Satechi’s new Type-C USB Hub announced in October at first glance looks like the perfect solution for using single-port Retina MacBooks with wired accessories and SD cards. It adds three traditional USB 3.0 ports like MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros so you can plug in flash drives, Lightning cables, and most other USB accessories. It also reads SD cards and Micro SD Cards, just not at the same time. And the sleek hub is offered in Mac-matching colors that look almost official…

Satechi’s Type-C USB Hub doesn’t completely solve the single-port limitation of Retina MacBooks however. When Satechi announced Type-C USB Hub a few weeks ago, I mentioned that as a daily MacBook user, the lack of a USB-C port for power passthrough could potentially be an issue. In testing, that was indeed the case and no adapter would pass power off to the MacBook.

It works great for quick tasks especially when your MacBook is properly charged, but don’t expect to use Type-C USB Hub for several hours without monitoring your Mac’s battery. Apple’s pricey USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter adds a single USB 3.0 port and HDMI with USB-C passthrough for power, but for $79.

A rather trivial issue that caught my attention is that Type-C USB Hub slants down unevenly from the back toward the front to match the wedge shape of the MacBook (see top photo). It doesn’t change how it works and you don’t notice when you’re using your MacBook, but the hub is big enough that it looks a little odd up close. Otherwise the hub looks and feels quite nice with it’s almost-official look. The top side’s clean with nothing but an LED status indicator interrupting the surface.

Since USB-C is reversible like Lightning ports, you can connect Type-C USB Hub facing outward like an antenna or inward like an extension. Satechi branding is visible when facing outward, but connecting USB cables feels more stable and SD cards face up. When connected with the LED status indicator light visible, which seems like the correct way, connecting and disconnecting USB cables tends to rock the USB-C connection loose as well. If you’re in the middle of a photo import and transferring data over another USB port, you’ll want to keep this in mind. There’s also what feels like two levels of clicks to securely connect the hub, although the first level dimly lights the LED.

Execution issues aside, Satechi’s Type-C USB Hub does work just as advertised. I connected and charged an iPhone 6s, iPad Pro, and Magic Keyboard with Lightning cables through Type-C USB Hub, which is one more than the MacBook Air I owned before my MacBook could do. That’s also more connections than I’ll likely ever need with my MacBook. Just don’t expect to be able to use USB accessories like Apple’s SuperDrive, which demands more power.

The SD Card slot is perhaps the most useful part of the hub for me as I’m able to snap photos on my Nikon camera and easily import them to my MacBook. Having that ability in a sleek hub that also has three USB 3 ports means I’m more likely to have it handy when I need it. I would gladly trade the third USB 3.0 port for a USB-C port with power pass through though.

If you’re only looking to turn your single USB-C port into a single USB 3.0 port, Satechi also offers small, color-matched adapters to do just that. I briefly tried one when testing Type-C USB Hub, and generally the same rules apply. There’s an LED status indicator and you can connect to iOS devices, flash drives, and other common USB accessories and devices, but no powering SuperDrives.

Satechi’s Type-C USB Hub is sold in three finishes: gold, silver, and gunmetal (which matches space gray) for $34.99 (reg. $39.99). Satechi’s smaller USB-C to USB adapter is also available in gold, silver, and gunmetal and goes for $9.99 (reg. $14.99). For the MacBook matching design and SD Card slot, I recommend Type-C USB Hub as long as you can manage not charging your MacBook while using the added ports.

Note: Gold hubs are currently out of stock (silver and gunmetal are available), but you can sign up here to be alerted when they’re back.

Filed under: Mac, Reviews Tagged: MacBook, Retina MacBook, Satechi, USB-C

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Feature Request is a new regular 9to5Mac series where authors offer their opinion on how to improve popular hardware or software products.

With the introduction of iPad Pro, now is the time for Apple to finally bring Logic Pro to its tablet. Apple has long had Garageband available for iOS devices, offering what is essentially a feature for feature companion for the desktop Mac app, albeit with a user interface tweaked for the smaller touch display. But it’s not much help to pros that have their workflow in Apple’s professional audio editing suite for Mac, Logic Pro.

