News

  • The 6 best budgeting apps to replace Mint
    More than 10 years and millions of users later, the popular budgeting app Mint has shut down for good. Parent company Intuit shuttered the app on March 24, 2024, and has prompted its users migrate to its other personal finance app, Credit Karma. I, along with 3.6 million others (as of 2021, according to Bloomberg), had been Mint users for a long time, trusting the budgeting app to track all of my accounts in one place. Mint was also the tool I used to monitor my credit score, stick to a monthly spending plan and set goals like building a
  • Record low prices hit Apple's M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch, now on sale from $1,399
    B&H has dropped MacBook Pro prices further as March comes to a close. Pick up an M3 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM for just $1,549 — or opt for the M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14-inch for $1,699. Both are record-breaking deals.Kicking off the sale is a best-selling M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch configuration with a bump up to 16GB of memory. Now on sale for $1,549 in Space Gray, this $250 discount delivers the cheapest price on record for the upgraded configuration. The base model is $200 off too, dropping the price to $1,399.Buy from $1,399Prefer the M3 Pro chip? B&H
  • How to grant third-party apps Apple Music access in macOS
    Subscribers of Apple Music can allow third-party apps to access the app and their music collection. Here's how to grant that access to other apps in macOS.Apple Music app icon for macOSApple Music on the Mac has a little-known feature that allows third-party apps to access your music collection.For example, you could use it to connect smart speakers like Amazon's Echo so you can play songs and playlists from your Apple Music account. Apps may also offer other features, such as a music game allowing players to add their favorite tracks to an Apple Music playlist. Continue Reading on AppleInsider
  • Could artificial intelligence benefit democracy?
    Meet the tech optimists who believe AI can transform politics for the better.
  • Apple Vision Pro's first new immersive video in months is 5 minutes of old soccer clips
    Four short immersive videos are available for Apple Vision Pro users, and after nearly two months on the market, a fifth has arrived in the form of a five-minute MLS ad.2023 MLS Cup HighlightsApple Vision Pro can play 180-degree 8K 3D video that takes over the wearer's vision. These are called immersive experiences and are a technical achievement.However, that technical achievement may also be an Achilles heel for the platform if it's slow or difficult to produce. More immersive content is absolutely on the way, but Apple Vision Pro owners have noticed that the scant library hasn't grown since the
  • Questions raised over Temu cash 'giveaway' offer
    Participants can get £50 - but must permanently consent to the retailer using their personal data.
  • Snapchat’s latest paid perk is an AI Bitmoji of your pet
    Snapchat has a new AI-powered perk for subscribers: Bitmoji versions of your pet. The feature, which is unfortunately not called “petmoji,” allows users to snap a photo of their four-legged friend to create a cartoon-like avatar to accompany their Bitmoji in the Snap Map. Based on screenshots shared by the company, it seems users will be able to choose from a few different variations of the AI-generated images after sharing a photo of their pet. That’s considerably less customization than what you can do with your own human-inspired Bitmoji,though it should allow users to create something that looks similar to
  • Oregon's New Right to Repair Law Bans 'Parts Pairing' Restrictions
    Oregon this week signed a Right to Repair bill into law, and it is notable because it is the first such law that puts a stop to the practice of parts pairing. Manufacturers like Apple are not able to require customers to use Apple-sourced parts that then have to be authenticated, with the bill giving Apple device owners the right to use new parts, used parts, or third-party parts. Apple has launched repair tools for both independent repair shops and consumers, but repair components must be purchased directly from Apple. Components must be paired with a device serial number after
  • Amazon's New App Lets You Scan Your Palm to Pay at Whole Foods, Panera Bread and More
    Amazon today launched the Amazon One app, which is designed to allow customers to scan their palms to make device-free purchases at Whole Foods, Panera Bread, and 150 third-party locations in stadiums, airports, fitness centers, and convenience stores. Prior to the launch of the app, signing up for Amazon One had to be done in a physical location with an Amazon One device. The app lets customers create a profile, take a photo of their palm, and add a payment method. Finishing sign-up will still require an initial interaction with an Amazon One machine. Amazon One can be used for
  • 350 Swift Student Challenge winners awarded AirPods Max, chance to attend WWDC
    Apple has notified the 350 Swift Student Challenge winners of their victory and rewards, which include AirPods Max, a certificate, and a free one-year membership to the developer program.Swift Student ChallengeApple holds the Swift Student Challenge each year to encourage student developer to practice their craft and win prizes. Participants must be over 13, part of an academic institution or homeschool equivalent, and not employed as a full-time developer.Winners are being notified by email, and Apple Senior Director, Worldwide Developer Marketing Esther Hare shared the news on Twitter. Participants can also check their status by logging into their developer account.
