‘Minecraft’ adds a shop for mobile add-ons

For many, the biggest limitation of Minecraft’s Pocket and Windows 10 Editions has been the lack of community material. What good is playing on your phone if you can’t try out that sweet new texture pack you saw on your PC? You’re about to get that option. Microsoft and Mojang are launching a Marketplace that lets both Pocket and Windows 10 gamers download content from community creators, including skins, textures and whole worlds. You don’t buy any paid content directly — instead, you buy “Minecraft Coins” that let you snap up the add-ons you want. It’s ostensibly to help producers set “flexible prices,” although it also helps mask the value of what you’re buying. You might not want to let kids have unfettered access, in other words.

The Marketplace only permits creators with registered businesses, so it’s not going to take your just-for-fun project. However, those that do get in receive a 70 percent cut of the revenue, much like typical mobile app stores. A successful merchant stands to make a healthy amount of money, even if it’s not as much as they might make by selling directly.

Access to the Marketplace will be limited at first. A public Android beta is launching in mid-April, and there won’t even be any creator content — that has to wait until a formal launch later in the spring. Still, this should do something to bridge the gap between your Minecraft experiences on computers and mobile devices.

Source: Minecraft

Most of Jay Z’s albums are already back on Apple Music

Hip hop legend Jay Z pulled most of his music off of Spotify and Apple Music last Friday. It wasn’t a huge surprise given Jay Z’s involvement and stake in competitor Tidal, but it looks like things aren’t quite so cut and dry here. After confirming that the majority of his discography was indeed gone from Apple Music in the US and UK last Friday, we’re now seeing that the majority of his albums have already returned to Apple’s streaming service.

While the three Blueprint albums and his solo debut Reasonable Doubt aren’t available, his other eight main studio albums are all available again on Apple Music. The same albums are currently missing from Google Play Music as well — but that’s still a lot more than what’s available on Spotify right now, where Jay Z’s catalog is just as limited today as it was on Friday.

Spotify’s new deal with Universal Music Group may have something to do with this change. Jay Z’s Roc-A-Fella records label is part of Universal, and the massive music distributor just reached a new deal with Spotify which includes the controversial provision that artists can hold new albums back from Spotify’s free tier. This provision wouldn’t affect Jay Z’s back catalog, but there certainly could be something else in the deal that does. As for why a specific handful of Jay Z’s albums are missing from Google and Apple’s streaming services, there’s no good answer right now — but given how quickly things change in the streaming music world, an entirely different set of Jay Z’s albums could be pulled at a moment’s notice. If you’re a big fan but don’t want to actually purchase his music, Tidal seems to be the safest bet.

Amazon orders two seasons of ‘Gilmore Girls’ creator’s next show

Netflix may be the frontrunner in the race between online video channels to produce original content, but Amazon is trying hard to close the gap. It has just commissioned two seasons of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which is written and directed by Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. The series follows the titular character, a 1958 New York City woman, as she “discovers a previously unknown talent” as a standup comic that takes her from her perfect, wholesome life to… “a spot on Johnny Carson’s couch.”

A multi-season commission is a first for Amazon, and follows several big moves in the past few weeks. It’s nabbed Oscar-winning writer and Moonlight director Barry Jenkins for an adaptation of The Underground Railroad, earned an Emmy nod for its behind-the-scenes NFL series, and seems to be turning gaming-centric Twitch into a portal for its original shows as well.

The Mrs. Maisel pilot was one of five that were voted on by Amazon subscribers to get made into full-fledged series, and its popularity is already evident. It has a 4.8 (out of 5) rating, and 92% of the votes were 5-star reviews, and you can already check it out on Amazon Video. A release date for the series was not announced.

Source: Amazon

Apple to Open Flagship Store in Mexico City and Potentially São Paulo

Apple has secured a lease at the Antara Fashion Hall shopping center in Mexico City, where it will open a new flagship retail store, according to a person familiar with the matter. The store’s design will be similar to Apple’s multi-level World Trade Center location in New York City, the person said.

Antara Fashion Hall will mark Apple’s second retail location in Mexico after opening its Via Santa Fe store last year, also in Mexico City.

Elsewhere in Latin America, Apple will soon decide whether to open two additional stores in Brazil, potentially including a flagship store in São Paulo, according to our source. Apple is also said to be exploring leases for its first store in Argentina, which is expected to open by the end of 2018.

