05-23-19 -

Status Ads arrive in WhatsApp beginning in 2020
WhatsApp has grown increasingly popular over the years. Even being owned by Facebook has not slowed the messaging platform down. Can advertisements shoved into the app change that? We’ll find out beginning in 2020. During the annual Facebook Mar...

05-23-19 -

Some Snap employees in the past used Snapchat tools to spy on users
We use apps every single day, and the general hope is that most of them aren’t tools to be used to spy on us. Even the ones that are built around a social networking platform. Snapchat, for instance, which is one of the biggest and most popular ...

05-23-19 -

Compress and convert 4K video flawlessly with MacX Video Converter Pro + lice...
Aside from the usual formats like MP3, AAC, APE and FLAC, 5Player supports 4K and 5K video, DVD files, MKV and DIVX codecs and many other formats, with hardware acceleration taking full advantage of your Mac’s graphics chip, Intel QSV and H.264 ...

05-23-19 -

Benchmark shows significant performance boost in new 8-core MacBook Pro
For instance, the 2018 MacBook Pro equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor clocked at 2.4GHz has an average single-core score of 5348. The multi-core score for the same model sees an average of 22620. Those multi-core speeds are a 29% percent imp...

05-23-19 -

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 05/23/2019
Printer Pro by Readdle , Thinkrolls: Kings & Queens , Boba Bee Stickers: Aminals and more Universal: Printer Pro by Readdle ( $6.99 → Free ) Readdle Inc. Printer Pro will help streamline your workflow. After installing Printer Pr...

05-23-19 -

Review: never lose track of your subscriptions again with Bobby for iPhone
Bobby supports Light and Dark themes Bobby also lets you rearrange subscriptions by dragging and dropping them in the order you like, as well as keep them safely secured by locking the app with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. Other features inclu...

05-23-19 -

Instagram is finally supporting landscape video on IGTV
The Facebook-owned Instagram launched its long-form video content platform, IGTV, back in 2018. Since then, the company has been all-in with vertical video, meant to be viewed on smartphones without switching to landscape. But it looks like that f...

05-23-19 -

Samsung may supply OLED displays for 16-inch MacBook Pro, future iPad Pros
Apple is not a stranger to OLED displays in some of its products, including the high-end iPhone models and the latest-generation Apple Watch models. A new report suggests Samsung may be tapped to supply OLED displays for not only a future MacBook ...

05-23-19 -

Bloomberg: Amazon is working on a wristband that can recognize your emotions
A report published by Bloomberg alleges that Amazon is working on a new type of wearable device that would be capable of reading your emotions based on the sound of your voice. The gizmo, internally described as a health and wellness gadget in doc...

05-23-19 -

Survey shows majority of college students prefer Macs over PCs
Those are some solid numbers in favor of Apple. If anything, while it does show that, currently, some folks are gated off from Apple’s products due to pricing (I imagine most people want new, and not used, products in these cases), it does indic...

05-23-19 -

Pegatron is allegedly set to start assembling MacBooks and iPads in Indonesia...
Contract manufacturer Pegatron is allegedly set to soon move iPad and MacBook manufacturing out of China amid an escalating trade war between the US and China. Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes reports, citing an Indonesian-language story from...

05-23-19 -

Historical strategy game Total War: Three Kingdoms now available for Mac
In simpler terms, Three Kingdoms works on these systems: All 13-inch MacBook Pros released since 2016 All 15-inch MacBook Pros released since late 2013 with a 2GB graphics card or better All 21.5-inch iMacs released since 2017 All 27-inch iMacs re...

05-23-19 -

A flaw on the Instagram website leaked phone numbers and emails for months
After admitting in April that millions of Instagram and Facebook passwords were stored in plaintext, researchers have now discovered a flaw on the Instagram website that has reportedly leaked users’ phone numbers and email addresses for months. ...

05-23-19 -

Mac developer Panic entering the handheld gaming market with the $149 Playdat...
Some of the games coming to Playdate’s monochromatic display. Panic put together a nicely designed, technically very impressive website promoting the handheld console so go ahead and check it out by pointing your browser to https://play.date. As...

05-23-19 -

How to hide and unhide iTunes purchases
Wrapping it up Hiding iTunes purchases is simple to do and again, if you have a Family Sharing account it might be wise to hide some of those more “adult” types of media. For hiding book purchases, you can check out our article specifically on...

05-23-19 -

How to block an email address in Mac Mail with a delete rule
Rules will apply to emails in the order which you have them. So, if you need to, you can reorder your rules by selecting and dragging them to different positions in the list. If your rule does not appear to work, note Apple’s statement o...

05-23-19 -

RememBear is the highly-rated app that solves your password problems
In a world where shopping, banking, subscriptions, takeout, and pretty much everything else has been taken over by the Internet, the idea of remembering dozens of passwords at any given moment is exhausting. What’s worse, clicking the “I forgo...

