Hardware

Mark Zuckerberg says Meta is 'entering a new phase' with Muse

Zuckerberg expects the agent will generate more revenue per user than the company's apps.

Bose buys audio rival Skullcandy

Bose sees the company as a way to reach a wider audience.

Airbnb bans hosts from making you do the dishes

Any chores that a cleaner might do are no longer deemed reasonable requests for visitors.

BioWare is closing, and the next Mass Effect is going with it

Electronic Arts is shutting down BioWare after more than three decades, bringing the curtain down on the studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Baldurs Gate, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. EA also canceled the nextMass Effectin early development, and the closure is part of a wider restructuring that will reportedly eliminate around []

Claude Duet is Anthropic's answer to Meta Muse and OpenAI Dots

Anthropic subscribers in the US can join a waitlist to try the company's new agent.

Government websites in the EU and Canada taken offline over PHP vulnerability

All websites using PHP should update to the latest security patch.

Building brain-inspired semiconductor chips for smarter, greener data centers

With artificial intelligence (AI) data centers consuming electricity at a growing rate, identifying a sustainable computing solution to offset these massive community and environmental disruptors is proving critical.

Latest Beats 10-foot 240W USB-C Braided Cable still down at $18 (40% off list)

Beats 240W USB-C Braided Cable Buy for $18 (Reg. $30) What we love While I certainly dont have an affinity for cables with visible branding on them, I still think these woven Beats leads are some of the nicest you can buy its basically an Apple cable with a b on the end if you ask me. This one here is the latest model with a 240W power rating for just about any Apple device you own and a 10-foot run. more

Bring home this official miniature XBOX Halo Special Edition Console for your display at $28

While you might not have even had a chance to secure the actual XBOX Halo Special Edition way back in 2004, Hallmark is giving folks a chance to score a miniature one at just $28 Prime shipped . more

Xbox is previewing paid cloud gaming for players without Game Pass

Here come new rate limits.

YETI Ridgeline gear up to $90 off at Amazon today: Ramblers tumblers, coolers, bowls, more from $19

There are loads of notable YETI deals live at Amazon today, from its hard and soft coolers right through to its popular Rambler drinking vessels, food storage solutions, and more. The deals start from $19 Prime shipped and are largely focused on the Ridgeline colorway. more

EA is shutting down BioWare and cutting around 400 jobs

Skate studio Full Circle will be be reduced to a more focused, smaller team, while a Sims project has been paused.

Most affordable Galaxy S26 Ultra now $420 off at Amazon in brand new condition

Update 10/21: While the below deal did jump back up in price quite quickly, you can once again land this S26 Ultra model at a still quite impressive $420 off at Amazon today. This deal likely wont last for long, but Amazon is now offering a particularly notable price on this 256GB Galaxy S26 Ultra you can land one unlocked in bran new condition at $455 off if youre quick. more

We now have a phone with two active fans to keep it chill, and a ginormous battery too.

Putting an active cooling fan inside a gaming smartphone is not a revolutionary idea. Red Magic phones have done this for a while, but Honor apparently thinks a single fan isnt enough to cool the demanding Qualcomm flagship chip, so it included two in its new Win 2 gaming smartphone. The Chinese company unveiled the []

Does opting out of smart TV tracking work? Research finds

OS operators throwing out that data is unlikely, research author tells Ars.

GM Wants Your Car to Do Your Chores

The Detroit automaker wants your next vehicle to be a personal assistant, a best friend, and an autonomous errand-runner.

Create illustrated, print-ready books with this $40 AI lifetime subscription ($499 value)

TL;DR: Turn a story idea into an illustrated, print-ready childrens book with an IllustratorMagic Pro lifetime subscription , now $39.99 (Reg. $499). more

This Thunderbolt 5 dock with a built-in SSD is $100 off for the first time

Macworld HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 dock View Deal (function () { document.querySelector(#sticky-promo-block a).addEventListener(click, function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest(#sticky-promo-block).querySelector(p.promo-title).textContent; const data = { event: stickyConversionUnitClick, eventCategory: Sticky Conversion, eventAction: Click, eventLabel: text }; if(debug)console.log(Sticky Conversion CLick - pushing to dataLayer: , data); dataLayer.push(data); return true; }); })(); Since youre probably not planning ot upgrade your MacBook Pro anytime soon, a Thunderbolt 5 dock is a great way to get some extra functionality and expansion out of your existing laptop. Like this one: The HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 4 Dock with an SSD enclosure is now on sale for $300 , 25 percent down from its usual $400. The awesome part is that one single device can handle your monitors, storage, network, and all the accessories you need. The dock features two USB-A ports on the front of the device, as well as an audio jack and a Thunderbolt 5 downstream port. The back of the dock features an Ethernet port, two USB-A ports, and three more Thunderbolt 5 ports. Thats gonna make transferring files to your MacBook super fast. Its not just about ports either. The built-in M.2 slot is what sets this dock apart. Slot in an NVMe SSD, and your dock becomes fast, high-capacity storage that sits right on your desk. It also supports compatible PCIe-based M.2 modules like AI accelerators. Display support is amazing, as you get to run up to three 4K monitors at 60Hz, or push one screen to 8K at 144Hz for sharp detail and fluid motion. Whatever your workload needs, this one can deliver. In our review, we like everything about this dock except the price-to-ports ratio, and this deal certainly helps. So, grab this amazing HyperDrive Next dock for $300 while this $100 off deal is still live.

There's a new Apple Music logo and it looks like ripples in water

Maybe they should use it as the app logo instead.

Mid-week Android app deals and freebies: Lara Croft GO, Between Kilometers, Find it All, more

Todays best Google Play app and game deals are ready, including Lara Croft GO, Between Kilometers Together, Abyss Dungeon Action RPG, Find it All, Slime Tower Defense TD, and more. Just be sure to dive into Galaxy Z Fold 8 at up to $580 off , the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K now back at the $30 all-time low (50% off), and the LG C6 OLED TV at $1,000 off the 2026 launch price. The apps await below. more

iPhone Duo review roundup: A little weird, a lot of fun, and a breath of fresh air

