Apple’s Fourth Retail Store in Hong Kong on Canton Road Opens July 30

Apple’s fourth retail store in Hong Kong, located on Canton Road in the upscale shopping area of Tsim Sha Tsui, will have its grand opening on Thursday, July 30 at 9:00 AM local time, according to a new store listing on Apple’s website. The store, at 100 Canton Road in southern Kowloon, will be open Monday through Sunday between 10:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

The new Canton Road location will be one of the biggest Apple Stores in Asia and marks the fourth store in Hong Kong alongside Causeway Bay, Festival Walk and IFC Mall locations. Apple has been completing the final stages of construction on the store this month, with photos of the store’s beautiful white facade with an Apple logo and wavy design surfacing last week.

How to Encrypt Your iOS Device’s iTunes Backup

If you connect your iOS device to your computer to back up your data instead of using iCloud, some of your most private data is not backing up. For security reasons, by default, an iTunes backup will not include saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, website history, or Health data.

You can save information like passwords and website history in an iTunes backup if you encrypt it, which is an option that Apple offers. Encrypted backups are not the default option, but for those of you who want to be able to save more comprehensive backups to your computer, we’ve created a tutorial that walks you through encrypting iTunes backups and removing that encryption.

If you back up your iOS device using iCloud, you do not have to follow any steps for encryption, as iCloud backups are automatically encrypted for you.

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Apple Releases EFI Firmware Update 1.8 for Late-2012 Mac Mini

Apple today released a new firmware update for late-2012 Mac mini models to fix a problem that could prevent a USB keyboard from being recognized after the Mac wakes from sleep.

This update is recommended for Mac mini (late 2012) models. This update addresses an issue that may prevent a USB keyboard from being recognized after the system wakes from sleep.

Apple recommends all late-2012 Mac mini owners download the firmware update, which measures in at 4.8MB. It’s available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store or directly through Apple’s support website.

Today’s update is the first firmware update the 2012 Mac mini has received since December of 2012, when Apple released an update to address an HDMI video flickering issue.

The 2012 Mac mini is a previous-generation model that Apple replaced with the current Mac mini in 2014.

Apple’s Annual Back to School Promotion Still Nowhere to Be Found

For many years running, Apple has offered a Back to School promotion for students and educators, providing discounts on Apple products ahead of the coming school year. Back to School promotions have kicked off on the first Tuesday of July for the last two years, so when July 6 came and went without a Back to School announcement, many people began wondering when Apple would launch the 2015 promotion.

We’ve been receiving questions about the Back to School program for several weeks now, and in mid-July, there’s still no sign of an imminent launch. Some have wondered whether Apple is canceling the program all together, but it’s too early to say. It may be late in the month, but there are still several weeks to go before kids and teachers begin returning to classrooms.

Apple’s 2014 Back to School Promotion
Historically, the latest Apple has launched a previous Back to School program was July 2, and that was in 2013. From 2006 to 2012, Back to School kicked off in May or early June, while it launched in July in 2013 and 2014. It’s entirely possible that Apple has simply decided to launch the promotion a bit later in the year, once again adjusting the dates as it did in 2013.

MacRumors has spoken to several retail employees who often hear word on Back to School a few days ahead of its debut, but so far, no one we’ve contacted has heard anything from Apple. The last Back to School promotion Apple introduced was for Australian customers in January of 2015.

Apple’s Back to School promotion is highly anticipated because it’s one of the few times a year that Apple offers deals to customers, and many hold off on summer purchases until the event begins. Last year, Apple’s Back to School offer included a $50 to $100 Apple Store Gift Card with the purchase of a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, while years past included a $50 to $100 App Store Gift Card.

In the early days of the Back to School promotion, deals were offered in the form of rebates that provided a free iPod with the purchase of a Mac, but Apple has offered gift cards instead of iPods since 2011.

New A8 iPod Touch Clocks in at 1.10GHz, Includes 1GB RAM and Bluetooth 4.1

The new iPod touch with an A8 processor and upgraded 8-megapixel rear camera just launched this morning, but TechCrunch‘s Matthew Panzarino already has one in hand and has run some benchmarks on the device.

According to early testing, the A8 processor in the new iPod touch appears to be running at 1.10GHz per core, which is slower than the 1.39GHz per core the iPhone 6 runs at, presumably to manage battery life. In Geekbench 3, the iPod touch scored 1379 on the single-core test and 2440 on the multi-core test right out of the box. The previous-generation A5 iPod touch scored 215/410 on Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests, so the new sixth-generation iPod is six times faster and a massive improvement over the fifth-generation iPod.

Labeled as iPod7,1 instead of iPod6,1 as expected (the previous-generation iPod’s model ID was iPod5,1), the new iPod touch ships with Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 8.4, so it works with Apple Music out of the box. Like the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the iPod touch has 1GB of RAM to go along with its A8 processor.

The new iPod also includes an M8 motion coprocessor for recording motion activity that’s uploaded to the Health app, and it supports 802.11ac wireless. Its 64-bit A8 processor is a major improvement over the A5 processor in the older iPod touch, and it includes support for Metal, bringing much-improved games to the device.

The iPod touch has one feature that hasn’t yet made it into other Apple products — Bluetooth 4.1. It’s the first of Apple’s devices to offer the new specification. Bluetooth 4.1 is more reliable, offering less interference with LTE bands, improved power management, and better data transfer.

Available in several new colors, the iPod touch is priced at $199 for the 16GB model, $249 for the 32GB model, $299 for the 64GB model, and $399 for the 128GB model. It’s available from the Apple online store beginning today.

Apple’s also released new iPod nano and shuffle models in updated colors, but the internal components of those devices have not changed.

