Tech Talk

Apple has quietly started selling its 2-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable priced at $129, offering a braided design and active cable technology that supports full Thunderbolt 3 data transfer speeds of up to 40Gb/s. This marks the first time the cable has been available as a standalone purchase, as it is otherwise only available included with the Pro Display XDR. Featuring a black braided design that coils without tangling, this 2-meter cable supports Thunderbolt 3 data transfer up to 40Gb/s, USB 3.1 Gen 2 data transfer up to 10Gb/s, DisplayPort video output (HBR3), and charging up to 100W. Use this cable to connect a Mac with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 3 devices such as Pro Display XDR, docks, and hard drives. Passive Thunderbolt 3 cables like Apple's standard version are limited to shorter lengths of less than a meter, as they are unable to maintain maximum speeds over longer lengths. Active electronics in the cable connectors are required for longer-length cables, which a

Apple plans to launch a 24-inch iMac with a new design in the fourth quarter of 2020, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a research note obtained by MacRumors. Earlier this week, Kuo claimed that this redesigned iMac will be one of Apple's first two Mac models with a custom Arm-based processor , with the other being a future 13-inch MacBook Pro. Following years of rumors, Apple today confirmed its plans to switch to its own processors for its Macs , promising "incredible" performance and features. Apple said that it plans to release its first Mac with custom silicon by the end of 2020, and it expects to transition its entire Mac lineup away from Intel processors within around two years. In the meantime, Kuo expects Apple to refresh its existing Intel-based iMac in the third quarter of 2020, which encompasses July through September. It is unclear if this model will feature a new design. Apple last redesigned the iMac in 2012. A last-minute rumor suggested that App

As a company, we've logged many hours all over the world testing every type of headphones imaginable. Truly wireless happen to be some of our favorites, so we know what makes them great and what makes them stink. Jabra Elite 65t True wireless freedom $100 at Amazon Pros Up to 15-hour battery life with charging case Lightweight and secure fit Great playback control Good call quality Excellent sound Cons Micro-USB charging Case can be finicky The Jabra Elite 65t earbuds are some of the best 'buds in their class. They have excellent playback control features and auto-connect to your phone, and with the right fit offer excellent sound, including bass, and passive isolation. Jabra Elite Active 65t Fitness focus $130 at Amazon Pros Non-slip earbud coating Sweat- and dust-resistant (IP56) Integrated motion sensor for step tracking Up to 15-hour battery life with charging case Excellent sound Cons Expensive Case can be finicky Micro-USB charging Fo

Nothing makes a party better than some music, and nothing makes playing music easier than a Bluetooth speaker, especially as more phone manufacturers omit the 3.5mm headphone jack. Fortunately, you don't need to spend a fortune just to make your tunes louder, especially with fantastic options like the Anker Soundcore Flare Mini to get the party rolling. Best Overall: Anker Soundcore Flare Mini Anker sure knows its way around smartphone accessories, and the same can be said for the Soundcore Flare Mini. This 360-degree speaker will be the talk of the night with its unique design and a bottom-mounted halo of LEDs. These LEDs will keep up with the party as they pulse and glow with the rhythm of whatever music is playing. The included IPX7 rating will also keep your Flare Mini safe from accidental splashes. Anker also made it possible to pair two Flare Mini's to create a stereo-sound situation. The downside here is that you will have to keep an eye on the battery, as the

One of the Galaxy S7's coolest features, when it released, was the support for wireless charging. We're only just now seeing wireless charging become standard on most 2020 flagships, but if you've still got the S7, these are currently the best wireless charging stands that'll work with it. Straight from Samsung Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charger Pad This wireless charger will not only charge your S7 at top speed, but it's also designed to charge the Galaxy Watch line, the Galaxy Watch Active line, and Galaxy Buds, and it's a nice compact size for the nightstand. $29 at Amazon $50 at Best Buy A name you trust Spigen Qi Charging Stand Spigen is a well-respected accessory maker, and their Qi Charging Stand is a prime example of why. This charging stand has a base to rest your phone on and is angled so you are still able to see your display easily while it is charging. It really is a great fit for any nightstand or office. $36 at Amazon $50 at eBay

