People are really into MoviePass’ unlimited cinema subscription

MoviePass, the deal that eliminates the eye-watering cost of going to the flicks, has passed the one million mark in paid subscribers — not bad for a service that movie chain AMC lambasted as “unsustainable” earlier this year. Film fans can see a movie a day for $9.95 per month, or $6.95 if paid for the year in advance.

The offering has proved so popular (as the numbers suggest) that MoviePass couldn’t keep up with demand. On unveiling the deal, the company’s website crashed and customers faced a two-week delay in getting their MoviePass cards. Despite some limitations around the cinemas participating in the program, feedback has largely been positive, so we can expect subscription numbers to continue to increase pretty quickly. It’s no surprise other companies, such as Cinemark, are getting in on the subscription action.

Via: Variety

Apple will allow apps built from templates

Apple has revised its App Store guidelines to allow apps built using templates and other app-generation services. The decision — a one-eighty on its previous policy that banned such apps in the name of preserving quality — is supposed to make it easier for small businesses and non-profits to offer their own apps without the expense or expertise of building their own. But it’s Apple, so there are of course some caveats.

While it’s now fine for organizations to use an app template, they have to be the ones to publish the app in the App Store, not the building service. This means that despite the lack of in-house expertise pushing them to use such a service in the first place, they’ll still have to be up to speed with licensing agreements and have an understanding of the app publishing process. But, to take out the sting, Apple says that from early 2018 it’ll do away with the $99 developer fee for government and non-profits.

Apple seems to have turned its attention away from the way apps are being made, and is now focusing on their combined impact in the field. It doesn’t want apps to look too similar, and it doesn’t want them to just operate as a wraparound for what could simply be a website. Of course, some could argue a broad similarity makes them easier to use (everyone will know where the menu button is, for instance), while a standalone app, similar as it may be to the company’s website, offers them autonomy from the larger companies –Just Eat and Facebook, for example — which they’re otherwise reliant on for space in the digital sphere.

The requirements in place could still prove limiting, particularly for the kinds of businesses that would take advantage of this change. However, Apple ultimately wants to open up its app ecosystem to more authentic users, and doing away with the ban on app templates is a good start.

Via: Techcrunch

Source: Apple

Apple Now Selling Refurbished 2017 27-inch iMac Models in Europe

Apple quietly updated several of its European online stores for refurbished products over the last couple of days, and has added its latest 27-inch 5K iMac models to the discounted listings for the first time.

The iMacs were first released in June of 2017 and feature Kaby Lake processors, faster SSDs, and AMD discrete graphics. Online stores in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain have all been updated with the new stock, although the largest range of configurations currently appears in the United Kingdom.

In the U.K., for example, an entry-level model with 8GB RAM, a 1TB Fusion Drive, a 3.4GHz i5 processor, and a Radeon Pro 570 is priced at £1,489, which is a £260 discount off the standard price.

This is the first time the machines have been available in refurbished stores around Europe since their introduction at the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple first began selling the refurb models in the U.S. and Canada back in August.

In addition, Apple has boosted its European stock of refurbished 21.5-inch 4K iMacs, also released in June of this year. Apple has added a range of configurations, from low-end to top-of-the-line. As with all refurbished products, stock will fluctuate regularly based on the machines Apple is getting in for repair.

All of Apple’s refurbished products go through a rigorous refurbishment process before being offered for sale, which includes inspection, repairs, cleaning, and repackaging. Refurbished Macs come with a one-year warranty that can be extended with an AppleCare+ purchase. For more tips on purchasing a refurbished product, make sure to check out our guide.

Related Roundup: iMacTags: Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, France, Germany, IrelandBuyer’s Guide: iMac (Neutral)
Discuss this article in our forums

Official Wikipedia App Introduces Black Reading Theme for iPhone X OLED Screens

An update to the official Wikipedia app for iOS is currently rolling out with an all-new “Black” reading theme for iPhone X. The new display feature, which accompanies the existing dark mode, has been developed specifically with OLED devices in mind, according to the developers.