Apple does have an iPad app for Logic, Logic Pro Remote, which I wrote about when it launched alongside Apple’s major redesign of Logic Pro a couple of years back. It offers the ability to control your Logic projects on Mac, and it does it fairly well, but with improvements to iPads in recent years— the new larger display on the iPad Pro, multitasking, and a new cross-platform audio plugin version that works across Mac and iOS— I think it’s finally time Apple brings a full version of Logic Pro to the iPad.

Especially with the iPad Pro aimed at a pro market and most app makers targeting pros, a Logic Pro suite for iPad would make the device much more attractive to audio pros like myself and a real valuable tool for in the studio and on the go.

Portable studio recording features:

At the minimum, what the app really needs to make it a useful standalone audio suite rather than just the remote for Logic on the Mac, is recording features.

Being able to record something quickly on an iPad, for example when out of the studio or on the road, and then have it synced to a session on the Mac via iCloud, is something that is currently a clunky experience at best using other audio recording apps on iOS. To make it a great experience, we need Apple to build Logic Pro for iPad (and or build APIs for iOS devs) with full cross-platform file support for syncing sessions and or tracks from within sessions between devices easily.

The ability to record some ideas when mobile and quickly transfer or sync to Mac is something we only currently have workarounds for. For now, we’re unfortunately stuck with bouncing tracks to audio out of third-party audio suites on iOS, and that’s far from ideal to say the least.

iPad Pro, Plugins and Split-screen apps:

And beyond just basic recording features, now that Apple has support for real audio plugins on iOS, split-screen apps, and the larger, faster iPad Pro, there’s even more potential for a full Logic Pro experience on the iPad.

With the iPad Pro’s larger display now in MacBook-size territory, audio plugins make a lot more sense— you can now have a plug-in open large enough to manipulate its controls while still having a full view of your session timeline or, for example, two or more plug-ins side-by-side. With all that extra real estate, fitting in a user interface with the complexity of Logic Pro and the plug-ins others make for it in general starts to become a reality.

It’s also likely going to make it easier to attract the popular plug-in makers from Logic on the Mac, many of which don’t have offerings on iOS, to build versions of their plugins that work on iOS too.

Controllers, customizable interfaces, touchscreen possibilities:

And likewise, the larger display iPad means lots of new possibilities for using the iPad as a virtual controller. The more screen real estate means the more potential for MIDI controllers with inventive and or customizable user interfaces. We could get a lot closer to a knob-per-function user interface for our favorite synth apps.

But perhaps Apple has more in store for us with the iPad Pro. A lot of developers haven’t updated their apps yet to take advantage of the larger display and new UI possibilities. Even Apple’s own Garageband hasn’t received the iPad Pro treatment, for example, despite the company confirming an optimized UI is on the way with images on its website and elsewhere. But with the larger display, it’s time for Apple to offer apps truly aimed at professionals on a device that carries the “Pro” tag.

Filed under: Feature Request, iOS Tagged: Apple, Feature Request, iPad Pro, Logic Pro, recording, remote, sharing, transferring

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Apple Watch benefits from deeper blacks and greater energy efficiency thanks to OLED technology

Apple is expected to begin shifting iPhones from LCD displays to improved OLED screens starting in 2018, according to Nikkei Asian Review. Currently the display technology is only used by Apple to produce Apple Watch displays while iPhones and iPads use older LCD technology. OLED benefits from greater contrast levels and much deeper blacks as the display only illuminates to present color. This offers energy efficiency that leads to improved battery life compared lighting up the entire display each time.

Nikkei claims that Apple has notified its suppliers that it wants to move to OLED iPhones in 2018, but adds that a mix of LCD and OLED iPhones are expected initially due to iPhone demand and OLED production limitations. The report also says Apple is weighing how well OLED displays hold up over time versus LCD displays before committing to the switch. Both Samsung and LG, which currently produce OLED panels, are expected to be primary suppliers of OLEDs for iPhones, which would negatively impact current LDC display partners Sharp and Japan Display.

The report follows a recent research note from reliable supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI, which similarly concluded that Apple will not be switching from LCD to OLED displays in iPhones in 2016 or 2017. KGI noted that iPhone manufacturer Foxconn has invested $4 billion into a new LCD display plant, and low yield rates currently prevent Apple from making the jump any time soon.

