The best games on PlayStation Plus, Extra, and Premium

To get the most bang for your buck, here are the best games to play on PS Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium.

Embrace the Dark Side with CASETiFYs new Star Wars Apple gear accessory collection from $35

CASETiFY is unleashing its new official Star Wars collection today with a series of fresh new iPhone 15 case designs alongside Apple Watch bands, AirPods cases, MagSafe chargers, and more. This certainly isnt the first time it has taken its gear to a galaxy far, far away, and likely wont be the last, but this time it is clearly embracing the Dark Side. Featuring a range of Galactic Empire, Darth Vader and Death Star designs, this time it is trading in the more colorful approach it took on last years collection to bow down to the Dark Lord of the Sith. Now available for purchase on this special landing page, we will dive into some of our favorites of the bunch down below. more

Research indicates that carbon dioxide removal plans will not be enough to meet Paris treaty goals

New research conducted by the University of East Anglia (UEA) suggests that current carbon removal plans will not be enough to comply with Paris treaty goals to limit global warming to 1.5C, as reported in a study published by Nature . Scientists came to this conclusion by measuring the emissions gap between various national climate protection plans and what is actually needed to reach that goal. This first-of-its-kind study found a gap of up to 3.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) between current global plans to remove carbon from the atmosphere and whats needed by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of global warming . These impacts include heatwaves, floods, droughts, melting ice and sea level rise . Since 2010, the United Nations environmental organization UNEP has taken similar measurements of this emissions gap. UEAs research, which focuses primarily on CO2 removal, indicates that climate policy requires a more ambitious scope if we are to, well, survive as a species. This means a more nuanced and robust approach that still keeps current carbon removal practices in place, but with a renewed focus on cutting emissions, renewable energy and minimizing deforestation. There are also novel carbon removal options that many nations have been slow to discuss, let alone implement. These include advanced air filters systems and enhanced rock weathering . The latter is a technique in which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and stored in rocks. These techniques account for the removal of just 0.002 billion tons of C02 per year, compared to 3 billion tons through conventional options. The research indicates that these novel options must become more prevalent in the coming years to help meet that 1.5C threshold. The calculation should certainly be refined, said the studys lead author, Dr. William Lamb, of the MCC Applied Sustainability Science working group. This much is clear: without a rapid reduction in emissions towards zero, across all sectors, the 1.5C limit will not be met under any circumstances. Co-author Dr. Naomi Vaughan, of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at UEA, added that countries need more awareness, ambition and action on scaling up carbon dioxide removal methods together with deep emissions reductions to achieve the aspirations of the Paris Agreement. To that end, even if every country sticks to promises regarding carbon removal targets, the amount of carbon removed would likely increase by a maximum of 0.5 billion tons by 2030 and 1.9 billion tons by 2050. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that it would take a removal increase of 5.1 billion tons to avoid the worst effects of climate change. So, yeah, theres that gap of 3.2 billion tons. We arent doomed, at least not yet anyways. The IPCC suggests an alternative scenario in which the worlds governments work together to reduce global energy demand, hastened by politically initiated behavior. In this scenario, carbon removal would increase by 2.5 billion tons by 2050 and alternative methods would help tighten the emissions gap to just 400 million tons. So we basically have to shift our entire society from one of self interest to one of global cooperation. It never hurts to dream and, hey, maybe AI will swoop in and save us . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/research-indicates-that-carbon-dioxide-removal-plans-will-not-be-enough-to-meet-paris-treaty-goals-161113129.html?src=rss

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything

I hate the Rabbit R1 . It's yet another sign that standalone AI gadgets, like the Humane AI Pin , are fundamentally useless devices meant to attract hype and VC funding without benefitting users at all. It's like trying to build a skyscraper on quicksand: Today's AI models are great for parlor tricks, but they're ultimately untrustworthy. How do you create a device around that? The Rabbit R1's big selling point has been its large action model, or LAM, which can supposedly understand what you say and get things done. But really, that's just marketing speak. At the moment, the R1 can barely do anything as an AI assistant. And the few tasks it can actually accomplish, like placing DoorDash orders, are faster and easier to tackle on your phone. You know, the device we already own that can tap into AI features and fast cellular networking. Rabbit R1: design and build I'll admit, the Rabbit R1 looks adorable, but that's mostly down to the design magic of Teenage Engineering, a company that can make a simple tripod look desirable. The R1 is clearly building on the Playdate , another tiny square gadget from Teenage Engineering. Instead of that game handhelds iconic crank, the R1 has a far less satisfying scroll wheel. Its glossy plastic case also feels a lot cheaper and thicker than the Playdate, almost like what you'd expect from a child's toy. Alongside the dull 2.9-inch screen, there's a unique 8-megapixel 360 eye camera, which can rotate either towards you or away from you. It's an interesting way to avoid bundling two separate cameras, so I'll give Rabbit credit for that. But the 360 eye isn't meant for taking photos: Instead, it's all about computer vision. You can ask the R1 to describe what's in front of you, from objects to documents and articles, and wait for an AI-generated summary. While this is something that could be useful for people with visual impairments, those users could do the same with ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot or built-in tools on their phones (which also have vastly superior cameras). Using the Rabbit R1 is an exercise in futility Beyond its looks, the Rabbit R1 is mostly a failure. Once its turned on, you should be able to hit the push to talk button on its side and ask the AI assistant whatever you want: the weather, local traffic or a summary of a recent book. In my testing, though, the R1 would often deliver the weather when I asked for traffic, and sometimes it would hear my request and simply do nothing. The R1 becomes more frustrating the more you use it: Its scroll wheel is the only way to interact with its interface (even though the display is also a touchscreen), and it's simply awkward to use. There's no rhyme or reason for how long you need to scroll to move between menu options. The mere act of selecting things is a pain, since the confirmation button is on the right side of the R1. That button would be far easier to hit somewhere below the scroll wheel or better yet, just let me use the damn touchscreen! Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget Oddly, the Rabbit's touchscreen does recognize taps whenever you need to enter text like a Wi-Fi network password. But even that process is annoying, since it involves turning the R1 on its side and typing on a laughably tiny keyboard. Honestly, I felt like I was being punked every time I had to use it. (Cue the obligatory, What is this, a keyboard for ants ?) Third-party apps on the Rabbit R1 The more I used the Rabbit R1, the more I felt like it was purposefully designed to drive me insane. It can play music from Spotify (if you have a paid subscription), but what's the point of doing that with its terrible 2-watt speaker? Are you expected to connect Bluetooth headphones? You can ask the R1 to generate art via Midjourney AI (again, with a paid account), but it often failed to show me the pictures that were created. On the rare occasion they did show up, I couldn't actually do anything with the AI pictures from the R1. I'd have to load up Midjourney's Discord server on my phone or computer to share them around. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget When I asked the R1 to find me an Uber to a local theater, it told me that the Uber service may be slow to load on RabbitOS and isn't available everywhere (uh, thanks?). After 30 seconds of idling, it said the Uber service may be under maintenance, or there may be an issue with my credentials. (I logged out and back into Uber on the Rabbit Hole website, which you use to manage the R1, but the error persisted.) LAM works by operating the Uber web app on the cloud on your behalf, Rabbit representative Ryan Fenwick told me over e-mail when I asked why I couldnt get the Uber service to work. Uber ultimately decides how and whether it serves users, so depending on factors like the location youre booking from, your ride history, etc., it may vary from time to time. Were implementing measures that help to improve the success rate and transparency of ride booking through R1, so over time the experience should improve. At least the Rabbit R1 was able to get me a sandwich. I asked it to find some lunch nearby and it spent an entire minute communing with Postmates and its AI cloud the precise amount of time it would take me to complete a GrubHub order on my phone. The R1 eventually returned with three chaotic choices: Subway, a nearby Henris Bakery and a restaurant five miles away Ive never heard of Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget I opted for Henris (they do make killer sandwiches), and the R1 showed me a whopping six menu items. Its tiny screen could only hold a picture of the item, its name and the price you can't tap into it to get a longer description or customize anything. You can only add items to your cart or remove them. I chose two sandwiches and, to my surprise, the R1 completed the order without ever confirming my payment information or delivery address. It was working entirely off of my DoorDash defaults, and thankfully those were up to date. As soon as the order was placed, my iPhone started lighting up with all sorts of useful information from DoorDash. I received a confirmation from the restaurant, a detailed look at the bill (the R1 apparently added my default 20% tip) and the name of my delivery driver. It took the R1 several minutes before it confirmed the order, and it only occasionally updated me that it was coming closer. My sandwiches eventually arrived, but I was more struck by the many ways things could have gone wrong. This isn't 1999; I'm no longer impressed by simply being able to order food online like I did from Kozmo.com (RIP). But even back then, I was able to get a full look at menus and customize things. The fact that I could look over at my phone and see the DoorDash app being far more useful made me instantly lose faith in the R1. There are other things the R1 can do, like recording and summarizing meetings. But thats also something several apps can do on my phone and computer. The on-demand translation feature seemed to work fine converting English to Spanish and Japanese, but its no better than Google Translate or ChatGPT on my phone. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget Whats the point of the Rabbit R1? All of this leads me to ask: What's the point of the Rabbit R1, really? it certainly can't replace your phone, since it can't make calls or send texts. While you can add a SIM card for always-on connectivity, that just makes it more expensive. It'll still be useless on the go, anyway. Perhaps, you could argue, it's a companion device to help avoid being distracted by your phone. But it's so slow and hard to use that I find my smartphone's notification-filled hellscape far more calming. There's nothing zen at all about having yet another device that you have to buy, charge and carry. And if you suffer battery life anxiety, you absolutely should stay away from the Rabbit R1. When I first received it, the R1 would burn through its battery while sitting idle, doing absolutely nothing , for eight hours. The first major RabbitOS update helped considerably, but the R1 still cant last an entire day on a single charge. For a device that has such a tiny screen and offloads its work to the cloud, thats simply inexcusable. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget I suppose you could argue that the $199 Rabbit R1 is a good deal compared to the $699 Humane AI Pin (which also requires a $24 monthly subscription), but thats like saying rabbit droppings dont smell bad compared to dog poop. Technically true! But in the end its all still shit. The Humanes projection screen is at least an interesting twist on mobile UI, and its potentially less cumbersome as a wearable. The Rabbit AI assistant, on the other hand, is basically just a chunkier and dumber phone. Dont buy the R1. Even if Rabbit somehow manages to deliver on some of the promises of its LAM like the ability to train the R1 to handle the variety of tasks I have no faith that itll actually work well. My advice extends to every standalone AI gadget: Just stay away. Your phone is enough. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rabbit-r1-review-a-199-ai-toy-that-fails-at-almost-everything-161043050.html?src=rss

Best Apple deals: Mac, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch, and more

Macworld Whether youre looking to gift an Apple product or just pick one up for yourself, weve scoured the web for the best prices on everything from Macs to MacBooks, iPads to iPhones, Apple Watches to Apple TVs, and more. If you are wondering if Apple has sales, prepare to be disappointed. Apple rarely discounts its own productseven during its annual Black Friday shopping event , it traditionally elects to give out gift vouchers rather than reducing prices. It also offers year-round discounts to students , including a Back To School event where students can get up to $150 in gift cards when purchasing certain Apple products. Theres also the Apple Refurbished Store where you can sometimes grab a bargain. But if you want a new Apple device right now, other stores often offer up Apple discounts worth grabbing. In this article, youll find real-time pricing at all major retailers for Apples current lineup, and weve also highlighted some of the top discounts each week. Plus, for even more deals, weve linked to our dedicated deals round-ups for each product category. Use the table of contents to jump to the best deals right now for the Apple product you want. Best AirPods deals Foundry Foundry Foundry U.S. Amazon, AirPods (2nd gen) : $89 ($40 off, MSRP $129) Amazon, AirPods Pro (2nd gen, USB-C) : $190 ($60 off, MSRP $249) Amazon, AirPods (3rd-gen, wired case) : $162 ($7 off, MSRP $169) Amazon, AirPods Max : $519 ($40 off, MSRP $549) U.K. eBuyer, AirPods (3rd gen, MagSafe case) : 170 (9 off, RRP 179) See our dedicated round-up of the best AirPods deals Best iPhone and accessory deals Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry In the U.S. specific iPhone deals are hard to come by apart from carrier offers for new signups and trade-ins. We recommend checking Verizon , AT&T , and T-Mobiles sites if youre looking to change carriers or add a new line. Apple also offers trade-ins and carrier deals through its website. We also recommend that you look at our round-up of iPhone 14 deals and iPhone 15 deals for U.S. readers . In the U.K., we frequently see Apple-certified resellers discount unlocked iPhones. Right now we are seeing up to 100 off the price of most iPhone 15 handsets at several resellers currently: look for money off at Amazon , Currys and Very . We are recording all the best prices of iPhone 15 in the U.K. separately, but here is a small selection: Amazon, iPhone 15, 128GB, 699 (100 off, RRP 799) Amazon, iPhone 15 Plus, 128GB, 799 (100 off, RRP 899) Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro, 128GB , 899 (100 off, RRP 999) Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro Max, 256GB , 1,099 (100 off, RRP 1,199) In the U.K. it is also possible to find discounts on the now discontinued iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone 13 mini, and older handsets, including the following deals, but remember Apple has reduced pricing in the U.K. for the new range of handsets, so the discounts may not be as good as they look: Amazon, iPhone 14 : 599 (100 off; RRP 699) Argos, iPhone 14 Plus : 699 (100 off; RRP 799) Amazon, iPhone 13 : 499 (100 off; RRP 599) John Lewis, iPhone SE (2022) : 379 (50 off, plus two-year warranty; RRP 429) Currys, iPhone 12 : 449 (150 off; RRP was 599 before being discontinued in 2023) Also see our dedicated round-up of the best iPhone deals . U.K. readers can browse contract deals using the tool embedded below. Click Choose Smartphone to register which model youre interested in. Best iPad deals Dominik Tomaszewski/IDG Dominik Tomaszewski/IDG Dominik Tomaszewski/IDG You can save a decent amount on most iPads, from time to time we do see really good discounts, especially on the larger capacity models. U.S. Amazon, 10th-gen iPad (64GB) : $349 ($100 off, MRSP $449) Amazon, 9th-gen iPad (64GB) : $249 ($80 off, MSRP $329) Amazon, iPad Air, 64GB, Wi-Fi : $499 ($100 off, MSRP $599) Amazon, iPad mini (64GB) : $400 ($99 off, MSRP $499) U.K. Amazon, 10.9in 10th gen iPad 64GB WiFi, 378 (121 off, RRP 499) Amazon, 10.9in 10th gen iPad 256GB WiFi 700 (159 off, RRP 859) Amazon, iPad Air, 64GB, WiFi: 630 (39 off, RRP 669) eBuyer, iPad mini, 256GB, Wi-Fi : 700 (49 off, RRP 749) Amazon: 11in iPad Pro, M2, 256GB, Wi-Fi for 945 (84 off, RRP 1,019) Amazon: 12.9in iPad Pro, M2, 128GB , Wi-Fi for 1,190 (59 off, RRP 1,249) See our dedicated round-ups of the best iPad deals below Best iPad 10.9-inch deals . Best iPad Air deals . Best deals iPad Pro deals . Best iPad mini deals . Best Apple Watch deals Jason Cross/IDG Jason Cross/IDG Jason Cross/IDG We have new Apple Watches for 2023: the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9. We probably wont see huge discounts there for a while, but expect to see resellers reduce the price of the original Ultra and Series 8. U.S. Amazon, Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm) : $299 ($100 off, MSRP $399) Amazon, Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm) : $329 ($100 off, MSRP $429) Walmart, Apple Watch SE 2 (40mm) : $189 ($60 off, MSRP $249) Walmart, Apple Watch SE 2 (44mm) : $209 ($70 off, MSRP $279) Amazon, Apple Watch Ultra 2 : $780 ($19 off, MSRP $799) U.K. AO, Apple Watch Ultra 2 : 769 (30 off, RRP 799) John Lewis, Apple Watch SE2: 199 (20 off, RRP 219) See our dedicated round-up of the best Apple Watch deals Best MacBook deals IDG IDG IDG U.S. Amazon, 13-inch Macbook Air (M1, 256GB) : $699 ($300 off, MSRP $999) B&H Photo, 13-inch MacBook Air (M2, 256GB) : $999 ($100 off, MSRP, $1,099) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 256GB) : $1,199 ($100 off, MSRP $1,299) Amazon, 14-inch MacBook Pro (M3, 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 512GB ) : $1,550 ($49 off, MSRP $1,599) Amazon, 14-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 12-core GPU, 18-core GPU, 1TB) : $2,199 ($200 off, MSRP $2,399) Amazon, 16-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 12core CPU, 18core GPU, 512GB) : $2,299 ($200 off, MSRP $2,499) U.K. KRCS, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (10-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB) 1,424 (75 off, RRP 1,499) KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (10-core GPU, 256GB) 1,234 (65 off, RRP 1,299) KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (10-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB) 1,614 (85 off, RRP 1,699) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M2 (512GB) 1,299 (300 off, RRP 1,599) Amazon, 14-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 10-core GPU, 14-core GPU, 512GB) : 1,540 (159 off, MSRP 1,699) Amazon, 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU), 8GB RAM, 1TB SSD : 1,700 (199 off, MSRP 1,899) Amazon, 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (11-core CPU, 14-core GPU), 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD : 1,880 (219 off, MSRP 2,099) Amazon, 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU), 18GB RAM, 1TB SSD : 2,230 (269 off, MSRP 2,499) See our dedicated round-ups of the best MacBook Pro deals and the best MacBook Air deals . Best Mac desktop deals iMac iMac IDG iMac IDG IDG Apple doesnt only make laptops, if its a desktop you are after take a look at these discounts for the iMac, Mac mini and Mac Studio. U.S. Best Buy: 24-inch M1 iMac (8-core GPU, 512GB) : $1,150 ($549 off, MSRP was $1,699) Amazon: Mac mini (M2, 256GB) : $579 ($20 off, MRSP $599) U.K. KRCS, 24-inch M3 iMac, 8-core GPU, 256GB : 1,329 (70 off, RRP 1,399) Amazon, 24-inch M3 iMac,10-core GPU, 512GB : 1,669 (170 off, RRP 1,799) Amazon: M2 Mac mini, 512GB : 769 (80 off MRSP 849) Amazon: M2 Pro Mac mini, 512GB : 1,270 (129 off MRSP 1,399) AO, Mac Studio M2 Max : 1,906 (193 off, MSRP 2,099) For more Mac deals check out our round-up of the best Mac Studio deals and the best Mac mini deals , plus our dedicated round-up of the best iMac deals . Apple Inc, Apple Watch, Audio, iPad, iPhone, Mac

The Apple Watch Series 9 is back on sale for $299, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals

As we reach the end of another week, we're looking back to see what tech deals popped up that are worth checking out. This coming Tuesday, Apple will almost certainly announce new iPads , which is probably why a slew of discounts have materialized for the company's slabs. We didn't highlight those here even if you want an older model, it's probably wise to wait a few days to see how the announcements affect pricing. Deals that are worth checking include sales on three flagship smartwatches: Samsung's Galaxy Watch 6 , the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Google Pixel 2 . A couple of our favorite Anker power banks are on sale, with the USB-C Nano battery down to a new low. You can also save on one of our top gaming mice and our favorite dual-screen gaming laptop . Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-series-9-is-back-on-sale-for-299-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-160546259.html?src=rss

Brane X Speaker: Compact Size, Home Theater Sound

This compact but mighty speaker lets you bring the thrills of a real subwoofer virtually anywhere.

