Back in September, Griffin announced its first product for the fourth-generation Apple TV, a silicone case designed to protect the Apple TV Siri Remote. As of today, Griffin's Survivor Play remote control case is available for purchase.
The Survivor Play mimics the design of sleeves for the hand-held Wii Remote, wrapping the Siri Remote in a soft textured silicone that adds grip and padding that may save it from breaking should it be dropped on accident. The Siri Remote slips easily into the sleeve, which protects the back, the sides, and part of the front while still leaving the buttons, the built-in touch pad, and the Lightning port available for use.
At the back, there's a thick but ergonomic grip included, which Griffin says makes the Survivor Play easy and comfortable to hold on to even during long gameplay sessions.
Given that there have already been multiple reports from people who have broken the glass touch area on their Apple TV Siri Remotes, the Survivor Play is a useful accessory that could prove to be quite popular with Apple TV owners. Because it leaves the Lightning port open, it can be paired with a Remote Loop for even more peace of mind.
Griffin's Survivor Play for the Siri Remote can be purchased from the Griffin website for $19.99.
It's been more than a month since tvOS and the tvOS App Store launched alongside the new fourth-generation Apple TV, marking a good time to take a look at the state of the tvOS App Store. AppFigures today published some figures on tvOS apps, giving us an overview of the new App Store's progress since it launched.
There are a total of 2,624 apps available in the tvOS App Store, and AppFigures expects growth to hit 5,000 apps in January and 10,000 apps early in 2016, with an average of 447 apps being added to the tvOS App Store each week. At that growth rate, tvOS is closely mirroring the growth of the original iOS App Store. In July of 2008, the iOS App Store launched with 500 apps, and expanded to 9,676 apps four months later in November of 2008.
At six months, the iOS App Store was at 15,000 apps and 500 million downloads, so it will be interesting to see if the tvOS App Store keeps pace. As of now, its growth rate compared to the growth rate of the iOS App Store is promising -- in a few years, the tvOS App Store could closely resemble the iOS App Store in terms of app availability.
Of course, Apple will need to entice developers to the platform for it to be as successful as the iOS App Store, and that could be an uphill battle. TouchArcade editor-in-chief Eli Hodapp recently spoke to multiple tvOS developers who have popular apps and games in the tvOS App Store, many of whom are earning $100 "on a good day" with revenue that's been trailing off since the Apple TV launched.
The tvOS App Store may be growing steadily, but if Apple can't encourage developers to create high-quality content for the platform, it could go the way of the Mac App Store instead of the iOS App Store. Aside from a handful of super popular apps, most Mac App Store apps aren't bringing in a lot of money and some developers are even abandoning the platform because of the way Apple has handled it.
There are no ads available in tvOS apps, so developers must charge money up front or generate revenue through in-app purchases. A lot of people have come to expect content for free through the iOS App Store, which is problematic. According to AppFigures, 39 percent of apps on the tvOS App Store are paid apps. Most paid apps are priced at $0.99, and almost all paid apps are priced below $4.99.
When it comes to the composition of apps in the tvOS App Store, games are, unsurprisingly, the most popular category, making up 38 percent of all Apple TV apps. Of the 2,624 apps available, 1,002 of those are in the Games category. Entertainment, which includes apps like Netflix or Hulu, is the second most popular category, followed by Education and Lifestyle.
Though games are the most prolific apps in the tvOS App Store, based on the top 50 most downloaded apps, customers are more interested in the Entertainment category, downloading apps like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Go. Games is the second most popular download category, followed by News.
AppFigures data was gathered from its Appbase app catalog, which contains more than four million apps from all major app stores, including Apple TV apps.
Earlier this week, my coworker Juli Clover kickstarted our MacRumors Gift Guides with a list of items that she owns and loves, would love to receive or would love to gift to someone. Today, she passes the reins onto me.
Our second gift guide this week is written by myself, Joe Rossignol, and is based on gifting an iPhone 6s on T-Mobile, including some of my personal favorite headphones and accessories that can be bundled with the smartphone.
iPhone 6s is Apple's newest smartphone, featuring a faster A9 chip with 2GB of RAM, 3D Touch and Live Photos. Apple continues to offer a base model with 16GB storage, but upgrading to 64GB is highly recommended for iPhone users with a higher number of apps, photos and music. iCloud storage is also available.
