Month: August 2024

Apple celebrates America’s national parks with an Apple Pay donation campaign and new ways to explore with Apple Maps

Apple Inc August 21, 2024 0

Apple celebrates America’s national parks with an Apple Pay donation campaign and new ways to explore with Apple Maps

Today through August 25, Apple will donate $10 to the National Park Foundation for each purchase made through Apple using Apple Pay

As the U.S. National Park Service marks its 108th birthday this week, Apple is celebrating with more ways to support and experience America’s parks. Today through August 25, Apple will make a $10 donation to the National Park Foundation for every purchase made with Apple Pay on apple.com, in the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store in the U.S.¹ Additionally, this fall, Apple Maps will make it even easier for users to explore national parks with details for thousands of hikes.

For eight years, Apple has engaged customers in support for the National Park Foundation as part of the company’s long-standing efforts to protect and connect communities to America’s national parks. This includes sharing content and resources across Apple platforms that bring users closer to these treasured places, from the “Nature Awaits” playlist on Apple Music now playing in retail stores across the country, to over 30 Apple Maps Guides curated by the National Park Foundation.

“Every time I visit a national park, I’m struck by their extraordinary beauty and incredibly rich history,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’re proud to partner with the National Park Foundation to help preserve these natural treasures that inspire so many people. Their important work helps ensure that future generations will be able to experience that same sense of awe, wonder, and reverence for the planet we call home.”

Supporting the Next Generation of Park Champions

The National Park Foundation funds programs across the country that ensure America’s national parks remain a place where nature can thrive and visitors can learn and explore. Programs like Field Science and ParkVentures are creating pathways for youth to engage in immersive learning experiences and explore STEM career paths, while addressing barriers to access and engagement with parks. For example, Apple’s support has helped fund the EcoLogik Institute’s important work to foster the next generation of park champions.

This summer, in collaboration with Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego, California, the organization is supporting young explorers and scientists ages 10 to 16 — empowering them to discover and deepen their connection to nature and see themselves as scientists, engineers, innovators, and leaders who can make a difference. Through apprenticeships and other work experiences, participants gain valuable on-the-ground experience in natural resources science career fields.

For 17-year-old Addison Shapiro, the experience at EcoLogik camp was transformative and evolved into new opportunities to engage in fieldwork and support species monitoring surveys at Cabrillo. “EcoLogik has given me an amazing community,” said Addison. “I’ve made so many lifelong friends and met inspiring women in STEM who have not only broadened my perspective, but also motivated me to pursue a career in the life sciences.”

“By investing in the interest and passion of young women and girls who want to explore careers in STEM, we can empower them to become the next generation of environmental stewards,” said Will Shafroth, the National Park Foundation’s president and CEO. “The EcoLogik Institute’s project is proof that when we nurture a love of science, provide access to national parks, and equip young women like Addison with the tools to succeed, they will see their potential come to life. With the support of Apple, together we’re creating a future where every girl can see herself as the next scientist, park ranger, and other endless aspirations.”

New Ways to Enjoy and Explore National Parks

This fall, Apple Maps will introduce new features to help users explore the world. Across U.S. national parks, users will be able to browse thousands of hikes in Maps — filtered by length, elevation, and route type — and follow along with turn-by-turn guidance. In addition, users across the U.S. can explore topographic maps on iPhone with contour lines, trail details, and more. They can also build custom walking routes to tailor their adventures to their personal preferences, whether for a steep, uphill climb or a leisurely walk in nature. All national park hikes and custom routes can be saved and accessed offline while away from cell service or Wi‑Fi.

This week, Apple users can celebrate the nature, history, and heritage of national parks at home or while exploring. On August 25, Apple Watch users around the world can earn a limited-edition award and animated stickers for Messages by recording any workout of 20 minutes or more.

Apple’s efforts to help people enjoy and access national parks are part of the company’s broader global commitment to support communities and protect the planet. Today, Apple is carbon neutral across its global corporate operations, and is making significant progress toward Apple 2030: the company’s ambitious goal to be carbon neutral across the entire supply chain and lifetime use of every product by the end of this decade.

