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TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Apple’s Get Productive iOS App Sale 50% or more off: Things, Clear, Duet Displays, Deliveries, much more

App Store Free App of the Week: MarcoPolo Ocean puzzle game (Reg. $3)

1Password for Mac keeps your accounts and information safe, now $25 (Reg. $50)

Use your iPad as an additional screen for your Mac or PC w/ Duet Display, now just $8 (Reg. $16)

Astropad turns your iPad into a professional Mac drawing tablet, download it now for $10 (Reg. $20)

Deliveries package tracker for iOS hits its lowest price yet: $2 (Reg. $5)

LifeProof FRE iPhone 6 Waterproof Case in Blue: $30 Prime shipped (Orig. $80)

iPhone 6/s Plus Benuo Leather Folio credit card case, various colors: $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)

Speck CandyShell iPhone 6/6s Case: $12 or two for $14 Prime shipped (Reg. $35 each)

OtterBox Defender Series iPhone 6 Plus Case: $24 Prime shipped (Orig. $60)

Samsung 850 EVO 1TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $290 shipped (Reg. $329+)

Several refurbished 12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display models are now available from Apple

Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB $1,250 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

Apple 12″ Retina MacBook 1.2Ghz/8GB/512GB: $1,290 shipped (Reg. $1,599)

Pay What You Want: The 2016 Mac Bundle ~12

Work Faster & Smarter on Your Mac with 12 Apps to Clear Your Hard Drive, Enhance Audio, Track Device Activity & More

Anker USB Power: 9-ft. MFi Apple-Certified Lightning Cable $6 (Reg. $12), 13,400mAh Power Bank $27 (Reg. $40), more

iTunes Gift Cards 20% off w/ free shipping: $100 for $80, $50 for $40 — Save on apps, music, movies, more

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Games/Apps: Mortal Kombat X from $25, Batman Arkham Knight from $15, iOS freebies, more

• Get in shape at work w/ FitDesk’s Under Desk Elliptical: $100 shipped (Reg. $170)
• Enjoy all 14 stories from the original Jungle Book w/ audible narration for $1
• Philips Wake-Up Light $110, Lumo Lift Posture Coach and Activity Tracker $50
• Logitech Harmony Smart Control Universal Remote: $70 shipped (Reg. $105)
• Google Play offers downloads of Kelly Clarkson’s Piece by Piece album for free
• Add TiVo functionality to your setup with this refurb Roamio DVR deal: $30 + $5 shipping (Orig. $50)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Mpow Grip Air Vent Magnetic Car iPhone Mount $5 Prime shipped (Reg. $7)

Throw one hell of a Super Bowl party w/ this Samsung 60″ Smart 3D 4K UHDTV: $998 shipped (Orig. $1,800)

LG 60-inch Smart 2160p 4K UHDTV w/ webOS 2.0: $899 shipped (Reg, $1,200)

• QNAP TS-231 2-Bay Personal Cloud NAS w/ AirPlay $136 shipped (Reg. $176)
• Contigo 16 oz Stainless Travel Mug: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $25)
• Bluetooth Selfie Stick with Remote Shutter $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $16)
• Fashion: Old Navy 50% off sitewide – men’s hoodie $15 (Orig. $35), more
• Apple iPad Air Wi-Fi 16GB in Silver or Space Gray: $299 shipped (Reg. $399)
• Upgrade your old speakers with this Mpow Bluetooth dongle: $8 (Reg. $10+)
• AOC 22-Inch 1080p IPS Frameless LED Monitor $100 shipped (Orig. $140)
• I-Venstar Portable Bluetooth Speaker $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $27)
• Headphones: Klipsch STATUS Over-Ear $70 shipped (Reg. $90+), more
• USB-C cables w/ Prime shipping: 6.6-ft for $7, 9.9-ft for $8, wall chargers + more
• Liger Handlebar Mount for iPhone 6s/Android devices $6 Prime shipped (Orig. $25)
• Bluetooth Speakers: Sony SRSX2 w/ NFC $60 (Reg. $80+), Aukey Rugged $15 (Reg. $25)
• Kingston V300 240GB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $62 shipped (Reg. $80+)
• iOrange MFi Lightning Cables: 6-ft. $7 (Reg. $14), 10-ft. $9 (Reg. $15), more
• Pioneer AV Receiver w/ Bluetooth and Wi-Fi: $250 shipped (Reg. $400)
• Belkin MFi Lightning iPad Keyboard w/ Stand: $40 shipped (Reg. $70)
• Monopoly 80th Anniversary Game $11 w/ in-store pick-up (Orig. $22)
• PSA: Xbox Live Gold Members can enjoy a free trial for EA Access this week
• Mackie CR4 speakers (pair) + Audio-Technica headphones $170 ($249 value)
• The Martian Blu-ray/Digital HD for $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $23)
• A Dark Room for iOS goes free as IGN’s Game of the Month (Reg. $1)
• Download Ashley Monroe’s Grammy nominated album The Blade for free (Reg. $10)
• Get to racing on your Android with Need for Speed Most Wanted: $0.10 (Reg. $5)

