Apple made it easier for parents to specify the ages of children when creating Child Accounts intended to protect kids when they’re using an iPhone or iPad. And all Child Accounts have age-appropriate settings. Plus, a future iOS update will let parents update the ages of their children listed in their accounts.

The goal is to further ensure that children only have access to age-appropriate applications and content.

Early reviews of the iPhone 16e give the first real-world experience of the $599 phone that launches Friday. The takeaway: While it skimps on some features, the iPhone 16e offers excellent performance and is one of Apple’s best options for lengthy battery life.

Nevertheless, some reviews question whether the limited features justify the “budget” iPhone’s $599 price.

Plug the AVerMedia Elite Go GC313Pro into a wall socket to charge your Mac or iPad, and then (surprise!) plug an HDMI monitor and USB accessories into it, too. It’s both a charger and a hub in one package, handy for any traveler. Plus, it can charge three devices at once — also great for travelers.

As a bonus feature, the gizmo is also a video capture card. But (spoiler alert) how useful this is for Apple users is questionable.

I tested the various functions of the 4-in-1 charging hub and came away impressed… mostly.

Recently released Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 wireless earbuds face major criticism due to substantial limitations in their heart rate monitoring capabilities, according to fitness reviewers and user reports. Inaccurate readings loom as an issue. iOS app pairing seems problematic. And you can’t listen to music via iPhone when you pair the Apple buds to gym equipment to show your heart rate — a fact Apple confirmed.

Oddly, the various Powerbeats Pro 2 heart rate monitor criticisms seem to apply only in the Apple ecosystem, not Android.

February 27, 1998: Apple discontinues work on the Newton MessagePad product line, the series of personal digital assistants the company launched five years earlier, and Newton OS, the operating system the devices run upon.

“This decision is consistent with our strategy to focus all our software development resources on extending the Macintosh operating system,” Apple’s interim CEO Steve Jobs says in a press release. “To realize our ambitious plans we must focus all of our efforts in one direction.”

The Apple TV+ original film The Gorge neatly mixes romance and action, with a pair of highly trained agents falling in love while protecting the world from horrible monsters that lie hidden in the depths of the eponymous gorge.

It’s a fun popcorn movie, with stars Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Sigourney Weaver giving it their all. There’s plenty to enjoy for those who like action and for those who like romance. Put it on the calendar for your next date night.

That said, it benefits from the lower expectations for a straight-to-streaming film like this one. It’s fun, exciting, sweet … but not perfect.

Statik’s Snap-N-Charge universal magnetic power bank is small but versatile. Slightly larger than an AirPods Pro case, the 3,000mAh wireless charger comes with three tips — USB-C, Lightning and micro USB — that swap out easily so you can give a quick charge to almost any device.

Just pick the appropriate tip and snap the charger into place magnetically. The Snap-N-Charge can top up an iPhone, a pair of earbuds, a game controller and more. And for a limited time, you can buy a pack of three Snap-N-Charge magnetic power banks for only $64.99 (regularly $89.97).

When guests come over, it’s common courtesy to share your Wi-Fi password — and your iPhone offers plenty of tricks up its sleeve to make it easy.

You don’t need to go through your photo library to look up the picture you took of the bottom of your router, then read the long string of numbers and letters. Instead, you can show them a convenient QR code to connect them instantly. Or, if they’re in your contacts, you can share the password with a single button tap. For your Android and Windows friends, you can look up any saved Wi-Fi password from either Settings, or, well … Passwords. If you often work with colors, a Nix Mini Color Sensor can make identifying and matching colors quick and effortless.

Here’s how. Keep reading below or watch our quick video.

You can now purchase the M4 iMac through Apple’s Certified Refurbished store. The refurb units are up to 15% cheaper than buying a new one.

The refurbished M4 iMac arrived in Apple’s refurbished store a couple of weeks after refurb M4 MacBook Pro and Mac mini went on sale.

Tulsi Gabbard, the new U.S. director of national intelligence (DNI), said a demand from the UK government that Apple build a backdoor to access the contents of encrypted iCloud files worldwide constitutes “a clear and egregious violation of Americans’ privacy.”

She then indicated that the UK would not be allowed to spy on Americans in this way.

The only thing standing between most people and their first MacBook Pro (or a much-needed upgrade) is the price. But have you ever thought about grabbing a refurbished MacBook? We only sell ones verified to be in like-new, fully working condition. Take, for instance, this 16-inch refurbished MacBook Pro from 2019 that features the now-discontinued Touch Bar.

While it originally retailed for $2,399, you can get a refurbished one here for $539.99 — while supplies last.

The new iPhone 16e drew criticism because it costs 40% more than the handset it replaced, the budget-priced iPhone SE 3. Critics assume Apple cynically took away something lots of buyers wanted: a cheap iPhone. But actually, Apple couldn’t sell many of the low-cost model, according to industry analysts.

The newest offering, with significantly improved specs over the now-defunct iPhone SE 3, seems to be Apple’s attempt to make a low-end handset that more consumers will be interested in, even if the cost went up.

If you’re considering whether to buy Apple iPhone, you might want to see how the iPhone 16e compares to its predecessor.