Nanoleaf offers up to $190 off epic Star Wars Day smart lighting bundles, plus launch deal on new Matter lightstrip

Nanoleaf, one of our favorite smart lighting brands, has launched a wide ranging Star Wars Day sale offering some solid deals on a series of its Line, Triangle, mini Triangle, and more intelligent wall lighting panel bundles. Theres even some sweet custom bundles that consist of various shapes you can use to create the perfect lit-up Tie Fighter or Baby Yoda up on your wall. We will explore all of the deals down below, but the brand is also debuting its new Matter Smart Multicolor HD Lightstrip with a notable pre-order deal attached ahead of the mid-May shipping window. Hit the jump for a closer look at all of it. more

Worlds first smart indoor smoker from GE receives third discount to $799 (Reg. $999)

Amazon is offering the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker for $799 shipped. Down from its $999 price tag, this is the third official discount on this first-of-its-kind appliance and comes in as a $200 markdown off the going rate $100 above the all-time low from January. While its not as low as its launch discount four months ago, this is still a great opportunity to snag this innovative appliance for far cheaper than we first reported back when it was announced ahead of CES 2024. You can learn more about this smoker from our in-depth announcement coverage , or by heading below the fold. more

The MacRumors Show: New iPad Pro With the M4 Chip for AI?

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show , we discuss the possibility of the next-generation iPad Pro featuring the M4 chip and what else to expect at Apple's Let loose event . Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos While Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models have been expected to feature the M3 chip for over a year, recent reports have unexpectedly suggested that the new devices will instead contain the as-yet-unannounced M4 chip and that a key new feature of the processor will be an upgraded Neural Engine optimized for AI tasks. Introducing the M4 chip in an iPad and only six months after the previous chip generation would be unprecedented moves, but there is evidence to suggest that it is a plausible possibility. Will the New iPad Pro Really Have the M4 Chip? Apple's Let loose event is expected to focus on the unveiling of redesigned iPad Pro models with OLED displays, two new iPad Air models, a high-end Magic Keyboard accessory, and a new Apple Pencil . We also talk through the three other announcements that Apple could have in store for the event. The special event will take place on Tuesday, May 7, at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The MacRumors Show is now on its own YouTube channel , so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips going forward: Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel! You can also listen to The MacRumors Show on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Overcast , or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show , catch up for our discussion about the announcement of Apple's Let loose event. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors , often joined by interesting guests such as Matthew Cassinelli , Brian Tong , Quinn Nelson , Kevin Nether , Jared Nelson , Eli Hodapp , Luke Miani , Mike Bell , Sara Dietschy , iJustine , Jon Rettinger , Andru Edwards , Arnold Kim , Ben Sullins , Marcus Kane , Christopher Lawley , Frank McShan , David Lewis , Tyler Stalman , Jon Prosser , Sam Kohl , John Gruber , Federico Viticci , Thomas Frank , Jonathan Morrison , Ross Young , Ian Zelbo , and Rene Ritchie . The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow , so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future. Tag: The MacRumors Show This article, The MacRumors Show: New iPad Pro With the M4 Chip for AI? first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

iPhone 16 Lineup Could Feature Slimmer MagSafe Components

This year's iPhone 16 lineup could see a slight change to the MagSafe alignment magnets compared to previous generations, according to images shared by French case company ShopSystem [ Google Translate ]. Casemaking molds for the iPhone 16 lineup appear to show a thinner design for the attachment ring magnets and for the single alignment magnet, relative to equivalent molds for the iPhone 15 lineup. The report suggests MagSafe accessory manufacturers may need to adapt their products to fit the new system, but this seems very unlikely as any updated MagSafe system will almost certainly be backwards compatible. Presuming the thinner magnets depicted in these molds are accurate, it's unclear if there are additional changes to MagSafe in the upcoming iPhone lineup that could extend to the charging technology. One rumor has, however, indicated the iPhone 16 lineup could see increased MagSafe charging speeds with support for up to 20 watts compared to the current standard of 15 watts. Related Roundups: iPhone 16 , iPhone 16 Pro Tag: MagSafe This article, iPhone 16 Lineup Could Feature Slimmer MagSafe Components first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

How LED Face Masks and Red Light Therapy Work to Reverse Wrinkles (2024)

Red and blue light therapy can help reduce wrinkles and acne. I spoke to a dermatologist and donned a few masks to test their efficacy.

Take JBLs waterproof Clip 4 Bluetooth speaker on summer adventures at $50 (Reg. $80)

While the brand did unveil its latest Clip 5 model earlier this year at CES , Amazon is now offering a notable deal on the mostly comparable JBL Clip 4 portable Bluetooth speaker to get you ready for summer tunes with a discount. The regularly $80 speaker is now selling for $49.95 shipped in various colorways including the black model, my personal favorite grey/gold treatment, and more. Todays 38% price drop delivers one of the lowest prices we have tracked on this one via Amazon, coming within $5 of the most readily available deals we have tracked over the last year or so. As the name suggests, JBLs Clip lineup takes on a unique form-factor with an oversized carabiner-style clasp along the top making for a notable wireless audio solution whether youre out in the backyard, hiking the trails, or hanging our with friends under the sun. Head below for details on the specs and more. more

Rad Power drops RadRunner 2 e-bike to $1,299 ($100 off), offers accessories for other models

Rad Power Bikes has launched a flash sale through May 8 that is giving you three varying deals on three different e-bike models; either a $100 off discount or free accessories. The first of these deals is on the RadRunner 2 Utility e-bike for $1,299 shipped . Usually fetching $1,399 since the company lowered prices across its lineup of models , weve seen this e-bike included in most of the companys holiday sales as well as several flash sales throughout the months, often falling to $1,299, but we have seen one instance of the price dropping further to the $1,199 low. Todays deal is a solid $100 markdown off the going rate that lands at the second-lowest price we have tracked. more

Macys takes an extra 30% off Ralph Lauren, Levis, Cole Haan, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, more

Macys Friends and Family Sale takes an extra 30% off top brands with code FRIEND at checkout. Customers receive free delivery on orders of $50 or more. Inside this sale you can find deals on Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Levis, Nike, and more. A standout from this sale is the Levis 559 Relaxed Straight Fit Jeans that are currently marked down to $49 and originally sold for $70. These jeans are a perfect style for everyday wear and can be dressed up or down seamlessly. The relaxed fit promotes comfort and you can choose from an array of color options. Rated 4.2/5 stars from Macys customers. Find even more deals by heading below, or you can shop the entire sale here . more

Save up to $500 on Cricut crafting and DIY machines from $49: Cutters, heat presses, more

Amazon has now launched a new sale event featuring the Cricut cutting, crafting, and DIY machines and accessories. The brands unique at-home DIY machines range from heat presses for t-shirts and tote bags, to the more pro-grade Autopress that is now up to a whopping $500 off the MSRP, and the home crafting-ready Joy cutter for creating personalized cards and trinkets of all sorts. Todays deals also include some accessories for each of them with offers starting from $49 shipped and up 60% in savings . Youll find all of the Cricut deals on tap today over on this landing page alongside some highlights down below all of the offers listed after the jump are either matching or undercutting our previous mentions by as much as $100. more

5 Great Note-Taking Apps: Google Keep, Apple Notes, Notion, Bear, Microsoft OneNote

There are many apps to help you record and organize your thoughts on any device. These are our favorites.

Apple Promotes iPhone 15's 'Find Your Friends' Feature in Star Wars-Themed Ad

Apple today released a new video ad promoting the Find Your Friends feature available in the Find My app on all iPhone 15 models. In the ad, a person dressed as a Mandalorian from the Star Wars universe uses the feature to find other Mandalorians in a crowded convention center. How to use the Find Your Friends feature: iPhone 15: How to Locate Friends With Precision Finding Both you and the other person must have an iPhone 15 in order to use Find Your Friends. Similar to an AirTag, the feature supports Precision Finding, which provides an on-screen directional arrow and exact distance to the other person's location. Tag: Apple Ads This article, Apple Promotes iPhone 15's 'Find Your Friends' Feature in Star Wars-Themed Ad first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

WORX 20V 22-inch cordless electric hedge trimmer falls to $78 in 1-day Best Buy sale

For today only, Best Buy is offering the WORX 20V 22-inch Power Share Cordless Electric Hedge Trimmer for $77.99 shipped . Down from its $120 price tag, it spent the last year rising and falling between its MSRP and $85, until Christmas sales rolled around and brought costs down further to the $70 low. Since the new year began its only seen two discounts, both to $89, with todays deal coming in to remedy the situation as a 35% markdown off the going rate that lands at the third-lowest price we have tracked just $8 above the all-time low. With its 2.0Ah battery and its 22-inch dual-action blades, this trimmer provides up to 40 minutes of continuous runtime on a single charge with a 3/4-inch cutting capacity; with its battery being interchangeable with over 75+ other 20V, 40V, and 80V tools in the Power Share ecosystem. It sports a lightweight design that absorbs vibrations far more efficiently alongside its D-grip handle that lets you hold it from any angle, ensuring a more comfortable and ergonomic experience. Also includes a charger and safety guard for the blades. more

Todays best iOS game and app deals: Overwinter Survival, Kingdom Rush, more

Friday is here once again, on the eve of Star Wars Day 2024 , and we have a fresh batch of discounted iOS games and apps to take into the weekend. Youll want to scope out this mornings deals on AirPods 3 as well as Ankers new Qi2 15W MagSafe power bank , this offer on Apples AirTag , the 10th Generation iPad , and everything else youll find in our curated hub . But for now its on to the App Store discounts. Highlights in todays collection include titles like Overwinter Survival, Kingdom Rush Origins HD, Tower of Fortune, Wreckfest, and Dream Park Story. Hit the jump for everything else. more

Boeings Starliner spacecraft may finally take its first crewed flight next week

Boeings Starliner crew capsule, which has been plagued by years of setbacks and cost overruns amounting to roughly $1.5 billion, is about to take its first flight with humans on board. Boeing was chosen 10 years ago alongside SpaceX to develop a spacecraft that could ferry astronauts from US soil to the International Space Station (ISS), thus allowing NASA to end its reliance on Russia for crewed flights. The companies were each awarded a fixed-price contract under NASAs Commercial Crew Program: $4.2 billion to Boeing for its CST-100 (Starliner) and $2.6 billion for SpaceXs Crew Dragon. Their initial deadline of 2017 proved to be a bit too ambitious. SpaceX managed its first crewed flight in 2020 and about a dozen since while Boeing has struggled to get its Starliner capsule off the ground. But as soon as May 6, itll finally have a crewed flight under its belt. Starliner is now at Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Launch Complex-41 attached to the ULA Atlas V rocket thatll send it on its way to the ISS. Liftoff is planned for 10:34PM ET on Monday, May 6. The capsule will be carrying two NASA astronauts: Butch Wilmore, the missions commander, and Suni Williams, who will serve as pilot. NASA Not only is it Starliners first crewed flight, but this test is only its third flight ever. The spacecraft (without anyone aboard) successfully demonstrated its ability to reach, dock and undock from the ISS in spring 2022 when it conducted its second Orbital Flight Test. On its previous attempt, in 2019, Starliner failed to make it all the way to the ISS thanks to a software issue that resulted in it burning too much fuel (one of a few problems Boeing missed after it opted at the time not to do end-to-end testing ). Its suffered numerous other problems, too, in the years since Boeing bagged the NASA contract, causing the company to slip far behind SpaceX. There was a toxic fuel leak during a 2018 test. Then corrosion caused valves in the propulsion system to stick, waylaying Boeings plans for a 2021 launch, as Ars Technica reported earlier this year. Problems with the spacecrafts parachute deployment system derailed plans for a launch last summer, and the team had to remove around a mile of flammable tape. Boeing has also had its fair share of troubles beyond Starliner during this time, facing increased scrutiny into the safety of its airplanes particularly the 737 Max line after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, on top of other less serious incidents. Most recently, a panel blew off a 737 Max 9 mid-flight in January, forcing it to make an emergency landing. The May 6 flight marks a major step toward Starliners certification as a crew transport system that NASA can actually put into its rotation for trips to the ISS. That will give the space agency the redundancy its looking for; with both Crew Dragon and Starliner in operation, itll always have a backup option in case something happens to one of them. Both NASA and Boeing have been adamant that the capsule has been put through an exhaustive review process and is ready to support astronauts. NASA wrapped up its Crew Flight Test Readiness Review of Starliner on April 25. The first crewed flight of a new spacecraft is an absolutely critical milestone, NASA associate administrator Jim Free said during a briefing on the completion of the review. The lives of our crewmembers Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are at stake we dont take that lightly at all. The latest review is the culmination of a detailed review season that has really thoroughly established that we are really ready to go on this flight, said NASA chief flight director Emily Nelson. NASA/Frank Michaux Its expected to take about 24 hours for Starliner to reach the ISS after it lifts off, and as this is a test flight, its onboard crew will have a lengthy task list of systems and equipment checks to complete across every phase of the journey. While Starliner can operate autonomously, the crew will test its manual controls and make sure its in good shape for manual abort scenarios. After Starliner docks to the space station, the astronauts will spend about a week there working with the current crew, Expedition 71. Then, theyll undock from the orbiting lab and head home and put Starliner through the test of reentry and landing. A few potential landing sites in the southwest US have been picked out, including the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Wilmore and Williams have been training for Starliners first flight for years. They know the vehicle inside and out, and theyve been part of the test environment thats developed the Starliner capability, said Steve Stich, manager for NASAs Commercial Crew Program. All involved in last Thursdays briefing acknowledged that they may encounter some unexpected challenges, and that theres much to be learned from this first crewed flight. Its a good reminder for all of us that the team has practiced, run sims, run models, but theres nothing like flying in the space environment, said Free. The NASA and Boeing officials also expressed their confidence that the craft itself and the teams handling its journey are well-prepared for the job. The astronauts echoed these sentiments upon arriving at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. We wouldnt be here if it werent ready, Wilmore said, addressing questions from the press. We are ready, the spacecrafts ready, and the teams are ready. If Starliner for whatever reason cant launch on the 6th, itll have backup opportunities on May 7, 10 and 11. After the Crew Flight Test is complete and the astronauts are back home, NASA will get to work certifying the spacecraft for future missions bringing crews to and from the ISS. Its currently targeting 2025 for Starliner to begin duty. I dont want to get too far ahead because we still need to fly a successful mission, said Free ahead of Starliners launch, but when we do, and when we certify Starliner, the United States will have two unique human space transportations that provide critical redundancies for ISS access. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/boeings-starliner-spacecraft-may-finally-take-its-first-crewed-flight-next-week-140056150.html?src=rss

Dell XPS 14 and 16 Review: Not Quite a MacBook Pro

The Dell XPS 14 and 16 are both speedy, beautiful machines that are just a little too expensive for what you get.

Eves latest HomeKit Door and Window sensor with Matter falls to $40 (Reg. $50)

Amazon now offers theEve Door & Window with Matter for$39.95 shipped. This is down from its usual $50 price tag in order to save you 20%. Its matching the second-best price to date and is the lowest offer in months. We did see it drop down to $36 once, but this is the lowest otherwise. The refreshed Eve Door and Window sensor comes backed with newfound Thread and Matter connectivity in order to unlock the capabilities of your Siri smart home. Hooking into all of the automations of your HomeKit setup, you can usethis sensorto automatically turn on lights when a door is opened, not let the AC turn on if theres a window open, and countless other things. more

Google finally made an Android feature even Apple wont steal

Macworld With WWDC just about a month away, youre going to read a lot of stories about how the newest features in iOS 18 are copies of something Google or Samsung already have in Android. But were willing to bet that the latest feature Google is rolling out to Android users will never ever show up after an iPhone update. As spotted by 9to5Google , Google calls the new feature Audio Emoji and as the name suggests, the feature adds sounds to popular emoji so people can hear what they would normally look at. If youre re-reading that sentence with a quizzical face, youre not alone. Its a very dumb feature. The emojis included are: Face with tears of joy Clapping hands Party popper Crying face Pile of poop Drum When selected during a call, they will play the following corresponding sounds: laughing, clapping, party cheering, sad trombone, farting, and a ba-dum-tiss percussion sting.You read that rightyou can now add a farting noise during a call on your Pixel or Galaxy phone. Heres how it works. During an active phone call, users will see a new Audio Emoji button that displays the six options when tapped. Select one and the person youre talking to will hear the sound on the other end, and you will see a short animation as if you were texting someone and sent an emoji as a reaction. 9to5Google has a video showing the six Audio Emoji and theyre as head-scratching as youd expect. Google says the feature will let users express emotions and moods while youre in a call, but it seems like the kind of feature no one will ever use. I could maybe see Audio Emoji in a text message but on a call? I dont know who thought this was a good idea, but I cant imagine its going to be a feature that sticks around very long. And I can guarantee that Apple will never try to imitate it on an iPhone. iPhone

Understanding Peer-to-Peer Crypto Trading: Benefits and Threats

To complete a pure P2P crypto transaction, one party enters the wallet details of the other one and processes the transaction. In order to simplify this process even further alongside adding a layer of security to these transactions crypto exchanges came into the picture.

15 Best Baby Gear (2024): Diaper Bags, Baby Wraps, and Sound Machines

From a sound machine to a smart sensor, heres what made life easier during my infants first year (and a few things I couldve lived without).

