Apple removing all vape related Apps from the App store.

Good news for people concerned about vaping in people they care about – Apple is currently removing all vaping-related apps from the App Store. This is in relation to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,172 lung injury cases linked to e-cigarette or vape products.

From the source:

We take great care to curate the App Store as a trusted place for customers, particularly youth, to download apps. We’re constantly evaluating apps, and consulting the latest evidence, to determine risks to users’ health and well-being.

Recently, experts ranging from the CDC to the American Heart Association have attributed a variety of lung injuries and fatalities to e-cigarette and vaping products, going so far as to call the spread of these devices a public health crisis and a youth epidemic.

We agree, and we’ve updated our App Store Review Guidelines to reflect that apps encouraging or facilitating the use of these products are not permitted. As of today, these apps are no longer available to download.”

However, be advised that vaping-related apps already installed on iOS devices will continue to function.

Innovative Technology in Schools celebrated by Apple

Apple has just launched a new article series which highlights very deserving teachers and students who use innovative technology at school.

First up, we have Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts (APA) in California, who host an annual student-created show called “Playlist” as part of the Music, Media and Entertainment Technology (MMET) program at the Academy. MMET is the brainchild of Apple Distinguished Educator alum Jamie Knight and Apple Distinguished Educator Michael Simmons, along with Huntington Beach APA.

To help in the creation of the show, students use Apple computers and iPads and software such as Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro X, and learn how to do so as part of their curriculum. Students also have access to a recording studio and a Yamaha CL5 digital mixer for controlling sound levels in the theatre.

Jamie Knight says:

“We don’t just focus on the technology, it’s that performing arts experience that gives them leadership skills, confidence, team work, all of those soft skills that businesses want. You have to perform to get that, and then when you marry that with the technology and you give the kids the ability to have a real recording studio to work with, they’re going to be the next Steven Spielberg, or the next Paul McCartney.”

You can read all about it, and keep up with how Apple technology is being used in other Schools across the country, here, in Apple’s Newsroom. 

Possible WWDC Dates

Apple’s big annual developer conference, WWDC – where it also usually announces big software updates – is coming up! The company has yet to announce the exact dates, but the rumor mill has begun, and it suggests that it will happen between Monday, June 4 and Friday, June 8 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, the same as last year.

The McEnery Convention Center is apparently booked up with other events for every week in June except for the first, and Apple has held WWDC in June since the 2000’s.

Except for last year, the company usually releases the dates of the event in April, so we’ve got a while to wait until the dates are confirmed.

The software updates we can likely look forward to hearing about are iOS 12, MacOS 10.14, new tvOS and WatchOS.

There may be a hardware announcement, but the rumor mill has not begun on what that may or may not be.

Tickets to the World Wide Developers Conference will likely cost around $1,599 and be distributed randomly through a lottery. If you can’t afford that ticket, or don’t win the lottery, Apple will be streaming the opening keynote live, and will provide videos of developer sessions on their website.

New Whole Foods Perk coming with Amazon Prime

Amazon recently announced that it will offer free 2-hour delivery of Whole Foods groceries for Prime customers via Amazon Prime Now.

What.

You read that right, beginning in four select markets – Austin, Cincinnati, Dallas and Virginia Beach, Prime Now Members will get free Whole Foods Delivery with only one caveat – their purchase must be over $35. At Whole Foods? Sounds easy peasy.

Oh, and the delivery window? A measly 2 hours. If you need your foods within the hour?  That’ll be an extra $7.99.

From the Sauce, Whole Foods Co-Founder and CEO, John Mackey:

“We’re happy to bring our customers the convenience of free two-hour delivery through Prime Now and access to thousands of natural and organic groceries and locally sourced favorites,” said Whole Foods co-founder and CEO John Mackey in a press release.

Amazon plans to expand the service across the country during 2018.

Facebook releases it’s future on us all

At F8, Facebook’s developer conference, the social media company introduced the way that it wants you, the end user, to see the world.

How’s that? Well, augmented.

Facebook’s augmented reality camera, or camera platform as FB calls it, will place digital imagery on the world around you. Think Pokemon Go, except…useful, realistic, change the way we see the world type stuff.

From the Sauce, Mark Zuckerberg:

“Facebook is so much about marrying the physical world with online, when you can make it so that you can intermix digital and physical parts of the world, that’s going to make a lot of our experiences better and our lives richer. Facebook is so much about marrying the physical world with online.”

From now on (actually, for a while now, but here’s where the action really starts) the camera is no longer just a tool that you use to capture images.

Now, you can change the world with it, manipulate the images that you capture as well as the environment you see through it. You’ll be able to display and intake information, add digital objects, and enhance existing objects.

Again, from the Zuck:

“The camera needs to be more central than the text box in all of our apps,” he said. “We’re making the camera the first augmented reality platform.”

At F8, the demos were on an Oculus headset, but soon, the plan is that you’ll be able to create and interact with augmented reality right on your smartphone. Or whatever replaces the smartphone – which may well be lightweight glasses, according to Zuckerberg.

And so the race begins to see who wins on creating the end augmented reality platform. Will the end product be shaped more by  software, rather than hardware? What mix will we end up with?

Over the coming months Facebook plans to give developers a chance to use its tools to create their own filters and effects for Facebook’s cameras. Developers who want to build their own apps, games, and art will be able to do so, perhaps taking the Camera in unanticipated directions.

Hi Future! *Waves* We’re in you…almost!

Apple just made Garageband, iMovie and iWork apps completely free

iMovie, Numbers, Keynote, Pages, and GarageBand for both Mac and iOS devices are now listed as free in the App Store.

Since 2013 if you had purchased a new Mac or iOS device you could get these apps for free, but now they’re just free free. Which is the best kind of free.

