New ‘Server-Grade’ iMac With Next-Gen Xeon Processor Coming End of 2017

Apple’s new range of iMacs will launch in the second half of 2017 and will include a “server-grade” model to cater for the high end creative professional market, according to Taiwan-based supply chain sources.

Apple has already confirmed it is working on new iMac models for release later this year, but today’s report offers another hint at what could be in store for creative pros and puts a more specific timeframe on those plans. According to the report, production of two new iMacs is said to begin next month, with a view to launching the consumer desktops between August and October and a “server-grade model” at the tail end of 2017.

Apple currently has a 21.5-inch and a 27-inch iMac available in the market and the new products are expected to be the upgrades of the two models and are expected to hit the market in the third quarter to catch up with the year-end holiday season.

The report comes from DigiTimes, which has a mixed track record when it comes to rumors, but with Apple already having taken the unusual step of confirming it is working on new iMac models for a late 2017 release, this latest information presents a reasonable timeline.

In addition, the technical details from the supply chain line up with previously leaked specs for Apple’s upcoming upgrades. According to Tuesday’s report, the high end iMac will feature Intel’s as-yet-unreleased Xeon E3-1285 v6 processor, options for 16 to 64GB error-correcting ECC RAM, up to 2TB NVM Express PCI-e solid-state storage, and more ambiguously, a “latest discrete graphics card”.

Typically, iMacs include a mobile-class GPU rather than a desktop-class card, so this last spec could refer to either, while AMD has a contract with Apple to supply the discrete graphics chips for future high-end 27-inch iMacs. The new iMacs for 2017 are said to be manufactured by Quanta Computer, which is expected to remain the largest all-in-one PC maker in 2017.

The earlier report detailing identical tech specs claimed Apple’s new iMacs would be accompanied by a brand new keyboard. A previous report said Apple was exploring a standalone keyboard with a Touch Bar and Touch ID, but its release is said to depend on how well those features have been received on the latest MacBook Pro.

The original source of the iMac tech specs, Pike’s Universum, also claimed Apple is working on an 8K external display, which would presumably feature as part of the comapny’s highest end iMac offering. All iMacs are expected to ship with USB-C ports and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.

Related Roundup: iMac
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Logitech Announces HomeKit-Compatible POP Smart Button For Controlling Smart Devices

Logitech today announced a new POP Smart Button, its first Apple HomeKit compatible programmable smart button for controlling connected devices around the home.

The idea behind the original POP is to free up control of smart devices so that anyone in the home can operate them regardless of whether they have a smartphone and the associated app for each device. The latest POP builds on that premise by introducing HomeKit support, enabling it to be customized through the Apple Home app and integrate with other iOS smart home accessories.

The Logitech POP Smart Button Kit includes one smart button with three customizable gestures and a POP bridge to connect the button onto a WiFi network. Users can then extend control throughout their home with additional POP Add-on Smart Buttons, which are available in four colors. Each POP bridge can connect to an unlimited number of buttons.

Using POP Smart Button with Apple HomeKit is easy when paired with Apple’s Home app—POP already comes pre-paired, so discovering the device with the Home app is simple and secure. Just configure the scenes you want and let POP do the rest. Whether turning down the lights to get ready for bed or opening your smart blinds to expose some daylight, POP gives easy control to the whole family.

The POP Smart Button can also be used with non-HomeKit devices, like Sonos wireless music systems, or Logitech Harmony hub-based remote controls by using the companion Logitech POP app. In addition to compatibility with Apple HomeKit, the Logitech POP Smart Button offers the ability to control Osram lighting, Hunter Douglas and Lutron blinds, and more, extending interoperability beyond existing integrations including August, Philips Hue, and Logitech Harmony.

The POP Smart Button will be sold in four colors: White, Alloy, Coral, and Teal. According to Logitech, the POP Smart Button Kit ($59.95) and POP Add-on Smart Button ($39.95) will be available exclusively at Apple stores and Apple.com soon, while availability in other retailers will come later this year. Owners of first generation POP Home Switches can update their software to take advantage of the new integrations, but not the HomeKit support.

Tag: Logitech
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Amazing HTC U ‘Ocean’ press pic leaks, here’s the flagship handset

It’s been rumoured for a while that HTC has been readying a new flagship handset, one that might even have a touch-enabled frame for easier browsing, but now we have the first press image.

The phone will allegedly launch this month, April, according to plenty of sources and Evan Blass, otherwise known as evleaks on Twitter, has posted a pic showing the front and rear of what he claims to be the HTC U.