Annual Vitamix Mothers Day sale: Up to $100 off some of the best blenders out there, more

The annual Vitamix Mothers Day sale is now in full swing with up to $100 in savings on the brands pro-grade blending systems. While the Vitamix kitchen gear certainly isnt the most affordable out there, we are talking about some seriously heavy-duty blending action that, in many cases, lasts a lifetime or more. Much of the models on sale here today include lengthy warranties ranging from 3 years up to 10 years, providing an investment piece you can relyon for a whole lot longer than your average plastic options in much lower price points. Not to mention the robust builds and laser-cut aircraft metal blades youll find on most models. Youll find all of the Vitamix Mothers Day deals on this landing page and some top picks down below. more

iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: 50+ Upgrades to Expect

The iPhone 16 Pro is set to succeed 2023's iPhone 15 Pro , introducing over 25 new features and improvements to Apple's high-end smartphones. With many users adopting two-year upgrade cycles, plenty of iPhone 14 Pro owners will be looking to upgrade to the iPhone 16 Pro later this year, so this guide breaks down every major difference you should be aware of between the two generations based on rumors. In 2022, Apple unveiled the iPhone 14 Pro as the successor to the popular iPhone 13 Pro, introducing an always-on display, the Dynamic Island , a 48-megapixel camera, the A16 Bionic chip, longer battery life, and more. Two years later, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to offer over 50 upgrades. All of the changes the iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to feature compared to their 2022 predecessor are listed below, using information from reliable sources that we have previously covered . We will update this article as more rumors emerge in the coming months. Design The design of the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to be a relatively significant evolution over the iPhone 14 Pro, iterating on the titanium frame and slightly rounded edges introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro models last year. iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Surgical-grade stainless steel chassis with squared-off edges Aerospace-grade titanium chassis with contoured edges Ring/Silent switch Action button Thermal design with copper heatsink and black foil battery casing New thermal design with graphene heatsink and metal battery casing More repairable design Lightning port USB-C port Space Black, Silver, Gold, and Deep Purple color options Black Titanium/Space Black, White Titanium, Desert Titanium, Titanium Gray, and potentially Rose Gold color options Dimensions To accommodate larger displays, both iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to grow in height and width. In addition to last year's increase in depth, the devices are due to be considerably larger, but with a notable reduction in weight thanks to the adoption of a titanium frame. iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 16 Pro 7.85mm depth 8.25mm depth (0.4mm thicker) iPhone 14 Pro : 147.5mm height iPhone 14 Pro Max : 160.7mm height iPhone 16 Pro : 149.6mm height iPhone 16 Pro Max : 163.0mm height iPhone 14 Pro : 71.5mm width iPhone 14 Pro Max : 77.6mm width iPhone 16 Pro : 71.45mm width iPhone 16 Pro Max : 77.58mm width iPhone 14 Pro : 206g weight iPhone 14 Pro Max : 240g weight iPhone 16 Pro : 194g weight iPhone 16 Pro Max : 225g weight Displays Both iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature larger displays than their predecessors, pushing the iPhone 16 Pro Max to be the biggest iPhone ever offered. There are also reportedly improvements to the underlying OLED technology in store, in addition to last year's slimmer bezels, making for a noticeable overall display upgrade. iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 16 Pro 6.1- or 6.7-inch display 6.3- or 6.9-inch display Slimmer borders around the display More efficient OLED display with brighter micro-lens technology Performance The iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to bring notable improvements in processing power, including a 3nm Apple silicon chip and 33% more memory. iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 16 Pro A16 Bionic chip (TSMC's N4P 5nm process) A18 Pro chip (TSMC's N3E enhanced 3nm process) 16-core Neural Engine Enhanced neural Engine with significantly more cores to support new AI features Dedicated AV1 decoder 6GB memory 8GB memory Connectivity Connectivity is also due to get a significant upgrade on the iPhone 16 Pro, bolstering the device's 5G, Wi-Fi, Thread, and Ultra Wideband specifications. iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Snapdragon X65 5G modem Snapdragon X75 5G modem WiFi 6 connectivity WiFi 7 connectivity Thread networking technology First-generation Ultra Wideband chip Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip (connects from 3x further away) Precision Finding for Find My friends Cameras The iPhone 16 Pro models are slated to receive a range of substantial camera enhancements, such as a larger main camera sensor, a 48-megapixel sensor on the ultra wide camera, and a dedicated hardware button for photography and videography on the side of the device. iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Capture Button to trigger photography and videography features 1/1.28-inch main camera sensor iPhone 16 Pro Max : 1/1.14-inch main camera sensor (12% larger) Sony IMX-803 main camera sensor iPhone 16 Pro Max : Sony IMX-903 main camera sensor with stacked design for better performance, a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for high-quality image data conversion, and Digital Gain Control (DCG) for better dynamic range and noise control 7P main camera lens 8P main camera lens Telephoto camera with second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization Telephoto camera with larger sensor, folded tetraprism design, optical image stabilization, and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module 77mm maximum focal length iPhone 16 Pro : 120mm maximum focal length iPhone 16 Pro Max : Super telephoto camera with focal length above 300mm 4P telephoto camera lens 5P telephoto camera lens 12-megapixel ultra wide camera 48-megapixel ultra wide camera 5P ultra wide camera lens 6P ultra wide camera lens Anti-reflective coating on camera lenses 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x optical zoom 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x optical zoom 13mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, and 120mm focal length picker 48-megapixel super-high-resolution photos 24- and 48-megapixel super-high-resolution photos Smart HDR 4 Smart HDR 5 Portrait mode with Focus and Depth Control Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control Night mode and Night mode portraits Improved Night mode and Night mode portraits Shoot and instantly transfer 48-megapixel ProRAW images to Mac via USB 3 Record video directly to an external drive ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps ProRes video recording up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording Action mode Improved Action mode and low-light video Log video recording Academy Color Encoding System Record spatial video for Apple Vision Pro Batteries and Charging The iPhone 16 Pro models could receive some major improvements in battery technology and charging, sporting bigger, denser batteries and faster charging capabilities. iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Setting to prevent charging above 80% Battery manufacture date, first use, and cycle count information in Settings Single-layer battery technology Stacked battery technology for increased energy density and prolonged lifespan iPhone 14 Pro : 3,200 mAh battery iPhone 14 Pro Max : 4,323 mAh battery iPhone 16 Pro : 3,355 mAh mAh battery iPhone 16 Pro Max : 4,676 mAh battery Up to 27W wired charging Up to 40W wired charging 15W charging via MagSafe 20W charging via MagSafe Other Features and Changes While many of Apple's devices are rumored to receive a series of new AI-based features via software updates later this year, the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to take these further with exclusive capabilities and an upgraded microphone. iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Upcoming support for new AI features in iOS 18 Upcoming support for new AI features in iOS 18, plus a suite of device-exclusive AI features Microphone Upgraded microphone with improved signal-to-noise ratio and water resistance, designed to support new AI features Improved audio quality on phone calls USB 2 transfer speeds (up to 480Mb/s) USB 3 transfer speeds (up to 10Gb/s, 20x faster) DisplayPort support for up to 4K HDR video output Up to 1TB of storage Up to 2TB of storage Release Date The iPhone 16 lineup is expected to launch in the fall. Apple usually hosts an event every September to unveil new iPhone models, with launch following just over a week later. For more information about the iPhone 16 Pro models, see our comprehensive roundup . Will It Be Worth Upgrading? The iPhone 15 Pro was a fairly significant upgrade over the iPhone 14 Pro in 2023, introducing a titanium chassis, slimmer bezels, the Action button, and a USB-C port. The iPhone 16 Pro will build on these upgrades, offering larger displays, the Capture button, and improved cameras. With over 50 upgrades likely to be in store, many iPhone 14 Pro users will find upgrading to an iPhone 16 Pro model worthwhile. Related Roundup: iPhone 16 Pro Related Forum: iPhone This article, iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: 50+ Upgrades to Expect first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Top OTT Releases This Week: Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, Shaitaan, The Idea of You, and Other

The biggest ott releases this week are Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, Shaitaan, The Broken News Season 2, The Idea of You, WOMB (Woman Of My Billion), and Manjummel Boys.

Ankers new Qi2 15W MagSafe power bank with stand drops to $59.50 (Reg. $70)

Ankers official Amazon storefront is offering its new MagGo Qi2 6,600mAh Power Bank for $59.49 shipped after youve clipped the on-page coupon . Thats down from the usual $70 price tag for one of the first times and a match of the second-best price to date. Todays offer applies to several colorways and is the best in months. We did recently see a buy two save 15% offer, but now you can save on just the companys latest power bank all on its own. more

iOS 18's Rumored AI Features for Siri, Spotlight, and More Revealed in New Report

Apple system features such as Siri and Spotlight Search are set to receive new AI features that work across apps like Messages, Mail, and Safari, AppleInsider reports. Safari will apparently gain a text summarization tool called Intelligent Browsing that allows users to generate a short summary of any webpage, and Siri could gain a similar feature that works in the Messages app. Apple's AI technology can apparently analyze message content and generate responses. Spotlight search will be enhanced with more intelligent results and improved sorting, working across apps like Contacts and Calendar to generate responses. Crucially, Apple's AI tools run-on device, with the ability to generate responses without any cloud-based processing, to maximize privacy and minimize delays. More advanced replies and summaries seem to require sever-side processing. Apple is widely expected to unveil the suite of AI features when it previews major updates to its operating systems at WWDC in June. Related Roundup: iOS 18 Tags: AppleInsider , Artificial Intelligence This article, iOS 18's Rumored AI Features for Siri, Spotlight, and More Revealed in New Report first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

ESRs Apple Pencil alternative with magnetic charging is back down at $24 in various colors

The official ESR Amazon storefront is once again giving folks a chance to score a notable deal on its Digital Pencil Pro for iPad down at$24.29with free shippingfor Prime members or in orders over $25 in the white, dark silver, and silver colorways. This one landed on Amazon last summer with the silver variants hitting earlier this year. Originally $40, it now carries a regular price at $35 directly from ESR where it is on sale for $27. Todays deal comes within cents of the lowest price we have tracked on Amazon since launch to deliver an affordable Apple Pencil alternative. There are plenty of inexpensiveoptions out there, but this one fetches slightly more because of its wireless charging action on all iPads with a magnetic connector it does also include USB-C charging as well. Youll find what ESR calls an active nib on one end for writing and drawing alongside a capacitive tip option for easier swiping and clicking. This model boasts tilt sensitivity tech for thicker lines and shading by tilting the angle of the nib as well. Head below for more details. more

50MP selfie camera and 12GB RAM! This new phone with strong features launched

The tech world is buzzing with excitement as a new smartphone enters the arena, promising to redefine the standard for mobile photography and performance. With a groundbreaking 50MP selfie camera and an impressive 12GB of RAM, this device is poised to capture the imagination of consumers worldwide. Revolutionizing Selfie Photography: A 50MP Marvel Say goodbye to blurry, grainy selfies. This phone boasts a cutting-edge 50MP front-facing camera, setting a new benchmark for selfie quality. Whether you're capturing a solo portrait or a group shot with friends, every detail is rendered with stunning clarity and precision. With advanced imaging technology and enhanced software algorithms, this camera ensures that your selfies are always Instagram-ready. Elevating the Photography Experience But the innovation doesn't stop there. On the rear, this phone features a versatile multi-lens camera system, delivering professional-grade photography capabilities in the palm of your hand. From breathtaking landscapes to close-up macro shots, the possibilities are endless. With ultra-fast autofocus and advanced image processing, you can capture every moment with unparalleled clarity and richness. Unleashing Unprecedented Performance: 12GB of RAM In the world of smartphones, performance is paramount. That's why this device is equipped with a staggering 12GB of RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and seamless app performance. Whether you're gaming, streaming, or tackling productivity tasks, this phone can handle it all with ease. Say goodbye to lag and slowdowns with this device, the power is in your hands. Seamless Multitasking With its generous RAM capacity, this phone enables you to juggle multiple apps simultaneously without missing a beat. Switch effortlessly between tasks, from browsing the web to editing photos, without any slowdowns or interruptions. With this level of performance, you'll never have to compromise on productivity again. Immersive Entertainment Experience entertainment like never before with this phone's immersive display and powerful audio capabilities. Whether you're streaming your favorite movies or diving into the latest mobile games, every detail comes to life with stunning clarity and realism. And with support for high-resolution content and HDR10+, you'll enjoy a cinematic viewing experience wherever you go. Future-Proof Design Designed with the future in mind, this phone combines cutting-edge technology with timeless style. From its sleek, premium build to its intuitive user interface, every aspect of this device is crafted to elevate your mobile experience. And with support for the latest connectivity standards, including 5G and Wi-Fi 6, you'll stay ahead of the curve for years to come. A Game-Changer in the World of Smartphones With its groundbreaking features and uncompromising performance, this new phone sets a new standard for what a smartphone can be. From its revolutionary 50MP selfie camera to its lightning-fast 12GB of RAM, every aspect of this device is engineered to delight and inspire. Whether you're a photography enthusiast, a power user, or simply someone who demands the best, this phone is sure to impress. Char Dham Yatra 2024 Set to Begin on May 10th: Check Helicopter Booking Costs and Helpline Info, and More Couple romantic activities happen in Manali, plan to go with your girlfriend soon Where do trains with rotating seats, glass windows and unique coaches run?

1.5 ton 3 star ACs are available cheaper than Rs 30 thousand, grab the opportunity!

The scorching heat of summer can be unbearable without proper cooling solutions. As temperatures soar, the demand for air conditioners rises exponentially. However, the cost of cooling your space shouldn't burn a hole in your pocket. Luckily, there's good news for those seeking relief from the heat without breaking the bank 1.5 ton 3-star ACs are now available at prices cheaper than Rs 30,000! Why 1.5 Ton 3 Star ACs? Efficient Cooling 1.5 ton ACs strike the perfect balance between cooling efficiency and energy consumption. They are ideal for medium-sized rooms, providing ample cooling without consuming excessive electricity. Energy Savings With a 3-star energy rating, these ACs are designed to be energy efficient. They consume less power compared to lower-rated models, resulting in significant savings on your electricity bills while keeping your space comfortably cool. Environmentally Friendly Reducing energy consumption not only benefits your wallet but also helps reduce your carbon footprint. By opting for a 3-star AC, you contribute to environmental conservation efforts by lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Advantages of Affordable Pricing Cost-Effective Cooling Solutions Purchasing an air conditioner under Rs 30,000 allows you to enjoy the comfort of a cool environment without overspending. It's a budget-friendly option for those looking to invest in their comfort without straining their finances. Accessible to More Consumers Lower prices make 1.5 ton 3-star ACs accessible to a wider audience. Families, students, and individuals on a tight budget can now afford reliable cooling solutions without compromising on quality. Upgrade Opportunities Affordable pricing presents an excellent opportunity for homeowners and renters alike to upgrade their cooling systems. Whether replacing an old unit or installing AC for the first time, the cost-effectiveness of these models makes upgrading more feasible. Things to Consider Before Making a Purchase Room Size Ensure that the cooling capacity of the AC matches the size of your room. While 1.5 ton ACs are suitable for medium-sized rooms, larger spaces may require higher capacity units for optimal cooling. Energy Efficiency Check the energy rating of the AC to gauge its efficiency. While a 3-star rating indicates decent energy savings, higher-rated models may offer even greater efficiency, albeit at a slightly higher price. Brand Reputation and Warranty Invest in reputable brands known for their quality and reliability. Additionally, inquire about warranty coverage and after-sales service to ensure peace of mind and hassle-free maintenance. With affordable 1.5 ton 3-star ACs priced below Rs 30,000, staying cool during the summer has never been more accessible. Take advantage of these cost-effective cooling solutions to beat the heat without exceeding your budget. By making a smart investment in energy-efficient appliances, you not only enhance your comfort but also contribute to a greener future. Char Dham Yatra 2024 Set to Begin on May 10th: Check Helicopter Booking Costs and Helpline Info, and More Couple romantic activities happen in Manali, plan to go with your girlfriend soon Where do trains with rotating seats, glass windows and unique coaches run?

Vivo's new phone will be launched today, camera-battery and display details confirmed

Today marks an exciting milestone in the world of smartphones as Vivo prepares to unveil its latest offering. With a keen focus on enhancing user experience, Vivo has meticulously crafted a device that promises to redefine standards in terms of camera quality, battery performance, and display innovation. Let's delve into the confirmed details that have been stirring anticipation among tech enthusiasts worldwide. Camera: Redefining Photography The cornerstone of Vivo's new phone lies in its revolutionary camera system, designed to capture life's moments with unparalleled clarity and precision. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, the device boasts a sophisticated array of lenses and imaging capabilities, empowering users to unleash their creativity. Quad Camera Setup At the forefront of innovation is a quad-camera setup, engineered to deliver versatility and excellence in every shot. With a combination of wide-angle, ultra-wide, macro, and depth-sensing lenses, users can effortlessly switch between different shooting modes to suit any scenario. Enhanced Night Mode In low-light conditions, Vivo's new phone excels with its enhanced night mode functionality. Leveraging advanced algorithms and sensor technology, it significantly improves low-light performance, ensuring that users can capture stunningly detailed photos even in challenging environments. Battery: Powering Your Day Recognizing the importance of uninterrupted usage, Vivo has prioritized battery performance to keep users connected throughout their day. The new phone integrates innovative solutions to optimize power efficiency and enhance overall battery life. Long-lasting Battery Equipped with a high-capacity battery, users can enjoy extended usage without the need for frequent recharging. Whether streaming content, gaming, or multitasking, the device offers reliable power to keep up with the demands of modern lifestyles. Fast Charging Technology Additionally, Vivo's commitment to convenience is evident through its implementation of fast charging technology. With rapid charging capabilities, users can quickly replenish their device's battery, minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity. Display: Immersive Visual Experience A stunning display is essential for an immersive viewing experience, and Vivo's new phone delivers on this front with its state-of-the-art screen technology. From vibrant colors to crisp details, the display sets new standards for visual excellence. AMOLED Display Featuring an AMOLED display, the device offers rich, true-to-life colors and deep contrast levels, elevating the viewing experience for multimedia content and gaming alike. Whether watching movies or browsing photos, users can enjoy every moment in stunning clarity. High Refresh Rate Furthermore, the display incorporates a high refresh rate, ensuring silky-smooth interactions and fluid animations. Whether scrolling through social media feeds or navigating menus, the responsiveness of the display enhances usability and engagement. In conclusion, Vivo's new phone represents a culmination of innovation and user-centric design, promising to deliver a superior smartphone experience across all fronts. With its advanced camera capabilities, long-lasting battery life, and immersive display, the device sets a new benchmark for excellence in the mobile industry. As the unveiling event unfolds, anticipation continues to build, with tech enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the opportunity to experience Vivo's latest masterpiece firsthand. Char Dham Yatra 2024 Set to Begin on May 10th: Check Helicopter Booking Costs and Helpline Info, and More Couple romantic activities happen in Manali, plan to go with your girlfriend soon Where do trains with rotating seats, glass windows and unique coaches run?

Check out these amazing deals on smartphones under Rs.30,000 in the Amazon Great Summer Sale!

The Amazon Great Summer Sale is here, offering discounts on some of the best mid-range and budget smartphones. From the OnePlus 11R to the Realme Narzo 70 and more, there's something for everyone. Plus, you can enjoy additional savings with bank offers, exchange bonuses, and no-cost EMI options. Here are the top picks for smartphones under Rs.30,000 during the Amazon Summer Days sale: OnePlus 11R 5G: Get the 8GB RAM/128GB storage variant of the OnePlus 11R for just Rs.30,749 on Amazon. And with a Rs.2,000 bank offer, you can bring down the price even more! Realme Narzo 70: Grab the 6GB RAM/128GB storage variant of the Realme Narzo 70 for only Rs.15,999 on Amazon. But wait, there's more! Use the Rs.1,000 coupon discount to get it for Rs.14,999. OnePlus Nord CE 4: The OnePlus Nord CE 4 is currently priced at Rs.24,999 on Amazon. However, if you pay with an ICICI Bank Credit Card in EMI mode, you can knock off an additional Rs.2,000. iQOO Z9: Get your hands on the 8GB RAM/128GB storage variant of the iQOO Z9 for just Rs.19,999. With bank discounts, you can snag this smartphone for an effective price of Rs.17,999. Honor X9b 5G: The Honor X9b, Honor's latest mid-range offering, is available for Rs.21,999 for the 8GB RAM/256GB storage variant. But with Rs.3,000 bank offers, you can bring down the effective price to Rs.18,999. Samsung's Newest Galaxy F55 5G Phone to Hit Shelves Soon: Here's What We Know So Far Strong offers are available on these best smartphones of Moto, this is the last date

Google says Epics Play Store demands are too much and too self-serving

Epic Games won its antitrust lawsuit against Google in December when a federal jury found that the latter violated US antitrust laws with regards to how it runs the Play Store. A few months later, the gaming developer submitted its list of demands, which if implemented will blow the Play Store wide open . Now, Google has filed an injunction telling the court that no, it will not give Epic what it wants without a fight, because the company's asks stray far beyond the trial record. The remedies Epic had submitted would require the court not just to create a global regulatory regime to set prices for apps, Google wrote in the filing as seen by Engadget, but also to micromanage a highly complex and dynamic ecosystem used by billions of consumers and app developers around the world. If you'll recall, Epic wants Google to open up Android to third-party app stores and to make its catalog of apps available to those stores. It also wants restrictions on pre-installed apps to be outlawed and to prohibit any Google activity that incentivizes third-parties. Google said that bowing down to all those demands would effectively prevent [it] from competing, which in turn would negatively affect Android users and developers. Epic's proposals only benefit Epic, Google said in its filing, and will harm other developers by depriving them of control over where their app is distributed. Manufacturers will no longer be able to take advantage of the partnerships Google typically offers, while users have to deal with additional security and privacy risks. The company also slammed Epic over the vagueness of its proposed injunction, which would require the repeated and ongoing intervention of the courts. Similarly, Epic's demands would apparently require the court to micromanage Google's business. Epics demands would harm the privacy, security, and overall experience of consumers, developers, and device manufacturers, Wilson White, Google's Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Policy, told Engadget in a statement. Not only does their proposal go far beyond the scope of the recent US trial verdict which we will be challenging its also unnecessary due to the settlement we reached last year with State Attorneys General from every state and multiple territories. We will continue to vigorously defend our right to a sustainable business model that enables us to keep people safe, partner with developers to innovate and grow their businesses, and maintain a thriving Android ecosystem for everyone. Google said that if Epic truly wants to promote competition rather than create an unfair, court- supervised advantage for itself, then it would take cues from its settlement with the state officials that previously accused the company of abusing its dominance on Android app distribution. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney was, unsurprisingly, unhappy with that settlement , tweeting at the time: If Google is ending its payments monopoly without imposing a Google Tax on third party transactions, we'll settle and be Google's friend in their new era. But if the settlement merely pays off the other plaintiffs while leaving the Google Tax in place, we'll fight on. Consumers only benefit if antitrust enforcement not only opens up markets, but also restores price competition. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-says-epics-play-store-demands-are-too-much-and-too-self-serving-123023699.html?src=rss

NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Friday, May 3

The NYT Mini crossword might be a lot smaller than a normal crossword, but it isn't easy. If you're stuck with today's crossword, we've got answers for you here.