Given Apple’s tick-tock behavior of introducing redesigned iPhone models one year, then improving on that design with advanced hardware the following year, the two reports suggest LCD screens will stick around for the next couple of iPhone 7 models, then possibly be replaced by OLED screens for the iPhone 8 or possibly iPhone 8s at the earliest. It’s also worth keeping in mind that OLED rumors have been brewing for a while now, and plans could change over the next several years based on a number of factors.

The iOS interface would also likely need to shift from a mostly white to a black-based version design similar to Apple Watch for iPhones to benefit from the energy efficiency gains. We know Apple’s Design chief Jony Ive would like to make the switch, however, based on comments comparing the “old” iPhone display on current models to that of the Apple Watch in an interview earlier this year.

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Algebra 1, Apple watch, iPhone, iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhones, japan display, KGI, LDC, lg, Nikkei, Nikkei Asian Review, OLED, Samsung

Continue reading more about iOS Devices, iPhone, and Apple watch at 9to5Mac.

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This week, we’re discussing all things Apple Pencil. Should you buy one? Who is it for? Today, we’ll get to the bottom of Apple Pencil along with our impressions and opinions. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed.

New episodes of Happy Hour are available every Wednesday. As mentioned, you can download this podcast via iTunes or plug in our RSS feed link into your favorite podcasting app. Send an email to listenermail@9to5mac.com (or click here) and your question/comment may be featured in an upcoming episode of Happy Hour.

Note: iTunes (web interface and app) may still be propagating the new episode which could take up to 24 hours. Subscribing to the podcast feed will guarantee the latest episode is downloaded.

Hosts:

• Zac Hall
• Benjamin Mayo

Here’s what we discussed in this episode:

• Review: Apple Pencil is the best iPad writing tool yet … if you can handle the Pro’s size

Also, check out our iPad Pro unboxing and impressions video:

If you missed our 41st episode last week, you can subscribe and find every episode or start off from the previous episode here.

Remember: Subscribe on iTunes to catch all of the episodes as they go live and send in your questions/comments to listenermail@9to5mac.com.

Filed under: Happy Hour Tagged: Apple, Apple Pencil, Happy Hour, iPad Pro, Podcast, Technology

For more information about Apple, iPad Pro, and Podcast continue reading at 9to5Mac.

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Two weeks into using the iPad Pro, I’m even more convinced of something I believed during week one: the 12.9″ iPad is good on its own, but if an accessory adds enough bulk to make it feel like a poor man’s laptop, it starts to stink. I suspect that’s why Apple let another company release the first iPad Pro keyboard case; once you’ve tried something as big as Logitech’s Create, you’ll start searching for a “smarter” solution.

From where I stand, Urban Armor Gear’s new Composite Case for iPad Pro ($80) is a much better alternative to both Logitech’s and Apple’s solutions — so well thought-out and polished that it’s bound to inspire copycats. It begins by offering a ruggedized case and two highly distinctive features — a three-angle metal kickstand, and an integrated Apple Pencil holder — that would in and of themselves fully justify the price tag. But UAG went further, including optional Apple Smart Keyboard compatibility, and offering MIL-STD-810G anti-drop protection. While there will eventually be slimmer and simpler iPad Pro cases, Composite Case currently offers every feature an iPad Pro owner could want…

I’ve long favored iPad cases with integrated stands; ZeroChroma’s Folio Slides and earlier Vario-SC cases literally transformed the way my standless iPads get used every day. But even though I love their adjustability, ZeroChroma’s plastic stands tend to wear down over time, requiring replacement. Based on a design previously introduced for Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablets, UAG’s Composite Case instead includes a stand made from silver aluminum, with an internal hard plastic hinge mechanism that supports three different angles. It’s an excellent stand, and the single best feature of the case.

The strongest recline is a deep lean that works well for typing on an external keyboard, akin to Logitech’s Create, while the shallowest angle is around 10 to 15 degrees behind a fully upright 90-degree angle. Between them is a third angle that’s a gentle, Apple-like recline. I love the versatility these angles permit; by comparison with Apple’s iPad Pro Smart Covers, the only thing missing is an angle to support on-screen virtual typing.

The rest of the case is also made from sturdier materials. Like ZeroChroma’s cases, it’s made mostly from a slightly flexible plastic that mostly preserves its shape, but in typical UAG style, it sports rear panels with “Frogskin” accents that give it a “near-future military” look. In the jet black version (called “Scout”), the Frogskin accents merely add textured grips, but blue (“Cobalt”) and red (“Rogue”) Composite Cases pop with spots of color. I’d personally favor the all-black Composite for an iPad Pro, but to each their own.

