‘The Sims 4’ heads to the city with its latest expansion
As much as The Sims 4 has done to expand its cultural boundaries over time, it has always been set in the suburbs — you know, that bastion of conformity and homogeneity. What about the city, where experiences tend to be more diverse? Enter City Living, a new paid add-on for the game that (surprise!) takes place in an urban landscape. You can live in or visit four distinct neighborhoods in San Myshuno, and broaden your horizons by attending street festivals or crooning at the local karaoke bar. At first glance, it’s a more varied experience — both culturally and in terms of gameplay.
And while we wouldn’t exactly call a Sims game gritty, it’s clear that City Living at least acknowledges the realities of downtown life. Your goal is to work your way up from a tiny starter apartment to a penthouse, and you have to deal with apartment nuisances like noisy neighbors and landlords (hopefully this doesn’t mean waiting months to get something fixed). There are three new careers, including politics, and activities now include urbanite favorites like basketball or mural painting.
As with many Sims expansions, City Living won’t come cheap: you can pre-order the Mac/Windows title for $40 ahead of its November 1st release date. However, this is a larger change than we’ve seen in some Sims booster packs. Simply put, it’s acknowledging a very common human experience that was conspicuously absent until now.
Source: The Sims
Apple releases iOS 10 and watchOS 3
You no longer have to be a guinea pig to give Apple’s latest software upgrades a try — as promised, the Cupertino crew has released the finished versions of iOS 10 and watchOS 3. As before, iOS’ biggest improvements are in communication — Messages gets apps, hand-drawn images, secret messages and stickers (among many other additions), while Siri now offers you control over third-party apps. You’ll also see major interface revamps in Maps (which now offers proactive suggestions) and Music, a Home app to manage smart household gadgets, lock screen widgets and wider use of 3D Touch on supporting hardware.
As for watchOS 3? It’s nothing less than a major rethink of the platform. Your favorite apps will not only load much faster (as they’re stored in memory), but the side button has changed from its original focus on contacts to bringing up favorite apps. You can also hand-draw replies, quickly access common settings and share activities to get some extra motivation. A Breathe app reminds you to relax, and iOS 10’s Home app gets a wrist-worn counterpart.
And Apple TV fans, you’re included too… although the upgrades aren’t as dramatic. The newly launched tvOS 10 update primarily introduces a dark mode for those late-night movies, a single sign-on to spare you from signing into umpteen services and Siri voice search for YouTube. You’ll need a fourth-generation Apple TV to see any of these differences.
Apple to Reopen Trio of Stores on iPhone 7 Launch Day
Apple has announced that it will be reopening three of its U.S. retail locations on September 16, the same day the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus become available for purchase in stores.
Apple Park Meadows in Lone Tree, Colorado, Apple Ridgedale in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and Apple The Fashion Mall at Keystone in Indianapolis, Indiana will each reopen on Friday at 8:00 a.m. local time. All three stores have relocated to larger units within their respective shopping malls, and it is likely that each location will be facilitating iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus purchases as normal.
Each store will feature Apple’s next-generation retail layout, including a combination of The Avenue, Genius Grove, The Forum, The Plaza, and The Boardroom, coupled with large glass doors, sequoia wood shelves, light boxes extending the length of the ceiling, and large digital screens for product marketing. Apple is in the process of renovating or relocating several of its U.S. stores to reflect the new design.
Apple Willow Bend in Plano, Texas before (left) and after (right)
The trio of grand reopenings will occur just six days after four other locations reopened: Bay Street in Emeryville, California, West Town Mall in Knoxville, Tennessee, Willow Bend in Plano, Texas, and Mayfair in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Apple Legacy Place in Dedham, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, and Apple Memorial City in Houston, Texas also reopened on September 2.
In related news, Apple Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia will be closed for renovations starting September 25.
Related Roundup: Apple Stores
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Mophie Launches ‘Power Capsule’ Charging Case for Wireless Headphones
Third-party accessory company Mophie today announced the “Power Capsule,” a new carrying case with a built-in battery that’s aimed at recharging wireless headphones. Mophie’s new accessory is well-timed, following Apple’s move to Lightning-connected headphones in the iPhone 7 and the slowly growing adoption of wireless solutions, including Apple’s own AirPods, which include their own charging case.
The Power Capsule includes a 1,400 mAh battery, which Mophie said can provide up to eight full charges for wireless headphones. Inside the case is an integrated USB output, so earbuds aren’t the sole beneficiary of the accessory. The company mentioned “small, compatible wireless devices, wearables and other accessories,” like fitness trackers and other wearables, could also be used with the case.
