The Pokémon Company is today releasing its latest offering for mobile devices with Pokémon Duel, a strategy board game that lets you grow a team of six Pokemon characters and fight against others. The game was previously available in Japan but today is launching in the US and elsewhere internationally. 

Pokémon Duel uses a board game-style user interface for navigation, and you’ll duel with Pokémon you run into a long the way. Since the game includes an online component and League rankings, those duels can also include battling against real opponents:

In Pokémon Duel, your objective is to deploy your Pokémon figures on the game board and move them to the goal in your opponent’s territory… Each Pokémon figure has different strengths and a set number of steps it can take, so you’ll have to plan your moves strategically. Send your Pokémon along different routes in a rush to the goal, or block your opponent’s Pokémon from advancing. When you get next to one of your foe’s Pokémon along your route, you’ll need to engage in battle to advance.

You’ll be able to build your team and abilities by playing the game and winning duels, but the app also has in-app purchases for inventory and Pokémon. 

The free Pokémon Duel game is available to download on the App Store now for iPhone and iPad.

Filed under: Apple

Apple marketing executive Musa Tariq is leaving the company after a couple short years and headed to Ford where he’ll become the company’s vice president and chief brand officer (via Automotive News).

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Target has accepted Apple Pay in its mobile app since Apple’s mobile payment service launched in 2014, but the retailer still doesn’t take Apple Pay in stores. Now Target is planning to introduce its own mobile payment solution later this year which suggests Apple Pay support in stores isn’t coming any time soon. Recode reports that Target is planning […]

Gamevice is one of the more popular options for Apple certified, Made-for-iPhone (and iPad) game controllers. Today the company is introducing a new version of the controller specifically designed for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus that also includes a headphone jack and a Lightning port for charging. It also has second-generation controllers launching today and later this month for iPads.

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Apple is working on an enhanced version of Siri in time for the launch of the iPhone 8, indicate supply-chain sources cited by Digitimes. The sources suggest that Apple will respond to increased competition in the field of intelligent assistants – in particular, Google Assistant and the expansion of Amazon’s Alexa to smartphones.

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A patent granted to Apple today describes how the company could use a modular Watch bracelet to add functionality. Each link could perform a separate function, with owners able to add as many active links as needed.

In one or more embodiments, a method for utilizing functional components of band system for a wearable device may include: receiving identifiers at a wearable device from multiple modular functional band links connected to the wearable device, determining functionality available via the multiple modular functional band links utilizing the received identifiers, and communicating with one of the multiple modular functional band links to utilize the determined functionality.

While the patent uses the usual broad terminology – suggesting that the modules might offer everything from cameras to additional power – Tim Cook has already hinted at the most likely application of the technology …

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Persistent reports that Apple is working on introducing long-range wireless charging technology in the iPhone 8 may be overly optimistic, suggests a new report.

Long-range charging would free devices from the need to be placed onto a charging mat, allowing them to be charged anywhere from three to twenty feet away from a charger. Bloomberg first reported that Apple was working on this tech almost a year ago, and there have been multiple suggestions since then of a tie-in with Energous, whose WattUp technology raises the prospect of iPhones being charged anywhere within a room.

Two particular reports seemed to add weight to this claim, as a key Apple supplier partnered with Energous before the company announced a ‘key strategic partnership‘ three weeks ago. However, analysts writing as Copperfield Research believe that Apple’s plans for the iPhone 8 may be less ambitious …

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Apple and Qualcomm are currently engaged in a legal battle, with the former suing the latter for $1 billion over patent royalties. Despite the legal rhetoric, however, Qualcomm doesn’t plan to let business between it and Apple be affected, according to a new report from Recode.

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Apple’s rumored Siri Speaker may be hitting the market this year and with it will likely come improvements to Siri itself. Apple, however, won’t be the first to release a standalone speaker with a built-in virtual assistant. Google has already released its solution, Google Home, while Amazon has its Alexa virtual assistant available in several forms, including the Echo and Echo Dot.

The Echo Dot and the Echo series as a whole has been a smash hit success for Amazon and it’s where Apple should take inspiration from for its Siri Speaker, but its success really hinges upon implements to Siri itself…

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If you’re interested in installing Windows 10 on your Mac, you can easily do so by means of Microsoft’s Windows 10 ISO download and the macOS Boot Camp Assistant. The installation can be a little time consuming, but it is by no means difficult. Check out our full video walkthrough inside for the details. more…

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