Between the grips and the MIL-STD-810G anti-drop protection, your chances of accidentally dropping the Pro radically decrease, while the Pro’s chances of safely surviving a drop radically increase. Composite Case’s deliberately (and thankfully) basic front has a 2mm-thick bezel, which can keep your Pro’s screen from touching whatever flat surface the case comes to rest on. The more complex back is the reason Composite roughly doubles the Pro’s natural thickness at some points, most notably at the center and long edges.

My second favorite feature in Composite Case juts out from the front right edge: an Apple Pencil holder. While it’s a risky move for UAG to include a place to hold an optional, $100 accessory, the omission of an Apple Pencil storage solution has been conspicuous in other iPad Pro accessories, so it’s welcome here. Made from the same slightly pliable plastic as the rest of the case, it adds 6mm of width and 3-4mm of thickness to a 30mm box on Composite’s edge. As an Apple Pencil user, I consider it a major selling point of an iPad Pro case.

Another nice touch is Composite Case’s optional Smart Keyboard compatibility — the first practical solution I’ve seen to address the needs of both Smart Keyboard users and the many people who won’t spend $170 on the optional accessory. If you want to attach a keyboard, a hard plastic bracket detaches from Composite Case’s long edge to permit both magnetic and Smart Connector attachment. Should you prefer not use the feature, five pegs and latches keep the bracket in place. I love that UAG included the bracket, but have no desire to use it.

Why? Composite Case frees iPad Pro users to adopt what will — in the absence of a better Apple solution — become the dominant “large tablet” paradigm going forward: as-needed access to a wireless keyboard such as Logitech’s K811 or Apple’s Magic Keyboard rather than a bulky, always-connected wired keyboard. Up until now, the key missing piece to enable this for the iPad Pro was an integrated stand, but Composite Case fixes that while adding drop protection and an Apple Pencil holder to the tablet. Apple’s $140 alternative — pairing an $80 iPad Pro Silicone Case with a $60 iPad Pro Smart Cover — is more expensive, less drop-safe, and has no Apple Pencil solution.

Having actually used Composite Case with my iPad Pro, I can tell you that it’s impressive enough to keep on the tablet at all times: polished, sturdy, and practical. It adds only a little weight and size to the already large tablet, while radically expanding its utility. The only way the iPad Pro fits into my life is when it has an ever-present stand to support it on flat surfaces, and preferably both protection and easy access to the Apple Pencil. I’m genuinely thankful that Composite Case is here already to deliver on all these fronts; it’s worthy of my highest recommendation.

More From This Author

Check out more of my editorials, How-To guides and reviews for 9to5Mac here! I’ve published a lot of different topics of interest to Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, and Apple Watch users, as well as a great holiday gift guide for iPhone users, and a separate holiday gift guide for Apple photographers.

Filed under: iOS Devices, Reviews Tagged: Apple Pencil, Composite Case, iPad Pro, iPad Pro case, Urban Armor Gear

Continue reading more about iOS Devices, Reviews, and iPad Pro at 9to5Mac.

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Black Friday Target: Apple Watch effective prices start at $232 thanks to free Gift Cards and REDcard savings, more:

• iPad mini 2 w/ free $80 Target Gift Card from $269
• iPad Air w/ free $100 target Gift Card from $399
• iPad Air 2 w/ free $100 target Gift Card from $499

The rest of the most notable early Black Friday sales can be found below:

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Pixelmator – our favorite photo editing app for Mac gets a 50% discount today: $15 (Reg. $30)

B&H Photo’s Black Friday Mac Deals live! 5K iMac: $1579, Mac Pro: $500 off, Retina MacBook: $170 off (Tax in NY only)

• 27-inch iMac w/ 5K Display 3.2GHz/8GB/1TB HDD (newest version): $1,629 (Reg. $1,799)

• 12-inch MacBook w/ Retina Display 1.2Ghz/8GB/512GB (newest version): $1,429 (Reg. $1,599)

• Mac Pro 3.7GHz/12GB/256GB (newest version): $2,699 (Reg. $2,99)

HyperDrive Macbook Storage Expander adds up to 200GB with no extra bulk: $20 Shipped (Orig. $30, CA Tax only)

Parallels $79.99 Black Friday Bundle: Free 1Password, Evernote, Camtasia, Pocket, PDFPen, Snagit, more

Cyber Monday Ad Roundup: What to expect from Target, Best Buy, Walmart and others

Amazon releases its Cyber Monday strategy with rotating deals every five minutes

Best of Black Friday — Apple: deals on iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s/Plus, Apple Watch, Macs, more!

