Apple will replace its much-maligned (and quickly abandoned) FineWoven material for iPhone cases with a new synthetic fabric for the iPhone 17 lineup, according to a new leak Tuesday. And on Wednesday a new name — “TechWoven” — and images of Apple packaging came to light. The new MagSafe cases might feature a cross-body strap and lanyard support, too

The new material appears to be Apple’s next attempt to create a leather alternative for iPhone cases, following the company’s 2023 decision to eliminate leather products from its lineup for environmental reasons. The resulting FineWoven came under heavy fire from users for poor durability and its tendency to show wear quickly.

The leaker Majin Bu followed up on his Tuesday post with a post Wednesday indicating the name “TechWoven” and showing images of Apple product boxes for the MagSafe cases.. See below.

August 20, 2019: The Apple Card launch brings the titanium credit card to U.S. consumers for the first time. It gives them a new option for payments when Apple Pay isn’t available.

The iPhone’s Wallet app handles statements and payments. And the innovative card is “designed to help customers lead a healthier financial life,” according to Apple. Surveys show the card soon becomes beloved.

“We’re thrilled with the overwhelming interest in Apple Card and its positive reception,” says Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay, in a press release. “Customers have told us they love Apple Card’s simplicity and how it gives them a better view of their spending.”

Some people take an orthodox view of external computer displays and opt for just one with proper windows management. For the rest of us, the best dual-monitor setup we can afford is the best way to go for plenty of screen real estate without going overboard. Check out some of the greatest two-display rigs from setups coverage over the past few years below.

This affordable personal alarm combines personal security with smart tracking — and it’s small enough to fit on your keychain. You can activate its powerful siren and bright LED light if you find yourself in any type of emergency. It can alert nearby people or maybe even scare off whatever is threatening you.

Plus, the Two-in-One Safety Alarm works with Apple’s Find My network, so you can quickly locate it if you happen to misplace whatever you attach it to. And with this deal, this tiny safety gadget costs less than a single AirTag!

Normally $39.99, this little piece of EDC emergency gear is now on sale for just $23.99. And you can save even more if you buy a two-pack.

iPadOS 26 brings the most profound changes to the iPad ever, making the tablet far more Mac-like. And you can go ahead and install the massive upgrade, even though it’s still in beta testing.

I’ve thoroughly tested the most recent beta version, and I find it quite stable. It’s not perfect, but if you don’t need your tablet in life-or-death situations, you could dive in and try the revamped iPad multitasking system, Liquid Glass and other enhancements.

In a first for its India operations, Apple reportedly will assemble all four iPhone 17 models in the country before their September debut.

Typically, Apple starts assembling new iPhone models in India weeks after their global launch.

Montana became the eleventh U.S. state or territory to support digital driver’s licenses and IDs stored in the Wallet app on iPhone or Apple Watch on Tuesday.

The major advantage is speeding up the process of moving through security checkpoints at airports, though there are other uses, too.

Professionals who need an SSD with terabytes of storage and crazy-fast data transfers have a new option: the OWC Express 1M2 80G. The drive offers up to 8TB of capacity, and because it uses Thunderbolt 5, the SSD offers 48GBps real-world data transfers.

It’s available in a range of storage capacities, or users can insert their own NVMe M.2 SSD.

August 19, 2004: Google floats its initial public offering on the stock market. The Google IPO cements the company’s status as a tech giant, as founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin turn into instant billionaires.

Relations between Google and Apple are good at the time, with Apple CEO Steve Jobs serving as a mentor to the search company’s two young founders. Google’s Eric Schmidt soon will join Apple’s board of directors. However, the peace won’t last long.

Rolling Square claims, “Supertiny is the smallest 65W GaN Charger ever.” It’s definitely very small, but can still quickly power up a MacBook or other full-size computer.

I put the claims to the test and came away impressed. I do have one caution, though.

The United Kingdom government gave up its demand for a backdoor into encrypted Apple iCloud accounts.

Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. director of national intelligence, announced the change late Monday. The DNI had been fighting the attempt to violate the privacy of Americans since word of the U.K.’s plan first came to light.

You can quickly turn a blog post into a polished podcast episode with AI voice generator SpeakBreez. It works in any modern web browser and can turn your Apple gear into a voiceover powerhouse for a one-time payment of $349 (regularly $2,200).

Apple continues testing iOS 26, releasing the seventh beta build to developers on August 18, Monday. This is the third consecutive beta from the company in three weeks.

Unlike the last few beta builds, iOS 26 beta 7 doesn’t pack any major changes. Check out everything new in the build below.

Installed iOS 26 public beta on your iPhone to try out Liquid Glass and other new features but regretting the decision due to crashes and bugs? Thankfully, you can easily remove the iOS beta and downgrade your iPhone to iOS 18.

