New in our buyer’s guide: The iPhone 6s, Surface Book and much more
Sorry we haven’t updated the buyers’s guide in a couple months — we’ve been too busy pumping out reviews of all the new devices. Now that things have finally started to slow down (fingers crossed), let’s take a step back and look at all the awesome stuff we’ve had a chance to test this fall. For starters, there’s a bunch of excellent smartphones that we absolutely need to add to our guide. Namely: the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the Nexus 6P and 5X, and the Moto X Pure. On the tablet side, we’re inducting both the iPad mini 4 and the Surface Pro 4. Microsoft makes another appearance in the laptop section, where we’ve added the Surface Book, along with Dell’s Chromebook 13. Rounding out the list, we threw in a few miscellaneous items, including the new Xbox One Elite Wireless controller, the redesigned Sonos Play:5 wireless speaker and Google’s $35 Chromecast Audio.
Source: Engadget Buyer’s Guide
Reminder: Apple’s Extended Return Policy in Effect Until December 25
With the holiday shopping season underway, it is worth a reminder that Apple’s annual extended return policy is now in effect on the Apple Online Store and at Apple Retail Stores in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and other countries.
Most products and accessories purchased between November 1 and December 25 of this year are eligible for return until January 8, 2016, including the new Apple TV, Apple Watch, iPad Pro, iPhones, Macs and more. See a list of ineligible items.
Apple products can be opened and used prior to the return date, but must be returned undamaged with the original packaging and all other items included in the box, such as charging cables, wall chargers, headphones and regulatory information.
When making a purchase at an Apple Retail Store, it is recommended that you ask for printed and emailed copies of your receipt. The printed receipt will indicate the return date for each product, which may vary depending on the product, store or location.
Apple also lists the return cutoff date on emailed receipts and under the Account section on the Apple Online Store. Some products purchased with Personal Pickup may not list a return date, in which case contacting Apple is recommended.
Apple’s holiday policy allows returns until January 8, 2016 (Image: MacRumors/iPhone1)
Apple has not officially posted its holiday return policy online, so we cannot guarantee its availability everywhere, but we can confirm an iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard purchased November 12 in Canada are eligible for return until January 8, 2016.
All purchases made before November 1, 2015 or after December 25, 2015 are subject to Apple’s standard 14-day return policy.
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Review: The Nanoleaf Smarter Kit Features Smart HomeKit-Enabled Light Bulbs With a Unique Look
Nanoleaf, a company that specializes in energy efficient LED-based lighting, got its start on Kickstarter in 2012 with a unique set of light bulbs that looked more like art than traditional lighting with individual LEDs mounted on origami-folded printed circuit boards.
Nanoleaf has since expanded from simple lightbulbs to home automation with the introduction of its Nanoleaf Home Smarter Kit. Consisting of two of its signature dimmable bulbs and a geometric hub, the Nanoleaf Home Smarter Kit integrates with Apple’s HomeKit home automation platform, allowing users to control their lights both through Siri and through an accompanying Nanoleaf app.
Design
When it comes to the hardware, the Nanoleaf Smarter Kit is undeniably attractive. The two Ivy bulbs it ships with are some of the nicest looking bulbs you can find, suitable for use in both closed and open-style lamps and light fixtures. The hub, which connects the bulbs to the Internet, is stylish enough to sit out on a shelf or an entertainment unit without looking like an eyesore. It’s without a doubt the most visually appealing HomeKit product I’ve tested so far.
Because the bulbs that the Smarter Kit ships with are black, you’ll need to take that into account with any lights where the bulbs are visible. The distinctive design is nice, but it’s also not going to match with every decor. Keep in mind the hub is going to need to be plugged into the router via ethernet because this is a Zigbee setup.
For the record, the Ivy bulbs are standard bulbs that are going to fit in any E26 or E27 lamp and they function like any normal bulb, with one small exception. There’s a neat built-in feature that lets the bulbs be dimmed physically through the light switch (even one that doesn’t support traditional dimming) rather than through an app or voice command. Flipping the light switch on and off a couple of times activates the dimming, and another couple of flips sets it. It’s a handy feature if you don’t have a smartphone nearby.
2017 Mirage Will Be First Mitsubishi Vehicle in U.S. to Support CarPlay
Mitsubishi has announced that the 2017 Mirage will feature both CarPlay and Android Auto, becoming the first Mitsubishi vehicle in the U.S. to support Apple’s in-dash system. The new subcompact hatchback, introduced at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, is positioned as Mitsubishi’s entry-level vehicle in its current lineup.
