Macworld

There are plenty of cheap charging stations for your Apple devices, but most of them are clunky and don’t look all that great on a desk or side table. Anker’s MagGo Magnetic Charging Station is different. It’s compact, cute, and clever, and today it’s 30 percent off as well: Amazon is selling the Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station, Qi2 Compatible 15W Ultra-Fast MagSafe Wireless Charger for $70, a savings of $30 and the best price we’ve ever seen.

The spherical charging station has a large magnetic front to attach to an iPhone 12 or later, as well as several ports around the back, including 2 USB-C and 2 USB-A ports, and 3 120V AC outlets for charging a...

Macworld

You may have arrived at this article because you have just encountered the nightmare scenario of having your Mac fail without a backup, or perhaps you know someone who has had such a dreadful situation befall them and you want to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Or maybe you just messed up a document you were working on, saved over something you didn’t want to lose, or realized that you deleted a chunk of work by accident. Recovering unsaved of deleted Word documents can be a particular challenge. If only you had a backup and could recover an earlier version.

Whatever your reason for wanting to find out the best way to back up your Mac, we aim to help you come up with a Mac backup plan. We’ll look at the various kinds of Mac backups you can have, including local wired or wireless backups, live backups, remote backups, and online backups. 

We’ll also examine the best Mac backup solutions, including...

A chance to score Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 with Lightning charging case at $150 headlines Tuesday’s best deals. You can also save $60 on Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen styles or just outfit your existing Apple wearable with an official Apple Watch Link Bracelet for the all-time low of $209. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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Last year Nomad launched a fun limited edition Glow in the Dark Sport Band for Apple Watch. It ended up selling out in the first day. Now the company is back with a new and improved Glow 2.0 Sport Band plus a Sport Case for iPhone 15 Pro/Max – available for a short time.

more…

Macworld

On Tuesday, Apple sent out invitations to a special press event next month. Taglined ‘Let Loose,’ the event takes place on May 7 and begins at 7am PT. It seems to be an online-only event, with recipients invited to tune in at apple.com rather than attending in person.

This is a major surprise. The company frequently holds events in the spring, either in March or in April, and always holds an event (WWDC) in June. But there hasn’t been an Apple event in May this century. The timing is also strange, as Apple typically holds its events at 10am PT, three hours later than this event.

The most likely explanation is that Apple was planning to have a spring event this year (they’re pretty common; they happened in 2021...

Macworld

We’d given up hope for a Spring event this year, but Apple has just issued invites to an event on May 7, 2024. So it turns out that big things are brewing at Apple Park after all, and we will find out what they are very soon.

In this article, we explain what you need to know about Apple’s Spring Event in 2024, how to watch it live, and what products you can expect to be unveiled.

Apple’s spring event is one of the three or four big events in Apple’s yearly cycle of announcements. We get the big software announcements at WWDC in the summer, the iPhone launch in September, sometimes we see Apple make Mac and iPad announcements in October or November, and (most years) we get some hardware reveals at a spring event in March or April. Apple executives will hit the stage–whether real or virtual–and boast about some recent successes, before revealing what new products are about to launch. For more detail on Apple’s...

When released a few years ago, the Dream Machine Pro became a popular device for small and medium-sized businesses. I’ve deployed and managed a handful of them in various environments and found them to be a great device. It’s a really easy and affordable way to get started, especially when you want to use various UniFi apps (camera, network, etc). Today, Ubiquiti is releasing the new Dream Machine Pro Max, bringing that same all-in-one approach to larger deployments with more demanding needs.

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Apple’s FineWoven Accessories Might Continue to Live On

It has been a year since Apple launched a new lineup of FineWoven cases. The cases have taken a flak from users right from the beginning. Apple’s FineWoven case is plagued with complaints about durability. Recent rumours claimed that Apple will ditch the FineWoven cases. Now, the same source claims that the company will launch […]

This post Apple’s FineWoven Accessories Might Continue to Live On appeared first on The Mac Observer

Sonos has revealed what it’s calling its “most extensive app redesign ever.” The new iOS and Android experience (plus web) does away with tabs and puts everything on a single Home screen that’s faster, customizable, has one search bar for all of your streaming services, features improved system control, and more.

