HyperJuice’s USB-C battery pack wants to be the most powerful on the market

Battery life in phones continues to improve, but it’s never going to bring us back to the days of when your Nokia phone lasted for three to five days before you needed to plug it in. Portable batteries have grown in popularity over the recent years as a way to keep your phone powered up while on the go, freeing you from the wall. Hyper has announced a new Kickstarter campaign that aims to bring the “World’s most powerful USB-C battery pack” to consumers.

Internally, this thing is a monster. It offers 100W of USB-C Power Delivery 3.0, which is an equivalent of 27000mAh (the largest you can carry onto a plane with you). It has a total of three outputs: a full-sized USB port that offers 18W, and two USB-C ports at 60W and 100W respectively. The 100W port is an In/Out port, which is how you charge the battery. With all this capacity, you may expect that it would be quite large, but it seems to be similar in size to Anker’s 26800 PD battery pack, except with the ability to provide a whole lot more power output.

Early backers of the project can score one of these for as little as $149, which is nearly 40% lower than the expected retail price of $299 when it launches for the masses later. As of right now, the project is already funded with 28 days to go, and the company expects to begin production of these in October with shipments taking place in November.

See at Kickstarter

The Amazfit Verge is a new smartwatch from Xiaomi that costs just $115

It’s available for purchase in China starting today.

Although we’re still lamenting the fact that Google won’t be releasing a Pixel Watch this year, our readers over in China can now purchase a new smartwatch from Xiaomi sub-brand Huami that offers a tremendous amount of bang-for-your-buck. The Amazfit Verge was just unveiled today, and if you happen to live in China, it looks like the smartwatch to get.

The Amazfit Verge has a circular 1.3-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 360 x 360. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and the watch’s body is 46g heavy and 12.6mm thick. It’s powered by Huami’s own operating system (no Wear OS, here) that should run just fine with a dual-core processor and 512MB of RAM.

When it comes to features, the Amazfit Verge has just about everything you could ask for — including:

• NFC for mobile payments via AliPay
• Built-in GPS
• Heart-rate sensor
• IP68 waterproofing
• Xiao voice assistant
• Integration with Mija smart home ecosystem

Even with all of that tech crammed inside the Amazfit Verge, Huami is still promising around 5-days of battery life on a single charge.

If you’re interested, the Amazfit Verge is available for purchase now at both Tmall and JD for CNY 800 ($115 USD). Huami’s previous smartwatch, the Amazfit Bip, did eventually make its way to the United States, but it’s currently unclear if the Verge will follow in those footsteps.

See at Amazfit

Apple Support App Gains Easier Access to AppleCare+, Streamlined Process for Resetting Apple ID

Apple today updated its Apple Support app for iOS devices to add new features that include easier access to AppleCare+ and a better way to reset your Apple ID password.

According to the update’s release notes, it’s easier to add AppleCare+ coverage to your eligible devices using the Apple Support app. AppleCare+ provides extra coverage and replacement for accidental damage on iOS, Apple Watch, Mac, HomePod, and more.

Today’s update also introduces a streamlined process for resetting your Apple ID password quickly and securely, and it offers up a number of unspecified bug and performance enhancements.

The Apple Support app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tags: App Store, Apple Support
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Deals: Exclusive ElevationDock 4 Sale, New Anker Discount Codes, Tile Savings, and More

We’ve got an exclusive new deal to share with our readers today, this one coming from a partnership with accessory company ElevationLab. Those interested can save on ElevationLab’s ElevationDock 4, priced at $35.97 with code MRDOCK40, down from $59.95.

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

ElevationDock 4 is an iPhone dock that charges and cradles compatible iPhones, using micro air suction to keep itself stable on your desk. The dock is compatible with all of Apple’s own cases and any case 3mm thin, but is not compatible with thicker wallet-style cases or protective cases, like OtterBox. Both the Matte Black and Matte White colors are up for the exclusive 40 percent discount, so head to Amazon and place your order before September 21, when the code expires.

