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Apple iMac Pro goes on sale December 14th
Apple vowed to ship the iMac Pro in December, and it's making good on that promise. The company has confirmed that its workstation-grade all-in-one will be available on December 14th. It has yet to reveal the exact configuration options, but the $4,999 'starter' model ships with an 8-core Xeon processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of solid-state storage and a Radeon Vega Pro graphics chipset with 8GB of RAM. You can option it with up to an 18-core Xeon, 128GB of RAM, a 4TB SSD and a 16GB Vega chipset, although video creator Marques Brownlee notes that you'll have to wait until the new year for that 18-core beast.
Windows 10's 'Timeline' continuity tool arrives soon for Insiders
If you were bummed that this fall's Creators Update for Windows 10 didn't include Microsoft's version of Handoff, we feel you. But if you're a Windows Insider Program member, there's good news: Timeline will soon be available to folks in the Fast Ring. Cool, right?
Apple's iMac Pro may have hands-free Siri voice control
Those rumors of Apple using custom ARM chips for more features inside Macs? They're true... and you might not have to wait long to witness it in action. Jonathan Levin has combed through BridgeOS code that should accompany the iMac Pro, and it looks as if Apple will be using a cut-down version of the iPhone 7's A10 Fusion chip as a co-processor. While its full functionality isn't clear yet, developer Steve Troughton-Smith notes that the A10 appears to handle macOS' boot and security processes, such as passing firmware to the main Xeon processor and managing media copy protection. More importantly, Guilherme Rambo has found references to "hey Siri" support -- as with Cortana on Windows 10, you might not have to click an icon or invoke a keyboard shortcut just to ask about the weather.
Deezer brings lossless audio to the desktop with a new app
Music streaming service Deezer moved beyond Bose and Sonos speakers a couple of months ago in US markets, expanding its subscription offerings to pretty much everyone via a mobile app. Around the same time, Deezer opened up its HiFi tier to any speaker with Chromecast built-in. Now, the company is bringing exclusive video content and a free trial of Deezer's $20 per month HiFi service to a new desktop app for macOS and Windows.
Create and share Google Maps lists on the web from your desktop
This past February, Google made it possible to create lists of your favorite local spots in the Maps mobile app. A little later, the company added a sharing feature so you could send your lists to friends and family from your phone. Now Google is bringing the experience to your computer, as well.
Facebook's Workplace chat app brings screen sharing to the desktop
It seems like everyone wants to take on Slack these days when it comes to virtual office systems. The latest is Facebook, which, according to TechCrunch has quietly added screen sharing and released a desktop client to its Workplace chat app. The program is available for both Mac and PC, and this could signal that similar moves are en route to consumers. That could take a bit, though. As of now, the desktop client is in beta. The screen sharing feature allows for sharing your entire desktop, or just one specific app. Because, seriously, do you really want anyone at work to know you're playing with Facebook's Gameroom desktop app on the clock?
Download macOS High Sierra on September 25th
Come September 25th you'll be able to give macOS High Sierra a shot for yourself and see how little it (superficially) differs from the update that came before it.
Logitech’s MX speakers have motion-activated controls
Among Logitech's suite of releases this week comes MX Sound, billed as 'the first premium Bluetooth speaker for your desk'. An elegant design and quality audio output make them a nice addition to your workspace, but it's the features within that actually make them a really useful addition. Alongside the ol' 35mm jack, you can pair up to two devices via Bluetooth and seamlessly switch between them. Simply pause music on one device and hit play on the other for instant playback -- no fiddling around with settings. You won't forfeit sound from your PC either, so you can play audio through a Bluetooth-connected device without missing alerts and chimes from your desktop.
Skype’s new look arrives on the desktop in preview form
Skype is making a preview version of its new desktop design available for users to try out. Available today, Mac and non-Windows 10 PC users can download Skype Preview and see the new features that are in the works.
Canary improves livestream skills of its home security camera
Smart home security company Canary has unveiled a new range of features to make it easier to keep an eye on your home, including two-way audio, a web app and real-time monitoring. The updates join Canary's existing line of features which include intelligent security alerts, video playback, home health monitoring and incident support. First up is Canary Talk, which connects remote users to people (or pets, if that's your thing) inside the protected property through real-time conversation. This is usually called two-way audio, but Canary's offering allows multiple remote users to log in and chat simultaneously. This feature is available for Canary All-in-One devices today, and for Canary Flex come September.