Macworld The first wave of iPhone Duo reviews has landed, and the overall response is very positive. Reviewers have uncovered numerous issues with Apples first-ever foldable, but have proved surprisingly forgiving. Lets get into the details. Late to the party Apple, not for the first time, is arriving late to the party. The iPhone Duo arrives seven years after Samsungs first Galaxy Fold, pointed out Wired . But this is classic Apple strategy, and there are good reasons why the company bided its time. In Apple tradition, the site continued, its first entry into an existing category feels fully mature; the Duo has significantly less jank than the first few generations of its Android counterparts. The iPhone Duo took its time getting here, CNET agreed, but its made quite an entrance. And Gizmodo was impressed by Apples ability to play catch-up. I think we can all agree that the iPhone Duo has already achieved what competing foldables have not been able to in seven years: generate considerable buzz for foldable phones, the site argues. Design: Something new Considering its Apples first foldable, the Duo appears to offer a more polished design than one might expect. Apples first foldable phone doesnt look or feel like a first attempt, wrote Toms Guide , because of the sheer attention to detail. The way the friction hinge holds nearly any angle. The seamless switching between the cover and main display with the same aspect ratio. And the nano-texture coating, which minimizes glare and the dreaded crease. PC Mag was impressed, too. Apple knows hardware, designing high-end devices that look good, feel great to use, and work seamlessly, the site observed. And thats largely true with the Duo The matte white rear panel of my review unit looks and feels fantastic. I also like how Apple polishes its logo into the glass, making it reflective in contrast to the smooth matte finish surrounding it The hinge feels utterly fantastic. Despite its added thickness and weight, Ive found the iPhone Duo surprisingly comfortable to carry in my pockets, reported 9to5Mac . Its shorter, wider footprint makes a bigger difference than I expected its hard to overstate just how impressive the whole thing feels in practice. Gizmodo did raise one concern. I was a little irked that the iPhone Duo caused my front pants pocket to sag. Ive been so spoiled by the iPhone Airs lightness that the only solution was to wear a belt again to cinch my pants tighter around my waist. The site conceded, however, that the Duo is a beautifully engineered device. Apple How easy is it to use? The problem with new things is that they are unfamiliar. Some reviewers were concerned that buyers would find the Duo difficult to use, particularly at first. Ive been using iPhones since June 2007, wrote PC Mag, ominously. I know how to use an iPhone. And since Face ID arrived on the iPhone X back in 2017, Ive gotten into a good rhythm for swiftly unlocking the phone. You can toss all that muscle memory out the window. Gizmodo agreed. Ive gotten so used to using Face ID since the iPhone X that going back to Touch ID required a little muscle memory retraining, the site complained. The Verge argued that it is wild to have iPhone apps with controls in all kinds of different places; reaching for the back button in Apples Mail app and realizing its moved from the top left to the right is kind of disorienting. A lot of using the Duo is just figuring out how to use an iPhone again, which hasnt happened in a long time. But not everyone found the user experience a trial. CNET reported that switching from the iPhone 18 Pro Max to the iPhone Duo has been seamless, and not only because of the synchronization baked into Apples operating system. I havent experienced any hiccups while using iOS 27 on both Duo screens. Instead, the implementation feels intentional. Screen quality and the crease question The great challenge when creating a foldable is to avoid the appearance of a crease in the screen. Reviewers felt that Apple did a good job in this department. The infamous creasewhere the phone foldsis hardly visible thanks to Apples display stack and clever use of a matte-finish nanotexture screen, Wired reported. PC Mag was a little more conservative in its praise. Apple has done well at minimizing the creases appearance, the site noted, but its still there. You can see it when the display is off, and you can feel it if you run your finger across the screen. In other respects the screens on the Duo were positively received. CNET said the 5.4-inch cover screen doesnt feel cramped. I can comfortably do just about anything I would on a bar-style phone, just on a smaller scale. The keyboard is roomy, taking up around half the cover screen, so typing feels seamless and easy. I havent grappled with any more typos than usual. And The Verge was similarly complimentary about the 7.6-inch inner display. Apples very proud of this inner matte display, and for good reason, the site said. It looks and feels incredibly solid, a big step up from foldables with glossy, seemingly soft screens with glaringly obvious creases. ?????????? Apple How well do third-party apps work? Apples own apps have naturally been tweaked and redesigned to work perfectly on the Duos unfamiliar screen arrangement, but the big question is how much effort and skill will third-party developers be prepared to put into optimizing their apps? The answer is: it depends. I was intrigued to try third-party apps optimized for the iPhone Duo, wrote Toms Guide, and there are plenty of standouts so far. [But] non-optimized apps can range from looking a bit off to horrible. Keeping in mind that many top apps will be updated by the Duos release date, I noticed that certain apps had huge black bars on the left and right side of the display, like Disney Plus and The Weather Channel. Unoptimized games look pretty terrible, too, filling up only three quarters of the screen. I just hope developers update their wares. Quickly. And I expect they will out of fear of sheer embarrassment. Wired was also struck by the disparity between optimized and non-optimized apps, but was more sanguine about the prospects of developers falling into line. Several apps Ive tried to open on the sprawling 7.6-inch screen look awful, the site wrote. Thick, black bars on the sides, with a phone-sized app in the middle of this tablet-like display. But you likely wont encounter this problem once the Duo is in your hands Developers need to target the iOS 27.1 software development kit for full Duo compatibility. That will take some time. But it is a little maddening that some app developers, who for years have never seemed to care about optimizing their app for Android folding phones, are so quick to embrace Apples fold. Performance: Fast, but occasionally hot The Duo is a powerful phone with excellent specs, but for the very best performance you may wish to look elsewhere. Despite sharing the same processor, memory, and storage options, the Duos speeds and performance dont quite reach the same heights as the [iPhone] Pro models, but it outmatches the [Samsung Galaxy] Z Fold 8, reported PC Mag. In real life, however, such distinctions are unlikely to make much difference. In terms of using the phone naturally over the course of a week, the site added, I experienced no problems or hiccups. The Duo smoothly transitions from the front screen to the inner screen, apps open swiftly, and multitasking isnt a challenge at all. CNET wrote that Geekbench 7 CPU benchmark tests place the iPhone Duo well above the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. In a graphics test using 3DMarks Wild Life Extreme, the iPhone Duo again exceeded the performance of the Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra, and far outpaced the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Impressive. But there are slight concerns about overheating. For most things its plenty fast, wrote The Verge. But the reality is that its also a thin phone driving two big displays, and it definitely gets warm, and sometimes hot. Apple Cameras: Not pro, but plenty good As was the case with the iPhone Air last year, the Duo packs slightly less impressive cameras than one might expect given the price. But this may or may not be a problem, depending on your photographic needs. I was nervous about whether the iPhone Duos cameras would pull their weight, admitted CNET. Thankfully, Ive been pleasantly surprised The photos Ive taken in a variety of conditions have turned out sharp and vibrantthough you wont find more advanced, pro-oriented formats like ProRAW capture and ProRes video. PC Mag was also happy with the devices performance in photo tests. The Duo takes superb photos in most scenes, the site wrote. Outdoor daytime shots look fantastic, with accurate color, sharp focus, and plenty of contrast. But Toms Guide felt it is a big deal that the iPhone Duo doesnt have a telephoto lens. You get just a 48MP main and 48MP Ultrawide, which take great shots. But if youre zooming in, youre going to miss the level of detail a dedicated optical can provide. And The Verge complained that the Duo relies on heavier sharpening to make up for its weaker [camera] hardware, so fine details look a little crunchier than they do on the 18 Pro. The Duo retains a bit less color detail in low light too, though Night Mode kind of evens out the playing field between them. Battery life: Mixed messages Some sites were happy with the Duos battery performance, while others were frustrated. On the positive side, CNET reported that even with my excessively high screen time over the past few days, the battery has consistently held up well. One day, I started with a full battery at 8:15 a.m., and after a full day of scrolling through social media, working in Google Docs, sending emails, texting, taking pictures, watching YouTube videos, and placing a couple of phone calls and a video call, I ended the day with 29% at 11 p.m. And PC Mag wrote: I ran our usual battery test overnight and came away impressed. I streamed a YouTube video via Wi-Fi on the inner display with the screens brightness set all the way up. It ran for 18 hours and 15 minutes. It bested the Motorola Razr Fold (18 hours), Galaxy Z Fold 8 (16 hours, 30 minutes), Z Fold 8 Ultra (16 hours, 29 minutes), and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold (14 hours, 21 minutes). But The Verge was less happy. The Duo, it wrote, doesnt seem ready to last a full day of heavy use. Price: High but justified Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the early reviews was how comfortable the reviewers were with the iPhone Duos price tag. The iPhone Duo costs $1,999 for 256GB, rising to $3,199 for 2TB of storage, noted CNET. While that starting point is high, its in line with most foldable phones. It added that these prices sure didnt stop [the Duo] from selling out almost instantly when preorders opened. Do I think the iPhone Duo is worth two grand? asked Toms Guide. Yes, as its only $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 8. And you get a more durable design, faster performance, longer battery life, and smarter software. [On price,] the Duo is surprisingly on par with its competitors (though still expensive), concluded Wired. Verdict: Flawed but fun The iPhone Duo clearly isnt perfect. But reviewers enjoyed themselves and had plenty of qualified praise for the device. It is expensive, its full of compromises, and it can be incredibly frustrating to use, said The Verge. But all of the risk and weirdness of the Duo is also fun , in the way the best early adopter devices are fun. Its incomplete as a product, but complete enough as an idea that you can see where things are going. Aside from some minor shortcomings, Apple appears to have stuck the landing with its long-awaited foldable, said CNET. Foldable phones offer a breath of fresh air in a stagnant industry, and the iPhone Duo is no exception. The site did stress, however, that the Duo is not for everyone. PC Mag was very complimentary in its summing up. The iPhone Duo overcomes Apples late start by delivering the best hardware, performance, and battery life of any foldable phone on the market, the site enthused. Toms Guide described the Duo as the best designed foldable yet with the most polished, intuitive and fun software experience. Gizmodo added that phone hardware and software are genuinely exciting again, which is something to celebrate. Well end with a note of caution from Wired. This is often the case with first-generation products, the site wrote, but it may be prudent to wait for the Duo 2.

This is one of the most affordable Qi2.2 25W wireless chargers with active cooling, now down to just $30 (40% off)

LISENs official Amazon storefront is now offering its latest Qi2.2 25W MagSafe wireless charger for $29.99 shipped. This particular model with active cooling only recently made its debut carrying a $50 price tag, and todays deal knocks $20 off to bring it back down to the lowest price it hit shortly after launch. Thats a solid 40% discount on what is already one of the more affordable Qi2.2 25W wireless chargers with built-in active cooling on the market. Head below for more. more

Land iPhone Duo-ready Apple Pencil (USB-C) as low as $61 at Amazon

As you maybe seen on 9to5Mac this morning, shorty after our iPhone Duo review went live , official Apple Pencil support for Apples new foldable is actually landing well ahead of schedule (next week) you will need Apple Pencil (USB-C) to make use of it though. more

Save exclusive $389 on Heybike

Alongside the exclusive deal we secured from Heybike on the Mars 2.5 e-bike , the brand is also offering our readers an exclusive chance at its other upgraded Ranger S 2.0 Folding Fat Tire e-bike with a FREE larger front basket ($89 value) down at $899 shipped , after using the code 9T5T100 at checkout. Like the Mars 2.5, this is a revamped version of the discontinued Ranger S model that goes for $1,199 at full price and gets an additional $100 discount further with our code from the initial discount to $999. In total, youre saving an exclusive $389 here, landing it at a new all-time low price and coming in $500 under the newest Ranger 3.0 Pro . more

If you want an iPhone Duo, Apple will have

Macworld If youre hoping to wait in line at an Apple Store on Friday in the hopes of scoring an iPhone Duo, you might want to reconsider. Some stores will have some units to sell to those who didnt preorder, but not many, and theyre going to be gone in a flash. In a statement to Reuters and other news outlets, Apple said: On Friday morning, our teams look forward to welcoming customers at Apple Stores to experience iPhone Duo and the incredible iPhone line-up for themselves, Apple said in a statement. Apple Stores will have limited iPhone Duo available for walk-in customers, and were working hard to get this revolutionary new product into customers hands as quickly as possible. Despite the eye-watering starting price of $1,999, preorders for the iPhone Duo at the Apple Store are now listing a date of January 25 for nearly every configuration, pushing delivery of the first folding iPhone far beyond the holiday season. Apple may send a small portion of new iPhone Duo shipments for walk-in purchases at Apple Stores, but between Apple preorders and carrier stores, its safe to say that its going to be really hard to get one if you havent already preordered. In the past, stores have gotten daily shipments of small numbers of phones, so if youre not lucky on Friday, you should be able to check back. New iPhones are always a hot item and often slightly backordered in specific configurations or colors, but the folding iPhone is reportedly very difficult to manufacture, leading to smaller volumes and a lower production rate than something like the iPhone 18 Pro .

Sony's PlayStation Pulse headset arrives on November 19 for $100

Pre-orders open on October 29.

Mid-week Apple TV deals up to 80% off: Knives Out, Shyamalan collection, horror flicks, more

Todays lineup of the best Apple TV deals is now ready to go alongside the ongoing pre-order deal for the new Apple TV 4K. Highlights include Final Fantasy Triple Feature, Hellraiser 6 Movie Collection, Heretic, Horror Classics: A 6-Film Collection, Knives Out, Old, RoboCop 2-Movie Collection, an M. Night Shyamalan 3-Movie Collection, and more. Just be sure to dive into AirPods Pro 3 at $50 off and this all-time low on the 2026 LG C6 OLED TV at $1,000 off this years launch price to upgrade your Apple TV experience. more

Supernatural's VR exercise app has relaunched on Meta VR headsets

It's in early access and subscriptions cost $20 per month or $200 each year.

Blink debuts first-time 4K, spotlight, pan-tilt cameras + expands outdoor XR series

Blink is expanding its lineup of security devices with five new cameras that are designed to provide sharper video quality, broader vision coverage, and added flexibility to better monitor all that happens around your home plus, two of them pair with the brands Sync Module XR+ hub for extended range beyond the standard Wi-Fi range field. Head below to get the rundown on what each brings to your home. more

Oppo Find X10 Pro Max hands-on: Triple 200-megapixel cameras but few surprises

Trying to fill a OnePlus-shaped hole, Oppo plays it a little safe.

One of the best gaming TVs is $1,000 off: LG C6 OLED hits Amazon low ahead of GTA VI and Zelda release

Two of the biggest game releases in recent memory are about to hit Grand Theft Auto VI and Zelda Ocarina of Time remake and one of the best 2026 gaming TVs just hit its best price ever. You can now score the LG 55-inch OLED evo AI C6 4K Smart TV down at $999.99 thats $1,000 under the 2026 launch price and the larger sizes are marked down as well. more

Get an exclusive $289 savings on Heybike

Alongside the exclusive Heybike deal on the Ranger S 2.0 e-bike , our readers can also score exclusive savings on the brands revamped and upgraded Mars 2.5 Folding Fat Tire e-bike with a FREE large front basket ($89 value) down at $799 shipped , after using the code 9T5T100 at checkout. This is an updated version of the now-discontinued Mars 2.0 that carries a $999 MSRP, which weve only seen discounted to $899 up until today. Now, with our exclusive code adding an additional $100 savings to the initial price cut, youre getting $289 total savings at a new all-time low price, coming in $300 under the Mars 3.0 counterpart . more

A permanent Pokmon store will open in London, with more locations outside Asia to follow

The new retail location is set to open by 2029.