Amazon’s Black Friday deals go live later this week w/ mobile shoppers getting extra perks

Top 5 ways to score the year’s best online Black Friday deals

10 can’t-miss deals for the holiday season: HDTVs, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s, more

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Free downloads via Amazon: dozens of songs, movies, TV episodes, apps and eBooks

• Blue Microphones over 35% off: Yeti $85, Snowball $34 Prime shipped
• Fitbit Charge HR Activity Monitor: $114 shipped (Reg. $150)
• Early Black Friday Fashion: Save 50% at Gap – Polar Fleece Jacket $30, others
• Daily Deals: Samsung 50-inch LED 4K HDTV $755, iPad mini 3 $300, more
• Games/Apps: Zelda Skyward Sword & Kirby’s Dream Collection (pre-owned) $20 each
• Car Tech: iOttie Easy One Touch iPhone 6s/Plus Car Mount $10 (Reg. $17+), more
• Soundfreaq Sound Rise: $70 Shipped (Orig $80, CA Tax only)
• Pay what you want for the Learn to Code Bundle(Orig. $1,539)

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

Best of Black Friday – Streaming Media Players: Apple TV 64GB $180, Roku SE $20, 2-Pack Chromecast (2nd gen) $50, more

Best of Black Friday – Smart Home: Nest Thermostat $250 + $50 GC, Philips Hue kit $130

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50), more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatches, more

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

• MacMall’s Black Friday 2015 Ad leaks, we have all 50+ pages
• Walmart’s Black Friday ad leak hits with 4K UHDTV deals, iPad Air 2 $100 off, more
• Target previews its top Black Friday deals, launches surprise one-day sale
• Staples Black Friday Ad Revealed: iPad Air 2 from $374, mini 4 $300, more
• Amazon plans dramatic Black Friday discounts for its Kindle, Fire TV Stick & Fire tablet
• Amazon’s Black Friday Deals store is now open for business
• ShopRunner’s 2-day shipping service may be your best friend this Black Friday
• eBay’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday will deliver deals on MacBooks, iPhone, iPad Air 2
• GameStop Black Friday ad leak: PS4/Xbox One bundles $300, new Nintendo 3DS XL $180
• Costco’s Black Friday ad includes deals on Chromecast (2nd gen), Fitbit Flex, more
• Microsoft launches its Black Friday promo early for Xbox Live Gold Members
• Toys R Us Black Friday ad leak: Xbox One/PS4 bundles $300, more
• Sam’s Club Black Friday ad leak: iPad Air 2 Cellular $175 off, Google Play $100 GC $80
• Kohl’s Black Friday ad leak: more PS4/Xbox One $300 bundles, home goods, clothing
• Sam’s Club One-Day Sale: iPhone 6s/Plus $100 off, iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB $150 off
• HHGregg Black Friday: Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Headphones $100, more
• Sports Authority Black Friday Ad: Free gift cards w/ footwear, FitBit Charge HR $120
• McDonald’s offer nets you a free Big Mac or Egg McMuffin per week for 1 year
• eBay calls on Black Friday shoppers to decide which products will get discounted this year
• BJ’s Warehouse Black Friday ad hits with Samsung 4K UHDTV deals, fitness trackers
• Sears Black Friday Ad: deals on Samsung 4K UHDTV’s, more
• Black Friday ad leaks drop for Lowe’s, Menards, Cabela’s, and more
• Grab 2 free ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ tickets during Black Friday at Kohl’s
• The Office Depot & OfficeMax Black Friday ad doesn’t bring much to the table

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Spigen’s aluminum Apple Watch Stand is down to just $8 shipped (Reg. $16)

Apple AirPort Extreme 802.11ac Wireless Router (refurbished): $100 shipped (Orig. $199)

Apple iPod touch (6th gen) in multiple colors: 16GB $159, 32GB $199, 64GB $239 + free shipping

