Dennis Sellers

<p>Lawmakers in five states — Nebraska, Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts, and Kansas — have introduced legislation that would enshrine the “Right to Repair” electronics, which means manufacturers such as Apple will have to sell replacement parts to independent repair shops and consumers and will also have to make their diagnostic and service manuals public, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://motherboard.vice.com/read/five-states-are-considering-bills-to-legalize-the-right-to-repair-electronics" rel="noopener noreferrer">MotherBoard.</a></p>

<p>India’s government is likely to reject Apple requests for cuts in taxes and import duties, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/centre-likely-to-reject-tim-cook-led-apple-incs-demands-report/520462/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Financial Express</a>. Officials from the Cupertino, California-based company are scheduled to meet senior officials from various ministries on Wednesday. </p>

<p>WaterField Designs' new Maverick leather laptop messenger bag will begin shipping Feb. 7; you <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sfbags.com/products/maverick-leather-laptop-messenger-bag" rel="noopener noreferrer">can pre-order now</a>. It’s made of premium full-grain leather, each cut from a single hide.</p>

<p>Samsung has told the Federal Circuit that Apple was flat wrong in arguing that a recent U.S. Supreme Court finding on design patent awards didn’t disturb its claim on a $400 million award, saying Monday that it took “chutzpah” for the iPhone maker to try to stop Samsung’s new trial, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.law360.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Law 360</a>, a site that covers legal news.</p>

<p>Future Apple Watch bands may do more than do good while keeping the smartwatch on your arm. Apple has filed for a patent (number 9,553,625) for a “modular functional band links for wearable devices.” The modular links could include multiple batteries, a small display, thermometer, a compass, a touch sensor, speakers, and more.</p>

<p>Nikolas Konstantakopoulos has introduced <a target="_blank" href="http://www.grannysaudio.com/geff" rel="noopener noreferrer">Geff 1.0</a>, a virtual guitar rack for macOS. It’s a standalone audio effects application to use with your guitar like you would a collection of stompboxes. </p>

<p style="margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px">Kanex’s <a href="http://www.kanex.com/gopowerplus">GoPower Plus</a> is a $49.95 portable power solution with a built-in micro USB with a Lightning adapter for use with both Apple and Android devices. I’ve never used it with an Android device (cause I don’t own one), but it does come in handy for use with my iPhone 7 Plus when I’m visiting my relatives for the weekend.</p>

<p>Yoky Matsuoka, an expert in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence, has returned to Alphabet's Nest Labs after serving less than nine months on the job at Apple, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-23/alphabet-gets-matsuoka-back-as-nest-cto-after-her-stint-at-apple" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>. She’ll serve as chief technology officer at Nest Labs.</p>

<p>Apple has released iTunes 12.5.5 for macOS. According to the company, it’s a “minor update” with “performance enhancements.</p>

<p>Notable apps and app updates for Jan. 23, 2017</p>

<p>Apple is reportedly working on long-range charging that allows multiple devices to charge anywhere within range of around 20 feet. One report had the company teaming up with Energous to use its WattUp system for its plans. However, an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scribd.com/document/337322317/Energous-Corporation-WATT-Game-Over" rel="noopener noreferrer">investor's note</a> from Copperfield Research says this isn’t so, and that Apple plans to use its own in-house-developed wireless charging tech.</p>

<p>In a note to clients — <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/01/21/apple-expected-to-replace-touch-id-with-two-step-facial-fingerprint-bio-recognition-tech" rel="noopener noreferrer">as noted by AppleInsider</a> — KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple will replace existing Touch ID technology with optical fingerprint readers, a change that could arrive as soon as this year, as Apple is expected introduce a full-screen OLED iPhone model this fall.</p>

<p>Apple has chosen Wistron to be the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM)  in India for this year’s iPhones, while Foxconn Electronics and other makers will become second OEMs if demand increases, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20170122PD201.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">DigiTime</a>s. </p>

<p>Taiwan-based Apple supplier, Foxconn, is reportedly considering a joint investment with Apple for more than$7 billion for an automated display facility in the United States. The production site would eventually create 30,000 to 50,000 jobs, CEO Terry Gou told the press, <a href="http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/AC/Foxconn-considers-7bn-US-display-facility-with-Apple">according to <em>Nikkei</em></a>.</p>

<p>Apple’s Macs are more expensive to buy than PCs but IBM says they come with less problems according to RESCUECOM's Annual 2017 Computer Reliability Report.</p>