Game pre-orders for Amazon Prime members – Final Fantasy XV, more: $48 ea (Reg. $60)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Exploding Kittens: the “most-funded game in Kickstarter history” comes to iOS w/ special launch offer

Brinks has a new solar-powered deadbolt that is iOS-connected w/ HomeKit on the way

• Leica’s new X-U action camera makes your GoPro look like a child’s toy
• The first Amazon Dash Replenishment devices are now available for order
• Grovemade’s new entryway collection brings handcrafted charm to your home
• Blipcast uses your Wi-Fi to beam HDTV audio to multiple iOS or Android devices
• This Nintendo-inspired Bluetooth speaker is just about perfect in every way
• Netflix Announces Premiere Dates for 10 Original Shows including House of Cards, more
• Review: EasyACC 3 USB-port/2 AC-port surge protector is perfect for bedside, desk or travel

Filed under: Tips and Tricks

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After several months of limited availability in select retail stores across the globe, Apple Watch Hermès is now available to purchase online. Interestingly, that counters the initial point-of-sale strategy with the other three Apple Watch collections, which were at first only available to purchase online before hitting retail stores months later. Instead, the Apple Watch collection introduced in partnership with Hermès last fall enjoyed a more intimate point-of-sale experience with North American availability limited to Apple, Hermès, and Maxfield locations in LA, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Toronto with a similar situation across Europe and Asia.

As was reported to occur earlier this week, Apple Watch Hermès can now be purchased online from Hermes.com for the first time; Apple.com is expected to also offer the collection as well. French boutique and early Apple partner Collette similarly has Apple Watch Hermès available to order online. And there’s a whole market on eBay for Apple Watch Hermès that has existed since resellers got stock, but now online availability is official. My guess is we’re seeing some first-gen merchandise being moved before the expected refresh later this year, although the Hermès straps likely won’t be losing their value anytime soon.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Apple Watch Hermès collection, the product is a partnership between Apple and Hermès that includes a stainless steel Apple Watch with custom engravings and Hermès-inspired custom watch faces. The collection officially became available in select stores in October.

The big selling factor is the line of Hermès-designed leather straps that come in a range of styles and colors not offered in other Apple Watch collections. Styles include a single tour, double tour, and cuff strap with pricing starting at $1100 and ranging to $1500.

Filed under: Apple Watch Tagged: Apple, Apple watch, Apple Watch Hermès, hermes

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Microsoft opened up a beta test program for Windows users last November, letting Microsoft Office fanatics get early access to upcoming new features. Microsoft is now rolling out the program to the Mac, so OS X users can (optionally) join the beta program too. For the first round of the beta program, Microsoft will be adding inking and realtime typing / collaboration to PowerPoint. Expect these features in the ‘coming weeks’. More details available here.

To join the OS X Office beta, open the Microsoft Office AutoUpdater app (it comes preinstalled with Word, Excel and PowerPoint). There’s a button to join and you’ll start receiving early access to new features. Microsoft continues to be a good citizen on Apple’s platforms. Yesterday, Office for iOS added 3D Touch, and more Apple Pencil inking features for iPad Pro.

Filed under: AAPL Company, Apps, iOS, iOS Devices, Mac Tagged: Mac, Mini, Office, office insider, Outlook, Windows

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The lawsuit between Oracle and Google is inadvertently revealing some confidential information about the companies. It has already been disclosed that Google paid Apple a $1 billion fee in 2014 to keep Google as the default search provider for iOS Safari, as well as a revenue sharing agreement where Google gives a substantial portion of the iPhone search ad revenue to Apple.

Another lawyer from Oracle has also stated that Google has generated $22 billion in profit and $31 billion in revenue from Android in its lifetime, via Bloomberg. Although any number in the billions is impressive, it pales in comparison to Apple’s mobile platform profiteering. As highlighted by Quartz, Apple made more revenue from the iPhone in one single quarter, raking in $32 billion dollars worth of iPhone sales from July – September.

Obviously, there are some qualifications which explain the huge discrepancies somewhat. Most notably, Google doesn’t really make or sell its own hardware. Almost all Android revenue is derived from the Google Play Store developer revenue share (like Apple, Google has a 70/30 split) or ads shown from Google’s phones. Apple’s highly successful hardware business is better stacked to give higher margins, and with higher margins comes higher profits.

So, whilst this figure is more symbolic than anything, it is significant in showing Apple’s success with the iPhone in general. Remember: Apple and Samsung are the only manufacturers to make money from smartphones. Everyone else consistently loses money. The risks associated with the hardware business go often overlooked, but Apple is reaping the rewards from its success.