Apple sells the 64GB iPhone 6s in Gold, Rose Gold, Silver or Space Gray for $749, while T-Mobile's newer JUMP! On Demand financing program breaks down the cost of the smartphone into 24 equal monthly payments of $27.09 with $99.99 due upfront. A credit check and qualifying service are required.
T-Mobile is progressively becoming a more attractive U.S. carrier for iPhone users on a budget. Under the leadership of CEO John Legere, the carrier has replaced contracts and subsidizing pricing with attractive price points and features that are highly competitive with larger rivals AT&T and Verizon.
One of the most valuable plans offered by U.S. carriers is T-Mobile's 6GB Simple Choice postpaid or prepaid plan, which for $65 per month includes unlimited talk, text messaging and up to 6GB of 4G LTE data nationwide, in addition to complimentary features such as Binge On, Data Stash, Mobile Without Borders and Music Freedom.
Mobile Without Borders: Unlimited talk and text messaging to and from the U.S. and Canada and Mexico, and free 4G LTE roaming in select markets
Simple Global: Unlimited low-speed data and texting at no extra cost, and flat-rate calls for 20 cents per minute, in 145 other countries outside of the U.S.
Data Stash: At the end of the month, your unused 4G LTE data, up to 20GB total, rolls forward into your Data Stash to be used any time within 12 months. If you use 3GB of your 6GB 4G LTE data in January, for example, you could use up to 9GB of 4G LTE data in February. T-Mobile is also offering 10GB of 4G LTE data for free until December 31, 2015 as a one-time promotion for new customers.
Music Freedom: T-Mobile offers unlimited streaming music from a number of top services, including Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Rdio, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, SiriusXM and more. The data used by these apps does not count against your monthly allotment.
Binge On: T-Mobile offers unlimited 480p video streaming from a number of top services, including Netflix, HBO Now, HBO Go, Hulu, WatchESPN, Showtime, Starz Play, Encore Play, Vevo, MLB.tv, NBC Sports, Movieplex Play, Vessel, Sling TV, Sling Box, T-Mobile TV, Go90, DirecTV, Univision Sports, Crackle, FOX Sports, FOX Sports Go, Vudu, and Ustream.
For most iPhone users, 6GB of 4G LTE data per month should be a reasonable amount, especially when considering the dozens of music and video streaming services that T-Mobile does not count against your data allotment. T-Mobile's network is still inferior to AT&T and Verizon in some areas, however, so be sure to check their coverage map.
Apple's EarPods included in the box with the iPhone 6s are likely good enough for the average iPhone user, but heavy music listeners or audiophiles may prefer to invest in a more premium pair of headphones. Nearly five years ago, I did so myself by purchasing a pair of V-MODA Crossfade LP headphones.
V-MODA continues to sell a lineup of premium headphones today, including new Crossfade Wireless headphones for $300 [Amazon]. The on-ear headphones deliver up to 12 hours of award-winning sound over Bluetooth per charge, or you can use the USB port or 3.5mm headphone jack for wired analog listening with zero latency.
V-MODA's Crossfade Wireless headphones use high-end Crossfade M100 drivers and are designed with an ergonomic steel flex headband, patented 50mm dual diaphragms, interchangeable soft memory cushions, custom 3D printed shields with laser engraving and other premium materials.
Bluelounge's Backpack is another product that I have owned for several years, it having accompanied me on multiple trips to New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco and other destinations. The roll-top backpack is modern, eco-friendly and versatile, featuring solid aluminum carabiners and neoprene compartments that can hold smartphones, tablets and other day-to-day items.
Bluelounge's Backpack is also waterproof and transitional in size, making it a perfect gift idea for the college student or outdoorsman among your family or friends. The backpack, made from 100% PET recycled materials and solid aluminum, is available in small for $149 (black or green) or in large for $159 (black or gray).
Apple introduced its new Smart Battery Case earlier this week for $99, which is two-and-a-half times more expensive than Anker's Ultra Slim Extended Battery Case for iPhone 6s on sale for $39.99 [Amazon]. Anker's case also delivers an extra 2,850 mAh battery capacity, providing up to 120% extra battery life per charge, compared to Apple's 1,877 mAh battery case.
Anker's Ultra Slim Battery Case may be slightly harder to put on your iPhone, and does not display the case's battery level on the Lock screen or in Notification Center, but its affordable price point is hard to ignore. Wirecutter calls it the best battery case for iPhone 6s.