PureVPN for Mac review

Macworld At a Glance Expert's Rating Pros Easy to use. Works on multiple devices, including iPhone. Additional power user features. Cons Pricing model feels obtuse. Virtual server locations feel like a worry. Our Verdict Theres so much to like about PureVPN, from its sleek Mac client to its ease of use and reliable geo-unlocking, but its pricing model is almost aggressively aimed at two-year plans which feel like a gambit in the world of VPNs. Price When Reviewed From $3.74 a month for one year + 4 free months. Usually $12.45 a month. A 5 year deal is available from $1.66 a month. Best Prices Today: PureVPN Retailer Price PureVPN $3.74 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket In our time reviewing VPNs in 2024, its clear the industry has grown to offer some fantastic benefits whether youre looking to unlock Netflix in another country or connect to a Wi-Fi access point you dont quite trust. The other thing thats clear is that VPN companies really want to entice you into a two-year deal. Thats perhaps unsurprising, and whats good enough for the likes of Surfshark and NordVPN is good enough for everyone else, but PureVPN is offering more than a whopping 80% off its plans if you sign up for 24 months. On the one hand, thats great PureVPN is an excellent VPN service with plenty of tools and additional extras to tailor it nicely to your needs. On the other, two years is a long time in a field where legislation threatens to change month to month, week to week. Also, at its standard price, PureVPN is pricier than some of its rivals, so it feels as though it really wants you to hop on board for two years. There are also some privacy concerns, namely with virtual servers. Theres no guarantee where these are located, meaning their privacy frameworks could differ from country to country. Still, if youre looking for a flexible VPN service that will get around geoblocking and is easy to use, PureVPN is well worth a look just be careful before signing up for a lengthy plan. Find out how PureVPN compares to the other VPNs weve tested in our Best VPNs for Mac round-up. We also look at the Best VPNs for iPhone and Best VPNs for iPad . Features & Apps PureVPN offers a quick security checklist to get users started. PureVPN offers a quick security checklist to get users started. Foundry PureVPN offers a quick security checklist to get users started. Foundry Foundry One of my favorite features of PureVPN is how it looks. That may sound silly, but its a sleek interface that performs well on my MacBook Pro M1 Pro (I noted in my SurfShark review that I had some issues with that app). First impressions count for a lot with a service you may end up using daily, and PureVPNs Security Progress window lets you work your way through a checklist of items to help reach a more secure browsing experience. Its a neat tutorial that Id like to see more VPNs offer. The basic plan includes the VPN service and nothing more, while you can add a Password Manager and File Encryption tools in the Plus plan. The Max plan adds Digital Security, which sounds a little nebulous. In reality, its a Digital Privacy Manager that requests your records be scrubbed by data brokers, blocks web trackers, and recommends ways to maximize your privacy on social media. Its worth noting that none of PureVPNs plans include any malware protection in the same way as NordVPN does. Nord will scan downloaded files for malware, but theres nothing similar with PureVPN. Whichever plan you opt for youll be able to connect 10 devices at once. Thats four more than Nord, and you can add multiple logins for around $6/5 a month ideal for busy households or even business uses, and there are a variety of additional purchases you can add on, too. Port forwarding and dedicated IP and server options are available as extras, but PureVPN doesnt run any additional privacy layers on top of standard VPN fare. Its a little barebones in that aspect, though split tunnelling is available for bypassing the VPN entirely for certain apps and sites if you need it. PureVPN will run on your iPhone, iPad and Mac, and is easy to use on each to let you connect to over six thousand servers. NordVPN can be installed on just about anything, meaning its got native apps for iPhone, Mac, and iPad, as well as Windows and Android. Itll even run on your Apple TV, and its worth installing it on multiple devices, too, since you can use it on six devices at once. Performance Users can add favorite server locations or opt for custom IPs. Users can add favorite server locations or opt for custom IPs. Foundry Users can add favorite server locations or opt for custom IPs. Foundry Foundry Its expected to lose some speed on your Mac when using a VPN, but what surprised me about PureVPN is the disparity between VPN protocols, and both OpenVPN and WireGuard are supported here. My internet access isnt fibre-speed as yet, but the drops here were close to the latency of something like ExpressVPN at around 17% drop-off on WireGuard, but OpenVPN was closer to 23% down. Thats a big difference in the grand scheme of things, so Id definitely recommend switching to WireGuard when using the service. Still, OpenVPN is a handy backup option if you encounter issues while browsing just be prepared to sacrifice some speed for compatibility. As far as getting around geo-blocks, I found PureVPN to be as easy as any other service to use. Select a location, load your streaming service or app of choice, and youre off. Privacy & Security PureVPN can stop your data being sold without your knowledge. PureVPN can stop your data being sold without your knowledge. Foundry PureVPN can stop your data being sold without your knowledge. Foundry Foundry As weve covered in other VPN reviews, its important to know if your chosen service is going to be logging any data from your sessions with the VPN. PureVPN offers one of the more impressive no-logging policies, with an ongoing always-on audit process whereby an auditor can request confirmation of that policy at any time. Its impressive, and while no-logging is nothing new, the transparency with which its offered here is certainly impressive. So why the concern about privacy? Its down to the use of virtual servers. These are used to offer closer server locations in areas where bandwidth can be hard to come by. The trouble is, as PureVPNs own blog points out, the location can vary from the physical address you believe youre connecting to. Connecting to Jordan, via the Virtual Server service, will use an IP address from Jordan, but the VPN server is actually in Egypt. With those blurred lines, its commendable that PureVPN has wound down many of its virtual servers. There are still 23, with many being retired and two (Chile and the Phillippines) being converted to physical servers. Still, those are 23 virtual servers where there is the potential for them to be located just across the way from where youre expecting. Pricing and plans As we mentioned in the intro, PureVPNs two-year plans start from $2.11 (1.69) per month, with additional features to take it up to $3.85 (3.08). A one year plan starts at $3.74 (2.98) per month and, if you arent locked into a contract its from $11.95 (9.51) per month. As is the same with any VPN, though, its hard to justify signing up for two years when theres every chance it could be brought to a grinding half by new legislation or at the very least have features and functionality changed. The result is that wed advise opting for a plan that requires less of a commitment, but PureVPN ends up more expensive than some of its rivals when you shift in that direction, and then there are additional add-ons like the dedicated servers and IP that cost more on top if you need them. If those features are key for you, youll likely have already made up your mind, but if theyre not, you may find other options more cost-effective. Although the problem with a one year plan is that you will need to hunt down a less expensive replacement in 12 months when the deal is no longer available and the price goes up to the standard monthly price (which in this case starts at $11.95 (9.51). Verdict If you do sign up for a lengthy plan and arent leaning too heavily on virtual server locations, PureVPN is a great service. If youre looking to get around geo-blocked content or ensure some privacy of your browsing activity, itll certainly work well for you, but wed still recommend a trial month or two before taking the plunge. Mac, MacOS, Security Software and Services, VPN

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro: Where to get the best deals

Macworld Its been a long time since you could only buy aniPhonedirectly from Apple or from AT&T. Today, they are offered by all major carriers and big retailers, many of which try to entice you with special deals. Of course, you can still buy from Apple directly , either in-store or online, but the lowest prices can generally be found elsewhere. If you havent yet put in your order for aniPhone 14oriPhone 14 Pro, this article will help you to spend as little money as possible. We provide a summary of the best deals and promotions offered by popular retailers, plus automatically updated price-comparison tables covering the wider market, all of which will help you find the very best deal on your new iPhone. If youre looking for other models, check out our overall Best iPhone deals roundup. And if you cant decide which iPhone to buy , read our reviews and take a look at our Best iPhone chart . iPhone 14 review iPhone 14 Plus review iPhone 14 Pro review iPhone 14 Pro Max review Where to get the best iPhone deals Buying direct fromApple is one option if youre looking for an unlocked, SIM-freeiPhone 14 oriPhone 14 Plus, and its the go-to place to join the iPhone Upgrade Program . Apple will also let you trade in your old iPhone and get up to $650 in credit toward a new purchase. Find an unlocked or SIM-free iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus at Apple. Since the arrival of the 15-series iPhones in fall 2023, Apple has stopped selling the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, but they are still available from other retailers, as you will see below. In the U.K. we frequently see Amazon discount iPhonesalthough the biggest discounts tend to be on the older models, such as the iPhone 13 or iPhone SE . Best unlocked iPhone 14 series deals U.K. Its possible to find deals on handsets bought unlocked in the UK, including the 14-series iPhones. Weve spotted the following savings: John Lewis, iPhone 14: 599 (100 off; RRP 699) Amazon, iPhone 14: 599 (100 off; RRP 699) Amazon, iPhone 14 Plus: 629.10 (169.90 off; RRP 799) Amazon, iPhone 14 Pro (256GB): 999 (210 off last years price of 1,209, but note it has since been discontinued and would have seen a price cut anyway) Best iPhone 14 series carrier deals If you want to buy a recent iPhone for less than the full retail price, youre probably going to need to get it from a carrier or mobile provider, and there will often be significant strings attached. These deals can be complicated, so be sure to read the fine print. In the U.S., Apple partners with carriers to offer discounts on the2022 iPhones. You get a $30 discount if you buy a phone activated on AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile/Sprint, however, if you shop around there are some good deals to be found. U.S. AT&T : Get up to $800 in bill credits when you buy a new iPhone 14 and trade in your old phone, with a qualifying unlimited plan. T-Mobile : Get up to $800 in bill credits when you buy an iPhone 14 and trade in your old phone when you add a new line. Verizon : Get up to $1,000 in bill credits toward an iPhone 14 Pro with trade-in and select Unlimited plans. U.K. Contract offers vary quite widely in price, but youll need to check the fine print and the perks and extras that are thrown in. You can browse the best current deals using the tool below; click Choose Smartphone to filter by model. Readers who would like to do their own research should try the following U.K. carriers: EE O2 Sky Mobile Three Virgin Mobile Vodafone Best iPhone 14 deals The 14 got a nice price cut when the iPhone 15 came out. At launch, the iPhone 14 started at $829 / 849 / AUD$1,399, but youll pay rather less now: 128GB: $699 / 699 / AUD$1,299 256GB: $799 / 799 / AUD$1,499 512GB: $999 / 999 / AUD$1,849 You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 14 by using our automated table below: New Refurbished Retailer Price $729 View Deal $829 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 14 128GB Purple Unlocked Dual eSIM $729 View Deal iPhone 14 128GB Blue Unlocked Dual eSIM $729 View Deal iPhone 14 128GB Starlight Unlocked Dual eSIM $729 View Deal iPhone 14 128GB Midnight Unlocked Dual eSIM $729 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 14 Plus deals The iPhone 14 Plus has also seen a price drop since the launch of the iPhone 15. It started at $929 / 949 / AUD$1,579 at launch, but now costs less: 128GB: $799 / 799 / AUD$1,499 256GB: $899 / 899 / AUD$1,699 512GB: $1,099 / 1,099 / AUD$2,049 You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 14 Plus by using our automated table below: Best iPhone 14 Pro deals The iPhone 14 Pro has been discontinued by Apple, so it no longer has an official MSRP/RRP. The best we can do is look at the prices when it launched in fall 2022, and knock off a little to account for the price cut it would have received in fall 2023. iPhone 14 Pro prices (fall 2022): 128GB: $999 / 1,099 / AUD$1,699 256GB: $1,099 / 1,209 / AUD$1,869 512GB: $1,299 / 1,429 / AUD$2,219 1TB: $1,499 / 1,649 / AUD$2,569 You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 14 Pro by using our automated table below: New Refurbished Retailer Price $999 View Deal $999.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 14 Pro 128GB Space Black Unlocked Dual eSIM $999 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB Silver Unlocked Dual eSIM $999 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB Deep Purple Unlocked Dual eSIM $999 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB Gold Unlocked Dual eSIM $999 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Deep Purple Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Space Black Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Gold Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Silver Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices Best iPhone 14 Pro Max deals The 14 Pro Max has also been discontinued. If Apple had kept it around, we can assume it would probably have received a price cut in fall 2023. iPhone 14 Pro Max prices (fall 2022): 128GB: $1,099 / 1,199 / AUD$1,899 256GB: $1,199 / 1,309 / AUD$2,099 512GB: $1,399 / 1,529 / AUD$2,419 1TB: $1,599 / 1,749 / AUD$2,769 You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 14 Pro Max by using our automated table below: New Refurbished Retailer Price $999.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Deep Purple Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Where to get refurbished iPhone 14 deals If you havent already, you may want to consider buying a refurbished iPhone 14 to save money (and the environment). Refurbished devices are thoroughly tested and repaired to work and look just like new. In the case of official Apple refurbished iPhones, you get a brand-new body and screen, box, accessories, battery, and warranty. Its almost indistinguishable from buying a new iPhone. See our full guide to buying refurbished or second-hand iPhones for more. The first place to shop for a refurbished iPhone is on the Apple Refurbished Store . At time of writing, Apple does not yet offer refurbished iPhone 14 models for sale, but that could change at any time. Rest assured, the Apple Refurbished Store is where you can get the highest quality of refurbished iPhones . You may want to shop at the following refurbished resellers instead: U.S. BackMarket Best Buy Refurb.me Gazelle Reboxed U.K. Music Magpie Envirofone Reboxed 4Gadgets Smartfone Store iPhone

Samsungs Galaxy SmartTag 2 drop to $21 each (Reg. $30) or get 4 for $70

Amazon now offers Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 Item Finders for $20.99 with free shipping for Prime members or in orders over $25. This is down from $30 for the first time in months and matches the best price of the year. Todays offer comes within $1 of the all-time low from back in December the only other time it has sold for less. You can also score a 4-pack of trackers for $69.99 , dropping each of them to $17.50. While Android users are still waiting for trackers in Googles Find My Device network, Samsung smartphone owners dont have to wait to keep tabs on their gear thanks to these new Galaxy SmartTag 2. We broke down whats new over at 9to5Google , and also detail what to expect below the fold. more