Even looking at software sales numbers, Apple is close to Google’s numbers. Apple last announced the App Store had raked in $40 billion for developers. That means Apple generated at least $12 billion in revenue from App Store. Adding in partner deals like the $1bn Google Search arrangement, iOS’s software-only numbers are approximately half of those reported for Android, which relies on only software app sales and ads for its business model. It’s impressive however you slice it.

Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: Android, Apple, Google, money, profit, Revenue

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According to several sources, the Catholic Church Pope, Pope Francis, is meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook today for a private discussion. The exact agenda for the meeting is unknown, but ‘Signor Timothy Donald Cook’ is booked in for 11.30 as shown in the photo. The meetup is likely related to visits the Pope has been receiving from other tech giants. Francis met Eric Schmidt, Alphabet (Google’s) chairman last week. It could just be a cordial exchange of greetings.

Sky News reporter Tom Cheshire says the Pope shares Cook’s strong stance on the environment and ecology. Both Pope and Cook are frequently named in the “world’s most important leaders” lists, so they do share some common ground in regard to influence.

The last time the Pope and Cook appeared together in the news, people were concerned the Pope’s US tour would delay the delivery of their new iPhones.

Pope Francis is generally seen as a more modern religious leader than his predecessors, actively using Twitter to convey his messages. He has described the Internet as a ‘gift from god’. The iPhone is the most successful internet communications product on the planet, so there is some overlap. Although it is a strange pairing, Apple touches every party of the world today through the iPhone and this includes religion.

We’ve asked Apple about Tim Cook’s visit and will update if we hear anything. In all likelihood however, the topics will remain confidential.

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, Pope

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Earlier this evening, the Oracle vs. Google lawsuit revealed Android’s revenues and profits for the first time. The same case has now revealed that Google paid Apple $1 billion in 2014 as part of its ongoing deal to be the main search provider—as in the one that resides in the search bar by default—on iOS devices.

Specifically, Apple’s deal with Google gives it a percentage of the revenue that the search engine generates through Apple devices. An Oracle lawyer said that the revenue share was 34 percent (although it’s not clear based on the transcript whether that means Apple got 34%, or if Google kept 34%). A Google lawyer quickly tried to get the percentage struck of the public record stating, “We are talking hypotheticals here. That’s not a publicly known number.”

In 2014, rumors emerged that Yahoo was pushing to replace Google as the search engine on iOS devices. Obviously, that did not materialize and whether it was because Google paid more or was the better search engine quality-wise is unknown. Google makes 4x more on iOS users than it does on its own Android users, and as such keeping the search deal is highly important to its core business.

Interestingly, this information highlights a hypocrisy on Apple’s part, revealing how much the company indirectly and directly profits from the Google ad business that it criticizes.

The revenue-sharing agreement reveals the lengths Google must go to keep people using its search tool on mobile devices. It also shows how Apple benefits financially from Google’s advertising-based business model that Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has criticized as an intrusion of privacy.

The magistrate judge presiding over the case initially refused Google’s request to block the sensitive information in the transcript. Google has asked a federal judge to seal and redact the transcript, saying the disclosure would negatively affect their ability to negotiate similar agreements. Interestingly, Apple has also filed to redact the information.

The legal case between the two companies is born out of Oracle accusing Google of using its Java software in the creation of Android without compensation. The Supreme Court denied Google’s request to hear the case and is now back to a district court where damages are being determined. Oracle could end up receiving up to $1 billion in damages when new versions of Android are factored.

(Image via VentureBeat)

Filed under: iOS Tagged: Apple, Google, iOS, search

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According to a new report out of the Financial Times, Apple has hired one of the top virtual reality researchers in the United States to expedite its efforts in the platform. The report claims that Apple has recently hired Doug Bowman, who most recently was a computer science professor at Virginia Tech before taking a sabbatical. At Virginia Tech, he was the director of the university’s human-computer interaction center for around five years.

Bowman touts that he has focused his research on “three-dimensional user interface design and the benefits of immersion in virtual environments.” He has experience in both fully immersive virtual reality, such as the tech used HTC’s Vive and Google Cardboard, as well as augmented reality like the tech used in Google Glass.

Apple has made a handful of acquisitions in the virtual reality market over recent years. The company has also filed for several patents relating to virtual reality environments, and posted several job listings relating to the technology. Most recently, Apple acquired Emotient, a company focused on facial expression and emotion section technology. Last November, Apple purchased Faceshift, the company responsible for the motion capture technology used in Star Wars. Early last year, the company acquired Metaio, a startup that specialized in applications relating to augmented reality.