Not only does the true black theme look good on the new iPhone’s 5.8-inch display, it also potentially offers energy-saving benefits, since black pixels in an OLED panel basically switch off and consume far less power, giving avid Wikipedia readers another reason to use the official app over the website.

In addition to the new theme, the Wikipedia app update promises faster article loading and less data use. The speed improvements are mostly down to the fact that images are no longer pre-loaded and now only download when they’re about to be displayed or saved.

Wikipedia is just the latest app to add a true black theme to its display options, with other popular apps like Twitterrific and Bear Notes also having included similar features in the last few weeks.

A native Dark or “Night” mode for iOS is one of the most popular long-running user requests, but Apple has yet to officially add support for such a feature, despite the added technological rationale for one on iPhone X.

The closest option for iOS 11 users is the “Smart Invert” accessibility feature, which is basically a tweaked version of the classic “Invert Colors” that aims to avoid inverting colors in images, although it’s pretty inconsistent in this regard. The option can be found in the Settings app in General -> Accessibility -> Display Accommodations -> Invert Colors.

The official Wikipedia app is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Wikipedia
Discuss this article in our forums

PayPal on eBay Currently Offering $100 iTunes Cards for $85

Sales on App Store and iTunes gift cards are becoming increasingly frequent as Christmas nears, with the latest 15 percent off discount coming from PayPal’s Digital Gifts eBay storefront. Like previous sales — the last one from Amazon happened yesterday — PayPal is offering the $100 iTunes card for $85, delivered to you via email and valid only on United States App Store purchases.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

PayPal will email you the code for your iTunes card within a few hours of purchase, and you can also enter a friend or family member’s email address to send as a holiday present this season. If you prefer shopping at Amazon, the retailer’s digital iTunes card sale from yesterday is still running, offering the same $100 card for $85 if you enter the promo code ITUNES15 during checkout.

For other sales and discounts happening in the last few days before Christmas, make sure to head to our Deals Roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
Discuss this article in our forums

‘Sky’ Launches March 2018 on Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad in United States

Apple today confirmed that the launch of Sky: Light Awaits for Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad has been delayed until March 2018 in the United States.

The game was originally slated to launch in winter 2017, but that timeframe seemed increasingly unlikely as the end of the year drew near, and fine print at the bottom of Apple’s iPhone X and Apple TV pages now reflects the delay.

Sky soft launched in the Philippines earlier this week, and Apple hasn’t updated its fine print outside of the United States, so it’s unclear if the March 2018 launch date will apply to all countries or just major markets.

Sky was unveiled by game studio thatgamecompany during Apple’s iPhone X event back in September. Described as a social adventure, players are tasked with flying through a kingdom and bringing light to dark places. The game supports up to eight players and can be played with just one finger on both iOS and Apple TV.

Like thatgamecompany’s critically acclaimed console games Journey, Flower, and Flow, Sky has beautiful graphics and soundtracks that create a cinematic experience. It is the company’s first game since Journey was released in 2012.

Sky will be exclusive to Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad when it launches on the App Store for iOS and tvOS in March. Pricing has not been disclosed.

Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

LG Announces Upgraded Set of Monitors With Full Thunderbolt 3 Compatibility

Following previous Mac-supported displays that boasted USB-C and some Thunderbolt 3 compatibility, LG today announced a new set of monitors that all include full Thunderbolt 3 support. The news comes ahead of CES 2018, where LG will officially introduce the three new upgraded models of its popular monitor lineup. Apple and LG originally teamed up to create 4K and 5K UltraFine Displays aimed at the late 2016 MacBook Pro models.

The first monitor is a 32-inch UHD 4K model (named LG 32UK950) and offers LG’s advanced Nano IPS technology, which the company said will enhance the “intensity and purity” of on-screen colors so that viewing experiences are more life-like. This monitor can display 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color spectrum and supports HDR 600, all making it comparable to monitors used to master Hollywood films, according to LG.