U saw it here first [specs: https://t.co/CXrpcG0YAm%5D pic.twitter.com/vP7U6mzjzo

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) April 15, 2017

The HTC U is thought to be the final name for the flagship phone, which has also gone by the codename “Ocean” in recent times.

It is claimed to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. 5.5-inch QHD display (2560 x 1440), Sense 9 and Android 7.1 Nougat.

The cameras are said to be 12-megapixels around the back and 16-megapixels on the front, which sounds like an odd way round, but the rear camera will sport the larger 1.55μm pixels for better light capture.

Internal storage will come in two flavours: 64GB and 128GB. A microSD card slot will be available for expansion.

The official unveiling of the HTC U will be in the next couple of weeks. The phone is rumoured to go on sale in May.

PowerRay underwater drone can explore the murky depths up to 70 metres

PowerVision Technology Group has announced its PowerRay underwater drone is now available to pre-order. First shown off at CES 2017, the PowerRay drone has been designed to be used by anyone, whether it be professional videographers or water sports athletes, or recreational fishers who want to see where the best spots are.

• Seawolf mini-submarines are the GoPro drones of the seas

The PowerRay drone can be submerged in up to 30 metres of water, and has an optional sonar system that can detect fish up to 40 metres below it, giving an effective diving depth of 70 metres.

PowerRay says the precision of the sonar system is within 10cm, and the internal Wi-Fi system can transmit 4K video and images to a mobile device up to a range of 80 metres.

You use your iOS or Android device as a screen to see what the PowerRay’s camera is seeing in real time, and the software can identify different fish species, give you a real time location of the drone’s whereabouts underwater, its speed and light settings.

The PowerRay drone is available to pre-order in three packages: the PowerRay Explorer, which gives you a drone complete with controller, base station, 50 metre cable (the drone is physically attached to the controller) and 32GB of storage for €1,599. The Angler package adds the sonar fish finder and a Fishing Suit, which can take your fishing bait to a precise location to save you having to cast it out, for €1,988.

Finally, the Wizard package comes with the same add-ons as the Angler package, but 64GB of video storage and a 70 metre cable instead, includes a suitcase to store the drone in, and a Zeiss VR One Plus virtual reality glasses.

• Wow, you can get a drone that can film in HD above and under water for just £50

The glasses let you see what the camera on the drone is seeing in virtual reality, and even lets you control the drone’s location. The PowerRay Wizard package will be available for €2,099. All three packages can be pre-ordered now, with shipping expected from the end of May.

‘Find my iPhone’ helps nab prolific Coachella smartphone thief

If you’re thinking of stealing smartphones, the tech-centric Coachella festival is probably not the best place to do it. Savvy police teamed with equally savvy concert-goers to nab alleged smartphone thief Ronaldo De Jesus Henao with around 130 stolen smartphones. Police first discovered the rash of thefts at a specific tent by checking on Reddit, and were then aided by attendees that activated Apple’s “Find my iPhone” feature.

With so many fans on Instagram and elsewhere, police kept their eyes on it. “I noticed some chatter on social media about phones disappearing on Reddit,” Indio Police Sergeant Dan Marshall told Gizmodo. “One of the common threads was that they were all losing their phones at the Sahara tent.”

Image credit: Indio Police Department

After police kept extra eyes on that area and failed to find a suspect, it was the fans that came through. “A bunch of people activated their ‘find my phone’ and pointed at, ‘Hey, it’s that guy, my phone, my dot, it’s moving with that guy,’ ” Marshall told SFGate. The fans alerted security, who detained Henao, and the police arrested Henao, 36, for grand theft and possession of stolen property.

Henao had over 130 phones in his backpack, many of which have already been returned to their rightful owners, with the rest turned into Coachella’s lost and found department. Marshall pointed out that cellphones are lost by the hundreds at the festival, but are usually turned in, so the brazen theft stood out. “The kids are just here to have a good time,” he said. To help wannabe victims, the Indio Police Department has posted a memo on its Facebook page with tips like “place your wallet/phone in your front pocket instead of the back.”

Via: Gizmodo

Source: LA Times

Steve Ballmer builds an open database of government spending

Our leaders may be determined to make their daily dealings less transparent, but they probably didn’t reckon on bored Steve Ballmer. The former Microsoft CEO has spent more than $10 million on a new project to open up the US government budget. USA Facts, as profiled in the New York Times, is an open, searchable database that tracks where almost all of your federal, state and local tax dollars are spent.