New Apple job listing hints at path to 6G devices

Macworld When Apple launched the iPhone 12 in 2020, one of the headline upgrades across the range was support for 5G. This then-new networking standard enabled the devices to access claimed mobile speeds roughly 50-100 percent higher than 4G LTE provided coverage was available in the users area. This caveat meant improvements were difficult to notice in the short term, but it was an important upgrade for the long term. (Some skeptics disputed its value , admittedly.) Six years on, Apple is making plans for the next version of the technology, unimaginatively called 6G, and the quality-of-life improvements this will deliver to iPhone owners. In a new job listing , spotted by MacRumors , the company this week set out to find a 6G Cellular Modem Systems Engineer, based in either San Diego or Sunnyvale, California. The role carries a brief to Define & architect system-level features and requirements for next-generation cellular modems, with a focus on 6G evolution and advanced PHY/L1 capabilities. Base pay is in the range $175,000-$308,500, so get your applications in soon. Apple is well aware that its job listings are scrutinised eagerly for evidence of upcoming product development, so this posting is significant in what it tells us about the companys progress and how willing it is for this to be publicised. But its been planning for the launch of 6G for some time. A similar, albeit slightly more subtle, listing was spotted way back in 2021 , only a year after the iPhone gained support for 5G. That post sought wireless system research engineers for current and next-generation networks and then mentioned lower down that the next-generation networks in question were, obviously, 6G. The progression from research engineers to a systems engineer (the new listing mentions the word research only once, in the context of past experience) may reflect the 6G projects changing priorities and increasing focus on practical applications. But 6G remains a long way from launch; 6G networks are currently expected to appear in the early 2030s. In other words, the first Apple device to support 6G is likely to be at least the iPhone 22 Pro or maybe the iPhone Duo 5.

Baseus just launched the nicest Qi2 iPhone Duo MagSafe power bank yet [Launch deal]

While your existing MagSafe power banks might still work with the iPhone Duo, almost all of them will likely hang off the bottom because of the foldables shorter form factor. Youre going to need a new one thats purpose-built for the iPhone Duo, like this new Baseus PicoGo Air AM72 ultra-slim Qi2 power bank now up for grabs via the brands official storefront with a launch deal at $59.99 shipped. Be sure to enter promo code PICOGO72F at checkout to see the discounted price. This is a brand-new model that just debuted at $80, so youre saving $20 right out of the gate. Head below for a closer look and more details. more

The heavy-duty BougeRV electric utility cart with a 660-pound carrying capacity back at $870 low (Reg. $1,100)

Through its official Amazon storefront, BougeRV is dropping its new Electric Utility Cart back down to $869.99 shipped. It just released onto the market in August with a $1,100 full price, which we saw discounted to this same rate up until the first few days of September, climbing back up in price. At the start of October it fell to $900, where it has remained through Prime Day and up until now, dropping $30 further to land back at the all-time lowest price we have tracked ($230 total savings). If you dont need the heavy-duty electric support this model provides, you can find the Lightweight Foldable Electric Utility Wagon retaining its first Amazon discount to a $280 low , too. more

Stranger Than Heaven builds its identity as Like A Dragon's more relentless spin-off

We played several hours of Sega's next big crime-thriller, and so far the Like a Dragon series is getting its most bold entry to date.