The best iPhone deals this month

Macworld You dont have to pay full price to buy an iPhone; if you shop around you can find a bargain. Every month the Macworld team hunts down the best prices on iPhones at all major retailers and cellphone operators, saving you the hassle of finding the best iPhone deals. In this article, we reveal the best iPhone deals, contracts and bundles available right now. Well help you find a discounted iPhone suitable for any budget, and cover all the currently available models, including the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max that launched in September. We also have the best prices for the iPhone 14 range, including models that Apple has removed from sale, but you can still buy elsewhere. And with Apple discontinuing the iPhone 13 mini, third-party resellers may now be the only place you can pick up one of those handsets. For those specifically in the market for the newest generation, weve collected the best deals for the iPhone 15 series in the U.K. and the best deals for the iPhone 15 series in the U.S. in separate articles. Best iPhone deals right now U.S. iPhone deals In the U.S., the only big iPhone deals you can find come from carriers, and have a lot of strings attached. Typically, you have to buy a phone on a multi-year installment plan, and get your discount in the form of monthly bill credits. AT&T : Get up to $1,000 in bill credits when you buy a new iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max and trade in your old phone, with a qualifying unlimited plan. Up to $700 towards an iPhone 15 or 15 Plus. T-Mobile : Get up to $830 in bill credits toward the purchase of any iPhone 15 model when you trade in your old phone and join the Go5G plan. Verizon : Get up to $839 in bill credits toward any iPhone 15 model with trade-in and the activation of a new line. U.K. iPhone deals In the U.K., we frequently see Apple-certified resellers discount unlocked iPhones. Right now were seeing 50-100 off 15-series iPhones at several resellers: look for money off at Amazon , John Lewis , Currys , and Very . Amazon, iPhone 15 :681 (118 off; RRP 799) AO, iPhone 15 : 681 (118 off; RRP 799) John Lewis, iPhone 15 Plus : 799 (100 off, plus two-year warranty; RRP 899) Amazon, iPhone 15 Plus 799 (100 off; RRP 899) Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro , 899 (100 off; RRP 999) Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro Max , 1,099 (100 off; RRP 1,199) In the U.K. its also possible to find discounts on older iPhones, including the now-discontinued iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 12. John Lewis, iPhone 14 : 599 (100 off, plus two-year warranty; RRP 699) Amazon, iPhone 14 Plus : 629.10 (169.90 off; RRP 799) John Lewis, iPhone 13 : 499 (100 off, plus two-year warranty; RRP 599) John Lewis, iPhone SE (2022) : 379 (50 off, plus two-year warranty; RRP 429) John Lewis, iPhone 12 : 449 (150 off, plus two-year warranty; RRP was 599 before being discontinued in 2023) For models that Apple no longer sells, bear in mind that we can only compare current prices against RRPs from before their discontinuation. Its reasonable to assume that the price of the iPhone 14 Pro, for example, would have dropped in September 2023 if Apple hadnt stopped selling it. Theres more information in the individual sections below. Where to buy an iPhone Apple is the obvious place to look for a new iPhone. You can purchase directly from Apples online store (theres a separate U.K. store ), which wont give you savings, but does at least allow you to take advantage of trading in your old iPhone (see: How to sell or trade-in your old iPhone ). We also have a complete guide to every iPhone Apple sells . Alternatively, Amazon U.K. regularly discounts iPhone models, so its well worth keeping an eye out there. If you think youll be doing lots of Amazon shopping, wed recommend signing up to the 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime for free next-day delivery and access to deals 30 minutes early. You can sign up here. Amazon U.S. offers fewer savings on SIM-free iPhones, but we do see them from time to time. Its always worth checking the price of the iPhones in the following U.S. stores, which occasionally provide solid savings: Amazon Walmart Best Buy And U.K. readers should try these shops: Amazon U.K. John Lewis Carphone Warehouse KRCS In addition, we recommend you check out our automatically updated price tables, embedded below, which gather the best prices from a wide range of retailers in your region. Where to buy an iPhone on contract Most of the major networks will offer the iPhone at a discount if you meet certain conditions (usually opening new lines, or buying on multi-year installment plans). Here are links to browse the latest deals: AT&T T-Mobile Verizon U.K. readers can browse contract deals using the tool embedded below. Click Choose Smartphone to register which model youre interested in. If youd like to research deals for yourself, try the following U.K. providers: O2 Vodafone Three Virgin Mobile EE Sky Mobile Carphone Warehouse (use the comparison tool by clicking View Deals, and remember to tick the box labeled Show total cost of ownership) Note that you can save money if youve got another iPhone to trade in, see: How to sell or trade in your old iPhone . Best prices for Apples iPhones Apple currently sells eight iPhone models: the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max; the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus; the iPhone 13; and the iPhone SE. We look at the best prices for each model, plus a handful of discontinued models that are still available from other retailers, in the sections below. Best iPhone 15 deals Apple sells the iPhone 15 at the following prices: 128GB: $799 / 799 / AU$1,499 256GB: $899 / 899 / AU$1,699 512GB: $1,099 / 1,099 / AU$2,049 Check the table below for the best prices among other retailers. Retailer Price $829 View Deal $829.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 15 Plus deals The official iPhone 15 Plus prices are as follows: 128GB: $899 / 899 / AU$1,649 256GB: $999 / 999 / AU$1,849 512GB: $1,199 / 1,199 / AU$2,199 But check the table below for lower prices from other retailers. Retailer Price $929 View Deal $929.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 15 Pro deals Apples pricing for the iPhone 15 Pro works out as follows: 128GB: $999 / 999 / AU$1,849 256GB: $1,099 / 1,099 / AU$2,049 512GB: $1,299 / 1,299 / AU$2,399 1TB: $1,499 / 1,499 / AU$2,749 But you may be able to find a lower price if you shop around other retailers. Browse the table below for the best prices in your area. Retailer Price $999 View Deal $999.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 15 Pro Max deals Apple sells the iPhone 15 Pro Max at the following prices: 256GB: $1,199 / 1,199 / AU$2,199 512GB: $1,399 / 1,399 / AU$2,549 1TB: $1,599 / 1,599 / AU$2,899 Check the comparison table below for the best prices from other retailers. Retailer Price $0.01 View Deal $1199 View Deal $1199 View Deal $1199.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 14 deals The iPhone 14 has been superseded by the iPhone 15 series, but it is still on sale from Apple. The iPhone 14 offers Action Mode filming and the cameras are better than those on the iPhone 13. Apple has dropped the price now that the iPhone 15 series has launched. The iPhone 14 now starts at $699/699 (it was previously $829/849). New Refurbished Retailer Price $729 View Deal $829 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 14 128GB Purple Unlocked Dual eSIM $729 View Deal iPhone 14 128GB Blue Unlocked Dual eSIM $729 View Deal iPhone 14 128GB Starlight Unlocked Dual eSIM $729 View Deal iPhone 14 128GB Midnight Unlocked Dual eSIM $729 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 14 Plus deals The iPhone 14 Plus was an entirely new iPhone format for 2022. Its the same as the iPhone 14, but in a bigger package The iPhone 14 Plus now starts at $799/799 (it was previously $929/949). Best iPhone 13 deals Apple does still sell the iPhone 13, 2021s handset, and as with the iPhone 14 the price has been reduced now that the iPhone 15 has arrived. If you buy the iPhone 13 you still get the mega-fast A15 Bionic processor, 5G support, a superb twin-lens camera with the new Smart HDR 4, Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles, and improved battery performance compared with the iPhone 12. Read our iPhone 13 review for the full picture. The iPhone 13 now starts at $599/599 (it was previously $699/749, and at launch it was $799/779). Check the automated price table below for the lowest prices currently available from other retailers: New Refurbished Retailer Price $629 View Deal $629 View Deal Straight Talk $629 View Deal $779 View Deal $816 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPhone 13 128GB Midnight Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 13 128GB Pink Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 13 128GB Starlight Unlocked $629 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone SE (2022) deals The iPhone SE 3rd generation burst onto the scene in March 2022, and unites a fast chipset (the same A15 Bionic you get in all of the 13-series iPhones and the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus) with an affordable price tag. Its good value at Apples MSRP, but other retailers may be able to do even better. Read our roundup of the best iPhone SE deals for more in-depth buying advice. You can still buy the iPhone SE direct from Apple . The iPhone SE (3rd gen) currently starts at $429/429. Check our automatically updated chart for the very latest SIM-free offers from other retailers: New Refurbished Retailer Price $339 View Deal $429 View Deal $429 View Deal $449 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone SE (2022) 64GB Midnight Unlocked $429 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Deals on older iPhones When Apple introduced the iPhone 15 range it discontinued the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. It also stopped selling the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini. When Apple stops selling older iPhones in its store, however, that doesnt mean they have disappeared entirely; you may find them in Apples refurbished store, for example. You may also find older handsets on sale at third-party stores and Apple resellers. We have the best deals for discontinued iPhones below. Best iPhone 14 Pro deals The iPhone 14 Pro is no longer sold by Apple, but if you can get hold of one at a good price, it will still serve you well. It launched as recently as September 2022 and remains a powerful and capable smartphone. Apple previously sold the 14 Pro for $999/1,099. Keep the price of the 15 Pro in mind when assessing if a deal is good or not. New Refurbished Retailer Price $999 View Deal $999.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 14 Pro 128GB Space Black Unlocked Dual eSIM $999 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB Silver Unlocked Dual eSIM $999 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB Deep Purple Unlocked Dual eSIM $999 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB Gold Unlocked Dual eSIM $999 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Deep Purple Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Space Black Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Gold Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Silver Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices Best iPhone 14 Pro Max deals The iPhone 14 Pro Max was the biggest and most advanced iPhone when Apple launched it in 2022. The 14 Pro Max started at $1,099/1,199 when Apple still sold it, but bear in mind that it would have received a price cut in fall 2023 if Apple had kept it on the store. New Refurbished Retailer Price $999.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB Deep Purple Unlocked Dual eSIM $1099 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 13 Pro Max deals The iPhone 13 Pro Max was phenomenally powerful and well specced. Apple no longer sells it, but that doesnt mean you wont still be able to buy one. Read our guide to the best iPhone 13 deals for dedicated advice on finding a low price on the four late-2021 Apple handsets. You can find the iPhone 13 Pro Max in the following retailers and networks, assuming they havent run out of stock. Apple used to sell the 13 Pro Max starting at $1,099/1,049. You should be looking to spend considerably less than that, however, to reflect the fact that this is now more than two years old. New Refurbished Retailer Price $424 View Deal $1080 View Deal $1099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB Silver Unlocked $999 View Deal iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB Gold Unlocked $999 View Deal iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB Sierra Blue Unlocked $999 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 13 Pro deals The 13 Pro had a smaller screen and battery than the Pro Max, but is otherwise basically identical. Given that it cost less (when Apple still sold it, at least) it will be a better option for many readers. Read our iPhone 13 Pro review for detailed analysis and testing. Apple used to sell the 13 Pro for $999/949. New Refurbished Retailer Price $984 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 13 Pro 128GB Graphite Unlocked $899 View Deal iPhone 13 Pro 128GB Sierra Blue Unlocked $1000 View Deal iPhone 13 Pro 128GB Gold Unlocked $1000 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 13 mini deals Apples last mini was the iPhone 13 mini. The smallest iPhone you could buy, although the SE is also on the small side. In most respects, it was identical to the iPhone 13, simply squeezed into a smaller chassis and equipped with a smaller screen and smaller battery. That means youre getting a great (but non-ProMotion) screen, 5G, a super-fast A15 processor and great cameras with Cinematic Mode. Read our iPhone 13 mini review for more information and expert analysis. Apple no longer sells the iPhone 13 mini, so if its what you want you will need to look around. Before it was discontinued in fall 2023, Apple used to sell it for $599/649 (and before that it cost $699/679). Check our automated table for the latest offers: New Refurbished Retailer Price $599 View Deal $643.07 View Deal $720 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 13 mini 128GB Pink Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 13 mini 128GB Blue Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 13 mini 128GB Midnight Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 13 mini 128GB Starlight Unlocked $699 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPhone 12 deals Having launched in 2020, the iPhone 12 remained on Apples store until fall 2023, when it was finally discontinued. In our iPhone 12 review we praised its all-round qualities and suitability for the average buyer who doesnt need the power of a Pro but wont settle for a true budget pick like the iPhone SE. Apple no longer sells the the iPhone 12, but when it did, prices started at $599/649 (down from the $699/679 charged between September 2021 and 2022). If stock of this older model is still available in your area, the latest SIM-free prices will appear in an automated comparison table below this paragraph. If youre seeing nothing, that means stock has sadly run out. New Refurbished Retailer Price $816 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 13 128GB Blue Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 12 64GB White Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 12 64GB Black Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 12 64GB Blue Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 12 64GB Red Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 12 64GB Green Unlocked $629 View Deal iPhone 12 128GB Purple Unlocked $679 View Deal iPhone 12 128GB Green Unlocked $679 View Deal iPhone 12 128GB Blue Unlocked $679 View Deal iPhone 12 128GB Black Unlocked $679 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices iPhone

HyperXs Haste 2 Mini Wireless Gaming Mouse with 100-hour battery back at $70 Amazon low

Amazon is now offering one of the first notable chances to save on the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini Wireless Gaming Mouse at $69.99 shipped. This model first landed on Amazon at the top of the year and has only seen one other discount before today. While not a particularly deep deal at nearly 15% off, this is indeed one of the brands latest matching the lowest we have ever tracked on Amazon. If youre a fan of the HyperX gaming gear and are looking for a smaller, more compact mouse experience for your battlestation, todays deal is worth a closer look. Just keep in mind, we are also tracking the full-size wired Pulsefire Haste 2 at $49.99 shipped via Amazon, down from the regular $60 price tag right now as well. Hit the jump for more details. more

The best gifts to upgrade your grads tech setup

If you know someone who is graduating this year, whether from high school or university, chances are good the gear thats gotten them through the last four (or more) years is ready for a refresh. The good news is that graduation time is typically a big one for gift-giving, so if you know someone who is about to hit college or the dreaded real world, you can make sure theyre prepared by perusing our list of the latest tech. Everything here should be a major upgrade thatll make the transition easier and last for years to come, as well. Laptops Devindra Hardawar/Engadget A good laptop remains the standard, go-to tool for getting things done. But its also a personal purchase, with people having strong opinions about which operating system, screen size and specs they need. So there are a few things youll want to know going into this purchase, but all of these laptops we recommend are some of the best and most well-rounded options on the market. Unless the person youre shopping for has some specific needs, one of these machines should hit the mark. Dells XPS 13 Plus is easy to recommend for anyone who uses Windows. At this point, Dell has almost perfected its industrial design: its thin and light, but not at the expense of power or battery life. The keyboard and display are excellent, and you can get impressive specs without breaking the bank. One downside is that Dell seems to have moved fully to a design that only has two USB-C ports and no headphone jack, which can be a bit limiting. But those quibbles aside, the XPS 13 Plus remains an excellent choice. Right now, the XPS 13 Plus includes Intels 13th-generation Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. That also includes a 13.4-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 display, and the whole package costs a very reasonable $999 direct from Dell right now. Dell has also offered the same configuration with a 4K display for $200 more, but as of this writing its unavailable. Either way, thats a lot of power for the price. For someone whos a gamer, though, we recommend going in a different direction. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 has been our favorite gaming laptop for a few years now, one that combines relative portability (3.5 pounds and a 14-inch screen) with serious power. In our review we said that the laptop was incredibly compelling, even if its more expensive than it used to be. It has a powerful AMD processor and graphics card coupled with a great display, comfortable keyboard, spacious trackpad and solid design. Its not a champ on battery life, but we got seven hours of non-gaming use out of it pretty decent considering the specs. You can get the Zephyrus G14 in a wide variety of configurations, but one wed recommend includes an AMD Ryzen 9 8000 series processor, NVIDIAs GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 2,560 x 1,600 OLED display with a 120 hz refresh rate. For people who prefer a Mac, Apples lineup can be surprisingly complicated. Fortunately, the company just updated all of its laptops with its latest series of M3 processors, so now is a great time to purchase one.The MacBook Air is still the companys best laptop for most people, and it now comes in both 13- and 15-inch configurations. In both cases, its an extremely light and portable computer that has better battery life than almost anything you can buy. The best option if youre looking for longevity is the $1,499 13-inch model that includes 512GB of storage, 16GB of RAM and the M3 chip with a 10-core GPU. You can grab that same configuration with a 15-inch display for $1,699. And while we think that the Air is enough computer for most people, if youre buying for someone who has a heavier workload like photo or video editing, the $1,999 MacBook Pro is worth considering. It gives you a significantly more powerful M3 Pro chip with a 14-core GPU along with other niceties like a gorgeous 14-inch mini-LED display. Given how dominant a force Chromebooks are in education, its entirely possible that someone just finishing school might want to continue using Chrome OS. Fortunately, there are lots of premium Chromebooks that are well-designed and capable enough to last for years. One of our favorites is Acers Chromebook Spin 714 . It includes a 13th-gen Intel Core i5 processor alongside a 14-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 display that offers a little more vertical space than your average 1080p screen. Add in a solid keyboard and trackpad, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and you have a Chromebook that doesnt require many compromises. The one downside is that its 7ish-hour battery life isnt spectacular but given the laptops price, its probably good enough. Tablets Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget No, tablets have not replaced laptops as some predicted when the category started blowing up last decade. But they also still do a ton of things well. They can be a great option for getting work done, engaging your creative side with art and music-making apps or just enjoying movies and games. For the vast majority of people, Apples iPad is the only tablet worth considering, even if they dont otherwise use Apple products. Thats thanks to time-tested, reliable hardware and a massive software library with hundreds of thousands of apps optimized for the iPads larger screen. As for which is the best iPad , the iPad Air remains the right choice for most at the moment especially if youre looking for a good graduation gift. While the basic iPad is a great value, you get a lot when you step up to the Air. Perhaps most importantly, the Air has Apples M1 chip, a very powerful chip for a tablet that was in many Macs for years. This means the Air is extremely fast, even though the M1 is a few years old at this point. The rest of the iPad Airs hardware is also impressive for the price. It has a large 10.9-inch screen with thin bezels and an anti-reflective coating; the display is also laminated directly to the glass, so theres no distracting gap beneath the surface. The Air includes 64GB or 256GB of storage, 10 hours of battery life, support for the second-generation Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard and an improved 12-megapixel front-facing camera. For $599, youre getting almost everything that the iPad Pro offers for a lot less cash. The only caveat here is that Apple is expected to release new iPads this spring. As of this writing, the M1 iPad Air is our favorite, but just know that there may be a new Air on the way in the coming weeks. Android tablets have never had the same level of success as the iPad, largely because of the well-documented software issues on larger-screen Android devices. But if youre shopping for an Android diehard, Samsungs Galaxy Tab S9 (or S9+) are solid choices. The S9 features a high-resolution 11-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, and has an S-Pen stylus included in the box. For someone looking for a bigger canvas, the S9+ steps things up to 12.4 inches. And while Android historically hasnt been the best option for large-screen devices, Samsungs Dex feature switches things up into a more desktop-like multi-window mode, which can be great for productivity. Samsungs built-in apps that take advantage of the S-Pen are solid as well. You might have a hard time finding apps that are designed for the Tab S9s larger screen, but if youre buying this for someone familiar with Android, theyll likely be aware of the trade-offs. Smartphones Google The most important computer people own, or at least the one they probably rely on the most, is their smartphone . And if you know someone who is still rocking the same device they brought to campus with them four years ago, theyll definitely appreciate an upgrade. The good news is that its pretty easy to pick out a phone thatll satisfy just about anyone, regardless of whether they prefer Android or iOS. This year, were recommending the iPhone 15 Pro Max for new graduates. The standard iPhone 15, 15 Plus and 15 Pro are all excellent phones, but the Pro Max is undeniably the best option out there. The 15 Pro Max has the best iPhone camera you can buy, with a 5x telephoto lens that gives it a big advantage over the 3x option on the standard iPhone 15. Other significant features include the massive and gorgeous 6.7-inch always-on display with a 120Hz refresh rate and the A17 Pro chip. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is expensive at $1,199, and some people may not be happy with such a large device. As such, the $999 iPhone 15 Pro is easy to recommend as an alternative, but camera nerds will really enjoy the 15 Pro Max. And the extremely fast processor and Apples track record of delivering software support for years means this investment should last a long time. Unsurprisingly, Samsung continues to make the best Android devices you can buy as such, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is our pick this year. At $1,299, its another pricey device, but it delivers everything you could ask for: an incredibly bright and high-quality 6.8-inch OLED screen, a high-resolution 5X telephoto camera (along with other excellent lenses and sensors), nearly two full days of battery life and strong performance. The latter comes thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and 12GB of RAM. It also comes with Samsungs handy S Pen, for anyone who wants to use a stylus on the S24 Ultras giant screen. Given how thoroughly Samsung dominates the Android space, this isnt a surprising recommendation, but it will make most Android fans happy. While Samsungs devices are hard to compete with, Google has routinely made excellent Android phones for a bit less cash. The $999 Pixel 8 Pro is worth a look if youre a fan of Googles clean take on Android, and their phones always have some nifty software tricks baked in. Battery life has been upgraded over the Pixel 7 Pro, the latest Tensor 3 chip keeps things speedy and its camera performance is as good as ever. And the fact that this phone is built by Google means itll get software updates before any other Android phone on the market; Google is also promising seven years of software updates. Both of these phones are big (the Pixel 7 Pros screen is 6.7 inches while the S23 Ultra has a 6.8-inch display), but the good news is that both Google and Samsung offer smaller-screened devices that keep most of the same features and specs as their larger siblings. Youll save some cash with a smaller device, too. Headphones Billy Steele/Engadget Almost anyone would benefit from a good pair of noise canceling headphones , and once again Sony has made our top pick. While Sonys WH-1000XM5 is almost two years old at this point, its still the best over-ear option on the market. At $400, theyre more expensive than the XM4, but they offer a combination of incredible sound, a time-tested, refined design and excellent noise-canceling that is hard to beat. They also fit better and more comfortably than ever, and have 30 hours of battery life. The 1000XM5 looks better, sounds better and wears better than the previous model its hard to ask for much more. While the WH-1000XM5 is getting a little old, Sony refreshed its wireless earbuds last year, making them our new favorite pick. As with its over-ear headphones, the $298 WF-1000XM5 earbuds feature incredible sound quality, long battery life, excellent noise cancellation and a comfortable design. Sony completely redesigned the WF-1000XM5 inside and out, with a new design and drivers as well as updated chips that power their noise-canceling features. Battery life hasnt improved, but its still impressive. The earbuds can get about eight hours of playback with ANC active that jumps up to 12 hours if you turn it off. Sony also included a host of smart software features like Speak-to-Chat automatic pausing, Adaptive Sound Control adjustments based on movement or location, 360 Reality Audio and a customizable EQ. If youre buying earbuds for an Apple user, though, consider the second-generation AirPods Pro . They dont quite beat Sonys WF-1000XM5 in sound quality or battery life, but there are a host of features that make them the best earbuds to use with an iPhone, iPad or Mac. The fast pairing tech Apple introduced with the first AirPods still makes it extremely easy to start using these earbuds, or to switch them seamlessly between different Apple devices. Both the case and buds are sweat and water resistant, making them a better option for workouts. These second-gen AirPods Pro also have big improvements in noise cancellation and sound quality, and the transparency mode that lets in outside sound lets you have a conversation or hear the world around you in a totally natural way. Apple improved on that last summer with a new Adaptive Audio feature that blends noise cancellation and transparency depending on your environment. And, Apple finally added USB-C to the charging case! Monitors LG There are a dizzying number of computer monitors on the market, at basically any price you can think of, which makes recommending a single monitor a very difficult task. Fortunately, weve looked at a host of options and have a few good ones that dont break the bank and offer a great viewing experience. LGs 32-inch 32UN650-W is an excellent choice for a large, high-resolution panel that includes niceties like built-in speakers, HDR, support for AMD Freesync and a stand that offers tilt and height adjustments. It sticks with a standard 60Hz refresh rate rather than anything faster, but its an excellent choice for most people, especially given its $450 price. As usual, gamers require something a little different. For that set, check out the 25-inch ASUS ROG Strix 380Hz monitor . The resolution maxes out at 1080p, and its a much smaller display compared to the LG but a 380Hz refresh rate is wildly quick, and the 1m GtG response time will go a long way towards eliminating motion blurs. It also has HDR, but with a higher maximum brightness than the LG. Its a rather specialized piece of equipment, but one thatll undoubtedly be appreciated by gamers. Bags Waterfield As important as the right gear is, your grad also deserves something classy and stylish to carry all that stuff around. The Executive Leather Messenger from Waterfield Designs is an expensive choice, but its worth the cost. Waterfield makes everything by hand in its San Francisco shop, and the materials it uses are top notch. Ive owned a lot of their products over the years, and I can safely say this bag will last a decade or more, and the leather will only look more attractive as time goes on. On the inside are two padded slots, one for a tablet and one for a laptop. There are also two pockets, one zippered, as well as a pen slot and a metal key fob. Finally, there are two easily-accessible hand pockets under the flap, both with an extremely soft plush lining. The Executive Leather Messenger comes in three different leather colors and costs either $399 or $419, depending on which size you choose. Its an investment, for sure, but it will last a long time. Waterfields bags are typically quite pricey, but the company recently released a new line of essential options that offer the companys excellent construction and smart features at a lower price point. The $179 Essential Messenger is a lightweight option that does away with the leather and uses tough textiles instead. But its magnetic closures are fast and easy to undo, the strap is easily removable for wearing over whichever shoulder you choose, and it has foam inserts to help it keep its structure. Theres a built-in sleeve for a laptop up to 14 inches, and I can confirm you can shove a surprising amount of gear in it considering its smaller size. Theres also something to be said for a good backpack. For that, check out Peak Designs Everyday Backpack . As the name suggests, its a fairly minimalist design that works in a lot of contexts, and it comes with the companys typically smart organization features. It has a number of configurable dividers inside to keep everything from pooling at the bottom, and it combines the large internal space with a host of internal and external pockets and access points. Finally, it also has a number of external straps that can be easily hidden if you dont need them but they provide versatile expansion of the bags carrying capacity. If you want to attach things like a tripod or tie a jacket or blanket on, go right ahead. There are a ton of different ways to use this bag, which means it should last years as it can just be customized to fit commutes, vacations or any other excursion. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-tech-upgrades-laptops-tablets-headphones-smartphones-monitors-bags-for-graduates-150049903.html?src=rss