Mitsubishi’s 2017 Mirage GT
Mitsubishi also unveiled its 2016 Outlander Sport with a 6.1″ in-dash touchscreen, but the crossover still uses the Japanese carmaker’s proprietary audio system. Mitsubishi plans to expand CarPlay to future vehicles in multiple markets, but the carmaker’s popular Lancer and Outlander models remain without CarPlay in the U.S.
Mitsubishi joins several other CarPlay partners, including Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Honda, Porsche and Volkswagen. Apple says several other automakers are committed to the platform, including BMW, Dodge, Ford, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota, but few have disclosed their plans.
CarPlay in Mitsubishi’s 2017 Mirage GT
Mitsubishi’s 2016 Pajero also features CarPlay in Australia and select European markets.
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Teardown Shows Off the Guts of the iPad Pro’s Smart Keyboard
Following teardowns of the Apple Pencil and the iPad Pro itself, iFixit today completed a disassembly of Apple’s new first party Smart Keyboard accessory. The teardown of the keyboard doesn’t provide much in the way of surprising internal revelations, but does give those interested a closer look at the accessory’s conductive fabric, dome switches underneath the keys, and underlying circuit board powering the device.
iFixit first noted the “high tech fabric” lining the outside of the Smart Keyboard, guessing that the fabric could be nylon due to its tactile similarities to a windbreaker. Once peeled back, the stripped away fabric reveals a row of dome switches beneath, along with a stiffening weight placed in the spacebar for a more reliable return each time a user hits the rectangular key.
Once the Smart Keyboard is cracked open, iFixit discovered the circuit board at the center of the device, but with no added flourishes like LEDs, batteries, or cooling fans due to the accessory’s slim size. Once the keyboard frame was pulled away, the site noticed “intestinal squiggles” lining the plastic casing that direct toward small vents on the topside of the keyboard, most likely used to release air pressure each time a key is pressed, according to iFixit.
Lastly the teardown revealed the “brains of the operation” in the form of an ARM-based microcontroller from STMicroelectronics, along with a final layer of three fabric strips at the base of the keyboard. Made of Apple’s “conductive fabric” that connects the accessory’s smart connector (where the iPad Pro is placed) with the actual keyboard, the fabric allows for a “two-way flow of power and data” that should be able to withstand a lifetime of unfolding the Smart Keyboard.
Overall, iFixit gave the iPad Pro’s Smart Keyboard a repairability score of 0 out of 10, meaning once it was torn down the accessory is impossible to repair. The site noted that while the Apple-made accessory is quite durable, it must be damaged to gain entry and none of its internal components can be removed and replaced without causing fatal harm to the device.
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Apple Pay will launch in China early next year, says WSJ
Apple’s latest iPhones have been a raging success in China, so the lack of Apple Pay in the nation has been a sore point. That’s about to change soon, however, as Apple will bring Pay to China by early February 2016, according to the WSJ. Its sources say it has made deals with the company’s four state banks, meaning most consumers will be able to pay at stores with an NFC-equipped iPhone 6 or 6s model. The deal is reportedly now just awaiting regulatory approval, and Apple is hoping to launch it before February 8th when China’s spring holidays begin.
Source: WSJ
Apple Pay Expected to Launch in China by February 2016
Apple plans to launch Apple Pay in mainland China before the weeklong Spring Festival starting February 8, 2016, also known as the Chinese New Year, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The report claims Apple recently reached deals with China’s big four state-run banks to launch Apple Pay, but the iPhone maker could still face regulatory hurdles in the country.
China’s big four state-run commercial banks include the Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China.
Alipay and Tenpay are currently the two largest electronic payment platforms in China, with nearly 64% combined market share, according to the report, citing research firm Analysys.
China’s only interbank network UnionPay holds a monopoly on the country’s credit and debit card processing, effectively blocking MasterCard and Visa. The state-run organization does offer some credit cards affiliated with American Express, MasterCard or Visa for use abroad.
One Chinese developer who has seen the latest beta version of Apple’s mobile-operating system said logos for China’s UnionPay can be found within the package. China UnionPay Co. press officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Apple is committed to an international expansion of Apple Pay, having launched the mobile payments service in Australia and Canada last week in partnership with American Express. Apple Pay is also coming to Hong Kong, Singapore and Spain in 2016.
China has also been an oft-rumored candidate for Apple Pay. Apple CEO Tim Cook told Chinese news agency Xinhua in May that Apple “very much want to get Apple Pay in China,” adding that he is “very bullish on Apple Pay in China.”