Meanwhile, in the United States, Apple continues to revamp a number of its older retail locations. Apple said its Burlington, Massachusetts store will be temporarily closed for renovations starting April 23, while GeekWire recently uncovered plans for a new University Village store in Seattle.

MacRumors has also received unconfirmed tips about Apple’s plans to relocate its stores at Valley Fair in Santa Clara, CA and Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL. Apple now has over 35 next-generation Apple Stores in the United States, including its newly reopened Woodland Mall store in Grand Rapids, MI.

Related Roundup: Apple Stores
Tags: Mexico, Argentina
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Apple Seeds Second Beta of iOS 10.3.2 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming iOS 10.3.2 update to developers, nearly two weeks after seeding the first iOS 10.3.2 beta and two weeks after introducing iOS 10.3, which included features like a new Find My AirPods feature and Apple File System. Apple has also released a minor iOS 10.3.1 update, which focused on security improvements.

Registered developers can download the second iOS 10.3.2 beta from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air with the proper configuration profile installed.

We don’t yet know what features or improvements are coming in iOS 10.3.2 as Apple doesn’t offer detailed release notes and nothing notable was discovered in the first iOS 10.3.2 update.

As a minor 10.x.x update, we can expect iOS 10.3.2 to offer bug fixes and performance improvements rather than outward-facing features. Apple has said that the update fixes SiriKit car commands, which should be working as expected.

If we find anything new in the second iOS 10.3.2 beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundup: iOS 10
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Apple Seeds Second Beta of tvOS 10.2.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 10.2.1 update to developers for testing purposes, nearly two weeks after seeding the first 10.2.1 beta and two weeks after releasing tvOS 10.2, an update that included improve scrolling and iPad support for the Apple TV Remote app.

The tvOS 10.2.1 beta is designed for the fourth-generation Apple TV. It can be downloaded by connecting the Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C cable and installing the beta software from a registered developer account using iTunes.

Because of the tricky installation requirements, tvOS betas are limited to developers. tvOS 10.2.1 will not be available to the public until the final version of the software launches.

Apple does not typically provide detailed beta release notes, so we don’t yet know what’s included in tvOS 10.2.1. It’s likely to focus primarily on bug fixes, security enhancements, and performance improvements, so we may not know what’s new until the software sees an official release.

No notable changes were found in the first tvOS 10.2.1 beta, but should anything new popup in the second beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
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Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 3.2.2 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 3.2.2 update to developers for testing purposes, nearly two weeks after seeding the first watchOS 3.2.2 beta and a two weeks after the release of watchOS 3.2, which introduced Theater Mode.

The second beta of watchOS 3.2.2 can be downloaded through the 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 betas require an iPhone running iOS 10 to install, and they’re only available to developers because there’s no way to downgrade the software on an Apple Watch.

It’s not yet clear if watchOS 3.2.2 introduces any new features or bug fixes because Apple doesn’t typically provide release notes for betas. No notable features

Given that this is a minor 3.x.x update, it’s likely to focus primarily on bug fixes. No notable features were found in the first watchOS 3.2.2 update, but we’ll update this post should anything new be discovered.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Apple Seeds Second Beta of macOS Sierra 10.12.5 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Sierra 10.12.5 update to developers, nearly two weeks after seeding the first beta and two weeks after releasing macOS Sierra 10.12.4, which introduced Night Shift for the Mac.

macOS Sierra 10.12.5 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

According to the release notes accompanying the beta, the update “improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.”

Because Apple’s release notes don’t often provide much insight into what’s included in new beta software, we don’t yet know what features or bug fixes might be included in 10.12.5.

Nothing notable was discovered in the first beta, but should new features be discovered in the second macOS Sierra 10.12.5 beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundup: macOS Sierra
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ZTE Quartz hands-on

Android Wear 2.0 is slowly being rolled out to existing smartwatches, but when it comes to new models, we’re still waiting for the next batch to come around. So far, it’s been nothing except for the LG Watch Sport – with other major manufacturers remaining relatively silent.

See also:

ZTE’s new Quartz smartwatch brings Android Wear 2.0 for just $200

3 hours ago

One name you’ll be surprised about to hear is ZTE, who on the other hand, just announced its first wearable smartwatch for the US market. That’s quite a revelation, given its position in the market. The ZTE Quartz might look chunky and cookie cutter at first glance, but don’t let that fool you – just because ZTE is being aggressive about its price point. Would you believe this is only $192?