Boom's XB-1 supersonic jet has been authorized to break the speed of sound

Boom's supersonic XB-1 test jet has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to fly past Mach 1, the company announced . Tests are slated to take place later this year at the Black Mountain Supersonic Corridor in Mojave, CA, and the results could help prove the feasibility of the design in areas like fuel consumption, speeds and flight characteristics. Following XB-1s successful first flight, Im looking forward to its historic first supersonic flight, said Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl. We thank the Federal Aviation Administration for supporting innovation and enabling XB-1 to continue its important role of informing the future of supersonic travel. The approval arrives just weeks after a successful X-B1 test flight at subsonic speeds by a pair of test pilots. It follows a thorough review and environmental assessment, and mandates a chaise plane to trail the XB-1 to monitor and record flight safety, according to the company. The company will conduct 10-20 flights before attempting to break the speed of sound. It will systematically expand the flight envelope during that time to confirm performance and handling qualities, Boom said, while performing in-flight checks of all systems and demonstrating a safe margin to flutter/vibration boundaries. Test pilot Tristan Geppetto Brandenberg will be at the controls during the first supersonic flight. Passenger flights are still a long way off, though. The XB-1 is a scaled-down version of Boom's ultimate goal, a commercial liner called Overture that's expected to carry under 100 passenger at business class comfort levels. The company has said that plane will be able to fly from Tokyo to Seattle in four hours and thirty minutes. The company has seen its share of issues, with test plans delayed and a rupture with original engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce. The company subsequently partnered with a company called FTT to develop its own custom Symphony jet engine. Still, the company already has customers lined up, with American Airlines and United Airlines having place orders for multiple jets. NASA is also working on a supersonic jet called the X-59 with a reduced sonic profile , but Boom Supersonic hasn't provided much detail on how it plans to reduce the, well, supersonic boom. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/booms-xb-1-supersonic-jet-has-been-authorized-to-break-the-speed-of-sound-120036963.html?src=rss

How to Shut Up Your Gadgets at Night So You Can Sleep

Cut out the beeps and bloops and get some rest for a change.

Add 8TB of storage to your NAS setup with WDs Red Plus drive at $160 (Reg. $210+, Today only)

Today only, as part of its Deals of the Day , Best Buy is giving folks a chance to upgrade their at-home network attached storage setup with a notable deal on the WD Red Plus 8TB Internal SATA NAS Hard Drive at $159.99 shipped . This model carries a regular price at $210 via Best Buy and more like $240 at Newegg where it is on sale for $170 right now. This is at least $50 off the going rate and well under the best we have tracked on this model at Amazon this year. We are big fans of the WD Red NAS drives around here and have been for quite some time. They are among the best options out there for delivering some additional storage to your NAS setup and this one-day offer brings an extra 8TB to your rig at a notable price tag ($20 per TB). Head below for more details. more

Breathe new life into Series X|S with Seagates 2TB Expansion Card at $223, more from $70

Both Best Buy andAmazonare giving Xbox gamers one of the best chances of the year to upgrade their Series X|S consoles with a notable price drop on theSeagate 2TB Storage Expansion Cardat$229.99 $222.97 shipped. Carrying a regular price of $400 at Best Buy, this model more typically sells for $280 at Amazon and is now at the lowest price we have tracked there all year. Todays deal is $16 under our previous mention and is currently sitting at the best price we can find. While we have seen it go for less, todays offer on the 2TB variant is joined by a $139.99 offer on the 1TB for folks that dont need as much extra storage space it has solid for closer to $150 or $160 over the last several months. Head below for more details. more

The Morning After: Peloton's grim post-pandemic reality

Peloton had a great pandemic. Its a weird thing to say, but the companys premium exercise equipment (expanding from bikes to treadmills and even weight-training tech) were the hot workout-from-home products. That boom made some people (not normal, sensible people) suggest we were never going back to bricks-and-mortar gyms once the world reopened. But we went back. Now, Pelotons latest financial numbers and statements are not great , and further cuts, nips and tucks are now on the cards. Its shares have gone from $156 in 2021 to less than $3 today. Peloton is laying off 15 percent of its workforce, shuttering more of its showrooms and getting rid of its CEO, again. It also killed Mr. Big. The company says its planning to expand overseas (its gained a foothold in the UK), but it might just be a case of the company resizing to fit the reality of at-home fitness in 2024. Mat Smith You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The biggest stories you might have missed Engadget Podcast: Kill the Rabbit (R1) Huawei has been secretly funding research in America after being blacklisted Over 200 militia groups and users are using Facebook to organize nationwide, according to report The best noise-canceling earbuds Microsofts latest Windows security updates might break your VPN Until the company issues a fix, the only workaround is to skip or uninstall it. Microsoft says the April security updates for Windows may break your VPN. According to its own status update: Windows devices might face VPN connection failures after installing the April 2024 security update. It affects Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows Server 2008 and later. However, user reports on Reddit are mixed, with some commenters saying their VPNs still work. So you might get lucky. Continue reading. Olivia Rodrigo, Drake and other Universal artists return to TikTok The companies signed a new deal. Samir Hussein via Getty Images TikTok and Universal Music Group (UMG) have signed a deal so Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd and other artists can return to the platform. Universal pulled its song back in February. Now, a key part of the deal is artist protection from generative AI. TikTok and UMG will work together to ensure AI development across the music industry will protect human artistry and the economics that flow to those artists and songwriters, the companies wrote. Drake, also part of UMG, has had his own recent troubles with AI tools and music. Continue reading. X is changing how the block button works Blocking will no longer hide your replies. Elon Musk is not a fan of the block button. The button (and feature) persists for now, but X is changing how it works. X is tweaking the visibility of replies in a block. Previously, a user could block someone on X and still reply to their posts. The blocked person wouldnt be able to view that reply, but other X users could. Its a black-belt passive-aggressive X move. Now, users see direct replies even if the person posting has blocked them. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-pelotons-grim-post-pandemic-reality-111518934.html?src=rss

Report: Five Things Apple Won't Announce at Its Event Next Week

Apple is holding at least five announcements for later in the year that will not arrive at the company's Let loose special event next week, according to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman . In a report detailing his expectations for Apple's upcoming event, Gurman noted that there are a total of five things that the company is holding for later in the year: AI features : While Apple may tease new AI capabilities with the next-generation iPad Pro , Apple will not formally unveil the features until WWDC in June where iPadOS 18 will be previewed. Lower-cost entry-level iPad : Apple is apparently working on a version of the 10th-generation iPad introduced in 2022 with a lower price. The current model is $449, sitting in the lineup above the $329 ninth-generation iPad that remains in the lineup. The company is likely to phase out this older model and bring the price down of the redesigned model, but Gurman says this isn't expected until the end of the year at the earliest. Seventh-generation iPad mini : A refreshed iPad mini is said to be in the works featuring improved performance thanks to a faster chip, but it is not due to be announced next week. New Macs : While the new iPad Pro models may contain the M4 chip , a processor that will later come to the Mac, Apple is not planning to unveil any new Mac models at the Let loose event. Fourth-generation AirPods : Apple is said to be nearing production of the fourth-generation AirPods , but these will not launch until the fall alongside the iPhone 16 lineup. Apple's Let loose event is expected to focus on the unveiling of redesigned iPad Pro models with OLED displays, two new iPad Air models, a high-end Magic Keyboard accessory, and a new Apple Pencil . It will take place on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. Tags: Bloomberg , Mark Gurman , May 2024 Apple Event This article, Report: Five Things Apple Won't Announce at Its Event Next Week first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

3 retro classics to play on Nintendo Switch Online this weekend (May 3-5)

These Switch Online games are perfect companions to recent releases like Stellar Blade, Endless Ocean: Luminous, and Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

If youre not using PlayStation Stars, youre missing out

The PlayStation Stars program still isn't perfect two years later, but is a hidden gem that all players should take advantage of.

3 underrated PS Plus games you should play this weekend (May 3-5)

If you're a PlayStation Plus Premium or Extra subscriber looking for something to play this weekend, check out these games from EA, Sabotage, and LucasArts.

Engadget Podcast: Kill the Rabbit (R1)

The Rabbit R1 is finally here, and it's yet another useless AI gadget. Sure, at $199 with no monthly fee, it's a lot cheaper than the $699 Humane AI Pin. But the R1 is slow, hard to use, and doesn't actually do much. The much-promised Large Action Model mostly powers things you can easily do on your phone. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Sam Rutherford chat with CNET's Lisa Eadicicco about the Rabbit R1 and whether AI devices are necessary at all. Just like cameras, the best AI device is the one you always have with you: your smartphone. Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News ! Topics Rabbit R1 review: appealing design, underwhelming performance 0:49 Tesla lays off Supercharger development team leaving future of the network unclear 25:28 FCC fines U.S. wireless carriers $200m for selling customer location data 30:05 Razer will refund all Zephyr mask purchases over false N95 filtering claims 32:52 Drake deletes track featuring an AI clone of Tupac Shakurs voice 35:16 Working on 36:23 Pop culture picks 40:18 Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Livestream Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Sam Rutherford Guest: Lisa Eadicicco from CNET Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-podcast-why-tiktok-will-never-be-the-same-again-113009291.html?src=rss

Apple CEO Tim Cook Talks About India in Q2 Earnings Call, Says Its an Incredibly Exciting Market

Apple CEO Tim Cook made several call-outs to India during the companys quarterly earning calls, specifically highlighting the country as an exciting market and an opportunity for it to expand further. The Cupertino-based tech giant has been heavily investing in India in recent years. Cook also revealed that the company made a quarterly revenue record in the country in March, posting strong double-digit growth numbers.

3 Xbox Game Pass games you need to play this weekend (May 3-5)

If you're looking to dig into Xbox Game Pass' catalog this weekend, give these three games a try.

How to shut down Facebooks nosy People You May Know suggestions

If you consider Facebook's People You May Know section distracting, there's a way to temporarily remove it. There is no permanent way to eliminated it.

Snapchat Introduces Editable Chats, Emoji Reactions and More Features

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Solana Labs, Google Cloud Join Forces to Propel Blockchain into Mainstream Game Development

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Everything You Need to Know About Hybrid Cars

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The best password manager for 2024

When were logging into our online accounts, it's usually with a purpose. We want to get in as quickly as possible to scroll social media or check a bank statement without interruption. Its easy to become impatient and let login security slip by using the same passwords for everything think the usual suspects like streets you've lived on or your kids' or pets' names. But thats a security nightmare: With just one leak , a malicious actor can access some of your most sensitive accounts. Password managers help mitigate this threat by giving you an easy way to store and develop unique, strong passwords for every account. Yet, these services are not all built the same. We tested out nine of the best password managers available now to help you choose the right one for your needs. 1Password remains our top pick for the best password manager, thanks to its zero-knowledge policy, numerous security features and general ease of use, but there are other solid programs out there to consider as well. How do password managers work? Think of password managers like virtual safe deposit boxes. They hold your valuables, in this case usually online credentials, in a section of the vault only accessible to you by security key or a master password. Most of these services have autofill features that make it convenient to log in to any site without needing to remember every password you have, and they keep your credit card information close for impulse purchases. But given that passwords are one of the top ways to keep your online identity secure , the real value of password managers is staying safe online. It's just not possible without a password manager to have unique, long and hard-to-guess passwords, Florian Schaub, an associate professor of information and of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Michigan, said. Common guidance states that secure passwords should be unique, with the longest number of characters allowed and uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. This is the exact opposite of using one password everywhere, with minor variations depending on a sites requirements. Think of how many online accounts and sites you have credentials for its an impossible task to remember it all without somewhere to store passwords safely (no, a sticky note on your desk wont cut it). Password managers are more readily accessible and offer the benefit of filling in those long passwords for you. Are password managers safe? It seems counterintuitive to store all your sensitive information in one place. One hack could mean you lose it all to an attacker and struggle for months or even years to rebuild your online presence, not to mention you may have to cancel credit cards and other accounts. But most experts in the field agree that password managers are a generally secure and safe way to keep track of your personal data, and the benefits of strong, complex passwords outweigh the possible risks. The mechanics of keeping those passwords safe differs slightly from provider to provider. Generally, you have a lengthy, complex master password that safeguards the rest of your information. In some cases, you might also get a security key to enter when you log in to new devices. This is a random string of letters, numbers and symbols that the company will send you at sign up. Only you know this key, and because its stored locally on your device or printed out on paper, its harder for hackers to find. These multiple layers of security make it difficult for an attacker to get into your vault even if your password manager provider experiences a breach. But the company should also follow a few security basics. A zero-knowledge policy means that the company keeps none of your data on file, so in the event of an attack, theres nothing for hackers to find. Regular health reports like pentests and security audits are essential for keeping companies up to par on best practices, and other efforts like bug bounty programs or hosting on an open source website encourage constant vigilance for security flaws. Most password managers now also offer some level of encryption falling under the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). AES 256-bit is the strongest, because there are the most number of possible combinations, but AES 128-bit or 192-bit are still good. Who are password managers for? Given their universal benefit, pretty much everyone could use a password manager. Theyre not just for the tech-savvy people or businesses anymore because so much sensitive information ends up online behind passwords, from our bank accounts to our Netflix watch history. Thats the other perk of password managers: safe password sharing. Families, friends or roommates can use them to safely access joint accounts. Texting a password to someone isnt secure, and you can help your family break the habit by starting to use one yourself, Lisa Plaggemier, executive director at National Cyber Security Alliance, said. Streaming is the obvious use case, but consider the shared bills, file storage and other sites you share access with the people around you as well. Are password managers worth it? You likely already use a password manager, even if you wouldnt think to call it that. Most phones and web browsers include a log of saved credentials on the device, like the passwords keychain in the settings of an iPhone. That means youve probably seen the benefits of not having to memorize a large number of passwords or even type them out already. While thats a great way in, the downfall of these built-in options are that they tend to be device specific. If you rely on an Apple password manager, for example, that works if youre totally in the Apple ecosystem but you become limited once you get an Android tablet, Lujo Bauer, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and of computer science, at Carnegie Mellon University, said. If you use different devices for work and personal use and want a secure option for sharing passwords with others, or just dont want to be tied to one brand forever, a third-party password manager is usually worth it. How we tested We tested password managers by downloading the apps for each of the nine contenders on iPhone, Android, Safari, Chrome and Firefox. That helped us better understand what platforms each manager was available on, and see how support differs across operating systems and browsers. As we got set up with each, we took note of ease of use and how they iterated on the basic features of autofill and password generators. Nearly all password managers have these features, but some place limits on how much you can store while others give more control over creating easy-to-type yet complex passwords. From there, we looked at extra features like data-breach monitoring to understand which managers offered the most for your money. Finally, we reviewed publicly available information about security specs for each. This includes LastPass, which more experts are shying away from recommending after the recent breach. For the sake of this review, weve decided not to recommend LastPass at this time as fallout from the breach still comes to light (The company disclosed a second incident earlier this year where an unauthorized attack accessed the companys cloud storage, including sensitive data. Since then, hackers have stolen more than $4.4 million in cryptocurrency using private keys and other information stored in LastPass vaults.) These are the password managers we tested: 1Password LastPass Bitwarden Dashlane Keeper NordPass Enpass Norton password manager LogMeOnce Other password managers we tested LastPass For a while, security experts considered LastPass a solid choice for a password manager. Its easy to use, has a slew of helpful extra features and its free version gives you a lot. But we decided not to include LastPass in our top picks because of the high profile data breaches it has experienced over the past couple of years. Keeper Keeper met a lot of the basic criteria we tested for, like autofill options and cross-platform availability. We liked its family plan options, too, that can keep your whole household secure. But we didnt think its extra features, like the encrypted messaging app, added much value. Plus, it has a self-destruct feature after five incorrect login attempts which, despite adding extra protection, could be a recipe for disaster for casual users. Enpass Enpass works well as an affordable password manager. That includes an inflation-beating lifetime access pass instead of a monthly payment for users really committed to the service. Still, it was confusing to set up across devices and because Enpass stores data locally, as opposed to in the cloud, we struggled to get started with it on mobile. Norton A familiar name in security, we were excited to test out Nortons password manager . While its free, its features seem underdeveloped. It lacked password sharing, account recovery and complex form-filing tools that come standard in many of the other password managers we tested. LogMeOnce LogMeOnce comes with a wide range of premium tiers, from professional to family, that include different levels of storage and features. But when we tested, it lacked some basic cross-platform availability that other password managers had already, like compatibility with Mac and Safari. FAQs Why use a password manager? Using a password manager can enhance your online security. They store all of your complex passwords and autofill them as needed, so that you can have unique, strong passwords across the web without remembering each of them yourself. In many cases, unique passwords are your first defense against attack, and a reliable manager makes it easier to keep track of them all. Are password managers 100 percent safe? Password managers are a secure way to store your credentials. Experts in the field generally agree that the benefits of accessibility when storing complex passwords outweigh the possibility of attack, like what happened with LastPass. But with any service, it can vary from provider to provider. You should look out for zero-knowledge policies, regular security audits, pentests, bug bounty programs and encryption when choosing the right secure password manager for you. What if I forget my master password? Forgetting a master password wont necessarily lock you out for good, but the recovery process varies from provider to provider. Some services give you a security key at sign up to enter when you log into new devices. It can also be used to securely recover your account because its a random string of keys stored locally that only you have access to. Other services, however, have no way to recover your vault. So creating a master password that you wont forget is important. How can I make a good master password? A good master password should be unique, with the longest number of characters allowed and uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Experts often recommended thinking of it like a passphrase instead of a password to make it easier to remember. For example, you can take a sentence like My name is Bob Smith and change it to Myn@m3isB0b5m!th to turn it into a secure master password that you wont forget. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-password-manager-134639599.html?src=rss

