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David Snow - page 123

Avoid costly water damage with Eve’s new HomeKit-enabled sensor

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Now with Thread support, Eve Water Guard sends leak alerts to the Home app.
Now with Thread support, Eve Water Guard sends leak alerts to the Home app.
Photo: Eve Systems

If you’ve ever suffered major water damage from a leak, you probably wish you could’ve found the problem before it was too late. Now you can — if you have the right smart home automation.

The second generation of the Bluetooth-enabled Eve Water Guard adds Thread networking technology that works with HomeKit. That lets it automatically join your Thread network and provide water leak notifications in Apple’s Home app before the damage is done.

Get your game on with BenQ’s pricey new projector

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BenQ's new gaming projector throws a 100- to 150-inch image on the wall.
BenQ's new gaming projector throws a 100- to 150-inch image on the wall.
Photo: BenQ

BenQ is known for making quality displays and monitor lights, but it also makes projectors. Its latest offering, the BenQ X3000i, can handle blazing-fast gaming at a refresh rate up to 240Hz, but it comes at quite a price — about two grand.

Drool-worthy gear: Former PC gamer goes all-in on Mac conversion [Setups]

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You don't see two Pro Display XDRs in one setup very often.
You don't see two Pro Display XDRs in one setup very often.
Photo: [email protected]

When a software engineering manager who works from home decided to leave PC gaming behind, he went all-in on his Mac conversion. In part he did it for work. He slings a lot of native code for macOS in building HR recruitment software. But, working and playing from home full time, in part he did it for himself.

So why wouldn’t he buy a super-tricked out 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro, not one but two Apple Pro Display XDRs and pretty much top-shelf everything else?

Apple TV+ will screen indie hit CODA in theaters for free

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CODA will show for free in theaters from Friday, February 25 through 27.
CODA will show for free in theaters from Friday, February 25 through 27.
Photo: Apple TV+

In celebration of CODA‘s Oscar nomination for Best Picture, Apple TV+ said Friday it will celebrate by re-releasing the indie hit in theaters next weekend. And you’ll be able to watch it for free.

You can see the film for free in theaters from Friday, February 25 to Sunday, February 27.

Wearable smart camera understands silent voice commands

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The wearable infrared camera can see what you're saying.
The wearable infrared camera can see what you're saying.
Photo: Cheng Zhang@Cornell University

Ever been in a situation where your hands aren’t free but you can’t speak out loud to Siri voice assistant, either? There could be a camera coming that understands your voice commands even if you’re not making a sound.

Two Cornell University researchers created a wearable infrared smart camera that detects voice commands not by sound, but by measuring movements in the neck and face from under the chin.

See a stunning afterlife in Park Chan-wook’s ‘Shot on iPhone 13 Pro’ short

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Dead warriors like this one are fierce and playful in Park Chan-wook's short.
Dead warriors like this one are fierce and playful in Park Chan-wook's short.
Photo: Apple

Most people use the awesome filmmaking potential of iPhone 13’s Cinematic Mode to shoot vids of their cats. But not South Korean director Park Chan-wook. In the latest in Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” series, he takes you into afterlife in a short film packed with martial arts wizardry and dream-like sequences. It’s called Life is But a Dream, and it’s shot entirely on an iPhone 13 Pro.

Even if you and your cat had a famous director’s resources — the cast, the sets, the costumes, the rich folklore — you still probably couldn’t come up with anything like this. But thanks to the technology in your iPhone, you can try.

Displays: To stack or not to stack? [Setups]

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Would you put a 28-inch 4K monitor on top of this 35-inch display, or next to it?
Would you put a 28-inch 4K monitor on top of this 35-inch display, or next to it?
Photo: [email protected]

When you see a computer setup with two monitors stacked on top of each other, what do you think? Maybe something like … doesn’t the person have to crane their neck to look at the top one? Isn’t it uncomfortable? Where does the webcam go? What’s wrong with side-by-side, maybe with one in portrait (vertical) mode instead of landscape?

The person behind today’s featured setup is confronting those very questions on the way to deciding a common multi-display conundrum: to stack or not to stack? That is the question.

Berkshire Hathaway calls Apple ‘ungodly well-managed’

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Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway remains bullish on Apple.
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway remains bullish on Apple.
Photo: Kevin Dooley/Flickr CC

Charlie Munger, investment company Berkshire Hathaway’s vice chairman, laid out high praise for Apple during an interview with Yahoo! Finance on Thursday. He called the Cupertino juggernaut “ungodly well-managed.”

He also described Apple as “one of the strong companies” and said he expects it to remain so.

Limited-edition PowerBeats Pro mark NBA’s 75th anniversary

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Would you pay $50 - $75 more for that NBA logo?
Would you pay $50 - $75 more for that NBA logo?
Photo: Beats by Dre

Apple subsidiary Beats by Dre said Thursday its new, limited-edition PowerBeats Pro earbuds will celebrate the NBA’s 75th anniversary, marked through the 2021-2022 season.