Twitch's desktop streaming app is officially here
Twitch's desktop app is ready for primetime after spending a few months in beta. The company has just launched the full version of the application, and it comes with the various features it added to the original communications platform it acquired last year. In addition to being able to do whatever Twitch on the web can, the desktop app has exclusive offerings, such as a Dark Mode that makes watching streams easier on the eyes at night.
Google drops Instant Search to unify mobile and desktop queries
Google introduced the by-now familiar Instant Search back in 2010. The idea was to make searching faster by updating the results of your search in real time while you typed. Now the company is dropping the feature, according to SearchEngineLand, to bring it more in line with mobile search. The change is effective today.
HP hopes its new all-in-one PCs are style icons
With certain exceptions, HP's all-in-ones aren't what you'd call eye-catching. They're not ugly, but they aren't exactly conversation pieces. HP thinks it can change that: it's introducing revamped reversions of the Pavilion 24 and Pavilion 27 that actually look (dare we say it) pretty. Their edge-to-edge 1080p touchscreens, slimmer designs (as thin as 0.33 inches), distinctive stands and fabric-covered chins give them a slick minimalist look that would feel entirely at home alongside modern decor. The overhaul isn't as dramatic on the inside, but there are some definite improvements that could make them worth a look.
Box’s desktop app is fine for you, but better for businesses
When you think of cloud storage services, your mind probably drifts over Dropbox or Google Drive. You might not remember Box as well -- it was one of the earliest cloud providers out there and it's thriving today. Now, it's catching up with some of its biggest rivals in a notable way: it finally has a desktop app so you manage your entire Box archive sans web browser.
The iMac Pro puts a darker spin on a familiar design
The cylindrical Mac Pro was a gorgeous feat of engineering, but that beautiful design also made it tough for Apple to update it regularly with fresh components. No wonder Apple essentially ditched it -- with the newly announced iMac Pro, the company squeezed seriously high-end components into a familiar body. The company has gone as far as calling it the "most powerful Mac" ever, which seems at odds with the iMac Pro's classic, consumer-friendly aesthetic. After all, aside from the space gray finish, the iMac Pro looks a lot like a machine that would set you back less than $2,000.
Leak shows Microsoft's vision for Echo-like Windows PCs
Remember when word got out for Microsoft's Home Hub, a Windows 10 update that would effectively turn your PC into a souped-up Amazon Echo with shared info, across-the-room voice control and home automation? You now have an idea as to what it'll look like in practice. The Verge has obtained leaked conceptual images showing just what Home Hub will do. Sure enough, the welcome screen now has an always-available view of the family's calendar, notes and other collective knowledge. If your child has ballet practice, everyone will know. There's also a shared desktop, simple voice calling and smart home control for key devices (Hue, Insteon, Nest, SmartThings and Wink are on the short list).
SoundCloud's latest feature crafts playlists from fresh uploads
Soundcloud isn't like other music streaming services. Rather than offering the back catalogs of seemingly every musician on the planet, the service is more of a resource for one-offs, mash-ups and folks looking for unique tunes to put into their DJ sets. As a way to help you discover more of what's on its servers, SoundCloud has launched "The Upload." The features looks at what you've liked and played and delivers a daily playlist based on your listening history.
YouTube's latest redesign puts added focus on videos
Approximately 400 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. Soon, its desktop website will be getting a makeover to make combing through all those cute cat clips a bit easier.
Apple is making an iMac with pros in mind
When you think "pro desktop," you probably don't think of the iMac. You can get one with a pro-quality display and a high-end (consumer) processor that will do the job for many tasks, but you likely wouldn't buy one for massive 3D modeling or video projects. However, Apple might have you changing your mind before long. As part of a roundtable on the future of Mac desktops, the company's Phil Schiller has promised that there will be iMac configurations made "specifically with the pro customer in mind" later in 2017. And before you ask: no, this doesn't mean a touchscreen-centric design akin to Microsoft's Surface Studio.
Tinder on the desktop: Looking for love in another wrong place
Tinder has arrived to the desktop with Tinder Online, finally helping you find love (or sex) on the web without a smartphone or tablet. The dating site describes the web app as "your English professor's worst nightmare," letting you seek partners where your mobile phone normally can't go, like work or a classroom. The company also sees it as a way to attract users from developing nations who lack decent wireless connectivity or "don't have enough memory to support Tinder on their mobile phones."