Philips Hue Lights Sync With Xbox One Game ‘Chariot’, TV Movie ‘Sharknado 3’

Philips today announced that it’s partnering with Frima Studio to sync its Hue line of lights with Chariot, a co-op platformer game that’s available on Xbox One. Chariot will be the first video game that connects to the Philips Hue lighting system, allowing the lights to automatically sync to match scenes in the game.

With over one million downloads worldwide, Chariot is a popular couch co-op platformer with rich, vibrant colours and out-of-this-world graphics and environments. It is now able to control all the Philips Hue lights in the room to reflect in real time what is happening in the game.

Different lights are connected together to create a unique ambiance with hundreds of colours for the ultimate immersion in the game universe. When enemies attack, Hue lights blink red. When colourful plants bloom, their colours are reflected in the room. From subtle shifts to sudden bursts, everything onscreen is reflected in a Hue-enabled space.

Philips is also expanding its partnership with Syfy, introducing a special “light track” that will accompany the premiere of Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, coming out on Wednesday, July 22 at 9 p.m.

As with previous Syfy/Hue experiences, those who watch Sharknado 3 will be able to use the Syfy Sync iOS app to connect their lights to the television show. The app works by detecting the sound that’s currently playing from the television, changing the lights at the appropriate time to match each scene.

Syfy and Hue have partnered up in the past for Sharknado, Sharknado 2, and the 12 Monkeys television show. If you have a set of Hue lights in your home, it may be worth checking out Sharknado 3 or the new Xbox One game as the ability to sync what’s on screen with your lightning system makes for a great immersive experience.

Philips has released several different lighting options for its Hue lineup, but the base system, which includes the bridge that other lights connect to, can be purchased from Apple for $199 or from Amazon for $185.

Apple Launches Refreshed iPod Touch, Nano and Shuffle

Apple today introduced the sixth-generation iPod touch with a 64-bit A8 chip and M8 coprocessor, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and new colors, with 16GB and 64GB models costing $199 and $299 respectively and a larger 128GB model available for $399. Apple also updated the iPod shuffle and iPod nano with a matching lineup of colors, including deep blue, pink, silver, space gray, gold and red.

New iPod touch via The Loop
iPods have become an increasingly minor business for Apple over the past several years, with only 2.6 million units sold in Q4 2014, the last quarter when Apple reported iPod sales. Beyond new colors and storage capacities, Apple had last updated the iPod touch and nano in October 2012 and the iPod shuffle in September 2010.

Apple Store Goes Down Ahead of Expected iPod Refresh

The Apple Online Store was taken offline momentarily ago ahead of an expected refresh to the iPod touch, iPod nano and iPod shuffle lineup of portable media players. The sixth-generation iPod touch will likely feature a 64-bit processor, new colors and other hardware improvements, while the iPod nano and iPod shuffle are expected to be released in new colors only.

iPods discovered in unreleased colors (left) and Apple Store down (right)
iPods in unreleased colors were first spotted in iTunes 12.2 earlier this month, including a darker blue for the iPod touch, a new gold color for the iPod nano and a brighter pink color for the iPod shuffle. MacRumors subsequently discovered a full lineup of six new colors for the iPod touch, nano and shuffle hidden within iTunes resource files, including silver, space gray, red, bright pink, deep blue and light gold.

Logitech Debuts new ‘Logi BLOK’ Protective Case, Shell and Keyboard Case for iPad

Earlier this month Logitech announced plans to sell many of its products under the new “Logi” brand name, and as of today, the company is debuting its first line of products that carry the Logi label, a lineup of iPad cases.

Logitech is introducing three Logi products for the iPad, all of which come in bright colors and offer drop protection for Apple’s tablet: the Logi BLOK Protective Shell, the Logi BLOK Protective Case, and the Logi BLOK Protective Keyboard Case.

“The iPad is a powerful device. But people have dropped and damaged – or are afraid that they will drop and damage – the iPad, so they typically don’t use it to its full potential,” said Michele Hermann, vice president of mobility at Logitech. “Until now, protecting your iPad from drops meant covering it with a bulky case that took away from the beauty and mobility of the iPad. Our designers worked with material experts to protect the most sensitive parts of the iPad without adding the bulk you associate with ultra-protective cases. With the Logi BLOK family of cases you no longer have to choose between protecting your iPad and having a beautiful case that allows you to enjoy all the functionality it has to offer.”

The Logi BLOK Protective Shell is designed for the iPad Air 2 and all models of the iPad mini. It’s a protective rear shell that’s sold alongside a screen protector to keep the iPad’s display safe from scratches. Like all BLOK products, it’s made from a flexible polymer with squared edges, explaining the “BLOK” name. According to Logitech, the BLOK cases flex with the iPad upon impact, helping the tablet withstand drops from up to six feet high onto surfaces as hard as concrete. The BLOK Protective Shell will retail for $39.99 and will be available in black, red/violet, and teal/blue.

Logitech’s BLOK Protective Case offers the same drop protection of the Shell but includes a cover/stand that lets the iPad to be positioned in any angle for tasks like typing and watching videos. It has a 50-degree range and when closed, protects the iPad’s display from impact. It’ll retail for $69.99 and it comes in black, red/violet, and teal/blue.

The third and final product, the BLOK Protective Keyboard Case for the iPad Air 2, includes many of the features of the BLOK Protective Case but adds a wireless, detachable keyboard that also serves as a screen cover. It’s the most versatile case of the bunch, able to be used as a shell when reading, with a stand for hands-free viewing, and with the keyboard for typing. The BLOK Protective Keyboard Case is available in black and teal/blue and will retail for $129.99.

All three of Logitech’s new Logi brand BLOK cases will be available for purchase in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and select countries in Europe beginning in August of 2015.