When Ballmer retired from Microsoft in 2014, he initially rejected becoming a philanthropist, believing that the taxes he paid were good enough. But upon wondering where that money was spent, he fell into a data rabbit hole that encouraged him to begin working with the University of Pennsylvania. The result is what is being described as a truly nonpartisan look at revenue and spending across the US.

The site will open at some point later today, and will enable folks to compare and contrast various data sets. For instance, you can see how many police are employed per region and run it against the crime rates in those areas. Same as to the number of parking tickets and how much it costs to collect each one, compared to how much revenue they generate.

Of course, there are other efforts to use big data to draw conclusions from government spending, including the Sunlight Foundation. Then there’s the DATA Act, which requires the treasury and other agencies to open up their reporting on what they spend. By 2018, this information will be available, free for everyone to analyze, at the USA Spending website. So while Ballmer isn’t the first, it’s good to see more people getting interested in the benefits of open data.

Source: USA Facts, NYT

The next Moto Z Force revives the headphone jack

We wouldn’t blame you if you thought that the Moto Z and Z Force ushered in the death of the headphone jack. While they weren’t the first phones to make that leap, it seemed like Apple, HTC and other heavyweights were all too eager to follow suit. However, we have good news: it looks like Moto, at least, is bringing the 3.5mm port back. OnLeaks and Android Authority claim to have leaked 3D renders of the Moto Z2 Force, and — surprise, surprise — the headphone jack has returned. It’s not certain that a standard, not-so-shatterproof Moto Z2 would get the connector (assuming that phone exists), but this is bound to be relieving if the previous Force’s lack of ports was a deal breaker. There’s more to the story, too.

To start, well-known leaker Evan Blass understands that the Z2 Force won’t be a Verizon exclusive like its predecessor. It’ll reportedly be available on T-Mobile as well, while Android Authority hears that Sprint has its own version. That’s a big relief if you’re tired of sticking to Big Red just to get the most advanced Moto phone in the US.

As for the design? You’ll still see a 5.5-inch display and the Z series’ signature modular back, but the new Force is reportedly thinner at just under 0.24 inches (versus 0.28in for the original) while borrowing some styling cues from the Moto G5. You’d also get a dual camera system like so many other high-end phones, and a Snapdragon 835 chip should keep things speedy. About the only mysteries are the Z2 Force’s release date and price. We’d expect the Z2 Force to carry a premium like its ancestor did, but whether or not it’s a compelling handset depends on when you can buy it — those specs won’t be so compelling if you have to wait until late in the year.

Via: The Verge

Source: Android Authority, Evan Blass (Twitter)

Watch NASA’s first 360-degree live stream of a rocket launch

Rocket launch videos are typically captured from afar, putting you in the shoes of a spectator in the crowd. NASA’s live coverage of an Orbital Cygnus spacecraft’s ISS resupply mission, however, will take you to the launch pad itself. For the first time ever, the agency will broadcast a live 360-degree video of a rocket launch on the NASATelevision YouTube channel tomorrow, April 18th.

The agency, Orbital ATK and United Launch Alliance (developer of the Atlas V rocket that will ferry Cygnus to the space station) placed four fisheye-lens cameras on the pad, around 300 feet from the rocket. Nearby, a computer protected by a blast-proof box will stitch images together in near-real time. As with any 360-degree video, you can watch it on your computer and drag it around with the mouse cursor to get the full view. If you want to feel like you’re truly witnessing a rocket roar to life up close, though, you’ll have to watch it on a VR headset.

The broadcast will start airing around 11:01AM EDT, 10 minutes before Atlas V lifts off. It will be about a minute behind, since the computer needs to process the photos, but that’s still much better than ULA’s previous 360-degree launch videos, which were uploaded way after the events ended.

We are GO for LIVE 360! ULA & @OrbitalATK with @NASA, bring you #AtlasV #OA7 tomorrow at 11amET! https://t.co/HyNJM0wYI5 pic.twitter.com/MACcL7Eyv3

— ULA (@ulalaunch) April 17, 2017

Source: ULA, Bloomberg

RBC Raises Price Target on Apple Shortly After Outlining Potential Benefits of a Merger With Disney

RBC Capital Markets raised its AAPL price target to $157 today, up from $155, as it believes iPhone sales were stable to modestly better than expected in Apple’s second quarter, which ended on March 31.

The investment bank’s lead Apple analyst Amit Daryanani said the company’s iPhone mix continues to remain positive, with “more” Plus-sized models sold in the quarter than it previously forecasted. iPhone 7 Plus models carry a $120 premium over iPhone 7 models, contributing to a higher average selling price.