We're going to be sharing additional gift guides over the next week, so make sure to keep an eye out for them. If you have a favorite product, feel free to add it to our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide Master List, which is going to be turned into a gift guide culled from our forum members' most loved items.
Apple offers protection for the iPad Pro in the form of a Smart Cover and a Silicone Case for the back of the device, but Apple's products are priced rather high at $59 and $79 respectively, for a total price of $138 for complete iPad Pro coverage.
Luckily, third-party manufacturers have already started coming out with some clever cases and covers for the iPad Pro, and one of the first available rear shells comes from popular accessory maker SwitchEasy. The iPad Pro CoverBuddy is SwitchEasy's first product for Apple's tablet, and it's designed to work alongside Apple's own Smart Cover and Smart Keyboard.
SwitchEasy funded the iPad Pro CoverBuddy through Indiegogo, but now it's ready to ship out to customers. While the Indiegogo campaign was still ongoing, SwitchEasy sent me a prototype CoverBuddy to check out, which I've been using for the last week.
Made of a thin but rigid polycarbonate, the CoverBuddy snaps onto the back of the iPad Pro. Since it's only 1.5mm thick, it adds very little additional weight and bulk. The polycarbonate of the CoverBuddy is textured and it's super grippy. The grip on the CoverBuddy is probably my favorite aspect of the case because it makes the unwieldy iPad Pro a lot easier to hold on to.
CoverBuddy's polycarbonate material isn't going to protect the iPad Pro from serious damage, but it feels sturdy enough to protect it from the scratches, dings, and minor drops that occur from day-to-day use and travel.
The CoverBuddy leaves all of the ports and the rear camera accessible with precise cutouts, and it has a Lightning port cutout that's able to accommodate the Apple Pencil for charging purposes. On the back, there's a removable plastic Apple Pencil holder, which is actually quite versatile.
iFixit has completed a Smart Battery Case teardown, providing a closer look at the case's brushed aluminum inner shell, rechargeable lithium-ion battery and tiny logic board housing two Lightning connectors.
The inner aluminum plate serves as a door for the battery compartment, which houses a 1,877 mAh battery (7.13 Whr) that more than doubles the iPhone 6s battery capacity of 1,715 mAh. iFixit says the battery is "very strongly adhered in place" with a connector rather than soldering.
Much of what makes Apple's Smart Battery Case "smart" is powered by the iPhone, as the case only has a few other components, including a NXP NX20P3 load switch, also found in Lightning to USB cables, and a NXP 1608A1 charging chip.
iFixit awarded the Smart Battery Case a repairability score of 2 out of 10, with ten being the easiest to repair. While the battery pack can technically be replaced, the case has a strong adhesive lining, and all other repairs would destroy the accessory.
GoPro today announced an update to its iOS app that will bring Apple Watch integration to users of the popular outdoor recording hardware. The new Apple Watch features will give users access to a GoPro camera's controls, letting them preview their shot, toggle between capture modes, begin and end recording, and even add HiLight tags to important moments in a video.
Also introduced in the 2.11 version of the GoPro app is the ability to browse frame-by-frame through a video and capture still images from it. The company has streamlined media browsing in the app as well, with easier-to-discover photos, videos, HiLights and clips, along with some expanded iOS abilities that make "nearly everything" available on the Apple version of the software that was previously restricted on mobile.
New and Improved: + Now compatible with Apple Watch: Preview shots, control your camera, and add HiLight Tags all from your watch. + Pull still images from videos: Quickly flip through a video frame-by-frame to find that epic moment and download a high-quality still image. + Find your media faster: Locate that awesome shot by filtering your media to display only photos, videos, HiLights, or clips. + Nearly everything is viewable on iOS: Enjoy your shot on the spot with a generated preview that allows you to view high frame-rate video on your phone.
The GoPro App is available to download from the App Store for free [Direct Link].
Popular product discovery site Product Hunt is today updating its iOS app, adding new features to bring it in line with the Product Hunt web experience. The Product Hunt site itself was updated with a more visual look a few weeks ago, which is now coming to the Product Hunt app.
Moving beyond tech, the app now offers an "Explore All Categories" option that lets users see products that are trending in categories like books, games, and podcasts. There's also a new "Popular" feed that surfaces a range of content including products and collections, organizing it into an Instagram-style visual layout.
