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. more…

Amazon today has announced a new feature that allows users to play, synchronize, and control music playback across multiple Echo devices with support for voice commands. The news comes ahead of Apple’s HomePod launch in December and Sonos likely unveiling a new smart speaker in October. Amazon has also announced new tools for developers.

more…

YouTube is likely the Google product with the most frequent set of changes. Over the past several months, the company has been testing a series of new features for its mobile and desktop experiences, and today they are all launching alongside a refreshed logo.

more…

I’ve been using the Smart Keyboard + iPad Pro combination since the updated versions launched a couple of months ago. This combination has outright replaced my MacBook Pro for work on the go, but I still use a 5K iMac as my main work machine while in the office.

As an iMac owner who wields a Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard, the Magic Keyboard that came with the 5K iMac has remained tucked away in its original box up until recently. Since it was collecting dust in the closet, I decided that I should give the Magic Keyboard + iPad Pro combination a try to see how I liked it. Is it better than the Smart Keyboard? Here are a few of my observations. more…

The HomeKit ecosystem continues to expand with new accessories coming out all the time. Koogeek has now released the first hub-less HomeKit light bulb ($36) that can display more than 16 million colors. Existing solutions like Philips Hue require running a bridge hub in additional to buying the special multicolor bulbs.  The Koogeek solution is simpler and easier to recommend as a gift item — just replace your current bulb and you are pretty much good to go.

The Smart Bulb integration with HomeKit enables users to toggle the light on and off, change color and set the brightness level; everything is accessible from the Home app on iOS or with Siri voice commands. The hub-less approach has some tradeoffs, but on the whole it is a great accessory that adds smart home features to a room with very little fuss. Read on below for my full hands on …

more…

While analysts can’t agree on numbers, all the latest predictions are for extremely strong iPhone growth in 2018 – with growth estimates ranging from 9.1% to 23%.

IDC is projecting 9.1% growth for iPhones in 2018, following 1.5% year-on year growth this year.

From there, things only get better for Apple as IDC anticipates the arrival of the iPhone 8 will spur a major upgrade cycle come 2018. Despite the new device launching later this year, IDC expects a majority of the shipments are likely to land early in 2018. IDC projects 9.1% growth in 2018 with the iPhone 8 and the new 7S/7S+ models playing a pivotal part in the near double-digit growth next year.

While IDC’s forecast is for the calendar year, analysts are focused on Apple’s fiscal year, which includes Q4 2017 with its iPhone 8 holiday quarter sales, leading to more optimistic projections …

more…

Apple has announced that it is partnering with management consultancy Accenture to create iOS apps for businesses. The deal is similar to the one reached with IBM back in 2014 and follows others reached with SAP and Cisco.

Apple and Accenture are partnering to help businesses transform how their people engage with customers through innovative business solutions for iOS. The partnership will take full advantage of the power, simplicity and security of iOS, the leading enterprise mobility platform, and Accenture’s capabilities as a leader in industry and digital transformation to help companies unlock new revenue streams, increase productivity, improve customer experience and reduce costs.

The companies shared a little information about how they will work together …

more…

Elgato has announced that it is adding five new HomeKit devices to its range of Eve-branded smart home technology. The first of them, a 2nd-generation Eve Thermo – a thermostatic radiator valve – will ship on September 26 at a price of $60, with availability yet to be announced for the four other products.

The new Eve Thermo adds capacitive touch control and integrated temperature display of the target temperature.

The four other products are a door lock, smoke-detector, window alarm and irrigation system …

more…

Apple has not yet finalized deals with movie studios for 4K content, according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal. The clock is ticking as Apple readies a 4K Apple TV unveiling for September 12, and naturally the company wants to announce a sizeable 4K content ecosystem to back it.

It appears the studios are pushing back on pricing. Whereas Apple wants to sell 4K movies for $20, the same price it sells many new release HD movies at, studios are demanding an additional $5-$10 premium per sale.

more…

Uber attracted a great deal of criticism last year when it started tracking the location of customers even after their rides had ended. While the tracking was said to last for only five minutes, some riders reported that it appeared to be tracking them for days or even weeks after their rides.

The company offered an explanation for this the following day, but many were still unhappy that they were forced to choose between never allowing the app to track their location (which would make it next to impossible to use) or allowing it at all times. Uber says that it is now fixing the problem …

more…