Mitchel Broussard

Apple has begun inking deals with publishers in Apple News to gain timed exclusive video series on the platform, as it competes with news distribution outlets on Facebook, Google, and Twitter. In a new article today, Digiday highlights BuzzFeed News as one of the first major partnerships for the video initiative on Apple News, with the debut of docu-series "Future History: 1968" last month....

Google this morning posted a story on its Keyword Blog that highlights the ongoing growth of its AI helper, Google Assistant. According to the company, the Assistant now works with "every major device brand" in the U.S., meaning that it can connect with more than 5,000 smart home devices, up from 1,500 in January. This growth period saw media and entertainment queries increase by 400 percent,...

Apple Pay's new promotion offers savings on 1-800-Flowers just in time for Mother's Day on May 13. With the promo, if you use Apple Pay to shop the Gift Collection in the 1-800-Flowers iOS app [Direct Link] or on 1800Flowers.com, you can get $15 off your order. The discount will be applied automatically in the checkout process, and will last through May 13, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The flower ...

United Kingdom-based data firm Cambridge Analytica is shutting down operations following the ongoing Facebook data scandal, in which the firm improperly amassed sensitive Facebook user data to target messages to voters during the previous U.S. presidential election. Cambridge Analytica affiliates SCL Group and SCL Elections will also shut down in the U.S. and U.K. In a statement on the...

Nintendo's next president, Shuntaro Furukawa, will make smartphone gaming a priority when he takes the helm of the company this June. In a new interview with Nikkei, Furukawa said that he envisions a future where Nintendo's smartphone gaming arm can become a 100 billion yen ($910 million) business. In fiscal 2017, the segment including mobile games grossed 39.3 billion yen. To do this,...

During its Upfronts presentation in New York City today Hulu confirmed that users will be able to download content from the streaming service and onto their mobile devices. This will let subscribers watch shows and films when not near Wi-Fi or a reliable mobile data connection. The streaming company also confirmed that its offline download solution will be an "ad-supported downloadable...

Newton Mail today announced an update for its iOS app that aims to make it easier than ever for users to keep track of email conversations by making the "Sent" folder obsolete. Called "True Inbox," the feature automatically places any sent emails at the top of the Inbox, no matter if the recipient has responded to the message or not. This treats each email conversation more like a messaging...

Yesterday during its F8 conference, Facebook announced that an update coming to Messenger would simplify the chat app and reduce the amount of visual clutter that had been added into the user interface over the last few years. The Next Web has shared images of this new update, showing off the cleaned up interface, a dark mode, and more. Images via The Next Web The updated Facebook Messenger...

A recent study claimed that the Apple Watch can detect abnormal heart rhythms with 97 percent accuracy, and today Apple CEO Tim Cook shared a new story in which the company's wearable device did just that, saving someone's life in the process. Speaking with Tampa, Florida's ABC affiliate WFTS, 18-year-old Deanna Recktenwald said that one day her Apple Watch warned her that her resting heart...

Following a legal battle that's been ongoing between Apple and LTE chipmaker Qualcomm since early 2017, the latter company today announced an initiative aimed at defusing tensions with Apple. Specifically, Qualcomm says it will "broaden" its use of a lower-cost licensing model moving forward (via Reuters). The move is a response to the FTC's original complaint that Qualcomm was engaging in...

Olloclip today announced an all-new mobile lens system that is designed exclusively for Apple's iPhone X. With the lens, iPhone X owners can enhance their field-of-view and shoot "wider and closer" than the iPhone's built-in camera. The company said that the new iPhone X lens system maintains many of the features of previous Olloclip accessories, coming equipped with Connect X...

A pair of reports out this morning highlight Apple's ongoing struggles in India and China ahead of the company's Q2 2018 earnings results coming tomorrow, May 1. Within India, Apple has been dethroned as the country's top selling high-end smartphone maker in the January-March period, losing out to Samsung. Specifically looking at India's "premium price segment" (devices priced above 30,000...

Best Buy's refresh of deals this week includes a 24-hour flash sale on Apple products like the 12-inch MacBook, MacBook Pro, fifth-generation iPad from 2017, and Apple Watch Series 3. The biggest savings here are for select models of Apple's 12-inch MacBook from 2017, with prices that can extend to as much as $550 off with Student Deals for the best prices we've ever seen on these models. Best ...

Nintendo this week revealed a new smartphone game coming to iOS and Android devices this summer, called "Dragalia Lost." The game was created through a partnership with Japanese mobile developer Cygames and is described as an all-new "original action RPG" for smartphones. Nintendo co-developed Dragalia Lost and will "jointly operate" the app with Cygames once it launches (via TouchArcade). For ...

As part of its ongoing spring sale event, Best Buy today has discounted Apple's HomePod by $20, bringing the cost of the smart speaker to $329.99, down from $349.99. The speaker is available in both White and Space Gray. While not a massive discount, this is one of the first straight price drops on HomePod since its launch earlier this year, outside of sitewide promo codes on eBay. Note:...

This week's Apple Pay promotion is a partnership with furniture and décor app Hayneedle [Direct Link], allowing customers to get 10 percent off their orders when using Apple Pay to check out. No promotional code is required, and the offer will last through May 2, 2018. The Hayneedle iOS app lets customers discover new home furniture and other items, including sofas, art, dining sets,...

Following a series of rumors, Snapchat today launched the latest version of its connected sunglasses, the Spectacles. The company says that the new pair of Spectacles have a smaller profile, so they're slightly less bulky on the face than the original. Additionally, Snapchat is pitching the new Spectacles as a go-to summer accessory for its users thanks to added water resistance. Snapchat's...

Continuing its string of sales this week, Best Buy today launched a new 4-day sale that will end Saturday, April 28 at 11:59 p.m. CT. A variety of Apple products are included in the sale, including iPhone X, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iPad, with MacBook Pro prices in particular at about the lowest we've ever seen. For the MacBook Pro, students and parents of students can get the latest...

Spotify held an event in New York City today, unveiling a new version of its free music streaming tier that introduces a few new features for those users not paying for Spotify's $9.99/month main subscription plan. The new free tier allows users to pick and choose which music they want to listen to on-demand, but only if the tracks appear within one of the 15 curated discovery playlists. These ...

Best Buy today has debuted a limited one-day sale on a few of the latest models of Apple's MacBook Pro without Touch Bar and the fifth-generation iPad. The savings bring the cost of the entry-level MacBook Pro configuration down to $1,049.99, from $1,299.99. Students and parents of students can save even more and get the notebook for $999.99. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best...