LG 32UK950 also features a Thunderbolt 3 docking display so that it can be daisy chained and be part of a dual 4K monitor setup. It can connect to Apple computers like MacBook Pro through a Thunderbolt 3 cable, transmitting 4K content, sound, and fueling up the connected MacBook (with enough charge to power a 60W notebook).

The second monitor is the LG 34WK95U, a 34-inch UltraWide monitor with wider viewing angles than the previous device, increased 5K resolution of 5120 x 2160 pixels, and a 21:9 aspect ratio. LG is aiming this monitor at customers who “extensively” multitask during their workflow, including video editors, photographers, and software and app developers.

Just like the first monitor, the 34WK95U supports Nano IPS technology, HDR 600, and a Thunderbolt 3 port that can transmit 5K resolution images at 60Hz, along with data and power, through a TB3 cable connected to a compatible MacBook Pro.

The third and final monitor (LG 34GK950G) is given the least amount of detail in LG’s announcement, being described as the company’s latest QHD gaming monitor. This one offers the same Nano IPS technology for premium picture quality when running games, as well as high-speed G-Sync technology. No other details about the 32GK950G monitor were given.

CES will officially begin on January 7, 2018, so more information on the prices and launch dates of LG’s monitors will be coming soon in the new year, along with many other new technology and product announcements. For more on LG’s current monitors, check out MacRumors’ reviews of the 27UD88, UltraFine 5K, and 38UC99 curved “UltraWide” displays.

Tags: LG, CES 2018
Discuss this article in our forums

Preparing For The Storm: Christmas 2017 eCommerce Trends

December is one of the most, if not the most, busy times of year for ecommerce outlets. From the end of November through to the hallowed Christmas Day morning spending splurge, shoppers globally splash out. In North America alone, Americans spend over USD$3tn at Christmas.

With that in mind, ecommerce retailers have been scrambling for months to get ahead of the latest technology curve and get themselves out in front over the course of this holiday season. As you’re keeping an eye on your Christmas countdown, keep your other eye on seeing these trends pop up.

Small Vendors Getting Savvy

Lots of big business tools have filtered down this year to give a better experience to smaller-level buyers. From voice recognition to access to big data via the likes of Google, all of the tools are out there for smaller vendors to be seen and make a success this holiday season. Used by most major retailers, selling consultants AMZShark suggest big data is keyto getting ahead of the curve, a view echoed by experts at Bloomberg.

1-Click Ordering Liberation

You may not have noticed, but when you head to Amazon you’re able to order with 1-click. Now, have you ever noticed that on another website? Turns out that Amazon patented this process – and the 1-click patent expired this year. This has the potential to turn the market upside down somewhat, as it’s been noted from research that consumers value their time so highly that websites taking over 3 seconds to load will be abandoned. Expect similar treatment towards slow purchasing.

Bitcoin Luxury Market

Possibly begrudgingly, but with decent pace, the US markets are starting to adapt to the terribly disruptive Bitcoin crave. Whilst the coin hasn’t previously found much traction outside of the over-the-top luxuries market, the new found sense of belonging of bitcoin amongst American markets and trading means that plenty of sites are offering Bitcoin payments. Expect to see many more trades conducted in the coin, which could have an interesting effect on prices pretty much everywhere else.

Those are the main tech trends you can expect to see over the holiday period this year. More access for smaller vendors in the scrum, more currency options, and perhaps better ordering services across the board. What might crop up next year?

Walmart reportedly explores cashier-free stores to keep pace with Amazon

How do you like the idea of waltzing into a store, taking what you need, and then getting the hell out? No checkouts, no lines, no waiting.

Walmart is exploring the idea of stores without staff where you can simply “grab and go,” with computer vision technology monitoring what you place in your bag so it can automatically tot up the amount and take it from your bank account, sources claiming to have knowledge of the matter told Re/code this week.

Yes, it does sound very similar to Amazon’s Go store, a concept unveiled about a year ago but which is yet to launch for the public. The last we heard, Amazon was having some difficulties at its test store in Seattle regarding the all-important payment system, with the technology unable to track more than 20 customers at a time.

