A Look at Third-Party Bands for Apple Watch
With two sizes, three models and dozens of bands to choose from, the Apple Watch is easily the most personable — and fashionable — product that Apple has ever released. But if the Classic Buckle, Milanese Loop or Stainless Steel Link Bracelet are too costly or don’t match with your fashion style, or you are simply looking to mix things up, look no further than the wide range of third-party bands available online.
Seville Classics Bamboo Drawer Organizer from Costco (via msink)
In the absence of official third-party bands, several users have shared pictures of their unofficial bands in the popular The Great “Third Party Band/Strap” Thread within the MacRumors discussion forums. Most third-party bands are sold through Amazon, eBay or Etsy and generally cost considerably less than those sold by Apple, and all you need to get started are Apple Watch adapters.
Apple Watch Band Adapters
To use a third-party band with your Apple Watch, you will need to fasten both ends of the band to an Apple Watch adapter, a tiny metal part with a slide-and-lock mechanism. These adapters can be purchased from Amazon or eBay, generally for less than $20 a pair, and allow for essentially any regular wristwatch band to be used with the Apple Watch.
If you already have a Classic Buckle or Modern Buckle, however, you can use the adapters from those bands to connect standard wristwatch bands to your Apple Watch. In the video below, Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy walks through the process of using the parts in the Classic Buckle band to connect a 22mm third-party watch band to the Apple Watch.
Given that unscrewing an Apple Watch adapter from the Classic Buckle or Modern Buckle requires using an uncommon pentalobe screwdriver, ordering adapters from Amazon or eBay is probably the easier option of the two. Regardless of which method you choose, the next step is the fun part: ordering a third-party band.
Apple Watch Third-Party Bands
MacRumors members have been experimenting with and sharing photos of third-party bands in the discussion forums, and we’ve rounded up some of the popular choices among our readers below. Keep in mind that many band sellers include adapters/lugs for free with your purchase, but ensure that you choose the right size depending if you have a 38mm or 42mm Apple Watch.
Name: Handmade Vintage Leather Strap
Description: 20-24mm brown vintage leather strap with a stainless buckle. Includes lugs adapter for 38mm or 42mm Apple Watch.
Product Link/Price: Etsy ($89.90 + $6 shipping)
Submitted By: iBighouse
Name: Diver Strap
Description: 24mm black PVC rubber strap with red stitching and removable stainless buckle. Available in multiple stitching colors.
Product Link/Price: eBay ($16 + $6 shipping)
Submitted By: CarlJ
Name: Poetic Modern Band
Description: A flexible and shock-resistant TPU band available in a variety of bright colors for the 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch.
Product Link/Price: Amazon ($14.95 + $4.95 shipping)
Submitted By: Jmona
Name: HOCO Stainless Steel Classic Buckles
Description: Aftermarket stainless steel link bracelets in silver, space gray, rose gold and yellow gold for the 38mm or 42mm Apple Watch.
Product Link/Price: eBay ($47.12 + free shipping)
Submitted By: StarJr.
Name: NATO G10 Military Nylon Watch Strap
Description: 18-24mm two-piece nylon strap for Apple Watch in black, grey, olive green or “James Bond” black/grey.
Product Link/Price: eBay ($17 + $3 shipping)
Submitted By: taff2003
‘iPhone 6s’ Front Panel Depicted in New Photos, Said to Be in Production
An image said to depict the front panel of the upcoming “iPhone 6s” has been shared by French site Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] this afternoon, giving us our first glimpse at the screen for the device.
According to the site, the front panel images were shared by an informant who also said that the iPhone parts are currently in production and ready to be shipped to iPhone 6s assembly lines for use in the Silver and Gold iPhone 6s.
As an “S” upgrade, the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus are not expected to feature physical design changes, so as is expected, the front panels said to be for the iPhone 6s look identical to front panels for the iPhone 6. Previous iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus part leaks have also confirmed that the casings for the device carry the same design as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but there may be small design improvements and material changes to bolster strength and durability.