Best iPhone Duo cases: Slim, protective and kickstand options

Macworld Apples new iPhone Duo is both big and small, and its more susceptible to knocks and drops than a standard iPhone with its folding function maybe taking a while to get used to. Its the first iPhone that needs a case built around moving partsnamely the hinge. A case for a foldable can be made from one or two shells, with the additional question of covering the hinge or leaving it bare. The phone goes on sale October 23, and cases are already arriving. Weve assessed these cases using a dummy iPhone Duo, comparing their design, materials, fit, and features. This gives us an initial impression, but we havent yet verified their performance on a working phone, including wireless charging, Touch ID access, and how they accommodate the hinge during everyday use. Well update our recommendations after testing with the iPhone Duo itself. iPhone Duo test criteria Until we get our hands on the actual iPhone Duo to test each case with, weve used an incredibly accurate test-surrogate iPhone Duo to fit in the cases weve tested ourselves. We look for eight key criteria in each case. Our test surrogate Duo in the Benks ArmorGrid Air (Beyond Blue) Simon Jary Protection: We checked corner reinforcement, camera and screen-edge protection, hinge coverage, and how much of the handset each shell covers. We did not run our own drop tests, so protection assessments are based on construction and coverage, and we note manufacturer claims as claims. Some case makers specify the exact measurements of their raised screen and camera edges, other do not. Materials and grip : We assess surface texture, grip, finish, and visible fingerprint marks during handling. Common case materials include TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane, a flexible, durable plastic) and aramid fiber (a lightweight, high-strength synthetic fiber, best known through the Kevlar brand). The material alone does not establish how well a case protects the phone; construction and coverage also matter. Long-term wear, discoloration, and adhesive durability cannot be established during these initial checks. Hinge protection and operation: Cases take different approaches to the Duos hinge: some include a protective cover, while others leave it exposed. We opened and closed each case on the dummy handset, checking for stiffness, rattling, gaps, and smooth movement of any hinge cover. We also checked whether both shells stayed firmly attached during opening and closing. These checks provide an initial assessment of the cases construction and movement. We will assess the effect on the actual phones hinge movement or opening angle will require further testing with a working iPhone Duo. Fit and installation : We used the dummy iPhone Duo to assess how securely each section fits the handset, the alignment of cutouts, and the ease of installation. We also checked the positioning and accessibility of button covers and port openings. Final fit and tolerances, button response, Touch ID operation, and cable fit will need confirmation with a retail iPhone Duo. Slimness: The Duos thin profile is part of its appeal but this must be weighed against the backplates coverage and reinforcement. We penalize cases that add bulk without a clear benefit, but not where the protective benefits are worthwhile. Extra functions: Some iPhone Duo cases include a kickstand for easier viewing. We assessed adjustability and how much bulk the stand adds. ESRs Flex Stand, for example, rotates 180 and forms a protective guard around the camera bar when not in use. Other stands, such as those on the Torras Ostand and UAG Mouve XTE, rotate 360 and fold flat against the case backplate. The Moft Dynamic Folio uses an origami-like folding stand. Stability with a working iPhone Duo, both folded and unfolded, will require further testing because its weight and balance may differ from those of the dummy handset. Colors and style: We assessed the range of colors and the quality of the finishes provided. Most of the color and pattern will be seen on the cases backplate, but it should also be noticed on the front frame and hinge protector where present. Magnetic accessory compatibility: We checked how securely magnetic chargers, power banks, wallets, and other accessories attached, and whether the cases camera surround, hinge protection, or kickstand obstructed their fit. Because we used a dummy handset for our initial testing, these checks assess attachment and clearance only. We will test charging performanceincluding speed, heat, and reliabilityonce we have a working iPhone Duo. Getting a new iPhone 18 Pro , read our round up of the best iPhone 18 Pro cases . Apple iPhone Duo Case: Simple two-piece Apple case Pros Made by Apple Cons Hinge unprotected Price When Reviewed: $79 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $79 View Deal $79 View Deal $79 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide There are two Apple-branded cases for the iPhone Duo. The basic version is called simply the Apple iPhone Duo Case. If you want everything to have an Apple logo on it, this is a solid choice you cant go wrong with. Its a two-part design, with each side having its own thin cover and a protective frame around the edges. This leaves the phones hinge area unobstructed (which the pessimistic among us could also describe as exposed) so the device can fold and close completely flat without interference. Like most two-part cases without a hinge cover, it requires adhesive strips to ensure a secure fit, and so is not as easy to remove and reattach as magnetic cases such as Apples own Duo Folio case. Made from polycarbonate with a matte coating, the case is available in two colorsNavy Blue and Sandthat match the Duos own Night Sky and Star White colors. MagSafe: Yes Hinge protected: No Apple iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand: Magnetic folio with a built-in stand Pros Made by Apple Sturdy kickstand Hinge protected Price When Reviewed: 129 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $129 View Deal $129 View Deal $129 View Deal $129 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide The second Apple-branded iPhone Duo case is the Folio with Kickstand, a thin one-piece multi-function case that attaches magnetically, and both protects and offers stable viewing through a sturdy kickstand at the back. While it does protect the exterior display and the hinge, unlike the basic Apple Duo Case it doesnt feature a protective frame for the phones edges. Somewhat remarkably, the MagSafe connection remains even when the stand cover is closed and will also work when its open. The Duo can wirelessly charge at up to 25W. Again, the Navy Blue and Taupe case colors are suited to each of the two Duo appearances. Its made with Apples leather-alternative TechWoven fabric, found on its standard iPhone cases. Unlike the basic Apple iPhone Duo Case, the Folio has a fabric hinge cover so thats better protected. This neatly retracts when the Duo is unfolded open so doesnt affect the outer screen when the device is unfolded. MagSafe: Yes Hinge protected: Yes Benks ArmorGrid Air Grand Combo: Best lightweight case Pros Tough Aramid Fiber case Includes screen protector Cons Hinge unprotected Price When Reviewed: $109.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $99.99 View Deal Benks $109.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Benks makes some of our favorite standard iPhone cases, and its ArmorGrid Air Grand Combo for iPhone Duo matches the ArmorGrid case for iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Its a protection set that combines a front frame shielding the display perimeter and 1.3mm-thin back case made from super-tough Kevlar, and a screen protector for the front (not unfolded middle) screen. The whole package weighs a slight 23.5g. Theres no hinge protection, which keeps the Duos folding mechanism unencumbered and reduces the possible points of failure but also leaves this area of the Duo bare. The Kevlar back case features a diamond-pattern weave to create a structured, geometric texture that adds a little extra grip but nothing you really notice in hand. Its available in either Beyond Blue or Obsidian Black. This can be paired with the $29 Benks ArmorPop Grip Stand for balanced, stability viewing angles. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 2mm Screen edge: 1.5mm Backplate: 1.3mm Hinge protected: No Drop protection: Yes, height not claimed Weight: 23.5g Benks If you prefer to keep Apples original Duo coloring Benks also offers its clear Crystal Case for iPhone Duo with transparent polycarbonate front frame and back with corner airbag cushions, plus the front screen protector. Unlike the ArmorGrid Case, there is hinge protection that reduces the force of daily impacts and scratches. An anti-yellowing surface treatment helps resist discoloration from UV exposure. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 2mm Screen edge: 1.5mm Backplate: 1.3mm Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: Yes, height not claimed Weight: 23.5g ESR Atelier Case with Flex Stand for iPhone Duo: Best soft-touch case Pros Leather-like silicone Flexible kickstand Hinge protected Price When Reviewed: $59.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price ESR $59.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide ESRs Atelier Case ($59.99) is made from a soft, smooth silicone material that wraps around front and back including the iPhone Duos hinge. ESR claims it can withstand drops of up to 3.6 feet, with a strong TPU frame. Its metal 180 Flex stand doubles as a camera lens protector when not in use, and can be placed in a variety of portrait and landscape positions (adjustable viewing from 1569), whether the Duo is folded or unfolded. The same handy stand is available on ESRs other Duo cases reviewed below. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 1.6mm Screen edge: 2.3mm Backplate: 2.3mm Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: 3.6 feet Weight: 59g ESR The Cyber Tough Case ($42.99) is ESRs most protective case for iPhone Duo, offering what ESR claims is 16-foot drop, 4x military-grade protection. It features reinforced hinge coverage, zinc-alloy camera protection, and Air Guard corners. The textured sides add some grip to make dropping the Duo less likely in the first place. The Cyber Toughs Flex Stand folds 180 and rotates 270 for stable hands-free. As with the Atelier Case, the Flex tucks back to form the camera lends protection when not in use as a stand. Also available on Amazon . MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 1.8mm Screen edge: 2.6mm Backplate: 2.5mm Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: 16 feet Weight: 65g ESR Somewhere between the Atelier and Cyber Tough is ESRs Classic Hybrid Case ($42.99), with a 1.5mm back and the same 180 Flex Stand and reinforced hinge protection. The Frosted cases show more of the original Duo colors. Also available on Amazon . MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 0.8mm Screen edge: 2.1mm Backplate: 1.5mm Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: 8 feet Weight: 55g Torras Ostand Q3 VegSkin Case for iPhone Duo: Best rotating stand case Pros Leather-like silicone Rotating kickstand Hinge protected Price When Reviewed: $79.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $71.99 View Deal Torras $79.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Made from a premium leather-like silicone material, the Ostand Q3 VegSkin Case offers a 3.35mm thick back protection that Torras claims 8-foot drop protection, plus 1.2mm bezels around the camera lenses and front screen. The aluminum alloy Ostand can pivot 360 and folds flat back into the MagSafe back cover when not in use. Its a great stand that weve previously enjoyed with the standard iPhone. The VegSkin Case is available in three colors: Deep Blue, Amber Brown, and Pearl Grey. Theres a version without the leather-like appearance in Purple, Black, and Deep Blue. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 1.2mm Screen edge: 1.2mm Backplate: 3.35mm Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: 8 feet Weight: 46g MOFT Dynamic Folio for iPhone Duo: Best case with a stand and grip Pros Unique stand and grip Hinge protected Price When Reviewed: $69.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Moft $69.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide MOFT stands out, quite literally, with its origami-inspired case/stand designs for iPhone and iPad. Its Dynamic Folio for iPhone Duo applies the same ingenious folding logic to protection, grip and viewing. The centrally positioned structure balances the Duos weight, supporting four portrait and landscape positions. As with most iPhone Duo cases the front frame has a removable adhesive to secure it, while the hinge and backplate are joined magnetically. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: Yes, no size given Screen edge: Yes, no size given Backplate: 1.9mm Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: Yes, height not claimed Weight: 73g Moft The MOFT MOVAS Modular Case for iPhone Duo is a more traditional case even though it comes in three parts: front frame, hinge, and backplate. It still has a wow-factor over other cases as you can mod your design with an extra hinge/frame in a different color at the point of purchase. Shown above is the Misty Cove backplate with a Terracotta hinge/frame, but you could choose the same backplate with a Khaki Green front, or Navy Blue with either. Nomad Traditional Leather Folio for iPhone Duo: Best leather wallet case Pros Horween leather Hinge protected Card slots Price When Reviewed: $129 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Nomad $129 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide The Nomad Traditional Leather Folio wraps the Duo in full-grain, premium vegetable-tanned Horween leather that gains its own patina over time. The backplate is 2.7mm thick with full Folio thickness of 3.8mm. The hinge is protected, and theres a 1.15mm lip protecting the screens. You can fit a couple of cards inside the front section of the case. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 0.5mm Screen edge: 1.15mm Backplate: 2.7mm Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: Yes, height not claimed Weight: 64g If you dont need the full folio coverage and desire as thin a Duo as possible but with some back protection, Nomad offers just the magnetic Leather Back (2.2mm thick), also in Horween leather at $59, which features microsuction pads to double-up on the magnetic application. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 0.5mm Screen edge: n/a Backplate: 2.2mm Hinge protected: No Drop protection: Drop protection: Noback and camera protection against everyday Weight: 64g Pitaka iPhone Duo Edge Case: Slim patterned aramid case Pros Tough Aramid Fiber case Anti-smudge coating Cons Hinge unprotected Price When Reviewed: $99.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $49.99 View Deal Pitaka $99.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Available in Pitakas distinctive California Dream, Black/Grey Twill, Midnight, and Sunset patterns, the Duo Edge Case has no hinge protection keeping it slim but does boast a two-part aramid fiber front frame and 1.3mm back cover with pre-installed anti-slip adhesive strips. Pitaka claims its Mammoth Resin reinforces structural integrity to enhance impact resistance. The front cover is fitted with HD anti-reflective tempered glass to minimize glare and fingerprint smudges. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 0.5mm Screen edge: 0.5mm Backplate: 1.3mm Hinge protected: No Drop protection: 8 feet Weight: 36g Casetify Impact Case for iPhone Duo: Best for colorful designs Pros Fun pattern choices Hinge protected Price When Reviewed: $88 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Casetify $88 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Casetify is a case maker that rejoices in its range of colors and pattern designs, and it has a bunch for the iPhone Duo, including Gradient, Leopard, and Dottie shown above, among others such as Dark Cherry Jelly, Black Kingsnake, Gingham, and Jelly Bears. You can match it with the companys many accessories such as the Snappy Grip Stand, Ring Holder and Loop Grip. MagSafe: Yes Hinge protected: Yes Zagg Crystal Palace Snap KS Case for iPhone Duo: Best clear case with a stand Pros Sturdy kickstand Hinge protected Textured edges Price When Reviewed: $89.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $89.99 View Deal $89.99 View Deal Zagg $89.99 View Deal $89.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide This sleek, clear iPhone Duo case features one of the most robust kickstands available, and it wisely keeps out of the way of magnetic wireless charging connection. It might look less protective because of its transparency, but Zagg claim the Crystal Palace offers 13 feet (4m) of drop protection for the case is reinforced with resilient Graphene without adding bulk. Textured edges provide a more secure grip to save the phone from jumping out as you pull it from your pocket. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 1.5mm Screen edge: 2mm Backplate: No size given Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: 13 feet Weight: 69g A Crystal Palace Snap Lite Case ($69.99) is thinner and lacks the kickstand, but still offers a claimed 10-foot (3m) drop protection. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 1.5mm Screen edge: 2mm Backplate: No size given Drop protection: 10 feet Weight: 33g Mous Limitless Case for iPhone Duo: One-piece case with hinge coverage Pros Tough Aramid Fiber case Hinge protected Price When Reviewed: $94.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Mous $94.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Mouss tough one-piece Limitless case features an interlocking TPU and polycarbonate shell, impact-absorbing AiroShock TPE corners, and an aramid-fiber-reinforced front frame and backplate for extra rigidity. The one-part design aids the fit strength, with the TPU bridge flexing when open. One version of the case is locked across the hinge, offering all-round protection, while another is hinge-free. Its available in Mouss signature Walnut plus Speckled designs as well as Black and a striped aramid fiber. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 0.5mm Screen edge: 2mm Backplate: 1.65mm Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: Yes, height not claimed Weight: 42g OtterBox Defender Series Pro XT for iPhone Duo: Best for port coverage Pros Port covers Grippy edges Hinge protected Price When Reviewed: $89.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $89.03 View Deal OtterBox $89.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide OtterBox is well known for its Defender Pro series of phone cases, and the iPhone Duo doesnt miss out. Available in three colorsBlack, Witherwill Blue, and Adomania Purpleit features grippy rubber edges to help you keep it in your hand, and a protected hinge. Its the one iPhone Duo case weve seen with covers for the ports to help keep dust and other debris out. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: Yes, no size given Screen edge: Yes, no size given Backplate: No size given Hinge protected: Yes Drop protection: Yes, height not claimed Weight: 74.4g OtterBox If you want a lower-profile case, the OtterBox Lumen still offers protection but not on the scale of the Defender Pro. The hinge is open, as are the ports, with cutouts for all buttons bar the Camera Control. You can indulge your Tortoise shell desires as well as buy the Lumen in Black Mist and also a Clear case. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: Yes, no size given Screen edge: Yes, no size given Backplate: No size given Hinge protected: No Drop protection: Yes, height not claimed Weight: 58.26g UAG Mouve XTE Case for iPhone Duo: Translucent case with a rotating stand Pros Rotating kickstand Air-Soft corners Cons Hinge unprotected Price When Reviewed: $84.95 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price UAG $84.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide UAG is famous for its hexagonal patterned phone cases, and the Mouve cases for the iPhone Duo feature the shape on its smooth 360 rotatable metal kickstand. There are two models, the Mouve XTE ($84.95) with kickstand and standard Mouve ($64.95) without it. Both are two-part designs that feature translucent shells in either opaque Ice or darker Ash colors. Air-soft corners help cushion impact, and the soft-touch TPU backplate adds further protection. MagSafe: Yes Camera edge: 0.9mm Screen edge: 2.2mm, 2.75 (XTE) Hinge protected: No Drop protection: 4 feet Weight: 34g, 46g (XTE) UNIQ Elix Q-Fold 360 Leather Case: Soft-touch case with adjustable rotating stand Pros Rotating kickstand Hinge protected Price When Reviewed: $52.90 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price UNIQ $52.90 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide This case wraps the iPhone Duo in a soft silicone VeluxeSkin that will protect the Duos back. A dedicated magnetic hinge add further protection to the foldable section of the new iPhone. The Q-Fold Kickstand offers a smooth 360 rotation plus stable 180 multi-angle adjustment. MagSafe: Yes Hinge protected: Yes UNIQ The clear UNIQ Velix Q-Fold 360 Kickstand Case ($46.90) shows off the Duos original color but still offers protection via reinforced AirLite corners, and a dedicated magnetic cover protects the hinge. As with the UNIQ Elix silicone leather case the Q-Fold kickstand rotates and adjusts to your preferred viewing angle. MagSafe: Yes Hinge protected: Yes UNIQ While its backplate is slim at just 1.5mm the UNIQ Keva Edge Slimline Aramid Case ($89.90) makes up for its slim design with a super-tough aramid fiber material with a textured grip panel, plus the dedicated magnetic hinge protection, but lacks the stand found on the other UNIQ iPhone Duo cases. MagSafe: Yes Hinge protected: Yes FAQ Does the iPhone Duo need a case? No phone needs a protective case until you drop or knock it. A case isnt essential for the iPhone Duo, but its a sensible investment for a $1,999 foldable. Apples Ceramic Shield glass helps protect the displays, but the titanium edges and hinge remain vulnerable to accidental drops, scratches and dents. Unlike conventional iPhone cases, Duo designs must accommodate two halves and a slim cover-screen frame, often using adhesive to stay securely attached. What to consider when choosing an iPhone Duo case? Prioritize a precise fit, shock-absorbing corners and the level of coverage you think you need. Raised lips help protect the exterior display and camera, while a dedicated hinge guard covers the folding spine. Check that the case allows easy access to Touch ID and Camera Control without obstructing the inner display or folding mechanism. Since the Duo already weighs 8.9oz (254g), consider whether extra bulk from a kickstand or hinge protector is worthwhile. Choose a slim two-piece case for everyday protection or a hinge-cover design for additional coverage. Will a case interfere with the iPhone Duos hinge or folding action? A properly fitted iPhone Duo case shouldnt interfere with folding, but poorly designed hinge covers can add bulk or restrict movement. Some two-piece cases leave the hinge exposed; others include a separate hinge cover, while dedicated covers provide an additional barrier against knocks and grit. However, hinge coverage doesnt necessarily mean dust protection. Debris can collect between the case and phone, so remove the case periodically and gently clean both surfaces according to Apples care guidance. For cases secured with adhesive strips, follow the manufacturers removal and cleaning instructions, and check whether replacement strips are required before refitting. Can I remove and reuse an iPhone Duo case? That depends on how the case attaches. Some iPhone Duo cases use adhesive strips to secure the front frame or other components. Dont assume those strips will retain their grip after removal: check whether the manufacturer allows reuse, supplies spare strips, or sells replacements. A removable component isnt necessarily reusable with the same adhesive. Before taking off an adhesive-mounted case for cleaning or swapping cases, follow its removal instructions and check what youll need to refit it securely. Is a kickstand case necessary for the iPhone Duo? If you regularly watch videos, make FaceTime calls or use your iPhone Duo for work, a kickstand case is a useful upgrade. It props up the larger inner display for hands-free viewing, video calls, recipes, and reading. Paired with a Bluetooth keyboard, it can also support light productivity. Some stands double as finger grips for safer handling. The main drawback is added thickness and weight, so look for a stable, well-integrated design that folds flat to the backplate or doubles as a camera bar. Will MagSafe chargers, wallets, and power banks fit with these cases? MagSafe uses magnets to align and attach compatible wireless chargers , power banks, wallets, and other accessories. The cases listed here are described as MagSafe compatible, but that doesnt guarantee every accessory will fit. Because the iPhone Duo is shorter than a conventional iPhone, larger magnetic wireless power banks and wallets may extend beyond its edges or overlap the camera bar. A cases kickstand or hinge cover may also prevent an accessory from sitting flat or interfere with unfolding the phone. Before buying, check the accessorys dimensions and the case makers compatibility guidance. With the accessory attached, make sure it clears the cameras and allows the Duo to open fully. Some wallets and power banks may need to be removed before unfolding. Our initial case assessments used a dummy handset, allowing us to assess physical clearance and attachment, but not wireless charging performance. Well add charging results and recommendations for specific accessories after testing them on a working iPhone Duo. Would I do better getting AppleCare+ instead of a case? A combination of slim case and AppleCare+ can offer a good balance between preserving the Duos design and protecting against costly accidents. A case helps prevent everyday scratches and knocks, while AppleCare+ covers eligible damage under the plans terms, subject to service fees. Theft and loss protection may also be available with a suitable plan. Check Apples current pricing and conditions before buying. For maximum peace of mind, use both: prevention for everyday mishaps and coverage for expensive repairs.

