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Make any room a cinema with new portable projector and AirPlay

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With this projector, you can use AirPlay or ChromeCast to project a big screen almost anywhere.
With this projector, you can use AirPlay or ChromeCast to project a big screen almost anywhere.
Photo: BenQ

Want to create an immersive cinematic experience almost anywhere? Now you can with the GV31 Portable Projector BenQ released earlier this month.

With built-in Netflix and Android TV among other streaming options, the 1080p projector can stream on walls or ceilings via AirPlay from your Mac, iPad or iPhone, or from Android devices via ChromeCast.

Moment beefs up whole lens lineup for growing iPhone cameras

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Got an iPhone 13 or newer? The bigger T-Series lenses should suit you.
Got an iPhone 13 or newer? The bigger T-Series lenses should suit you.
Photo: Moment

Moment said Wednesday its whole lineup of popular smartphone cameras lenses is getting bigger and bolder to suit growing handset cameras like iPhone’s, including the upcoming iPhone 15 series.

The new T-Series comprises eight lenses that are new versions of the company’s M-Series, which came out to widespread acclaim in 2017.

Android’s Find My clone hits a snag, and Google blames Apple

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Androids will soon warn of AirTags used by stalkers
Google’s Find My Device system, a copy of Apple’s, won‘t arrive for months.
Photo: Google

Google thinks Apple’s Find My network is so clever it’s “borrowing” the idea. But the upcoming extension of Android’s Find My Device network to tracking tags has been delayed — and Google says it’s all because of Apple.

The snafu supposedly stems from the companies working together on a scheme to prevent stalkers from misusing tracking tags made for the two rival platforms.

Win a compact charger that juices up 3 devices at once [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Cleverly designed to charge three of your Apple devices simultaneously
This travel-worthy charger can handle iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously.
Photo: Kuxiu

This week we teamed up with Kuxiu to put an X40 3-in-1 foldable magnetic wireless charger and stand in the hands of one lucky winner.

This charger, which retails for $89.99, can juice up an iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once. And it’s perfect for travel, thanks to its light weight and compact size. It tips the scales at just 6.9 ounces, so you can take it anywhere and just pop it in your pocket for extra convenience.

Top 5 reasons Android users switch to iPhone

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If you switched from an Android device to an iPhone, what would be your reason?
If you switched from an Android device to an iPhone, what would be your reason?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A new report Wednesday from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) revisits the group’s recent finding that Android users increasingly switched to iPhone in recent years and gets into the reasons why.

It gave four specific major reasons and a fifth vague but important one, below.

More Android users switch to iPhone than you might expect

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iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks
Even after all these years, there are lots of Android users who jump ship for iPhone.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The percentage of U.S.-based iPhone owners who just dumped their Android has grown in recent years, according to a market-analysis company.

That’s exactly the opposite of what conventional wisdom says should be happening. Nevertheless, the percentage of Android switchers hasn’t been this high since 2018.

Today in Apple history: Apple embraces over-the-air iOS updates

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ios 5
Over-the-air iOS updates took iTunes out of the equation (and leveled the playing field with Android).
Photo: Apple

May 4: Today in Apple history: Apple embraces over-the-air iOS updates May 4, 2011: Reports circulate that Apple is negotiating with carriers to bring over-the-air updates to iOS, beginning with iOS 5.

Such a move would free iPhone owners from using iTunes to get updates for their devices. That means no more plugging an iPhone into a computer via USB to download the latest version of iOS.

Apple and Google join forces to fight location-tracker abuse

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After a bit of confusion, Lufthansa says it won't ban AirTags from checked baggage.
It'll soon be easier for Android users to tell if they are being tracked by an AirTag.
Photo: Daniel Romero/Unsplash License

Apple and Google jointly proposed an industry specification Tuesday to help fight the misuse of Bluetooth location-tracking devices. Their proposal would make it easier for both iPhone and Android users to detect that they are being surreptitiously followed by a tracking device.

The proposal enjoys support from other makers of location trackers, too.