRD256) and Assure Lock Key Free Touchscreen Deadbolt (YRD246) will soon be available with an iM1 Network Module preinstalled, which adds HomeKit compatibility out of the box.

Yale is also releasing the iM1 Network Module separately for customers that wish to add HomeKit support to an Assure Lock they already purchased.

Installing the module can be done by removing the battery cover and batteries, snapping the module into place, and enrolling the module by following these steps:

1. Enter the master PIN code and tap the gear.
   

2. Tap 7 and tap the gear.
   

3. Tap 1 and tap the gear.

HomeKit support will enable users to lock and unlock their homes with Apple's Home app on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 10 or later. Homeowners can also use Siri voice commands, such as "Hey Siri, lock the front door."

Assure locks feature a backlit capacitive touchscreen keypad for keyless entry. If a smartphone is unavailable, users can enter a unique 4-8 digit PIN code to enter the home.

With the companion Yale Secure app, users are able to check battery status, manage up to 250 unique 4-8 digit PIN codes, see current lock status, customize lock settings, name a lock, and add a new lock.

Locking and unlocking away from home requires a fourth-generation Apple TV or later, or an iPad with iOS 10.3 or later, set up as a home hub.

The locks are powered by four AA batteries included, or users can touch a 9V battery to the terminals at the bottom as a backup option.

The new Assure Lock SL and Assure Lock Key Free Touchscreen Deadbolt with the iM1 Network Module should be available on Amazon by Monday, October 16 for $249.99 and $199.99 respectively. Prices vary.

The module will be available for $49.99 at major retail stores in the United States and Canada, including Best Buy and Lowe's, starting October 16.

Eternal Storms today released Yoink for iOS, a new mobile version of the popular drag-and-drop Mac app. On iOS 11, Yoink acts like a convenient shelf for users to drag in files and other content, do something else (switch apps, tabs, and so on) and then easily access those items again by dragging them out of Yoink.

Yoink works best as a Slide-Over or Side-by-Side app that can be used to drop items into temporarily. Almost anything that can be dragged in iOS 11 is accepted by Yoink. It's also possible to paste clipboard contents into the app shelf, while a share extension allows users to send items directly to Yoink from any app.

Yoink attempts to create a rich preview for every item users add, so that, at a glance, easy identification is possible (for example, web link items show part of the website and map locations show a preview using Apple Maps). A detailed preview, by tapping onto the item, is possible for most items.

Note that while Yoink also works on iPhone, it does not support drag and drop, as iOS 11's drag and drop functionality is not available on the device. The clipboard and sharing functionality works just like on iPad, however.

Yoink is available on the App Store for $2.99 in a limited time deal (regular price $4.99). The app is localized in English, German, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese, with
more languages will follow. To celebrate the release of Yoink for iOS, the Mac version of Yoink has also been reduced for a limited time ($4.99, usually $6.99).

IKEA has had to backtrack once more on its claim that the company's Trådfri Smart Lighting range is ready to work with Apple HomeKit.

According to German tech blog SmartDroid, IKEA began rolling out an update yesterday to owners to bring support for Apple's smart home platform as well as Amazon Alexa, only for the company to announce on its blog that many users were reporting "technical difficulties" in getting the connectivity to work.

This is the second time IKEA has had to apologize to Trådfri owners waiting for HomeKit compatibility. Back in August the company told customers that support was ready, but quickly retracted the advice when word spread online.

IKEA has promised HomeKit support for its affordable range of home lighting products since May. The system was originally announced in late March, and includes LED bulbs, illuminated panels, a motion sensor kit, a gateway kit, and dimming lights.

IKEA went on to say yesterday that there is still no working support for HomeKit and Alexa, and apologized for the inconvenience while it works on another update that rectifies the situation. As it stands, Philips Hue smart hubs remain the only other means to control the Trådfri lights from smartphones.

Fabless semiconductor company Himax Technologies has begun shipments of chips based on wafer-level optics (WLO) technology to Apple, according to industry sources (via DigiTimes). The solution is reportedly a key component of the Face ID facial authentication sensor exclusive to the upcoming iPhone X.

ChipMOS Technologies will also see revenues generated from orders for WLO chips increase substantially later in 2017 as the backend house has cut into the supply chain for the iPhone X by partnering with Himax, said the sources. ChipMOS' revenues from orders for WLO chips are expected to reach between NT$50 million (US$1.66 million) and NT$60 million, up from the current NT$20-30 million, the sources indicated.

Apart from Apple's demand for the WLO chips, HiMax and its backend partner ChipMOS are gearing up for a busy 2018, with Android phone makers expected to follow Apple's lead by bringing facial recognition features to their own devices.

According to a recent research note by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has tilted interest in the mobile industry away from under-display fingerprint recognition, and instead towards camera-based 3D sensing technologies as the ideal user authentication solution. Kuo believes the next two to three years will see shipments of 3D sensor-equipped Android devices to exceed those with under-display fingerprint recognition by a factor of two or three or more.