Nowhereelse.fr mentions that its source could not confirm if the panel included sapphire crystal or hints of Force Touch support. While the addition of Force Touch has been widely rumored for Apple’s next-generation iPhones, sapphire crystal displays are not expected and the devices are likely to continue using Gorilla Glass. While there were a few rumors hinting at the possibility of sapphire for the next-generation iPhones, rumors about such a feature have not picked up and no new sapphire deals have become apparent.
Along with Force Touch, the next-generation iPhones are rumored to include an improved 12-megapixel camera, an A9 processor, better Touch ID support, 2GB RAM, and a new rose gold color option.
Mass production of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus is rumored to be beginning this month, with early production having started in late June.
The Wirecutter’s best deals: the iPad Air 2, a Dell monitor and more
This post was created in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read their continuously updated list of deals at TheWirecutter.com.
You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at The Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we’ll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot — some of these sales could expire mighty soon.
D-Link DAP-1650 Wireless Range Extender
Street Price: $90; MSRP: $120; Deal Price: $60
This is the lowest price we’ve seen on this Wi-Fi extender. At $60, Newegg is beating the last low price offered by Amazon by $5. The deal includes free shipping.
The D-Link DAP-1650 is our runner-up pick in our guide on the best Wi-Fi range extender. David Murphy writes, “If our pick is sold out or unavailable, get the D-Link DAP-1650 ($85). Unlike our main pick, it can also be used as a wired access point, if you don’t mind stringing Ethernet cable from your router to your extender. As an extender, its long-range performance isn’t as good as our pick’s, but it’s great as an access point.”
Apple iPad Air 2 64GB Wi-Fi Space Gray
Street Price: $540; MSRP: $600; Deal Price: $475
This is the lowest price we’ve seen on either the 64GB or 128GB versions of the iPad Air 2, and the sale covers a wide variety of colors and models. The recent sales are in part due to a new model likely being released in October, but since that’s a good 3 months away, they’re still a great buy. The best price we’ve seen previously on the 64GB was $500. In order to get this deal today you need to be a My Best Buy member (not just an account holder). It’s a relatively pain-free process especially if you already have a Best Buy account, but you won’t see this deal price without it.
The iPad Air 2 with TouchID is our pick for best tablet. Chris Heinonen and Dan Frakes had this to say about it, “The iPad Air 2 is a fairly decent improvement upon last year’s iPad Air in all the ways that matter: it’s thinner, lighter, and faster, plus it has a better camera, faster Wi-Fi and LTE (if you use a cellular version), and the ability to log into your device using your thumbprint (TouchID) instead of a PIN.”
Dell Ultrasharp U2415 24-inch LCD IPS Monitor
Street Price: $300; MSRP: $400; Deal Price: $240 with code EMCAVNK23
This is a match for the lowest price on this monitor. It matches a previous deal from Newegg using a similar code. The deal comes with free shipping, and it beats out the next best price (Adorama) by $60. You’ll need to have a Newegg login to use code EMCAVNK23 during checkout.
Our article on good 24-inch monitors is set to Wait! status while we research new picks, but the Dell U2415 is a current finalist and will be in the updated guide. When I asked David Murphy about it, he said it’s got great color accuracy and “all the tricks you’d find in a more expensive, bigger Dell monitor.”
Nathan Edwards added that it “has a fantastic picture, a great ergonomic adjustable stand, and a bunch of USB 3 ports.”
Anker 36W 4-Port USB Wall Charger
Street Price: $20; MSRP: $30; Deal Price: $16 with code ANK20OFF
This wall charger has gone on sale before, as low as $15 in the past with codes, but $16 is still a pretty good price. You can get free shipping with Prime. Just use code ANK20OFF at checkout to see the new price.
This is our main pick for the best USB wall chargers. Nick Guy said, “It’s the most powerful charger that plugs directly into a wall outletsomething a plurality of our survey respondents wanted-letting you fast-charge up to three full-sized iPads at once or four at a slower rate It’s also physically small compared to the competition, and it’s quite affordable.”
Deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to The Wirecutter.com.
Apple Backs Federal Non-Discrimination LGBT Equality Act of 2015
Apple today declared its support for the Equality Act of 2015, introduced by members of congress this afternoon. The Equality Act would expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the legislation that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin.
