Dennis Sellers

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ubtrobot.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">UBTECH Robotics</a> has rolled out the TankBot, the latest addition to its line of STEM-friendly Jimu Robots for kids and teens. It’s the first Jimu Robot to run on tank treads and features an infrared sensor that allows it to follow commands to detect, pick up or maneuver around objects. </p>

<p>Apple has been granted a second patent (number 9,520062; the first one was 20160019787) for a “method for locating a vehicle.” The invention allows you to located your car in a parking garage or other parking structure via your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.</p>

<p>The <a target="_blank" href="http://bit.ly/12IiWcD" rel="noopener noreferrer">OxyLED Q6 Portable LED Lantern</a> isn't a macOS or iOS accessory per se, though you could use it to locate your mobile Apple devices while you're camping.</p>

<p>If Apple is indeed <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/11/21/apple-reportedly-discontinuing-its-airport-express-the-airport-extreme-airport-time-capsule-line?rq=wireless%20routers" rel="noopener noreferrer">discontinuing its line of wireless routers</a>, including its Time Capsule, it may have picked a bad time to so do. A new report from Beige Market Intelligence says the global consumer and enterprise NAS market will be worth $44 billion by 2021. What’s more, Apple is the market leader in the U.S. in the consumer segment, and Dell is the leader in the large enterprise NAS user segment.</p>

<p style="margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px">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>The SoftBank Group, a Japanese Internet and telecommunications giant, <a href="http://seekingalpha.com/news/3213939-softbank-put-25b-newly-created-technology-investment-fund">disclosed the SoftBank Vision Fund</a> in mid-October, noting plans for SoftBank alone to invest at least $25 billion in the vehicle over the next five years and for the fund to reach size of up to $100 billion. </p>

<p>In addition to iOS 10.2 and tvOS 10.2, Apple has also released watchOS 3.1.1. According to Apple, the update:</p>

<p>Apple has released iOS 10.2. It’s available as a free over-the-air update or as an iTunes download for all iOS 10 users.</p>

<p>Apple CEO Tim Cook may have a busy travel schedule over the next several weeks. He’s apparently attending a <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/12/12/tim-cook-reportedly-attending-trump-tech-summit-on-wednesday" rel="noopener noreferrer">“tech summit”</a> at Trump Tower this week. And an Oireachtas committee has expressed confidence that Cook will accept an invitation to respond to the European Commission tax ruling which has cost his company €13 billion, according to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/apple-ceo-invited-to-attend-tax-ruling-hearing-in-dublin-1.2901994" rel="noopener noreferrer">Irish Times.</a></p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://thefilmdetective.tv" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Film Detective</a> has announced its classic movie app for the Apple TV, as well as Roku and Amazon Fire devices. The company specializes in film restoration and distribution and offers thousands of hours of classic film and television restored from original elements.</p>

<p>AppYogi Software has introduced TransData - Network Data Transfer Rate 1.0, a utility developed exclusively for macOS. It features a single-threaded algorithm to monitor the download and upload data speed of your personal computer network. </p>

<p>Apparently, it’s not only Apple AirPods that <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/12/9/wsj-apple-still-working-to-ensure-that-two-airpod-unites-receive-audio-simultaneously?rq=AirPods" rel="noopener noreferrer">won’t arrive in time for the holidays</a>. Apple's BeatsX wireless earphones <a href="http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MLYF2LL/A/beatsx-earphones-white">had been listed</a> as "coming this fall" on its U.S. website. Now there’s only an option to be notified when they’re available.</p>

<p>Apple’s Swift team plans to have version 3.1 of the programming language ready by spring 2017, then turn its attention to Swift 4, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://swift.org/blog/swift-3-1-release-process/" rel="noopener noreferrer">a blog post</a> by Ted Kremenek of the Swift team.</p>

<p>Apple has <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/5ho97n/reporting_icloud_calendar_spam/">added a "Report Junk" option</a> to <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/icloud/">iCloud</a>.com to help combat a <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/12/1/apple-looking-into-icloud-calendar-spam-problem?rq=Calendar">problem with calendar spam</a>. It's supposed to be rolling out to iOS devices soon.</p>

<p>The idea of the smart home intrigues me. Alas, my house is around 30 years old, so I guess it’s kinda dumb. Still, I’ve been experimenting with some smart home gadgets from Elgato, which at least ups the intelligence of my abode a bit. </p>