What Our 18 Favorite Cartoon Characters Would Look Like When They Grew Up

Watch this little robot transform to get the job done – TechCrunch

Robots just want to get things done, but it’s frustrating when their rigid bodies simply don’t allow them to do so. Solution: bodies that can be reconfigured on the fly! Sure, it’s probably bad news for humanity in the long run, but in the meantime it makes for fascinating research. A team of graduate students from Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania made this idea their focus

Snapchat’s PR firm sues influencer for not promoting Spectacles on Instagram – TechCrunch

Influencer marketing could get a lot more accountable if Snapchat’s PR firm wins this lawsuit. Snapchat hoped that social media stars promoting v2 of its Spectacles camera sunglasses on its biggest competitor could boost interest after it only sold 220,000 of v1 and had to take a $40 million write-off. Instead, Snap comes off looking a little desperate to make Spectacles seem cool. Snap Inc.

A Brazilian Artist Adds His Drawings to Instagram Users’ Photos, and the Results Are Hilarious

Twitter tests homescreen button to easily switch to reverse chronological – TechCrunch

Twitter is digging one of its most important new features out of its settings and putting it within easy reach. Twitter is now testing with a small number of iOS users a homescreen button that lets you instantly switch from its algorithmic timeline that shows the best tweets first but out of order to the old reverse chronological feed that only shows people you follow — no tweets liked by

Fitbit earnings beat expectations on strength of smartwatch sales – TechCrunch

Fitbit is slowly righting its financial ship, courtesy of a successful push into smartwatch category. The wearable company reported a profit (when adjusted for items such as stock-based compensation) thanks to growing sales in the new category.    Total revenues rose slightly to $393.6 million in the third quarter compared with the same period last year. The company did report a loss this

Scared to trade stocks? Titan algorithmically invests for you – TechCrunch

Titan could put an end to stock market FOMO. The app chooses the best 20 stocks by scraping top hedge fund data, adds some shorts based on your personal risk profile and puts your money to work. No worrying about market fluctuations or constantly rebalancing your portfolio. You don’t have to do anything, but can get smarter about stocks thanks to its in-app explanations and research reports.

New 2018 MacBook Air Shown Off in Unboxing Videos on YouTube

Following the introduction of new iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini models at yesterday’s event, Apple provided some YouTubers with MacBook Air review units, and the first unboxing videos are now available. For its last several product releases, Apple has been providing early review units to smaller YouTubers, a strategy that lets us get opinions on the new device from less mainstream sources.

20 Photos Proving Fathers Are Girls’ Best Friends

Switzerland suspends arms export to Saudi over Khashoggi case | Saudi Arabia News

Switzerland has halted the delivery of spare weapon parts to Saudi Arabia, citing concern over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. Fabian Maienfisch, spokesman of the economic affairs department, told AFP news agency on Wednesday that Bern would follow developments and potentially reverse the decision in the future. The Swiss government

Waymo can go driverless in California – TechCrunch

The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 9am Pacific, you can subscribe here: 1. Waymo, take the wheel: Self-driving cars go fully driverless on California roads The Alphabet-owned company has been testing on public roads for years now. But this permit, issued by the California

iOS 12 is Now Installed on 63% of Active Devices From the Last Four Years

A month and a half after release, Apple’s iOS 12 operating system is installed on 63 percent of active devices released over the course of the last four years, according to updated iOS 12 installation statistics shared on the App Store support page for developers. Following the release of iOS 12, Apple has been sharing details on installation rates in a new way, providing information on both

Consumers spent $329M on the top 10 subscription video apps last quarter – TechCrunch

Last year, the top subscription video apps like Netflix and Hulu raked in a combined $781 million, and that trend is showing no sign of slowing down in 2018. In the third quarter of 2018, U.S. consumers spent an estimated $329 million in the top 10 subscription video-on-demand apps across the App Store and Google Play – a figure that’s up 15 percent from the $285 million spent in Q1. The data is