In line with Kuo's analysis, industry sources claim Qualcomm's recently announced 3D depth-sensing solution, jointly developed with Himax, is directly targeted at orders from the Android camp, with solutions from Orbbec and Mantis Vision also jostling to business. Himax and ChipMOS declined to comment on specific customers and orders.

In related news, supply chain sources speculate that Apple may delay iPhone X shipments otherwise the supply of the device could be limited this year due to yield problems with key components for new features that require 3D sensing modules. Apple is allegedly waiting to see how many iPhone X pre-orders it receives, and monitoring how well the already-released iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus sell, before fully ramping up production overseas.

A report last month claimed Apple's suppliers are shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for initial production of the iPhone X, with Kuo subsequently claiming the 3D sensing components used in the TrueDepth camera, which represents a far more complex structure than those of rivals, may be the main production bottleneck.

Kuo said shipments of iPhone X components will likely ramp up in mid to late October. Given pre-orders begin October 27, with in-store availability starting November 3, all signs point towards the iPhone X being in extremely short supply.

Bear Notes for iOS got a 1.3 update on Wednesday, bringing new note multitasking feature for iPad and iPhone as well as adding Apple Watch support to the popular writing app for the first time.

Using the new multi-touch gestures in iOS 11, the new "Drop Bar" enables users to manipulate multiple notes as once, including the ability to merge, share, pin, trash, duplicate, and copy or export them in a variety of formats.

For example, when a user selects two or more notes (by tapping and holding on one and then selecting others in the same way), dragging the notes triggers the Drop Bar, which appears at the bottom of the Notes List. Dragging said notes into the Drop Bar presents the user with a new sheet listing the above options, allowing them to select the desired one.

As a result, users are now able to copy multiple notes to the clipboard as one big note, or export them all as one complete JPEG to share over Twitter, for example. Other possibilities include creating template notes for work or journaling and duplicating them all at once, or copying links to multiple notes at once to paste in other apps for quick access. (Some export options require Bear Pro.)

In addition, Bear's new Apple Watch support means users can create new text notes simply by speaking to their Apple Watch, and they will be transcribed into text and saved to Bear for iPhone. With the new smartwatch feature, users can also view their 10 most recent notes on their wrist and annotate said notes, while a new Bear complication adds the ability to record a new note straight from the watch face.

Bear is available to download on the App Store for iPad and iPhone [Direct Link], as well as on the Mac App Store [Direct Link].

Disney's free Movies Anywhere service is expanding thanks to partnerships with Fox, Sony Pictures, Universal, and Warner Bros, allowing customers who purchase movies from services like iTunes and Amazon Video to watch all of their content in one place using the Movies Anywhere apps.

Disney has been using Movies Anywhere for Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm titles since 2014, but now the available content library has greatly expanded. The new Movies Anywhere service replaces the existing Disney version.

With a Movies Anywhere account, Movies Anywhere content purchased from Google Play, Amazon Video, iTunes, and Vudu can be accessed the service. It can also be used for digital content that comes alongside physical copies of DVDs or Blu-Rays so long as they're from Disney or one of its partner studios.

There are Movies Anywhere apps for the Apple TV and iOS devices, and the service is limited to the United States at the current time.

While most movie studios are on board, allowing users to watch more than 7,300 titles, Paramount and Lionsgate have yet to sign up.

Users who sign up for Movies Anywhere and connect their accounts with one digital retailer can get access to Ice Age and Ghostbusters (2016) for free. With two accounts added to the service, users can also get access to Big Hero 6, Jason Bourne, and The Lego Movie at no cost.

Popular email app Spark for Mac and iOS was today updated with several new features aimed at professionals, including "Send Later" and "Follow-up Reminders."

Send Later is designed to allow users to schedule emails to be sent at a later time instead of right away. Spark users can compose an email and then schedule it at the time when it's most likely to be read.

The feature can be accessed by choosing the Send Later icon when composing an email, which will pop up an option to choose a time.

Follow-up reminders are meant to remind Spark users to follow up on emails that have been sent out and not responded to.

Professional follow-up is an art that both sender and recipient appreciate. Everyone gets busy and can easily miss important emails. In this case, friendly follow-up reminders help you get a response when the timing is right. Use follow-up Reminders in Spark to ensure that your message doesn't end up in limbo.

On iOS devices, the Spark app has been updated with a new email composer to accommodate the two new features. The new design is meant to make it easier to choose the From email address, and more explicit CC and BCC buttons are supposed to make it easier to manage CC/Bcc contacts.

The new Spark features are available today in both the iOS and Mac apps, which are free downloads. [iOS: Direct Link] [Mac: Direct Link]

Yelp's iOS app received a major update today, introducing support for Apple Pay for the first time.

