Dennis Sellers

<p>The China Consumers Association (CCA) has asked Apple to investigate "a considerable number" of reports by users of iPhone 6 and 6s smartphones that the devices have been shutting off and cannot be turned back on again, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-battery-idUSKBN13A1AN" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a>.</p>

<p>The first-ever mobile game featuring Super Mario goes on sale for iPhone and iPad on Dec. 15 in United States time zones. <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsupermariorun.com%2Fen%2Findex.html&esheet=51460712&newsitemid=20161115005715&lan=en-US&anchor=Super+Mario+Run&index=1&md5=ff7805ddbe3eeca514e4a200af78637d">Super Mario Run</a> can be downloaded from the App Store at no cost, and players can try elements of the game’s three modes for free. </p>

<p>In-store shopping reigns supreme for Black Friday, with a majority of consumers poised to get up early and hit brick-and-mortar stores. According to a survey conducted by leading savings destination <a href="https://www.retailmenot.com/">RetailMeNot</a>, 40% of shoppers feel they get the most savings than any other shopping day. And the iPhone 7 looks to be a hot seller on Black Friday.</p>

<p>Make of it what you will, but Apple has applied for a design patent (number D771, 396) for a chair. The inventors are Kully Kraig Mandon, Andrew Charles Deffenbaugh, and Stefan Behling. Other than that the patent filing only has graphics (two of which are pictured).</p>

<p>Apple has announced the release of a new hardbound book chronicling 20 years of Apple’s design, expressed through 450 photographs of past and current Apple products. </p>

<p>QuickerTek lets you upgrade your 802.11 ac Apple Airport Base Station Extreme or Time Capsule (both of which are overdue for an update) by adding six high gain external antennas to the unit. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.quickertek.com/products/HexBandac.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">This acHex antenna upgrade</a> provides dual-band 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz WiFi and also triples the WiFi strength of any version of the new Apple ac Base Station Extreme and/or Time Capsule.</p>

<p>Apple is considering expanding into digital/smart glasses, “a risky but potentially lucrative area of wearable computing,” according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-14/apple-explores-smart-glasses-in-wearables-push" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.”</p>

<p>Red Sweater apps has introduced Touché, a free app that emulates the Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pros on any Mac. Apple provided a “simulator” to developers, so they can get a sense for how the Touch Bar works, and test their own apps with the Touch Bar, without having to buy a new MacBook Pro.</p>

<p>Apple Pay support for charitable donations kicks off today with nonprofits ranging from global organizations such as UNICEF to startups like charity: water. Nonprofits will offer Apple Pay over the coming months so their supporters can make easy, secure and private payments, according to Apple.</p>

<p>Australians with an Android phone don't spend enough money to make it worthwhile to develop NFC solutions for you -- at least, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.zdnet.com/article/australian-banks-dismiss-android-nfc-past-in-apple-pay-negotiations/" rel="noopener noreferrer">ZDNet says</a> that would be one way to sum up the latest joint submission from CBA, NAB, Westpac, and Bendigo Bank to seek approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to collectively negotiate with Apple to gain access to the NFC element within iPhones.</p>

<p>Apple tops the 2016 Global Innovation 1000 Study by Price Waterhouse (PwC). The Cupertino, California-based company has held the top spot for six years running.</p>

<p>According to an app in the Google Play Store, at least 10 million Android users have switched to iOS in the last couple of years. As noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://travel12h.info/at-least-10-million-have-left-android-for-an-apple-iphone/" rel="noopener noreferrer">travel12h</a>, this figure is based on an app called Move to iOS, which helps Android users switch to an iPhone.</p>

<p>Morgan Stanley <a href="http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2016/11/11/apples-tax-holiday-westerns-trump-risk-per-morgan-stanley/?mod=BOLBlog">analyst Katy Huberty notes</a> that 37% of Apple's market capitalization, or $216 billion, is held overseas. Should a <a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/tax-plan">prospective 10% repatriation</a> allowance occur, the company could save $54 billion in tax expense if it chooses to bring that sum back onshore.</p>

<p>Scosche’s $29.99 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.scosche.com/magnetic-wall-charger" rel="noopener noreferrer">MagicMount Wall Charger</a> lets you dock a mobile device such as an iPhone 7/7 Plus to a wall socket. That’s pretty handy, as it helps alleviate cord clutter and entanglements.</p>

<p>Apple, Nike, New Balance, Playboy and Sketchers USA are the most popular U.S. brands <a target="_blank" href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-nike-and-playboy-among-most-popular-us-brands-on-alibabas-singles-day-2016-11-11" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to sales</a> from Alibaba Group Holding’s Singles Day sales. Sales from the day totaled $17.8 billion, up more than 24% from the record $14.3 billion sold last year.</p>