Many argue that Apple is lagging behind in terms of virtual and augmented reality software. Five years ago, Apple lost one of its top augmented reality employees to Google. It still remains to be seen what the company has in store for the virtual reality technology, but with the amount of hires and acquisitions it has been making in the area, it’s clear something is being worked on. Earlier rumors have claimed that Apple was planning to integrate augmented reality into the Apple TV, although no developments have been made on that.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, Augmented reality, Doug bowman, Virtual reality

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Apple this evening has shared a new advertisement for the its Apple TV set-top box. This ad continues the trend of the company highlighting the tvOS App Store that is available on the device, showcasing a handful of the most popular applications available so far. The ad is entitled “Apple TV – The Future of TV is Apps,” which is a slogan Apple has used since the launch of the device back in October.

In the ad, which can be viewed below, Apple showcases a variety of different apps for tvOS. The ad highlights apps such as Netflix, ESPN, Asphalt 8, Disney Infinity, GrubHub, Showtime, Crossy Road, HBO Now, and Fox Now. Apple seems to have made a point to show off several different categories of apps, including entertainment, food, and games.

Apple has ramped up marketing for the fourth-gen Apple TV since its release in October. It has launched a nationwide billboard campaign showing off the device, as well as a variety of TV ads. One ad from last month showcased tvOS apps as well as the content available from iTunes. Apple also released a series of shorter clips in November, each focusing on a specific app.

The ad closes with the multicolored bars that Apple has used in most of its recent Apple TV ads, with the slogan “The future of television” appearing overtop. You can view the latest Apple TV ad below:

Filed under: Apple TV Tagged: ad, Apple TV, Apps, Games, video

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The NPR One app for iOS has been updated today with support for Apple’s in-car infotainment system CarPlay. The update bumps the app to version 1.6.1 and also includes a few bug fixes and the under-the-hood performance improvements.

With CarPlay support, NPR fans can now listen to their favorite shows seamlessly while on the road. The CarPlay interface for NPR One is relatively simple and in line with other CarPlay apps. On the main screen of the app, you have quick access to Up Next, Recommendations, Catch Up, and Followed. Catch Up shows you what’s next in the national and local newscasts you listen to, while Recommendations presents a curated list of stories and podcasts tailored just for you.

Introducing support for CarPlay. Listen to NPR One in vehicles that have support for CarPlay as part of the in-dash entertainment system, or with CarPlay-enabled aftermarket systems. Once you have connected NPR One to CarPlay you can tap on Catch Up to get started with your National and Local newscast followed by your recommended stories; Or simply tap on Recommendations to scroll through curated listed of stories and podcast episodes just for you.

Today’s NPR One update also brings a few bug fixes relating to the auto-play feature of the app. NPR says the update fixes a bug that would unexpectedly start playing NPR One in the middle of the night. The update also turns off auto-play when you launch the app.

This update also brings a fix to a bug that would unexpectedly start playing NPR One overnight. Sorry about that! Together with this bug fix, we have also turned off auto-play when you launch the app, so you’ll never accidentally blast “This is NPR One!” in a quiet meeting room again… not that we would know anything about that.

The latest version of NPR One with CarPlay support os available on the App Store.

Filed under: CarPlay Tagged: Apps, CarPlay, iOS, NPR One, update

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Tim Cook this week met with the European Commission’s antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, Bloomberg reports and Kristin Huguet, a spokeswoman at Apple, confirms. The Cupertino based company is fighting back against contentions that they have formed a special agreement with Ireland in which they pay significantly lower taxes to the country’s government. The news also appears to coincide with Tim Cook’s announcement in launching an iOS development center in Italy.

Having already agreed to settle a $347 million claim by the Italian tax office, Cook’s tweet in regards to the first iOS development center has definitely piqued some interest today. If the ruling declares that Apple and Ireland’s agreement is illegal, Ireland would be at legal fault, but Apple would owe the billions in back taxes. So it comes as no surprise that the Irish Prime Minister has chimed in defending the relationship; the one in which Apple would be seen introducing 1,000 jobs by mid-2017.

The tax pressure is only stacked with the encryption/privacy debate being mounted by the likes of AT&T’s CEO, who stated this week that encryption policies should be in the government’s hands, not the company’s. It’s worth nothing that Apple isn’t the only company being investigated here, with Starbucks Corp. and Fiat Chrysler amongst others, but Apple is definitely the most valuable in sheer monetary worth.

While we’ve been reporting on the Apple overseas tax controversies for a few months now, this new information feels timely considering this is the week of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Apple likely has some presence here, where various leaders in business and politics come together to discuss the world’s most pressing issues, considering the other European news coming out of the company.

Whether or not this week’s meeting will ultimately help Apple and the prospect of a massive tax bill remains to be seen.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Europe, European Commission, Ireland, Kristin Huguet, Margrethe Vestager, Tax, tax bill, Taxes, Tim Cook

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