Our next exclusive sale is another partnership with Magix, offering our readers an exclusive discount on the multimedia software maker’s Sound Forge Pro Mac 3 bundle. The offer includes savings of up to 60 percent off, with Sound Forge Pro Mac 3 priced at $229.00, down from $557.00.

For those interested, Sound Forge Pro Mac 3 is an advanced audio editing suite with multi-channel recording and editing, mastering for music and dialogue clips, and support for high-resolution audio recording at 24 bits with sampling rates as high as 192kHz. The sale will run through October 31, 2018, so be sure to visit Magix’s website if you’re interested and place your order before it ends.

On Amazon, Anker has a new collection of discount codes this week, all focused on savings for its line of wireless charging accessories:

• PowerPort Wireless 5 Pad – $14.39 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $15.99 (exp. 9/22)

• PowerPort Wireless 5 Stand – $15.74 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $17.49 (exp. 9/22)

• PowerPort Wireless 10 – $19.79 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $21.99 (exp. 9/22)

• 7.5W Fast Wireless Charger with QC Adapter – $41.39 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $45.99 (exp. 9/22)

• 7.5W Fast Wireless Charging Stand with QC Adapter – $44.99 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $49.99 (exp. 9/22)

• PowerPort Wireless 5 Pad and Stand – $35.99 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $39.99 (exp. 9/22)

• 5W Wireless Charger Charging Pad – $8.99 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $9.99 (exp. 9/22)

• 7.5W Fast Wireless Charging Stand – $26.99 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $29.99 (exp. 9/22)

There are a few sales on headphones, earphones, and Bluetooth speakers as well:

• Zolo Liberty Total-Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds – $79.99 with code ZOLOPRO7, down from $98.95 (exp. 9/22)

• Soundcore Arc Wireless Sport Earphones – $29.99 with code ANKER361, down from $39.98 (exp. 9/29)

• SoundCore Bluetooth Speaker (Blue, Red) – $25.99, down from $32.99 (exp. 9/23)

• Soundcore Spirit Pro Bluetooth Headphones – $39.98, down from $49.99 (exp. 9/23)

In a new back-to-school sale, Bluetooth tracker company Tile is offering customers the chance to save on a variety of its products. These include up to 55 percent off Tile combo packs and up to 45 percent off Tile Sport. Check out all of the savings below:

• Up to 45 percent off Tile Sport – get a 2-pack for $45, down from $70

• Up to 53 percent off Tile Mate – get a 4-pack for $40, down from $80

• Up to 45 percent off Tile Pro Combo Packs – get 1 “Style” and 1 “Sport” for $45, down from $70

• Up to 55 percent off Tile Combo Packs – get 2 “Mates” and 2 “Slims” for $50, down from $100

Be sure to head to our full Deals Roundup for more information on this week’s latest sales and bargains.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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Apple Releases tvOS 12 With New Aerial Screensavers, Zero Sign-On, Dolby Atmos Support and More

Apple today released tvOS 12, the latest operating system designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 12 comes after a months-long beta testing period that saw Apple release a total of 10 tvOS 12 betas ahead of the golden master version of the software.

Like all tvOS updates, tvOS 12 is minor in scale, but it does bring some new feature improvements to the tvOS operating system.

tvOS 12 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System –> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 12 automatically.

tvOS 12 introduces long-awaited support for higher-quality Dolby Atmos sound, and Apple has been adding Dolby Atmos support to some of its iTunes content. With the launch of tvOS 12, iTunes is home to the largest collection of movies that offer Dolby Atmos support.

iTunes customers who have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles to add the new feature, much like Apple upgraded HD movies with the rollout of support for 4K content.

Building on single sign-on, a new zero sign-on feature further simplifies the cable authentication process. With zero sign-on, the Apple TV can detect a user’s broadband network and automatically sign them into supported apps they receive through an accompanying cable subscription.