05-22-19 -

College student pleads guilty to counterfeit iPhone return scam in Oregon
Earlier this year, a pair of college students in Oregon were arrested and charged with running a counterfeit iPhone return scam. Now, one of those two has pleaded guilty to the charges, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Quan...

05-22-19 -

Using the Settings app to check how much time remains on your iOS devices war...
“Renews” lets you know when the next AppleCare+ installment is due. You will also want to be sure about the status of your device’s warranty when seeking support coverage from Apple. For example, your eligibility for complementary free telep...

05-22-19 -

Apple updates WWDC app with customizable icon, new iMessage stickers, and more
We know that this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference starts on Monday, June 3. And we know that the keynote will kick off on that same day at 10:00 AM PT. Ahead of the week-long conference, Apple has updated the official WWDC iOS app. Apple ...

05-22-19 -

Apple releases macOS Mojave 10.14.5 Supplemental Update for MacBook Pro
Apple released macOS Mojave 10.14.5 to the public earlier this month. Now, a little over a week later, the company has released a supplemental update for one specific version of the MacBook Pro lineup. On Wednesday, Apple officially released a new...

05-22-19 -

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 05/22/2019
System Activity Monitors , TaskCat – Simple Todo Tasklist , Circuitry and more iPad: Circuitry ( $0.99 → Free ) Anthony Foster Circuitry aims to educate and entertain. It’s a puzzle game at its core, requiring you to ...

05-22-19 -

Watch the first gameplay video for the mobile version of Nintendos Mario Kart...
MacRumors has more: The game’s default controls automatically cause karts to drift around corners, but anyone wanting more of a challenge can turn on manual mode. There are four levels of difficulty (50cc, 100cc, 150cc and 200cc) and the same so...

05-22-19 -

YouTubers dip an Apple Watch Series 4 into 24-karat gold for fun
Remember the gold Apple Watch Edition? It was Apple’s effort at making a luxury smartwatch that didn’t really go anywhere, and led the company to ultimately cancel the idea back in 2016. Now, three years later, two popular YouTubers have decid...

05-22-19 -

Apple issues press invites for the June 3 WWDC 2019 keynote
Apple today sent out press invites for the WWDC 2019 keynote that will be held on Monday, June 3. Reporters like John Paczkowski said today they received Apple’s WWDC 2019 press invite in their inboxes, with invite graphics featuring the same we...

05-22-19 -

The Steam Chat app hits iPhone, Valve says voice calling will follow at a lat...
A week after finally debuting its long-delayed Steam Link app for local gameplay streaming on iOS devices, developer Valve today announced the release of a standalone Steam Chat app for iPhone that offers many, but not all features found in its de...

05-22-19 -

Apple previews a new Safari feature called Privacy Preserving Ad Click Attrib...
WebKit engineer John Wilander summarized how this should work: Only links served on first-party pages should be able to store ad click attribution data. Neither the website where the ad click happens nor the website where the conversion happens sh...

05-22-19 -

Apple says it will be clearer with iPhone users in the UK about battery health
Apple found itself in a bit of hot water before the end of 2017, as it was discovered that the company was deliberately throttling CPU performance in an effort to sustain optimal battery life in aging iPhone models. Apple aimed to clarify that mov...

05-22-19 -

How to use Apple Maps Flyover to see the world
In addition to moving the screen with your finger, you can move your actual device to see around the city. This is a cool virtual reality type of experience. More with Maps For additional tips and tricks for the Apple Maps app, check out these rel...

05-22-19 -

League of Legends is being ported to mobile, unlikely to debut in 2019
Tencent Holdings in China and Riot Games in the United States are working on bringing the popular multiplayer online battle arena game to smartphones and tablets, Reuters reports. Although they began porting the game more than a year ago, a mobile...

05-22-19 -

A United Nations report says Siri and other female smart assistants reinforce...
A United Nations report indirectly accuses smart assistant providers like Apple, Google and Microsoft of reinforcing gender bias by using female assistant voices by default. Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, Google’s Assistant on Home speak...

05-22-19 -

This shortcut lets you find the very best movies on Netflix or Amazon Prime
Need help? Ask iDB! If you like this shortcut, pass it along to your friends and leave a comment below. Got stuck? Not sure how to do certain things on your Apple? Let us know via [email protected] and a future tutorial might provide a soluti...

05-22-19 -

End the cable clutter with these discounted power strips
Our countless chargers and USB cables have become almost as invaluable as the devices they charge when it comes to making it through the day. And, if you’re like most people, you have a messy clutter of cables on your desk that&#8217...

05-21-19 -

Transit riders in the Portland-Vancouver area can now use Hop Fastpass in App...
Apple would very much like its digital Wallet app to a one-stop-shop for a variety of different use cases, not just buying things. That includes being able to use the Wallet app to quickly hop on a public transit ride. And for folks in the Portlan...