It’s not clear how similar Walmart’s technology is to Amazon’s, but it nevertheless appears to be creating something along the same lines to offer a speedier and more convenient shopping experience that really doesn’t feel like shopping at all.

Walmart’s effort, codenamed Project Kepler, is part of the company’s Store No.8 startup incubator, and is reportedly headed up by Mike Hanrahan, the co-founder and former chief technology officer of online shopping service Jet.com. Walmart acquired Jet.com for around $3 billion in 2016 and took on Hanrahan and Marc Lore, Jet.com’s other co-founder. Lore now leads Walmart’s ecommerce efforts and the pair are using their experience to battle the likes of Amazon while attempting to broaden the customer base of the big-box retailer.

Another initiative reportedly underway is a personal shopping service targeting “busy NYC moms,” according to Re/code’s sources. Managed by Rent the Runway co-founder Jennifer Fleiss, the service would use text messages to send product recommendations to shoppers, which they can then quickly purchase simply by replying. Once again with Amazon in its sights, many of the offered products would be delivered to customers within 24 hours, or within two business days at the most, while returns would be collected by the company at no extra charge.

Walmart’s reported projects indicate the company’s determination to use technology to bolster its business and expand its customer base to keep pace with the likes of Amazon. However, we’ll have to wait and see whether the cashier-free store and messaging-based shopping service develop into a real offering, as it’s still early days for both initiatives.

Editors’ Recommendations

• 15 essential Black Friday apps you need to navigate the maelstrom
• Here’s where to buy the Nintendo Switch
• Score a bargain with the best PS4 game deals under $20
• Were AirPods on your holiday wish list? You might have to take them off
• Go ahead, have another! The best ridesharing apps help get you home safely

This burger chain wants you to simply look at a machine to place an order

CaliBurger caused a stir not so long ago when it announced a plan to install burger-flipping robots inside its restaurants. Clearly keen on using advances in technology to improve its service, the global fast-food chain is now planning to use facial recognition kiosks that remember your previous selections so you can order in a couple of taps.

Besides speeding up the ordering process, the kiosk could also eliminate the chaos that can ensue at the counter when trying to place an order with kids or a group of friends.

CaliBurger’s kiosk is now being demoed at its Pasadena store and if successful could be rolled out to its locations worldwide in 2018.

Here’s how it works: Customers first need to activate a so-called “loyalty account,” which is easily done with a few taps on the kiosk’s display, and then place their first order.

When you make a return visit, the kiosk will ask you to “bring up your past orders” (perhaps not the best phrase for a restaurant to use) “by smiling at the camera.”

It’ll then display your previous selections whereupon you can request the same food or go for something new. Multiple visits will also earn you loyalty points called “CaliCoins” that you can collect with another quick smile before spending on your next order.

Once you’re done, simply complete the payment at  the kiosk and head over to the counter where your food will be waiting for you.

CaliBurger

The next phase of the plan is to allow customers to “pay using their faces,” making the entire process even quicker.

“Our goal for 2018 is to replace credit card swipes with face-based payments,” the company said in a release. “Facial recognition is part of our broader strategy to enable the restaurant and retail industries to provide the same kinds of benefits and conveniences in the built world that customers experience with retailers like Amazon in the digital world.”

CaliBurger partnered with tech firm NEC Corporation of America to develop the facial recognition-enabled kiosk.

In a similar effort to make fast food even faster, KFC recently started testing a kiosk that scans your face so you can “smile to pay.” It’s another step toward a time when using cash, credits cards, and smartphones for payments will be a thing of the past, a time when a simple smile will allow us to make a purchase, though a grimace may feel more natural for some pricier items.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Burger chain Shake Shack won’t accept cash at its new location in New York
• Hungry? These are the 9 best food-delivery apps that bring deliciousness to you
• Everything you need to know about Android Pay
• Here’s how to unlock your phone automatically with Android Smart Lock
• Apple opens some iPhone X facial recognition data to developers