Mid-week iOS app deals and freebies: Dungeon Merge!, Exit Interview, Lara Croft GO, Pixel Bowling, more

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Today is your last chance to score a deal on Switch Sports Resort before release tomorrow

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Originally $120 Glorious GMMK 2 65% mechanical gaming keyboard is 59% off today at just $49 (All-time low)

We are now tracking a deal at Amazon that drops the Glorious GMMK 2 65% mechanical gaming keyboard to $48.99 shipped. This model originally launched at $120 and has fetched as much as $100 in recent months, though it has more recently been sitting around the $73 mark. Todays deal takes roughly 33% off that recent going rate to mark the lowest price weve tracked for it so far. At just $49, youre also looking at a massive 59% discount from its original launch price, making this a great time to grab one for your battlestation. Head below for more details, along with deals on other Glorious gaming gear. more

Rare discount has Belkin

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New Apple TV 4K still discounted and arriving as soon as release day at Amazon

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Halide Mark III vs. iPhone 18 Pro Camera app: Apple shoots its shot

Macworld For years, the iPhones built-in Camera app lacked a manual shooting mode, pushing many professional mobile photographers to Halide and other third-party apps. With the iPhone 18 Pro , Apple finally listened to power users and introduced more advanced camera controls. These include a variable aperture, the ability to tweak the shutter speed and white balance, and upgraded Photographic Styles that simulate film texture. Halide Mark III provides a similar feature set for $9.99 per month, $19.99 per year, or $69.99 as a one-time purchase. Its implementation differs from Apples, giving users more granular control over certain elements while sacrificing other perks. To find out whether iPhone 18 Pro users can achieve Halide-like results using Apples Camera app, I thoroughly inspected what each app has to offer. Aperture: The paradox of choice Variable aperture is the iPhone 18 Pros most iconic feature, letting you physically control how much light reaches the camera sensor. A wide aperture allows more light in and creates a natural bokeh effect, with a shallow depth of field. Conversely, a narrow aperture expands the depth of field to keep background elements sharp, making it ideal for well-lit group shots and landscapes. Both Apple Camera and Halide support controlling the aperture on the iPhone 18 Pro, but their approaches vary. The iPhones built-in Camera app lets you manually choose between four fixed values: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0. Or you can opt for the automatic mode, which dynamically selects any value between f/1.48 and f/4.0depending on what the algorithm deems best for the particular scene. A mechanical variable aperture on the Main camera is a defining feature of the iPhone 18 Pro. Foundry Halide, on the other hand, gives you full control over the aperture. So you can fine-tune it and manually pick any value in the same f/1.48-4.0 range, like f/3.33, or switch to auto. As such, Halide technically provides photographers with more options than Apples Camera app. But more importantly, does this sort of flexibility actually impact iPhone photography? The short answer is no. The iPhone 18 Pros main camera sensor is too small for such minor aperture adjustments to matter. In fact, some critics questioned Apples decision to bring a mechanical aperture to the device in the first place. Many Apple Camera users will barely be able to tell the difference when jumping between adjacent preset f-stops, such as f/1.48 and f/1.8. Offering users a slider with over 250 precision micro-steps in Halide is arguably overkill. Thats not to say that Halides execution is completely pointless. Pro photographers working in full manual mode may lock the shutter speed and ISO (both of which impact the final exposure) at fitting values to achieve a desired look. Having complete control over the aperture can allow the exact amount of light in and perfect the overall image. Nevertheless, considering the iPhone has a small sensor, its not as influential as having it on a professional camera, and most users will probably be overwhelmed by its numerous options. ISO-lated testing Beyond the variable aperture, the iPhone 18 Pro introduces native support for advanced camera controls, like shutter speed and white balance. A slow shutter speed can create motion blur, while a fast one can help capture ultra-fast subjects as they move. Meanwhile, white balance lets you control the temperature of the light, making it cooler or warmer as needed. Halide has long supported these adjustment types, but the number of options differs. With Apple Camera, you can push the shutter speed as fast as 1/16,000th of a second, while Halide seemingly limits you to 1/2,000th of a second (according to my tests on an iPhone 18 Pro). Similarly, disregarding the automatic mode, Apple lets you pick between five white balance options, while Halide is limited to four. These minor technicalities wont matter to most users, but were laying them out for the comparisons sake. Foundry A more impactful Apple Camera exclusive is the new Focus Tracking feature, which locks onto a selected subject even if you move or it does. Otherwise, both camera apps support focus peaking, which helps you identify the sharpest areas in the frame. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two apps in the Pro control department is manual ISO support. ISO dictates the sensors signal amplification, and, by default, you cannot manually adjust it on iOS. Apples implementation automatically adjusts its value in the background depending on the lighting conditions and other factorsacting as a manual mode with auto ISO (or shutter & aperture priority mode). With Halide, you get a dedicated ISO slider, which generally matters to enthusiast photographers seeking a true manual mode. It also offers more advanced framing guidance, like a golden ratio overlay and a finer grid. Its worth mentioning that, unlike Apple Camera, Halide does not allow layout customization. Personally, I find the built-in app more intuitive to use, especially since Ive pinned the toggles I actually use to the top. Halides interface looks a bit dated and its user experience doesnt feel as natural to mebut thats subjective. Filtering through the options Next, weve got the advanced filters that each of the two camera apps provides. The iPhone 18 Pro offers Photographic Styles 3, which include 15 palettes (excluding the standard one). You can apply a soft skin, glow, or film texture to any of the palettes, plus an independent grain effect if you so wish. Notably, you can control the intensity of the palettes, tones, and colors using an advanced slider, and you can freely shuffle between looks after shooting, as theyre nondestructive. Halide, on the other hand, offers 9 distinct looks that permanently alter your outputunless youre shooting in RAW. So, everyday shots will be locked to the chosen look with no way to revert or apply a new look after shooting. You also miss out on the slider that controls the undertones and intensity of the filters, not to mention the omission of Live Photoswhich Apples Photographic Styles support. However, Halide uniquely allows you to control the grain effects strength, assuming youve shot in RAW. Foundry Other Halide perks include the famous Process Zero look, which minimizes AI/computational processing and provides more natural-looking output. You also get to apply its various color filters on compatible RAW photos captured using other apps or devices, while Apple limits its Photographic Styles to iPhone Camera app output. Given that RAW shots can consume 10x more storage than regular ones and do not support the Live Photos feature, most users will want to stick to Apples compressed HEIF format for daily captures. This will limit them to Photographic Styles 3, unless theyre willing to permanently bake Halides filters into their output. Should you give Halide a shot? For most iPhone 18 Pro users, the answer is a hard no. Apples built-in Pro camera tools and Photographic Styles 3 provide enough control over the shooting process to produce creative, dramatic, or precise output that is on par with Halides. While manual ISO support is nice to have, Apples automatic ISO adjustments and manual exposure tweaks work reliably in most setups, and its not worth Halides relatively high fee. Apple Camera on the iPhone 18 Pro marks the very beginning of Halide Mark IIIs end. Nonetheless, the third-party app will stay relevant for years to come. After all, Apples Photographic Styles 3 and Pro camera controls are restricted to the iPhone 18 Pro, unlike Halide, which offers its powerful features on older iPhone models. Arguably, Halide is still the best manual camera app for anyone with an unsupported iPhone, and that will likely remain the case for years to come. If youre still unsure, you can claim a free one-week trial of Halide when signing up for the annual plan and proceed accordingly.