Product Hunt for iOS is gaining Live chats, letting users view, subscribe to, and participate in the Live chats hosted on the site. Upcoming chats will be conducted with people like Quora co-founder Charlie Cheever and Braintree founder Bryan Johnson.
It's now possible to listen to podcasts posted and upvoted by the Product Hunt community directly within the Product Hunt iOS app, thanks to a new built-in podcast player, and users can also follow and create curated collections of products, games, books, and more, directly within the app. The app's search tools are also being expanded with Apple Spotlight integration, and it offers support for 3D Touch with Home screen Quick Actions for searching, accessing live chats, viewing the popular feed, and more.
For those unfamiliar with Product Hunt, it's a community-based website that lets people post and discuss new and interesting products. While it originally focused on technology-oriented products, it has expanded to encompass other categories like books, games, and podcasts.
T-Mobile has announced a fourth "Un-carrier Unwrapped" holiday promotion that offers Verizon customers 12 months of Hulu's Limited Commercials plan for free, a value of $7.99 per month or $96 annually.
The offer is valid for Verizon customers that switch any phone number to a T-Mobile Simple Choice postpaid plan between December 11 and December 17.
Verizon customers who switch to T-Mobile will receive a text message with a $100 Hulu subscription gift code, enough to pay for more than 12 months of Hulu's Limited Commercials plan.
Verizon customers can combine the offer with T-Mobile's Carrier Freedom promotion, which provides up to $650 towards a balance owing or to pay off early termination fees (ETFs) with an eligible device trade-in.
T-Mobile is also offering Verizon customers that switch up to half off its lineup of financed in-store accessories:
That could mean as much as a $125 discount on the hottest mobile gifts, like the latest smartwatches, UE Boom and JBL Bluetooth speakers, top-of-the-line headphones, Fitbit fitness trackers, Guitar Hero Live for iOS and more.
Walmart today introduced its own mobile payments service called "Walmart Pay" built into its Walmart app on iOS and Android. The new Apple Pay competitor will roll out in select Walmart stores in the U.S. this month, followed by a nationwide launch within the first half of 2016.
Walmart Pay's QR code-based checkout process will involve opening the Walmart app, selecting Walmart Pay, activating the camera, scanning the code displayed at the register and waiting for the cashier to finish bagging your items. An electronic receipt will automatically be sent to the Walmart app.
The new payments solution will only work in Walmart stores and supports any major credit, debit, pre-paid or Walmart gift card. Walmart says that 22 million customers actively use its Walmart app each month, placing it among the top three retail apps in the App Store and Google Play.
Walmart is among a handful of retailers that have refused to support Apple Pay since its U.S. launch in October 2014. The retailer is instead one of over a dozen retailers committed to the Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) consortium and its yet-to-launch rival payments service CurrentC.
Walmart's future plans to support Apple Pay remain undisclosed, but the company's senior vice president of services Daniel Eckert said Walmart Pay allows "for integration of other mobile wallets in the future."
“The simplicity and ease of Walmart Pay comes not only from how it works, but also in how it’s been built,” said Daniel Eckert, senior vice president, services, Walmart U.S. “We made a strategic decision to design Walmart Pay to work with almost any smartphone and accept almost any payment type – even allowing for the integration of other mobile wallets in the future. The result is an innovation that will make the ease of mobile payments a reality for millions of Americans.”
The team behind popular image editing app Pixelmator for Mac and iOS today announced a major update to its Pixelmator app for iOS, introducing full support and optimization for Apple's iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.
There's a new palm rejection feature that allows users to rest their palms on the screen when sketching and editing images with the Apple Pencil, which works with more than 50 brushes in the Pixelmator app. Pixelmator also takes full advantage of the iPad Pro's speed, with 16K image support for editing images up to 100 megapixels.
"User feedback about the desktop-class features of Pixelmator for iOS has been amazing, and today we're excited to make all those features available on the iPad Pro," said Saulius Dailide, one of the founders of Pixelmator Team. "Pixelmator on the iPad Pro gives you more space to create thanks to the large 12.9-inch display, allows you to paint more naturally than ever with full Apple Pencil and palm-rejection support, and lets you edit incredibly large images up to 100 megapixels."
Today's update also introduces support for 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, adding Quick Action shortcuts when using a force touch on the Pixelmator icon on the home screen. 3D Touch support also brings 3D Touch-sensitive painting to Pixelmator, letting iPhone users vary the pressure on the screen to change the thickness of a brush stroke.