When you need a reliable keyboard and mouse, where do you turn? If you said “Logitech,” you’re far from alone. The Swiss peripherals giant’s input devices are seen in computer setups worldwide because they’re reliable and affordable. And right now Amazon sells them at a discount in pairs, or combos. We found five good deals, below. So you can make one purchase, not two, and get both devices.

During Tuesday’s Apple shareholder meeting, CEO Tim Cook said the company won’t make changes to its diversity and inclusion programs. President Donald Trump wasn’t happy when he heard about it.

Cook said Apple’s strength is based on an employee pool with “diverse backgrounds and perspectives.” To nobody’s surprise, Trump doesn’t sound pleased with Cook’s comments.

“Apple should get rid of DEI rules, not just make adjustments to them,” the president wrote Wednesday morning on Truth Social. “DEI was a hoax that has been very bad for our country. DEI is gone!!!”

A physically beautiful computer setup is a wonder to behold. And one loaded with primo audio gear truly turns me green with envy. So today’s PC setup with desktop and laptop machines got my attention both for its aesthetic and the fact that it sports a raft of cool components. They include a very useful item I’ve never seen before: a WiiM Ultra Music Streamer and Digital Preamp.

February 26, 2008: Less than five years after launching, the iTunes Music Store becomes the No. 2 music retailer in the United States, second only to Walmart.

In that relatively short period, iTunes sells more than 4 billion songs to more than 50 million customers. The rapid rise to prominence stands as a massive achievement for Apple — and for the revolutionary digital distribution model Cupertino helped pioneer. If you’re looking for ways to use iTunes on MacBook, check out this milestone in Apple’s history.

Apple CarPlay is a popular perk of many newer cars, but you no longer need a luxury model to enjoy a modern driving experience. For a limited time, it’s cheaper than you’d imagine to add a CarPlay display to any vehicle. This affordable car touchscreen works with Android Auto, too.

How budget-friendly is it? You can currently purchase this 10-inch wireless touchscreen car display that works with both major infotainment platforms for only $99.97 (regularly $199.99). That’s 50% off a car accessory that supplies access to various helpful and safety-focused features.

The new Music Haptics accessibility feature in iOS 18 adds another dimension to audio: vibration. Taking advantage of the incredible precision of the iPhone’s Taptic Engine, the feature brings to life a specially recorded track of rhythmic vibrations and buzzing patterns timed to certain Apple Music songs.

Switch it on, and you can hold your iPhone in your hands and feel your music in a whole new way. Keep reading to see how the feature works (or watch our video that explains it all).

Apple’s audio lineup recently expanded with the arrival of Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds, creating an interesting competition with the established AirPods Pro 2. Both high-end wireless earbuds share Apple’s technology backbone but target different segments of the market. So in a Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2 comparison, which should you choose?

Let’s compare these premium options across design, features, performance and value to help you determine which is right for your lifestyle.

 Apple said Tuesday it will fix a bizarre iPhone dictation glitch that briefly shows the word “Trump” when a user says “racist.” The company acknowledged the bug and pledged to roll out a fix “as soon as possible.”

The glitch first gained attention after a video went viral on TikTok showing it in action. If you’re in need of a usb to usbc solution for seamless connectivity, check out this 10-port USB-C charger.

You can use a feature called Guided Access to lock down your iPhone to a single app before you hand it to a kid or someone else. You might want to let your offspring play a game, or pass your phone around for controlling music, or hand it off to show someone a video … but you probably don’t want them going rogue and reading your texts or calling your mom.

In Accessibility settings, you can enable Guided Access to limit your iPhone to a single app before you hand it off. It’s a kind of quick and dirty “guest mode.”

This will help you keep your phone — and your privacy — safe. You can even disable features like the volume buttons and set up time limits.

Got a load of computers and devices that need power every day? The Plugable PS-10CC 10-port USB-C charger might be just what you’ve been looking for.

It can handle a family’s entire collection of MacBooks, iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches. Or charge up all the phones needed by an office at once.

Eve Systems expanded its smart home ecosystem with the upcoming Eve Dimmer Switch, scheduled to launch in mid-March at a price of $49.95, the company said Tuesday. The new addition builds upon Eve’s existing smart home lineup, which already includes various devices such as smart plugs, energy strips and indoor cameras.

The new dimmer switch offers a premium option to Apple users looking to enhance their smart home lighting, with a balance of advanced functionality, privacy and integration in the smart home.

February 25, 1981: Apple CEO Michael Scott oversees a mass firing of employees, then holds a massive party. The Apple layoffs follow a hiring boom that led to what Scott called a “bozo explosion” at the company. They also stand as an early sign that the fun startup culture of Apple’s early days are gone forever.

“I used to say that when being CEO at Apple wasn’t fun anymore, I’d quit,” he tells a crowd of Apple staffers. “But now I’ve changed my mind — when being CEO isn’t fun anymore, I’ll just fire people until it is fun again.”

For many people at Apple, the day is the worst in company history.

Apple’s display supplier reportedly solved the biggest technical challenge slowing the acceptance of foldable phones: the ugly screen crease where the display bends.

With that hurdle cleared, production of components for the slim, folding iPhone supposedly will begin later this year.