Imagine getting a text from a friend and your iPhone reads it to you in your friend’s voice. Rather than a recording, their speech would be simulated from a voice model.
That’s the goal of a patent Apple submitted recently.
The Tetris movie isn’t about falling blocks. Instead, the Apple TV+ film is a thriller about how the hugely popular game was brought out of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
The trailer clearly shows the struggle an entrepreneur goes through to convince a deeply suspicious communist regime to allow Tetris out of the country.
We can be sure Apple isn’t ignoring the folding phone market, even though the company is showing no direct signs of making an iPhone Fold. There’s plenty of indirect evidence, including patent filings that show handsets with foldable screens.
Apple received a new patent approval that shows it’s still thinking about a folding iPhone.
★★★★☆
Edifier has produced quality speakers, headphones and earbuds at affordable prices for more than 25 years. And once again I’m impressed with the value it offers, this time regarding the recently released, high-end Edifier WH950NB Wireless Noise Cancellation Over-Ear Headphones.
You can find fancier, better-sounding cans for considerably more money. But at $180, this set punches well above its weight, competing with $250 to $350 contenders.
Edifier sent me a pair to try out. I’ll get into the pluses and minuses below.
Buying a laptop is an investment, and with tech inflation where it’s at, it can be a pretty pricey one. If you’re in the market for an upgrade, buying new isn’t your only option. You can score high-quality refurbished gear that is far more budget-friendly than buying new ones.
Apple is known for its top-notch devices, from the iPhone to the iPad, and now you can grab the cult-classic MacBook Air at a lower price. This refurbished Apple laptop is on sale for only $355, but this special discount ends on February 23 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Earlier reports that Apple’s VR/AR headset will launch this spring were apparently overly optimistic — the latest leak points to a debut at the company’s annual developers conference in June.
If so, it’s likely to overshadow the new iOS and macOS versions also coming at WWDC23. But that probably would have happened even if the device had been unveiled months earlier, as it’ll include a new operating system for third-party developers to write applications for.
Aside from an inconsistent swing, the rising cost of course fees might be golfers’ most common complaint. But instead of paying full price on each trip to the green, golfers can save at thousands of golf courses across the United States — and enjoy a free meal (or two) — with this bundle.
Right now, you can get a Player’s Pass golf membership and a $50 Restaurant.com gift card for only $49.
TSMC is going large with its Arizona plant. The Taiwanese company that makes processors for almost every type of Apple device committed itself to putting $3.5 billion into its U.S. subsidiary. And that’s only part of the eventual cost.
Apple has already promised to use chips made at the plant.
Apple issued an important software update recently — and we’re not talking for iPhone, Mac, iPad or Apple Watch. It’s 2023, so it’s for something way more esoteric: a power cable.
Yes, the USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable comes with a tiny computer inside of it that needs software updates, for some inscrutable reason.
Qualcomm, the chipmaker that supplies the 5G modems in all iPhones, on Wednesday unveiled the X75, its next-generation modem that will be the first to support 5G Advanced. This emerging cellular-wireless standard will give a speed boost to cellular-wireless networks and make mobile VR/AR more practical.
The X75 probably will be used in the iPhone 16 when it launches in 2024.
Saying Wednesday that it created a “future-proof cloud gaming controller,” RiotPwr released a new iOS gaming controller with both Lightning and USB-C connectors.
“The RiotPWR RP1950 controller [is] the solution for the USB-C cloud gaming crisis for iOS users,” the company added.
Today’s featured computer setup employs three separate Macs — MacBook Pro, M1 MacBook Air and M1 Mac mini — connecting two of them to a big external monitor using a KVM docking station.
KVM switches are handy when you don’t want to switch cables from different computers using the same monitor and input devices. But there’s another reason the user, Greg Coit, chose the method.
Ikea unveiled its new indoor air-quality monitor Tuesday. With a name that sounds like a Swedish jet fighter — Vindstryka — it’s designed to help you combat pollutants in your home or office. And it will be HomeKit- and Matter-compatible through the Ikea Dirigera hub after the company updates it.