Designed in partnership with Canada-based brand and retailer Better, the new Powerbeats Pro are off-white and sport red and blue ear tips. The Beats logo goes head-to-head with the NBA logo on one bud and with the Better logo on the other.

True-crime fans: Apple TV+ cracks The Big Conn plus companion podcast

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AppleTV+ logo
AppleTV+ is Apple's streaming service launched in November 2019.
Photo: Apple TV+

A good crime story is hard to resist, and it looks like Apple TV+ has one. A new series and companion podcast called The Big Conn will tell the larger-than-life tale of a Kentucky attorney’s exploits. He defrauded the U.S. government out of $500 billion — the biggest Social Security scam in history.

Apple TV+ premieres the series’ first two episodes at the SXSW Film Festival in March. All four episodes and the podcast launch on May 5 on Apple TV+ and Apple Podcasts, respectively.

Firefox and Chrome may start breaking websites soon

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Websites may have issues with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox when each one hits version 100.
Websites may have issues with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox when each one hits version 100.
Photo: Google/Apple

Google, which makes Chrome, and Mozilla, which makes Firefox, warn that those web browsers are about to reach version 100. And that could mean major websites stop working properly with them.

Why? Coded to recognize two-digit version numbers, websites may have trouble identifying browsers with three-digit numbers.

Forensics finally prove who wrote those mysterious Apple 1 serial numbers

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Some old Apple-1 circuit boards have a handwritten serial number and some don't
Some old Apple-1 circuit boards have a handwritten serial number and some don't
Photo: Achim Baqué, Apple-1 Registry

From time to time you hear about Apple’s first computer, the Apple 1, selling to collectors at auction for big bucks. But did you know some of those surviving antiques carry an enduring mystery? For decades, no one could figure out who wrote the serial numbers on their circuit boards. Until now.

Take spellbinding half-underwater photos with this specialty iPhone case

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Here's an example of a split photo the waterproof dome case will let you take with a smartphone.
Here's an example of a split photo the waterproof dome case will let you take with a smartphone.
Photo: SJPro

You know those cool photographs that are half underwater and half above water? They’re called split photos. And a new waterproof case on Kickstarter called the SJPro Smartphone Mobile Mini Dome will let you take them with your iPhone, or almost any smartphone, for a pledge of $45.

Find the best text-editing program for your coding project

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UltraEdit: A good text editing program is crucial to working with code.
A good text editing program is crucial to working with code.
Photo: Christina Morillo/Pexels License

This text editor post is presented by UltraEdit. 

Whether you’re a blogger, a web editor or a software developer, automatic formatting can mess with your writing. That’s why you need a text editor, which is similar to a word processing program but lets you work with nothing but plain text and symbols.

If you write code, a text editor is the most important thing to have (after expertise in your coding language, of course). That’s true whether you use HTML or a more complex and powerful tool, like C++ or Python. But how do you pick a suitable text editor?

Would you pay $178 for Sony’s strange new earbuds?

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The new Sony LinkBuds feature an unusual, perhaps even unique, open design.
The new Sony LinkBuds feature an unusual, perhaps even unique, open design.
Photo: Sony

For some time now, the wireless earbud market has grown toward the bursting point, with all sorts of options for active noise canceling buds with wireless charging, long battery life, solid waterproofing and other features for prices between $75 and $150.

But if you’re sick and tired of paying less for more, Sony has something new for you. You can pay $178 for earbuds without ANC or wireless charging, plus pedestrian battery life and minimal waterproofing. Meet the all-new Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless Earbuds!

What do you get for that price? Sony’s reputation, plus an interesting new compact, lightweight, open-style design that might work great for at least some people.

Intelli’s stylish new CarryOn case protects AirPods Max on the fly

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A magnetic divider in Intelli's CarryOn case puts AirPods Max to sleep when not in use.
A magnetic divider in Intelli's CarryOn case puts AirPods Max to sleep when not in use.
Photo: Intelli

It’s safe to say not everyone loves Apple’s stock carrying case for its flagship headphones, AirPods Max. You might even say some people hate the case. So it’s worth noting when an alternative comes along, like Intelli’s stylish new CarryOn case, released Tuesday.

And they look like a solid choice to carry AirPods Max whether or not you’re traveling at 30,000 feet.

Tidy up with Twelve South’s updated BackPack shelf for 24-inch iMac

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The Twelve South BackPack for 24-inch iMac is a handy storage rack for your Mac's back.
The Twelve South BackPack for 24-inch iMac is a handy storage rack for your Mac's back.
Photo: Twelve South

If your computer setup tends to get cluttered — and whose doesn’t? — you have a new tool. That is, if you own a 24-inch iMac or plan to get one, anyway. On Tuesday Twelve South rolled out an updated version of its popular BackPack shelf just for the latest M1 desktop Macs.