RBC now estimates Apple will report quarterly revenue of $53.5 billion, matching the high end of the company’s guidance. Apple is scheduled to report its second quarter earnings results on May 2 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors.com will provide live coverage of Apple’s conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

The bank said it remains positive about AAPL based on so-called “iPhone 8” refresh cycle tailwinds, benefits from a possible capital allocation increase, the acceleration of its growing Services category, and potential upside from U.S. Donald Trump’s political agenda in relation to taxes and cash repatriation.

Apple’s stock price has been rising steadily since November, as rumors suggest the company will launch its first iPhone with an OLED display and slim bezels, potentially mirroring the design of Samsung’s new Galaxy S8. Many analysts have maintained a “buy” or equivalent rating on AAPL since March or earlier.

Last week, RBC Capital Markets generated headlines when it outlined the potential benefits of a completely speculative Disney acquisition.

In a lengthy research note, the bank said such a deal would create a “tech and media juggernaut like no other” and instantly expand Apple’s services, content, and media portfolio. Assets such as ABC and ESPN, for example, could lay the foundation for Apple’s long rumored but elusive streaming TV service.

An excerpt from Daryanani’s research note obtained by MacRumors:

Together, Apple and Disney would instantly have access to global distribution via Apple’s installed base and the global iTunes store, and a massive library of content and studio capacity via Disney to make future movies and shows. A digital content service could be put together in relatively short order. Apple has the advantage of integrating its price to consumers with its hardware. For example, buy a new iPhone and receive a 12-month subscription to the streaming service for free.

Daryanani said the so-called “mega deal” would diversify Apple away from hardware and help the iPhone maker fulfill its goal of doubling its Services category by 2020. He also thinks it would be an appropriate use of Apple’s massive cash hoard, should the U.S. ever offer a cash repatriation holiday.

A prerequisite to Apple-Disney is a regulatory environment that would allow Apple to use its huge amount of cash assets for a domestic acquisition. If a cash repatriation tax holiday results in a 9% tax on offshore cash brought to the United States, we estimate that Apple would effectively have access to cash of $223 billion. After adjusting for operational requirements, Apple should have $200 billion cash available for discretionary uses.

Daryanani said there is a “greater than 0%” chance that Apple acquires Disney, but he admitted that the odds are low at this point.

Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s “Mad Money” show, believes the Apple-Disney speculation was more about influencing the stock market than anything else.

“The only thing that’s really accomplished by this kind of speculation? The short-sellers will be afraid to bet against Disney’s stock because of newfound fears of a takeover lurking. It really does put a bid underneath, simply because it was just too juicy to ignore,” Cramer concluded.

AAPL closed at $141.83 on Monday. The Walt Disney Company closed at $113.78.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: RBC Capital Markets, Amit Daryanani, AAPL, Disney
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How to pick the perfect camera lens

Congratulations on taking the giant photographic leap to an interchangeable lens camera! Sure, your phone has served you well (and will likely continue to do so) but now it’s time to spread your picture-taking wings. And as cool as your new DSLR or mirrorless camera is now, it won’t reach its true potential until you take a deep dive into the world of lenses. It’s a somewhat sad fact that most interchangeable-lens camera buyers never take off the kit lens that came with the camera, which sort of defeats the purpose of having an interchangeable-lens camera. This is why we’ve put together this guide to help make sure you know what to look for in lenses, and thus get the most out of your new camera.

More: From DSLR to mirrorless and compact, here’s how to choose a digital camera

Your first step

If you’ve yet to pull the trigger on a new camera, make sure to check out the lens options available for the brands and models you’re researching. Sure, it’s unlikely that anyone needs to buy a dozen lenses for their camera, but the larger the collection available, the more variety you will have to choose from, from wide-angle to telephoto and everything in between. Above all, make sure the specific type of lenses you need for your personal photographic style are available for your system of choice. For example, if you primarily photograph landscapes, you’ll want a different type of lens than if you plan to shoot mostly portraits (we’ll get into the specifics in a minute).

When you buy an interchangeable lens camera you’re entering a relationship with the specific hardware mount determined by the brand, so this is not a choice to take lightly. For example, Nikon DSLRs use the F mount and Canon DSLRs use the EF and EF-S mounts. Canon’s EOS-M series mirrorless cameras use a completely different mount, called EF-M. With the exception of Panasonic and Olympus, who share the Micro Four Thirds mount, virtually every manufacturer sticks to its own mount. And while they are all interchangeable-lens cameras, you cannot use Nikon glass on a Canon body and vice versa (well, sometimes you can but this involves using a mount adapter and almost always sacrifices some functionality).