Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.belkin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Belkin</a> has announced its $159.99 BOOST↑UP Wireless Charging Dock for iPhone + Apple Watch, which allows consumers to wirelessly charge their iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time, in addition to a third device using the additional USB-A port. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Need to combine a table lamp and USB charger all in one? Macally’s $49.99 LAMPCHARGE is a compact lamp with a warm, soft white light (2700K) that doubles as a USB charger.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple continues to beef up its plans for augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) products. The tech giant has been granted a patent (number 20180268237) for a “method and system for determining at least one property related to at least part of a real environment.” The goal to improve the capturing of moving objects in real life for use in an AR/VR scene.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Actor Chris Evans — best known as “Captain America” in the Marvel movies — has signed on to star in and executive produce the limited series “Defending Jacob,” which has been ordered straight-to-series at Apple, reports <a href="https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/chris-evans-defending-jacob-apple-series-1202951682/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has released the first public beta versions of iOS 12.1 and tvOS 12.1 for testing. The public betas are available on <a href="https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple's Beta Software Program website</a>. Just remember that beta software, so proceed with care.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">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.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20180267584) for “integrated inductive charging in a protective cover.” It hints at future iPad covers with wireless charging. Once I would have thought it involved AirPower, but Apple’s long-promised wireless charger seems to have vanished into the void.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Scoshe’s <a href="https://www.scosche.com/usbc-and-usba-power-delivery-home-charger?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=1o1&scid=scplpScosche+HPDA2C8&sc_intid=Scosche+HPDA2C8&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqoiupZ7A3QIVjJ-fCh0BsAadEAYYASABEgLX8vD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PowerVolt 3.0</a> is an 18W USB-C Port for fast charging speed for two devices such as an iPhone and iPad. It’s small, portable, and does what’s expected of it.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">iOS 12 adds the ability to create “Memoji" characters that can be created and customized right within Messages by choosing from a set of inclusive and diverse characteristics to form a unique personality.  To create your own:</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple wants you to know that everyone really loves the iPhone Xs and Xs Max. The tech giant has rounded up reviews of the new iPhones on its <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/09/iphone-xs-and-iphone-xs-max-the-reviews-are-in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">newsroom page</a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=1rnk5VjPE2-OmwsAksnbgMBtKAVqXmVH82R-VvYXyzyDINAMjR7rrD-MgBHX9v2YmavOuwyY41YVGhWObYqjaQ==" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Jamf</span></a>, which specializes in management solutions for the Apple ecosystem, has acquired <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=EpQAReE-sKVTz5lNRSinbGj-CD2gAkyoWOeNN-6VNVw6V4rqsCdLP0cv3N9GQ-mb1x9HJ922YUuC7T63msoF_g=="><span style="text-decoration: underline;">NoMAD</span></a>, an open source and commercial set of software products designed to simplify the Mac administration process. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has the highest percentage of employees who say they have delayed starting a family due to high cost of living (69.11%) while Oracle has the least (44.94%), according to a new survey by <a href="http://blog.teamblind.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Blind’s Work Talk Blog</em></a>, an “anonymous community app for the workplace.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.jackmorton.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jack Morton</a>, a “brand experience agency,” has launched its first global Experience Brand Index, a survey of 6,000 consumers across the U.S., United Kingdom and China. Apple did well.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the latest quarterly research from <a href="http://www.strategyanalytics.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strategy Analytics</a>, global smart speaker shipments reached 11.7 million units in the second quarter (Q2) of 2018. And there’s a bit of good news for the HomePod, which, per most estimates, is seeing underwhelming sales.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Shipments of the upcoming Phone XR are expected to ramp up to 20 million units in October, reports <a href="http://www.digitimes.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>DigiTimes</em></a>, quoting unnamed industry sources in Apple's smartphone supply chain.</p>