How to manage depth control in iPhone photos

Macworld Photos can pop when one area is in sharp focus and the other blurry, providing the impression of depth in a two-dimensional image that matches how our eyes focus on objects, even though we dont typically perceive this. This technique once required a lens of the sort found on an SLR or DSLR (analog or digital single-lens reflex) or mirrorless camera. You adjust the f-stop, traditionally noted with an , which changes the depth of field or the range from the camera lens to a further point that can be in focus. Apples switch to an array of two or more back-facing camera lenses (starting with the iPhone 7 Plus) and a special Portrait mode built for it made this kind of sophisticated-looking feature available to hundreds of millions of people. More recent phones can also perceive depth on the front-facing camera by using infrared sensors, allowing depth processing. The effect can be clear when you use it deliberately, as you have to choose the Portrait option in the Camera app to preview the effect. With an iPhone 15 (any model), iOS goes one step further: it can automatically recognize people and pets in a scene and capture depth information even if you didnt know it did. This works on front-facing and rear-facing cameras. Here are three ways you can interact with depth that you might not know about, plus details on figuring out which images an iPhone 15 added depth to. Adjust depth during capture If you have an iPhone XR/XS model or later or an iPhone SE 2nd generation or later, you can change the depth of a photo while youre capturing a picture. Heres how. Launch the Camera app. Either choose Portrait from the photo/video options at the bottom of the camera view or, with an iPhone 15, if an (stylized italic lowercase f) appears over the lower-left corner of the preview, tap it. Tap the upward-pointing arrow at the top of the view to reveal camera controls below the preview area. Tap the Depth item. Drag the depth slider until you find the amount of the effect you prefer. You can modify this later, as I describe next. Adjust depth after capture Because Apple stores the depth information separately within the photo, you can revise the depth of background focus after taking a picture. Any photo captured with depth using the above iPhone models or an iPad Pro 11-inch (all generations) or iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) can have their depth edited. In the Photos app in iOS/iPadOS: Select a photo and tap the Edit button. With Portrait selected, the depth slider appears. You can drag it to change the background focus. Tap Done when complete. Adjust a photo with depth (here, captured automatically on an iPhone 15 Pro) in Photos for iOS/PadOS by tapping the Portrait button and sliding the Depth control. Left: no depth modification; right: set to an artificial maximum f-stop for the shallowest foreground focus. Adjust a photo with depth (here, captured automatically on an iPhone 15 Pro) in Photos for iOS/PadOS by tapping the Portrait button and sliding the Depth control. Left: no depth modification; right: set to an artificial maximum f-stop for the shallowest foreground focus. Foundry Adjust a photo with depth (here, captured automatically on an iPhone 15 Pro) in Photos for iOS/PadOS by tapping the Portrait button and sliding the Depth control. Left: no depth modification; right: set to an artificial maximum f-stop for the shallowest foreground focus. Foundry Foundry In Photos for macOS: Select a photo and click the Edit button. Use the Portrait section in the right-hand Adjust sidebar to change both Depth and Light settings. Click Done to save the change. Change focal point If you have photos captured with an iPhone 13 or later, you can change not only the background depth but also the focal point within the photo. (This requires iOS 16 or later. iPads can edit but not capture depth in this way.) Follow these steps, nearly identical to adjusting depth. In iOS/iPadOS: Select a photo and tap the Edit button. Select Portrait if its not selected, and the depth slider appears. Tap anywhere within the photo to shift focus. Tap Done when complete. In Photos for macOS: Select a photo and click the Edit button. With Adjust selected at the top of the screen, you can click anywhere in the photo to shift focus. Click Done to save the change. You can go back to make changes in the focal point later in Photos on any platform. Create artificial depth in flat photos Any iPhone 15 model automatically captures depth information when you compose a photo in the Camera app that includes a person, cat, or dog. You dont have to choose the Portrait optionthis is a bonus that lets you apply depth or change of focus later. (Make sure that Settings > Camera > Portraits in Photo Mode is enabled, although Apple turns it on by default.) You can take a photo using the selfie camera or the back-facing camera system, but the conditions have to be largely the same as you would use if you had chosen Portrait as a mode: a figure or figure has to be at least a few feet away and whatever is behind them has to recede a few feet from them. iOS alerts you that an image has met the conditions by displaying an in the lower-left corner as you compose your shot. You can tap to preview depth as described above. In checking my Photos library, out of 1,500 iPhone 15 Pro photos, about 10 had automatic Portrait capture applied. I just tested it in what seemed like an ideal setting with my younger child and was unable to get an icon to appear. However, in nearly all cases using the front-facing camera, the appears immediately. Finding photos with depth Once captured, you can go to Photos on any of your devices and go to Media Types > Portrait , which displays a mix of automatic depth-captured images and ones that you specifically used Portrait mode with. On a Mac, you can create a smart album in Photos to limit it to at least images made via an iPhone 15 if you want to review a smaller set of photos that will include any automatic depth captures: Choose File > New Smart Album . Set the criteria in two lines: Camera Model, includes, iPhone 15; click +; and Photo, is, portrait. Name the album descriptively, like Portraits in iPhone 15 and click OK . A smart album in Photos for macOS can let you more easily review depth-containing images taken by an iPhone 15 model. A smart album in Photos for macOS can let you more easily review depth-containing images taken by an iPhone 15 model. Foundry A smart album in Photos for macOS can let you more easily review depth-containing images taken by an iPhone 15 model. Foundry Foundry Ask Mac 911 Weve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, were always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com , including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered, we dont reply to email, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice. iOS, iPhone

Nothing Phone 2a Gets ChatGPT Integration, Camera Improvements, More With New Update

Nothing Phone 2a was launched in India on March 5. It ships withAndroid 14-based Nothing OS 2.5. The phone recentlyreceivedthe Nothing OS 2.5.5 update withnew camera features, general improvements, bug fixes, and Google's April security patch. Now, the Nothing OS 2.5.5a update is rolling out for Phone 2a users worldwide with ChatGPT integration and more new features.

16GB RAM-256GB storage and strong battery! These 3 phones are cheaper than Rs 20 thousand

In today's fast-paced digital era, smartphones have become an indispensable part of our lives, serving as our constant companions for communication, entertainment, productivity, and more. With the rapid advancements in technology, consumers are often on the lookout for feature-packed smartphones that offer great value for money without burning a hole in their pockets. If you're in the market for a budget-friendly smartphone with ample RAM, generous storage, and long-lasting battery life, you're in luck! Here, we present three stellar options that tick all the right boxes without exceeding the Rs 20,000 price point. 1. Stellar X3 Pro Unmatched Performance The Stellar X3 Pro boasts a powerful configuration that includes 16GB of RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and effortless app-switching. Whether you're streaming HD videos, gaming, or juggling multiple apps simultaneously, this device delivers lag-free performance, thanks to its robust hardware. Ample Storage Capacity With a spacious 256GB of internal storage, the Stellar X3 Pro provides ample room to store your favorite apps, games, photos, videos, and more. Say goodbye to storage woes and enjoy the freedom to download and save content to your heart's content without worrying about running out of space. Long-Lasting Battery Life Equipped with a high-capacity battery, the Stellar X3 Pro keeps you powered up throughout the day, ensuring uninterrupted usage without frequent trips to the charger. Whether you're browsing the web, watching videos, or engaging in social media activities, you can rely on this device to provide long-lasting battery life. 2. Galaxy A32 Efficient Multitasking The Galaxy A32 packs a punch with its 16GB of RAM, enabling seamless multitasking and smooth performance. Switch between apps with ease, enjoy immersive gaming experiences, and breeze through everyday tasks without any slowdowns or hiccups. Expansive Storage With a generous 256GB of storage capacity, the Galaxy A32 offers ample space to store your digital content, including photos, videos, music, and apps. Whether you're a content creator, media enthusiast, or productivity-focused user, this device ensures that you never have to compromise on storage space. All-Day Battery Life Designed to keep up with your busy lifestyle, the Galaxy A32 features a long-lasting battery that provides extended usage on a single charge. From morning till night, you can stay connected, productive, and entertained without worrying about battery drain. 3. OnePlus Nord CE 5G Smooth Performance The OnePlus Nord CE 5G delivers lightning-fast performance with its 16GB of RAM, offering seamless multitasking and responsive operation. Whether you're toggling between apps, editing photos, or streaming content, this device ensures a lag-free experience for enhanced productivity and enjoyment. Abundant Storage Featuring a generous 256GB of internal storage, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G provides ample space to store your digital library, including photos, videos, music, apps, and more. Bid farewell to storage constraints and embrace the freedom to store, access, and share your content with ease. Extended Battery Endurance Equipped with a robust battery, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G offers impressive battery life to keep pace with your on-the-go lifestyle. Whether you're tackling work tasks, staying connected with friends, or indulging in multimedia entertainment, this device ensures long-lasting performance without compromising on power. In conclusion, these three budget-friendly smartphones redefine affordability without compromising on performance, storage capacity, or battery life. With their impressive specifications and user-friendly features, they cater to the diverse needs of modern smartphone users, offering a compelling value proposition under the Rs 20,000 price bracket. Char Dham Yatra 2024 Set to Begin on May 10th: Check Helicopter Booking Costs and Helpline Info, and More Couple romantic activities happen in Manali, plan to go with your girlfriend soon Where do trains with rotating seats, glass windows and unique coaches run?

Comfortably listen to music with these $40 open-ear headphones

Macworld Tiredof invasive earbuds or over-ear headphones that constantly fall off? Meet the Mezzo Bone Conduction Headphones. Theseheadphones make your listening experience safe and comfortablethanks to their open-ear design . Now, you can score them for only39.96(reg. $69) with code MEZZO! Unlike traditional headphonesthatdeliver sound waves directly intoyourear canal,thesebone conduction headphones rest outsideyourears and transmit sound by bypassing the eardrums completely and delivering audio vibrations directly to the bones of the skull. That means you can wear these headphones all day withoutanypain or discomfort. Youll also stay aware of your surroundings as you listen, whetheryourerunning outdoors or biking in the city. Whether youre a music lover or podcast fan, the Mezzo headphones provide deep, rich bass and a dynamic audio range , ensuring every beat or word comes out in crisp clarity. These open-ear headphones also have IPX5 water resistance, making them great for sweaty gym sessions and durable against rain. Plus, they have an impressive 6 hours of battery life and dual noise-canceling mics so you can hop on calls without background interference. Enjoy a more comfortable and safe listening experience with the Mezzo Bone Conduction Headphones, now just$39.96 whenyou enter code MEZZO at checkout! Mezzo Bone Conduction Headphones Only $39.96 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change. Accessories

Ubisoft's first-person shooter XDefiant is launching on May 21

Tom Clancy's XDefiant is almost upon us. Ubisoft is releasing the free-to-play first-person shooter on May 21 for the Xbox Series X|S, the PS5 and PC through Ubisoft Connect. The developer is kicking things off with the preseason version of the game, which is scheduled to last for six weeks before XDefiant's first season officially starts. Ubisoft announced the game way back in 2021, promising team-based matches with a focus on gunplay that will include elements from other games in the Tom Clancy universe. The preseason will offer five different game modes with 14 maps, 24 weapons and five playable factions inspired by Ubisoft's other franchises. Players will need to choose their faction before the match begins and before they respawn. They must also choose their primary and secondary weapon their options include assault rifles, submachine guns, shotguns and sniper rifles and a grenade. To customize a weapon, they can add barrel and muzzle attachments, such as sights and grips. Each faction will give players access to two active abilities, one passive buff and another ultra ability that they have to charge up while the match is ongoing. Libertad, one of the available factions, puts a focus on healing, while members of the Cleaners faction can use fire to burn their opponents. Echelon players can reveal enemy locations with their stealth technology, whereas Phantoms' abilities can block damage. The last faction available, DedSec, is for those who want to play as hackers. When the first season launches, Ubisoft is adding four new factions, 12 new weapons and 12 new maps to the game. According to the Year 1 roadmap the developer shared last year, it expects to roll out four seasons with the game's first year, with each one adding more new content meant to keep players engaged, invested and more likely to come back and keep playing. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ubisofts-first-person-shooter-xdefiant-is-launching-on-may-21-074940344.html?src=rss

Apple CEO Tim Cook Hints at Some Very Exciting Generative AI Announcements Soon

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Vivo Y38 5G With Qualcomm's Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 SoC, IP64 Rating Listed Online

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Ubisoft's Free-to-Play Shooter XDefiant Sets May 21 Release Date, Reveals Seasonal Roadmap

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Crypto Price Today: Bitcoin Price Falls Below $60,000, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Other Altcoins See Gains

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NYT Strands: answers for Friday, May 3

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The best AirPods deals this month

Macworld Apples AirPods wireless headphones offer an iconic look, exceptional convenience, and strong audio quality. They come with a premium price tag, however, so its important to shop around for a good deal or find a bunch of tech experts wholl do this for you. Thats where we come in. In this article, we round up the best AirPods discounts and bundle deals to help you save money. Weve got the best prices on the 3rd-gen AirPods that were released in October 2021, the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro that launched in September 2022 as well as the updated 2nd-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C that launched in September 2023, and the premium AirPods Max over-ear headphones from 2020. Weve also got bargain deals on some older models, such as the early-2019 second-gen AirPods, where stock is still available. Here are quick links to the best deals; youll find more detailed advice and price comparisons for each model further down. U.S. Amazon, AirPods (2nd gen) : $89 ($40 off, MSRP $129) Amazon, AirPods Pro (2nd gen, USB-C) : $190 ($60 off, MSRP $249) Amazon, AirPods (3rd-gen, wired case) : $162 ($7 off, MSRP $169) Amazon, AirPods Max : $519 ($40 off, MSRP $549) U.K. At time of writing, there arent any savings to be had on Apples AirPods in the U.K.; there were some shortly before Christmas but these have now disappeared. In fact, wed advise readers to hold off on buying a set of AirPods, if thats an option, until decent discounts come back. You can check the automated price comparison tables below to see if any retailers have dropped their prices since we last updated this article. How much do AirPods cost? Some changes were announced at Apples September 2023 launch event, so make sure youre up to date with the latest prices. AirPods Max: $549 / 499 (was 549) 2nd-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C (2023): $249 / 229 (2nd-gen AirPods Pro with Lightning was $249 / 239) 3rd-gen AirPods with Lightning (2021): $169 / 169 (was 179) 3rd-gen AirPods with MagSafe (2021): $179 / 179 (was 189) 2nd-gen AirPods (2019): $129 / 129 (was 139) You should never pay more than the price above: weve seen unscrupulous retailers claim the MSRP/RRP is higher and work out savings based on that. Remember to take delivery and postage fees into account when evaluating deals; we include it in our list of prices but most retailers wont add it until youre at the checkout. And watch out for deals that seem too good to be true, but turn out to have no stock. We see this a lot. Good AirPods deals are rare and tend not to last long. If you see one (and youre sure the supplier is legit: look it up on TrustPilot if youve not bought from there before), grab it. Best AirPods deals Apple sells two sets of basic AirPods: the 3rd-gen model introduced in 2021 and the 2nd-gen model from 2019. Best Buy is worth a look for some worthwhile savings in the U.S., while U.K. customers can save a little money across the range. The 1st-gen AirPods have long been discontinued. You can buy direct from Apple , but youll find the best prices elsewhere in the automated tables below. AirPods (3rd gen, 2021, MagSafe) deals Apple updated the ultra-popular AirPods in October 2021, after a wait of more than two and a half years. The new models feature a more Pro-like design and a MagSafe-compatible charging case; they also have improved battery life and water resistance, and support for Spatial Audio. Get all the info you need in our AirPods 3 review . MSRP: $179 / 179 (was 189 in the U.K. prior to September 2023) New Refurbished Retailer Price $169.99 View Deal $179 View Deal $179.99 View Deal $201 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Apple AirPods 3rd gen (2021) MagSafe Charging case $179 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket AirPods (3rd gen, 2021, Lightning) deals There is also a cheaper version of the AirPods 3rd generation with a case that has to be charged via Lightning, rather than wirelessly. MSRP: $169 / 169 (was 179 in the U.K. until September 2023) New Refurbished Retailer Price $149 View Deal $161.99 View Deal $161.99 View Deal $169 View Deal $169 View Deal $169 View Deal $169.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Apple AirPods 3rd gen (2021) Lightning Charging case $169 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket AirPods (2nd gen, 2019) deals Apple still sells the older version of the AirPods. Note that this version of the AirPods comes with an Lightning charging case that needs to be plugged in, as opposed to the wireless MagSafe charging case. (You can buy a wireless charging case separately, however.) Check the automated table below for any deals that have popped up since we last updated this article. MSRP: $129 / 129 (U.K. price was 139 prior to September 2023) New Refurbished Retailer Price $89 View Deal $89.99 View Deal $99 View Deal $119.99 View Deal $129 View Deal $129 View Deal $129.99 View Deal $149 View Deal $149.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Apple AirPods 2nd gen (2019) Lightning Charging case $129 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best AirPods Pro deals The AirPods Pro came out in 2019, but a 2nd-gen version was released in September 2022. Rather than introduce the third generation in 2023, Apple instead tweaked the 2nd gen AirPods Pro in 2023 to support USB-C for charging (including charging via the iPhone 15) For a while both the Lightning and USB-C powered AirPods Pro will be on sale, so be sure to make sure you are getting the model you want. The comparison tables below gather the lowest prices on the AirPods Pro 1st and 2nd gen Lightning and 2nd gen USB-C, so you can be sure not to miss out on any appealing deals. AirPods Pro (2nd gen, 2023, USB-C) deals This is the 2023 version with USB-C charging. You can also use an iPhone 15 to charge the case. MSRP: $249 / 229 New Refurbished Retailer Price $179.99 View Deal $189.99 View Deal $239.99 View Deal $249 View Deal $249 View Deal $249 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Apple AirPods Pro 2nd gen (2023) MagSafe (USB-C) Charging case $249 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket AirPods Pro (2nd gen, 2022, Lightning) deals This is the older version with a Lightning port for charging the case. You may still find them on sale. MSRP was $249 / 249 New Refurbished Retailer Price $224.99 View Deal $249 View Deal $249.99 View Deal $269 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Apple AirPods Pro 2nd gen (2022) MagSafe (Lightning) Charging case $249 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket AirPods Pro (1st gen, 2019) deals You may still find the original AirPods Pro on sale at a discountmake sure you factor in if they are refurbished before you decide its a good discount. But stock is starting to run short. If you dont see a price-comparison table below, that means there are no deals at all in your region. MSRP was $249 / 239 New Refurbished Retailer Price $249 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Apple AirPods Pro 1st gen (2021) MagSafe Charging case $219.99 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best AirPods Max deals Right now, the AirPods Max are available to buy directly from Apple for $549 / 499 (they were 549 in the U.K. before September 2023). Find the latest prices in our automated table embedded below. For some time now, weve been seeing third-party retailers undercut Apple by a significant margin. New Refurbished Retailer Price $477 View Deal $519 View Deal $519 View Deal $529.99 View Deal $549 View Deal $549 View Deal $549 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Apple AirPods Max (2020) Sky Blue $549 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket For an in-depth look at your options here, read Where to buy AirPods Max . Other ways to save: AirPods Bundle deals The best way to get a good price on AirPods may be to bundle them with a phone, although this is mainly an option in the U.K. Phone network Three offers a variety of bundles that include the AirPods. Visit the companys accessories page to browse the best options for you. EE also lets you add AirPods to your plan for 16 a month spread over 11 months plus a 10 upfront fee. Thats the Lightning version, by the way. The AirPods Pro, including a MagSafe case, are 22 a month with a 5 upfront fee. In each case youll need to click Apple, then your choice of AirPods model. Vodafone and O2 arent currently bundling the AirPods with their iPhone plans, although O2 sells the 2021 AirPods , the early-2019 AirPods and the 2022 AirPods Pro on their own. Whichever bundle you go for, remember to check if youre getting the AirPods Pro, the early-2019 AirPods (sometimes called the second gen or AirPods 2) or the new 2021 AirPods (third-gen or AirPods 3). If youre getting the AirPods Pro, find out if they include the new MagSafe charging case. AirPods buying advice Wondering if a pair of AirPods is right for you? We have a guide to the Best AirPods , and you could read AirPods Pro vs AirPods to find out how the models compare, but lets quickly discuss the pros and cons. Apple has launched various AirPods versions, several of which are still on sale: 1st-gen AirPods (2016), discontinued 2nd-gen AirPods (2019) 1st-gen AirPods Pro (2019), discontinued 3rd-gen AirPods (2021), Lightning and Magsafe variants 2nd-gen AirPods Pro (2022/2023), Lightning and USB-C variants AirPods Max (2020) All four non-Max models are wireless, sitting in your ears and in theory staying there through snugness of fit alone. The advantages of this are clearthey allow you to go running or work out without worrying about snagging the cablesbut they may fall out once you pick up the pace. Our experience, however, is that the AirPods are among the best earbuds around in this regard. The AirPods Pro offer a snugger fit than the others because they have a choice of flexible ear tips, and are actually able to tell you whether youve selected the right tip or not. Sound quality is decent but not exceptional on the original and early-2019 models; the 2021 AirPods are better, while the AirPods Pro are a step above thanks in part to their better fit and implementation of active noise cancellation. What AirPods consistently do better than non-Apple headphones is coordinate with other Apple products, thanks to the W1 chip (in the 2016 model) and H1 chip (2019 and 2021) which makes pairing with an iPhone a breeze. Battery-wise, most non-Max AirPods will last around five hours, but thats not the end of the story: they come with a little charging case with its own larger battery, so you can pop them back in for a quick charge. The case should offer another 24 hours (give or take) before itll require charging. The 2021 AirPods, however, offer more in this department, with claimed figures of six hours out of the case and 30 hours in total. Weve got some advice on getting better AirPods battery life . Apples 2019 AirPods can respond to Hey Siri commands, charge wirelessly if you opt for the Wireless Charging Case, and offer more talk time than the originals. Those features are kept in the 2021 models, with Spatial Audio and Adaptive EQ added to the mix. The AirPods Max are over-ear headphones and essentially a completely different product to the rest of the AirPods range. They are a lot more expensive and a totally different proposition to the other AirPods. Audio quality is almost universally considered to be exceptional, but its debatable whether its exceptional enough to justify that premium price tag. And many reviewers have pointed out that the case is oddly designed, given that the one part of the headphones that it doesnt protectthe mesh headbandis the one thats most vulnerable to damage. The AirPods Max are an appealing prospect, but may not be practical for most budgets. For more detailed advice and thoughts on the best alternatives to Apples three cheaper AirPods models, read our guides to the Best wireless earbuds and the best wired headphones . Apple Inc, Headphones, Home Audio

