How to Pre-Order the Apple Watch [iOS Blog]

Following several months of anticipation, the Apple Watch is almost in the hands of customers around the world. Apple will begin accepting Apple Watch pre-orders on Friday, April 10 ahead of an April 24 release date in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom. The wrist-worn device should have wider international availability in the near future.





Apple Watch starts at $349 for the entry-level Sport model, while the stainless steel model ranges from $549 to $1,099 and the 18-karat gold edition starts at $10,000. The exact pricing for the Apple Watch will depend on which model, size and bands a customer chooses to purchase. To help with the buying process, we've prepared a guide on how to pre-order the Apple Watch in stores and online.

How to Pre-Order the Apple Watch

Buy Online and Ship to Home

Apple will begin accepting pre-orders for the Apple Watch on April 10 through the Apple Online Store and Apple Store app at 12:01 AM Pacific Time. Pre-orders will go live in all first wave launch countries at the same time:

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• U.S., Canada: 12:01 a.m. (Pacific Time), 3:01 a.m. (Eastern Time)


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• U.K.: 8:01 a.m.


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• Germany: 9:01 a.m.


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• France: 9:01 a.m.


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• Australia: 5:01 p.m. AEST


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• Hong Kong: 3:01 p.m.


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• China: 3:01 p.m.


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• Japan 3:01 p.m.


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If you are looking to pre-order the Apple Watch without trying on the device, you can purchase the exact model you want from either storefront and the product will be shipped to your home or a specified address for free with delivery beginning on April 24. Apple Watch Edition customers also have the exclusive option of shipping the gold watch to a local Apple Store via courier for pickup.



Ordering Online Without an Appointment

Beginning on April 10, you can order directly from Apple's online store or through the Apple Store app as soon as pre-orders go live at midnight Pacific Time. Oftentimes, ordering through the app can be a faster process, as the online site can become congested with many people trying to order at once. If you need help deciding on an Apple Watch to choose ahead of pre-ordering, make sure to check out our Apple Watch Buyer's Guide.



Pre-orders placed online will ship out to customers ahead of April 24, for an April 24 delivery date, for as long as supplies last. We've heard some rumors suggesting supplies will be limited, so if certain varieties of the Apple Watch sell out, only those who pre-ordered early will get an April 24 delivery date. If you want to be sure to get an Apple Watch on launch day, make sure to order right away.



Try-On Appointment and Buy Online

If you would prefer to try on the Apple Watch before pre-ordering, you can schedule a try-on appointment through the Apple Online Store or Apple Store app. You will then arrive at the Apple Store for your scheduled appointment with a Specialist, at which point you can try on two Apple Watch models of your choice at a time. We're going to publish a detailed walkthrough of the try-on experience as well, so keep an eye out for that.





Following your try-on appointment, the Specialist or Genius assigned to you can assist you with pre-ordering an Apple Watch from the Apple Online Store before leaving the store. If you are not interested in purchasing an Apple Watch at that specific time, you can schedule another try-on appointment by speaking with an Apple retail employee or visiting the Apple Online Store at a later date. Apple is not offering walk-in purchases of the Apple Watch without a product reservation, which will not be fulfilled until April 24, so ordering online for home shipment is the only option during the pre-order period.



Walk-In Queue and Buy Online

Apple will also be allowing walk-in customers to be added to the queue of try-on appointments at its retail stores, although expect longer wait times than scheduling an appointment through the Apple Online Store or Apple Store app. If long wait times are expected, Apple offers the option to send you a text message when your try-on appointment is approaching.





Apple will not be offering walk-in purchases of the Apple Watch during the pre-order period, or upon launch, so appointments will ultimately lead to making an online purchase as outlined in the Try-On Appointment and Buy Online section above. When the Apple Watch launches, all walk-in customers will require a Product Reservation to purchase a device through a retail store.