Using the BackPack shelf, you can stash all sorts of stuff, like USB-C hubs, hard drives and other devices, out of sight behind your computer.

MobileTrans lets you easily transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone

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Wondershare's MobileTrans-WhatsApp Transfer makes it easy to move the app to a new device.
MobileTrans - WhatsApp Transfer makes it easy to move the popular messaging app to a new device.
Screenshot: Wondershare

This WhatsApp transfer post is presented by Wondershare.

When you get a new device and transfer your WhatsApp account to it — let’s say you’re switching from an Android device to a new iPhone 13 — you might be surprised there’s no automatic way to do it when two different operating systems are involved.

Thankfully, MobileTrans makes it easy to do WhatsApp transfer, backup and restore operations. And it works even when you’re moving your WhatsApp chats from one operating system to another.

Running classic Cinema Displays with newer Macs [Setups]

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Which makes you swoon more, the 30-inch Cinema Displays or the Yamaha powered speakers?
Which makes you swoon more, the 30-inch Cinema Displays or the mounted Yamaha powered speakers with the Mackie Big Knob controller?
Photo: [email protected]

There’s something special about old Apple gear. Maybe that’s why it comes up fairly frequently in Cult of Mac‘s Setups coverage. One of the most-beloved classics in Apple’s storied history of beloved products is the Cinema Display. Today’s featured setup sports not one but two 30-inch Cinema Displays, the big stunners Steve Jobs introduced to an absolutely dazzled Worldwide Developers Conference audience in 2004.

So, naturally, questions came up about how to best use them with a newer Mac.

Get a great Valentine’s Day deal on encrypted storage with pCloud

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pCloud offers you a reliable, affordable and secure option for cloud storage.
pCloud offers you a reliable, affordable and secure option for cloud storage.
Photo: pCloud

This cloud storage post is presented by pCloud. 

If you’re looking for reliable cloud storage, you might want to skip the likes of Google Drive and Dropbox and go straight for pCloud. The Switzerland-based company, subject to strong privacy laws, offers affordable, super-secure cloud-based storage and backup for individuals and businesses.

Even better, right now you can get 75% off all individual lifetime plans in the company’s Valentine’s Day promotion. You can read more about that, as well as pCloud’s benefits, below.

Test shows AirTags are better and safer than Tile and GPS trackers

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A New York Times reporter found that AirTag tracking and privacy alerts can work better than other trackers.
A New York Times reporter found that AirTag tracking and privacy alerts can work better than other trackers.
Photo: Apple

Just a day after Apple touted its beefed-up privacy precautions for AirTags — in the wake of criminal incidents involving the tracking devices — an article in The New York Times on Friday showed their superiority to Tile and GPS trackers.

A reporter tracked her husband using all three kinds of devices. She found the AirTags not only better at tracking him in an urban area, but also better at tipping him off to the tracking.

Learn to automate your home office like an IT pro [Setups]

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After seven years working at home, Derek Seaman built this computer setup.
After seven years working at home, Derek Seaman built this computer setup.
Photo: Derek Seaman

Blogger Derek Seaman may be an IT systems architect in his day job, but he also designs and builds advanced computer setups. That is, if his home office is any indication. Which it is.

He shared his MacBook Pro-driven workstation — actually, the whole room — with Cult of Mac recently.

Power up MagSafe gear on the go with heavy-duty Excitrus charger

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Excitrus has your charging covered with a four-port, 100W power bank.
Excitrus has your charging covered with a four-port, 100W power bank.
Photo: Excitrus

Those in the market for fast charging on the go, take note. On Tuesday, mobile charging specialist Excitrus launched its new 100W Magnetic Wireless Portable Charger, featuring a 20800mAh battery and MagSafe compatibility.

Apple boosts AirTag privacy after criminal incidents

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AirTags seemed so innocent and helpful at first.
AirTags seemed so innocent and helpful at first.
Photo: Apple

Apple said in a statement Thursday it will update AirTags item trackers with new privacy warnings, better warning sounds and smarter Find My tracking. The efforts comes as the company tries to improve security in the wake of criminal activity involving the devices, such as theft and stalking.

To make sure your AirTag has the latest security improvements, check for the AirTag update regularly.

Make your house a little smarter with updated Home Widget for HomeKit

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Home Widget for HomeKit updates just made your house a little smarter.
Home Widget for HomeKit updates just made your house a little smarter.
Photo: Home Widget for HomeKit

If you’d like to improve your experience using HomeKit-enabled accessories on iOS, it might be time to try Home Widget for HomeKit. It already provides quick access to the Home app from your Home Screen, and it got a refresh on Wednesday, adding sensor support, different panel sizes and more.