CarPlay comes standard with Subaru’s brand new Ascent, pre-orders now open

Subaru has opened up pre-orders for its newest vehicle, the 2019 Ascent. The new 3-row SUV comes with CarPlay standard and joins some of the company’s other vehicles to offer Apple’s in-car platform.
9to5Toys Lunch Break: $150 off iPad Pro, iMac 21.5″ $1,350, Apple iPhone X Leather Folio $50, more

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HP makes it easier for companies to deploy Apple devices as it launches end-to-end support

While many large businesses have embraced Apple devices, and seen significant benefits as a result, others are worried about the resources needed to support mixed platforms. That’s the problem HP aims to solve by supporting iPhones, iPads, Macs and other Apple products with an end-to-end service …
Apple launches rich ‘Close Your Rings’ webpage to promote healthy living with Apple Watch

Just in time for some weekend motivation, Apple has added a new page to their website promoting Apple Watch’s activity tracking features. The page, titled “Close Your Rings,” details realistic and effective ways that Watch wearers can live a healthier and more active lifestyle by completing one simple goal each day.
HomePod Diary: For me, it’s the Apple Watch all over again – but should you buy one?

Well, almost. With the Apple Watch, I was pretty sure it was a pointless device, and was wrong. With HomePod, I did think it was going to find a role as a HomeKit hub and a device to allow my partner to control lighting when her phone was in another room. But I wasn’t expecting much from it as a speaker.
And yet it’s the speaker which is winning me over.
As I’ve said before, the sound quality isn’t up there with B&O or Naim – but is at least as good as a Sonos Play 5. I wondered last time whether two stereo-paired HomePods might go some way to closing the gap between the two levels, and I now find myself actively hoping this proves to be the case …
Some ‘distracted’ Apple employees accidentally walking into Apple Park’s clear glass panes, claims report

An amusing tidbit this morning highlights a potential flaw in Apple Park’s all-glass design. Bloomberg reports that some employees who might not have been paying 100% attention to where they are walking have accidentally walked into the clear glass internal walls of the pods that make up Apple Park. As a remedy, employees stuck Post-It notes to the walls to make them easier to see. However, these had to be removed because ‘they detracted from the building’s design’.
Whilst there are some markings on these panes, it seems employees haven’t quite adjusted to their new campus. Apple is still in the process of moving employees over to the new campus; at last count, it had permission to move in workers to 5 out of the 12 Apple Park sections.
iDevices unveils new battery-powered Instant Switch for smart home control

iDevices today has unveiled a new connected wall switch that it says lets users seamlessly control their other iDevice accessories and their smart home products. Dubbed the Instant Switch, iDevices touts this accessory as an “intelligently-designed wireless remote wall switch…
Apple Pay now accepted at 5,000+ more online stores in Denmark, Finland and Sweden
Infinite loop aimed to keep HomePod, Amazon Echo & Google Home in conversation for 48 hours

CNET set out to keep a HomePod, Amazon Echo and Google Home in continuous conversation for at least 48 hours …
20+ must-know HomePod tips [Video]

If you’re an Apple Music subscriber who’s all in on the Apple ecosystem, then the HomePod is a compelling smart speaker. Not only does it sound excellent, but it has Siri built in, which can do things like control your music and control smart home accessories.
HomePod isn’t yet as “smart” as Google Home products with Google Assistant, or Amazon products with Alexa, but it has loads of potential, and already features many built in conveniences. Did you recently purchase a HomePod? In this hands-on video, we’ll walk through some of our top must-know tips for new HomePod users.