The Swedish home furnishings giant set an April launch date for the monitor but hasn’t added a price tag yet.
Apple TV+’s star-studded limited series Extrapolations is set in a near future where the chaotic effects of climate change have become embedded into everyone’s everyday lives.
The trailer for the series gives a dark look at what the end of the century could look like.
Traveling internationally is a great way to immerse yourself in other cultures, cross off bucket-list items, and even learn a new language. However, dealing with data-roaming charges while exploring a new country can be a huge inconvenience.
You can avoid excessive roaming fees with the aloSIM. This lifetime eSIM credit is on sale now for $25. And with this deal, you can also get $50 of eSIM credit for your next trip.
In order to be approved for Apple Pay Later, the company’s own buy now, pay later service, individuals will need to be loyal Apple customers. The service has strict hoops you need to jump through: Apple will check your spending at Apple Stores, purchases and subscriptions on the App Store, Apple Cash payments, Apple Pay history and more.
Even if you work for Apple, you may only be approved for a $1,000 loan. The feature continues to undergo internal testing after being delayed since September, according to Bloomberg.
Apple’s rumored 15.5-inch MacBook Air could use the 5nm M2 chip. The same SoC powers the 2022 MacBook Air and the new Mac mini.
The Cupertino company has never released a MacBook Air with a display size larger than 13.6 inches.
Forget about spending hours scouring the internet for good flight prices. You can fly cheap without the legwork, thanks to a premium subscription to Matt’s Flights, a service that finds incredible flight deals for travelers everywhere.
Right now, you can snag one-year ($29.99), two-year ($49.99) or lifetime ($89.99) subscriptions to this money-saving travel hack. Whether you’re one of many who want to travel more, already have a trip you’re planning to take, or simply just want to relax on a well-earned and economical vacation, Matt’s Flights is sure to become your ultimate travel buddy.
“Love planted a rose, and the world turned sweet,” goes an old Valentine’s Day saying. And what’s sweeter than saving a few bucks? (Not that your sweetheart has to know about that part when you give them a gift).
The Cult of Mac Store’s Valentine’s Day Sweet Savings sale goes through 11:59 p.m. PST on February 14. You can get 20% off an array of Apple accessories, including organizers, cable blocks and more from Function 101 and stylish stretch-link stainless steel Apple Watch bands and stacking bracelets from Rilee & Lo.
And you can score even bigger savings on iPhone cases and more from other brands.
Apple TV+ subscribers can enjoy a collection of half a dozen classic romantic comedies added to the streaming service just in time for Valentine’s Day.
The list includes Pretty Woman, Never Been Kissed and more.
Primate Labs introduced Geekbench 6 on Tuesday, the first significant update in years to a premier cross-platform benchmarking application.
The new version adds tests to check the performance of Macs, iPhones, iPads, Androids and PCs as they carry out new, cutting-edge tasks.
Amazon-owned discount site Woot! is offering a slew of deals on iMacs, MacBooks and iPads through Thursday.
Some M1 laptops are already sold out, but a lot of gear remains, so jump on this if you’re in the market for Apple hardware. It’s the sort of sale that may make people wish they’d waited to buy instead of going all-in at launch.
★★★☆☆
The Plugable USB-C Stand Dock doesn’t stop at simply holding up your iPad so you can see the display, it’s also an 8-port hub that allows you to connect an external screen and other accessories to your tablet.
I put the portable and affordable stand/hub to the test in my home office. Here’s how is stood up to the challenge.
You can grab the Apple Watch Ultra with the Green Alpine Loop for a new low price of $729.99 from Amazon, saving $69.01 on your purchase.
A $50 discount will appear on the listing page, with the additional $19.01 off applied at checkout. Other variants of the watch are available with a more modest $50 discount.
In these busy times, when your crucial gadgets run out of power — your iPhone or Apple Watch, for example — it can really ruin your plans. That’s why Alogic built what it said is the world’s first modular wireless charging ecosystem to keep you powered up.