The change also makes it much easier for schools and businesses to download these apps through the Volume Purchase program store.

Now, go make some sweet tunes, to accompany some sweet movies, and… work your butts off! #Wednesday Wisdom!

Apple might be retiring support for some iPads and iPhones sooner rather than later

If you have an iPhone 5, iPhone 5C or an iPad with a 32 bit processor, and you have no thoughts of upgrading any time soon – we’re giving you a bit of a heads up – Apple might have a different thought process…

It’s been predicted for a while now that Apple will likely cease support for these devices in the near future. Some are predicting now that it will come early, while others are still thinking that this will come on June 5th with the release of iOS 11 at WWDC.

Apple just released iOS 10.3 earlier this week, and the above mentioned devices were supported with this upgrade, however there were hints that future software upgrades will not include support for these devices.

What people thought was curious, and which gives credence to the idea that this will happen before iOS 11 is that in the code of the iOS 10.3.2 beta, which was made available to developers shortly after the iOS 10.3 release, users that opened 32-bit software in iOS 10.3 were met with a message saying the app will not work with future versions of iOS.

Devices with 32 bit processors instead of 64 bit processors are the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5C, the standard version of the iPad (so not the Air or the Pro), and the first iPad mini.

So what does it mean if your beloved iPhone or iPad is no longer supported? It’s not the end of the world per se, because these devices would still function, but you wouldn’t be able to install the latest apps and it would be easier for hackers to access your device.

Previously, Apple stopped supporting the iPhone 4S, first iPad mini and the fifth-generation iPod touch when it introduced iOS 10.

How gaming technology helps kids learn

Co-produced by :Game Period & iPhone Antidode

WWDC scholarships on offer

WWDC is coming up pretty quickly! Apple’s Kind-Of-A-Big-deal-conference will take place  June 5 to June 9 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California.

Are you a student or STEM organization member passionate about app development? Yeah?

So…wanna go?

Here’s some good news, kids – every year, WWDC scholarships are given to students and STEM organization members who don’t have the funds to attend and this year is no different.

For 2017, Apple will accept scholarship submissions from March 27, at 10:00 a.m. through April 2 at 5:00 p.m. Winning applicants will be notified of their status on Friday, April 21.

Scholarships offer free tickets to WWDC,  and for the first time, this year Apple will be providing free lodging.

Here’s the fine print:

Scholarship applicants must be at least 13 years old, registered as an Apple developer, and enrolled in a part-time or full-time course of study. Members and alumni of a STEM organization are also eligible.

If you fit the above description,  here’s what you’re looking to do, straight from the Source, (Apple, duh)

1. Tell us about yourself. Sign in with the Apple ID associated with your developer account. If you’re 13-17 years old and share your Apple ID with your parent or legal guardian, you will be asked to enter your name. You will also be asked for a phone number where we can reach you.

2. Provide school / membership information. If you’re a student, you will need to provide a PDF, PNG, or JPG of your current class schedule or other current proof of enrollment and your dean or principal’s contact information. If you’re a member or alumni of a STEM organization, you will need to provide a PDF, PNG, or JPG of your membership information and your local leader’s contact information.

3. Upload your Swift playground. Create a visually interactive scene in a Swift playground that can be experienced within three minutes. Be creative. You can use Swift Playgrounds on iPad or Xcode on macOS. If you need inspiration, start with templates in Swift Playgrounds for a head start on more advanced creations. Get inventive and make them your own by adding graphics, audio, and more.

4. Describe your Swift playground. Tell us about the features and technologies that you used in your Swift playground, in 500 words or less.

5. Provide optional information.

Let us know how you’ve considered sharing your coding knowledge and enthusiasm for computer science with others, in 500 words or less.

Travel Assistance
If you have extenuating circumstances that would require financial assistance for travel to attend the conference, let us know in 500 words or less. You will also need to provide a letter of reference (PDF, PNG, or JPG) from a teacher, supervisor, or other person of authority in your community confirming your need for travel assistance. Make sure that it includes their role and contact information.

Your Résumé / CV
If you’re 18 years of age or older and currently pursuing a BS, MS, or PhD in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, or a similar field and wish to share your résumé or CV with other groups at Apple, upload a PDF. This information will not influence the judging process.

Swift Playground Requirements
The Swift playground you submit should be created entirely by you as an individual. Group work will not be considered.
Your Swift playground should be built using Swift Playgrounds on iPad or Xcode on macOS.
Your Swift playground should function properly and run on the latest releases of Swift Playgrounds and iOS or Xcode and macOS.
All content should be in English.
Your .zip file size should not be more than 25 MB.
Any resources in your project should be included locally in the .zip file that you provide, as your Swift playground will be judged offline.
Judging

Submissions must follow all requirements in the WWDC Scholarship Terms. Applications will be judged on:
Technical accomplishment;
Creativity of ideas; and
Content of written responses.

Go get ’em, tigers!

App of the week! Travel dreaming edition

Are you planning a road trip? Or are road trips your weekend life? This app is made for you! Even if you’re just interested in knowing whats going on 5 minutes away, this app is pretty rad.

It bills itself as the ‘only map built for travelers.’ The app will tell you what’s nearby or on your planned route, from music venues, to national parks, restaurants, roadside attractions, hotels and scenic outlooks.

You can plan your trip directly on the app (or on their site), then you can see whats on your route and share with friends, who can then add to the itinerary. Any trips you’ve saved will sync automatically across devices.

if you’re planning a European roadtrip, kudos to you, that sounds amazing, can we come? And … sorry, this app is USA focused only for the time being. It also comes with the warning that because it uses GPS, it can be pretty hard on your device battery life.

Go Roadtrip warriors!

It’s free for iOS from the app store.