Mitchel Broussard

Lutron Electronics today announced a new addition to its Caseta smart lighting system, this one focused on making most ceiling fans into "smart" ceiling fans with a new fan speed control switch. Lutron doesn't specifically mention HomeKit compatibility for the new fan controls, but the existing Caseta system does support HomeKit through a smart bridge. Like it did for regular bulbs, the...

Harman Kardon has announced its latest series of smart home speakers, the "Citation Series," which combine various hardware designs with Google Assistant, an LCD touch screen, and Chromecast. Sometime in early 2019, the speakers will be updated with AirPlay 2 support, allowing users to wirelessly stream music from an iOS device, Apple TV, or HomePod by asking Siri. Each speaker in the...

Sphero, the company behind the now-discountinued Star Wars droid toys, has launched a device called "Specdrums," a wearable ring that plays different music based on the color you tap it against. The Colorado-based startup Specdrums had previously debuted the music-enabled rings a few years ago, but the rings will now be sold under the Sphero brand following an acquisition by Sphero last summer. ...

Instagram recently tested a new way for users to browse their feeds, with a feed that scrolled horizontally instead of one that scrolled vertically. This test hit enough users around the world to get "Instagram Update" and "#NewInstagram" trending on Twitter (via The Independent), but Matt Navarra has confirmed that it was just a test that was meant for a "very small" group of individuals....

Following the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s, Apple will begin assembling its high-end iPhones in India sometime in 2019, according to a new report today by Reuters. Instead of Wistron, Foxconn will build the high-end iPhones, and these models are said to be the most expensive flagship devices offered by Apple, including the iPhone X family. Local sources state that the work will occur in Foxconn's ...

We're in the final stretch to Christmas, with just four more days until December 25. To help out with any last-minute holiday shopping, PayPal on eBay today has a new offer on App Store and iTunes gift cards (e-delivery), and it's one of the best discounts on the cards we've seen in a while: you can get the $100 iTunes gift card for just $80 while supplies last. The Family Stone and more ...

Amazon and B&H Photo today have discounts on a few new Apple products from 2018, including the 9.7-inch iPad and MacBook Air. In many instances, these are the lowest-ever prices on each device, and some retailers like B&H Photo are providing further discounts thanks to clippable coupons on each product page. At Amazon, you can buy the 2018 9.7-inch iPad for up to $100 off in multiple...

Christmas is now one week away, and shipping estimates will only become more of an issue for shoppers the closer the holiday gets. That's when e-mail delivery App Store and iTunes Gift Cards come in, perfect to email directly to your friends and family members, or to print out and place inside of a holiday card. There aren't any 15 percent off $100 cards around right now, but there are a few...

Satechi today announced a new stand for the iMac, called the Type-C Aluminum Monitor Stand Hub. The accessory features seven built-in ports and an ergonomic design that the company says is aimed at maximizing desk space and providing easy access to USB ports. In total, the hub has one USB-C data port and three USB 3.0 ports (each running at 5 Gbps), slots for microSD and SD cards, and one...

With the latest Apple Pay promotion you can save $20 on a future purchase from Nike, if you spend $100 or more in the Nike iOS app and pay for your order using Apple Pay. The offer is valid through December 22, and the promo code for $20 will be delivered within two weeks of your purchase. Apple says that you will then have until January 31, 2019 to redeem the code and afterwards it will...

Package thievery has only increased in recent years as more people shop online for large-scale gifts. Unfortunately, sometimes there's not much you can do about it if you don't have an outside camera and alarm system watching your home, and sometimes even that isn't enough. Apple engineer and YouTuber Mark Rober decided to go the extra mile recently to stop rampant package thieving at his house,...

Third-party Apple Watch bands have been around since Apple debuted the original Apple Watch back in 2015, typically offering customers a low-priced alternative to styling their watch, as opposed to Apple's bands, which start at $50. From left to right: Rosé, Orchid, High Tide, and Denim Braxley Bands A new option for shoppers is now offered by an Austin, Texas-based company called Braxley...

Amazon this week has discounted the all-new 11-inch iPad Pro by as much as $70 for select configurations. Both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + Cellular models are available in the sale, with the lowest priced iPad starting at $759.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, down from $799.00. These are currently the lowest prices available online for the configurations listed below, although they are being matched at...

One year ago, Apple awarded the meditation app "Calm" as the iPhone app of the year, and since then the company has dethroned the previous #1 meditation app on the iOS App Store, "Headspace." In a new report by The Wall Street Journal out today, the two companies talk about how they are in a "mindful competition" with one another, and about the merits of Apple's best of the year awards system. ...

Senior Tesla designer Andrew Kim has left his role at the automotive company to join Apple (via The Verge). Kim is the the latest in a long line of Tesla employees who have left the company for Apple, including Tesla lead engineer Doug Field's return to Apple this past August. Kim's work history includes user interface design at Microsoft, contributions to HoloLens and Xbox One S, and...

Two and a half months after Apple announced the completion of its Shazam acquisition, the music recognition iOS app is now completely ad-free [Direct Link]. Previously, Shazam would present users with various border advertisements throughout the app, similar to most other ad-supported iOS apps, but as long as you are on version 12.5.1 you will no longer see any ads in Shazam. The app still...

In one of the bigger deals for Apple's upcoming streaming TV service, Variety reports today that the Cupertino company has made a deal with DHX Media to produce all-new "Peanuts" content that will be exclusive to Apple. Image via Variety/Peanuts Worldwide LLC Under the deal, DHX and its subsidiary Peanuts Worldwide will develop and produce the original series, specials, and shorts, while...

Best Buy today kicked off a new three-day sale that will last all weekend and end on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. CT. The sale is full of great last-minute gift ideas for the holidays, and Best Buy still promises free shipping on everything all season. Orders for most items placed before 10:30 a.m. CT on December 20 will arrive before Christmas Eve. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these...

SplashData published its annual list of the worst passwords of the year this week, sourced from more than five million passwords leaked on the internet this year. Like previous years, 2018 saw numerous high-profile data leaks, but many people have continued to use easily guessable passwords for their online accounts. The new password autofill feature in iOS 12 For the fifth consecutive year, ...

Apple still doesn't offer a full online web player for Apple Music, but this week software engineer Naveed Golafshani shared a new project on Reddit, allowing Apple Music subscribers to get access to their full library and other Apple Music features on the web. The web player can be found at playapplemusic.com, and to see your Apple Music library you can click "log in" in the bottom left corner...