Dennis Sellers

<p>The Chinese ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing — in which Apple is an investor — is opening an artificial intelligence lab in Mountain View, California, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.recode.net/2017/3/8/14845892/didi-self-driving-lab-mountain-view-uber-charlie-miller" rel="noopener noreferrer">re/code.</a> This is one of the first times it has expanded its physical footprint outside of China.</p>

<p>The founder of WiFiSLAM, which Apple scooped up three years ago — is leaving the tech giant for another job.  Joseph Huang will become the CEO of StartX, the startup accelerator that initially helped launch WiFiSLAM, <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/08/startx-new-ceo/" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to</a> <em>TechCrunch</em>. He will replace Cameron Teitelman, who is shifting into a chairman position.</p>

<p>You can open documents and downloads from “stacks” in macOS Sierra. A stack is a folder shortcut in the Dock that provides fast, direct access to files in a folder. </p>

<p>Western Digital has increased the capacity of its line of iOS mobile flash drives with the introduction of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sandisk.com/home/mobile-device-storage/connect-wireless-stick" rel="noopener noreferrer">256GB SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick</a>, a plastic USB flash drive that measures 3.08 x 0.82 x 0.48 inches and weighs 0.8 ounces. It’s a nice accessory for iPhones and iPads, though it has drawbacks.</p>

<p>Apple partner <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imgtec.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Imagination Technologies</a> has unveiled its next-generation PowerVR Furian architecture, an entirely new GPU [graphics processing unit] architecture designed for the evolved graphics and compute needs of next-generation consumer devices. I’d expect to see it in 2018 iPhones and iPads.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.filemaker.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">FileMaker, Inc</a>., a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, has announced that its cloud platform for managing and running custom apps, FileMaker Cloud, is now available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). </p>

<p>The CIA faces what could potentially be the biggest ever leak of its secrets, after Wikileaks <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-wikileaks-documents-fuel-tension-between-intelligence-agencies-tech-sector-1488935711" rel="noopener noreferrer">published</a> thousands of documents claiming to show how the agency uses cyber espionage tactics to hack into smartphones and other devices.</p>

<p>A post on the Japanese blog <em>Mac Otakara</em> — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/03/08/rumor-apples-iphone-8-might-not-feature-full-screen-oled-sans-home-button-to-launch-long-after-september-reveal" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a> — says Apple is <a target="_blank" href="http://www.macotakara.jp/blog/rumor/entry-32050.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">working</a> to finalize an "iPhone Edition" set to debut alongside expected "iPhone 7s" and "iPhone 7s Plus" handsets this fall. </p>

<p>Component supplier Ibiden is the first company in Japan to pledge it will power all of its Apple manufacturing with 100% renewable energy — a new milestone for Apple and Japan. The announcement marks a significant step forward in Apple’s efforts to help its manufacturing partners transition to clean power, says Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president for Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives.</p>

<p>Apple captured 79.2% of global smartphone profits last year, according to new data from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.strategyanalytics.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strategy Analytics</a>, as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170308000345" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Korea Herald</a>. The tech giant is estimated to have posted total operating profits of $53.7 billion last year, with Apple's operating profit standing at $44.9 billion, notes the research group.</p>

<p>You can click the yellow pill button in the upper left corner of a window to minimize an app’s window in macOS Sierra. However, if you minimize a lot of windows, the right side of the Dock quickly becomes cluttered. The solution: minimize windows into their app icons. </p>

<p>My 18-month-old granddaughter sometimes sleeps over at our house, so a night light is useful. Before Elizabeth was born, I hadn’t given night lights much thought since my own kiddos were little. Now I realize how handy they are, which is why I’m a fan of SnapPower’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/snappower/instantly-turn-your-lightswitch-into-an-automatic" rel="noopener noreferrer">SwitchLight</a>.</p>

<p>A new report from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.strategyanalytics.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strategy Analytics</a> says Amazon's Alexa (pictured) took 88% of the global intelligent home speaker market in the fourth quarter of 2016.</p>

<p><strong><em>BLACK ENTERPRIS</em>E</strong> has released its listing of “The Most Powerful Women in Business,” as featured in the publication's January/February 2017 issue. Bozoma Saint John, head of Global Marketing, Apple Music, made the cut.</p>

<p>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>