The just-announced Dyson 360 Heurist robot vacuum can see in the dark
Hands-free sounds good to me.
Today in Beijing, Dyson announced its newest endeavor: the 360 Heurist. Three years ago was Dyson’s first foray into the world of robot vacuuming with the 360 Eye. The newest version brings with it several improvements, which is a good thing considering the reviews the earlier version received.
There’s a new processor that’s 20 times faster. There are new voice assistant capabilities so you can talk to your robot pal with your other robot pals like Alexa or Google. There are more bristles, more suction power, more runtime, and those aren’t even the coolest features.
“Heurist” likely comes from the word “heuristic”, which means “enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves.” That makes perfect sense, because the new 360 Heurist features an LED ring around its top camera. If the lights are off, it won’t panic and shut down. It simply “sees” for itself using up to eight of its LED lights. The 360 Eye didn’t perform well in the dark, so it’s nice to see that Dyson took customer feedback into account when creating the newest version.
There are plenty of options to consider when looking for a robot vacuum. Models like the Eufy RoboVac for around $200 or the $280 iRobot Roomba are great choices, and they’re available right now. Plus, judging from the $1,000 pricing of the now-dated Dyson Eye 360, they’re probably much more affordable.
The 360 Heurist will be available in China in a couple of months for around $800. Details are sparse on when it’ll arrive in the United States and other regions, but you can follow Thrifter on Twitter to know if it ever gets discounted here.
Apple Seeds watchOS 5 Golden Master to Developers
Apple today seeded the golden master (GM version) of watchOS 5 to developers following a beta testing period that saw the company release a total of 10 watchOS 5 betas. The golden master represents the final version of watchOS 5 that will be released to the public on Monday, September 17.
Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the watchOS 5 golden master can be downloaded using the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update.
To install the update, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.
watchOS 5 is a major update to the watchOS operating system, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete on workouts with friends, Walkie-Talkie with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection to make it easier to start and stop workouts if you forget.
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Other new features include an improved Siri watch face with support for third-party apps through Siri Shortcuts, a dedicated Apple Podcasts app, new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, and enhanced notifications, which will make notifications on the Apple Watch interactive.
watchOS 5 betas are only available to developers and are not be provided to public beta testers because there’s no way to downgrade Apple Watch software, so non-developers will need to wait until the software is officially released to try it out.
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.
Apple plans to release watchOS 5 to the public on Monday, September 17, a few days ahead of when new Apple Watch Series 4 models will be available.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Apple Seeds tvOS 12 Golden Master to Developers and Public Beta Testers
Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of tvOS 12 to developers following a months-long beta testing period that saw the company release 10 tvOS 12 betas. The golden master represents the final version of tvOS 12 that will be released to the public on Monday, September 17.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV using a profile that’s installed through Xcode. Subsequent betas can be downloaded via the software update mechanism on the Apple TV.
The tvOS 12 public beta can be obtained by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under “System.” “Get Public Beta Updates” will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.
tvOS 12 brings long-awaited support for Dolby Atmos sound, which was activated in the second beta. Apple has been adding Dolby Atmos support to its iTunes content, and with the tvOS 12 launch, iTunes will be home to the largest collection of movies that support Dolby Atmos.
Customers that have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles, much like the rollout of 4K support.
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 their 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.
Apple plans to release tvOS 12 to the public on Monday, September 17, right alongside iOS 12 and watchOS 5 updates. For more information on the new features coming 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 Seeds Eleventh Beta of macOS Mojave to Developers
Apple today seeded the eleventh beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the tenth beta and more than two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after the initial beta has been installed using the appropriate profile from the Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded through opening up System Preferences and choosing the “Software Update” option.
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Apple’s macOS Mojave update introduces a systemwide Dark Mode, with Mojave users able to choose between a light theme or the new dark theme, which changes the color of the dock, menu bar, apps, and other elements. Dark Mode is accompanied by Dynamic Desktops, aka wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day.
Stacks, a new desktop organization system, keeps all of your desktop files neat and organized, while Finder has been enhanced with a Gallery View, a Sidebar, a revamped Quick Look option and Quick Actions, so you can do more in the Finder window than ever before.
Screenshots can now be edited using Markup tools and a new management options that also allow for easy screen recording, while Continuity camera, a new feature, allows you to import photos and document scans directly from an iPhone or iPad to the Mac.
The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have been ported from iOS to macOS as part of a multiyear project Apple is working on to make it easier to bring iOS apps to Macs, and Apple has introduced several new privacy protections to keep your data safer than ever.