Save on the 3rd Gen 1080p Apple TV with this refurb deal: $40 shipped (Orig. $69)

• iTunes HD Movies: Godfather Trilogy $10, Rocky Collection $30, more
• AirPrint All-in-One Printers: Brother Laser $85 (Reg. $99+), more
• Garmin Dash Cam 20 HD Driving Recorder with GPS: $150 shipped (Orig. $250)
• Jawbone Mini Jambox Wireless Bluetooth Speaker $47 shipped
• Panasonic Sound Rush Plus On-Ear Headphones $15 shipped (Reg. $60)
• Herman Miller takes rare 15% off world’s best office chairs + desks
• App Store Free App of the Week: Stackables ($3 value)
• Canon Pre-Black Friday Sale: T5 w/ 18-55mm lens kit (refurb) $200 (Orig. $549), more
• Home Theater: Sony 300W soundbar w/ wireless subwoofer $198 (Reg. $350), more
• ASUS Chromebox 1.7GHz/4GB/16GB: $199 or $175 w/ Visa Checkout (Reg. $230)
• Maker Architect 3D Printer $400 shipped (Orig. $600)
• Media: Mad Men Complete Seasons $5/ea on DVD, more
• The Black Friday Mac Bundle offers 10 productivity-boosting apps for $34.99 (Orig. $533)
• Save 25% on Nike Gear: FlyKnit Lunar 3 Men’s Shoes $90 (Orig. $150), more
• Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit: $199 shipped (Reg. $249)
• USB roundup: Anker MFi 3ft Lightning cable $4 Prime shipped, Power Banks from $6, more
• Seagate Backup Plus External Desktop Hard Drive: 5TB $120, 8TB $200
• Portable Solid-State Drives: SanDisk 120GB $60, 240GB $80 + more
• Samsung Chromebook 2 2.16GHz/2GB/16GB SSD: $149 shipped (Reg. $190+)
• Twelve South BookBook for iPhone 5/5s: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $60)
• NETGEAR DOCSIS 3.0 High Speed Cable Modem: $80 shipped (Reg. $100)
• Toys 20% off – NERF, Melissa & Doug, more + Buy 2 Get 1 free Board Games
• Amazon Kindle e-Reader deals from $50 shipped, Paperwhite $100 (Reg. $120)
• APC Back-UPS 450VA Network 8-Outlet UPS $28 shipped (Reg. $55)
• MacPhun offers up to 85% off Creative Kit 2016 for Black Friday: $89 (Reg. $630)
• Pebble Time iOS/Android Smartwatch: $130 shipped (Reg. $200)
• Home Theater: Samsung 55-inch Smart 4K LED UHDTV $900 (Reg. $1,200), more
• Verizon launches freebies promotion: 1GB of data, $5 iTunes credit, more
• Samsung Bluetooth Soundbar w/ Wireless Subwoofer: $148 (Reg. $228)
• Japanese interactive dictionary app goes free for the first time in years (Reg. $7)
• Download Michael Jackson’s Thriller album for free (Reg. $10)
• Networking: TP-LINK Archer C5 802.11ac Router + Wi-Fi Extender $105 ($135 value), more
• Implosion – Never Lose Hope for iOS goes free for the first time ($10 value)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Unboxing and Review: Star Wars Battlefront limited edition PS4 is out of this galaxy [Video]

Mohu launches a “high-end” speaker with built-in Android display, save 10%

• Leica introduces a new low-cost M series camera, but don’t expect bargain pricing
• D-Link takes all the smart things and puts them together in one Komfy light switch
• Curate With Me, Win A Prize: 2015’s Most Coveted Holiday Tech Gifts List!
• The ultimate 4K set-top box battle [Video]
• GENII’s CAST streaming box skirts copyright rules to beam your content to friends

Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: Amazon, Apple Black Friday, apple deals, Apple watch, Black Friday, Black Friday ad leak, coupon codes, Cyber Monday, Daily Deals, Deals, free, free shipping, Freebies, iMac, iPad Air 2, ipad mini 2, Pixelmator, playstation 4, target, xbox one

Check out 9to5Mac for more breaking coverage of Tips and Tricks, Apple watch, and Daily Deals.