LEGO Star Wars Grogu with large-scale build and minifig hits Amazon low at 20% off

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Amazon still shipping HomeView even faster than Apple as delivery dates start slipping into December

Some of the deliveries times from Apple on its new HomeView have slipped right into December at this point. As of today, we are just starting to see the same happen over on Amazon, but you can still score one from there much faster than Apple in most regions of the country (as of the time of writing). more

Meet Eney: The AI Assistant That Lives Right on Your Mac

Macworld Try the Eney AI Assistant for free! Learn more (function () { document.querySelector(#sticky-promo-block a).addEventListener(click, function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest(#sticky-promo-block).querySelector(p.promo-title).textContent; const data = { event: stickyConversionUnitClick, eventCategory: Sticky Conversion, eventAction: Click, eventLabel: text }; if(debug)console.log(Sticky Conversion CLick - pushing to dataLayer: , data); dataLayer.push(data); return true; }); })(); The rise of AI technology in the last couple of years has been phenomenal. Now, it seems that every piece of technology in your home or on your person is powered by some kind of intelligence that wants to help. But, how many of them are actually useful when it comes to getting stuff done? Most are great at answering questions, which can be helpful, although the promise seemed to be that these assistants could get on with the tasks you didnt want to do yourself. Well, MacPaw is about to change that with the introduction of its Eney AI assistant , one thats purpose built for action rather than just talk. One Interface that works across multiple apps With many jobs these days involving tasks that are handled by different apps, it can be time-consuming having to switch around to do simple things. Whether thats opening your email, calendar, messages apps or just having to delve into Finder to track down a document or file youre after. These constant changes can not only interrupt your flow, but also increase the chances of being sidetracked by the many other things vying for your attention. Eney looks to address this issue by giving you just one interface through which you can tell it to handles these tasks. Thanks to its support for third-party apps, you just open Eney, make the request (in natural language, so you dont have to learn any prompts) then the assistant will take care of the rest. No getting sucked into a group chat, email chain or other distraction, just fast and efficient actions that allow you to carry on with your work. MacPaw Its not just basic tasks either, as Eney can handle multi-step actions across the apps you already have, without constantly requiring your attention. Whether you need it to send a quick message in Gmail, attach a file from Google Drive, or update your team on Slack, Eney can quickly make it happen. An intelligent, proactive assistant with privacy built-in Alongside helping you to find files, draft emails, and plenty of other useful activities, Eney also acts as an intelligent assistant thats there to ensure you dont miss important meetings or tasks. There are several workflows (automated tasks) built-in that require no assembly by you but which can instantly boost your productivity. Helpful things like a morning catch-up on all the news relevant to your interests or responsibilities, a review of your week, planning the day ahead, all of which is automatically delivered to you by Eney. It can also join you on meeting calls, transcribe the conversation, then present you with a summary and action points. MacPaw The proactive nature of Eney means that its always on the lookout for important dates and tasks in your calendar, messages or email, which it can then bring to your attention ahead of time so you dont miss deadlines or be unpleasantly surprised by something you should have done. Its like having a top-class PA that lives on your Mac. As Eney is created by the same people that brought you CleanMyMac, its no surprise that you can also ask it to clean up your desktop, organise your downloads, and remove clutter from your file system so things run smoothly. Of course, with all that responsibility, youll want to know that your data is safe and secure. Thats why the on-device nature of Eney is so important. The software is built to process data on your Mac, keeping your personal files and information local rather than sending it to an online server. MacPaw Try Eney for free on your Mac If you want to take your productivity to the next level, then you can download Eney to your Mac today and take the free 14-day trial . You dont need to give any payment details and the trial is fully functional, so you can see how Eney really works. Once the 14 days are up (or you exhaust the 10,000 included credits) you can sign up to a monthly subscription for as little as $14.99 (around 11.20), which you can cancel at any time. AI is meant to improve our lives, not make them more complicated. With Eney, this might finally be true.

All-new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K now back at $30 all-time low (50% off)

Just ahead of the launch of Amazons brand new Kindle aluminum and its all-new Alexa Android tablets, it released the new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K with a solid 50% launch deal that same discount is now live again. more

Qi2 vs. MagSafe: Which wireless charger is best for your iPhone?