Apple is also making it harder for websites to track you with a range of new Safari tools, and it’s also easier to make and store secure, hard-to-guess passwords for each and every website.
Apple has added an entirely revamped Mac App Store to macOS Mojave that makes it easier to discover apps with a featured section and specific categories for games, creative apps, productivity apps, apps for developers, and more.
macOS Mojave was initially supposed to include a Group FaceTime feature that includes support for chatting with up to 32 people at one time, but it was removed in macOS Mojave beta 7 and the feature won’t be available until later in the year.
macOS Mojave is available to developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of an upcoming public release on September 24.
Related Roundup: macOS Mojave
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Apple Seeds iOS 12 Golden Master to Developers and Public Beta Testers Ahead of September 17 Launch Date
Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of iOS 12 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of iOS 12 that will be released to the public, and it comes after a beta testing period that saw Apple release 12 betas over the course of the beta testing period.
Registered developers can download the iOS 11 golden master from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed, while public beta testers can download the update over-the-air.
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iOS 12 is a significant update for the operating system designed for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It introduces multiple new features, with with Apple revamping the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially the older models, faster and more responsive.
On the iPhone X, 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 in iOS 12 beta 7 and will not be reintroduced until 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 will be released alongside iOS 12, and Siri will offer up Shortcuts suggestions.
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.
iOS 12 will be released to the public on Monday, September 17, four days ahead of the official launch date of the new 2018 iPhones. For more details on all of the new features included in iOS 12, make sure to check out our iOS 12 roundup.
Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Apple Reveals ‘iPhone XR’ With 6.1-Inch Liquid Retina LCD Display and Six Color Options Starting at $749
Apple today announced the iPhone XR featuring an edge-to-edge “Liquid Retina” LCD display with wide color and True Tone support, and the same all-screen design as the iPhone Xs and Xs Max, but with an aluminum frame instead of stainless steel.
Comparatively, the iPhone XR has a bigger display (6.1-inch) than the iPhone 8 Plus (5.5-inch), but a smaller overall body, and comes in six colors: White, Black, Blue, Coral, Yellow, and (PRODUCT)Red.
A seven-layer color process gives the glass back nuanced hues, and the aluminum band and camera trim are color matched. The new design also supports Qi wireless charging, is splash and water resistant with a rating of IP67, and protects against everyday spills including coffee, tea and soda.
The iPhone XR uses LTE Advanced for faster download speeds and introduces Dual SIM through the combined use of a nano-SIM and digital eSIM.
Otherwise, the iPhone XR has many of the same gestures and features as iPhone X, with swiping up to unlock and no home button. iPhone XR does lack 3D Touch, but instead includes a new feature called “Haptic Touch,” similar to the Force Touch found on MacBook Pro trackpads.
The iPhone XR is powered by Apple’s A12 Bionic chip with next-generation Neural Engine, and includes the TrueDepth camera system first introduced in the iPhone X, along with faster Face ID, and a more advanced camera system capable of portrait photos via a single camera lens.
iPhone XR features a 12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture wide-angle lens with an all-new sensor, delivering faster auto-focus, while larger and deeper pixels improve image fidelity and low-light performance on photos and videos.
New Depth Control allows users to adjust the depth of field both in real-time preview and post-capture, while improvements to the ISP, Neural Engine and improved software algorithms enable portrait photos with a signature bokeh effect. New smart HDR feature also brings better highlight and shadow detail across photos, according to Apple.
iPhone XR will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models in the aforementioned colors, starting at $749. iPhone XR will be available to pre-order in more than 50 countries beginning Friday, October 19, with availability in stores beginning Friday, October 26.
Related Roundup: iPhone XsTag: September 2018 event
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Apple Discontinues iPhone SE, iPhone 6s and iPhone X
With today’s announcement of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, Apple has officially discontinued the iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s, the two iPhones that it was selling as its most affordable smartphones.
The iPhone SE was Apple’s last remaining 4-inch device, and now the smallest phone that Apple sells is the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and iPhone 8.
Apple has also discontinued the iPhone X, something that we were expecting based on rumors. The iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max replace the iPhone X.
Apple’s new lineup is as follows:
- iPhone 7 with pricing starting at $449
- iPhone 7 Plus with pricing starting at $569
- iPhone 8 with pricing starting at $599
- iPhone 8 Plus with pricing starting at $699
- iPhone XR with pricing starting at $749
- iPhone XS with pricing starting at $999
- iPhone XS Max with pricing starting at $1,099
The iPhone 7 is now Apple’s cheapest device at $449, which is $100 more expensive than the now-discontinued 32GB $349 iPhone SE. With the discontinuation of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone SE, Apple no longer sells an iPhone that includes a headphone jack.
