Posts in September 10, 2014

We know how important it is to keep in touch with friends and family, especially when they're spread around the world. Hangouts already makes it easy to send a quick message, or start a group video chat. But sometimes it's best to just call to say “I love you,” and with the new version of Hangouts you can.

Starting today you can make voice calls from Hangouts on Android, iOS and the web. It's free to call other Hangouts users, it's free to call numbers in the U.S. and Canada, and the international rates are really low. So keeping in touch is easier and more affordable than ever.

To get started on Android, just grab the new version of Hangouts (v2.3, rolling out over the next few days), then install the accompanying dialer to turn on voice calls. On iOS and the web, voice calls will be available the next time you open the app.


Whether it's your sister in Paris, your best friend in Boston or Jenny at 867-5309, Hangouts lets you call the people you care about at little or no cost. So download the app and dial your loved ones today!

Posted by Amit Fulay, Product Manager -- For more information read the original article here.

Apple has been avoiding talk about the battery life of its first-generation Watch, and with good reason, sources claim. The people say that the company isn't happy with performance, which is currently "about a day" on a single charge. An Apple spokeswoman, Nat Kerris, admits in fact that the company expects people to charge the Watch once a day....






-- For more information read the original article here.

It's no secret that I'm an Android guy. I worked for two years at an Android-focused site and I own multiple devices with "Nexus" in the name. Still, I couldn't be happier about Apple's announcements yesterday. Why? Because what Apple does affects us all.

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-- For more information read the original article here.

Long-standing Apple-themed publication Macworld has laid off much of its staff, and is closing down its print edition, according to blog and Twitter posts, as well as USA Today. Former editor-in-chief Jason Snell mentioned the information in a blog post, and staff from the company including Dan Miller and Roman Loyola have taken to Twitter to deny that Macworld is closing entirely, while acknowledging job cuts. In his post, Snell adds that he's leaving the publication to focus on other projects. Miller says he will be with the company for another month to help with the transition, and mentione...






-- For more information read the original article here.

With Apple Pay scheduled to roll out sometime this October, The Loop directs us to the fact that JPMorgan Chase has begun touting the benefits of Apple Pay to its broad customer base. JPMorgan Chase put out a mass mailing this morning trumpeting... -- For more information read the original article here.

When Apple announced that the Apple Watch would be able to use Apple Pay, the company's new mobile payment initiative, many wondered how secure the payments would be if the device lacked the security of Touch ID, which is used in the iPhone 6's implementation. Now, several members of the press have confirmed how the system works.


Both Rene Ritchie of iMore and Cult of Mac report that when a user first puts on the Watch they must type in a PIN code to authorize Apple Pay. Once it's on, the Watch uses constant skin contact, which it can sense using the four sapphire-covered lenses on the underside of the device, to authorize payments. However, once the device is removed from a user's wrist, they must re-enter their PIN when putting the device back on their wrist.

Thanks to sensors on the Apple Watch's back, the device can tell when it's being worn and when it has been taken off. When you first put the watch on, you must enter a code. When the watch is removed from your wrist, the watch locks itself and can't be used for payments unless the code is entered again.

MasterCard's mobile payment executive Ed McLaughlin also told Re/code that the Watch would use the four sensors on the back of the device as a security measure, while Visa CEO Charlie Scharf said that Apple understood the risks of contactless payments and has a solution.

The Apple Watch is due to arrive in early 2015 and will start at $350.


Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Apple Launches New iTunes 12 Beta for OS X Yosemite
• Apple Hires Senior Gap Marketer as Director of Global Marketing Communications
• iCloud Beta Site Gains Apps for iCloud Drive, Settings
• LaCie d2 External Hard Drives Upgraded With Thunderbolt 2, SSD Option
• Apple Launching iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in India on October 17
• 'Swift' Programming Language Hits GM Status for iOS, OS X GM Coming with Yosemite
• Apple Reportedly Close to Acquiring 'Path', Looking to Integrate Service Into Messages
• Apple Debuts Two New iPhone 6 Ads Starring Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake







-- For more information read the original article here.

Apple recently updated it Made for iPhone (MFi) program with a new set of specifications that allow for the transmission of audio through Apple's Lightning cable port instead of the traditional 3.5-mm headphone jack. As spotted by Pocket-Lint, one of the first manufacturers to produce this new category of Lightning cable-equipped headphones is Philips, which is preparing its Fidelio M2L headphones for launch later this year.

Pascal van Laer, headphones business leader, WOOX Innovations says: "We're excited to launch the Philips Fidelio M2L, our first headphone that has a direct digital connection to your iOS device. This means we can deliver an incredible audio experience today, and also opens up exciting opportunities for innovation for the future."

The Fidelio M2Ls connect to an iPhone or iPad via a Lightning port and will support 24-bit audio using an internal DAC and amplifier built into the headphone unit. The closed headphones also feature two 40-mm high magnetic intensity neodymium speaker drivers and leather memory foam ear pads.

The Philips Fidelio M2L headphones will be available starting in December. They will debut in Western Europe and North America with a suggested retail price of €250/$320.


Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• LaCie d2 External Hard Drives Upgraded With Thunderbolt 2, SSD Option
• Apple Launching iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in India on October 17
• 'Swift' Programming Language Hits GM Status for iOS, OS X GM Coming with Yosemite
• Apple Reportedly Close to Acquiring 'Path', Looking to Integrate Service Into Messages
• Apple Debuts Two New iPhone 6 Ads Starring Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake
• Apple Releases iTunes 11.4 for Mavericks With Support for iOS 8
• Apple Selling New Leather/Silicone Cases for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus
• Apple Launches Redesigned Mobile Website







-- For more information read the original article here.