Bob Mansfield returns to Apple, again

Apple has brought back one of its higher echelon executives for the second time. Bob Mansfield, who joined Apple in 1999 and was part of the Steve Jobs led second act which produced the iPod, iPhone, MacBook Air and numerous other key products, is again the go-to guy for getting a new product out the door.

Mansfield retired from leading the hardware engineering team and was brought back for special projects, but then went back into retirement. Mansfield is reportedly back again to lend a steady and experienced presence behind Cupertino's 'Project Titan' largely believed to be its EV or autonomous vehicle project. 

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The Apple Beat: Accessories that make iPhone photography better

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The iPhone has been the most popular point-and-shoot camera for a number of years, which is remarkable for something that is a feature in a smartphone and not a standalone camera. The iPhone's strengths are speed, great photo AI that takes the best possible shots in most conditions and easy to use camera and editing software. Here are some great tools that make taking photos and video on an iPhone even better.

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March 15 being eyed for next Apple Launch Event

Tuesday March 15 is likely the date for this year's first Apple Launch Event that will likely focus on three product releases. A new 4-inch iPhone, the iPad Air 3 and more Apple Watch accessory bands are expected to be among the products that will be unveiled by Apple.

Apple is expected to diversify its iPhone portfolio with an updated 4-inch model that could be considered an entry-level or more affordable option for users coming from iPhone 4S or iPhone 5/5S/5C models. While the 4.7-inch iPhone 6S and 5.5-inch iPhone 6S Plus are widely popular, there are still over 60 per cent of iOS users who have not updated to the newer form factors and the larger size may be what is holding them back.

A new iPad Air is definitely in the books and expected to possibly bring some, if not most of the iPad Pro's marquee features. Having a smaller tablet that can take accessory keyboards via a Smart Connector plus Apple Pencil input, will certainly push various iPad and iPad Air users to consider upgrading, specially if a new iPad will feature the latest A9X processor. Apple Watch isn't expected to see a refresh until maybe later this year, but this doesn't mean that Apple won't release more accessory bands or introduce new collaborations with other fashion houses like it did with the Hermes Edition Watch. 

Source: 9to5Mac

The Apple Beat: New music creation tools empower creativity

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

When Apple first released the original iMac, it released a series of tools like iMovie, iPhoto and GarageBand which empowered users into making original creations without the complexity usually affiliated with professional software. Apple seems to have gone back to this path of empowerment with its new music apps for iOS.

Apple recently released GarageBand 2.1 update  which introduces Live Loops, a fun visual music-making feature makes it possible to create loops and add DJ-style effects through multi-touch gestures.

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