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After Losing the Top Spot Internationally, iPhone Sales Drop by 1/5th in China, Worst Since COVID

Apple saw a huge decline in iPhone sales in China during the first quarter of 2024. According to Counterpoint Research, sales fell 19% compared to the same period in 2023, which makes the company’s weakest performance in the country since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Imagine if COVID had not been hit; I believe […]

This post After Losing the Top Spot Internationally, iPhone Sales Drop by 1/5th in China, Worst Since COVID appeared first on The Mac Observer

Macworld

If you want to stretch your budget further, a membership to Sam’s Club could help. For a limited time, you can get a 1-year Sam’s Club membership for just $14. That’s the lowest price ever for a year-long membership, and it comes with auto-renew for the ease of uninterrupted access.

As a member, you get access to all that the Sam’s Club warehouses have to offer. You’ll be able to peruse the aisles and find savings on a variety of items, from groceries and household essentials to seasonal products and...

As is sometimes the custom, Apple may have snagged yet another company that specializes in artificial intelligence to help move it closer to its technological milestones. Apple is reported to have acquired Datakalab, a Paris, France-based startup specializing in both AI compression as well as computer vision technology. Per French business magazine Challenges, the acquisition […]

Source

Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.

Apple @ Work is brought to you by Kolide by 1Password, the device trust solution that ensures that if a device isn’t secure, it can’t access your apps. Close the Zero Trust access gap for Okta....

Macworld

Most pet owners may agree with this statement. We love our dogs and are constantly looking to care for them as best we can. Now, you can gain insights into how to look after them more lovingly and learn about their genetic history with a simple test.

With the DNA My Dog test, you can delve into your dog’s genetic makeup to uncover valuable insights. Now, it’s only $67.99 (reg. $79).

Thankfully, running a DNA My Dog test is as straightforward as conducting a human genetic test. Just use the sterile applicator to...

Incident began at 2024-04-22 12:00 (times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)).

Summary:

Google Classroom is experiencing an increased error rate in Brazil (for State of Paraná)

Description:

We are experiencing an intermittent issue with Google Classroom.

Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue.

We will provide an update by Tuesday, 2024-04-23 09:00 US/Pacific with current details.

Customer Symptoms:

A subset of users in the state of Parana, Brazil would encounter intermittent error while accessing Google Classroom. However, the impact is only limited to the state of Parana, no impact to customers to the rest of the world.

Workaround:

None at this time.

Affected products: Classroom

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by Roborock: Get a special deal on the S8 MaxV Ultra Robot Vac & S8 Max Ultra with free gifts for a limited time.

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It’s been a while since Meta launched its own smart glasses in partnership with Ray-Ban, and I’ve already written about them here on 9to5Mac. Now those who own Ray-Ban Meta can enjoy deeper integration with Apple Music thanks to Meta’s latest update.

more…

MagSafe accessories continue to be where a lot of the innovation around the iPhone tames place. The ability to snap your iPhone into place unlocks a lot of fun use cases. This week, I am taking a look at the that’s designed to keep your iPhone connected to your Mac for quick phone calls, Zoom calls, and much more.

more…

Macworld

It has been a while since we last year about Apple’s plans to ditch the physically moving buttons on the iPhone in favor of non-moving buttons with touch-sensitive capacitive sensors. That rumor was last floating around about a year ago when it was believed that the iPhone 15 Pro models would feature these “solid-state” buttons.

Of course, that never came to pass, and we haven’t heard a thing until now about the possibility of Apple making this change on any iPhone 16 model.

Now, a report from the Chinese state-owned paper Economic Daily claims that ASE Investment Holdings has secured a very large order...

In addition to a new iPad Pro lineup, there’s also a new iPad Air on the way this year. In fact, this could be the biggest update to the iPad Air lineup ever, with Apple planning a big-screen model for the very first time.

Here are five things to expect from the new iPad Air lineup…

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Macworld

When the Apple Watch Series 9 launched in September, the biggest change was Apple’s decision to ditch the leather bands in favor of a new FineWoven material. But while they may be friendly on the environment, the reception of the new bands has been quite unpleasant, with a new report claiming Apple has ditched the material altogether.

But while Apple doesn’t sell leather bands anymore, Amazon’s Woot is running a sale on the remaining stock of old ones. Today you can get the...