What do you think? Discuss “9to5Toys Lunch Break: Apple Watch from $232 effective price, Pixelmator for Mac $15, Black Friday deals” with our community.

Leo’s Fortune previously won an Apple Design Award for its game on iOS, thanks to its engaging gameplay and beautiful art style. Over the last year, it has become a smash hit across multiple platforms including iPhone, iPad, Android and more. Today, the same great game is now available in the Mac App Store for $6.99 accompanied by beautiful high-resolution textures.

Voyage through lush environments from mossy forests and arid deserts, to pirate cities and snowy mountains. Survive vicious traps and solve physics-based puzzles through 24 levels of treacherous adventure. Follow the trail of gold and uncover the truth behind Leo’s stolen fortune. Finish Leo’s Fortune to unlock Hard-core Mode: try to beat the whole game without dying to unlock a special prize! Compete with your Game Center friends to beat as many levels as you can in the fastest time possible.

This platformer is super-simple, effectively controlled by just one button, but the level variety gives the game a lot of depth with several challenging obstacle puzzles to navigate around. Especially on the Mac, quick platformer games serve as a great distraction between real work. Leo’s Fortune features 24 unique levels and runs on Mac OS X Lion or later.

The company has kindly given us five codes to give away to readers. If you are fast, redeem the following codes in the Mac App Store for a free copy of Leo’s Fortune for Mac (and let everyone know in the comments). For more information, check out the developer’s website.

• KARP3KL463Y4
• HTE66EKP9PRL
• 7FWFM39TNRWA
• 74KFWML6FT9M
• 36TW67RMKHEY

Filed under: Apps, iOS, iOS Devices, Mac Tagged: game, iOS, leos fortune, Mac, Mac App Store

Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of iOS Devices, Apps, and iOS.

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Just one day before Thanksgiving in the US and a month before Christmas, Apple has shared its annual holiday ad on YouTube.

From our family to yours, Andra Day and Stevie Wonder perform his 1967 holiday classic, “Someday At Christmas.

The video spans about a minute and a half, featuring legendary artist Stevie Wonder (a known Apple fan) performing with Andra Daye, with various Apple products including MacBooks running GarageBand and Apple Watches in view. The holiday ad wraps with a “Love, Apple” sign off. Check it out below:

Filed under: iOS Devices

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Following Monday’s report that Apple is planning to launch Apple Pay in China in February of next year, Bloomberg reports that it has reached a preliminary agreement with UnionPay to use its card-processing terminals. The agreement was an essential step along the way as UnionPay has a monopoly on card-processing in China.

The agreement is provisional, as it still requires the individual banks to agree. They have reportedly been reluctant to agree to the 0.15% cut Apple takes of each transaction. Given the transaction volumes involved, that soon adds up to a significant chunk of the tiny percentage banks charge retailers.

That isn’t the only hurdle Apple needs to overcome … 

Apple still needs regulatory approval before it can legally operate in the country. It had been suggested at one stage that Apple might partner with Alibaba – responsible for a very high percentage of card transactions in the country. Apple confirmed last year that it had been in talks with the company, but things have gone very quiet since then.

CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly expressed his enthusiasm for taking Apple Pay into China, saying that he is “very bullish” about the prospect.

Photo: Nelson Ching/Bloomberg

Filed under: Apple Pay Tagged: Alibaba, Apple Inc, Apple pay, china, China UnionPay, UnionPay

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Not too long after the first rumors surfaced, Apple has given its usual non-confirmation that it has acquired Faceshift, the company behind the technology Star Wars used to animate the faces of CGI characters. It’s not an obvious fit for Apple, so what could be the thinking behind the purchase?

Like Apple’s patents, it is sometimes easy, I think, to read too much into some of the company’s acquisitions. Sure, it doesn’t go around acquiring companies randomly, but it may not always be after the complete package. It may well be that there is some small element of the company’s technology that Apple wants, or it may be an acquihire – where it’s the engineers rather than the specific tech the company wants.

But in this particular case, there is reason to suspect that Apple does have an interest in the broad brush-strokes of what Faceshift does … 

That reason is that this is not a single acquisition in isolation. As we noted earlier, Apple bought PrimeSense back in 2013, the company behind the technology used in Microsoft’s Kinect sensor, and facial recognition company Polar Rose way back in 2010. So it’s clear that Apple has significant interest somewhere in the facial recognition/motion-sensing field, the question is: why? I can see six possibilities.

