Steve Sande

<p><span>Macworld/iWorld may be a thing of the past, but that's not keeping Apple fans down. There are always local gatherings at user groups where you can feel the Apple love, a number of tech conferences like </span><a target="_blank" href="http://macitconf.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacIT</a><span> and the </span><a target="_blank" href="http://acesconf.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">ACES Conference</a><span>, and then there are regional conferences like the </span><a target="_blank" href="http://macstockconferenceandexpo.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Macstock Conference & Expo</a><span>. The latter is coming up next month in Woodstock, IL (hence the name) on June 20, with a full panel of speakers from the Mac and Apple podcasting community.</span></p>

<p style="margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px">mrow!</p><p>My name is Pippin, and my human is Steve who you know from this website. I'm a little over a year old and I'm a cat, so Steve asked me to write about this thing called <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGWN8O8/appwortod-20/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Petcube</a> ($199, affiliate link) that I let him play with. It's a little hard typing by walking around on this keyboard thingy, but Steve said he'd edit what I wrote so here goes...</p>

<p><span>The ultimate in laziness has just arrived, courtesy of DIRECTV and your Apple Watch. No more do you have to stretch your arm to pick up the remote -- now just a tap on your wrist will control your satellite TV viewing. The </span><a target="_blank" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/directv/id307386350?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer">DIRECTV iPhone App</a><span> (free) now has a Watch companion that serves as a remote control that also just happens to tell time and do a lot of other amazing things, too -- like tell you to get off of the couch hourly and move around.</span></p>

<p>Here are some of the best free apps, app updates and new apps that have landed in the App Store recently. Today’s notable apps include a 50% off discount on DataMan Next, the new Redacted OS X app and a notable update to Droplr. All app prices are USD and subject to change. Some deals may expire quickly, so grab them while you can.</p>

<p><span>One market that seems to be quite saturated with different devices is that of chargers and battery packs for smartphones and tablets. Fortunately, there are still companies that take on the challenge and one of them -- </span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.thinkbym.com/#1" rel="noopener noreferrer">designed by many</a><span> -- is seeking funding on Indiegogo for a new device it refers to as the NFTY PL+S that wants to be "the last charging solution and battery bank you will ever need."</span></p>

<p>The last time I texted Taylor, he was walking towards the plumes of smoke. He estimated they were about an hour away, but depending on the force of gravity wherever he is, that could be off. He said he'll text back when he arrives. In the meantime, I'm thinking about him.</p><p>Anticipation is part of the fun of <a href="http://3mingames.com">Lifeline</a>, ($2.99, universal, with support for Apple Watch), an interactive fiction game from 3 Minute Games. </p>

<p>It’s time to save some of your hard-earned money with our <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/?tag=deals">Daily Deals</a>, featuring exclusive deals for AWT readers, hardware discounts and our own handpicked iOS and OS X sales. All prices are USD and subject to change. Please check prices before you purchase as some deals may expire quickly.</p>

<p>It’s time to save some of your hard-earned money with our <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/?tag=deals" rel="noopener noreferrer">Daily Deals</a>, featuring exclusive deals for AWT readers, hardware discounts and our own handpicked iOS and OS X sales. All prices are USD and subject to change. Please check prices before you purchase as some deals may expire quickly.</p>

<p>Here are some of the best free apps, app updates and new apps that have landed in the App Store recently. Today’s notable apps include a discount on Toca Nature, the new Goat Simulator GoatZ game and a notable update to PhotoSync. All app prices are USD and subject to change. Some deals may expire quickly, so grab them while you can.</p>

Today on the AWT News Update:Under the terms of an agreement Comcast made when it took over NBCUniversal in 2011,...

<p>For years, the hardest part of buying a phone was selecting the model you were willing to look at every 30 seconds for the next two years. It's a habit that makes people crazy. Here's the setup I'm using that allows me to receive all the notifications I want without driving my companions to a homicidal rage.</p>

<p><span>An Apple TV can be a fantastic classroom tool, as long as you tweak the settings just right. Tony Vincent explains exactly how -- and much more -- </span><a href="http://learninginhand.com/blog/appletv">in this terrific post</a><span> at </span><a href="http://learninginhand.com">Learning in Hand</a><span>.</span></p>

<p><span>Scientists at UC Berkley believe that </span><a href="https://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2015/05/06/video-cellscope-automates-detection-of-parasites/">a blood parasite detector comprised of an iPhone, a 3D-printed box, an Arduino, some software and other simple parts</a><span> could benefit may people in the poorest parts of Africa. </span></p>

<p style="margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px">What's the right call for lunch with Apple CEO Tim Cook: shirt untucked or tucked?</p><p>The winner of <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/05/06/lunch-keynote-with-apple-ceo-tim-cook-raises-200k-for-charity">a recent CharityBuzz auction</a> has the pleasure of obsessing over the answer, as his or her winning bid of $200,000 has won them lunch with Cook at Apple in Cupertino, plus VIP passes to a future keynote address, delivered by the CEO.</p>

<p><span>While sales of Apple's iPhones and Macs have been breaking records, the five-year-old iPad has been experiencing a slump. Apple appears to be trying to counteract the downward trend with a new mini-site that's been published online showing how the iPad can be used and positively influence the lives of users.</span></p>