Zero sign-on will be available for Charter Communications customers this fall and will expand to additional cable providers in the future.

In tvOS 12, Aerial screensavers include location information for the first time, and there are new screensavers captured in collaboration with the International Space Station.

Other tvOS-related improvements include AutoFill passwords from iPhone, an Apple TV Remote automatically added to Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, and Apple TV support on Home control systems like Control4, Crestron, and Savant.

For more information on everything that’s new in tvOS 12, make sure to check out our tvOS 12 roundup.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Launches watchOS 5 With Walkie-Talkie, Apple Podcasts, Siri Shortcuts, New Watch Faces, Raise to Speak and More

Apple today released watchOS 5, the newest version of the operating system designed to run on the Apple Watch. Today’s software update follows several months of beta testing, with Apple having seeded 10 betas and a GM.

watchOS 5 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.

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watchOS 5 is a significant update to the watchOS operating system, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete with friends to earn points, reach fitness goals, and win awards. There’s a new Walkie-Talkie app with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection has been included to make it easier to start and stop workouts if you forget to do it yourself.

Siri Shortcuts, the new iOS 12 feature that allows you to create Siri-activated automations and shortcuts with both first and third-party apps, is available on Apple Watch through an improved Siri watch face that shows more information than ever.

The Siri watch face offers up predictive and proactive Shortcut suggestions based on your personal routines and the time of day, while Maps integration lets you see turn-by-turn directions and estimated travel times. Heart rate measurements like resting rate, walking average, and recovery rate are now displayed on the Siri watch face, as are live sports scores and info on upcoming games.

On newer Apple Watch models, you no longer need to hold down the Digital Crown to activate Siri thanks to a new built-in “Raise to Speak” feature that lets you speak right into your wrist, and there’s a dedicated Podcasts app for listening to Podcasts on Apple Watch.

There are several new watch faces available in watchOS 5, including a Breathe face for walking you through stress-relieving breathing exercises, new motion faces that animate when your wrist is raised (Fire & Water, Vapor, and Liquid Metal), and options to display curated moments from your photo library on the Photos watch face. There are also new complications for Podcasts and Walkie-Talkie.

iOS 12 features that include grouped notifications, Deliver Quietly, Instant Tuning, and Do Not Disturb have been expanded to the Apple Watch, and there are options for getting a notification if your heart rate falls below a specified threshold during a 10-minute period of inactivity.

Other new features include new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, metrics like UV index, wind speed, and air quality in the Weather app, an option to answer a FaceTime video call as audio on Apple Watch, and an updated interface for choosing emoji in Mail and Messages.

The watchOS 5 update runs on all Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models, but it is not available for the first-generation “Series 0” Apple Watch models.

For more information on all of the new features coming in watchOS 5, make sure to check out our watchOS 5 roundup.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Apple Releases iOS 12 With Faster Performance, Memoji, Siri Shortcuts, Screen Time, Revamped Maps App, ARKit 2.0, and More

Apple today officially released iOS 12, the latest operating system designed for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. iOS 12 is available on all devices able to run iOS 11, which includes the iPhone 5s and later, the iPad mini 2 and later, the iPad Air and later, and the 6th-generation iPod touch.

The update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings –> General –> Software Update. It could potentially take a few minutes for the update to propagate to all users due to high demand. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12 is free to download.

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iOS 12 is a major update that brings several new features and upgrades to Apple’s iOS devices, along with some significant performance improvements. Apple has revamped the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially the older models, faster and more responsive.

Apps open more speedily than before, the keyboard pops up faster, and the Camera launches much quicker. Apple has also introduced optimizations for when the system is under load, making iOS devices faster when you need performance most.

On the iPhone X (and upcoming XS and XS Max models), there are new Animoji characters (Ghost, Koala, Tiger, and T-Rex) along with “Memoji,” which are customizable, personalized, humanoid Animoji that can be used both in Messages and in FaceTime, plus there are fun new camera effects in both of those apps.

