The new version 5.74 of Google Maps for iOS adds two straightforward, useful and intuitive widgets for you to try with your iPhone. You can use them in the Today View or on the Home Screen.

MacOS and iOS app developer Panic initially said in May 2019 its kooky-cool Playdate handheld game console would come out in early 2020. Last week it said preorders would start July 29 and, hey, that’s today. Preorders have started.

The original announcement got a lot of looks because of the gadget’s interesting, retro design. It looks like a child’s toy — in a cool way — with a yellow casing and a black-and-white display. But it packs some tech.

Three of Apple’s biggest products received security patches Monday — and another got its version on Thursday. You should probably install them as soon as possible.

The company started with macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, iOS 14.7.1, and iPadOS 14.7.1 to fix a security hole reportedly used by at least one hacker already. That’s why they are “recommended for all users,” according to Apple.

Apple followed up Thursday by releasing watchOS 7.6.1 to patch the same bug on Apple Watch. It’s also recommended.

Apple wants to help people get over the hump of learning art of music remixing with its free GarageBand application for iPad and iPhone. Two new Remix Sessions offer step-by-step video instruction in the app itself. Thy use hit songs from Grammy-winning artists Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga.

Musicians can also now create tracks with seven new Producer Packs full of beats, loops and instruments.

A big update has come to popular iPad video editing app LumaFusion with version 3.0. It adds video stabilization, external drive editing, a graphic equalizer and more.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the semiconductor company that builds the A-series and M-series chips for Apple, has received approval for its most advanced chip plant to date.

According to a report by Nikkei Asia, the factory — located in Hsinchu, Taiwan — will be dedicated to building next-generation 2-nanometer chips. The iPhone 12, by comparison, features an A14 chip made using the 5nm process. The smaller the number of nanometers, the more transistors can be fitted onto a piece of silicon. That typically means more powerful chips.

The newest MacBook Pro with M1 chip is the best Apple laptop you can buy right now, and rumor has it we’ll be waiting longer than anticipated for a larger model. Bag the brilliant 13-inch option today at its lowest price ever.

Amazon is offering $199.01 — the biggest discount yet — off both the 256GB and the 512GB configurations. Enjoy the savings today before they disappear!

How you use the internet decides how much of your information is easily available to people who would exploit it. There are little things you can do to prevent some of your information getting out: not using your full name when you can avoid it, using prepaid credit cards on subscription sites, not telling total strangers your social security number. These local-level fixes can protect some of your info, but if you want to use private or public internet without worrying about your information leaking, then you want a VPN. KeepSolid VPN Unlimited is on sale with a lifetime subscription of total security for just $27.99 for a limited time if you use the code ANNUAL30.

HomePod shipments in the United States increased 180% year-on-year in the last quarter, eclipsing the growth of smart speaker makers Amazon and Google during the period, market intelligence firm Omdia reports.

While Apple still lags behind the other two companies on shipments, it is looking more competitive than it has at any point in the history of the HomePod so far. That’s particularly impressive when considering that this was a rough three-month period for smart speakers in the US, whose growth is stalling.

Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature hasn’t been enough to stop Facebook from pulling in a massive $28 billion in ad revenue for the second quarter of 2021. That represents a 56% increase year-on-year. Facebook earned $10.4 billion in total profits for the quarter.

While Apple’s anti-tracking privacy measures weren’t explicitly designed to hurt Facebook, Facebook has been outspoken about the impacts they would have on its business. A recent Facebook-funded research paper called the iOS 14 feature an “anti-competitive strategy disguised as a privacy-protecting measure.”

Need a cheap iPhone that you can use as a backup or to keep in touch with the kids? Pick up a iPhone 6s or iPhone 7 refurb from Woot today from just $99.99 in this absolute steal of a deal that runs for one day only.

All units are “grade A” and in excellent condition, but stock is limited, so enjoy this offer while you can!

A job application filled out by 18-year-old Steve Jobs in 1973 has sold for $343,000 — and, based on its history, that may actually be a pretty good deal.

The rare paper document, possibly the only job application Apple’s late co-founder and CEO filled in in his life, has proven to be a pretty great investment over the years. This time, it was accompanied by an NFT sale for the same document, which pulled in around $23,000.

