Toyota releases details on 4th generation Prius hybrid with 18% better mileage

Toyota's popular Prius Hybrid looks to be getting better mileage (up to 40 kilometres a litre) as well as improved engine, interior and driver features. Coming to Japan in December and expected to hit North America next year, the new Prius has imprvoed batteries which are 10 per cent smaller than the current version while better options for engine performance, and even all-wheel drive, are being considered.

"The Toyota Prius is the most successful hybrid on the planet, but its success hasn't expanded to other hybrids, and even the Prius has struggled to maintain sales in recent years," said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

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Apple updates iMac line with 4K and 5K Retina Displays, adds Force Touch enabled trackpad

Apple's updated the iMac line to now include 4K Retina Displays on the smaller 21-inch model while offering 5K Retina Displays across the 27-inch iMac line.

The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display is available today n three models starting at $2,299 (CAD), $2,599 (CAD) and $2,999 (CAD). These larger iMacs come with 6th generation Intel Core processors (Skylake). 

The 21.5-inch iMac is available today in three models starting at $1,399 (CAD) and $1,649 (CAD) and with a Retina 4K display starting at $1,899 (CAD). The smaller iMacs come with  5th Generation Intel Core processors. The advantage of 4K and 5K Retina displays is the ability to edit 4K video while still having additional screen space for editing tools.

The new iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus smartphones can now capture 4K video, so it makes sense to have them viewable on Apple's most popular desktop models.

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Home bridges the gap between you and HomeKit

Apple's HomeKit is helping you communicate with your smart home better but it has its limits. It's a framework after all that lets third-party OEMs "talk" to each other without having to implement lots of APIs from each other. So, that's where apps like Home come in. Developed by Matthias Hochgatterer, this app brings together your smart devices at home and helps you control them all with one app. It works rather similar with IFTTT but in this case you have to set up scenes before you can set up triggers. For example, once you unlock a connected door, as you instruct it, it can bring other gadgets to life, so to speak. It can even be activated by Siri if you want it, too. 

It's on the pricey side at $16.99 but having a central app to control all your HomeKit stuff might just be what you need.  

Source: The Next Web | Download: Apple App Store ($16.99) 

Vimeo adds picture-in-picture support for iOS 9

Vimeo updates its app for iOS to add support for iPad's multitasking features. Now, you can use picture-in-picture viewing with it. Of course, you can also tap on the video to bring it back to full screen when you want. The app also now allows you to look for Vimeo videos via Spotlight search. Vimeo also said that Chromecast will work better with this latest update.  

Source: The Next Web | Download: Apple App Store (Free)