Donations are limited to a maximum of $1 million.

College students head to campus with Mac and iPad

Apple Inc August 20, 2024 0

College students head to campus with Mac and iPad

This month, students around the world are heading off to college, ready for the next chapter of their academic careers and beyond. As many delve into the intricacies of fields as varied as organic chemistry, the visual arts, and medicine, they’re trusting Apple’s ecosystem of products to power through their days. From creating apps, to taking bio notes, designing presentations, and editing video projects, college students turn to Mac and iPad for their longevity, portability, and reliability.

And with the rollout of Apple Intelligence — the personal intelligence system that puts powerful generative models at the core of Mac, iPad, and iPhone while setting a new standard for privacy — this fall, they’ll have even more tools to tackle the increasing demands of their fields.¹

“My MacBook Air goes with me everywhere I go and excels at all the work I demand from it, whether running AutoCAD to design a new machine, taking notes for organic chemistry, or building my next app in Xcode — MacBook Air unlocks completely new possibilities for me,” explains Brayden Gogis, a rising junior at Taylor University in Indiana and a three-time Swift Student Challenge winner who is studying mechanical engineering and biochemistry.

Research shows that students’ course of study plays a major role in choosing their primary device. In fact, 65 percent said this was an important factor, according to data from Futuresource Consulting. Below, three students majoring in STEM fields share why they have made Mac and iPad their trusted campus companions.

After attending the University of Notre Dame in Indiana for her undergraduate studies, Yoora Jung is now in her second year of medical school at Touro University California in the San Francisco Bay Area.

A longtime user of Apple products, she relies on iPad Air for her studies, and her MacBook Pro for creating content for social media, where she’s earned a sizable following with her inside look at what it’s really like being a medical school student.

“I use iPad Air and Apple Pencil to take handwritten notes using Notability, and to organize lecture materials for effective study sessions,” Jung says.

Jung is also looking forward to the rollout of Apple Intelligence features, such as Writing Tools, which can help students rewrite, proofread, and summarize text when tidying up class notes or crafting important emails.

“Apple Intelligence will be a game changer,” Jung says. “Being able to automatically generate summaries of lecture recordings and transcripts will make studying more productive, and help me quickly adjust my notes and emails for tone, in addition to grammar or spelling errors.”

To handle the intensive demands of his medical school curriculum at Central India’s Government Medical College, Nagpur, Anuj Pachhel opted for MacBook Pro. “One aspect I loved was the battery life on the device,” says Pachhel, who will continue his postgraduate studies this fall. “I had e-books for studies loaded on my Mac and used it extensively, and I was in awe of the speed.”

Throughout his undergraduate years, Pachhel documented his academic adventures with iPhone and Mac, earning more than a million followers as he discussed what it was like studying for exams, attending college during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and what he did with his scarce free time along the way.

“The Mac is so powerful at handling challenging tasks,” Pachhel explains. “I particularly love DaVinci Resolve Studio, as it uses many artificial intelligence features that tap the fast Neural Engine of my MacBook Pro, improving my editing speed.”

Across the Apple ecosystem, Continuity features like Handoff and Universal Clipboard help keep students like Brayden Gogis on task as they power through their busiest days on campus.

“The more I use my Mac, the more I get out of it,” Gogis explains. “I can go on my iPhone and see all of my notes for class that I type on my MacBook Air if I want to quickly study, and all of my texts, calendar events, and reminders sync between them. It keeps me organized and on track when I’m being pulled in a million different directions.”

During the school year, his most-used apps include Bear, a note-taking app; the Reminders and Calendar apps for staying on task; and Keynote for creating top-notch presentations. “Keynote has so many features for making a really impressive presentation in the simplest way possible,” Gogis says. “The animations make it a lot easier to communicate organic chemistry mechanisms that look intimidating as a static image.”

As Gogis and his fellow students head back to campus this fall with Mac and iPad, they’re prepared for the semester ahead, and for wherever their academic and future career journeys take them.