Apple is doubling down on soccer as an integral part of its sports strategy for Apple TV. According to a new report from The New York Times, FIFA is nearing a deal with Apple for the worldwide television rights to a new World Cup-style tournament being played in the United States next year.

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Enlarge / Don't expect to see this on the iOS App Store any time soon. (credit: OatmealDome)

Last week's release of the Delta emulation suite finally gave iOS users easy, no-sideloading-required access to classic Nintendo game emulation up through the Nintendo 64 era. When it comes to emulating Nintendo's subsequent home consoles on iOS, though, some technical restrictions imposed by Apple are making it difficult to get a functional emulator on the App Store.

In a recent blog post,...

Monday’s best deals kick off with Apple’s latest Mac mini starting from $499. The perfect companion discounts are also live, dropping Satechi’s Stand and Hub for Mac mini which was just updated with an NVME SSD slot to $90 alongside Samsung’s 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Thunderbolt Monitor at $700 off. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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Maintenance update for the Swiss Army knife of graphics programs. ($39.95 new, free update, 261 MB, macOS 10.13+)

Maintenance release for the Open/Save dialog utility. ($39.95 new, free update, 17.4 MB, macOS 10.13+)

If you organize events that require significant numbers of volunteers, you know how much work it is to track everything manually in a spreadsheet. A better option is a volunteer management system like Helper Helper, which Adam Engst has used for over a year.

Apple has reportedly acquired Datakalab, a Paris, France-based startup specializing in artificial intelligence compression and computer vision technology. According to French business magazine Challenges, the acquisition was finalized in December.

Datakalab described itself as “experts in low power, runtime efficient, and deep learning algorithms” that work on device.

more…

Macworld

Apple doesn’t participate in big industry-wide events such as CES or E3. The most valuable company in the world holds its own events, thank you very much. Several times a year, Apple invites the press and industry professionals to Apple Park to hear all about its latest products and services. Apple calls these ‘events,’ and streams them live online to millions of watchers.

In 2023 there were three such events: WWDC in June, the Wonderlust iPhone event in September and Apple’s second fall event on October 30 (or October 31 if you weren’t in the U.S.). Similarly, in 2022 Apple held three events: a spring event on March 8, WWDC on June 6, and the iPhone 14 launch on September 7. In other years Apple has held four events though. Will Apple hold four events in 2024?

Read on to find out what events and new Apple product launches the...

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating
Pros

• Universal use
• Large selection of colors
• Very good workmanship
• Recycled material
• Very light and can be folded flat
• Robust, dirt-resistant base

Cons

• Hook on the lid slips out easily
• No padding in the laptop compartment

Our Verdict

We really liked the High Coast Foldsack 24 as an everyday backpack. Fresh colors, slim, light, and flexible to use. The workmanship is excellent and the price is reasonable.

Best Prices Today: Fjällräven High Coast Foldsack 24

Retailer

Price

Fjällräven High Coast Foldsack 24

€109.99

...

Macworld

Wireless headphones are essentially the standard now, with Bluetooth being convenient and the sound quality difference to wired not being that noticeable to typical people (we realize audiophiles ‘know’).

The market is huge, but here are the best wireless earbuds we’ve tested for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Macs. If you do want a wired connection some of these do offer it in addition to Bluetooth, but we also have a round-up of the best wired headphones and a comparison of over-ear headphones read our comparison of AirPods Max vs other over-ear headphones.

Updated April 2024 with Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review.

Best headphones and earbuds for iPhone

1. Bose...

If you have kids, pets, or simply want the luxury of immaculately clean floors without having to do the work yourself, then look no farther than Roborock’s next-gen S8 MaxV Ultra – the industry’s most technologically advanced robot mop and vacuum system. It’s no surprise Roborock has recently taken the number one spot for robotic vacuum sales worldwide of any brand. Designed to revolutionize the way you clean your home, it comes fully decked with enhanced suction power, advanced robotic intelligence, and an innovative self-maintenance feature with heated washing and drying and dirt detection. A true tech marvel in the home cleaning space.

more…...

Apple launched its range of and Apple Watch bands last fall to much fanfare, as an environmentally-friendly alternative to the leather accessories. However, buyers quickly complained the material was prone to attracting dirt, scuffs and other durability issues. FineWoven also simply felt far less premium than the leather lineup it replaced, albeit Apple charging the same prices.

