Dennis Sellers

<p>If you buy one of the new MacBook Pros don’t pay Apple an arm and leg for extra storage (the company charges an extra $400 for a 1TB SSD and and extra $12,00 for a 2GB SSD). Instead pick up a G-Drive slim SSD USB-C from G-Technology.</p>

<p>Moshi makes a full suite of <a href="http://t.sidekickopen06.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nMJW7t5XX48r4TQdVQsLNn8rBpw8W5v_Sgz56dCtrf3xkDkg02?t=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moshi.com%2Fcables-adapters%2Fusb-c&si=4752780177702912&pi=c36f07d2-0186-4a8b-c043-9c10be3e7d45">USB-C accessories</a> that come in handy for owners of new MacBook Pros and the 12-inch iMac. Yep, I know you don’t want to buy dongles and adapters, but, with its latest laptops, Apple has given us little choice. </p>

<p>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.accc.gov.au" rel="noopener noreferrer">Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)</a> has denied the country's biggest banks — Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank, and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank — authorization to collectively negotiate access to Apple Pay NFC technology. The banks sought authorization to bargain with Apple on two key issues:</p>

<p>Apple had a 66% share of the high end smartphone market in India as of October, as shipments of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus outdid those of Samsung Galaxy S7 and other variants, according to new data from Counterpoint Research — as noted by the <a target="_blank" href="http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/mobile/googles-pixel-captures-10-premium-smartphone-market-share-in-india/55659473" rel="noopener noreferrer">Economic Times</a>. Samsung had a 23% share, notes the research group.</p>

<p>The AWT News Update is on hiatus while my compadre, Steve, takes a road trip. In its place, I’ll offer a text-only (no podcast) summary of breaking stories with a tip o’ my hat to my former website, <em>Apple Daily Report</em>.</p>

<p>Despite concerns about waning demand for the Phone, the device is still the must-have holiday gift, analyst Gene Munster told <em>CNBC </em>on Monday.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfbags.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">WaterField Designs’</a> Staad Attache for the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is now available.</p>

<p>According to figures published by International Data Corporation (IDC), 8.2 million tablets were shipped into Western Europe in the third quarter of 2016 (3Q16), for a 6.7% decline year-over-year (YoY). The main trends in the quarter were the ongoing expansion of detachables (IDC considers the iPad Pro a detachable) and the penetration of tablets in the commercial segment.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://news.adobe.com/press-release/marketing-cloud/media-alert-adobe-data-shows-black-friday-breaks-online-sales-record-3" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adobe reports</a> that the most popular items sold online during Black Friday (Nov. 25) included iPads, MacBook Airs, Lego A/S building sets, Razor electric scooters, flying drones, Mattel Barbie dolls, and Samsung 4K television sets. U.S. consumers spent a record US$3.3 billion online the day after Thanksgiving.</p>

<p>Apple and LG are reportedly working on a camera capable of 3D imaging (think 3D photography) for the iPhone 8 series, according to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ibtimes.co.in/apple-iphone-8-update-iphone-7-successor-tipped-boast-lg-made-dual-camera-3d-imaging-ability-705812" rel="noopener noreferrer">International Business Times</a>. The article adds that Apple has “roped in” LinX, which it acquired in April 2015 for camera development for about US$20 million.</p>

<p>Apple plans to open a research and development center in Jakarta, Indonesia, next year, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2016/11/24/056822891/Apple-to-Set-up-RD-Center-in-Jakarta-in-2017" rel="noopener noreferrer">a Tempo report</a>. Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara said that the preparation of the project development has progressed to the final stage.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://usa.just-mobile.com/xtand-vent.html#.WDtzXHeZNBx" rel="noopener noreferrer">Just Mobile’s Xtand Vent</a> is a simple, inexpensive (US$24.95), solution that doesn’t one job and does it reasonably well, though it’s not a good solution for everyone. It’s a smartphone holder that clips onto your car’s air vent.</p>

<p>President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring Apple manufacturing of iPhones back to the U.S. Some pundits have said that will never happen as it would make the cost of the smartphone skyrocket, but that might not be the case. </p>

<p>Apple's has launched its Black Friday specials in the <a href="http://www.apple.com/shop/gifts/one-day-shopping-event">United States</a> and <a href="http://www.apple.com/ca/shop/gifts/one-day-shopping-event">Canada</a>, offering customers free Apple Store gift cards worth up to US$150 when you buy selected products. The deal is good for today (Nov. 25) only.</p>

<p>Since Thursday, Nov. 24, is Thanksgiving here in the good ol' US of A, A<em>pple World Today</em> will be "closed" that day and we'll run a light schedule on Friday, Nov. 25, as we spend time with our family and friends. Actually, we'll be so sluggish from all that food we ate on Thursday, it's doubtful that we'd have the energy to get much done.</p>