Steve Sande

<p>Those who have read Apple World Today for any length of time know that I have a real fondness for 360° spherical VR cameras. Combined with viewing the photos or video on a smartphone or tablet and just moving it around in space, or using a VR headset to view the content, they immerse the viewer in a complete spherical image -- it's just like being there! A new Kickstarter is underway to manufacture the world's first interchangeable 4K 360° & 3D camera -- the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/473370515/qoocam-worlds-first-interchangeable-4k-360-and-3d?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=Qoocam" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kandao QooCam</a>. </p>

<p>We get a <em>lot</em> of email, and some of it comes in the form of questions from readers. Now, while some of those questions may seem simple and easy to answer, it's obvious that many readers are afraid to ask us the same questions! In this new "Reader Email" series, I'll list some of the questions that we've received and answer them in the most straightforward terms possible.</p>

<p>Do you have an iPhone and iPad? Perhaps you're the "tech support" person in your family who needs to make sure that all of those devices are backed up, loaded with music and videos, and so on. DigiDNA's <a href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/imazing-2-universal-license-for-mac-windows-2?utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=imazing-2-universal-license-for-mac-windows-2_050218&utm_term=scsf-285478&utm_content=a0x1a000003nNQB&scsonar=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iMazing 2</a> is considered one of the best apps for managing iOS devices, and today you can get a universal license that works on Mac and Windows for only $24.99 -- 68% off of the suggested retail price.</p>

<p>It's May, time to start keeping an eye out for severe weather, mow your lawn, and get ready for summer coming next month. Today's stories:</p><ul data-rte-list="default"><li><p>The Apple Watch is credited with saving another life...but this time it wasn't the owner's heart that was having problems</p></li><li><p>Olloclip has released the Connect X Lens System for the iPhone X</p></li><li><p>The Lumos Smart Bike Helmet gets additional HealthKit and Apple Watch integration, and is available in Apple retail stores</p></li><li><p>The third betas of the latest versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS are now available to developers</p></li></ul>

<p>Wow, this is the last Monday of the month of April, 2018...which will never be seen again. What happened on this unique date in history? </p><ul data-rte-list="default"><li><p>A well-known Apple analyst steps down from his post, leaving a void in the world of Apple rumors</p></li><li><p>Sprint and T-Mobile have announced that they're engaged to be married. We're not sure when the nuptials will be held, but they're expecting a 5G network</p></li><li><p>Cross-platform writing app Bear got a nice update today, and you can now publish ebooks from Bear if that's what you want to do</p></li></ul>

<p>We get a <em>lot</em> of email, and some of it comes in the form of questions from readers. Now, while some of those questions may seem simple and easy to answer, it's obvious that many readers are afraid to ask us the same questions! In this new "Reader Questions" series, I'll list some of the questions that we've received and answer them in the most straightforward terms possible.</p>

<p>We've been hearing a lot about Apple working on augmented/virtual reality glasses that could be on our heads as soon as 2020. There are VR/AR helmets like the units from Oculus and HTC, and then there's this: the HMDS (helmet-mounted display system) used by pilots of the F-35 Lightning II jet fighter.</p>

<p>Last August, I reviewed the <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2017/8/3/tidying-up-with-the-iphone-controlled-ecovacs-deebot-n79-vacuum-cleaning-robot" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deebot N79 from Ecovacs</a>, an iPhone-controlled robot vacuum with a bargain price and excellent cleaning capabilities. It gained a 5-star rating here on Apple World Today, and is still cleaning my floors -- carpet, hardwood and tile -- perfectly. The $225 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XVXRYTM/appwortod01-20/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ecovacs Deebot N79</a> seemed like the perfect, fairly-low-cost robot vacuum, until Ecovacs updated the N79 to become the $250 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B077HW9XM7/appwortod01-20/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ecovacs Deebot N79S</a>. What's the difference, other than the addition of the letter "S" to the name? Alexa connectivity.</p>

