Dennis Sellers

<p>Aspyr <a target="_blank" href="http://www.macgamerhq.com/news/mafia-3-mac-release/" rel="noopener noreferrer">has confirmed</a> the final release date for Mafia 3’s Mac version. It’s coming tomorrow, May 11, and it will support Apple’s Metal API (application programming interface).</p>

<p>In an update to its free Apple Support app for iOS Apple activated a new feature that lets users schedule repair appointments at participating Apple Authorized Service Providers. You can now schedule device repairs at Authorized Service Providers, not just Apple store Genius Bars. </p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.macstadium.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacStadium</a>, a Mac hosting authority and only provider of Mac Pro private cloud infrastructure-as-a-service (“IaaS”), has received a growth equity investment led by Summit Partners, with participation from Noro-Moseley Partners. </p>

<p>Talk about your Mac mini. With the $16 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.elagostore.com/stand.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">W3 Stand for Apple Watch</a>, you can turn your Apple smartwatch into the world’s smallest Mac. Well, not really, but the combo does offer that illusion. </p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 9,644,983) for “simplified audio navigation instructions” that hints at future features for its Maps app for macOS and iOS and perhaps tweaks to CarPlay.</p>

<p><a href="http://192.206.112.171/clickthrough/servlet/clickthrough?msg_id=8474473&adr_order=2821&url=aHR0cHM6Ly92aWRpaC5jb20v">Vidih</a> is a new service that empowers iPod, iPad and iPhone users to record and live stream anything on their device to Twitch, YouTube and Facebook Live, complete with microphone audio for easy, real-time narration. It was developed to work within Apple's strict requirements, so users never break a single iOS rule by using Vidih.</p>

<p>Beddit, known for its sleep tracking hardware and software, has been scooped up by Apple. The deal was quietly announced through an update to Beddit's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.beddit.com/privacy/" rel="noopener noreferrer">privacy policy</a> — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/05/09/apple-buys-sleep-tracking-firm-beddit" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>.</p>

<p>Retail purchases made with Apple Pay are growing, and consumers say it's tied with PayPal as their preferred mobile payment system, according to research from the Branding Brand <a target="_blank" href="https://www.brandingbrand.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">shopping app platform</a>.</p>

<p>I’m dying to get my hands on the <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2017/1/3/ces-owc-dec-adds-storage-card-slots-and-more-to-2016-macbook-pro?rq=OWC%20DEC" rel="noopener noreferrer">OWC DEC</a> expansion product for the 2016 MacBook Pro. I expect it will be pricey, as it’s expected to sport 4TB of additional Flash/SSD storage, an SD card slot, USB 3 Type A ports for standard USB devices, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3 Type A ports for standard USB devices, Gigabit Ethernet, and more. Those who can’t afford it might consider the <a target="_blank" href="https://eshop.macsales.com/preorder/owc-thunderbolt-3-dock/?_ga=1.192281066.1310094874.1482172616" rel="noopener noreferrer">OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock.</a></p>

<p>Apple, Google and Lego are the most loved brands in the UK on social media, according to NetBase’s <a target="_blank" href="http://www.netbase.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brand Love Report</a>, which measures the “strongest, most positive consumer emotions towards brands.”</p>

<p>Apple has sent out invitations to the press for its upcoming Worldwide Developer Conference and will (no surprise) kick things off with a keynote address on Monday, June 5, at 10 a.m. (Pacific).</p>

<p>Apple CEO Tim Cook and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams place fourth and 17th, respectively, on <a target="_blank" href="http://time.com/4759416/most-influential-people-tech/" rel="noopener noreferrer">"The 20 Most Influential People in Tech Right Now”</a> list by TIME magazine.</p>

<p>Apple is planning a worldwide overnight “refresh” of its older retail stores on the night of May 16, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://9to5mac.com/2017/05/09/apple-store-redesign-refresh-older-stores/" rel="noopener noreferrer">9to5Mac</a>. The refresh is “specifically for older and smaller stores that aren’t suitable for the full redesign we’ve seen in flagship stores,” the article adds.</p>

<p>FileMaker, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, has released the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.filemaker.com/r/16" rel="noopener noreferrer">FileMaker 16 Platform</a>, the latest version of its custom app platform that includes everything needed to create, share, and run custom apps for business teams. </p>

<p>In late 2016, WhatsApp decided to quietly improve the security of its iCloud backups, where messages and contacts are uploaded to Apple servers. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2017/05/08/whatsapp-enhances-icloud-encryption/#7f0070f812a8" rel="noopener noreferrer">According to Forbes</a>, it added a unique encryption key created by the WhatsApp app, rather than just relying on the iCloud Drive to protect customer data.</p>