Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Williamson County, Texas, leaders have unanimously (5-0) approved a taxpayer-funded incentive package for Apple that could be worth up to $16 million, solidifying the tech giant’s plan to invest $1 billion in a new campus in North Austin and add up to 5,000 jobs, reports the <a href="https://www.statesman.com/news/20181218/williamson-county-approves-16-million-incentive-package-for-apple" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Austin Statesman</em></a>. The company is also in line to get up to $25 million in incentives payments from the state-run Texas Enterprise Fund, the article adds.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Macally has launched a new <a href="https://us.macally.com/products/btsolarkeysg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">solar powered wireless keyboard series </a>with built-in solar panels that constantly charge the internal lithium-ion battery under indoor or outdoor light.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Satechi has released the <a href="https://satechi.net/products/aluminum-imac-stand" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Type-C Aluminum Monitor Stand Hub</span></a> for the iMac and iMac Pro. It features seven built-in ports and an ergonomic design designed to enhance and maximize desk space, while providing convenient access to peripheral devices.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is teaming up with Nike for an Apple Pay promo. You can get a $20 promo code from the sports company when you spend $100 or more in the Nike app.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 10,156,029) for a “fabric control device.” It hints that the company has looked into “smart” clothing that could include touch sensors and the ability to control other Apple devices.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple wants to make its Apple Watch more useful for the blind. It’s filed for a patent (number 10,156,904) for “wrist-based tactile time feedback for non-sighted users.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Having trouble moving next on your iPad. Try the two-finger method.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><em>Deadline</em> (<a href="https://deadline.com/2018/12/justin-lin-overall-deal-apple-1202521419/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">https://deadline.com/2018/12/justin-lin-overall-deal-apple-1202521419/</span></a>) reports that has signed producer/director Justin Lin <em>(Fast & Furious</em> franchise, <em>Star Trek: Beyond</em>) and his Perfect Storm Entertainment to an exclusive, multi-year overall TV deal. Moving to the tech giant from Sony, he’ll develop, produce and direct television series “with a global perspective,” the article adds.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The lead attorney for the group of Apple device assemblers seeking at least $9 billion in damages from Qualcomm said <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-qualcomm/foxconn-not-in-settlement-talks-with-qualcomm-in-apple-battle-attorney-idUSKBN1OG0AW" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the contract manufacturers are not in settlement talks</a> with the mobile chip supplier and are “gearing up and heading toward the trial” in April.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has released iOS 12.1.2. According to the company’s notes, the update fixes bugs with eSIM activation for the iPhone Xr, iPhone Xs, and iPhone Xs Max.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A lawsuit blaming Apple’s FaceTime for a child's death in a car crash, has been dismissed by a U.S. appeals court in California, reports the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46593100" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>BBC</em></a>. FaceTime is a videoconferencing app that Apple includes with its iOS and Mac devices. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has launched <a href="https://finance-app.itunes.apple.com/connecting-client?targetUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffinance-app.itunes.apple.com%2Faccount%2Fadd-funds%3Fprevpage%3Daccountsettings%26ls%3D1%26app%3Ditunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a new promotion</a> that offers U.S. customers a 10% bonus when they add funds to their Apple ID account in the U.S.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple continues to lure away talent form Tesla. The company’s Senior Designer Andrew Kim has started working for the Cupertino, California-based company.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Good news for the Apple Watch and Apple AirPods: global shipments of wearable devices are forecast to reach 125.3 million units in 2018, up 8.5% from 2017, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) <a href="http://www.idc.com/tracker/showproductinfo.jsp?prod_id=962" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker</span></a>. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://moodo.co/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Moodo</span></a>, a smart home aroma diffuser, sounds like a good idea, and while it does offer pleasant aromas for your home or office, it’s set-up, well, stinks.</p>