With Apple Pay support, Apple's payments service can be used to make purchases from local businesses through Yelp for things like delivery or takeout food.

When you make a purchase and then go to the checkout and payment process, Apple Pay is now listed as an available purchase option in the Yelp app alongside credit card and Paypal. Apple Pay is a purchase option for a wide range of items within the Yelp app, including food, concert tickets, and more.

Big news. You can now use Apple Pay to make purchases from local businesses on Yelp. So go ahead -- book an oceanside couples massage, get tickets to that John Mayer concert, or get those lobster rolls delivered.

The Apple Pay update became available in an update released this morning. Yelp can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Back in January, Ring introduced its motion-activated Floodlight Cam, pairing a security camera with two bright floodlights to help protect users' homes. The Floodlight Cam began shipping in April, and I've been using one for about six weeks to monitor the rear of my house. It's a handy product that lets you keep tabs on movement around your home, with push notifications, live and recorded camera views, and the ability to use two-way talk and a siren to communicate with people approaching your home.

The hardwired Floodlight Cam includes a pair of floodlights with a 270-degree motion sensor, combined with a camera capable of 1080p HD video, enhanced night vision, 140-degree field of view, and a cloud recording subscription plan. It's priced at $249 (or $449 for a two-pack) and is available in black or white.

➜ Click here to read more...

A few one-day-only sales today have discounted some useful Apple accessories and HomeKit products, including discounts on Leviton dimmers and light switches over at The Home Depot. The retailer's "Special Buy of the Day" has eight of Leviton's products on sale (one of which is now sold out), with 26 percent taken off of each device.

While there are basic, non-IoT outlet and dimmers on sale, Leviton has a few Wi-Fi smart switches that work with Amazon, Google, and Apple ecosystems. Below we'll list the remaining five Leviton Wi-Fi enabled smart products on sale at The Home Depot today, along with each smart home system that they work with. Also note that each of the products listed below come in a pack of two:

• Decora Smart with Z-Wave Technology 15 Amp Switch (Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Wink) - $67.95, down from $89.94
• Decora Smart Wi-Fi 15 Amp Universal LED/Incandescent Switch (Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google, Proprietary App) - $67.95, down from $89.94
• Decora Smart 15 Amp Switch (Apple HomeKit) - $67.95, down from $89.94
• Decora Smart Wi-Fi 600-Watt Universal LED/Incandescent Dimmer (Amazon Alexa, Google, Proprietary App) - $74.95, down from $99.94
• Decora Smart 600-Watt Z-Wave Technology Dimmer (Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Wink) - $74.95, down from $99.94

Best Buy has its own one-day-only deal going on today as well, with the Sideclick Universal Remote Attachment for Apple TV at $19.99, $10 off its normal price of $29.99. The Sideclick attaches to your Apple TV Siri Remote (or other previous-generation Apple TV remotes), and lets you connect to a Blu-ray player, sound bar, DVD player, and more.

If you're looking for the newest Beats Pill+ Bluetooth speaker, Fry's Electronics is selling the device for just $148, down from its original retail price of $229.95. You can get the Pill+ in Black, White, and Red, and if you're interested make sure to take advantage of the deal soon since it'll be ending tomorrow, October 12. You should see the discount price once the speaker is in your cart.

In other deals-related reminders, if you've been on the fence about Super Mario Run, be sure to download the full version of the game before the sale price of $4.99 ends tomorrow. Similarly, The Home Depot's $20 off discount for the Nanoleaf Aurora lighting kit will end tomorrow. For a full refresher on the latest sales going on this week, head over to our Deals Roundup.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors

Twitter today announced an update for its tvOS app, which allows you to pair your Twitter account on an iPhone or iPad with an Apple TV, and easily access Tweets on your iOS device that you see scroll by on the TV app's live feeds.

The Twitter app for Apple TV focuses on live-streaming video, which you can display simultaneously with a scrolling list of user Tweets in a split-screen mode. Since it's difficult to engage with Tweets on the TV app, the new update lets you jump directly from a Tweet on the Apple TV to your iPhone or iPad without having to search for a specific Tweet.

All you need to do is make sure your iOS device is on the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV, then open Twitter for Apple TV and long press for three seconds on the Siri Remote. This will bring up a menu where you can link your iOS device to the Apple TV Twitter app.

From Twitter TV product manager Ryan Troy: “People love to Tweet while watching their favorite TV shows because it allows everyone to experience what’s happening together. This update combined with Twitter’s daily programming that’s shaped by Tweets from the audience helps enable true interactive TV.”

Afterwards, you'll be able to send any Tweet that you see on the live timeline on Apple TV to your iPhone, where you can quickly reply, like, Retweet, and send an image or a GIF. Twitter said the feature will work with any of the Apple TV app's live broadcasts, which cover sports, entertainment broadcasts, and other live events.

Twitter for Apple TV is available to download from the tvOS App Store for free.