Apple originally planned to introduce Group FaceTime support in iOS 12, but the feature was removed during the beta testing period. It will be reintroduced later this fall in a future iOS 12 update.

Siri is smarter than ever in iOS 12 with a new Shortcuts feature designed to let you create multi-step customized automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated with Siri voice commands. Shortcuts can be created through the Shortcuts app, which Apple is releasing alongside iOS 12.

Apple built comprehensive time management and monitoring tools into iOS 12 with Screen Time, allowing you to keep track of how much time you’re spending in apps on your iPhone and iPad. App limits can help you cut back on iOS device usage, and robust parental controls are included for families.

Updated Do Not Disturb options make activating Do Not Disturb more intuitive and simple, and a new Do Not Disturb at Bedtime feature cuts down on nighttime distractions and sleep interruptions by hiding notifications at night.

Grouped Notifications make incoming notifications easier to view and manage, while a new Instant Tuning feature lets you tweak your notification settings right on the Lock screen on a notification-by-notification basis to cut down on the number of notifications you receive.

Apple News has a new Browse feature, the Stocks app has been redesigned and brought to the iPad, iBooks has been overhauled with a new look and a new name — Apple Books — and Voice Memos has been revamped with iCloud support and an iPad app.

ARKit 2.0 introduces new capabilities like shared experiences that let two people see the same AR environment on separate devices, and persistence, which allows AR experiences to be saved across multiple sessions. There’s also a new Apple-built Measure app for measuring objects using AR functionality.

iOS 12 includes a revamped and rebuilt Maps app that uses a new Apple-designed Maps engine that displays foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and other map elements more accurately. The new Maps also includes significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, construction, and more, plus it lets Apple push out changes and fixes more quickly.

The updated Maps app is available in the Northern California area during beta testing and at launch. Following iOS 12’s public release, Apple plans to continue rolling out the new Maps app to additional U.S. locations.

For a complete rundown on all of the features that are included in iOS 12, make sure to check out our iOS 12 roundup. Apple’s full iOS 12 release notes are also listed below.

iOS 12 brings performance improvements and exciting new features to iPhone and iPad. Photos introduces new features to help you rediscover and share the photos in your library, Memoji–a new, more customizable Animoji–make Messages more expressive and fun, Screen Time helps you and your family understand and make the most of the time spent on devices, Siri Shortcuts deliver a faster way to get things done with the ability for any app to work with Siri, augmented reality becomes even more engaging with the ability for developers to create shared AR experiences, and new privacy features help protect you from being tracked on the web. This update introduces new features and improvements to:

Performance

• iOS has been enhanced for a faster and more responsive experience across the system
• All supported devices see improved performance, going back to iPhone 5s and iPad Air
• Camera launches up to 70 percent faster, the keyboard appears up to 50 percent faster and typing is more responsive*
• Apps launch up to twice as fast when your device is under heavy workload*

Photos

• New For You tab helps you discover great photos in your library with Featured Photos, Effect Suggestions, and more
• Sharing Suggestions proactively recommend sharing photos taken at events with the people who are in them
• Search enhancements make it easier to find your photos with intelligent suggestions and multiple keyword support
• Search for photos based on the place, business name, or event where you were when you took them
• Improved camera import with faster performance and a new large preview mode
• RAW support for editing images

Camera

• Portrait mode improvements preserve fine detail between subject and background when using Stage Light and Stage Light Mono effects
• QR codes are highlighted in the camera frame, making them easier to scan

Messages

• Memoji, a new, more customizable Animoji, make Messages more expressive with personalized characters that are diverse and fun
• Animoji now also include T. rex, ghost, koala, and tiger
• Make Memoji and Animoji wink and stick out their tongue
• New camera effects bring Animoji, filters, text effects, iMessage sticker packs, and shapes to the photos and videos you capture in Messages
• Animoji recordings can now capture up to 30 seconds

