As jealous as this article made me, it was actually quite interesting to find out how the filthy rich actually pay for their toys.

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Facebook's crackdown on Russia-linked accounts has usually taken down outlets with a relatively small presence, but its latest move is more substantial. The social network has suspended three Pages from Maffick Media, a viral video outlet that has r...

A report earlier this week suggested that Apple Pay will launch in the Czech Republic next week. It now looks like Apple Pay might also come to Saudi Arabia on the same day.

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The post Apple Pay rumored to launch in Saudi Arabia on February 19 appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple’s first retail expansion of 2019 is complete. Customers and team members in Natick, Massachusetts celebrated the grand reopening of Natick Mall’s Apple Store today after just under nine months of renovation work. The redesigned store offers more than twice the space of the previous storefront. 9to5Mac reader Dakota Allen visited the new space and shared photos of the redesign.

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The post Gallery: Natick Mall Apple Store reopens with updated design appeared first on 9to5Mac...

The 2018 Mac mini is a welcome refresh to the compact Mac product line, but the Intel graphics are weak. AppleInsider examines whether it is worth the extra expense of adding an external GPU to the Mac mini.

When the first trailer for the live action Alita: Battle Angel dropped in late December 2017, the internet was abuzz about the eponymous character's large CG eyes. Heck, even we called them "creepy" and "weird." Now that the film's finally here and I...

MiniWiki is a new app from developer Will Bishop that allows you to browse Wikipedia directly from your Apple Watch. The app supports features like popular articles around you, offline reading, bookmarks, and more.

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The post MiniWiki allows you to browse Wikipedia from your Apple Watch with bookmarks, nearby, and more appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Welcome to your weekend! We're closing things out with a teaser from Amazon, as well as a preview of Samsung's big Galaxy S10 reveal. Some of the highlights from last week include a Zelda remake and our review o...

Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,206,024) for “remotely controlling a hearing device.” The goal is to be able to apply settings on a hearing aid device before placing it on your ear.

Apple notes that modern hearing devices are high tech computing devices equipped with multiple speakers and types of speakers and are capable of receiving sound data from multiple audio data sources such as microphones attached to the hearing device as well as being able to stream audio data directly to the hearing device. With this advancement in technology comes an increase in the control and flexibility of hearing devices. For example, hearing devices can be adjusted to perform optimally in multiple environments. 

In addition, modern hearing devices can be very small and placed discreetly inside the ear, almost unnoticeable to others. While creating smaller, more powerful and more flexible hearing devices has plenty of benefits over older styles, one problem that has arisen...

Brings to mind the old cliche of “Don’t write down anything you don’t want your mother to read.”

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You might already know that AI can put real faces in implausible scenarios, but it's now clear that it can create faces that otherwise wouldn't exist. Developer Phillip Wang has created a website, ThisPersonDoesNotExist, that uses AI to generate a s...

In what is quickly becoming Apple's preferred method of advertising to existing customers, the company on Friday sent out an iOS push notification offering Apple Music subscribers the ability to give away one free month of service.

Digital Trends writes: “While it’s been clear for quite some time that modern A.I. is getting pretty darn good at generating accurate human faces, it’s a reminder of just how far we’ve come…”  The face shown here is just one of many created by an AI, explained in the article. “The results … well, you can see them for yourself by checking out the website. Hitting refresh will iterate an entirely new face.”

Soon there will be artificial people on the internet writing AI created articles. (I am actually one of them.)

At the end of January, Jason Snell published his annual Six Colors Apple Report Card for 2018. This year 55 voters (hand-selected by Snell) graded Apple in 11 areas. I was one of them, and thought it only fair to publish my grades and remarks here at Daring Fireball. Comments in [brackets] are additional commentary I wrote now, and were not included in what I submitted to Snell.

Mac: D

I’d say it’s been an OK year at best. On the MacBook front they had decent MacBook Pro updates and the third-gen butterfly keyboard seems to have fixed the reliability problems with the previous keyboards. But these keyboards are not great. A few people really like them, but most people agree they feel worse than the old keyboards. I may be biased as a writer and a keyboard aficionado, but it used to be the case that Apple’s notebook keyboards were widely hailed as the best in...

This month we’ve teamed up with Hyper for our first ever 9to5Mac Deal of the Month. For February only, you can get the HyperJuice AirPods Wireless Charging case for 60% off regular price:

Get the HyperJuice AirPods Wireless Charger Case 60% off for a limited time – $20 (Reg. $50)

Head below for a video hands-on look: more…

The post Deal of the Month: HyperJuice Wireless Charger Case for Apple AirPods $20 (Reg. $50) appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Since Steve and I can’t cover everything, at the end of each week day, we’ll offer this wrap-up of news items you should check out. 

