Apple’s Stock Reaches its Highest Price Ever

Apple is having a good Valentine’s Day, as its shares traded above $134.54 today, eclipsing a previous all-time intraday high set in April 2015.

Apple’s market value has now surpassed $700 billion, making it the world’s most valuable company by a sizeable margin. Google parent company Alphabet is second largest with a market cap of around $575 billion, followed by Microsoft at around $500 billion and Berkshire Hathaway at around $412 billion.

The milestone comes just one day after Apple’s stock recorded its highest closing price ever of $133.29 on Monday. Following Apple’s first annual revenue decline since 2001, its stock been steadily rising over the past four months, buoyed by record-breaking earnings results at the end of January.

When adjusted for a 7-for-1 split in June 2014, Apple’s stock is trading at roughly $942, approaching the $1,000 milestone that was considered wishful thinking when some analysts predicted it years ago. Apple is also slowly but surely on track to become the world’s first trillion dollar company.

Apple analysts Brian White of Drexel Hamilton and Steven Milunovich of UBS, and former analyst turned venture capitalist Gene Munster, are among a larger group of observers who believe Apple’s stock remains undervalued and is likely to rise. AAPL is up over 50% compared to its 52-week low of $89.47 in May 2016.

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Wondering about Wonder’s plans for its super gaming phone? Answers may come soon

Why it matters to you

Before the end of the year, you may be able to buy a phone with the latest tech inside, including VR and AR support, made especially for gamers

You don’t need to be an industry mogul to understand it’s hard, bordering on the impossible, to become a hit smartphone manufacturer these days. The market is just too crowded, and the endeavor too expensive. However, that doesn’t stop companies from trying, and the latest is a startup called Wonder, which may be working on a high performance device with a VR/AR twist that will appeal to gamers.

Details are very thin at the moment, but here’s what we think we know about it.

Beta testing starts soon

Wonder made itself slightly public back in June 2016, when CEO Andy Kleinman told Forbes he was working on a new entry into the “mobile space,” and that virtual reality would be involved somehow. The air of mystery continues to this day, but more may come to light very soon. A post on the official Wonder Twitter account says, “Applications for the Wonder beta program starting in a few weeks at Wonder.com,” indicating work has been steadily progressing.

It’s not clear whether this will be a closed beta for a select few developers, or if the public will be able to join in; but interested people should sign up at Wonder’s website now. Once the program begins, we may get a few more details about the secretive company’s plans.

What’s Wonder’s plan?

Kleinman sees a crowded market filled with smartphones designed for very broad usage, which he believes opens the door to producing a niche device that will satisfy the needs of a smaller group of people.

Related: Why you don’t need to spend masses of money on an Android smartphone

Wonder is going after gamers, but the eventual device won’t simply be a powerful smartphone. Instead, the intention is to build, “one device to rule them all,” according to Kleinman in an interview. He says this will make it, “unique and exciting,” while solving the problem of having multiple devices, accounts, and bills.

He also talks about smartphone design and functionality being restricted due to larger companies need to appeal to a massive audience. He sees the Wonder phone shifting away from that. There’s also plenty of talk about virtual reality and augmented reality, but without any details regarding the exact technology, or how it will be implemented.

The company’s website has no information outside of the chance to receive update alerts in the future, but rumors spread regarding its design intentions in mid-2016. To be futuristic and a style icon, is apparently the plan for Wonder’s phone, according to an anonymous source speaking to TechCrunch.

The official Wonder Twitter account is sparse, but one tweet asks, “Are we building a phone?” Then replies by saying it’s, “Too early to tell.” However, the plan is to have the resulting Wonder device go on sale during the final three months of 2017.

Investment

Kleinman, who previously worked with game studio Zynga, has a 30-person team with him at Wonder according to TechCrunch, including the former VP of Engineering at Android alternative Cyanogen. Investors include names from WB Studios, Facebook, and several notable names outside of the tech industry such as Kevin Spacey.

The evidence available right now points to Wonder wanting to build a phone. However, that’s very different to actually putting a phone on sale. Situations like this could go either way. We’re still waiting for the Saygus V2/V Squared — a so-called “no compromise” smartphone — for example; but when people like Andy Rubin are still keen to get involved with making a smartphone, there has to be space for the right product.

We’ll keep you updated on Wonder right here.

Article originally published in July 2016. Updated on 02-14-2017 by Andy Boxall: Added in news of Wonder’s beta test, and other details.