The iPhone 7 models come with 32 or 128GB of storage, while the iPhone 8 models are available with 64 or 256GB of storage. The iPhone XR is available with 64, 128, or 256GB of storage, while the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are available with 64, 256, or 512GB of storage.
Apple’s iPhone XS and XS Max smartphones will be available for pre-order this Friday, with a release date coming on September 21, while the iPhone XR will be available for pre-order on October 19 with a ship date of October 26.
Tag: September 2018 event
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Apple Releases New Cases for iPhone XS and XS Max
Alongside the new iPhone XS and XS Max, Apple has released new Silicone and Leather case options in a range of fall colors.
Priced at $39, Silicone Cases for the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max are available in colors that include Nectarine (a reddish orange shade), Lavender Gray (gray with a touch of blue), Blue Horizon, Stone, Pink Sand, Midnight Blue, White, Black, and (PRODUCT)RED.
Leather Cases for the iPhone XS and XS Max, priced at $49, come in Peony Pink, Cape Cod Blue, Forest Green, Taupe, Midnight Blue, Saddle Brown, Black, and (PRODUCT)RED.
Apple is also selling Folio Cases for iPhone XS and XS Max, priced at $99 for iPhone XS and $129 for iPhone XS Max. The Folio Cases are available in Peony Pink, Cape Cod Blue, Forest Green, Black, and (PRODUCT)RED.
Apple has not yet released iPhone XR cases because that device will not be available to pre-order until October 19 ahead of an October 26 release date. Apple is likely to debut new cases for the devices closer to the launch date.
All of the new cases for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will be available for purchase this Friday when the two new high-end smartphones become available for pre-order.
Related Roundup: iPhone XsTag: September 2018 event
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Apple’s iPhone XS, XS Max and XR Won’t Ship With Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter
Since the headphone jack was removed from the iPhone with the launch of the iPhone 7, Apple has bundled iPhones with a Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter for customers who continue to have 3.5mm headphones.
With the launch of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, Apple is discontinuing this practice and will not include the Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter.
On the “In the Box” section of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR tech specs, no adapter is listed. The three devices will ship with EarPods with Lightning Connector, a Lightning to USB Cable, and a USB Power Adapter.
Apple’s new iPhone lineup also marks the discontinuation of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone SE, the last two iPhones that Apple sold with a headphone jack.
None of the headphones in the new lineup, which includes the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 8, and iPhone 7, have a headphone jack.
Apple is continuing to sell the Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter separately for $9.
Tag: September 2018 event
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Apple Watch Gains New Band Colors in Sport, Sport Loop, Leather, and Stainless Steel
Amid the reveal of the Apple Watch Series 4, today Apple refreshed its band lineup with new colors for Fall 2018. There is no major new Apple Watch band style this season, like the introduction of the Sport Loop and Woven Nylon following previous events, but there are quite a few new colors to match the new iPhone cases.
To start, there are three new Sport Band colors: Nectarine, Blue Horizon, and Lavender Gray. These join existing Sport Band colors like Stone, Midnight Blue, Pink Sand, White, Black, and (PRODUCT)Red. Sport Bands run for $49.00 in the United States. There are no new Nike Sport Bands being sold individually.
Next up, the Sport Loop has added five new colors: Cape Cod Blue, Nectarine, Hibiscus, Storm Gray, and Indigo. You can also still buy the Pink Sand, Seashell, and Black Sport Loops. These also sell for $49.00 on Apple.com.
In leather, the Modern Buckle has gained new Peony Pink, Forest Green, Cape Cod, and Ruby (PRODUCT)Red options, all available in 40mm case sizes only. The Leather Loop (44mm only) has received Forest Green and Cape Cod as well, and the existing Stone option remains available. All of these run for $149.00.
On the more expensive side of things, Hermès has four new bands. There are two new Double Tour options, in Indigo/Craie/Orange Swift Leather and Bordeaux/Rose Extrême/Rose Azalée Swift Leather. Both of these are color blocked and match exclusive watch faces found on Apple Watch Series 4 Hermès editions, and cost $489.00.
The other two new bands are the same colors in Single Tour, which runs for $339.00.
Lastly, there’s just one new color in the stainless steel section of Apple’s bands webpage: a new Gold Milanese Loop for $149.00. You can also still buy the Silver and Space Black Milanese Loop, and now the Space Black option is priced the same as all the others at $149.00.
All bands are now available to purchase on Apple.com.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Tags: Apple Watch bands, September 2018 eventBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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