Pixelmator 2.2 includes a few other improvements, like a new collection of artist-designed basic brushes, improved crop performance, an auto-straighten feature, and the ability to increase font size up to 1000 pixels.
Apple CEO Tim Cook today spent some time at a New York City Apple Store during its Hour of Code event, commenting on what Apple hopes for the future of education and discussing the success of Google's Chromebooks in the education market.
In an interview with BuzzFeed, Cook was asked about Google's Chromebooks overtaking Apple's iPads as the most popular devices in American classrooms. Cook said that Apple wouldn't be following Google's strategy in the education market, calling the lower-priced Chrombooks that have taken over American classrooms "test machines."
BuzzFeed notes that Cook is alluding to one reason Chromebooks have gained in popularity in the education market. As schools turn to computerized testing their need for cheap devices with integrated keyboards and trackpads has increased, rather than tablets that cost more, like Apple's iPads. Apple, says Cook, is not interested in advancing testing.
Instead, Cook said that Apple is interested in "helping students learn and teachers teach, but tests, no." Apple wants to create products "that allow kids to learn how to create and engage on a different level."
In an interview with Mashable at the same event, Cook expounded his thoughts on testing, saying that the classroom of the future is based around problem-solving, creating and learning how to express yourself.
“I’m not a fan of teaching to the test,” said Cook, “I think creativity is so important. Training the mind how to think is so important. Teaching to the test, to me, is too much about memorization. In a word where you’ve got all the information you’ve got right here,” Cook gestured to my iPhone, “your ability to memorize what year a war was won and all this kind of stuff isn’t very relevant.”
The education market has long been important to Apple. More recently, Apple has promoted iPads in the classroom with education profiles showing how some educators are using the device to teach their students. In March, the Cupertino company overhauled its iPad education program to simplify sharing and apps.
Apple CEO Tim Cook attended one of Apple's Hour of Code events in New York this afternoon, where he spoke to Mashable's Lance Ulanoff about the new iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case, which debuted yesterday.
Ulanoff asked Cook if he was excited about the "hump," a mocking nickname people have given to the battery case due to its distinctive shape. In response, Tim Cook said he was aware of the comments people were making about the case. "You know, I probably wouldn't call it 'the hump,'" Cook said.
Cook went on to point out the malleability of the new Smart Battery Case in comparison to other battery cases. It's made of a soft silicone that makes it easy to put on and remove, unlike more rigid cases from third-party companies.
Cook was pointing out the issue with cases, like those from Mophie, that are so rigid it takes considerable strength and patience to put them on and take them off.
"If you make this solid all the way across," said Cook, indicating the spots where the Apple case's embedded battery stops and you just have the soft fluoroelastomer casing, "in order to get it on, you'd find it very difficult to get it on and off."
"So the guys had this great insight to put the bend in along with making it a smart case," Cook explained.
Cook also commented on the viewpoint that the case is an admission the iPhone 6s battery is too small, saying most people who charge their iPhones every day won't need the case. "But if you're out hiking and you go on overnight trips... it's kind of nice to have," he said.
Apple introduced its iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case yesterday morning, and its distinctive humped design quickly led to derision and negative comments from iPhone users. Reviews of the Smart Battery Case were also not overly positive as the case doesn't have enough capacity to fully recharge an iPhone and it's missing some features that are found in third-party battery cases.
Apple's Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6s is priced at $99 and is available from the online Apple Store and Apple retail locations.
Apple today added 11 new Flyover locations to Apple Maps on Mac and iOS, highlighting landmarks and features across several countries including France, Spain, Mexico, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United States.
For those unfamiliar with the Flyover feature in Apple Maps, it lets users see photo-realistic 3D videos of select locations, with tools for zooming, panning, and rotating to get a closer look at notable landmarks and points of interest. Some of the locations listed may have previously been available as Flyover destinations, but were just added to Apple's list of Flyover locations.
The full list of new Flyover locations:
- Monument Valley, Arizona - Detroit, Michigan - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Pensacola, Florida - Mazatlán, Mexico - Annecy, France - Gorges de l'Ardèche, France - Antwerp, Belgium - Münster, Germany - Pamplona, Spain - Utrecht, Netherlands
Flyover was introduced alongside iOS in 2012, but over the last three years, Apple has steadily added new Flyover locations to the Maps app. Earlier this year, Apple updated some major Flyover locations with real-time animated landmarks, making the Flyover experience even more immersive. Many Flyover locations have an additional City Tour feature that walks users through different landmarks in each city.