How to force quit a misbehaving app on your iPhone or iPad

Multitasking in iOS can be used for more than just switching between apps. Truth be told, iOS is very stable, and apps normally run without any issues. However, every once in a while, you will likely encounter a misbehaving app. If this happens to you, there’s no need to be concerned, as it happens to everyone from time to time.

More: Stuck on the spinning wheel of doom? Five ways to Force Quit an app in MacOS

Maybe an app has locked up and become unresponsive. If you press the home button and re-open the app, it may not fix the issue, in which case you will have to close out of the app. When you press the home button, your app will still be paused in the background, and some apps will still be running, particularly those designed to stream content. In these situations, it may be necessary to force quit the app. Here’s how.

Don’t get caught in the force quitting app trap

There’s a big misconception that closing all of your apps all the time will help your iPhone or iPad run faster. Others think it will help you conserve battery life. We want to make it clear that force quitting apps is only a good thing when an app is locked, unresponsive, or otherwise misbehaving.

More: Closing apps with Multitasking on your iPhone is pointless, Apple confirms

If you force quite all your apps constantly, you’re forcing iOS to re-open everything from scratch. The best advice is to let iOS manage the apps. If iOS needs more memory, it will manage that on its own. The mobile operating system also manages background activity, so don’t worry about closing anything unless an app becomes unresponsive.

Force quitting a single app

Step 1: Double-press the home button to bring up all open apps and swipe left or right to locate the app you want to close.

Step 2: Swipe up on the app you want to close.

Step 3: Press the home button to navigate to your home screen.

Force quitting multiple apps at once

Step 1: Double-press the home button to bring up all open apps and swipe left or right to locate the apps you want to close.

Step 2: Using up to three fingers, swipe up on the apps you want to close.

Step 3: Press the home button to navigate to your home screen.

Force quitting an app using the home button

Step 1: Hold the power button until you see “slide to power off” at the top of your display.

Step 2: Now, press and hold the home button until you are back on your home screen.

A Valentine’s Day gift from Hinge: Book tells stories of digital dating gone right

Why it matters to you

Online dating can be hard, but the new book “IRL” from Hinge is here to remind us that, sometimes, it can work — and when it does, it’s worth it.

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with stories of other people’s dates? If your answer is “none,” then, boy, do we have the book for you. It’s called IRL, and curiously enough, it’s a book published by dating app Hinge to remind folks that romance might still exist, even if you can’t find it by swiping on your phone. With more than 40 date stories, new statistics about digital dating, and the best date spots from across the country, this book just may be what you need to turn your love life around.

Described as a “refreshingly hopeful take on modern love,” IRL, which stands for “in real life,” seeks to highlight success stories that have emerged from what is often the cesspool of online dating. While we all have our horror stories, it only takes one winner to make the whole process worthwhile.

More: Start dating more efficiently with one of these eight apps

“Digital dating has gotten a bad rap lately — there are bad actors and swipe fatigue. But when it comes down to it, digital dating works,” Hinge explained, “Millions of couples have formed, and apps like Hinge have committed to helping people find something real.”

To compile the stories found in IRL, Hinge surveyed more than 2,000 users about their digital dating experiences. And if anyone is going to have a positive online dating experience, it just may be a Hinge user — after all, the app depends on mutual connections to make connections, and now claims to be 25 times more effective than other free swiping apps.

“Love is rare; and digital dating not only increases one’s chances of finding it, it has unexpected upsides as well: friendship, conversation, and the kind of connections that only happen IRL,” writes New York Times bestselling author and “Modern Love” contributor, Deborah Copaken in the book’s foreword. “IRL reminds us that for every tale of woe, there’s an equally compelling love story: tiny rafts of optimism and hope on an oft-roiling dating sea. Hinge not only believes in love, they believe in the quest to find it. If you do, too, read on. These are your stories.”

You can check out a full digital copy here, or order an IRL version of IRL beginning today.

Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers make paid apps free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

More: 200 Awesome iPhone Apps | The best Android apps for almost any occasion

Draw Pad Pro

Draw Pad Pro is designed as a beautiful and innovative way to create and manage all your thoughts, ideas, sketches, scribbles, and more.

Available on:

iOS

Forager

This app is a professional meal planner in your pocket which optimizes your nutrition and leads you toward the body you want fast.

Available on:

iOS

Multi Translate

Multi Translate is a professional translator and interpreter app able to translate any language into three others at the same time.

