Dennis Sellers

<p>We may be able to get our hands on an Apple HomePod soon. According to the <em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2018/01/16/2003685829" rel="noopener noreferrer">Taipei Time</a>s</em>, Inventec Corp., one of the two assemblers for the smart speaker, has released an initial shipment of about one million.</p>

<p>There’s talk that Apple is working on a “foldable” (or at least bendable) iPhone for the future. A newly granted Apple patent (number 9,869,807) for “electronic devices with soft input-output components” may add credence to the rumor as it involves flexible connectors.</p>

<p>Twelve South's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/parcslope" rel="noopener noreferrer">ParcSlope</a> is an $49.99 hybrid stand that works great with a Mac laptop and iPad Pro.MacBook Pro. The sleek metal wedge elevates your device’s screen while tilting your keyboard at desk level for comfortable typing. And it makes a fine drawing easel for the tablet.</p>

<p>You can jump directly to a specific folder in macOS High Sierra if you wish. In the Finder, click the Go menu in the menu bar, then choose one of the following:</p><ul></ul>

<p>On a regular basis, <em>Apple World Today</em> posts a list of notable new apps or app updates that have been released. They may not necessarily be new, but they're popular and deserve mention. Here are today's picks.</p>

<p>According to <em><a target="_blank" href="http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/j-j-abrams-sci-fi-tv-series-1202665919/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Variety</a></em>, J.J. Abrams — co-creator of the <em>Lost, Alias, Felicity, and Fringe</em> series — has written a new sci-fi drama television show that’s the subject of a bidding war between Apple and HBO. The series would reportedly deal with a world’s battle against a monstrous, oppressive force. </p>

<p>Personally, I doubt we’ll ever see a 3D printer from Apple. However, the company is looking into the possibility, as evidenced by a newly granted patent (number 9,868,245) for a “method and apparatus for three dimensional printing of colored objects.”</p>

<p>Western Digital has introduced two new ultra-transportable solutions in its high-powered G-Technology <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.g-technology.com%2Fproducts%2Fg-speed-shuttle-thunderbolt-3%3Futm_source%3DPR%26utm_medium%3Dna%26utm_campaign%3DShuttle%26utm_content%3DProductpage%26utm_term%3Dna%26utm_category%3Dna%26utm_product%3Dna&esheet=51743513&newsitemid=20180116005775&lan=en-US&anchor=G-SPEED%C2%AE+Shuttle&index=2&md5=1d9c288ff2ae24a0d10b3720dbd68c59">G-SPEED Shuttle</a> product family. They’re designed to meet the demands of professional content creators who need “lightning-fast transfer speed and a high-capacity storage solution that can easily be moved from the studio to wherever your project takes you, and back,” says Scott Vouri, vice president strategy and business development, G-Technology, Western Digital.</p>

<p>Apple’s first South Korean retail store now appears set to open in Seoul on Jan. 27, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/18/01/16/apples-first-south-korean-store-set-to-open-in-seoul-on-jan-27" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a>.</p>

<p>Nintendo Switch games could soon be coming to the Mac. The team behind a Nintendo 3DS emulator for macOS is working on a new Switch emulator called Yuzu that could allow fans to enjoy franchises like Super Mario and Zelda on platforms that aren’t officially supported by Nintendo, according to a report by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cultofmac.com/523483/nintendo-switch-games-coming-macos/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Cult of Mac</em></a>.</p>

<p>TwelveSouth has debuted the $29.99 <a href="https://twelvesouth.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2bf022ba0607d963e90d546c2&id=1ac0552895&e=4cec9fbb29">PencilSnap</a>, an Apple Pencil accessory with hidden magnets that keep the iPad Pro tool connected to your Apple Smart Cover.</p>

<p>A new report by <a target="_blank" href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.juniperresearch.com%2Fhome%3Futm_campaign%3Dsmartwatches18pr1%26utm_source%3Dbusinesswire%26utm_medium%3Demail&esheet=51743302&newsitemid=20180116005862&lan=en-US&anchor=Juniper+Research&index=1&md5=c5771ed284f1f2610aff08f92c2ee79f" rel="noopener noreferrer">Juniper Research</a> found that hybrid smartwatches such as Fossil Q and Nokia Steel, which appear to be analogue watches but integrate some smartwatch functionality, will make up over 50% of the smartwatches market in 2022. </p>

<p>WaterField Designs has launched the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sfbags.com/products/atlas-executive-athletic-holdall-briefcase" rel="noopener noreferrer">Atlas Executive Athletic Holdall</a>, a briefcase-workout hybrid bag. </p>

<p>New data from CIRP — as noted by <em><a target="_blank" href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/16/iphone-activations-q4-2017/" rel="noopener noreferrer">9to5Mac</a></em> -- indicates that Apple increased its U.S. iPhone activations 10 points in the final quarter of the year, from a 29% share in the September quarter to a 39% share by December, notes the research group.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 9,868,041) for an “integrated media jukebox and physiologic data handling application.” With roots going back to 2006, the patent originally involved syncing an iPod with your Mac. Now it includes more devices, including the Apple Watch and a “foot mounted unit,”and more data than music.</p>