We're going to be sharing a selection of gift guides on MacRumors over the next two weeks, featuring items hand-picked by our team of editors and writers along with a master gift list curated from the suggestions of our forum members.
Our first gift guide was written by me, Juli Clover, and features a list of items that I own and love, would love to receive, or would love to gift to someone. There is no theme here, but as I'll explain along with each suggestion, all of these items are things that I own personally or have done a lot of research on.
I've been using the Philips Hue line of lights since they first came out in 2012 and I have nothing but good things to say about these bulbs, which can be set to a whole range of different colors or various shades of white. The most recent Hue Starter Kit includes HomeKit integration and features brighter 800 lumen bulbs. HomeKit integration isn't a must, but it is simpler than opening the app and you can ask Siri to do things like turn all your lights cerulean or hot pink.
If you know someone who already has a Hue setup, an extra light is a fun gift to give. I'd recommend the $90 Hue Go portable light or the $90 LightStrip Plus, good for ambient lighting anywhere. A $60 Hue Tap for activating four different scenes from a single switch is also a useful accessory.
With the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, I opted to get a rose gold iPhone. It's a gorgeous color that I want to show off, so I've been looking into case options that let the color peek through. Searching through cases on the Internet, I found these lovely dried flower and leaf cases, a nice alternative to a traditional case. I've also see similar cases on Etsy that are priced more affordably, around $18.
Alternatively, Casetify is also a good site to visit for case designs that go well with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. There are dozens of community-created clear-style cases that showcase the iPhone's design, priced at $40.
Lately I've been lusting over a waterproof Bluetooth speaker so I can listen to music and audiobooks in the shower, and I think this compact speaker from Ultimate Ears hits a sweet spot between price, design, and sound quality. It has a strap so it can hang up and it's flat enough to comfortably fit into a bag so it can come along to the beach or the pool.
For louder sound, there's also the UE Boom 2 ($199), which we actually reviewed earlier this year. We haven't tested the UE Roll, but we were fans of the UE Boom.
I bought a Kanken laptop backpack from Fjallraven just before CES last year to a comfortable, not-too-large solution for toting my Retina MacBook Pro around, and it's turned into one of my favorite bags. Different versions of the Kanken hold up to a 17-inch laptop, and my version for the 15-inch RMBP is impressively compact for all that it can hold.
It has a separate zip compartment for my laptop (excellent for airport security), along with a front pocket, two side water bottle pockets, and an inner pocket that holds my iPad Pro. The internal space is big enough to hold all the accessories I use, including hard drives, over-ear headphones, a purse, and more, and the straps are padded so it's comfortable even when weighted down. Mine's purple, but it comes in a bunch of colors, all made from water resistant fabric. I liked it so much that I bought another mini Kanken (~$60) for hiking and day trips. The mini is big enough for an iPhone or an iPad mini, but nothing larger.
The Knomo Elektronista is one of my favorite products I reviewed this year. It functions as either a purse or an electronics organizer with a ton of pockets and an included battery pack. It has dedicated inner pockets for an iPad, an iPhone, credit cards, cables, and other odds and ends, plus two outer pockets and a removable strap.
It unzips at the sides so everything inside can be accessed quickly, and my favorite part - it's slim enough that it can fit inside a larger backpack or purse when you need more carrying space. I'd also like to point out the accessories from Intrepid Bag Co. to anyone looking for a laptop/ipad bag. We've partnered up with Intrepid on some giveaways and response has been super positive - they make some gorgeous (but expensive) bags. I can also recommend bags from Chrome Industries -- they're rugged, have tons of pockets, and are good for people who commute but need to carry a laptop or iPad.
- Cable organizing solutions
I've been working on keeping my office more organized, and one step towards that has been implementing some useful cable management solutions. I bought the $27 CableBox from BlueLounge after it was suggested to me by a co-worker to hide my power strip and all attached cords, and I loved it so much I bought one for my mom right afterwards.
Cable storage may be an unconventional gift, but if you know someone who has an uncontrollably messy desk (like our editor-in-chief Eric Slivka), it'll definitely be appreciated. Paired with the CableBox, I like the CableDrops ($10), which keep cords on desks, and Cable Turtles ($25) for winding up excess cord. If you want to get fancy, there's the Griffin Guide Magnetic Cable Management set I reviewed last month, but it's on the pricy side at $40.
