Beta test will see high-end Roomba models hunting down Wi-Fi dead zones and weak spots
Apple blames software, not roof design, for Chicago Apple Store roped off by snow
Apple’s gorgeous new Michigan Avenue flagship store looked like the worst example of form over function last week when snow along the Chicago River front meant parts of the store needed to be roped off. Did Apple really design an Apple Store that couldn’t handle a bit of frosty weather in a city like Chicago? The design wasn’t the issue, says Apple, but rather a software malfunction…
Explainer: Why Apple didn’t put long-distance charging into an iPhone, and won’t for some time
Back when Android manufacturers were adding wireless charging to their phones and Apple wasn’t, one popular theory was that the iPhone maker was skipping contact-based chargers and holding out for long-distance ones. In the end, of course, Apple finally opted for the same contact-based Qi chargers as everyone else.
But resonance chargers – which require the device to be placed extremely close to the charging coils – offer limited benefit. Sure, it’s convenient to be able to just put your iPhone X down on a wireless charging dock and pick it up again later without having to fiddle with the Lightning cable, but you still have just as many cables as ever – they are now simply attached to docks.
RF-based long-distance charging – promoted by companies like Energous – promises far greater benefit, allowing devices to be charged anywhere in the same room as the charger. So why didn’t Apple wait … ?
FastCo explains why Jony Ive ordered this office chair for every workstation at Apple Park
The Herman Miller Aeron chair is so ubiquitous in higher-end offices that ordering them is almost a default for companies able to pay the tab.
But not Apple. Influenced by a chat between Jony Ive and two British designers, Apple has reportedly ordered 12,000 chairs created with a very different vision in mind …
Some Apple Watch users are reporting unexpected reboots possibly caused by ICU equipment
Apple Watch is an excellent health and fitness tracker that can actually save lives, but something about the latest model may be causing issues for users who work in certain hospital environments. A number of Apple Watch users including a 9to5Mac reader report unexpected reboots on Apple Watch Series 3.
The common thread appears to be using the Apple Watch in the intensive care unit of some hospitals. This suggests there may be specific ICU-related equipment used in hospitals that could be interfering with Apple Watch Series 3 with or without cellular.
ConnectSense announces new HomeKit Smart In-Wall Outlet
ConnectSense first debuted their original external Smart Outlet with HomeKit compatibility at the end of 2015, and is now expanding its product offering just in time for this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Today, the home automation company announced a new In-Wall Outlet, a hard wired version of their original accessory.
Amazon & Google likely lost money on smart speakers in run-up to HomePod launch, say analysts
Amazon and Google discounted their smart speakers so deeply in the holiday sales that they likely lost money on each unit, say analysts. Amazon discounted its Echo Dot to $29.99 in the run-up to the holidays, with the Google Home Mini also seen for the same price in various sales.
The two companies’ willingness to lose money on the hardware reveals their very different strategy to Apple with its upcoming HomePod speaker …
LG will supply OLED screens for larger 6.5-inch iPhone, while Samsung sticks to 5.8-inch model, says report
A KGI report back in November said that Apple was working on two OLED iPhones for 2018, an updated version of the 5.8-inch iPhone X and a larger, 6.5-inch Plus model.
A supply-chain report today states that while Samsung will remain the sole or primary supplier of the OLED panels for the smaller model, LG will supply the panels for the 6.5-inch model …
After LG’s 34-inch Thunderbolt 3 monitor, Samsung announces the first curved one
It’s a couple of weeks since LG announced its upcoming 34-inch ultrawide Thunderbolt 3 monitor, and now Samsung has done the same.
While LG has the higher resolution – effectively between 4K and 5K – Samsung is hoping that its curved design will win fans …
UK banning stores from charging debit/credit card & Apple Pay fees starting this month
The UK will soon start banning shops and stores from charging a fee for credit card and debit card transactions. As reported by The Bristol Post, the new law goes into effect on January 13th and will permanently do away with additional fees for credit and debit transactions, including Apple Pay…