21 Designers Who Put Their Hearts Into Their Inventions

How the Apple Watch changed the world – TechCrunch

In 2015 Switzerland was fucked. This blunt belief, grunted out by Apple’s Jony Ive and repeated by the media as a death knell for the watch industry, seemed to define a sad truth: that the Swiss watch was dead and Apple pulled the trigger. Now, three years and four Apple Watches later, was Ive right? Did Apple change the world? And, most importantly, did Switzerland survive? As you might have

Apple’s New MacBook Disconnects Microphone “Physically” When Lid is Closed

Apple introduces a new privacy feature for all new MacBooks that “at some extent” will prevent hackers and malicious applications from eavesdropping on your conversations. Apple’s custom T2 security chip in the latest MacBooks includes a new hardware feature that physically disconnects the MacBook’s built-in microphone whenever the user closes the lid, the company revealed yesterday at its

Nomad releases a stunning wireless charging pad with Apple Watch dock – TechCrunch

With Apple’s AirPower still missing in action, the Apple accessory ecosystem has been attempting to fill the need with similar products. Some of these third party products are better than others, and the new Base Station from Nomad looks to be the best of them all. The Base Station does two things. One, it wireless charges up to three mobile devices. Two, it charges an Apple Watch through an

This gadget adds two USB 3.0 ports to Apple’s power adapter – TechCrunch

This is clever. Made by HyperDrive, the USB-C Hub slips onto an Apple USB-C power adapter and adds two USB 3.0 ports. That’s all. I love it and it addresses a major shortcoming of Apple’s current notebook lineup. Apple ditched full size USB ports in favor of the versatile USB-C. It makes sense on some levels. USB-C supports nearly every bus format available but there are still a bunch of devices

15 Heartwarming Photos of Humans That Grew Old With Their Fur Family

Apple pulls WatchOS 4.1 update after it bricked some Apple Watches – TechCrunch

PSA: If you’re an Apple Watch owner who is having trouble finding the shiny new WatchOS 4.1 update that Apple just shipped, it isn’t quite ready yet. Apple initially shipped the update on Tuesday alongside iOS 12.1, but it quickly pulled it hours later following reports that it bricked some Series 4 watches. A number of customers affected took to Reddit and Twitter to warn of the issues, which

The Google Home Hub is deeply insecure – TechCrunch

Security advocate Jerry Gamblin has posted a set of instructions – essentially basic lines of XML – that can easily pull important information off of the Google Home Hub and, in some cases, temporarily brick the device. The Home Hub, which is essentially an Android tablet attached to a speaker, is designed to act as an in-room Google Assistant. This means it connects to Wi-Fi (and allows you to

‘Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition’ Coming to Mac Next Year

Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition is coming to Mac next year. The critically acclaimed role-playing game from Larian Studios featured in yesterday’s Apple event in New York, where Apple unveiled new Macs and iPad Pros. The RPG title is being developed in partnership with Mac porting studio Elverils and Apple’s Metal engineering team, and promises to feature all the content from the PC

25 Photos That Prove Men Are Experts at Spending Time Wisely

Iraq looks to snuff out ISIL remnants in remote Anbar province | ISIS/ISIL News

Al Qaim, Iraq – The vast Anbar desert stretches across almost a third of Iraq, 138,000 square-kilometres of no man’s land to the country’s west. Here, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL, also known as ISIS) sleeper cells use the remote area’s mountain ranges, valleys and caves to plan and launch their attacks from. The Iraqi military and US-led coalition are hesitant to give

7 Simple Butt Exercises for Strong and Shapely Glutes

The Tissot Seastar 1000 is a low-cost and high-quality Swiss diver – TechCrunch

In the pantheon of watches there are a few that stand out. Looking for your first automatic watch? Pick up a Seiko Orange Monster. Looking for a piece with a little history? The Omega Speedmaster is your man. Looking for an entry-level Swiss diver that won’t break the bank? Tissot’s Seastar has always had you covered. The latest version of the Seastar is an interesting catch. A few years ago