For travel, something like the Cordito ($38) or the Cord Taco ($32 for 5) is ideal because they keep all those pesky iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch cables from getting tangled. For organizing both cords and small accessories, I use a Grid-It from Cocoon ($15) in my backpack, and it's also been a popular gift I've given in the past.
I haven't used an Anova Precision Cooker for sous vide before, but when we posted about Apple selling it recently, our forum members were quick to chime in about how awesome it is. A couple of my co-workers are also big fans, so this seems like an ideal gift for a cooking enthusiast. The newest version includes Wi-Fi so you can keep an eye on your food from the iPhone, but there are older, less expensive versions that are Bluetooth only.
iSkelter makes traditional desks and lap desks for Apple accessories by hand, and the Canvas Smart Desk is its newest product, designed for the iPad Pro. I have one of these on hand to test ahead of an upcoming giveaway, and it's one of my favorite iPad Pro accessories so far because it's perfect for working away from my desk.
There's a cutout for the iPad Pro itself, where the iPad Pro lays flat for drawing or playing games, but it also fits the Smart Keyboard when propped up, giving me a stable surface for typing. There's a cutout for the Apple Pencil at the side, and another cutout for an iPhone or another iPad. A larger Canvas Pro edition is also available for $68 and includes extra space for holding something like a coffee cup. These are on Kickstarter, but will ship before Christmas.
If you can get your hands on one, an Apple Pencil also makes for an awesome gift for a new iPad Pro owner. Apple Pencils are out of stock, so the only way to get one ahead of Christmas is to check your local Apple Store repeatedly. Apple Pencils aren't just good for artists - they're fun for everyone. Paired with some simple doodle drawing books (some of my favorites are by Sachiko Umoto), an Apple Pencil is a good way to unwind and pick up a new hobby.
We're going to be sharing additional gift guides over the next two weeks, so make sure to keep an eye out for them. If you have a favorite product, feel free to add it to our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide Master List, which is going to be turned into a gift guide culled from our forum members' most loved items.
Popular streaming music service Pandora has launched an app for the new fourth-generation Apple TV, allowing Pandora listeners to play their favorite music and radio stations on their television sets.
On the Apple TV, the Pandora app has a simple, streamlined interface with sections for managing existing stations, creating new stations and accessing account options, along with a "Now Playing" section that displays the station a user is listening to.
Throughout the Pandora app, songs and stations are accompanied by large album artwork for quick browsing, and there are built-in controls for skipping a song and liking or disliking a song. In the Now Playing section, each song is listed with an album title, artist name, and cover art.
Pandora, which recently acquired assets and employees from competing streaming service Rdio, is one of the most popular streaming music services and a major Apple Music competitor. Unlike Apple Music, Pandora is an ad-supported station-based streaming music service that allows customers to listen for free. Pandora also offers a subscription option that removes advertisements and gives users more "skips" to bypass undesirable songs.
The free Pandora app can be downloaded on the Apple TV by searching for it in the tvOS App Store. If you own the Pandora app for iOS, it will be listed in the purchased section.
Following comments made by CBS CEO Les Moonves on the state of Apple's rumored television service, news leaked confirming Apple has put plans for such a service on hold for the time being due to difficulties securing content deals.
While Bloomberg spoke to a source that chalked the failed negotiations up to media companies demanding more money than Apple wanted to charge for the service, Re/code's Peter Kafka has added some additional context, pointing towards a reluctance to unbundle channels as another factor that killed the service.
Apple was hoping to offer a limited bundle of approximately 25 channels at a price of $30 to $40 per month, but even early on, there was pushback from content providers who wanted Apple to offer all of their content rather than just a few select channels. A rumor in April concerning negotiations between Disney and Apple suggested Disney was pushing Apple to include most of its content, including ESPN, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, and more, while Apple wanted to offer just a few of Disney's channels.
According to Kafka, the situation with Disney happened with other content providers, many of whom did not want to offer just a small selection of channels from their content catalogs.
Apple's beef with the TV Industrial Complex is a bit more nuanced. It's also a significant one: If Apple gets its way, TV will undergo a significant change, just like the music business did when Apple launched its iTunes store in 2003. [...]