As with most battery packs, the Power Capsule supports pass-through charging, so the device within will be prioritized and then charging will switch over to the Power Capsule itself to fuel up. On the underside of the case is a row of LED lights to provide easy indication of where the current charge is and when users should begin charging it.
The power capsule holds a built-in 1400mAh battery, providing up to eight full charges for wireless earbuds. The integrated USB output also charges a variety of electronics including wearables, fitness trackers and more. Pass-through capabilities allow both the power capsule and your device to charge simultaneously. Once your device is fully charged, an automatic shut-off will engage to ensure maximum charges. Easy-to-find LED power indicators displayed on the outside of the case allow you to check charging status without needing to open the case.
The outside of the case is made out of EVA Foam and high quality silicone and was “developed for those on the move,” so it’ll keep accessories protected on road trips and at the gym, according to Mophie.
The Mophie Power Capsule is available right now on the company’s website for $39.95, and will launch in Best Buy’s retail stores September 18.
Tag: Mophie
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Apple Releases iTunes 12.5.1 With Revamped Apple Music Design
Apple today released a new version of iTunes, iTunes 12.5.1, which is available for OS X El Capitan and macOS Sierra users. iTunes 12.5.1 introduces a new Apple Music design, bringing Apple Music on the desktop in line with Apple Music on mobile devices just ahead of the release of iOS 10.
The update also brings macOS Sierra-specific features including support for Siri, allowing users to ask Siri to play songs on machines running macOS Sierra, and it includes support for Picture-in-Picture, another new Sierra feature.
iTunes 12.5.1 can be downloaded immediately from the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.
Now with an all-new Apple Music design which brings greater clarity and simplicity to every aspect of the experience.
This update includes support for iOS 10. It also adds enhancements designed for macOS Sierra including:
– Siri. Play music from your Library and Apple Music using your voice. Just ask Siri.
– Picture-in-Picture. Watch videos as you multitask and use different apps. Your video floats above your desktop in any corner of the screen.
While iOS 10 is being introduced today with an all new Apple Music experience that focuses on a cleaner look and easier to use interface, macOS Sierra will not be released until next Tuesday, September 20.
Tag: iTunes
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Apple Releases tvOS 10 With New Siri Features, Improved Search, Dark Mode and More
Apple today released tvOS 10, the latest operating system designed for the fourth-generation Apple TV, bringing a range of improvements that make it easier to locate and watch content on Apple’s set-top box.
tvOS 10 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the fourth-generation Apple TV by going to System –> Software Update. Those who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 10 automatically.
In tvOS 10, Apple has brought improved search, expanded Siri capabilities, a new dark mode, a Continuity option for using the iPhone for text input, automatic download of universal apps, and more.
With tvOS 10, Siri is able to search for movies by topic, bringing up content around a theme like “high school comedies from the 80s” or “movies about dinosaurs,” and a new Live Tune-In feature lets Siri go directly to a live channel in a supported app.
A Single Sign-On feature for pay TV apps that lets users sign in once with their cable credentials to access all live cable content included in a cable subscription was supposed to be included in tvOS 10, but it appears Single Sign-On was not included in the first version of the operating system and will be coming at a later date.
Third-party apps can do more in tvOS 10 with developer APIs for recording and live broadcasting, accessing iCloud Photo Library photos, using HomeKit, and developing games with more complicated controls that necessitate a game controller.
iOS 10 features like the Apple Music overhaul and the new Photos “Memories” feature have been ported to tvOS, allowing users to access the new Apple Music interface and view favorite Photos memories.
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For additional details on what’s included in the tvOS 10 operating system update, make sure to check out our full tvOS 10 roundup.
Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Releases watchOS 3 With App Dock, Instant Launching, New Watch Faces, Breathe, and More
Apple today released watchOS 3, the newest version of the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 3 is a significant update to the watchOS operating system, introducing an overhauled interface, new apps, new watch faces, and impressive performance improvements.
watchOS 3 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General -> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone. watchOS 3 is available for all Apple Watch models, but requires an iPhone running iOS 10 to install, which was also released today.
watchOS 3 features a new dock that houses your favorite and recently used apps so they’re quicker to access. Up to 10 apps saved to the dock are kept up to date at all times and are able to launch instantly, cutting down on app loading times.
