Following the release of Super Mario Run earlier this year, Nintendo today announced its next mobile game for iOS. After previously teasing it, the company today made Fire Emblem Heroes official and revealed the game will come to iPhone and iPad “soon.”

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A new class action lawsuit in California is going after Apple, claiming that the company has had technology to prevent texting and driving but has failed to implement it. The lawsuit alleges that, in refusing to implement a lockout system to prevent texting while driving, Apple is putting profits ahead of user safety…

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The 2016 MacBook Pro has endured criticism for its lack of I/O ports, but what that it does have — two or four Thunderbolt 3 ports based on your configuration — have lots of potential. For example, it’s now possible to connect an external GPU (eGPU) box via Thunderbolt 3 and tap into the power offered by a full-sized graphics card.

In this hands-on post, we’re going to showcase how to power the 13-inch 2016 MacBook Pro with an eGPU using Sapphire’s AMD RX 480. The RX 480 is modestly-priced GPU with a decent amount of power that’s good enough for 1080p gaming. The connection is made possible by means of the Akitio Node — an external GPU box with an embedded 400W power supply, and enough room inside for a full sized card like the RX 480.

The nice folks at Akitio provided us with an early unit for testing with macOS. Unlike Akitio’s other Thunderbolt 3-enabled enclosures, the Node features the newer Texas Instruments TI83 controller and is immediately recognized in macOS. While that makes for one less hurdle to clear, there are still lots of factors to consider before taking the eGPU plunge.

As you’ll see in this post, the setup takes some effort to get right, but it’s fairly simple to get working if you follow the steps correctly. If you’re a Mac gamer or video editor, then the benefits are very apparent, especially if you’re using a MacBook Pro with an integrated Intel Iris GPU like the 13-inch 2016 model. Have a look at our full hands-on video walkthrough for our step-by-step guide through the setup process. more…

Filed under: Apple

Swift creator and ex-head of Apple developer tools Chris Lattner is a special guest on this week’s episode of the Accidental Tech Podcast, following the announcement that he is leaving the company to join Tesla as a VP of the Autopilot self-driving features.

Lattner talks about his general career at Apple, from compiler manager to senior director, the invention of Swift language and how it was brought up from within Apple to become its new premier development language, debuting at WWDC in Swift 1.0. The interview gives some insight into how new projects at Apple are made and managed …

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From 9to5Toys.com

While you’re likely too busy with today’s Logic Pro X update at the moment, we are getting some new iOS/Mac gear from IK today:

IK Multimedia is well known for its lineup of great sounding and affordable recoding interfaces for iOS and Mac. Whether its the iRig HD 2 for guitar players or the iRig Pro Duo for producers and songwriters, the company has just about every kind of musician, podcaster and music maker covered at a reasonable price point. And now, straight out of NAMM 2017, IK is announcing the brand new all-in-one iRig Pro I/O for iPhone, iPad and Mac. As its name suggests, just about every type of connectivity option your typical musician would need at home or on the road is present here.

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In a new interview with Axios, President-elect Donald Trump shared his latest expectations on Apple bringing iPhone production stateside as he has previously demanded. Although there is much speculation about the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of such a move, Trump believes Apple CEO Tim Cook would like to pursue something big related to Apple’s U.S. manufacturing…

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While rumors about refreshed iPads have been surfacing for months now, there has been no evidence that an Apple Pencil 2 is being planned for this year. A single sketchy rumor making the rounds on Chinese social media, however, claims the Apple Pencil 2 will launch alongside new iPads this year.

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Apple is today releasing a new version of its Logic Pro X audio production suite and it’s a big one. Not only does version 10.3 introduce Touch Bar support for MacBook Pro in a way that might be the most ambitious yet— they are fully customizable and go well beyond what Garageband has— the update also includes a refreshed user interface and many top requested features by pros.

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Alongside an update for Logic Pro X today to version 10.3, GarageBand for iOS is also getting an update that introduces Logic integration, a refreshed design, and a handful of new features.

Perhaps most notably, version 2.2 of GarageBand for iPhone and iPad introduces a mobile version of the Alchemy virtual synth that it picked up through its Camel Audio acquisition and first integrated into Logic last summer.

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TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Upgrade your ride with CarPlay and Pioneer’s iPhone-connected 6.2-inch display: from $275 shipped (Reg. $400)

Daily Deals: WD My Passport USB 3.0 1TB External Portable Hard Drive $40, Beats EP Over-Ear Headphones $65, more

Print photos from your iOS/Android device on-the-go w/ the mini ZIP Polaroid mobile printer for $102 shipped (Reg. $130)

Grab Apple’s latest 13-inch 512GB MacBook Pro w/ Touch Bar in both colors for $1,800 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Best Buy offers the latest 13-inch 256GB MacBook Air for as little as $975 shipped (Reg. $1,199)

You can get a brand new Apple laptop today for less than $800 shipped: current gen 13-inch MacBook Air $200 off

Save an extra $25 off $100+ at Best Buy w/ Visa Checkout: Powerbeats3 $129, Fitbit Charge 2 $105, more

The Apple Award-winning Smart Alarm Clock for iOS goes free for the very first time (Reg. $2)

• App Store Free App of the Week: Busy Shapes goes free for the very first time (Reg. $3)

Best Console Game Releases in January: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Yakuza 0, Gravity Rush 2, Kingdom Hearts, more

Review: does this Nike+ look-alike Apple Watch Band live up to the hype? Exclusive discount and more inside…

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Improve your home theater: The Bose Solo 15 Series II TV Sound System is on sale at Amazon for $319 shipped (Reg. $380+)

• DJI’s Phantom 4 Quadcopter is on sale as a certified refurb w/ warranty for $735 (Orig. $1,400)
• Smartphone Accessories: Aukey 29W Dual-port USB-C/A Wall Charger $18 Prime shipped, more
• Games/Apps: BADLAND 2 $2, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon $26, iOS freebies, more
• This Philips Norelco Shaver comes w/ a charging stand, pouch, trimmer and more for just $60
• Amazon 1-Day Activewear/Basics Apparel sale: 10-Pack Hanes Socks $10, much more

MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:

Samsung Gear IconX Cord-free Fitness AirPod competitor w/ 4GB internal storage $130 or $105 w/ Visa Checkout (Orig. $200)

Save on Caseology’s latest iPhone 7/6/s/Plus and Galaxy S7 cases w/ these exclusive promo codes, from $7 Prime shipped

Dock, charge and play music from your iPhone: AmazonBasics Lightning Clock Radio for $37.50 Prime shipped (all-time low)

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Filed under: Apple