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Posted in 2015 at 07:01PM, April 03

How to Digitally Sign a PDF Using Preview on Mac [Mac Blog]

When you receive a PDF document by email that you must sign, the process of printing out the file, signing on the dotted line with a pen, scanning the signed document and sending it back can be a rather tedious task. Fortunately, Apple introduced the ability to digitally sign a PDF document using Preview, a program that comes preinstalled on every Mac, on OS X Lion or later.





The steps involved to digitally sign a PDF using Preview on Mac are quite simple and will save you valuable time, especially if you have multiple documents, contracts, forms or other paperwork to sign. If you are worried that your digital signature will look bad, rest assured that you can create your signature by using the trackpad or holding up your signature on paper to a Mac's built-in iSight camera.

Steps to Digitally Sign a PDF Using Trackpad

1. Open the PDF file you need to sign in Preview.
   


2. Click on the briefcase icon () and then the signature () icon.
   


3. Click on Create Signature > Click Here to Begin. Draw your signature on the trackpad. Click any key when finished. Click Done.
   


4. Click on the signature created to insert it into the PDF document. The signature can be moved or resized like a regular image.
   

Steps to Digitally Sign a PDF Using Camera

1. Open the PDF file you need to sign in Preview.
   


2. Click on the briefcase icon () and then the signature () icon.
   


3. Click on Create Signature > Camera. Sign your name on white paper and hold it to be visible to the camera. Preview will draw a digital signature. Click Done.
   


4. Click on the signature created to insert it into the PDF document. The signature can be moved or resized like a regular image.
   

Tips

• If you are using the trackpad to create your digital signature, it is recommended that you look at Preview and go slow and steady with your finger to achieve the best result. For an even more precise signature, you can use an iPhone or iPad stylus, preferably one with a fine-tipped ending, to draw your signature on the trackpad.
  
  
  


• Signing a piece of white paper and holding it up to the camera is the easiest way of creating a digital signature in Preview, although this method does not always yield the best results. The signature will appear inverted when you hold it up to your Mac's camera, but Preview will automatically ensure that it reads properly from left to right.
  
  
  


• You can create a digital signature in Preview by following steps above even if you do not have a PDF document opened. By default, all digital signatures that you create are automatically stored in a list on Preview so that you can insert them into future PDFs documents and other files without needing to repeat these steps. Preview can store multiple signatures at once.
  
  
  


• Apple also provides a markup tool in the Mail app on OS X Yosemite to create digital signatures that can be directly inserted into emails.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Posted in 2015 at 07:01PM, March 26

MacRumors Giveaway: Win an 'Automatic Link' Connected Car Adapter [iOS Blog]

For our next giveaway, we've partnered with Automatic, maker of the Automatic Link car adapter and companion apps to monitor your car's performance and usage. The Automatic Link adapter and apps debuted in 2013 and the adapter currently retails for $99 while the companion iPhone app is free. [Direct Link]



The Automatic Link plugs into a car's OBD-II diagnostic port and works with most gasoline car models sold in the US since 1996 (car compatibility can be checked here). Data is transmitted to a paired iPhone (or Android smartphone) via Bluetooth and requires an iPhone 5 or newer. The Automatic system can decode engine fault codes and track gas mileage and offer feedback to improve it. A Crash Alert feature can also reach out to emergency services or designated contacts through a paired smartphone in the case of an accident. The Automatic system can also keep track of where you parked your car.







To enter to win the Automatic Link adapter, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter your email address. Your email address will not be given to any third party and will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner. You can also earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, following MacRumors on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. You must be age 18 or older and located in the United States to enter.



a Rafflecopter giveaway




This contest will run from today (March 20) at 12:00 pm Pacific time through 12:00 pm Pacific time on March 27. The winner will be chosen randomly on March 27 and will be contacted by email. The winner has 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address. The Automatic Link adapter will be shipped to the winner for free.



Automatic is also offering a coupon code to MacRumors readers that will take 20% off all orders through their site. Use this link to have the code applied automatically or enter code MACRUMORS at checkout.

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Posted in 2015 at 07:01PM, March 20