Zuckerberg says the future is sharing via 100B messages & 1B Stories/day – TechCrunch

The News Feed won’t sustain Facebook forever, and that’s scaring investors. Today on Facebook’s earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg stressed that sharing is shifting to private chat, where people send 100 billion messages per day on Facebook’s family of apps, and Stories, where he says people share 1 billion of these slideshows per day (though it’s unclear if that includes third-party apps like

I Gave Up Smoking and Drinking, and Here’s How It Changed My Life

Apple ditches the headphone jack on latest iPad Pro models – TechCrunch

The headphone jack is missing from the latest versions of the iPad Pro. It’s gone. Dead. Worse yet, the headphones that come with the iPhone will not work either. Apple ditched Lightning for USB-C. Instead, Apple is selling a USB-C to 3.5mm dongle for $9. The latest iPad Pro models follows the trend lines set by the iPhone. Just like on the iPhone, the Home Button is missing, and the headphone

Siri Shortcuts app gets updated with weather, alarms, timers and more – TechCrunch

Alongside today’s announcements of new iPads and Mac, Apple also rolled out an updated version of its Siri Shortcuts app. The app, first introduced at WWDC, arrived with iOS 12 as a way to unlock Siri’s potential by allowing users to create their own custom voice commands and workflows. Now, it can do a few new things, too – including setting alarms and timers, getting the latest weather, and

Google Pixel 3 XL users are getting twice the notch, thanks to a bug – TechCrunch

Over the past two years, the notch moved from anomaly to fact of life, and no company has proven itself more pro-notch than Google. From its embrace of #notchlife in Android Pie to the downright gigantic one found up top on the Pixel 3 XL, Google’s really notchin’ it up. In fact, as noted by Android Police, the Pixel 3 XL has a notch so nice, Google’s delivering it twice. A number of owners have

Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile Won’t Support eSIM Until Later This Year

Apple today released iOS 12.1 with support for the digital eSIM that will allow for dual-SIM functionality on the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, but eSIM support isn’t going to be immediately available from U.S. carriers. AT&T, for example, is telling customers that eSIM activations are being delayed until later in the year due to technical issues in part related to Visual Voicemail. According to one

19 Photos That Can Make You Forget About Everyday Problems

New iPhone Passcode Bypass Found Hours After Apple Releases iOS 12.1

It’s only been a few hours since Apple releases iOS 12.1 and an iPhone enthusiast has managed to find a passcode bypass hack, once again, that could allow anyone to see all contacts’ private information on a locked iPhone. Jose Rodriguez, a Spanish security researcher, contacted The Hacker News and confirmed that he discovered an iPhone passcode bypass bug in the latest version of its iOS

The iPad finally moves to USB-C – TechCrunch

Lightning had a good run, but it’s time to switch everything to USB-C. Apple finally dropped the Lightning port with the new iPad Pro. And the USB-C port is much more versatile than Lightning. For instance, you can plug a 5K display to your iPad Pro and show some video on the external display. It’s still unclear how it’s going to work when it comes to software, but it opens up a lot

Can Apple finish 2018 on a high note? We’ll find out Thursday – TechCrunch

Apple (NASDAQ: APPL) has had a great 2018. Even as the other FAANG stocks slumped, the trillion-dollar electronics company has continually satisfied Wall Street with quarter-over-quarter revenue growth. But will Apple’s momentum continue after it reports its fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday? The consensus, so far, is yes. Apple is expected to post revenue of $61.43 billion (earnings per share

Denmark recalls ambassador to Iran over alleged foiled ‘attack’ | Denmark News

Denmark has recalled its ambassador to Iran after it accused Tehran of plotting a foiled “attack” against three Iranians living in the Scandinavian country. “I have decided to recall Denmark’s ambassador in Tehran for consultations…Denmark can in no way accept that people with ties to Iran’s intelligence service plot attacks against people in Denmark,” Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen

Google’s Gboard now lets you create a set of emoji that look like you – TechCrunch

