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- Friday April 26
- 41 mins agoApple has reportedly resumed negotiations with OpenAI to power AI features in iOS 18
Some reports last month revealed that Apple was in talks with Google to use Gemini to power new AI features coming to iOS 18. Earlier this year, 9to5Mac also reported that Apple had been running internal tests with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Now a Bloomberg report claims that Apple has resumed negotiations with OpenAI for a potential partnership. more…09:43 pmPreparing for the Unthinkable: A Brief Guide to Digital Legacy Planning
Losing Charles Edge recently caused Adam Engst to think morbid thoughts that turned into advice about how planning for the unexpected can make life a little easier for those left behind.09:05 pmApple fortifies supply chain in China while increasing presence in India and Southeast Asia | Mac Daily NewsApple fortifies supply chain in China while increasing presence in India and Southeast Asia
In a strategic balancing act, Apple is simultaneously increasing ties in China while also expanding in India and Southeast Asia and India… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.09:02 pmHow to instantly remove the background from any image on iOS
Did you know that iOS makes it very, very easy to instantly remove the background from any image? This feature was first introduced with iOS 16, and I’ve found it to be one of the best and most useful capabilities over the last 18 months. Here’s how it works. more…08:50 pmThis Apple Watch band’s secret weapon is a concealed wireless charger
Why carry a separate cable when you can wear an Apple Watch band with built-in charger on your wrist? That's PowerBand, and it's on sale! (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)08:31 pmThe iPhone 16 Pro is getting even bigger, but is that a good thing?
One of the big changes for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max is that both models will feature larger displays. This will mark the first time iPhone screens have gotten bigger since the iPhone 12 was introduced in 2020. Is this a good thing, though? more…08:20 pmHow to charge an iPhone properly
Macworld iPhones are remarkable devices, but they lose their lustre once the battery runs dry. That’s why it’s important to look after the cell inside and ensure that you always charge it properly. In this article we explain the steps you need to take if you want your iPhone to last till the late hours each day and keep doing so for as many years as possible. How to charge an iPhone with a cable The fastest way to charge an iPhone is using a cable. Until the iPhone 15, this meant using a USB to Lightning cable. From the iPhone 15 on, you need a USB-C to USB-C cable. But it’s not quite as easy as that. For the fastest charge, that Lightning cable needs to connect to a USB-C charger so you need a USB-C to Lightning cable and not an old USB-A to Lightning cable. While Apple states that a 20W charger can fast-charge an iPhone, newer iPhone models will charge faster if you use a 30W or faster charger. Read about the best Lightning cables and the best USB-C to USB-C cables for iPhone. How to wirelessly charge an iPhone From the iPhone 8 on, you can charge wirelessly. From iPhone 8 to iPhone 11, this used the Qi wireless charging standard. From iPhone 12, you can use Qi chargers or faster MagSafe chargers that clamp to your iPhone using a ring of hidden magnets for a more efficient fit and therefore faster wireless charging. Qi chargers range in power from 5W to 15W; MagSafe chargers from 7.5 to 15W. Because of the magnetic fit MagSafe chargers will be faster even if at the same wattage as Qi, so got for a MagSafe charger if you can (and your iPhone is version 12 or later). Read our recommendations for the best MagSafe chargers and also the best MagSafe power banks. The latest Qi2 chargers should match MagSafe on 15W charging speed; see What is Qi2 for more details. How to charge an iPhone using a power bank Portable power banks offer the ability to charge an iPhone on the go when you’re not near an outlet or don’t have time to sit for 15 minutes. They range from a few thousand milliamp hours to more than 15,000, which is enough to change an iPhone 15 Pro Max nearly three times. Most power banks need a separate charging cable that connects to the iPhone, though some have built-in cables that are stored somewhere inside the device. Some higher-end power banks have magnetic pads for charging wirelessly as well. Using a power bank is simple. Make sure you charge it before you head out and then when you want to fill up your iPhone, use it as you would use a regular charger—either with a cable or wirelessly. Most power banks have LED lights to let you know how much charge is remaining. You can learn more about MagSafe power banks and read our best picks in our roundup. How to use the iPhone’s Charging Optimization settings Inside the Battery tab in Settings, Apple has a Charging Optimization option that lets you turn on features to preserve battery wear over time and conserve energy. They are: Optimized Battery Charging: Your iPhone will learn