Macworld Not having to find the right cable or carry one around with you makes wireless charging a convenient way of charging your mobile devicesiPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and many third-party gadgets. There are multiple wireless charging standards and technologies. Here we will explain the major ones Qi , MagSafe , Qi2 and the latest Qi2 25W (aka Qi2.2 ). Knowing which is which will help you to make your charging life more efficient. Here we look at Qi2 vs MagSafe and Qi2 25W vs Qi2 and Apples updated 2024 version of MagSafe. Which is best for your model of iPhone? Its a little more nuanced, but in general, iPhones 16, 17 and 18 (and the iPhone Duo) should now charge wirelessly at up to 25W with supporting certified Qi 2.2 chargers. Older iPhones are limited to the 15W maximum if they support certified Apple MagSafe or Qi2. Chargers that are merely MagSafe Compatible are usually limited to 7.5W wireless charging. Note that the iPhone Air is limited to 20W wireless, the 16e to 7.5W and 17e to 15W. iPhone wireless charging speeds in brief: iPhone 8-11 series and 16e: Qi 7.5W . 0-50% in around 90 minutes. iPhone 12-15 series and 17e: MagSafe 15W and Qi2 15W . 0-50% in around 45 minutes. iPhone Air: 20W Qi2 . 0-50% in around 40 minutes. iPhone 16 and 16 Pro: MagSafe 22W and Qi2.2 22W . 0-50% in around 35 minutes. iPhone 16 Plus, 17, 17/18 Pro, 16/17/18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo: MagSafe 25W and Qi2.2 25W . 0-50% in around 30 minutes. Dont worry too much about the difference between 22W and 25Wthe charging time difference will be marginal given environmental conditions such as room temperature will also make an impact. How does wireless charging work? Wireless charging uses electromagnetic induction to power your devices. The charging pad and your phone both include copper wire coils. Plug the pad into a power source and the chargers coil generates a magnetic field. When you place your phone onto the charging pad, the phones coil converts that magnetic field into an electric current, thus charging the phone. Apple pioneered improved magnetic connection between charger and phone with MagSafe, and its mainly the tighter magnetic fit that drives faster and faster wireless charging. What is Qi2? Qi2supported by the iPhone 12 and upspeeds up wireless charging from 7.5W to 15W and makes chargers cheaper as well as more efficient. It is very like MagSafe, which is unsurprising as Apple allowed the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) to use MagSafe as the basis of Qi2. In short, Qi2 brings the magnetic benefits of MagSafe, but also make third-party iPhone chargers faster and potentially cheaper. Manufacturers are more likely to create new products when the market is larger (iPhone and Android) and costs should come down, too. Apples latest version of its iPhone MagSafe Charger can wirelessly charge the iPhone 16 series at 22-25W. Older iPhones can use this charger but at a 15W maximum as before. Qi2 took its time catching up, but it has now: keep reading. We have tested Qi2 chargers vs chargers certified as MagSafe by Apple, and can confirm that 15W Qi2 charges supporting devices at an equivalent speed to 15W MagSafe, and much faster than merely MagSafe-compatible 7.5W chargers. More details of our wireless charging speed tests below. Belkin first announced two Qi2 magnetic wireless charging devices in September 2023. Belkin What is Qi2.2 25W? The latest Qi2 25W standard (officially Qi 2.2) matches Apples 25W wireless charging speed. We have tested many 25W chargers, including the Belkin 25W UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock , Ugreen MagFlow Power Bank , 25W Baseus PicoGo AM52 Power Bank and ESRs 25W CryoBoost 3-in-1 Charging Station among others. Samsung waited until its Galaxy S26 Ultra to jump on the fast magnetic wireless charging bandwagon with Qi2 25W, and Google was first out of the Android blocks with Qi2 25W compatibility with its Pixel 10 Pro XL . The lesser Google Pixel 10 Pro is pegged back at 15W Qi2. Google calls its version of Qi2 PixelSnap. Wireless charging from Qi to Qi2.2 First, lets look at the original Qi, which all iPhones post iPhone 8 support. Foundry What is Qi wireless charging? Qi is a Chinese word that means energy flow. Pronounced chee, Qi is the basic and most popular wireless charging standard, launched in 2008 but not seen on an iPhone until 2017s iPhone 8. Note that plain Qi2 has little magnetic connection between phone and charger so is less efficient at transferring power as more is wasted depending on the placement of the phone on the charger. Better magnetic attachment and therefore faster charging arrived with MagSafe and Qi2. Apple continues to support the Qi wireless charging standard with its most recent iPhonesand the iPhone 12 and later models are compatible with Qi2, more on which later. This means that iPhones from the iPhone 8 onwards can be placed on a Qi-compatible charger to start charging without a cable. (Of course, the Qi charging pad or stand itself has to be connected via a cable to a power charger.) While wireless charging means less wear and tear to your devices, it is not as efficient as charging via a cable (wired charging) as some of the energy is lost between the charging pad and the device placed on it. Qi users will know that you have to ensure your device is placed in exactly the right alignment for fast wireless charging to take place. Place the iPhone on the pad incorrectly and you end up either charging much more slowly or not at all. Many of us have dropped a phone on a Qi charger only to find out later that it wasnt in the right place and so annoyingly never started charginga problem largely solved by Apples MagSafe. While Qis maximum wireless charge is 15W, Apples iPhone supports only 7.5W via Qi. Which iPhones use Qi? Qi charging is built into the iPhone 8, X, XR, XS, SE, 11, 12, 13, and 14 families. The iPhone 15/16/17/18 and Air/Duo work with Qi but are rated as Qi2; see later. The outlier is the curious iPhone 16e that goes all the way back to plain old Qi; the 17e is fine. Foundry What is MagSafe wireless charging? Apples magnetic MagSafe iPhones contain a ring of magnets built around its Qi charging coil. As a result, you can magnetically clamp charging accessories onto the iPhone. In fact, you can magnetically attach non-charging accessories, such as wallets and mounts, too. MagSafefrom 2020s iPhone 12 onmakes missing the charging pads coils much less likely with its ring of magnets quickly finding the charging alignment sweet spoton a compatible chargerso you will always connect and less energy is wasted. Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) technology uses magnets to perfectly align the coils of the wireless charging transmitter and receiver before transferring power. iPhones can work with wireless chargers that are either MagSafe certified by Apple (made for MagSafe) or are compatible with MagSafeplus less sophisticated Qi chargers. Certified MagSafe chargers can supply up to 25W to the iPhone, while merely MagSafe compatible chargers are limited to 7.5W , but compatible chargers are usually cheaper. That 25W charging speed is currently limited to the iPhone 16 and 17 ranges and Apples own MagSafe Charger . iPhones 12/13/14/15 max out at 15W using MagSafe. The iPhone Air wont charge faster than 20W wirelessly. In fact, the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are pegged back at 22W, while the larger 16 Plus and 16 Pro Max support the while 25W. The 16e is out of the picture at just 7.5W and the 17e makes it to 15W. (Note that the iPhone 12 mini only charges at 12W with MagSafe.) We have tested the best MagSafe chargers for iPhones and the best MagSafe power banks for iPhones. This reviews roundup now also includes 15W Qi2 and 25W Qi2.2 chargers as they arrive to market. Some thicker cases get in the way of MagSafe wireless charging so make sure your iPhones case is MagSafe compatiblesee our roundup of the best iPhone 15 Cases , best iPhone 16 cases , best iPhone 17 cases and best iPhone 18 cases . Wireless charging is great, but its not as fast as wired charging. For truly fast iPhone charging, use a cable connected to at least a 20W USB-C charger. For the iPhone 15 and later that means a USB-C to USB-C cable ; for older iPhones youll need a USB-C to Lightning cable . A USB-A to Lightning cable wont offer iPhone fast charging. Click here for more iPhone fast-charging tips . Somewhat confusingly, MagSafe is also the name for Apples wired-charging standard for its MacBooksconnecting the charging cable to the MacBooks MagSafe port via magnets, meaning it is not only easy to connect but, if accidentally disconnected, it pops out rather than dragging your laptop to the floor. This version of MagSafe is magnetic and safe and has a charging connection for MacBooks but is not wireless. We explain the difference between MagSafe on Mac and MagSafe on iPhones in our Complete guide to Apple MagSafe: What is MagSafe? Which iPhones use MagSafe? MagSafe wireless charging is built into the iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 families, with the exception of the 16e. Its also supported by the iPhone Air and iPhone Duo. Foundry What is Qi2 wireless charging? Qi2 (chee too) is the latest version of the Qi energy flow wireless charging standard, and its supported by all iPhones from the iPhone 12. Famed for its Not Invented Here strategy, Apple can be quite precious about adopting other technical standards. It has a long history of rejecting any idea that didnt originate within Apple itself. However, thankfully Apple has cooperated with the creation of Qi2 to the extent that in effect it gave the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) MagSafe to use as the basis for Qi2s Magnetic Power Profile that defines how the new generation Qi works. Apple is a WPC steering member and chair of the board of directors. So what is Qi2 and why is it so great? Think of Qi2 as not just MagSafe for Android, but MagSafe benefits for all compatible wireless charging products. Qi2 means chargers wont have to be certified by Apple to support 15W charging. They should, however, meet the technical demands of the WPC. In short, a Qi2 charger will deliver twice as fast charging as MagSafe-compatible chargers. As MagSafe certification costs manufacturers a fee to Apple, removing this should result in cheaper chargers that match Apple-certified chargers in terms of speed. Which iPhones use Qi2? Qi2 wireless charging works with all iPhones 12. and onwards, except the 16e. Simon Jary / Foundry What is Qi2 25W wireless charging? Qi2 25W is the latest version of the Qi energy flow wireless charging standard. Its technical name is Qi2.2. It started rolling out in wireless charging products from the mid-2025 and is now seen in many new wireless charging products. So what is Qi2 25W and why is it so great? Qi2 25W means chargers can support up to 25W wireless charging. They have to meet the technical demands of the WPC. In short, a Qi2 25W charger will deliver 10W more power than Qi2 and 3.3 times as fast charging as MagSafe-compatible chargers. The use of a Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) provides better alignment but also reduces magnetic field leakage caused by misalignment. This minimizes the build-up of heat and ensures optimal charging efficiency. A 0.5mm magnetic alignment precision improves charging efficiency by up to 40%, according to manufacturer Baseus. Qi2 25W products also feature next-generation thermal regulation with stricter 40C surface limits and enhanced coil layouts. This ensures that less energy is wasted and provides 15% better charging efficiencyeven in motion or with slight misalignment. Which iPhones use Qi2 25W? Qi2 25W wireless charging will work with the iPhone 16 family and later (except the 16e and 17e). The iPhone Air supports Qi2 25W but only up to 20W, which is likely caused by the super-thin phones thermal management. The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro can make it to only 22W according to Apple. The iPhone Duo does support 25W Qi2.2. For Qi2 25W to work at full 25W supporting iPhones must have installed at least iOS 26 or later. Which is best MagSafe, Qi2 or Qi2 25W? First, MagSafe, Qi2 and Qi2 25W are all better than plain Qi. Owing in large part to their magnetic connection, they are more efficient and definitely offer faster wireless charging than Qi. For all extents and purposes, Qi2 looks pretty identical to MagSafe so iPhone 12/13/14/15 users can choose between MagSafe or Qi2 without fear. iPhone 16/17/18/Air/Duo owners, however, should look to MagSafe or Qi2 25W, as Apples own MagSafe Charger and soon Qi2 25W chargers can reach charging speeds of up to 25W when paired with the latest range of iPhones. All should clamp chargers magnetically to the iPhone in the same way and allow for between 15W and 25W wireless charging. Will Qi2 chargers work with MagSafe? Although technically very similar, Apple is likely to still require MagSafe certification for non-Qi2 products to reach 15W wireless charging. Both the charger and the device must be certified for Qi2 for it to work at 15W, in the same way as MagSafe. However, it is likely that future MagSafe-certified products will also be certified for Qi2, and post iOS 17.2 all iPhones (except 16e) will work natively with Qi2 and Qi2.2 chargers. For consumers its a win-win as Qi2 and Qi2 25W means faster wireless charging will be brought to more devices and people. For product marketers it may be a bit of a labelling nightmare until all the chargeable devices catch up with the technology: expect MagSafe Compatible (7.5W), MagSafe (15W or 25W), Qi2 15W (15W) and Qi2 25W or Qi2.2 (25W). Is Qi2 as fast at wireless charging as MagSafe? As the Wireless Power Consortium used Apple technology to build the Qi2 specification, it is true that Qi2 matches MagSafe for speed. Both can charge at up to 15W and use the largely same magnetic attachment tech. Note the 25W charging potential of the Apple MagSafe Charger and iPhone 16/17, plus the same charging speed from Qi2 25W. The first Qi2 charger we tested and reviewed at Macworld was the Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station . We tested its Qi2 wireless charging speed by charging an iPhone 15 Pro all the way to a 100% full charge, and taking timings at 30%, 50% and 80%. We did the same using a Apples own MagSafe Charger and also via a straight wired USB-C connection. The fastest way to charge an iPhone is via a wired connection: USB-C to Lightning for iPhones older than the iPhone 15, and USB-C to USB-C for the iPhone 15 and later. The average wired-charging time in our tests was 25 minutes to 50%, 55 minutes to 80% and 70 minutes to 100%. Our wireless charging tests for officially Apple-certified MagSafe chargers (using Apples own Wireless Charger) and for Qi2 magnetic wireless charging (using the Anker MagGo) had remarkably similar timings. There was some variance either way but also small differences using the same charger so we are confident that using these two magentic wireless charging technologies came up with the same basic results on average: 45 minutes to 50%, 90 minutes to 80% and 115 minutes to 100%. In summary, then, MagSafe and Qi2 charging at 15W results in the same times and so can be considered equalexcept for the 25W MagSafe potential of the iPhone 16/17and the same from Qi2 25W now it is released. And, again as expected, merely MagSafe-compatible chargers took twice as long as the 15W chargers: 45 minutes to 30%, and 90 minutes to 50%. Our tests demonstate that Qi2 25W will charges an iPhone 16 Pro from 050% in just over 30 minutesmanufacturers often claim 25 minutes but that is under clinical conditions. In Macworlds real-world tests 32-34 minutes is the average. In comparison, a Qi2 15W charger generally takes about 45 minutes to reach the same levelthis would work out as the 25W option being around 45% faster than the 15W chargers. Wireless charging depends on many factors, such as device settings, usage during charging, and ambient temperature. Dont concern yourself greatly about the 22W limit of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. The 3% difference between that and 25W is marginal. Why does phone charging speed slow down as the battery gets fuller? Batteries charge slower the fuller they get, especially in the last 1020% of charging. The fuller the battery is, the slower it absorbs energy. To start with, a Lithium-Ion battery accepts whatever current it can, but as the battery gets closer to being full it accepts less current, and so the power being transferred tapers off. Imagine you were filling up a glass with water. You can start with the faucet or tap at full blast, but as the glass gets fuller, you have to slow the flow down to avoid the water spilling over, until eventually just a trickle of water goes in as you try to get it right up to the brim. If the battery didnt charge this way and instead filled up at full blast till reaching 100%, it would get very hot and youd risk damaging it to the point it might explode! Slowing down the charge when the battery is getting closer to full also increases the number of charge cycles a battery can go through before it permanently loses capacity. Taking advantage of this, if you need to charge quickly, stop at 80%, use the device for a while and then top back up to 80% before the charging speed starts to slow. Ugreen

Subaru is dropping gas cars for EVs in Europe by the end of 2027

Subaru will halt the sale of gas-powered vehicles in favor of an all-electric lineup in Europe no later than 2027.

SpaceX and Tesla are exploring a possible merger

SpaceX and Tesla have formed special committees to discuss a merger, but Elon Musk says it's not a certainty.

Learn Claude Code and Claude Cowork with this $19.99 e-degree

Macworld TL;DR: Learn prompting, Claude Code, and Claude Cowork automation with the Claude AI Professional E-Degree, now $19.99 (reg. $159). Claude Code and Claude Cowork turned Claude into a tool that writes code and runs tasks across your apps, but most people still use it like a chatbot. Eduonixs Claude AI Professional E-Degree teaches the rest, and lifetime access is $19.99 (reg. $159). How are the lessons structured? Four learning modules start with prompting best practices, then move into Claude Code for AI-assisted coding and debugging, including VS Code integration. Two Cowork modules show you how to connect Claude to Gmail, Google Drive, Calendar, Chrome, and MCP connectors, then build automations with plugins and sub-agents. Eduonix Learning Solutions, a tech training company with more than a decade of experience, made the course . You get 100+ lectures, more than 8 hours of video, quizzes, 5 practical projects, and a certificate upon completion. Lessons play on your Mac or iPhone in any modern browser, and this deal is for new users only. Learn to use Claude for more than chat. Get the Claude AI Professional E-Degree on sale for $19.99 (reg. $159). Claude AI Professional E-Degree See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

How much power can a 1kW wind turbine produce for your home?

A 1 kW wind turbine can help with your electric bill, but the wind determines how much.

Oura Ring can track new stats related to cardio fitness

Oura has updated its smart rings with new cardio fitness-related metrics, including VO2 Max estimates.

Five things you should know before buying the iPhone Duo

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Sunseeker Elite

Sunseeker Elite is using Equip Expo 2026 to showcase its latest robotic lawn care tech , featuring everything from its current X Gen 2 lineup to a preview of whats coming next. The company will be at the show from October 20 through 23 with its latest wire-free robotic mowers, live demos, and navigation tech on display at Indoor Booth #1190 and Outdoor Demo Area #7460D. This years focus is on making robotic mowing more capable in real-world yards, with AI-powered vision, smarter positioning, better obstacle detection, and improved terrain handling all working together to reduce routine lawn maintenance. The new X8 Plus model gives us a great idea of where the brand is heading next, while the rest of the lineup shows how much of that tech is already being put to work today. more

The next Xbox might cost $1,800, report says

Microsoft is targeting a 2028 release for its next-gen Xbox, which could be incredibly expensive, according to details reported in a profile with Xbox's CEO.

What to expect at Apple's 'Pro and Tell' event on October 28

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Xbox may finally be giving Game Pass the overhaul it badly needs

Xbox is reportedly planning a major Game Pass overhaul that could introduce la carte add-ons for console games, cloud gaming, and multiplayer.