Screen Time

• Screen Time provides detailed information and tools to help you and your family find the right balance of time spent with apps and websites
• See the time spent in apps, usage across categories of apps, how many notifications are received, and how often devices are picked up
• App limits help you set the amount of time you or your child can spend in apps and on websites
• Screen Time for kids lets parents manage how their child uses iPhone and iPad right from their own iOS devices

Do Not Disturb

• Turn off Do Not Disturb after a set time, location or calendar event
• Do Not Disturb during Bedtime hides all notifications from your lock screen while you sleep

Notifications

• Notifications from the same app are automatically grouped together to help you manage your notifications
• Instant Tuning gives you control over your notification settings right from the lock screen
• New Deliver Quietly option silently sends notifications directly to Notification Center without interrupting you

Siri

• Siri Shortcuts deliver a faster way to get things done with the ability for any app to work with Siri
• Add shortcuts using the “Add to Siri” button in supported apps, or in Settings > Siri and Search
• Siri suggests shortcuts on the Lock screen and in Search
• Get motorsports results, schedules, stats and standings for Formula 1, Nascar, Indy 500 and MotoGP
• Search for photos by time, location, people, topic or recent trips to find relevant photos and Memories in Photos
• Translate phrases in more languages, with support for over 40 language pairs
• Check facts about celebrities, such as when they were born, and ask questions about food, including calories and nutrient content
• Turn flashlight on or off
• More natural and expressive voice now available in Irish English, South African English, Danish, Norwegian, Cantonese and Mandarin (Taiwan)

Augmented Reality

• Shared experiences in ARKit 2 let developers create innovative AR apps you can experience together with friends
• Persistence enables developers to save and reload experiences right from where you left off
• Object detection and image tracking gives developers new tools to recognize real world objects and track images while they move through space
• AR Quick Look extends AR throughout iOS, letting you view AR objects with built-in apps like News, Safari, and Files and share them with friends with iMessage and Mail

Measure

• New augmented reality app to measure objects and spaces
• Draw lines across surfaces or in free space to measure, and tap on a line’s label to see more information
• Automatically measure rectangular objects
• Capture, share and markup screenshots of your measurements

Privacy and Security

• Enhanced Intelligent Tracking Prevention in Safari prevents embedded content and social media buttons from tracking cross-site browsing without your permission
• Suppresses ad retargeting by reducing advertisers’ ability to identify iOS devices uniquely
• Strong and unique passwords are suggested automatically when creating an account or changing a password in most apps and in Safari
• Reused passwords are flagged in Settings > Passwords & Accounts
• Security code AutoFill presents one-time security codes sent over SMS as suggestions in the QuickType bar
• Sharing passwords with contacts is easier than ever using AirDrop from Passwords & Accounts in Settings
• Siri supports quickly navigating to a password on an authenticated device

Apple Books

• All-new design that makes discovering and enjoying books and audiobooks easy and fun
• Reading Now makes it simple to get back to the book you’re currently reading or find great recommendations for what to read next
• Add books to the new Want to Read collection to keep track of what you’d like to read next
• The Book Store makes it easy to find your next favorite read with new and popular selections from our Apple Books editors and recommendations chosen just for you
• The new Audiobooks store helps you find immersive stories and informative nonfiction books narrated by your favorite authors, actors, and celebrities

Apple Music

• Search now supports lyrics so you can use a few of the words to find a song
• Artist pages have an easier to browse design with a personalized station of any artist’s music
• The new Friends Mix is a playlist of songs you’ll love from everything your friends are listening to
• New charts to show you the daily top 100 songs in countries around the world

Apple News

• Apple News is redesigned to make it easier to discover new channels and topics
• The new sidebar on iPad and Channels tab on iPhone make it easy to jump straight to your favorite publications and discover new ones