<p>Designers of iPhone charging docks can sometimes go a bit crazy on adding all sorts of unnecessary crud to the docks when all you need is something that is going to charge your iPhone. If you're a fan of minimalist design like me, then you're going to love the <a href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/hoverdock-for-iphone?utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=hoverdock-for-iphone_043018&utm_term=scsf-285476&utm_content=a0x1a000003nNQ1&scsonar=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Just Mobile HoverDock for iPhone</strong></a>, which is on sale today in the Apple World Today Deals Shop for $25.</p>

<p>Yeahhhh, we all have our Retina and Super-Retina displays, along with processors and GPUs that rival supercomputers from just a decade ago. But we owe all of this to the successes of the early pioneering computers like the Apple II. YouTuber <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/applemctom" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleMcTom</a> put together this wonderful little video of 50 Apple II Games in 2 minutes.</p>

<p>Happy Friday! Today's podcast has a fun story about Apple's rumored AR/VR headset that may arrive in 2020, what Apple says you should look for in a Wi-Fi router now that it's no longer making them, and news about a fun Apple Music deal:</p><p>Dual 8K displays blasting your eyes with augmented or virtual reality? A WiGig connection to a powerful but lightweight computer? That's what may be in store for us in 2020 with Apple's rumored AR/VR headset</p><ul data-rte-list="default"><li><p>Apple has published a recommendation on what prospective Wi-Fi router buyers should look for</p></li><li><p>Apple's giving away another month of free music to those who have been on the three-month Apple Music trial but haven't signed up. The deal goes through May 27</p></li></ul>

<p>Need a virtual private network (VPN)? Most people are beginning to realize the benefits of using a VPN to secure their privacy on the Internet. Today we've got a deal on TigerVPN, one of the top-rated VPNs according to Verified Reviews (4.7 out of 5 stars) and a company that's been featured on Engadget, CNET, The Next Web and many other websites. <a target="_blank" href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/tigervpn-lifetime-subscription-3?utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tigervpn-lifetime-subscription-3_042718&utm_term=scsf-284730&utm_content=a0x1a000003NJSO&scsonar=1" rel="noopener noreferrer">This deal gives you a lifetime of access to TigerVPN for just $34.99</a>.</p>

<p>It's Thursday, so we'll look at one throwback that failed but has been reborn, some updates to Apple Maps, and how Tim and Donald got along:</p><ul data-rte-list="default"><li><p>Apple Maps received some good updates during the month, including several indoor airport maps, lane guidance for some European countries, and public transit instructions for five US states</p></li><li><p>Tim Cook and Donald Trump had a productive meeting yesterday, with Cook lauding the tax cuts and tax reform, saying that Apple will be investing in the USA</p></li><li><p>Remember the flop that was Snapchat Spectacles? Well, Spectacles 2 are out today, with some new features that might make them popular.</p></li></ul>

<p>As a person who has covered the Apple ecosystem for a long, long time, it really surprised me that I didn’t know about <a href="http://micro.blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Micro.blog</a>. It’s a service and set of apps (web, iOS and Mac) developed by longtime Apple developer Manton Reece to give microbloggers — those who write short posts on services like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook — more control over their writing. I’ve been playing with Micro.blog recently, and thought it would be a good topic for review since many of our readers are looking for ways to have control of what they’re sending out on the Internet.</p>

<p>Today's podcast has some bragging points for iOS device owners to lord over their Android-owning buddies, word about a new malware variant that's pretending to be an Adobe Flash Player installer, and your new Lexus may have Apple CarPlay (but no touchscreen):</p><ul data-rte-list="default"><li><p>76% of all iOS devices are now running iOS 11 with another 19% running iOS 10. Compare that to the tiny 0.5% of all Android devices running Android 8.1 Oreo...</p></li><li><p>Malwarebytes found a nasty little malware variant that pretends to be an Adobe Flash Player installer. Hint - don't use Flash</p></li><li><p>The 2019 Lexus US luxury sedan will come with CarPlay, but uses a trackpad instead of a touchscreen as a user interface</p></li></ul>