Apple's 2025 M4 MacBook Air: What to Expect

Apple is working to introduce a new fourth-generation Apple silicon chip across the Mac lineup, and while the first M4 Macs are coming in 2024, the MacBook Air won't get updated until 2025. This guide highlights everything that we know about the next-generation MacBook Air so far. M4 Chips The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models were just updated with M3 chips in March 2024, so it's no surprise that they're not going to be the first devices to get the M4 chip. Apple plans to wait until 2025, so there will be about a year between the M3 and M4 chip lineups. Rumors suggest that the M4 chip will have a focus on artificial intelligence to support AI features that are coming with the next round of software updates. Most AI talk has been about iOS 18 , but Apple is expected to roll out AI integrations across its platforms. The M4 chip is expected to have a Neural Engine with more cores, with the Neural Engine handling AI and machine learning tasks. The M3 chip has a 16-core Neural Engine. While Apple is working on M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M4 Ultra chips, the MacBook Air models are expected to get only the standard M4 chip. There will likely be at least two variants of the M4, with the difference being the number of GPU cores. For the current MacBook Air, for example, the base M3 chip has an 8-core GPU, but there is also a 10-core GPU option. The M3 CPU is the same for all versions, and that should be the case with the M4 as well. The M4 will be built on Apples 3-nanometer process, much like the M3. There won't be as big of a performance improvement between M3 and M4 as there was between M2 and M3 because there's no change in node size, but we can still expect modest GPU and CPU speed boosts. Design Apple overhauled the MacBook Air design in 2022, and we're not expecting the design to be tweaked with the 2025 refresh. Apple often waits several years between design changes, and there are no rumors that there will be a refreshed look. Apple is likely to stick with the 15.3 and 13.6-inch size options, and we can expect to see the same flat, MacBook Pro-style body with Force Touch trackpad, and display with notch. As of now, it looks like the 2025 MacBook Air refresh will be focused on internal updates. Launch Date According to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman , the MacBook Air will get an update in the spring of 2025 . Spring starts on March 20, 2025, and ends on June 20, 2025. Related Roundup: MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: 15 MacBook Air (Buy Now) , 13 MacBook Air (Buy Now) Related Forum: MacBook Air This article, Apple's 2025 M4 MacBook Air: What to Expect first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

X is changing how the block button works

Elon Musk has made no secret that hes not a fan of the block button. Now, X is changing how blocks work on its platform, though its (for now) stopping short of Musks wish of nuking the feature entirely. Instead, X is tweaking the visibility of replies in the context of a block. Previously, a user could block someone on X and still reply to their posts. And the person who was blocked wouldnt be able to view that reply or know the person who had blocked them was engaging with their posts. Thats now being rolled back so that users will be able to see direct replies even if the person posting has blocked them. In a post from Xs engineering team, the company said the change is part of our ongoing commitment to aligning the block feature with our principles as a public town square. We are making changes to how block works. If a user who has blocked you replies to one of your posts, you will now be able to see their reply. This change enables you to identify and report any potential bad content that you previously could not view, safeguarding both your Engineering (@XEng) May 2, 2024 The post also hinted that there may be more changes coming to blocks, which is one of the most widely used safety features on the service. Our goal is to allow users to control their experience while maintaining the public visibility of posts, the company said. That would seem to align with previous comments from Musk, who has said on multiple occasions that a public-facing block feature makes no sense and that block is going to be deleted as a feature, except for DMs. For now, the changes to blocking arent that drastic. In fact, they may even be welcomed by some users who want more visibility into what people are saying about them on the platform. But the fact that X is starting to change the visibility of previously blocked content could also be a sign of more significant changes to come. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-is-changing-how-the-block-button-works-225338769.html?src=rss

How to get to Monkey Island in Sea of Thieves

Getting to Monkey Island in Sea of Thieves can feel just as difficult as the classic puzzles. Let us walk you through this tall tale to help you get your prize.

Apple's Q2 2024 Earnings Call Takeaways

Apple today held its earnings call for the second fiscal quarter of 2024 (first calendar quarter), with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri providing us with some details on Apple's performance, Vision Pro sales, services growth, AI plans, and other topics. We've highlighted the most interesting takeaways from today's earnings call. Next Week's Announcements Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple is prepping for an exciting product announcement that the company thinks customers will love. Generative AI Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple is making significant investments in AI, and that it has some very exciting things to share with customers soon. Cook also said that he believes Apple has advantages that will differentiate the company, including Apple's hardware and software integration, Apple silicon with Neural Engine, and focus on privacy. There's a ig opportunity for generative AI across all of Apple's devices, and Cook said he is extremely optimistic about future consumer demand. Digital Markets Act Cook said that it's too early to determine the security risks and privacy implications of the changes that it has made to the app ecosystem in Europe. Apple is focused on complying while mitigating impacts to user privacy and security. Vision Pro Leading enterprise companies have been investing in Vision Pro, and Apple is seeing it used for things like aircraft engine maintenance, real-time collaboration for racing, and immersive kitchen design. Cook said that Apple couldn't be more excited about the spatial computing opportunity in enterprise. Services Apple's services segment set a new all-time revenue record of $23.9 billion, up 14 percent from $20.9 billion in the year-ago quarter. Transacting accounts and paid accounts reached a new all-time high, with paid accounts and subscriptions showing double digit growth. Apple has more than 1 billion paid subscriptions, more than double the number from four years ago. Mac Sales With the launch of new M3 MacBook Air models in March, Mac revenue saw growth, reaching $7.5 billion. Mac sales were at $7.17 billion in the year-ago quarter, for four percent growth. iPad Sales iPad revenue continued to drop with no new iPads released in 2024 as of yet. iPad revenue was at $5.6 billion, down 17 percent from $6.7 billion a year ago. iPad sales should see some improvement next quarter as Apple next week is planning to unveil new iPad Air and iPad Pro models. Wearables Wearables, Home and Accessories came in at $7.9 billion, down 10 percent compared to last year. Last year, Apple had launched the USB-C version of AirPods Pro , and there was a difficult compare this year. June Quarter Maestri said that Apple expects June quarter revenue to grow low single digits year-over-year, but Services is expected to grow double digits, as is iPad revenue. Tags: Earnings , AAPL This article, Apple's Q2 2024 Earnings Call Takeaways first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Here are the 4 free monthly games for PlayStation Plus subscribers in May 2024

Its one thing to get new games added to the Game Catalog for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers, but what about Essential subscribers? Well, The post Here are the 4 free monthly games for PlayStation Plus subscribers in May 2024 appeared first on BGR .

Cusinarts new pomodoro red indoor pizza oven falls to new $300 Amazon low (Reg. $400)

Amazon is offering the new Cuisinart Pomodoro Red Indoor Pizza Oven for $299.95 shipped. Down from its $400 price tag, this is the best price ever on this all-new colorway. Weve seen the other colorways drop lower in price since the start of the new year, with March seeing the biggest fall to the $200 Amazon low only beaten by a short-lived $150 all-time low at a lesser known site (that is now unavailable to purchase altogether). All-in-all, youll be getting a 25% markdown that lands at the fifth-lowest price overall. Youll also find the stainless steel at $300 , the black model at $300, and the matte black model sitting at a higher $353. more

Tim Cook on Generative AI: 'We Have Advantages That Will Differentiate Us'

During today's earnings call covering the second fiscal quarter of 2024, Apple CEO Tim Cook again spoke about Apple's work on generative AI. He said that Apple has advantages that will differentiate the company in the era of AI, and some very exciting things will be shared with customers in the near future. We continue to feel very bullish about our opportunity in generative AI. We are making significant investments and we're looking forward to sharing some very exciting things with our customers soon. We believe in the transformative power and promise of AI and we believe we have advantages that will differentiate us in this new era, including Apple's unique combination of seamless hardware, software and services integration, groundbreaking Apple silicon with our industry leading neural engines, and our unwavering focus on privacy, which underpins everything we create. Rumors have suggested that Apple's first AI features are designed to run on-device rather than contacting a cloud service, which would make Apple's AI much more private and secure than an online AI option. Apple's plan to have generative AI available on-device will require significant CPU and GPU power, and Apple is planning to focus on AI with the upcoming M4 chip. We could see the M4 chip as soon as next week in new iPad Pro models, with Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman indicating last weekend that there is a chance Apple will unveil the chip in the iPad Pro models. Tags: Earnings , AAPL This article, Tim Cook on Generative AI: 'We Have Advantages That Will Differentiate Us' first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Want to Buy a Decommissioned Supercomputer? Heres Your Chance

Theres still time left to bid for a 145,152-core Cheyenne supercomputer that was once the 20th most powerful computer in the world.

Apple Q2 2024 earnings: Analysts expectations exceeded but iPhone sales down

Macworld Apple on Thursday announced its second quarter 2024 earnings, posting revenue of $90.8 billion for the quarter, a 4 percent decline year over year, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $1.53, which is one cent higher than last year. The company reported $23.6 billion in profit. Apple beat the analysts predicted revenue of $90 billion and earnings per diluted share of $1.50. iPhone sales, which usually buoy Apples results, took a hit this quarter, posting $46 billion in revenue, which is a 10 percent decrease from the second quarter of 2023. Wearables, Home, and Accessories revenue was also down 10 percent. iPad sales were also down 17 percent. Apples Services set a record for the quarter and saw a jump in revenue YoY of 14 percent, while Mac sales increased about 4 percent. During the quarter, we were thrilled to launch Apple Vision Pro and to show the world the potential that spatial computing unlocks, said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a p ress release . Were also looking forward to an exciting product announcement next week and an incredible Worldwide Developers Conference next month. As always, we are focused on providing the very best products and services for our customers, and doing so while living up to the core values that drive us. How the quarter ended YoY for Apple: iPhone: $46 billion (down from $51.3 billion) iPad: $5.6 billion (down from $6.7 billion) Mac: $7.5 billion (up from $7.2 billion) Wearables: $7.9 billion (down from $8.7 billion) Services: $23.9 billion (up from $20.9 billion) Apple had revenue challenges in Greater China, Japan, and Asia Pacific, where revenue was down from those regions a total of 11 percent YoY. Apple declared a cash dividend of $0.25 per share of common stock payable on May 16, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 13, 2024. Apple also authorized an additional program to repurchase up to $110 billion of common stock. Apple did not issue guidance for the third quarter of 2024, which ends this June. The company did say it expects double-digit growth in iPad and Services revenue, and low single-digit growth in total. Apple is holding its Let Loose event on May 7 and is expected to reveal new iPad models and accessories. Learn how you can watch the Let Loose event . Apple Inc

The HP Victus gaming PC with RTX 3060 has a $550 discount

The HP Victus 15L gaming desktop with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, with 16GB of RAM is on sale for only $850 following a $550 discount from HP.

Apple Reports 2Q 2024 Results: $23.6B Profit on $90.8B Revenue

Apple today announced financial results for the second fiscal quarter of 2024, which corresponds to the first calendar quarter of the year. For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $90.8 billion and net quarterly profit of $23.6 billion, or $1.53 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $94.8 billion and net quarterly profit of $24.1 billion, or $1.52 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter . Apple set an all-time quarterly record for Services revenue at $23.9 billion, but iPhone revenue dropped by over $5 billion compared to the year-ago quarter. Gross margin for the quarter was 46.6 percent, compared to 44.3 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple's board of directors also authorized an additional $110 billion for share repurchases and declared an increased dividend payment of $0.25 per share, up from $0.24 per share. The dividend is payable May 16 to shareholders of record as of May 13. Today Apple is reporting revenue of $90.8 billion for the March quarter, including an all-time revenue record in Services, said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. During the quarter, we were thrilled to launch Apple Vision Pro and to show the world the potential that spatial computing unlocks. We're also looking forward to an exciting product announcement next week and an incredible Worldwide Developers Conference next month. As always, we are focused on providing the very best products and services for our customers, and doing so while living up to the core values that drive us. As has been the case for over four years now, Apple is once again not issuing guidance for the current quarter ending in June. Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q2 2024 financial results conference call at 2:00 pm Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights. Conference call starts at 2:00 p.m. Pacific - No need to refresh Loading live updates... var reportinglive = new reportinglive_module;reportinglive.init(); Tag: Earnings This article, Apple Reports 2Q 2024 Results: $23.6B Profit on $90.8B Revenue first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Harber London debuts gorgeous new full-grain leather EDC Sling Bag with 15% launch deal

Any avid 9to5Toys reader will know how big a fan I am of Harber Londons tech-focused carriers and EDC bags. Its certainly not the most affordable out there, but if youre talking quality, premium materials, and wonderful design, youre talking Harber London. Its gear is easily among the best I have ever Tested out in the category, from its new business-meets-EDC tech carrier for MacBook and iPad, to its gorgeous leather desk mat , and the utterly beautiful leather iPhone 15 covers . And today, the brand is launching its new leather Everyday Sling Bag with a notable 15% launch deal in tow. All of the details are down below. more

The ASUS ROG Ally handheld gaming PC has a nice discount today

The Asus ROG Ally, a handheld gaming PC with the AMD Ryzen Z1 processor and 16GB of RAM, is available from Walmart at $87 off so you'll only have to pay $400.

Microsofts latest Windows security updates might break your VPN

Microsoft says the April security updates for Windows may break your VPN . (Oops!) Windows devices might face VPN connection failures after installing the April 2024 security update (KB5036893) or the April 2024 non-security preview update, the company wrote in a status update. Its working on a fix. Bleeping Computer first reported the issue, which affects Windows 11 , Windows 10 and Windows Server 2008 and later. User reports on Reddit are mixed, with some commenters saying their VPNs still work after installing the update and others claiming their encrypted connections were indeed borked. We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release, Microsoft wrote. Theres no proper fix until Microsoft pushes a patched update. However, you can work around the issue by uninstalling all the security updates. In an unfortunate bit of timing for CEO Satya Nadella, he said last week that he wants Microsoft to put security above else. I cant imagine making customers (temporarily) choose between going without a VPN and losing the latest protection is what he had in mind. At least one Redditor claims that uninstalling and reinstalling their VPN app fixed the problem for them, so it may be worth trying that before moving on to more drastic measures. If you decide to uninstall the security updates, Microsoft tells you how. To remove the LCU after installing the combined SSU and LCU package, use the DISM/Remove-Package command line option with the LCU package name as the argument, the company wrote in its patch notes. You can find the package name by using this command: DISM /online /get-packages. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-latest-windows-security-updates-might-break-your-vpn-202050679.html?src=rss

Is Rust cross-platform?

Just waking up on the Rust island and feeling a little lost? You can play Rust with friends on different platforms, but the title isn't entirely cross-platform.

Lectric offers up to $570 off e-bikes with 5 free accessories in celebration of 5-year anniversary

Lectric eBikes is currently celebrating its five-year anniversary , and wanting to extend the celebrations to its customers, has launched a new limited-time sale that is offering five free accessories along with your purchase of either an XP 3.0, XPedition, or XP Trike e-bike. A standout amongst the bunch is the XPedition Single-Battery Cargo e-bike for $1,399 shipped . Down from its usual $1,933 price tag, we only saw it fall to this price for a short-lived period in March before rising to stay at $1,475 since, but todays deal is bringing things back to the all-time low once more. Youll find the dual-battery model down to the second-lowest $1,699 rate .It should also be noted that youll automatically see the discounted rate once the e-bike and the accessories have been added to your cart. more

Sony PlayStation 5 review: slimmer model makes a great console better

The PS5's slimmer upgraded model makes a great console even better, with more storage and a slightly less awkward design.

iOS 17.5 beta feature makes sending in your iPhone for repair a lot friendlier

Macworld Sending your iPhone in for repair was always a little nerve-wracking. Not just because you no longer have access to what may be the most important gadget in your life, but because you never know if its safe. Apples recommended procedure for preparing your device for service is to back up your phone, turn off Apple Cash, remove all cards from Wallet, and then remove your iPhone from Find My. This also removes Activation Lock. The fine print says, Apple might not be able to service your device if Find My isnt turned off. Its all very worrying and not the smooth and seamless experience were used to from Apple. Thats about to change, it seems. MacRumors found a new feature in iOS 17.5 (currently in beta) that allows you to set your iPhone to a Repair State in which it remains fully functional and has Find My and Activation Lock enabled but still does whatever Apple needs to repair your iPhone. When you go to Find My, then your Devices list, and choose Remove This Device on your iPhone with iOS 17.5, youll get a message that says Cannot remove iPhone. Prepare this device for repair? Choosing Continue will retain your devices functionality and it can be tracked via Find My. It will have a stethoscope icon next to it in the device list. Foundry Foundry Foundry The feature is currently limited to iOS, but it makes sense that Apple would expand it to other devices, including the Apple Watch and Mac. Allowing users to track their devices as theyre sent in for repair, and keeping Activation Lock enabled, should hopefully give users a lot more piece of mind that it wont get stolen. iOS