Horizon Quantum is part of a new crop of startups that focus on building new tools for building software for quantum computers. The Singapore-based company, which is hardware-agnostic but also launched a close partnership with Rigetti Computing in 2018, today announced that it has raised a $3.23 million funding round led by Sequoia Capital India. Previous investors SGInnovate, Abies Ventures, DCVC, Qubit Protocol, Summer Capital and Posa CV also participated. At its core, Horizon Quantum aims to democratize quantum development. Because there is very little about quantum computing that is intuitive, the company argues, it will take a new set of tools to help today’s developers tackle quantum. What makes Horizon unique is that it takes conventional source code and then automatically analyzes that to figure out where a quantum computer could speed up an algorithm. Right now, the company can identify potential speedups in code written for Matlab and Octave. “The conventional approach to

iOS 14 , released for developers today, includes an interesting new Accessibility option that's designed to allow users to double tap or triple tap on the back of the iPhone to perform various actions. The feature can be used to do things like access Control Center, Notification Center, the Lock screen, the Home screen, or the App Switcher, or it can change the volume, bring up Siri , mute the ‌iPhone‌, take a screenshot, or access a Shortcut. It can also be set up to work with a number of Accessibility features like Assistive Touch, Magnifier, or VoiceOver. The Back Tap options can be accessed in the Settings app by tapping Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. Tapping to trigger an action appears to work fairly well when the ‌iPhone‌'s back is tapped in any spot on the device with either the double tap or triple tap gesture. Back Tap is just one of many new Accessibility features that Apple has built into ‌iOS 14‌. VoiceOver has also received major improvements wi

Apple has announced an upcoming change to App Store rules that could mark a major shift in how the marketplace operates. Developers will soon be able to challenge not just the rejection of an app, but the rule that prompted that rejection. Bug fixes will also no longer be held up by rule violations. In a blog post about changes for apps and developers , Apple noted these major additions with remarkably little fanfare: First, developers will not only be able to appeal decisions about whether an app violates a given guideline of the App Store Review Guidelines, but will also have a mechanism to challenge the guideline itself. Second, for apps that are already on the App Store, bug fixes will no longer be delayed over guideline violations except for those related to legal issues. App Store rules have been in the headlines this week due to a fracas over monetization that saw the new email service Hey rejected from the platform over a reluctance to share its subscription revenue with

As part of WWDC 2020 this week, Apple has introduced a series of new APIs, frameworks, and tools for developers , ranging from App Clips to Xcode 12 to a new SwiftUI API for making widgets that work across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. App Clips: New in iOS 14, App Clips surface information from relevant apps without requiring users to download an entire app. Apple describes App Clips as a "small part" of an app designed to be discovered the moment it is needed. Once inside the App Clip, users can easily install the full app with a single tap. Widgets: iOS 14 features widgets that can be pinned in different sizes on any home screen page, providing useful information at a glance. For this, Apple has released a new SwiftUI API that allows developers to use the same code to build a widget for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Find My network accessory program : In iOS 14, the Find My app is gaining support for finding third-party products and accessories with the new Find My network

Apple is adding multiple new features to the Maps app in iOS 14 , including Apple Maps icons that will let users know when they're approaching speed cameras and red-light cameras along a route. Little detail is given about the new camera warning icons, but Apple says that they will let users see where individual cameras are located on the map. Maps lets you know when you're approaching speed cameras and red-light cameras along your route. You can also see where individual cameras are located on the map. It's not clear if this feature will be limited to select areas, countries or will have a wide rollout, and it does not appear to be implemented in the initial ‌iOS 14‌ beta as an examination of the Maps app with various routes did not display icons for traffic cameras. ‌Apple Maps‌ is gaining cycling directions, electric vehicle routing, and a new Guides recommendation that will help you find the best places to visit when taking a trip to a new location. Many of thes

Apple today announced that it is launching an online version of its App Store lab, providing developers with another avenue to share feedback to help improve the App Store. Apple's new developer forums will also serve as a platform for developers to share their suggestions so that Apple can implement changes that benefit the community. Additionally, two changes are coming to the App Store review process this summer. First, in addition to developers being able to appeal decisions about whether an app violates a given guideline of the App Store Review Guidelines , they will be able to "challenge" the guideline itself. Second, Apple says bug fixes for existing apps will no longer be delayed over guideline violations except for those related to legal issues. Instead, developers will be able to address the issue in their next submission through App Store Connect. Apple's marketing chief and App Store lead Phil Schiller: The Apple developer community inspires us all w

Apple is inviting some AppleSeed members to test the new HomePod software as well as the new versions of iOS, iPadOS , and macOS, according to reports on the MacRumors forums . Those invited to test the new ‌HomePod‌ software will be able to try out new features ahead of release. With the update, the ‌HomePod‌ is gaining support for third-party music services for the first time, a feature that will allow the speaker to work with Spotify, Pandora, and other music options by default without the need to use AirPlay . ‌HomePod‌, which serves as a home hub option for HomeKit , is also getting a new feature that will let it announce when a HomeKit-connected doorbell has been rung. Apple's ‌HomePod‌ software is usually tested internally and is not typically provided to developers, so we'll need to wait to see if a version is eventually added to the developer site or distributed to public beta testers. If not, most users will need to wait until the new software is released in