The latest PlayStation firmware may have already been cracked ahead of GTA 6

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Commute up to 25 miles on Segway

Amazon is currently offering the Segway E2 Pro Electric Scooter down at $419.99 shipped, beating out the brands direct website pricing by $80 . Down from $500 here, despite the $600 MSRP direct from Segway, the deal here gives you an $80 markdown off the going rate ($180 off the MSRP) for the third-lowest price we have tracked. It was down at $399 during the recent Prime Day event, with it only sitting $21 higher in price now. more

Judge tosses sexual abuse lawsuit from Sam Altman's sister

A lawsuit brought by the OpenAI CEO's sister was dismissed after Anne Altman refused a medical exam.

Bundle Dyson

Amazon is currently offering the bundle for Dysons Airwrap i.d. Multi-Styler with Chitosan Serum ($60 value) down at $534.49 shipped right now. This particular bundle has mostly kept to its full $710 price since hitting the market in April, with previous discounts having dropped it to $649 (which is the MSRP for the styler on its own) and $500, the latter of those being during both Prime Day events. This deal gives you the next-best price with $176 savings, landing it just $34 above that Prime event low and sitting $15 above the all-time low for the standalone styler. more

Meta suspends Muse chats sharing feature after it left private details exposed

Researchers accessed 6,800 shared conversations with the AI agent, including internal company documents.

Google brings Gemini Personal Intelligence to Android Auto

In the coming months, the feature will also roll out to cars with Google built-in.

Save up to $500 on Anker

Through its official eufyHome Amazon storefront, Anker is returning its new E50 NVR 4K Dual-Lens Bullet-PTZ 4-Cam Security System with 2TB hub back down to Prime Day pricing at $799.99 shipped. Down from a $1,200 full price, this new system hit the market in early August and has mostly seen discounts keeping the price around $1,000 since, though there was the first drop to this rate during the recent Prime Day event for two days, followed by a one-day Lightning deal last week. Youre now getting another shot at the $400 markdown that is landing it back at its all-time lowest price. Theres also the more comprehensive 8-Cam bundle with a 4TB hub down at $1,399.99 shipped from its $1,900 full price for the second-best price we have tracked. more

Employees warned TikTok about child exploitation, court documents show

The company is facing hundreds of lawsuits over its record on safety.

Apple just gave me a reason to keep my 6-year-old HomePod mini

Macworld For years, the HomePod mini has been my go-to speaker for everyday listening at home. It sounds great, looks sleek, and deeply integrates into the Apple ecosystemall for just $99 (at least back I bought one when it launched). When Apple unveiled the HomePod mini 2 last week, I was tempted to replace my fully functional stereo pair solely to get the new software exclusives, such as Siri AI. That was until I installed the OS 27.2 update, which brings enough of the second-generation experience to the original HomePod mini to minimize my urge to upgrade. Quite the glow-up Sound Glow essentially brings the Dynamic Islands animated waveform to the HomePod. The brand-new feature extracts the most prominent colors in a playing songs album art and displays them on the HomePods touchscreen. The hues dynamically pulsate in sync with the tracks rhythm, reflecting the bass and treble in real time. While it technically doesnt change how a song sounds, it does make the listening experience significantly more immersive and enjoyable. I had assumed Apple would restrict Sound Glow to the HomePod mini 2, as my first-generation stereo pair is always within my sight when working, and such a feature would matter to me. The Music app on my Apple TV 4K 3 already provided a similar visualizer on the big screen; having my HomePod minis react with the same palette would contribute to the overall ambience. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Sound Glow is actually supported on all HomePodsexcluding the original full-size model. After installing iOS 27.2 on my iPhone and its HomePod equivalent on my speakers, I was able to turn on and use Sound Glow on my 2020 minis just fine. Now they feel significantly more vibrant and energetic when blasting bops on them. My old HomePod mini is getting new lights and features to match the 2nd-gen model. Mahmoud Itani / Foundry Ghost buster Many users have had to discard their otherwise functional HomePods because of the somewhat widespread phantom touch issue. The flaw repeatedly triggers the affected HomePods touchscreen without any user input, pausing/playing music and controlling the volume in a chaotic manner. The latest OS update fixes the issue with a Lock Controls toggle in the Home app that optionally disables the touchscreen. So, whenever your HomePod starts misbehaving, you can kill touch input altogether and continue to rely on the otherwise functional speaker using voice commands or your iPhone. Turning a blind AI While OS 27.2 does not activate Siri AI on my original HomePod minis, the feature is arguably inessential in this context. The classic Siri generally works well for basic audio playback commands, and I tend to have longer, more complicated conversations with Siri AI using the keyboard on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Plus, the new HomePod mini 2 sells for $149, so upgrading my stereo pair would cost me another $300. It would make more sense to maintain my current HomePod setup and instead buy a HomeView for a similar price. This would unlock Siri AI and provide an always-on display as a bonus. Until Apple releases a meaningful upgrade, I will continue to rely on my trusty 6-year-old HomePod minis without a problem. HomePod Software and iOS 27.2 will launch to the general public next weekpotentially on Monday, October 26with the Sound Glow and Lock Controls features. To try them early, you can sign up for Apples beta program and download the Release Candidate builds currently available.

AMD is bringing its next-gen FSR 4.1 upscaling tech to Xbox

Coming soon to the X/S and Ally devices.

This $25 MSI combo gets you both an RGB gaming keyboard and mouse for your battlestation (44% off)

MSI Forge GK110 RGB Gaming Keyboard & Mouse Combo Buy for $25 (Reg. $45) What we love This MSI Forge GK110 combo gets you both a keyboard and mouse for just $24.99, making it a pretty easy pickup if youre putting together a budget gaming setup. The keyboard has RGB lighting and 26-key anti-ghosting, while the included mouse has 12,800 DPI and gives you seven buttons to work with. more

Save $300 on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in this rare blowout deal

Macworld Apple Watch Ultra 3 View Deal (function () { document.querySelector(#sticky-promo-block a).addEventListener(click, function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest(#sticky-promo-block).querySelector(p.promo-title).textContent; const data = { event: stickyConversionUnitClick, eventCategory: Sticky Conversion, eventAction: Click, eventLabel: text }; if(debug)console.log(Sticky Conversion CLick - pushing to dataLayer: , data); dataLayer.push(data); return true; }); })(); Update : This deal is no longer available. When you want the best of the best, especially when youre out on a hike, the Apple Watch Ultra is the way to go. If you want a watch thats as fashionable as it is functional, youll want the Black Titanium Milanese Loop. That usually costs $900, but if you dont want to spend nearly a thousand bucks on the newest model, you can grab a Series 3 for $600 right now , an impressive 33 percent discount on its MSRP. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 seeks to mix it all together keeping you connected, keeping track of your training, keeping you on track when youre hiking, telling you when to go to bed so you get more rest, telling you when youre having heart issues by running ECGs, and so on. Its such a versatile thing to have on your wrist that it justifies the high price tag. If you take a hard fall or get in a severe car crash, it can connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts. The battery lasts up to 42 hours of normal use, or up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode, so a weekend trip wont send you hunting for a charger. With cellular and 5G, you can take calls and stream music without your phone. This model has the luxurious Black Titanium Milanese Loop band, so its stylish too. Crafted from aerospace-grade titanium mesh, it features a secure parachute-style buckle and is inspired by the same design historically used by divers. Apple usually sells this band for $199 on its own, so youre saving money there, too. Since this is an Ultra 3, youll still get watchOS 27 with the new Siri AI and Dynamic App Grid. Unfortunately, you wont get the new Readiness app, or Live Rewind and Siri Recap, but otherwise it delivers on everything you could possibly need from a smartwatch. So, grab this gorgeous Apple Watch Ultra 3 for $300 off while its still on sale. Its the best price weve ever seen for this model!

Score a 2-pack of 45W USB-C chargers for FREE when you buy this 140W Smart Display model at $63

Courtesy of Baseus official Amazon storefront, you can now snag the brands 140W 4-port Smart Display charger for $62.99 shipped. Todays deal also includes a 2-pack of 45W USB-C chargers with cables worth $26. The Smart Display model originally debuted at $80 and has more recently been hovering around $66, so youre looking at $92 in total value here. Thats a particularly solid bundle considering the 140W charger itself is already down to one of its lowest prices since launch, while the pair of 45W chargers and included USB-C cables are essentially thrown in on top. Head below for more details. more

Spotify is dancing around its AI 'slop and spam' problem

The company said it removed 50 million such tracks from recommendations, but hasn't necessarily wiped them entirely.

Celebrate a racing legend with LEGO

LEGO Icons Ferrari F2004 & Michael Schumacher set Buy for $74.50 (Reg. $90) Clip the on-page $5.70 off coupon. What we love This 735-piece LEGO Icons set lets you celebrate a racing legend with the brick-built replica of Michael Schumacher in minifigure form and his Ferrari F2004 race car. The car comes with plenty of true-to-life details, including working steering, a detailed cockpit, a V10 engine, and even grooved slick tires with printed Bridgestone Potenza lettering. You also get a display stand, podium, drivers helmet, and trophy alongside a printed image and quote from the man himself. more

Don't put your phone in the TSA bin do this instead

Let's be honest, TSA bins are just gross.

Check out the new Switch Sports Resort launch trailer, and secure your copy at a discount

The brand new Nintendo Switch Sports Resort for Switch 2 will finally release this week on October 22 Nintendo has now debuted a new launch trailer and you can still secure the fleeting pre-order discount on Amazon. more

You can build your own mechanical keyboard, but is it worth the price?

If you have both the time and money, building a keyboard can be a fun hobby.

Giant lineup of Apple TV deals: Loads of horror, Tarantino, Ghostbusters, Alien, much more

Alongside the ongoing pre-order discount on the new Apple TV 4K, todays lineup of the best Apple TV deals is now ready to roll, and it is fully loaded. We have over 130 titles to scope oput including Alien 7-Film Collection, Blair Witch Two Film Collection, Cloverfield Double Feature, Die Hard Collection 5 Films, Ghostbusters 5-Movie Bundle, Grindhouse: Death Proof, Grindhouse: Planet Terror, The Many Saints of Newark, and more. Just be sure to dive into the $50 price drop on AirPods Pro 3 and all colors of the new HomeView now back in-stock at Amazon. more

Make 225 cuts with Greenworks

Amazon is currently offering a more professional cutting experience with the Greenworks 82V 16-inch Cordless Electric Chainsaw with a 4.0Ah battery down at $247.11 shipped, beating out the brands direct website pricing by $53 . This model hit the market back in early 2025, with it dropping down from a $400 full price here. Discounts this year have seen it go as low as $212 back during Junes Prime Day event, with it keeping above $290 until the October Prime Day saw it first fall to $280 on the first day and then $267 on the second day. Now, while it may not be the lowest price we have tracked, youre still getting $153 savings that lands it $20 under that Prime pricing. You can check out all the brands other current tool deals in the official Amazon storefront here. more

Voltage-controlled photonic chip could make smart-glasses displays more efficient

Smart glasses need compact, efficient displays that can produce detailed images without drawing too much power. Laser beam scanning is one approach to meeting these requirements. Rather than using a fixed array of pixels, these displays steer a laser beam across the field of view, building an image point by point.

5 ways to make your old iPhone feel faster

Your iPhone will slow down over time, but some changes can help it run at its best for longer.