Head Back to School with Apple

Whether students choose Mac or iPad, affordability is key. Apple is celebrating the student experience with a limited-time college student offer in Apple Store locations and online at the Apple Education Store. The offer includes a gift card up to $150 in the U.S. for purchase of Mac or iPad, including the new MacBook Air — the world’s most popular laptop — and the all-new iPad Air.

To add to their savings, college and graduate students, their parents, and all teachers are eligible to receive discounted education pricing year-round and 20 percent off AppleCare+ during this limited-time offer. They can trade in an old device to earn credit toward a new one and take advantage of 0 percent interest financing over 24 months.

To help students narrow in on the perfect laptop, Apple has also launched a new Today at Apple session available for students to take at their local Apple Store, and the “Help me choose” service online. Students can also shop with a specialist, who will guide them based on personal college goals, customize features and apps to fit their needs, and explore options to fit their unique budget, in stores and online. For more information, visit an Apple Store or the Apple Education Store online.

Users with an eligible iPhone, iPad, or Mac with Siri and device language set to English (U.S.) can sign up this fall to access the Apple Intelligence beta.

Apple Podcasts Now Available on the Web

CompuScoop Staff August 20, 2024 2

Apple Podcasts is now available on the web, allowing users to search, browse, and listen to podcasts across various devices. The feature mirrors the functionality of the Apple Podcasts app and can be accessed at podcasts.apple.com.

Sci-fi king Apple TV+ hit series ‘Dark Matter,’ starring Jennifer Connelly and Joel Edgerton renewed for season two

Apple Inc August 19, 2024 1

On the heels of the “Dark Matter” edge-of-your-seat season one finale, Apple TV+ today announced a season two renewal for the sci-fi thriller, which has been hailed as “top-notch science fiction,” “a thrilling ride” and “one of the best shows of the year.” Based on the blockbuster book by New York Times bestselling author Blake Crouch and starring an ensemble cast led by Joel Edgerton alongside Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi and Oakes Fegley, the complete first season of “Dark Matter” is now streaming globally on Apple TV+.

“Thanks to everyone who tuned-in for season one — book fans and new fans — and of course our partners at Apple and Sony, my amazing producing partner, Matt Tolmach, our tremendous cast and crew, and the great city of Chicago — you were so good to us,” said showrunner and author Blake Crouch in a statement. “In the process of writing and filming season one, we discovered that there’s so much more story to tell, and we’ve only scratched the surface of these characters as they fight for survival and to find their way home through a landscape of mind-bending realities. See you in the Box!”

“Making ‘Dark Matter’ was a longtime dream, and I’m so proud to see Blake’s vision come to life and to connect with so many people,” said executive producer Matt Tomach. “Seeing the Dessens’ journey resonate with audiences has been extremely gratifying, and we can’t wait to bring more of this world — and others — to life in season two. Huge thanks to Apple TV+, Sony and our amazing cast and crew. Here we go!”
“The thought-provoking and gripping ‘Dark Matter’ has quickly become a global hit, capturing audiences’ imaginations and making it a beloved and integral part of Apple’s world-class sci-fi lineup,” said Matt Cherniss, head of programming for Apple TV+. “We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Blake Crouch, our partners at Sony and the rest of the creative team and cast — led by the remarkable Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly — on a new season that will captivate viewers with more twists and turns as we dive deeper into the mysteries of the multiverse.”

Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade and produced for Apple TV+ by Sony Pictures Television, “Dark Matter” is a story about the road not taken. The series follows Jason Dessen (played by Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

Crouch serves as creator, executive producer, showrunner and writer alongside executive producer Tolmach. In addition to starring, Edgerton serves as executive producer. Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry is also an executive producer.

“Dark Matter” joins a growing offering of broadly acclaimed, global hit sci-fi Apple Original series including the highly anticipated upcoming second seasons of “Silo” and “Severance,” as well as the recently premiered mystery series “Sunny,” and celebrated epics “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” “Foundation,” “For All Mankind,” “Invasion” and more.

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have earned 501 wins and 2,286 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”