Flux developer says Apple’s new competitive macOS Night Shift feature falls short

Released yesterday with the macOS 10.12.4 update, Apple’s Night Shift may not be having the impact on your display that it aims to. In a new post shared on f.lux’s forum, a member of the team broke down why f.lux may be the better option over Apple’s similar offering. Both systems set out to enhance your sleep cycle by reducing blue light appearances on-screen, but f.lux may be the option that truly succeeds.

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Filed under: Apple

Hands-on: Classroom 2.0 brings manual class creation to the iPad [Video]

Nestled between all of the other headlining releases yesterday was Classroom 2.0 for the iPad. The original Classroom app featured an MDM (Mobile Device Management) prerequisite, which made it more suitable for larger organizations with a dedicated IT department. With Classroom 2.0, teachers can invite students to a class manually, as long as their iPad is running iOS 10.3. Watch our hands-on video inside to see some of the features made possible by the updated Classroom app. more…

Filed under: Apple

More evidence of 3D sensor on iPhone 8 as Himax shares climb on supply rumors

KGI first reported that the iPhone 8 will be fitted with a ‘revolutionary’ 3D-sensing front camera, with multiple reports since that this will be used for augmented reality applications. More than one company has been tipped to be making components for the 3D system, with Himax Technologies the latest of these.

Barron’s notes that the company’s shares have climbed 56% this year based on expectations that it will be making ‘3D sensing components’ for the iPhone 8, with Morgan Stanley’s Charlie Chan explaining why Apple is believed to have chosen the company …

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Facebook adds ephemeral Stories and 3D camera effects to its main app, yet another Snapchat clone

Facebook is adding its version of ephemeral stories to the main Facebook app on iPhone and iPad from today. Adding another to the list of Snapchat rip-offs, a strip of profile pics from your friends will now appear along the top of the main feed. Tap to view their recent story updates; all photos and videos are automatically deleted after 24 hours.

Posting your own photos rips off more iconic Snapchat features, including animated 3D camera effects and face filters, stickers, the ability to add text or doodles, and more. You can post to all friends or selectively share to just a few people when posting a particular pic. Here’s how to make a story …

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Square brings its Apple Pay-compatible card readers to small businesses in the UK

Square has now launched in the UK, allowing small businesses to accept payment by both cards and Apple Pay through its iPhone- and iPad-connected card readers. Even better, UK businesses will pay a lower transaction fee than Square charges in the USA.

A small white box combines a slot for chip-and-PIN cards and an NFC reader for contactless cards and Apple Pay …

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Two changes mean iOS 10.3 will take longer to install, but feel snappier

There are quite a few new features in iOS 10.3, from security fixes through Find My AirPods through the ability for app developers to reply to reviews. Renaud Lienhart – until recently, an Apple engineer working on iOS – shared one more than isn’t visually noticeable, but should make devices feel a little faster.

Apple may have good reason for the change …

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Filed under: Apple