Top stories - page 175

Sometimes when you’re trawling the interwebs for cool computer setups, you learn a lot not just from the person bragging about their gear in a social media post, but also from the folks admiring or lambasting it. Such is the case with today’s iPad Pro and Dell widescreen setup.

Its owner and other folks push the importance of adding a good webcam and good lighting for successful videoconferencing. And other folks make a compelling case for adding a subwoofer to paired HomePod minis if you want any bass at all in your music.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has blocked Apple’s attempt to hide non-disclosure agreements and other concealment clauses from its shareholders.

The decision comes after Apple investor Nia Impact Capital filed a proposal in September calling for Apple to publish a report detailing “the potential risks to the company associated with its use of concealment clauses in the context of harassment, discrimination and other unlawful acts.”

You only need one charger, even if you have four devices that you use constantly. With the 4-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Station, you can consolidate all of your chargers into one powerful device.

And right now, it’s on sale for $49.95 (regular price: $54).

Apple’s upcoming 27-inch iMac refresh could miss out on the mini-LED upgrade that this year graced iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. A new report, citing industry sources, claims the all-in-one computer will stick with more-familiar LCD panels instead.

The same sources also say the new 27-inch iMac will be available in a range of color options, just like the 24-inch model introduced in May.

DuckDuckGo, the search engine that prides itself on protecting your privacy, is building its very own web browser for Mac. It promises to be simple and fast, with robust privacy features enabled by default.

The browser will feature DuckDuckGo’s popular “Fire Button,” which quickly wipes all your private data in just one click. It also will be built to use native browser technologies, rather than relying on third-party engines.

When you’re home, the last thing you should be thinking about is how slow your internet is. The Gryphon AX router is a powerful Wi-Fi tower that gives you a fast connection that’s also incredibly secure.

For a limited time, you can get one Gryphon AX Wi-Fi router on sale for $245 (regularly $279) or two for $442 (regularly $479).

iPhone is the biggest, most profitable 5G smartphone in the world, according to the latest data from one research firm. As 5G adoption skyrockets, Apple continues to hold a lead over Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, and other vendors.

That’s despite an increase in demand for foldable devices and more affordable 5G handsets from brands like Honor.

Australia-based Røde Microphones rolled out a host of free updates to its Røde Central app, making its popular Wireless Go II Dual Channel Wireless Microphone System more capable and easier to use in a variety of ways.

Last week a crowdfunding campaign launched for the new BusKill USB kill cord. It’s a dead man’s switch for laptops designed to protect your data by locking or even wiping your computer if someone snatches it away from you while you’re using it.

BusKill is designed for journalists, activists, crypto traders and travelers, the company said. Though it seems it could come in handy for anyone at risk of losing a laptop via smash-and-grab tactics.

China-based audio specialist Edifier said Monday its new MP230 Bluetooth speaker — a CES 2022 Innovation Award Honoree — is now shipping. For a hundred bucks, the portable stereo acoustic speakers come in a wood frame that would not look out of place in your grandfather’s den. Yet you can take your tunes outside, too.

The OWC Envoy Pro SX uses Thunderbolt to provide the super fast data transfers that professionals need. And it’s drop-proof and waterproof so it can stand up to real life.

I put the 2 terabyte external SSD through testing. I’m impressed.

The Transportation Security Administration confirmed that it will start accepting Apple Wallet’s new digital IDs starting in February 2022. It looks set to be the first agency to support the new feature, which Apple announced in June.

Two airports will be part of the pilot program initially, but the TSA plans to add another two in March 2022 before a wider rollout next year.

Tired of staring at the same old Mac apps? Spice things up a bit with The Complete Limited Edition Mac Bundle, and get ready to geek out over these life-changing productivity and creativity apps.

For less than $18, it  gives you 12 Mac apps that would cost more than $1,000 if purchased separately.

