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Associated Press
Buying an Apple Watch won't be as simple as walking into an Apple store and handing over your credit card.
The smartwatch is Apple's first new product category in five years and comes in 54 configurations - more than any other Apple gadget. So starting Friday, Apple stores will have staff trained to help you choose. You'll then have to place your order for shipping starting April 24. Even after that date, there's no walking in and walking out with a watch.
Of course, you can bypass all this by ordering online.
No smartwatch has gotten as much attention as the Apple Watch, given Apple's devoted fan base and the company's knack for designing products consumers can't live without. By insisting on customers ordering ahead of time, Apple says it can "provide the best experience and selection to as many customers as we can."
Prices range from $349 to $17,000 depending on the watch case, band and size. A standard model with the cheapest band costs $549 for the 38-millimeter model and $599 for the 42-millimeter version, as measured on the watch face from top to bottom.
Here's what you need to know about buying one.
Associated Press
The virtual streets of Google Maps are being transformed into Pac-Man's chomping grounds in celebration of April Fools' Day.
Google added the option to convert its popular navigation service into the Pac-Man video game on Tuesday morning, around the same day the calendar turned to April 1 in Asia. That ushered in a day when Google shows off its playful side by injecting more frivolity into its services.
The gag on Google Maps enables visitors to click on a Pac-Man symbol in the lower left of the screen to play the video game on whatever location is listed in the address bar. As has been happening for nearly 35 years, Pac-Man eats blinking dots while trying to elude four "ghosts" - Pinky, Blinky, Inky and Clyde.
The game can be played in Google Maps on desktop computers or mobile devices that have the latest app update for Apple's iOS or Google's Android software.
This isn't the first time that Google Inc.'s engineers have paid tribute to Pac-Man. In May 2010, Google tweaked the doodle on its main search page to accommodate games of Pac-Man.
Planting Pac-Man into maps probably won't be Google's only April Fools' stunt, based on the Mountain View, California, company's colorful past. Among other things, Google previously has promised to introduce search by smell, provide a translation tool for animals and posted notices for jobs on the moon.
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
For anyone who's ever dreamed of being on "American Idol" or "The Voice" as a performer or judge, a new app seeks to make their fantasy come true.
The talent competition app "Chosen" from David Hyman, the former CEO of Beats Music, is launching Thursday for invitees on Apple devices.
"We designed `Chosen' for tastemakers, up-and-coming talent and the more than 1 billion fans of online music videos, traditional reality competition TV shows and mobile gaming," said Hyman in a statement.
In the app's "karaoke" and "lip sync" modes, performers can show off their range from a selection of 75 different tunes, while the "perform now" mode allows entertainers of any kind to showcase any skills, from hip-hop dancing to violin playing.
The uploaded performances can be voted on by fellow users. The winner will be announced in June and be given a chance to perform on stage at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
Hyman hopes "Chosen" isn't like other star searches.
"On `Chosen,' fans and performers are able to get in the game in a way that simply isn't possible while passively watching TV shows like `American Idol' and `The Voice,' endlessly surfing online videos," said Hyman. "In addition to being a powerful performance platform, `Chosen' is a completely new way for fans to interact and engage with music and video content."