Apple has announced the availability of NBA models of its Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones. They’re available in six versions/colors and cost $349.95.

In its latest Conflict Minerals Report to the SEC, Apple says that 100% of its smelters and refiners were subjected to an audit "for the fourth straight year” as of Dec. 31. Five offending parties were removed during 2018.

The new MacVoices kicks off the 2019 Road to Macstock with organizer Mike Potter’s...

As part of a larger push into voice recognition and artificial intelligence technology, Apple has reportedly agreed to purchase PullString, a San Francisco startup focused on the development and publication of voice apps for Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant and "internet of things" hardware.

The internet is all over the map trying to figure out whether Apple’s service and hardware strategies for 2019 are going to work well together.

The Chinese-language Economic Daily News is reporting that Inventec —  a Taiwan-based manner of mobile devices, notebook computers, and servers — is producing a new version of the AirPods that will come with a charging case and be available in black, as well as white.

The article says the charging case will work with Apple’s AirPower wireless charger, which will debut in the spring. The long-promised AirPower will be able to charge a Qi-compatible iPhone, an Apple Watch, and a pair of AirPods (in a special wireless charging case) at the same time regardless of where they're placed on the pad. AirPower hasn't been priced yet, but guesses have it costing anywhere from $150 - $200. 

Chances the rumor is true, according to the Sellers Research Group (that’s me): 80%. I do think we’ll see the AirPower and AirPods with a wireless charging case arrive next month. Less certain if the “new” AirPods...

Chinese media outlet Economic Daily News is reporting that Inventec is already producing a new version of AirPods with a different exterior material for the earbuds and charging case, as well as a black color option.

The report indicates that they will go on sale in the spring alongside the AirPower wireless charging mat. EDN says the new AirPods are expected to boost Inventec’s first quarter earnings, as the publication has a supply chain focus.

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The post Economic Daily News: Updated AirPods in production with black color option, launching alongside AirPower in spring appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Perhaps signalling that it's embarking on a broader campaign, Apple has released a second ad promoting Depth Control on the iPhone XS & XR, "Bokeh'd."

Apple has today rolled out a new ad titled “Bokeh’d” focused on the computational bokeh effect found on iPhone 7 Plus and later. With newer iPhone generations, users can adjust the amount of bokeh.

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The post Comical iPhone XR ad shows off Portrait Mode Depth Control: ‘Did you bokeh my child?’ appeared first on 9to5Mac.

A new report from TechCrunch today reveals that Twitter holds on to deleted direct messages for years, in some cases even for accounts that have been suspended or deactivated.

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The post Twitter saves deleted direct messages for years, says security researcher appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Despite its potentially lucrative nature, the CEO of healthcare IT firm Epic Systems says she won't consider any possible takeover offer by Apple.

At the start of the week, you could reasonably guess that Apple might hold its semi-regular spring event to unveil a new 10-inch iPad and smaller iPad mini 5, an updated iPod touch, possibly AirPods 2, and new features in iOS 12.2. Reliable reporting has since adjusted expectations, giving us a rumored event date and a focus on new subscription news and video services in place of any hardware. So when should we expect to see all that rumored hardware if there’s no hardware event?

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The post Comment: With Apple’s March event focused on services, when should we expect hardware updates? appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Finally, G-Technology has added a USB-C port to the G-Drive Mobile line, and we've got one on our test bench.

A proposed settlement for Pokémon GO developer Niantic in its class action lawsuit suggests that it could be removing or changing some Poké Stops and Gyms within the game. According to a report from Variety, the proposed settlement was filed on Thursday in a California court. If approved, Pokémon GO will need to remove Poké Stops or Gyms that are on private property.

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The post Pokémon GO may be forced to change Poké Stops and Gyms in game after lawsuit settlement appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Hasbro has a new toy for the future Jedi in your life. The Star Wars Lightsaber Academy is a suped-up version of the standard lightsaber that comes with its own training exercises and activities built in, according to The Verge. The toy connected to...

Are you frustrated with trying to close all of those open tabs in Safari? In this short Apple World Today video tip, we show you a little known trick on how to close all open Safari tabs on an iPhone with one quick tap.

Be sure to subscribe to the Apple World Today YouTube channel for more video tips.

Game studio Niantic has settled a lawsuit surrounding the popular iOS game Pokemon Go, one where property owners complained about players of the hit title causing a nuisance in physical locations designated as Pokestops and Pokemon Gyms.