Stocks

• All-new design lets you easily view stock quotes, interactive charts, and top news on iPhone and iPad
• Top Stories section includes articles selected by Apple News editors to highlight the latest news driving the market
• Read Apple News stories right in the app, formatted to look great on iPhone and iPad
• Watchlist includes color-coded sparklines that let you see daily performance at a glance
• See an interactive chart for every ticker symbol, plus key details including after-hours price, trading volume, and more

Voice Memos

• All-new design with improved ease of use
• iCloud keeps your recordings and edits in sync across all of your devices
• Available on iPad with support for both portrait and landscape orientation

TV

• Get notified when movies and TV shows are available to watch in Up Next
• Share your favorite movies, TV shows, and sporting events with universal links

Apple Podcasts

• Now supports chapters for shows that include them
• Skip 30 seconds or to the next chapter with forward and back buttons in your car or on your headphones
• Easily manage new episode notifications from the Listen Now screen

Accessibility

• Live Listen now works with AirPods to help you hear more clearly
• RTT phone calling now works with AT&T
• Speak Selection now supports using the Siri voice to speak text that you have selected

Other features and improvements

• Camera effects in FaceTime transform your look in real-time
• CarPlay adds support for third-party navigation apps
• On supported campuses, use contactless student ID cards in Wallet to access buildings and pay with Apple Pay
• Website icons can appear in tabs on iPad by enabling them in Settings > Safari
• Weather includes air quality index in supported regions
• Quickly swipe up from the bottom of the screen to go home on iPad
• Swipe down from the top right to access Control Center on iPad
• Mark Up includes a palette of additional colors and options to change line width and opacity for each tool
• Battery usage chart in Settings now shows your usage for the last 24 hours or 10 days, and you can tap a bar to see app use for that period of time
• On devices without 3D Touch, touch and hold the keyboard Space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad
• Maps adds support for indoor maps for airports and malls with indoor positioning in China
• New definition dictionary in Hebrew, and bilingual dictionaries in Arabic and English, and Hindi and English
• New English thesaurus
• Automatic software updates allow iOS updates to be installed automatically overnight

We’ve also got a long list of how tos to walk you through all of the new features introduced in iOS 12, which are available through the how to section of our roundup.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Apple Debuts Updated Software for HomePod With Call Support, Multiple Timers, Find My iPhone, Lyric Search and More

Alongside the release of iOS 12, the newest update to the iOS operating system, Apple has also released new version 12 software that’s designed for the HomePod.

The new HomePod software will be installed automatically on the HomePod after you update to iOS 11.4, but you can also manually update and check your software version by following the instructions in our HomePod software how to.

As Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the company’s “Gather Round” event last Wednesday, the software update introduces several new features that HomePod users have been hoping for since the speaker was first released back in February.

The update lets you use Siri to search for your favorite songs using song lyrics, and it lets you create multiple timers. It also allows you to make and receive phone calls right from the HomePod.

The HomePod could previously be used as a speakerphone, but after the update, it will be able to be used to place and answer phone calls without the need to transfer a call from the iPhone.

HomePod will be able to ping your iPhone or any of your other Apple devices so you can find them in your Home, and it works with Siri Shortcuts, a new feature introduced in iOS 12. Apple’s full release notes for the HomePod software update are below:

iOS 12 includes support for multiple timers, music search by lyrics, telephony and Find My iPhone.
– Conveniently search for a song using the lyrics if you can’t remember the title (English only)
– Create multiple named timers
– Make and receive phone calls directly on HomePod, or simply ask Siri who is calling
– Similar to Apple Watch, Find My iPhone on HomePod allows you to quickly locate any of your iOS or macOS devices with an audible ping
– Calendar support to include all languages
– View the network name in Settings

For more on the HomePod, make sure to check out our HomePod roundup.

Related Roundup: HomePodBuyer’s Guide: HomePod (Buy Now)
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Apple Releases iOS 12 Shortcuts App for All Users, Update Replaces Workflow

Alongside the release of iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12, Apple today officially launched the Shortcuts app for iOS devices.