Navigation is improved in watchOS 3, with left and right swipes able to change the watch face. Upward swipes bring up the Control Center, while a downward swipe opens the Notification Center. Pressing the side button brings up the new dock.
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There are new Activity sharing features in watchOS 3, along with workouts and activities for wheelchair users. A new “Breathe” app guides you through daily deep breathing sessions to cut down on stress, and there are new Reminders, Find My Friends, and Heart Rate apps.
Three new watch faces are available, an SOS feature can automatically call emergency services, and an Apple Watch can be used to unlock a password protected Mac with new Continuity functionality. A revamped Messages app makes it easier to reply to incoming texts, plus there’s a new “Scribble” feature for writing replies on the Apple Watch face with a finger.
For more details on what’s new in watchOS 3, make sure to check out our full watchOS 3 roundup.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2, watchOS 3
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Apple Releases iOS 10 With Redesigned Lock Screen, New Messages Features, Third-Party Siri, and More
Apple today released iOS 10, the latest operating system designed for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, to the public. iOS 10 can be downloaded on the iPhone 5 and later, the iPad mini and later, the iPad 2 and later, and the 6th generation iPod touch.
The update is available on all eligible devices through iTunes or over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings –> General –> Software update. As with all major software releases, it may take a few minutes for the update to propagate due to high user demand.
According to Apple, iOS 10 is the “biggest release ever” for iOS devices, with major updates for Messages, Siri, Photos, Maps, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and the iOS interface.
iOS 10 features a redesigned Lock screen experience with 3D Touch-enabled notifications, a more easily accessible camera, and a widgets screen. A revamped Control Center also offers 3D Touch support along with new controls for music and HomeKit devices. Raise to Wake, a new feature for the latest devices, wakes up the iPhone without bypassing notifications.
Messages has been entirely overhauled with new features like background animations, bubble effects, rich links, and Digital Touch, and there’s even a full Messages App Store that can add almost unlimited capabilities to messages, from sending stickers and GIFs to making payments or placing collaborative dinner orders.
A new Siri SDK lets developers build support into their apps, and a dedicated “Home” app gives users a central place to control HomeKit devices. Photos features impressive facial and object recognition capabilities, and a new Memories feature allows you to discover forgotten memories.
Maps and Apple Music have both been redesigned with cleaner, simpler interfaces, with Maps gaining proactive suggestions and integrated third-party apps and Music gaining better content discovery features and a new focus on lyrics.
There’s a new feature that lets stock iOS apps be hidden from sight, and the QuickType keyboard is smarter with new contextual predictions, including emoji predictions. Apple Pay is available on the web starting today, and Game Center has been largely eliminated.
For full details on the new features included in iOS 10, make sure to check out our complete iOS 10 roundup.
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Apple Releases Swift Playgrounds Coding App for iPad
Alongside iOS 10, tvOS 10, and watchOS 3, Apple today officially released Swift Playgrounds, a new app aimed at teaching both children and adults how to code through simple interactive coding exercises. It’s meant to make learning to code “easy and fun” for everyone.
First announced in June at WWDC, Swift Playgrounds is meant for beginners who have no experience with coding, and it will be deployed in numerous schools around the world as standard curriculum.
“Everyone should have the opportunity to learn coding, and we are excited to bring Swift Playgrounds to the next generation of programmers looking for a fun and easy way to explore key coding concepts using real code,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “More than 100 schools around the world have already committed to adding Swift Playgrounds to their fall curriculum, and we can’t wait to see what students create with it.”
Swift Playgrounds is organized into a series of lessons that introduce new concepts and guide users through challenges and puzzles. It’s centered on three characters that need to be guided through a graphical world using coding concepts like issuing commands, creating functions, performing loops, and using conditional code and variables. Apple plans to release new lessons on a regular basis.
The app also includes built-in templates that can be modified to create customized programs that can be shared with friends and family, and Swift Playgrounds code can be exported directly to Xcode to be turned into a full iOS or Mac app.
Swift Playgrounds is compatible with all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, along with the iPad mini 2 and later. iOS 10 is required to download the app, which is available for free from the App Store.
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Apple iPhone 7 review – CNET
The Good Improved front and rear cameras — now with optical image stabilization — deliver much improved photos, especially in low light. Water resistant. A faster processor, plus better battery life. More onboard storage than last year’s models for the same price.
The Bad No headphone jack (but there’s a dongle and compatible wired headphones in the box). Click-free home button takes getting used to. Only the larger 7 Plus has the cool dual camera. Shiny jet-black version scratches easily.