Apple has registered an entity in the Shanghai free-trade zone to prepare for the launch of Apple Pay in China, the WSJ previously reported. Apple Technology Service (Shanghai) Ltd. was registered on June 10, per the Shanghai government’s company registry.
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Pebble Time Smartwatches Gain Ability to Send iOS Texts on AT&T
Smartwatch maker Pebble last night announced a new feature coming to the Pebble Time, Pebble Time Steel, and Pebble Time Round line of smartwatches that will allow users to send abbreviated text messages to friends and family through iOS (via Engadget). Called “Text Reply for iOS,” the beta feature will mark Pebble as the first non-Apple Watch smartwatch to introduce voice and text replies linked with an iPhone.
If eligible, the company says that the feature will allow users to send voice messages and “pre-defined” text messages to other iPhone users. Currently limited exclusively to AT&T customers, Pebble mentioned that it’s working to expand carrier support for the feature in the future, but gave those who can currently take advantage of the system a detailed step-by-step list of instructions.
To get started with iOS Text Reply, follow these steps:
-Update your Pebble Time iPhone app to version 3.4 or higher.
-After updating the iPhone app, update your Pebble Time’s firmware to version 3.7 or higher. Select Menu » Support » Update Your Pebble if you aren’t prompted automatically.
-From the iOS app, navigate to Menu » Settings » Actionable Notifications to set up Text Replies for the first time.
-Follow the setup instructions.
-After successful setup, notifications received from the Messages app will have the option to reply with voice or a list of pre-defined responses.
-Note: Successfully sent Pebble replies will NOT appear in the iOS Messages app. The reply is sent as an SMS through AT&T directly, and not the Messages app.
There are some limits to its functionality, however. Pebble Time owners who want to get in on iOS messaging — and eventually use the full-featured Text Reply system — must be on a postpaid AT&T data plan. Once activated, the feature sends replies from the Pebble “through your wireless carrier,” meaning that the Pebble user’s side of the conversation won’t appear in Apple’s threaded iOS Messages app. The replies are also sent as SMS messages, not Apple’s traditional iMessage alternative, so some possible carrier charges may be applied.
Check out Pebble’s full Q&A on the new Text Reply for iOS feature to learn about more of its functionalities.
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Square releases NFC & chip reader; all vendors can now accept Android Pay, Samsung Pay and more
Accepting all forms of payment is important. At this point, credit/debit cards are everywhere, and many of us use them exclusively (I don’t ever carry cash anymore). Obviously, a business which doesn’t accept card will lose my business. Now it’s time for NFC mobile payments and EMV chip cards to enter the business.
Square has been a go-to solution for vendors who can’t afford expensive credit card readers… or maybe just need more portability, and you can use Square on-the-go, wherever your smartphone is. Now they are releasing a nifty new reader that can handle both NFC and the recently adopted chip in newer payment cards, so they will be current with the times.
This is unlike the card reader we are used to seeing, though. That little dongle that connected to your 3.5 mm headset jack is still included, but seems archaic next to the newest, baddest payment system.
The Square contactless and chip reader is a little block that connects to your smartphone wirelessly (iOS or Android). Once in order it can start receiving payments. Just have the customer tap his phone with Android Pay, Samsung Pay and others (yes, Apple Pay too). Alternatively, you can grab any chip card and slide it in.
These technologies are both the future, but they are used for different reasons. NFC payments are secure, but they are more about convenience. Paying with a phone is a breeze! On the other hand, EMV chip cards tout a level of security regular stripe cards and NFC can only dream of. This chip offers multiple stages of complex processing and cryptographic authentication that is claimed to be nearly unhackable.
So, how do you sign up for it? All you can do right now is reserve it, but it will cost $49 once it hits the streets. And as mentioned above, it does come with a stripe reader, so you can continue using that little tool afterwards.
New Apple TV Billboards Start Popping Up in U.S. Cities
Apple has launched (via AppleInsider) a brand new outdoor ad campaign for the Apple TV a week after debuting its first TV commercials for the new set-top box. The new ads feature a variation of the SMPTE color bars, a television test pattern, as a backdrop to the simple Apple TV logo.
Image via SMPTE Connect
The color bars are also featured in the TV ads, dispersing in different ways as the ad showcases its apps or games. Thus far, the billboards have been spotted in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, San Francisco, Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
The ads appear to have gone up in the last 24 hours, with Instagram user Courtney Cerruti noting that she saw workers tugging the image into place and that they went up “in unison.” Additionally, every current picture of the new billboards have appeared within the last 11 hours or so. The ads also come in different formats, with some ads in a vertical orientation on buildings and others in a more traditional horizontal format.
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