Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 202000104887) for “techniques for identifying ingenuine [false, not genuine or authentic] online reviews” and preventing them from being published.</p>

<p class="">The long-rumored “Apple Glasses” — an augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD) — may sport features that encourage a wearer to re-position his/her head for more comfortable use. Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200103962) for “application placement based on head position.</p>

<p class="">You may one day be able to control Sir, Apple’s perssoal digital assistant, and your HomePod by looking at it. Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200103963) for “device control using gaze detection.”</p>

<p class="">Tile Inc, which makes products to help users find lost items, told a congressional panel on Wednesday that Apple failed to live up to promises aimed at resolving a dispute between the two companies and introduced requirements that would hurt their business, reports <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tech-antitrust-apple-tile/tile-says-apples-behavior-is-anticompetitive-and-has-gotten-worse-not-better-idUSKBN21J72V" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a>.</p>

<p class="">On the <a href="http://www.macvoices.com/macvoices-20106-bob-dr-mac-levitus-on-his-training-music-productivity-hardware-part-2/"><span style="text-decoration:underline">latest episode of MacVoices</span></a>, Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus continues his discussion of being productive while working from home with an update on the training he provides at Working Smarter For Mac Users, some of the things that he is doing for himself, and two surprising pieces of gear that he uses to stay on track and focused. He also provides some discount offers for his products and outlines how you can get a free scholarship to his training.</p>

<p class="">As they did for March, Apple and Goldman Sachs are allowing Apple Card users to defer their April payments without incurring interest due to the economic chaos from the COVID-19 pandemic, reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-01/apple-goldman-to-let-apple-card-holders-defer-april-payments" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>. Apple Card users need to opt in to the program by messaging a support representative via the Wallet app on an Apple device.</p>

<p class="">Apple has posted <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M3Q4-zCTHc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a trailer</a> for "Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth," an upcoming short film for Apple TV+. It’s set to debut Friday, April 17.</p>

<p class="">Zoom Video Communications, the video conference service and de facto platform for digital communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been hit with a proposed class action claiming the platform has failed to protect users’ personal information, according to<a href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1258716/zoom-hit-with-proposed-class-action-over-privacy-concerns?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Law360</a>. So maybe it's time for Apple to finally open source FaceTime.</p>

<p class="">According to the latest market share survey from <a href="https://netmarketshare.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NetMarketShare,</a> the market share for both Apple’s macOS and iOS dipped slightly last month.</p>

<p class="">Twelve South has released the US$49.99 <a href="https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/airbag-for-airpods?utm_campaign=AirBag%20(2020-04-01)&utm_medium=campaign-email&utm_source=email&_ke=eyJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJkZW5uaXMuc2VsbGVyc0BhcHBsZXdvcmxkLnRvZGF5IiwgImtsX2NvbXBhbnlfaWQiOiAiTVdqMmJOIn0=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AirBag</a>, a “micro-mini bag,” for Apple's AirPods and AirPods Pro.</p>

<p class="">Apple has updated iMovie update for iOS and iPadOS, adding trackpad and mouse support, new keyboard shortcuts, and more. It’s available at the Apple App Store.</p>

<p class="">After <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2020/3/31/apple-updates-pages-numbers-keynote-for-the-mac"><span style="text-decoration:underline">updating its iWork apps for macOS</span></a>, Apple has now done the same for the iOS/iPadOS versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. All can be obtained at the Apple App Store.</p>

<p class="">Apple more than doubled its donation to China’s efforts to fight COVID-19 to over 50 million yuan ($7 million), according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-apple/apple-doubles-china-donations-for-covid-19-recovery-efforts-idUSKBN21J45L" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters.</a></p>

<p class="">A required update is available for <a href="https://itunespartner.apple.com/books/tools" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iTunes Producer</a>, Apple’s free utility for authors to submit Bookstore book details, pricing, and files in one shot.</p>

<p class="">The makers of Dark Sky <a href="https://blog.darksky.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">say </a>the app has been acquired by Apple, though there’s no info about the purchase price or details. It’s a source of hyperlocal weather info with down-to-the-minute forecasts.</p>