Apple Maps’ “detailed city experience” has landed in Philadelphia, where you can now see beautiful 3D buildings, landmarks and more.

First spotted by users on Twitter, the upgrade has since been confirmed by Apple’s website. Philadelphia joins London, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., in the 3D experience.

Apple has stopped signing iOS 15.1 and iOS 15.1.1, preventing users from downgrading their iPhone after installing the latest iOS 15.2 update.

If you have encountered bugs and other issues with this release, you’ll now have to stick with it until Apple rolls out iOS 15.3, which this week entered beta testing ahead of an official public rollout.

Keeping your precious belongings locked away from thieves is nice, but it is somewhat impractical to carry around a personal safe. If you want a travel safe that’s as secure as it is innocuous, then you want the Trova Go+ Plus: Biometric Storage Box.

The Trova Go+ is a compact, biometrically locked security box with a subtle and sleek look. And right now it’s on sale for just $249. 

The soon-to-launch Schlage Encode Plus smart lock could be the first to support Apple Home Key, according to various leaked documents. And, in another “first,” the smart lock looks likely to offer Thread support for HomeKit.

HomeKit Authority reported on the Schlage Encode Plus recently, citing a since-removed Home Depot listing, Schlage’s own installation guide as well as a Federal Communications Commission filing.

iPhone will get a periscope camera lens for the first time in 2023 after a 48-megapixel sensor upgrade next year, according to one analyst. The periscope lens should allow for significantly greater optical zoom.

A number of iPhone rivals are now using this technology to allow photographers to take more detailed snaps of their subjects. Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra is capable of 10x optical zoom, while iPhone 13 Pro maxes out at 3x.

OK, so no 2021 award for Most Fastidious Cable Management, mentioned in this article’s headline, exists — at least not around here. But if it did, we might hand it to the person behind today’s setup.

It centers on a 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro and a 32-inch LG 4K display. And it keeps cable clutter to an extreme minimum.

Apple will introduce its next-generation “M2” chipset for Mac next year, followed by an even more powerful “M2 Pro” in 2023, according to a new report. Both are expected to use TSMC’s new 4-nanometer manufacturing process.

The report somewhat contradicts Apple’s plan to do away with Intel and transition all Mac models to custom chipsets within two years. That’s if Apple waits for the “M2 Pro” before updating high-end machines like the Mac Pro.

PDFs aren’t the most exciting thing in the world. However, a good PDF reader can turn any PDF into a customizable canvas for you to add your notes, comments or changes.

PDF Expert, an award-winning PDF editing app for Mac, is the ideal tool for anyone looking to do more with PDFs than simply look at them. And, it’s on sale for just $29.99. Use this intuitive software to read and edit PDFs with ease.

Apple is testing an improved version of its Music app that’s built to run entirely natively on Mac. Parts of the app, such as the music library, were native on macOS before, and now the rest of it is catching up for improved performance.

You can try out the new Music app now by installing the macOS 12.2 Monterey beta, which is available to all through Apple’s public Beta Software Program.

Your iPhone can do a lot of smart things, but did you know it can become an awesome microscope? All you need is this WiFi Digital Microscope, which you can grab on sale today for just $55.95. That’s a 20% discount off the regular price of $69.

If you’re looking for a way to instantly improve your photography chops, and maybe even launch your own side hustle, you need to zoom in on these 10 helpful bundles. They’re chock-full of photo accessories, image-editing apps and educational courses that will get you started or take your photography (or videography) to a higher level.

Whether you need help selecting the best lens for portraits, need a brand-new setup for your in-home studio, or want the ultimate app to help you perfect your pix, we rounded up the best tools to help you take beautiful photos without any formal training.

If you’ve run out of great new TV series and films to stream, we’ve found the ultimate deal. Right now, you can grab a MagellanTV Documentary Streaming Service & KeepSolid VPN Unlimited Lifetime Subscription on sale for just $249.

That’s an 87% discount off the combined regular price of $1,995.