John Martellaro and Andrew Orr join Kelly Guimont to discuss webcams and security measures, as well as AI that freaks out even Elon Musk.

Louise Matakis put together a guide on how to manage your online personal data, and figuring out who buys, sells, and barters it.

Personal data is often compared to oil—it powers today’s most profitable corporations, just like fossil fuels energized those of the past. But the consumers it’s extracted from often know little about how much of their information is collected, who gets to look at it, and what it’s worth. Every day, hundreds of companies you may not even know exist gather facts about you, some more intimate than others. That information may then flow to academic researchers, hackers, law enforcement, and foreign nations—as well as plenty of companies trying to sell you stuff.

A good guide as usual from Wired.

You've been able to make a PDF out of any document on Macs for years. We take it so much for granted, though, that we don't know what extra options we've got -- nor noticed how Apple is trying to change the way we're supposed to make PDFs. AppleInsider walks you through making a PDF, with only the tools that come with macOS.

Sir Tim Berners Lee, the inventor or the World Wide Web, has a new, a project. Called Inrupt, it wants to develop a new web structure to put people back in control of their data. Data would be stored on an individual’s “pod” instead of a company’s server. Wired spoke to Sir Tim about the project.

Inrupt aims to drive the development of the Solid platform and transform it from an innovative idea to a viable platform for businesses and consumers. “My group in the CSAIL [Computer Sciences and Artifical Intelligence Laboratory] Lab at MIT had been working on Solid for some years,” Berners-Lee says. “The initial goal of Inrupt is to add the energy and resources of a startup to the open-source efforts to make the Solid movement happen.”

Dubai International Airport is the latest to halt flights over a drone scare following similar incidents at London's Gatwick and Heathrow. The world's third-busiest airport temporarily stopped operations for just under 30 minutes due to "unauthorized...

The new MacBook Pro comes with two or four external ports, depending on the model you pick. And the new MacBook Air has a pair of ports. But those ports are only of one type: Thunderbolt 3, which is compatible with USB-C.

But you probably have devices that use USB-A, Thunderbolt 1, Thunderbolt 2, DisplayPort, HDMI, or something else. How do you connect these devices? With an adapter.

If you’re planning to buy a new MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, make sure you set aside a considerable amount of cash for the adapters you need. Apple doesn’t include any in the box, except for a power adapter.

Your best bet is to get a combination dock, like the Satechi Slim Aluminum Type-C Multi-Port Adapter ($60 on Amazon). It connects via USB-C, and includes a USB-C pass-through port, two USB 3.0 ports, and an HDMI port with 4K (30Hz) support. With this, you don’t have to...

Spotify spent close to $340 million on its recent purchases of Gimlet and Anchor, making a good return for investors.

After releasing its Portal video-calling tool to largely positive reviews (especially from its employees) last November, Facebook is finally cracking open the device and giving the rest of us a glimpse at the Portal's inner workings. Engadget sat dow...

Both Apple and Mophie have introduced their own battery cases which spurs the debate on which route people should go. Apple's Smart Battery Case and Mophies Juice Pack Access have their benefits, but which is best is going to be up to you.

By Sarah Witman

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full portable laptop charger guide here....

If you haven’t seen this show, do yourself a favor and binge-watch it immediately.

∞ Read this on The Loop

It was exactly a month ago that Nike took the wraps off of Adapt BB, its latest pair of shoes with power laces, and now the company is finally ready to bring them to the masses. The Adapt BB will launch globally on February 17th, although some lucky...

Transformers spinoff Bumblebee proved the franchise still has legs and now Netflix wants a slice of the action. The streaming service has ordered War for Cybertron, a new animated series that explores the "expansive universe" of the Autobots' home wo...

A new study from OpenSignal published today looks into the cellular performance of the most popular iPhones going back to 2013. While there’s nothing too surprising in the findings, it does nail down exactly what average speeds each model sees, how much owners of older iPhones are missing out, how much iPhone cellular speeds have grown over the years, and a few other interesting details.

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The post Test compares cellular speeds for top iPhone models, difference between the iPhone 5s and XS, more appeared first on 9to5Mac.

There are reasonable arguments for and against being able to edit tweets once they've been posted to Twitter dot com. Jack Dorsey doesn't necessarily want everyone to re-write their own history, but may allow us to re-contextualize our words in futur...

Not every audio company was quick to jump on the true wireless bandwagon. Some of the big names in headphones took their time crafting a set of earbuds before making a debut. Sennheiser was one of those, and its Momentum True Wireless model didn't ar...

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

https://9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2019/02/9to5Mac-Daily-02-15-2019.mp3

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