Last summer, Google introduced its own take on Bitmoji with the launch of “Mini” stickers in its keyboard app, Gboard, which leverage machine learning to create illustrated stickers based on your selfie. Today, Google is expanding the Mini Stickers with the launch of what it calls “Emoji Minis” – meaning, emoji-sized stickers that look like you. Similar to the initial launch of Mini stickers,

13 Gadget Charging Tips That Can Save Your Life

Up close and hands-on with the new MacBook Air – TechCrunch

Why, it seems like only yesterday that Steve Jobs first pulled the MacBook Air from a manila envelope for the world to see. It wasn’t, of course — that was 10 years ago this January. In that past decade, the ultraportable laptop has become a massive hit for the company, helping to redefine the notebook space. But the world moves on, of course. In fact, that was kind of a theme at today’s big

Apple introduces a new magnetic Apple Pencil – TechCrunch

Apple is borrowing some ideas from the competition with the second-generation Apple Pencil with a flat edge. The most exciting thing is that you won’t lose it in your backpack anymore as it uses magnets just like your smart cover. You can attach it to the tablet and it won’t get in the way if you’re using it in landscape. Even better, you no longer need to remove a cap to plug it to the

Windows 10 Bug Let UWP Apps Access All Files Without Users’ Consent

Microsoft silently patched a bug in its Windows 10 operating system with the October 2018 update (version 1809) that allowed Microsoft Store apps with extensive file system permission to access all files on users’ computers without their consent. With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced a common platform, called Universal Windows Platform (UWP), that allows apps to run on any device running

Apple Releases iOS 12.1 With eSIM Support, Real-Time Depth Control, Group FaceTime, New Emoji and More

Apple today released iOS 12.1, the first major update to the iOS 12 operating system designed for the iPhone and the iPad. iOS 12.1 comes more than a month after the September release of iOS 12 and a few weeks after iOS 12.0.1, a bug fix update. The update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings -> General -> Software Update. As

Long-awaited brand-new MacBook Air finally gets retina display and Touch ID – TechCrunch

MacBook Air fans aren’t hard to find. Although I admit to being a bit skeptical at its introduction, the laptop grew from an underpowered runt to an underappreciated workhorse over the years. But the design has hardly changed in the decade (!) since it came out — at least until today’s Apple event, when the company took the wraps off a totally redesigned Air with a retina display and Touch ID —

20+ Times Outdoor Advertising Was Taken to the Next Level

There are now 100 million Macs in use – TechCrunch

During its press event in Brooklyn, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared some numbers on the Mac in particular. The active install base of all Macs is currently 100 million. “People love the Mac and they use it to create all kinds of amazing things every day,” Cook said. Obviously this number is much smaller than the iPhone install base, but it’s also a smaller market overall. More important than the

The new iPad Pro features less bezel, larger screens and USB-C – TechCrunch

Here it is, the latest iPad Pro. A refreshed version of Apple’s highest-end tablet is, as anticipated, the centerpiece for today’s big event in Brooklyn. The new tablet marks what is arguable the most radical departure for the line from a design perspective, since the line rolled out some eight and a half years ago. The “all new” iPad takes more than a few design cues from the iPhone line,

Live from Apple’s iPad event – TechCrunch

In the words of three of our greatest philosophers, “no sleep ’til Brooklyn.” That goes double for all of you West Coasters, because today’s Apple event is kicking off bright and early at 10AM ET/7AM PT. It’s been just over a month since the last big Apple hardware event, but it seems the company still has plenty to announce ahead of the holidays. Expect today’s big event at the Brooklyn

26 Things People Didn’t Expect to Face During Their Travels

Apple Store Down Ahead of Today’s Event in New York City

Apple has taken down its online store ahead of today’s event in New York, scheduled to begin 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilman Opera House. Apple’s October event will focus on products not introduced at the iPhone-centric event in September. On that occasion, Apple failed to take down its sitemap XML leading up to the event, resulting in a raft of major leaks