  • Judge Tosses Out Cryptocurrency Apple Antitrust Lawsuit Filed by Venmo Customers
    A lawsuit targeting Apple's refusal to allow apps to support cryptocurrency transactions was today tossed out by a San Francisco judge, reports Reuters. The lawsuit, which was filed by Venmo and Cash App customers, claimed that Apple drove up the fees charged by Venmo and Cash App by not letting payment apps facilitate cryptocurrency transactions. The plaintiffs alleged that Apple curbed competition in the mobile peer-to-peer payment market with its App Store guidelines. No option for cryptocurrency has supposedly caused Venmo and Cash App to raise prices for transactions and services due to "no competitive check." A payment app that
  • An OLED iPad Pro and the first big-screen iPad Air will reportedly arrive in May
    Apple will finally launch new iPads in early May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Expected are a new iPad Pro with an OLED display and a faster iPad Air, including a 12.9-inch model for the first time in that lineup. The details of the upcoming iPad models have been consistent, circulating through the rumor mill since last year. The new iPad Pro models will reportedly add OLED displays (offering deeper blacks and richer colors) and run on the new M3 chip, already found in several Macs. The new tablets are said to launch alongside a redesigned Apple Pencil and Magic
  • A $3 app shoots better spatial videos than the iPhone’s native camera
    A $3 iOS app now records higher-resolution spatial videos than Apple’s native camera app. Spatialify, available on the App Store, lets iPhone 15 Pro owners record 3D videos for Apple’s Vision Pro in either 1080p at 60fps or 4K at 30fps — with HDR. Apple’s native recording only supports 1080p / 30fps without HDR, so your immersive clips will be noticeably sharper using Spatialify than the camera app on the same phone. UploadVR first reported on the app update. Spatialify launched earlier this year as a tool for converting Apple’s spatial videos (HEVC format) for playback on non-Apple VR headsets
  • FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years
    The crypto exchange co-founder was convicted last year of stealing $8bn from investors.
  • Apple sues ex employee over iOS Journal app leaks
    Apple has filed a lawsuit against a former employee, accusing the ex-iOS software engineer of breaching confidentiality agreements by leaking details of the Journal app before its launch.Gavel in a courtroomThe lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of California in Santa Clara on March 18, pits Apple against the defendant Andrew Aude. Apple has three complaints against Aude, all surrounding alleged actions where he shared details about Apple products, services, and policies to the media.Aude "repeatedly flouted his promise to keep Apple's information confidential," the complaint reads, violating an intellectual property agreement (IPA) that prevented his sharing of confidential information
  • You can now use your phone to get started with Amazon’s palm-reading tech
    Amazon just launched an app that lets people sign up for its palm recognition service without having to head to an in-store kiosk. The Amazon One app uses a smartphone’s camera to take a photo of a palm print to set up an account. Once signed up, you can pay for stuff by using just your hand, ending the tyranny of having to carry a smartphone, cash or a burdensome plastic card. The tech uses generative AI to analyze a palm's vein structure, turning the data into a “unique numerical, vector representation” which is recognized by scanning machines at retail
  • You may need to wait a little longer than expected for a new iPad Pro & iPad Air
    The iPad Pro and iPad Air are set to get a refresh — but it doesn't look like either are going to arrive in April as previously thought.iPad ProsIf you've been holding out for a new iPad Pro, you may not need to wait much longer. A new report suggests that the iPad Pro, along with the iPad Air, may be getting an update in May.Sources told Bloomberg that the upcoming iPad Pro models will be equipped with brand-new OLED displays. These models have been given the codenames J717, J718, J720, and J721. Additionally, they will run on the new
  • Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May
    Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Apple is working on updates to both the ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌iPad Air‌ models. The ‌iPad Pro‌ models will get OLED display technology and the new M3 chips, while the ‌iPad Air‌ will come in the standard 10.9-inch size and a larger 12.9-inch size. According to Gurman, Apple's suppliers are ramping up production of the new iPads at the