Available on:

iOS

Instaflash Pro

Instaflash Pro gives you more photo editing control with Pro photo adjustments including: Shadows, Highlights, Light EQ, Tone EQ, Color EQ, Split Toning, Fill Light, Soft Light, Clarity, Vignette, Focus, Noise Removal, White Balance, and more.

Available on:

iOS

RadioApp

Easily tune into local radio stations and to radio stations from all over the world, using a unique analog-like tuner.

Available on:

iOS

Pro Camera

Create charming Pro camera-style photographs with real-time Vintage effects. These effects work on selfies, landscapes, and more.

Available on:

iOS

Stop the temptation: Protect your Android phone against unwanted in-app purchases

The temptation to spend a few dollars on in-app purchases is always there — especially if you’re an avid gamer — but that small amount can rapidly turn into a large sum of money if you’re not careful. If someone else often uses your Android phone or tablet, then it may also be wise to secure it from accidental (or purposeful) purchases.

More: How to turn off in-app purchases in iOS

Luckily, it’s easy to do, and we’ve put together a quick guide to help you better manage those dreaded in-app purchases. After all, little Johnny may want those extra lives in Candy Crush Saga, but your bank account certainly does not.

Activating Google’s account protection measures:

• Open the Google Play Store on your device.
• Tap the hamburger menu () on the left side of the search bar.
• Scroll down to Settings.
• Select the Require Authentication For Purchases option.
• Ensure the first option, indicating all purchases, is selected.

Find the Settings option under the Google Play Menu

Choose the “Require Authentication For Purchases” option

Select the first option for the highest level of protection

Even if you don’t activate this option, Google Play will always ask for your account password in apps with a 12-or-under age rating. This way, it’ll do the same for each and every in-app purchase.

If you have a phone with a fingerprint scanner, this can also be used for authentication:

• Open the Google Play Store on your device.
• Tap the hamburger menu () on the left side of the search bar.
• Scroll down to Settings.
• Find the Fingerprint Authentication option, and check the box.
• Enter the password you used when you first entered your fingerprint on your device.

That’s it! Both your Google and bank account are now safe from ridiculous bills generated by over spending money on items that don’t even exist in the real world.

AMD optimizes ‘For Honor’ in latest Radeon Software Crimson ReLive update

Why it matters to you

AMD’s latest Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition software has some fixes and improvements you’ll want to snatch up.

It’s tedious at times, but keeping up with the latest drivers is the best way to make sure your PC is performing at its best. That’s true no matter what component you’re talking about, and it’s definitely true about one of the most important components, the graphical processing unit (GPU).

While many component drivers are updated when the operating system is updated, some are most often updated separately, and the GPU falls into the latter category. In fact, AMD just released the latest version of its Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition software, offering a number of important fixes and enhancements.

More: AMD’s Radeon cards can now chill out with the launch of Crimson ReLive Edition

First up for version 17.2.1 is the obligatory performance improvements. This time around, AMD focused on two titles. For Honor received optimizations providing up to a four percent performance improvement on an RX 480 compared to AMD’s 17.1.2 software version. Sniper Elite 4 is the other optimized title, receiving up to a 5 percent performance improvement. In addition, both titles also received multi-GPU support for DirectX 11.

AMD also fixed a number of issues in version 17.2.1, and here are the highlights:

• For Honor should no longer crash when switching to full screen or menu view while playing on multi-GPU configurations.
• A problem that caused some Radeon GCN products to experience corruption when fast forwarding or seeking through DXVA H.264 encoded video.
• Some full-screen applications that were causing AMD FreeSync technology to fail to load should no longer do so.
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive should no longer show incorrect slider values when Radeon Chill is turned on.
• The system information overlay on video captured using Radeon ReLive should no longer omit graphics processor information.
• DayZ should no longer crash when Radeon ReLive Instant Replay/Recording is active.
• Radeon R9 380 series GPUs should no longer experience having their memory clocks become locked at low states.
• Radeon ReLive recording played in fullscreen mode in Windows Media Player or Power DVD should no longer demonstrate flickering.
• AMD Radeon HD 7900 series GPUs should be able to disable shadows in Civilization VI without experiencing shadow corruption.

You can download the new drivers at the AMD support pages. While there, you can also check out the complete list of changes to the Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition.

How to configure the hardware shortcut buttons on Android Wear 2.0

Watches are all about personalization — yes, even the hardware buttons.

