Technology

Instagram is Testing a Flatter, Simpler Design for iPhone App Instagram has selected a group of users to test a version of its app with an overhauled design, which can be seen in a series of screenshots sent to  MacRumors . Unlike the previous Instagram design, which utilizes a white feed bookended by blue and black borders and blue accents, the new design features a more monochromatic look.  The new color scheme appears to be part of an effort to help photos, specifically color photos, pop more in a user's feed. The icons have also undergone design changes. The camera button on the bottom bar is no longer singled out with a blue box around it, and the camera button in camera mode is now a grey ring rather than a blue circle. The activity button on the bottom bar is a simple heart rather than a heart in a speech bubble and the profile button on the bottom is the outline of a person rather than a user's photo.  Instagram tells  Mashable  that the c

Apple today provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming 9.2.1 update to tvOS, the operating system designed to run on the fourth-generation   Apple TV . Today's beta comes one week after   tvOS 9.2.1 beta 2 . tvOS 9.2.1 has been in testing since April 6.   tvOS 9.2.1 is a minor update that comes more than a month after the launch of tvOS 9.2, a significant update introducing features like Bluetooth keyboard support, dictation,   Sir i search for the  App Store , app folders, and more.  tvOS betas are more difficult to install than beta updates for iOS and OS X. Installing the tvOS beta requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes or Apple Configurator. Those who have already installed the first two tvOS 9.2.1 betas will be able to update to the third beta over the air.  As a minor 9.x.x update, tvOS 9.2.1 appears to focus on bug fixes and performance improvem

Apple announced the first update to its ultra-thin 12-inch Retina MacBook line on April 19, 2016, introducing faster processors, better graphics, improved battery life, and a new Rose Gold color option for the machine. First introduced in March of 2015, the MacBook is a new product line that is distinct  from the existing MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro lineups, featuring Apple's  thinnest, lightest Mac product  to date with terraced battery technology and a fanless design enabled by low-power Core M processors. Measuring in at  13.1mm  thick, the MacBook is 24 percent thinner than the MacBook  Air, and it  weighs just two pounds , lighter than both the 2.38 pound 11-inch  MacBook Air and the 2.96 pound 13-inch MacBook Air. It has a  12-inch Retina  display  with a resolution of 2304 x 1440. The second-generation MacBook continues to use the same design as the original  version, featuring a full-size edge-to-edge keyboard with a speaker grille

The current version of watchOS is watchOS 2.2, which was  released to the public  on  March 21, 2016. WatchOS 2.2, along with iOS 9.3, introduces support for pairing  multiple Apple Watches with a single iPhone. Both updates are required, and each watch paired with an iPhone running iOS 9.3 must have watchOS 2.2 installed. There are few other outward-facing changes included in watchOS 2.2, but the update  brings improvements and a new look to the built-in Maps app. Maps now supports the  Nearby feature first introduced with iOS 9, helping users find local points of interest,  and it has new buttons for quickly accessing directions to home and work. Along with multi-watch support and a revamped Maps app, watchOS 2.2 also brings  under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes. Apple Watch updates can be downloaded through the Watch app on the iPhone by  going to General -> Software Update. To install an update, the Apple Watch must  have 5

The "iPhone 5se" was the name rumored for Apple's 4-inch iPhone before it launched  on March 21, 2016 as the "iPhone SE." The iPhone SE combines the body of the  iPhone 5s with many of the internals of the iPhone 6s, such as the A9 processor and  12-megapixel camera, resulting in a powerful but compact device. For details on the  iPhone SE, make sure to  check out our full iPhone SE roundup . The information remaining in the iPhone 5se roundup reflects the rumors that circulated about the 4-inch iPhone before its debut. 4-inch iPhone Rumors Since the launch of the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in September of 2014,  there have been rumors suggesting Apple plans to introduce a new 4-inch device  aimed at those who want something both more affordable and smaller in size. Despite  rumors, no new device materialized in 2015, but as of 2016, rumors have ramped up  and it appears a new 4-inch iPhone will launch in Marc