  • iOS 18 is coming soon with AI, a new interface, and accessibility: what to expect at WWDC 2024
    Apple is just months away from showing off its iOS 18 update that will arrive in the fall. This is what the rumor mill suspects is on the way in the next version of the iPhone operating system.iPhone in a crystal ballWWDC, Apple's annual gathering of developers that will take place from June 10 until June 14, is the venue for the tech giant to show off some of its future plans. The announcements during the keynote and throughout the week typically cover a lot of areas, but operating system changes are the main focus of proceedings.With the iPhone being
  • Get a Mac Studio M1 Ultra for just $2,199, now $1,800 off during Prime Appreciation Sale
    A drastic $1,800 price drop has been issued on Apple's M1 Ultra Mac Studio at Amazon-owned Woot. Units are in new condition with Apple's 1-year warranty.Save $1,800 on Apple's M1 Ultra Mac Studio.In a move to capture your business before the end of the quarter, Amazon-owned Woot has issued an exceptionally steep $1,800 discount on Apple's M1 Ultra Mac Studio.Save $1,800 Continue Reading on AppleInsider
  • Apple Sues Former Employee for Leaking iPhone's Journal App and More
    Apple this month sued its former employee Andrew Aude in California state court, alleging that he breached the company's confidentiality agreement and violated labor laws by leaking sensitive information to the media and employees at other tech companies. Apple has demanded a jury trial, and it is seeking damages in excess of $25,000. Aude joined Apple as an iOS software engineer in 2016, shortly after graduating college. He worked on optimizing battery performance, making him "privy to information regarding dozens of Apple's most sensitive projects," according to the complaint. Leaks The lawsuit alleges that over a five-year period, Aude used
  • Apple Notifying WWDC 2024 Swift Student Challenge Winners
    Students who entered the WWDC 2024 coding challenge can today sign in to Apple's Swift Student Challenge website to find out if they've won. Apple has selected 350 winners, who are eligible to attend the ‌WWDC 2024‌ special event at Apple Park on Monday, June 10. There are 50 Distinguished Winners who will be invited to Cupertino for a three-day ‌Apple Park‌ event that will include the keynote meetup and two additional days of opportunities to interface with Apple engineers. just won the swift student challenge as a distinguished winner!!! OMG WOW#swiftstudentchallenge pic.twitter.com/pANVZuFSKU— rapha (@raphadevelops) March 28, 2024 Those who
  • Apple Immersive Video Featuring 2023 MLS Playoffs Coming to Vision Pro Tonight
    Apple today plans to release an Apple Immersive Video that features the best of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. It is the first-ever sports film captured in Apple Immersive Video, and it will be available on the Vision Pro headset. Apple in February said that the MLS Playoffs were recorded in 8K 3D with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio, giving viewers the opportunity to feel "every heart-pounding moment" of the playoffs. As Jason Snell from Six Colors points out, Apple's video is being released 110 days after the 2023 MLS Cup Final, which is quite the wait.
  • Future Apple Vision Pro may get Bob Ross-style virtual painting tools
    If you've ever wanted to unleash your inner Bob Ross, you may be soon able to make your own happy accidents in Apple Vision Pro.Become a virtual Bob Ross or Monet with Apple's new technology.We recently reported on rumors that it is testing the Apple Pencil for AR and VR, but it looks like the company hopes to eventually ditch the stylus entirely. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
  • Vizio just announced a $999 86-inch 4K TV
    Walmart ag ’d have to sell a kidney to afford a giantg 4K TV for the living room. That is no longer true, as television prices continue to decline. Case in point? Vizio just announced a new 86-inch 4K smart TV that costs just $999. The first thing worth mentioning about the latest member of Vizio’s lineup of 4K televisions is its size. The next-biggest model is 75 inches and that’s already large enough to absolutely take over most spaces. This thing will be like having a Times Square billboard in your living room. That's not a bad thing, particularly