Android Wear 2.0 opens up new hardware possibilities for wearable makers, including the inclusion of extra hardware shortcut buttons on the case. These buttons typically land above and below the power button on the side of the watch, and can be customized to launch any app that you have installed.

So if you have a watch with extra buttons running Android Wear 2.0 — like the LG Watch Sport — know that you don’t have to stick with their default configuration. Here’s how you can customize those hardware shortcut buttons.

Swipe down on your watch face and tap the settings gear.
Scroll down and tap Personalization.
Scroll down and tap Customize hardware buttons.
Choose the hardware button you want to change the function of.
Scroll through the list and tap the app you wish to launch with the button.

That’s all it takes to swap out the default functions of these buttons for something new!

You may also notice that some apps provide more than one option for the button. For example, you can configure it to launch the main Google Fit app, or you can set it to launch directly into the workout picker instead. Play around and see which actions make sense for the buttons.

Android Wear

• Everything you need to know about Android Wear 2.0
• LG Watch Sport review
• LG Watch Style review
• These watches will get Android Wear 2.0
• Discuss Android Wear in the forums!

The Raspberry Pi Zero makes a great, super cheap Kodi box

The Raspberry Pi 3 isn’t the only cheap Kodi box you can make yourself.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has another insanely affordable computer that you can make things with. The Pi Zero costs a ridiculously low $5 and is every bit as accessible, if a little more limited, than its bigger brother.

Just as we did with the Raspberry Pi 3, we made a little Kodi box out of the Pi Zero and frankly, it’s amazing something this cheap can do such a thing at all.

More: How to install Kodi on the Raspberry Pi

If you’re not familiar with the Raspberry Pi Zero, naturally its hardware isn’t up to the level of the Pi 3. Here’s what you’re looking at:

• Broadcom BCM2835 application processor
• 1GHz ARM11 core (40% faster than Raspberry Pi 1)
• 512MB of LPDDR2 SDRAM
• A micro-SD card slot
• A mini-HDMI socket for 1080p60 video output
• Micro-USB sockets for data and power
• An unpopulated 40-pin GPIO header

Installing Kodi on the Raspberry Pi Zero is as easy as on the Pi 3, but due to the small size and limited connectivity, you will need a couple of extra bits of equipment to get it going:

• microHDMI to HDMI adapter
• microUSB to USB-A adapter
• USB Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter

None of these are very expensive and you may even have some lying around. Of the kit listed above, only the top two are necessary over the Pi 3, since you can just use the Ethernet port on the larger Pi if you wish. Some places sell handy little kits for around 10 bucks, with everything you need to get going with the Pi Zero. Something like the PiHut Zero Essentials Kit is a good place to start.

Once you’ve got the equipment you need, installing Kodi is exactly the same process as we’ve covered in our full guide. We went for OSMC again, and the only thing that’s different is that you select Raspberry Pi 1/Zero as the device you’re installing to when you burn the image to your microSD card.

There’s absolutely no difference in how OSMC looks or behaves on the Pi Zero compared to the Pi 3, but things are much slower to load. That’s the only negative here to running the Pi Zero as a Kodi box compared to the Pi 3. Because there’s less horsepower overall, menus and streams take longer to load than on the more powerful sibling.

But if you’re OK with waiting a little longer for things to load, then you’re in for a treat. The crazy small form factor of the Pi Zero means it’s even easier to stash away out of sight — I have mine fixed to the back of the TV below the HDMI ports. And it has the same capability to use with a physical remote or your favorite app on your Android phone.

The added bonus is that it’s actually really portable. The Pi 3 isn’t exactly large, but the Pi Zero can literally fit in any pocket. Throw a couple of cables in a bag and you’ve got a Kodi box on the go for a $5 basic outlay.

The Raspberry Pi Zero is also a tremendous way of dipping a toe into the Raspberry Pi world. The Pi 3 isn’t that expensive but it’s still more of an outlay than this little $5 circuit board. If you’ve never tried and you want to give it a go, then pick up one of these little guys. You won’t be disappointed.

See at Adafruit

Try out Google’s Chrome VR partners with Daydream

Google is bringing Chrome to VR, one experience at a time.

News that Google was enabling VR support inside of Chrome left a lot of people thinking the browser would be the next app added to the ever-expanding portfolio of Daydream apps, but for now that’s not the case. Instead, Google has built parts of the Daydream experience into Chrome itself so you can enjoy Chrome VR with or without a headset.

Here’s how you get started!

Read more at VR Heads