In a statement to the Human Rights Campaign, Apple echoed sentiments on equality that it has shared several times before:
At Apple we believe in equal treatment for everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love. We fully support the expansion of legal protections as a matter of basic human dignity.
The Equality Act will ensure full federal equality for all LGBT Americans, including those who live in the 31 states that do not currently have non-discrimination legislation, protecting LBGT citizens from discrimination when seeking jobs, housing, public accommodations, education, and more.
During Apple CEO Tim Cook’s tenure, Apple has taken a strong position on inclusion and equality. Earlier this year, Apple joined 378 other companies urging the Supreme Court to rule in favor of marriage equality, and the company has participated in the San Francisco Pride Parade for several years running.
Cook himself has made several impassioned speeches on non-discrimination and equality and has publicly opposed harmful religious freedom legislation. Last fall, Cook became the first Fortune 500 CEO to publicly come out as gay, an announcement he made in an effort to “bring comfort to anyone who feels alone” and to “inspire people to insist on their equality.”
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
10 Things the Digital Crown and Side Button Do on Apple Watch
Other than touch-based screen gestures like tapping and swiping, the Digital Crown and Side buttons are the Apple Watch’s only control mechanisms. You can use the Digital Crown to scroll through lists and zoom into pictures and maps, plus it can be used to control slider bars like volume and font size. The Side button is the Apple Watch’s one-step access to contacts on your favorites list who you can then call, write a text, or even send your heartbeat.
The Digital Crown and Side buttons have a few additional uses that you may not already know about. We’ve got a list of 10 important actions that the Apple Watch’s external controls activate.
Activate Siri
In addition to saying “Hey Siri,” you can activate the personal assistant by holding down the Digital Crown until you see “What can I help you with?” You will also feel a tap on your wrist, acknowledging that Siri is listening.
Trigger Apple Pay
When near a supported terminal, you don’t have to open the Apple Pay app on Apple Watch to activate it. Simply double-tap the Side button to bring up your card information. Then hold it near a terminal to make the purchase.
Read more 
Livestream your GoPro adventures with Meerkat
In its ongoing war with Periscope for the hearts and screens of mobile users, Meerkat announced a new feature on Thursday. Users can now livestream their adventures from select GoPro cameras. Right now, only GoPro Hero3’s offer the feature. Users will also need an iPhone with a wireless connection to the camera in order for everything to work. Meerkat is reportedly working to add support for both the Hero4 camera series and the Android platform in the near future. This announcement follows the recent Meerkat additions of the “cameo” feature that allows your friends to hop onto broadcasts with you and an embeddable web player.
UPDATE: You can now stream from @GoPro!! 🏄🏂🚵 #ShakeIt 😉 pic.twitter.com/R2ABeAmYrs
– Meerkat (@AppMeerkat) July 23, 2015
[Image Credit: Amory Ross/Team Alvimedica]
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Wearables, Wireless, Internet, HD, Apple
Via: Variety
Source: Meerkat (Twitter)
Bandai Namco Launches ‘Pac-Man Championship Edition DX’ on iOS
Home and mobile video game publisher Bandai Namco today launched an iOS and Android version of the popular console game Pac-Man Championship Edition DX. The game is a modern update to the classic Pac-Man series — requiring users to hunt ghosts, eat pellets, and earn high scores — that presents players with a far faster-paced and more frenetic experience.
The app is promised to be a “premium version” of the original game and includes five separate game modes, ten unique zone layouts, and 132 total unique stages. The game itself is a follow-up to the original Pac-Man Championship Edition, which also saw a release on iOS following an original debut on game consoles.
Today BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. released a premium version of the award-winning PAC-MAN Championship Edition™ DX on the Apple App Store for iOS powered mobile devices and on Google Play™ for Android powered smartphones and tablets. PAC-MAN Championship Edition™ DX is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed titles in the classic maze-running action series with IGN.com giving the console version of the game a 10/10 along with an Editor’s Choice award.