The only catch? You will need to restore an older backup or start from scratch with your setup. If that doesn’t convince you to ride out the bugginess, follow the steps below to revert your iPhone to iOS 18 from the iOS 26 beta.

Apple Original Films said Monday it acquired The Dink, a new comedy movie starring Jake Johnson as a faded tennis player who embraces the sport that shall not be named: pickleball.

Josh Greenbaum (Will & Harper and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) will direct a promising cast led by Johnson (New Girl and Minx), along with Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris and Chloe Fineman.

Comedy legend (and Severance executive producer) Ben Stiller will make an on-screen appearance. As will actual tennis stars Andy Roddick and John McEnroe.

Apple’s budget iPhone might get a significant visual overhaul in 2026, with the iPhone 17e ditching the notch in favor of the Dynamic Island, according to a new leak.

That would finally bring the modern Dynamic Island experience, which debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro, to price-conscious consumers. However, the leaker didn’t clarify whether we can count on Apple adding MagSafe to the new budget phone, a key feature left out of the iPhone 16e.

If you want to mirror iPhone to TV, Apple’s built-in AirPlay is a great option. But what if your TV doesn’t support AirPlay?

Enter the DoCast screen mirroring app for iOS, a comprehensive screen mirroring app that supports Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV and DLNA-enabled TVs. It bridges the gap between your iPhone or iPad to stream high-quality video, music or pictures to almost any smart TV.

August 18, 2007: A video goes viral on YouTube when 23-year-old internet personality Justine Ezarik, aka iJustine, posts a 300-page iPhone bill mailed to her in a box by AT&T.

The bill — which lists every single action that consumed cellular data on Ezarik’s brand-new iPhone — is quickly viewed by 3 million people and receives extensive media coverage. (You can watch it below.)

Streaming is broken. Your favorite movies disappear, hop between platforms or get locked behind new paywalls. You don’t really own anything, you just rent it until it vanishes — again. That’s why physical media is having a comeback moment. And, if you’ve got a stack of DVDs collecting dust, this new DVD ripper software can turn them into stream-from-anywhere files.

You can download DVDneXtCOPY DVD Ripper for Windows for $29.99 (MSRP $59.99).

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a DVD ripper for Mac, check out our deal on MacX DVD Ripper Pro. It’s available for the same price.

Apple will shake up its iPhone lineup this September with the introduction of the iPhone 17 Air, a dramatically thinner device that could replace the Plus model entirely. Based on numerous reports and leaks we’ve included in this iPhone 17 Air rumor roundup, this new phone promises to be Apple’s most significant design departure in years.

Apple might shake up the iPhone release schedule in a big way next year, delaying the iPhone 18 release date until the first quarter of 2027, according to a new report.

Why the big switch?  To make room for next year’s standout device: the first folding iPhone.

August 17, 2012: Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ stolen iPad winds up in the hands of a clown called Kenny, who performs kids’ shows in the San Francisco Bay Area.

It’s a bizarre story all around, and fortunately winds up with the iPad being returned.

With only seven days remaining, the LiberNovo Omni Kickstarter campaign is closing in on the finish line, and it’s already a record-breaker.

With over 8,000 supporters pledging more than $7 million, the Omni has become the highest-funded ergonomic chair in Kickstarter history.

The campaign officially ends August 23, 2025, at 8:51 am Pacific. When it does, the up to 31% early-bird discount will disappear, along with free U.S. shipping, no customs fees and stretch goal rewards. Heard enough? Reserve yours now on Kickstarter.

For Mac users who spend hours perfecting videos in Final Cut Pro, coding the next breakthrough app or designing stunning interfaces, the right workspace setup is everything. But while you’ve invested in the best displays, keyboards and other ergonomic gear, you may overlook one crucial element: a highly adaptable massage office chair that supports you through those marathon creative sessions. And from what we’ve seen, that chair should be the new LiberNovo Omni with its innovative Bionic Flexfit Backrest, available now at a discount on Kickstarter.

Its advanced features work together to keep you comfortable and relaxed through long days of computer work.

Viewers keep rallying behind the action-packed historical drama series Chief of War starring Jason Momoa. High ratings put it among the most popular series on streaming for a second week, according to two different ratings trackers.

And that’s not the only hit this week for  Apple TV+. The second season of the comedy Platonic earns good ratings, too.

August 16, 1993: Apple ships the PowerBook 165, a lower-cost, grayscale version of the PowerBook 165c, which was the company’s first laptop to offer a color display.

The new model lacks the most attention-grabbing feature of the 165c, but it also brings its own claim to fame. The PowerBook 165 is Apple’s most affordable laptop yet.