from your daily charging and usage habits so it can limit charging to 80 percent until you need to use it. 80% Limit: Your iPhone will stop charging at 80 percent most days and only charge to 100 percent to “maintain battery state-of-charge estimates.” Clean Energy Charging: Your iPhone will attempt to charge when lower carbon-emission electricity is available in your area based on your daily usage habits. You can turn on any of these options in Settings or opt for None, which will charge to 100% when you plug it in as normal. How to choose the best iPhone charging accessories There are two things to consider when shopping for new iPhone charging gear: the charger and the cable. The iPhone comes with an Apple USB-C cable that supports charging of up to 60 watts, more than enough to fast-charge any iPhone, but only USB 2 speeds (480Mbps) for data transfers. If you’re buying a second or replacement cable for charging, we recommend getting one that supports at least 5Gbps for data transfers. You’ll also need a power adapter, and we recommend getting one that’s at least 30W for the fastest charging. If you don’t want to carry around multiple adapters, buy one that has two or more ports and can charge two devices at once (60W or higher will be best). Check out our roundup of the best USB-C power adapters for iPhone and MacBook for a good selection for any budget. FAQ 1. Can I leave my phone charging overnight Ever since smartphones arrived, the most common way of recharging them has been to plug them in when you go to bed, then disconnect them in the morning with a full charge to last the day. This made a lot of sense when batteries took a long time to get up to full charge, as the eight hours in bed gave both the user and device time to recover from the previous day’s exertions. But now, as the period it takes to charge a battery has dramatically reduced, it’s time to reconsider how you top up the tank. iPhones use Lithium-ion batteries because, Apple states, they “charge faster, last longer, and have a higher power density for more battery life in a lighter package”. These are all fine features, but one thing that Li-On is not really keen on is being reduced to 0 percent and then back up to 100 percent each day. Apple recommends, as do many others, that you try to keep an iPhone battery between 30 and 80 percent charged. Topping up to 100 percent isn’t optimal, although it won’t necessarily damage your battery, but letting it regularly run down to 0 percent can prematurely lead to a battery’s demise. There is an exception, as it’s considered good form to do a complete 0-100 percent charge about once a month, just to keep the battery in good shape. For all other instances, though, the best practice is to top your battery up periodically during the day so that it stays in that sweet spot. Hopefully, this should keep the cell healthy for as long as possible. To make this easier to achieve we recommend keeping an extra charger at work or in your car so that you can pop the iPhone on to it when you see the battery beginning to fade. There’s more on why you shouldn’t charge a phone overnight here. 2. Can I use any charger to charge my iPhone? The generala dvice is that you should use the charger that came with your device. If you have an iPad, then the charger that came with it is also compatible and may actually get your iPhone up to a full tank quicker than its own charger. But there are faster, smaller and cheaper chargers that beat Apple’s own. There are various third-party charger offerings on the Apple store itself, but, just for you, we have tested the best iPhone chargers to make your choices much easier. Charging an iPhone via a cable is the speediest way to get back up to full power but wireless charging is often more convenient. From the iPhone 12 on, Apple has added a magnetic technology called MagSafe that makes wireless charging more efficient and therefore faster. Avoid cheap knock-off products, as in some cases these have been known to damage devices. See our Are cheap iPhone chargers safe? feature for more details. 3. Does fast charging damage an iPhone? No. So long as your iPhone has the Fast Charge capabilities (from the iPhone 8 and later) then the battery and iOS work together to ensure that it won’t overheat or cause any harm. If you have a thick protective case on your iPhone, it might be a good idea to remove it while using a fast-charger, just so the heat dissipates easily and doesn’t trigger the software warnings to slow down the power flow. Learn the fastest ways to charge an iPhone. 4. Is it safe to store a charged iPhone? Should you find you are travelling without your device or need to leave it unused for multiple weeks or months, you’ll want to ensure that it’s charged to around 50 percent before turning it off. This will protect the battery cell from dying while left idle. The battery will still lose charge at a slow but steady rate, so after six months it will need charging back up to 50% once more. For more ways to get the best energy performance from your iPhone see our How to improve iPhone battery life guide, or if you’re worried that the cell might be experiencing problems then read How to check iPhone battery health. Apple Inc, iPhone, Mobile Phone Chargers, Power08:04 pmApple battles AI deepfake apps in what may be an unwinnable war