The next iPhone is just a couple of months away, but an artist has given us an early glimpse of what it might look like. His iPhone 13 concept combines new features revealed leaks and rumors, but there are also a couple that are just hopes.

Watch his high-quality video to see a handset Apple might unveil soon.

After a year where a good portion of your social interactions likely took place on screen, you probably noticed that most webcams aren’t particularly flattering. And when digital audio is all you hear, you might notice that it isn’t completely authentic to what people sound like unless you have an expensive mic. Instead of buying a ring light to bring out the best of your features or the type of mic professional podcasters use, all you need to make your streaming and video presence authentic and smooth is this 1080P HD Webcam with Oval LED Ring Light. It helps that it has both an excellent mic and a ring light built in, and for a limited time you can get one on sale for $31.44 if you use the coupon code ANNUAL15. Or, if you use that same code, you can get two for $50.99, three for $72.24, or four for $93.49, so everyone in your household can be shown in their best light.

Apple’s newest iOS and iPadOS 15 beta, rolled out to registered developers on Tuesday, gives you the ability to automatically disable notifications when screen sharing. The toggle ensures others cannot see your incoming alerts.

Here’s how to activate the block on iPhone and iPad.

OnePlus is rolling out another Apple-esque product at a lower price point — a new set of Buds Pro that improve on its original Buds with active noise cancellation (ANC) and some upgraded audio features. They look a lot like Airpods Pro, actually, except with silver stems rather than white ones.

Explore some of the more exotic possibilities of your iPhone’s camera with a free tutorial from a professional photographer. An video Today at Apple session shows how to use Night Mode to take and edit “otherworldly” images.

Get these free suggestions now:

Amazon just rolled out a new update for its Alexa app that adds a much-anticipated Home screen widget for iPhone and iPad. You can use it to ask Alexa anything you like faster than ever before. Here’s how to set it up.

Bring smooth stainless steel to your Apple Watch with Juuk’s gorgeous new Ovollo band. Its mirror-polished finish helps make your smartwatch look like a dazzling fashion piece, and it’s available in a number of color options to suit your style. You can order yours now through the Cult of Mac Store.

Zens launched a new all-in-one wireless charger station for four devices. It’s handy for juicing up your MagSafe-compatible iPhone. Plus you can add an Apple Watch, AirPods and one other gadget, all at once if needed.

When a computer setup is as clean and spare as Redditor whatsyourname’s, the eye tends to go to the most unusual item. In this case, it’s probably the colorful keyboard cover on the MacBook Pro, making it look like some other model of laptop.

And, of course, what did commenters most want to talk about in the setup? That thing. Naturally, a little bit of a debate ensued. Should you use a keyboard cover on a MacBook at all?

You might not be getting a lot of visitors right now, but they’ll be back … one day. Maybe. And wouldn’t it be great if you could see who’s outside your home without even being there? Pick up a Ring Video Doorbell Pro for $40 less.

Amazon is now offering certified refurbished units that look and work as good as new for just $99.99 — down from $139.99. The sale is good for a limited time only, so enjoy it while you can!

A new augmented reality iPhone app lets users try different styles of braces on before they visit an orthodontist. Clarity Smile, which launched in the App Store this month, features a range of braces — ranging from ceramic, metallic, and colored braces to clear aligners and even fun (not dentally approved) options like diamond grills.

Users get to see what these look like on them as they talk and smile. They can even use the app to share new brace selfies with friends and family.

We all love our devices, but it can definitely be productivity-hindering to hunt around for the appropriate charger. And if you have limited desk space, the last thing you want is to deal with a mess of cords when you’re just trying to get through the workday. This 5-in-1 MagSafe Wireless and Wired Charging Station is an elegant, simple charging solution that can power up to four devices at once, without overcharging — it even doubles up as a bedside lamp with three different brightness levels. For a limited time, use the code ANNUAL15 for an extra 15% off. 

Apple is closing down internal Slack channels to stop employees discussing remote working options, reports Zoe Schiffer from The Verge.

Many Cupertino employees are currently engaged in a Cold War of sorts with their employer over the remote working arrangement coming out of the coronavirus pandemic. As the arguments flare up among staff, Apple has taken the step of shuttering the Slack channels where these are taking place.