If Apple gets its way, it means the traditional pay TV package, which averages around 100 channels, will get shrunk by nearly 80 percent. And while TV executives will say that they understand that consumers don't want to pay for channels they don't watch, all of them will argue that their channels are must-haves.
iTunes chief Eddy Cue offered media companies an option to sell additional tiers of channels (such as a sports package) alongside a core service, but refused to compromise on offering a larger number of base channels. "He doesn't want to have filler," a TV executive told Re/code.
According to Re/code's TV industry sources, Apple has been "quite vocal" about the end of negotiations with media companies, which stopped a couple of months ago. While Apple has suspended its plans for the time being, rumors have suggested the company isn't "giving up entirely" on a television service.
For the time being, Apple will focus on its tvOS App Store, offering content providers a platform to sell content to customers. As Kafka says, Apple may be able to change the minds of media companies if it can prove the Apple TV is a "transformative platform," but the company has a long way to go to reach that goal.
Stock of the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard remains low, but Apple is now allowing customers to use its Personal Pickup feature to order the devices online and arrange to pick them up in a local Apple Store. Enabling Personal Pickup may make it easier for customers hoping to get an Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard to locate one nearby, as it lists retail stock that's shipped to stores each day.
Both the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard were unavailable on the day the iPad Pro launched, with the earliest November 11 buyers receiving their accessories a week or two later. Those who were not lucky enough to order right at midnight when the iPad Pro launched were stuck with delivery estimates that ranged into late December. Orders placed today list a delivery estimate of mid-January.
Though it's impossible to get an Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard online, Apple has been sending small shipments of the accessories to its retail stores each day, allowing some lucky customers to purchase in store. Prior to today, the only way to get an Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard was to show up shortly after a shipment was received, as there was no way to track supplies online. With Personal Pickup, it's now possible to see exactly which stores have which devices in stock in the United States and other countries.
It appears that the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard are not available in many stores across the country at the current time, with stores in many of the major cities we checked listing it as "Unavailable for Pickup." A couple of MacRumors readers have been able to purchase an Apple Pencil for pickup, so stock levels may just be fluctuating based on the retail shipments received.
The Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard are priced at $99 and $169, respectively, and are designed to work solely with the iPad Pro, Apple's most powerful tablet device.
Apple CEO Tim Cook accepted the 2015 Ripple of Hope Award at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights on Tuesday night, and gave a nearly twelve minute speech about the need for social change, reports Bloomberg.
Tim Cook at the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights (Image: Bloomberg)
Cook, who spoke after Evercore's Roger Altman and Unesco ambassador Marianna Vardinoyannis, discussed a wide range of ongoing social issues, including the Syrian refugee crisis, climate change, Apple's charitable work, access to quality education, privacy and discrimination.
“Today, more than half of the states in this country still don’t offer basic protections to gay or transgender people, leaving millions of people vulnerable to being fired or evicted because of who they are or who they love,” Cook said.
"Today, some in our country would turn away innocent men, women and children seeking refuge,” Cook said, “regardless of how many background checks they may submit to, simply based on where they were born. Victims of war and now victims of fear and misunderstanding."
"Today, too many children are denied access to quality education simply because of the zip code they live in. They begin their lives facing strong headwinds and disadvantage they did nothing to deserve. We could do better, Robert Kennedy would say, and because we can do better, we must act."
Cook offered praise for Robert F. Kennedy and said he has two photographs of him in his office that he looks at each day. "I think about his example, what it means to me as an American, but also more specifically, to my role as Apple CEO."
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.
iPhone 6s is Apple's newest smartphone, featuring a faster A9 chip with 2GB of RAM, 3D Touch and Live Photos. Apple continues to offer a base model with 16GB storage, but upgrading to 64GB is highly recommended for iPhone users with a higher number of apps, photos and music. iCloud storage is also available.
T-Mobile is progressively becoming a more attractive U.S. carrier for iPhone users on a budget. Under the leadership of CEO John Legere, the carrier has replaced contracts and subsidizing pricing with attractive price points and features that are highly competitive with larger rivals AT&T and Verizon.
Apple's EarPods included in the box with the iPhone 6s are likely good enough for the average iPhone user, but heavy music listeners or audiophiles may prefer to invest in a more premium pair of headphones. Nearly five years ago, I did so myself by purchasing a pair of V-MODA Crossfade LP headphones.
Apple introduced its new 
T-Mobile has 