Its mobile debut features frantically addicting gameplay that can be enjoyed in short bursts for a thrilling and authentic arcade experience on the move. PAC-MAN Championship Edition™ DX comes alive with the same electric visual and sound design introduced in the console editions of the game.
The game’s official release today comes after a soft-launch back in September, where the franchise was tweaked as a free-to-play experience and only open to players in New Zealand. The game was revamped with an overworld map, level-specific goals, and a coin system that made it easier to bypass some of the app’s trickier challenges. Today’s release of the game does away with every free-to-play feature and restores it to the classic console experience, albeit on a mobile-friendly level.
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX is available to download for $4.99 and is out now on the App Store and Google Play. [Direct Link]
Best Buy Launches Black Friday in July Sale, Discounts iPad Air 2 by $125
Best Buy is offering a “Black Friday in July” promotion this weekend, which will see the company offering significant discounts on many products. One of the major deals included in the promo is a price cut on iPads, dropping the price on the iPad Air 2 to the lowest we’ve seen since the tablet launched last October.
Best Buy is discounting its lineup of Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 models, dropping the price on the 16GB model from $499 to $374.99. The 64GB model is priced at $474.99 instead of $599, and the 128GB model is available for $574.99, down from $699. Discounts are available on all colors of the Wi-Fi iPad Air 2.
Best Buy’s Black Friday discount is scheduled to begin on July 24 and last through July 25, but customers who sign up for a Best Buy account can get early access to the deals beginning today. Signing up for an account is a free process, but does require a phone number and an email address.
In addition to offering a discount on the iPad Air 2, Best Buy also has several other Apple-related deals worth checking out. The 2.2GHz 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro with 16GB of memory and a 256GB SSD is available for $1,749.99, a discount of $250.
128GB iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models from Sprint are available at a $100 discount with a two-year contract, dropping the price on the devices to $299.99 instead of $399.99. There’s also a deal for a free Jawbone UP2 Activity Tracker with the purchase of any smartphone from Sprint.
Unrelated to its Black Friday promo, Best Buy is also offering discounts on the 128GB Wi-Fi only iPad mini 3, dropping the price by $150 on both the Silver and Space Gray models. With the discount, the tablet is available for $449.99 instead of $599.99.
These deals, particularly the discount on the iPad Air 2, are likely to go quickly, so MacRumors readers hoping to get an iPad at a discount might want to purchase today. Deals are online only today, but will be available in store on Friday and Saturday.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy.
Apple wants to put Touch ID on your TV remote
Apple has reportedly been awarded a patent that incorporates a biometric scanner into the Apple TV remote control. This fingerprint reader could serve a variety of functions such as adjusting the volume and display based on each household member’s personal preferences or automatically logging users into their personal streaming accounts. It could also serve as a means for authorizing iTunes downloads. Plus, if Apple begins pushing Apple TV as a hub for future home automation systems, as has been speculated, the biometric remote could act as a universal controller for those features as well.
[Image Credit: Robert S. Donovan/Flickr]
Filed under: Peripherals, Apple
Source: Patently Apple
Apple and Samsung Combined for Over One-Third of Smartphone Sales in Second Quarter
The latest numbers from research firm IDC reveal that the smartphone market continues to be a largely two-horse race between Samsung and Apple, which accounted for 21.7% and 14.1% market share in the second quarter respectively. The rival tech companies finished well ahead of Chinese competitors Huawei, Xiaomi and Lenovo with a combined 35.8% market share during the three-month period ending June 30.
Apple increased 2.4 percentage points to 14.1% during the second quarter compared to its 11.7% market share in the year-ago quarter, while market leader Samsung experienced a year-over-year decline as its market share slipped from 24.8% to 21.7%. Apple closed the gap on the continued strength of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with the company announcing it sold 47.5 million iPhones in the third quarter of the fiscal year earlier this week.
Apple and Samsung continue to dominate the smartphone operating system race, trailed by Huawei, Xiaomi and Lenovo with 8.9%, 5.3% and 4.8% market share in the second quarter respectively. All other platforms accounted for a combined 45.2% quarterly market share.
AIVAnet 