The Bottom Line The iPhone 7’s notable camera, battery and water resistance improvements are a worthwhile upgrades to a familiar phone design, but ask yourself if you really need an upgrade…and if the Plus might be a better choice.
Curved wraparound screen? Nope. Wireless charging? Not yet. Are you bothered that the new iPhone looks the same as last year’s iPhone? If you are, I understand the feeling. The iPhone 7 doesn’t feel like the “whole new thing.” Does that bother you? Maybe. But is it better? Yeah, it is. Except for one small 3.5-millimeter thing.
The iPhone 7, as you may have heard (you’ve certainly heard), has no headphone jack and it looks almost identical to the 2014 iPhone 6 and 2015 iPhone 6S. But there are still compelling reasons to consider an iPhone 7, even if you own last year’s model.
- The iPhone 7 is now fully water-resistant (it can take a shallow dunking).
- The camera takes notably better photos, especially in low light, and adds the optical image stabilization feature previously restricted to the 5.5-inch Plus model.
- The battery lasts longer — probably a couple of hours or more a day, under normal usage. (We’ll update this review after we test the battery in our lab.)
- The processor is faster, although you might only notice the speed on some intensive games and the video and photo-editing apps.
It’s also got a “wide color gamut” screen with enhanced color accuracy, and enhanced stereo speakers, though I didn’t find those improvements as critical as the ones above. And the home button isn’t “clickable” anymore — it uses the same pressure sensitivity and vibration feedback found on the 3D Touch screen. It works perfectly well, but takes some getting used to because there’s no mechanical click when you press the home button.
iPhone 7 up close: Better camera, water-resistant…
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As with last year’s iPhone choices, you can also opt for the step-up iPhone 7 Plus, which offers a larger screen (5.5 inches vs. 4.7 inches). But that model’s big attraction is the dual rear cameras, which can stitch together two images to offer unique effects such as 2x optical zoom and — after a future software upgrade — a cool in-camera bokeh effect, which blurs the background while keeping the foreground in focus.
Now, should you wait until 2017? All the rumors point to Apple delivering a major design overhaul for the iPhone’s 10th anniversary — anything from a Galaxy Edge-style wraparound OLED screen to a fingerprint sensor hidden under the screen to wireless charging. It’s tempting. But in the meantime, especially if you want to take advantage of the various retro-contract “free with 2-year commitment” offers, know that the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are worthy, useful upgrades to their predecessors — even if they look almost identical from the outside.
All things iOS 10
- iOS 10: All the new features, tips and guides
- 23 hidden features in iOS 10
- 15 ways iOS 10 will make the iPhone better
Let’s not diminish the missing headphone jack. The loss will hurt, especially while other iPhones exist that still have a headphone jack onboard. If you want to plug regular headphones into your new iPhone, a process that seemed simple and uncomplicated before, you now need to consider whether you brought the included dongle, or have a pair of Bluetooth headphones. Or your special Lightning headphones that come in the box. But it’s surmountable. I lived with the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus for a week, and this is my story of life without the jack and with everything else in the new iPhones.
Editors’ note: We’re still testing the battery and performance of the iPhone 7. Consider the ratings to be tentative until finalized.
Apple’s fall 2016 lineup.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Headphone jackless
Mark me down as someone who will miss the headphone jack.
Despite living a mostly wearable, wireless world, I don’t like Bluetooth headphones. And I also hate dongles. I’m learning to deal with both now. Apple’s new AirPods make a case for how more-advanced Bluetooth mini-earphones could be fun to carry around. But to me, nothing beats a cheap pair of plug-and-play earphones for lazy convenience.
Other phones that offer what the iPhone 7 offers don’t seem to need to get rid of a headphone jacks. But maybe the trend will grow. The adoption of USB-C, a versatile jack, may lead to headphone jacks going away in Android phones, too. Maybe we should just get ready for the change.
No headphone jack means you’ll have to make do with a dongle.
Sarah Tew/CNET
True, the iPhone 7 gives you a number of options: Get a pair of Bluetooth headphones. Apple’s AirPods, maybe? I’ll get to those in a minute. You could use the included wired Apple EarPods, which now have a strange Lightning plug instead of a 3.5mm one. Or the Lightning-to-regular-headphone adapter dongle, which Apple’s thoughtfully included in the box. (You can buy extras for $9 a pop.) But you have to remember to take it everywhere with you, and who wants to remember to carry a dongle? (If you leave it attached to your headphones, you better not bring another pair of headphones.)