The Quartz really does match the LG Watch Sport in many areas

So yeah, it’s seriously undercutting the competition, especially when you pit it against the LG Watch Sport, which has an MSRP of $349. Obviously, there’s quite a disparity here when you think about the wide gap separating the two Android Wear 2.0 wielding smartwatches. The difference alone can be the deciding factor for consumers who are looking to save some money in the process, more so when you look at the Quartz’s spec sheet. It really does match the LG Watch Sport in many areas! It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset, 400 x 400 resolution AMOLED display, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 768 MB of RAM, and 4 GB of internal storage.

Similarities in the specs aside, there are still some key differences here with the Quartz, and the first area directly correlates to its price, which is its design. Frankly, the Quartz doesn’t have nearly the same level of elegance or allure. First of all, it’s pretty chunky looking, so if you have a small wrist, it might look out of place.

Frankly, the Quartz doesn’t have nearly the same level of elegance or allure

Even though we’re content to find a metal casing here, the plastic underbelly of the Quartz just seems out of place. However, the decision for a thicker chassis allows the Quartz to accommodate a higher capacity 500 mAh battery, which ensures it’s going to be able to handle all-day independent usage without the worry of running out of juice. Still, it doesn’t have the same premium look and feel as its rivals. And that could potentially be a deal breaker for some!

While the included wrist strap is your typical rubbery textured one, you can easily replace it with any others. And honestly, we really weren’t expecting anything ornate with the strap, taking into consideration its price and all. What’s surprising, though, is that ZTE opted to not have a heart rate sensor, which of course helps to lessen its price point, but some people might be disappointed by this.

See also:

Best fitness trackers

4 weeks ago

This won’t be a huge issue, of course, if you’re really not looking to do any strenuous workouts using the Quartz. If you intend to do that, however, it can still track some other vital information. So, does it alienate fitness junkies? That depends, because you’re mainly losing out on heart rate tracking, but it still offers other things like GPS to track your runs.

Moving onto the screen, the 1.4-inch AMOLED display looks detailed and crisp – and it seems to handle outdoor visibility okay. And lastly, the biggest takeaway for the ZTE Quartz is that it features built-in cellular radios that allows it to function independently from your smartphone. Now this is nice if you just want to leave your phone behind, say like going on a hike, since you can still make phone calls through it.

Even though it’s not the most stylish watch, there’s still a lot to consider here when you look at its $192 price

Even though it’s not the most stylish or premium smartwatch out there, there’s still a lot to consider here when you look at its $192 price. That’s pretty aggressive when it’s cellular enabled out of the box and has specs similar to that of the LG Watch Sport. If you’re tinkering the idea of buying the Quartz, it’ll be sold through T-Mobile’s online portal starting on April 14, while in-store availability is set for April 21.

What are your thoughts on the ZTE Quartz? Will this be your next smartwatch? Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below!

WeDrive from WHILL is a free online community service for mobility device users

Why it matters to you

Mobility devices are key to helping their users lead fulfilled lives, and WeDrive from WHILL hopes to help make finding the right mobility device easier than ever

Mobility has never been quite so … mobile. On Monday, WHILL, the power mobility device maker, launched a new service called WeDrive. Meant to connect WHILL owners with others looking to test drive wheelchairs and other mobility devices, WeDrive is described as a “nationwide shared economy service” that allows users to share experiences in an authentic environment.

Promising to revolutionize how users test drive personal mobility products, WeDrive wants to help differently abled folks around the country better understand their options when it comes to these products, and determine the best match for their lifestyle. While most of these devices are often relegated to medical showroom floors or rehabilitation centers, WeDrive wants to give customers more optionality and more space to test out a product that is key to their everyday lives.

More: The SafariSeat is an all-terrain wheelchair made from bicycle parts

“WeDrive is going to transform the way users gain access to products that best suit their needs,” said Satoshi Sugie, CEO of WHILL. “The new culture of the sharing economy is resource-friendly, economical, and authentic. WeDrive is designed to enhance the sense of connection in the community and allow users to engage each other in an environment that is reliable, authentic, and in the user’s own words.”

To test drive a product with WeDrive, customers to tap into an existing community of WHILL users, and try out these mobility devices while hearing more about others’ personal experiences. WHILL promises that all WeDrive Community Drivers (those allowed to share their devices) are verified and qualified to host test drives.

That said, all WHILL hosts have the option to register themselves with WeDrive, and invite others to join. Signing up is free, but once registered, users have the opportunity to earn money from WHILL, serving as something of a guerilla marketer.

So whether you’re looking for your own mobility device or just want to share your experience with others, WeDrive may be worth a closer look.