On iPhones and iPads running iOS 12, the Shortcuts app can be used to create multi-step shortcuts using first and third-party apps that can be activated by Siri voice command.

So, for example, you can create a shortcut to do something like turn on the thermostat at home using the Nest app, text your roommate that you’re on the way with Messages, and open up the Maps app with directions home all with a single “I’m going home” Siri command.

Shortcuts are deeply customizable, with third-party apps able to expose a series of quick actions to Siri that can be incorporated into your Shortcuts recipes. Starting today, thousands of apps are releasing updates with Siri Shortcuts support, giving us our first real look at all of the things that shortcuts can do. Apple’s release notes for the Shortcuts app are below:

Siri Shortcuts deliver a quick way to get things done with your apps with just a tap or by asking Siri. The Shortcuts app enables you to create personal shortcuts with multiple steps from your favorite apps. Start from hundreds of examples in the Gallery or drag and drop to create your own.

Shortcuts includes over 300 built-in actions and works with many of your favorite apps including Contacts, Calendar, Maps, Music, Photos, Camera, Reminders, Safari, Health as well as any app that supports Siri Shortcuts.

Use the Shortcuts app to:
– Get directions home, send your ETA and start listening to the news, just by asking Siri
– Add a home screen icon that calls a loved one
– Make animated GIFs
– Make PDFs from Safari or any app with a share sheet
– Get directions to the nearest coffee shop in one tap
– Tweet the song you’re listening to
– Get all of the images on a web page
– Send a message including the last screenshot you took
– And so much more…

Shortcuts can be launched from the Today widget, from Search or by asking Siri. You can even add an app icon to your home screen for your favorite Shortcuts.

Shortcuts opens up incredible possibilities to automate things you do regularly on your iPhone and iPad.

The new Shortcuts app was based on the Workflow app that Apple acquired last year, and the Workflow app been replaced with Shortcuts. Shortcuts can be downloaded from the App Store for free starting now. [Direct Link]

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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OnePlus’ ‘Crackables’ includes puzzles in both the digital and physical worlds

Well, this is a little new for OnePlus. The company has announced a new game, called Crackables, which has been developed in partnership with Google and will be available to play straight from a website.

The game is set to begin on Tuesday, September 18, at 8 a.m. (ET), and according to OnePlus, is “comprised of a series of compelling puzzles that need a combination of skill and speed to complete.” The puzzles are “both digital and physical,” and players will progress through the levels until OnePlus selects winners.

To progress, however, you have to be quick. Only the first 1,000 people to get through the first three challenges will be eligible to continue playing the game. Players will then be sent an actual microcontroller, which they can use to finish the final puzzle, and ultimately win the game. According to OnePlus, the prize for winning will be the “ultimate gaming setup.”

Not much else is known about the game just yet — though it’s likely more details will emerge once it launches. There is a teaser for the game, which can be found below — but it doesn’t really shed much light into what to expect either.

The game was developed by Sleep Deprivation Lab and it is certainly an interesting concept. With a mix of physical and digital puzzles, it could be one of the first games of its kind. It’s also interesting that the game was developed in partnership with Google, though it’s not currently known how involved Google was.

It also comes soon before the expected release of the OnePlus 6T — which is expected to be announced sometime in the next few months. In general, the phone is expected to boast a new design with a smaller notch, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, at least 64GB of RAM, and, according to rumors, a tri-lens camera. The phone will likely be priced far cheaper than other flagship phones for the year, as OnePlus phones often are, and will come with a relatively stock Android experience, too.

We’ll have to wait and see exactly what Crackables ends up looking like, but we’ll update this article when we hear more.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The 6-inch OnePlus 5T: Everything you need to know
• OnePlus 6T: Everything we know
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• Warp Charge is coming to OnePlus
• OnePlus 6 review