05-21-19 -

iTunes movie deals: American Gangster and Blow under $5, Spider-Man: Into the...
Apple own Tuesday updated its iTunes Store with new discounts on movies and other content. Among the deals are popular war films like The Hurt Locker and Saving Private Ryan for under $10, blockbusters like Into the Spiderverse and Transformers fo...

05-21-19 -

Hands on: Picaso leather sleeves for 2018 iPad Pro, now in three new subdued ...
Brown/red is the third new Picaso colorway. In fact, here’s our video review of Picaso’s MacBook sleeves. Subscribe to iDownloadBlog on YouTube Best of all, Picaso is offering a discount to iDB readers. Picaso’s iDB discount Picaso h...

05-21-19 -

How to enable and use Voice Control instead of Siri on iPhone
Notes on Voice Control You cannot use Siri and Voice Control at the same time. So, when you use Voice Control, you can’t talk to Siri. You must use the same language for voice commands that your iPhone is set to use. Use the full names o...

05-21-19 -

2016 13-inch MacBook Pro now has a Display Backlight Service Program
“Flexgate” cropped up earlier this year in a big way, with owners of the 13-inch 2016 MacBook Pro expressing their dissatisfaction with a backlight issue in their machines. The problem gave a “stage lighting” effect on afflicted models, an...

05-21-19 -

Apples Keyboard Service Program now includes 2018 MacBook Pro, 2018 MacBook A...
Apple launched a Keyboard Service Program in 2018, meant to help those afflicted with issues with the butterfly keyboard in select models. However, despite launching last year, the program didn’t include any 2018 model Mac notebooks for service ...

05-21-19 -

Apple puts a spotlight on a new Follow button in Apple News+
And this from Popular Science: A tremendous amount of environmental change hits Florida harder and sooner than it does the rest of the nation, which makes the state a bellwether that demands all of our attention. To illustrate that point, we creat...

05-21-19 -

Apple wins the Cannes Lions 2019 Creative Marketer of the Year award
Apple has made quite the impression over the years, especially in the technology sphere. But also when it comes to marketing. The company has seen some of the best marketing efforts over the years, and now one of the most prestigious festivals is ...

05-21-19 -

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 05/21/2019
NewfyMoji , Eggxplode: Hatch egg bombs! , Pre K Preschool Learning Games and more Universal: NewfyMoji ( $2.99 → Free ) lovekesh Kumar This sticker pack will allow you to share your love for Newfoundland dogs. You must first add the thir...

05-21-19 -

Apple launches a new 8-core MacBook Pro with an updated keyboard
Apple has updated the MacBook Pro this week, adding in the newest eighth- and ninth-generation Intel-branded processors to speed up its machines. On Tuesday, Apple officially announced new Intel processor options for its MacBook Pro lineup, both i...

05-21-19 -

Apple reportedly bid to buy Tesla back in 2013
Back in August of last year, it was reported that Apple’s plans to launch a car of its own were back on track and that we could see the automobile launch within the next five to seven years. Interestingly enough, it turns out that Apple may have...

05-21-19 -

The ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notification have been approved in Canada
The Health app analyzes your ECGs to indicate whether you have the normal sinus rhythm or show signs of atrial fibrillation, which is a serious form of irregular heart rhythm. In March, the watchOS 5.2 software enabled support for both the ECG app...

05-21-19 -

Apple Pay goes live for customers in Hungary and Luxembourg
As promised, Apple Pay is now available in Hungary and Luxembourg, marking its 36th and 37th markets, respectively. The mobile payment system is now within spitting distance of Apple’s self-imposed goal of having it up and running in 40 markets ...

05-21-19 -

Vizio launches 2019 TV lineup, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support is coming in the...
And here’s what you’ll like about SmartCast 3.0 (emphasis mine): Ideal for everyone from TV regulars to cord-cutters and smart home enthusiasts alike, SmartCast 3.0 provides access to popular favorites like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Vudu, iH...

05-21-19 -

How to create a slideshow on Mac in the Photos app
You’ll also have quick access to your slideshow in the Photos app. In the left-hand menu, you should see your slideshow under My Projects. This is handy if you decide to add more photos or change the theme, music, or duration. Wrapping i...

05-20-19 -

Instagrams IGTV gets a new streamlined interface
It has been just under a year since the Facebook-owned Instagram launched IGTV, its platform for creators to launch original content for the platform. Since then, there have been changes along the way in an effort to get more people to use it. Ins...

05-20-19 -

A bold new concept imagines Apples rumored AR glasses and how they could be m...
Apple may be working on an augmented reality headset said to sport dual 8K displays, custom chips and an operating system and other perks, with potential release at the end of 2019. We don’t know if the rumored headset might look dorkier than Mi...