That little headphone jack is the one thing that I could see bothering people about this phone. Like the single USB-C port on Apple’s newest MacBook, it’s a compromise that feels forced.
If you’re already a wireless headphone power user, you won’t miss a thing. But someday — who knows when? — you’ll find yourself somewhere wanting to use a pair of wired headphones. And you’ll find that you can’t plug them in because you left your dongle behind. Don’t cry to me when that happens.
Design: Black is the new black
In a world of curved eye-popping displays, the iPhone now looks a little old-fashioned. It’s slim and attractive and still very well-designed, but the iPhone 7 looks just like the iPhone 6 and 6S. It’s like the MacBook Air, or the iPad: A familiar, old form. Maybe more durable, but it’s mostly the same. Apple smoothed out the seams that used to hide the phone’s antennae, so the aluminum around the back looks smoother. The camera bump is larger, by just a bit.
As Spinal Tap would say, the new jet-black variant (left) is “none more black.”
Sarah Tew/CNET
Apple added new colors this year, too. Now the phone comes in two versions of black in addition to the existing silver, gold and rose gold colors. Regular black is matte, while jet black is a high gloss. Jet black, it turns out, is a fingerprint and scratch magnet. Mine is already peppered with microabrasions after just a few days. My suggestion: Don’t buy jet black if you care about scratches.
But if you’re looking at the iPhone 7 from the front, it’s almost impossible to distinguish from the iPhone 6 or 6S. That’s how similar the design is.
A home button that doesn’t click
Using the new home button, even after a week, feels weird. It’s been a hard adjustment.
I’ve clicked so many home buttons. The iPhone 7’s “button” is really a solid state circle that doesn’t move at all. It’s like the new MacBook trackpads, in a sense. Push down, and you get a haptic “click” that’s not quite as satisfying.
Say farewell to the satisfying click of the home button.
Sarah Tew/CNET
You won’t wear down the button, though, because it doesn’t move. And really, it feels a bit like 3D Touch — Apple’s new pressure-sensitive touchscreen tech introduced on the 6S and returning on the 7 — moved into the home button.
So if that home button is now just a flat surface, it also feels like a carrot on a stick to use 3D Touch more. I still don’t use it much, but iOS 10 uses it a lot more…and to some effective ends. There are so many ways to pull up apps from the home screen, or check info, that the home button really isn’t needed much. Now that the screen auto-wakes on lifting, that’s doubly true. I bet that home button will just disappear next year, with the fingerprint reader absorbed into the display. Why not?
Yeah, it’s really water resistant (but don’t go swimming with it)
Apple’s IP67 water-resistance rating on the new iPhone finally catches up to phones that have been dunkable for a while. Samsung’s Galaxy S7 can survive a drop in the sink. The Note 7 can do it, too. Even the supercheap Moto G4 can do it.
How water resistant is the iPhone 7? Apple calls it “splash and water resistant,” and by the way, IP67 means 1 meter of water for 30 minutes and complete dust resistance. But Apple also warns that any dip in salt water should be followed by an immediate rinse in fresh water. And also, you have to dry your phone for at least a couple of hours before charging (I’d take the safe side with this).
Apple finally takes the plunge and waterproofs its iPhones.
Sarah Tew/CNET
I took the iPhone 7 in the shower. I dropped it in a fish tank a few times. I put it in a sink and turned on the tap and filled the sink with the iPhone in it. Stay tuned for further, longer tests. But it’s survived every test easily. But FYI, capacitive displays go nutty in water. You won’t be able to use it when submerged — nor should you.
Other small perks: Stereo speakers, a slightly improved display, buzzier haptics
I couldn’t appreciate Apple’s wider color-gamut display on the iPhone 7, which is supposed to the best next to the iPad Pro 9.7 and 5K iMac, as well as 25 percent brighter. It’s good, don’t get me wrong. But to my eyes, next to a 6S or 6S Plus, it felt the same. And in direct sunlight (I used it in seriously bright New York September sun), it was sometimes hard to see. Like all iPhones, but not really better.
The speakers sound louder. They surround the left and right sides of the iPhone now, instead of a single speaker down by the home button. It’s better for casual game playing or movie watching, but I’d take headphones every time. Or, if I was sharing with someone, I’d pick a larger screen. They don’t always sound as defined and crisp as I’d like.
AIVAnet 