According to Twitter leaker Kosutami, Apple is giving up on the effort and the production lines for FineWoven are being shuttered. The company will probably try again with a different leather alternative option, .

more…

Macworld

Whether your profession is in the creative industry or you’re a DIY-er working on a passion project or repainting your walls, you’ve likely needed a reliable method of matching colors. Fortunately, you can get precise color matches for upholstery, paint colors, and more with this color-matching sensor.

The Nix Mini 2 is a fantastic tool for anyone who works with color, allowing users to color match accurately and on the go. It’s now only $59.97 (reg. $99) through April 21. 

This device has a highly calibrated sensor that can...

Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.

Security concerns keep every IT professional up at night. Even for Apple admins, you’re just one zero-day exploit away from a nightmare. Equally concerning is having your fleet out of compliance with their organization’s IT policies for macOS...

Our latest roundup of the best iPhone 15 cases is now ready to move into 2024 with all of the newest releases. While the certainly weren’t as popular as Apple would have hoped, there are plenty of notable options from other brands stepping up to offer everything from thin minimalism to luxurious genuine leather and everything in between. We have now updated this roundup with some new brands as well as additional releases that have cropped up over the last month or so. Head below for a closer look at the best iPhone 15 cases for 2024. 

more…

Macworld

Data is important and valuable to your life in more ways than you might know. Whether it be old pictures or important work documents that could prove valuable in the future, ensuring your files and other media are safe with a verified solution is reasonably common modern-day practice. To save on one of the best, hop on this deal. 

Through April 21, you can get a lifetime subscription to AOMEI Backupper for less than $25. Designed to be a complete and easy-to-use backup software for Windows PCs, it can...

Incident began at 2024-04-19 14:12 (times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)).

Our Engineering team has identified the root cause of the issue and rolled back a recent change.

Our engineers are taking additional repair actions for the rollback to take effect for the impacted customers.

We do not have an ETA for mitigation at this point.

We will provide more information by Friday, 2024-04-19 14:00 US/Pacific.

Affected products: Google Calendar

Apple surprised everyone earlier this month with a change to the App Store guidelines that now allows retro game console emulator apps for its platforms, including iOS and tvOS. Following the success of Delta, the developers behind Provenance have now confirmed that they will soon release it on the App Store, bringing PlayStation emulation to iPhone and iPad users.

more…

Macworld

Following a report that the Notes app will offer new math-based features, AppleInsider reports that the Calculator app will get a major overhaul in macOS 15. Apple is expected to debit macOS 15 at its Worldwide Developers Conference 2024 in June.

The changes to the macOS Calculator include:

• A redesign that resembles the iOS Calculator app. While the macOS Calculator app has a similar layour and color scheme as the iOS Calculator...

Incident began at 2024-04-19 14:12 (times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)).

Engineering team potentially identified the root cause and working on mitigation.

We do not have an ETA for mitigation at this point.

Affected products: Gmail

The EU commission is set to approve Apple’s previously-announced policy changes regarding access to the NFC chip on the iPhone, with the view of increasing competition in the contactless payments market. The commission’s decision will be officially announced in the coming weeks, via Reuters.

With these changes, apps will be allowed to become the default wallet app that appears when users double-click the side button or hold their phone near a payment terminal. However, the relaxation of policy only applies to apps available inside the European Union, not worldwide.

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Macworld

If your Mac is starting to run slow the first thing to check is if you are running low on space. It’s generally advised that you should have 10% of your total space free on your Mac for the most optimum working. If you are down to your last few gigabytes then it’s time to do some housework and grab yourself some space back. 

Over time, a Mac is likely to accumulate a large collection of duplicate files that take up this valuable space so that’s a good place to start. However, finding and deleting them can be time-consuming if you do it one by one, so in this article, we show you quicker ways to cleanse your system of these delinquent doppelgängers.

Why do I have duplicate files?

In most cases these will be mistaken downloads (caused by clicking on a link twice), Mail and Messages attachments, a convoluted filing system, a bad habit of dragging things to your desktop, or a number of other possibilities....

Friday’s best deals come headlined by Apple’s new 24-inch M3 iMac, which starts from $1,199. It comes joined by the 9to5-favorite Anker MagGo Cube 15W MagSafe Charger at $112 and Satechi’s new USB-C Dual Dock Stand for MacBooks at $120. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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