Some years back, we thought we had a pretty good idea. In the days when Apple was believed to be working on its own television – rather than just the Apple TV box – there were long-standing rumors that Apple was planning some kind of gesture-based UI. Perhaps we’d use a hand gesture to scroll through content and point to what we wanted, for example.

Apple reportedly abandoned its full TV set plans when it couldn’t see a way to make enough money from it. It was suggested at the time that there were two reasons for that: TVs typically have low margins, and people keep them for a long time, so the upgrade cycle is long.

I don’t necessarily buy the low-margin argument – you could say exactly the same about PCs or smartphones, both areas in which Apple still manages to make a lot of money. But I do think the lengthy upgrade cycle is likely to have given Apple pause: it’s something that has already impacted iPad sales.

But this doesn’t rule out TV use, of course. Apple does already make a television, it just asks customers to buy their own displays. The company has already introduced one new UI in the form of Siri, and there’s no reason to think that it isn’t working on other options for future models. So television remains one possibility.

Looking a little further ahead on the television front, once Apple has its own cord-cutting TV subscription service, it could well follow the examples of Netflix and Amazon and start offering its own original content.

Given Apple’s historic tie-ins with Pixar and Disney, it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that it might want to create its own animated shows – where the Faceshift tech could obviously be used as-is.

Another possibility is gaming. While Apple may be unlikely to develop its own games, it could potentially offer a framework that would allow developers to incorporate Faceshift-style features into their own games. Imagine a game where your on-screen character mirrors your own facial expressions.

Couple this to Kinect-style motion-sensing, and you could have games where your character effectively becomes a virtual version of you, copying both your movements and expressions.

These are things that haven’t made too much sense for iOS games to date, where you are playing them on a portable device, but could make a great deal of sense now that Apple TV is aiming to bring mobile gaming into the living-room.

On the subject of entertainment, the tech could be a lot of fun in FaceTime chats with kids. Grandparents probably want to spend more time chatting with their grandchildren than vice-versa, but if the kids were looking at animated characters, their attention span might lengthen considerably.

Automatic tagging of people in photos and videos is a more mundane possibility – but one with enormous potential. Apple currently offers developers an API that can spot faces in photos and videos, but the code can’t yet identify who the people are.

This is an area where Google Photos is ahead of Apple, allowing you to search your photos for specific objects, and even particular people. Google’s tech is still pretty crude when it comes to recognizing people, though, so there is a definite opportunity for Apple to take the lead.

Imagine, for example, building facial recognition right into the Camera app in iOS, so that photos and videos are automatically tagged with the people in them. You’d then be able to search for those people directly on your iPhone, and the tags would of course carry over into the Photos app on your Mac so you could do the same there.

Perhaps give you the option of auto-including the tags when uploading photos to Facebook and other social media sites. This kind of stuff could be huge.

Finally, it could be that Apple simply wants to develop facial recognition tech good enough to use to unlock devices. Face-unlock has existed on Android for ages, but it’s way too crude to be trusted – it was originally fooled by photos and, when blinking was added, by a pair of photos. It has also been easily fooled by people who vaguely resemble the owner of the device, while failing to consistently recognize the real owner – the worst of both worlds.

Apple could be taking the same approach here as it did with fingerprint sensors, which first appeared on competitor phones many years ago. Apple waited until it could do it properly, with tech that is both fast and reliable.

If it could make face-recognition as reliable as Touch ID, that would be even more convenient: unlock your device just by picking it up (or opening the lid of a MacBook). Authorize iTunes purchases without doing a thing, simply because you’re already looking at the screen and it knows who you are. No need to hold your iPhone awkwardly when making Apple Pay purchases – so long as the camera can see your face, it authorizes them automatically.

Which possibilities appeal to you most? Take our poll to let us know, and share your thoughts – and any other ideas you may have – in the comments.

Photos: Main & FaceTime photos Faceshift; Pixar characters Pixar; Disney Infinity characters Disney; all other photos Apple.

Filed under: iOS Devices, Mac Tagged: Apple TV, Apple TV games, Camera, face recognition, faceshift, FaceTime, facial recognition, Games, Kinect, photos, photos app, Polar Rose, PrimeSense, Security, Touch ID

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