After an investigation by 404 Media into AI deepfake apps that advertised that they could generate non-consensual nude images, Apple… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.07:54 pm9to5Mac Daily: April 26, 2024 – The latest on the possible US TikTok ban
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. more…07:44 pmHands-on: Multi-cam home studio – powered by a MacBook Pro and Thunderbolt
After years of waffling, I decided that it was time to update my workspace to be more friendly to on-camera work, reviews, tutorials, product photography, podcasting, etc. Instead of having a space that I sometimes use for work, sometimes for study and entertainment, and sometimes for editing, I decided to switch it up and wholly dedicate it to video and photo production. This setup is primarily powered by a 14-inch MacBook Pro connected to a single Thunderbolt cable. It’s also made possible by a whole host of software, including MovieRecorder, a pricey but fantastic application from Softron. MovieRecorder allows me to simultaneously record high-quality HEVC-encoded video in a multi-cam setup from multiple cameras directly to my computer, bypassing SD Cards of CFexpress cards entirely. As you’ll see in my hands-on video, I’ve done many other things to customize my setup for productivity, and I hope you find it enlightening and fun. Be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more videos like this. more…07:03 pmReview: The iPhone 15 Pro is the best pitch to switch from Android – it’s just not for me | 9 to 5 MacReview: The iPhone 15 Pro is the best pitch to switch from Android – it’s just not for me
The iPhone is the best-selling smartphone on the planet and, in the US especially, it’s clearly a dominant force. I’m an Android person by choice, but once in a while, I spend time with the latest iPhone to take a peek inside of Apple’s garden, trying not to get trapped within its walls. Over the past several months, I’ve been using the iPhone 15 Pro off and on and, well, I’ve got thoughts. more…06:58 pmVerizon ups price for Apple Watch cellular plans
In an email to customers on Thursday, Verizon announced a $5 per month price increase affecting plans tied to Apple Watch and… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.06:43 pmEnjoy the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C at $60 Off
It’s time to upgrade your AirPods Pro with a better version and USB-C charging. Today, the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C Charging Case is down to just $189 from its original price of $250 on Amazon. From its classic white signature style to excellent modern audio features, the AirPods Pro 2 stands among the rest […] The post appeared first on iLounge.06:41 pmAndroid dominates smartphone activation market
A new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners claims that Android smartphones dominated the smartphone activation market. CIRP said that Apple has a higher smartphone base compared to Android users, but new iPhone activations are at a low, falling from 40 percent to 33 percent in the last year. The data suggests that consumers are […] The post appeared first on iLounge.06:40 pmelago brings Game Boy Advance SP vibes to its newest MagSafe charging stand
elago is launching a today that looks like a Game Boy Advance SP. The new MS W5 Charging Stand debut with a retro design that’s a bit more recent than some of the other throwback-themed accessories we’ve seen from elago and channels the vibes of Nintendo’s folding handheld. more…06:38 pmThreads adds archive post feature
Meta-owned social media platform Threads has added a new feature that allows users to archive posts for safekeeping, as per Adam Mosseri. In a Threads post, Adam Mosseri said that the option to archive is being beta-tested with a small batch. The users can set the archive to automatically activate in a certain time period, […] The post appeared first on iLounge.06:36 pmApple makes open source AI models available on Hugging Face Hub
Apple recently released a number of open source LLMs that can run on-device instead of cloud servers on the Hugging Face Hub. In the provided whitepaper, Apple outlined eight OpenELM models, four of which are instruction tuned and four of which are CoreNet library trained. For better efficiency and accuracy, a layer-wise scaling strategy was […] The post appeared first on iLounge.06:07 pmThe M3-Powered 13-inch MacBook Air is $100 Off
The MacBook Air becomes a beast with Apple’s latest M3 chip in tow. Today, you can get the M3 13-inch MacBook Air with 512GB SSD for just $1,399 from its original price of $1,500 on Amazon. Apple’s ultraportable laptop just got better, thanks to the processing heft of the M3 chip. You’ll be able to […] The post appeared first on iLounge.06:06 pmSolitaire Stories and Crossy Road Castle now available on Vision Pro
Apple’s headset has gained two new games on the visionOS App Store. Two Apple Arcade games are arriving on the Vision Pro, namely Solitaire Stories and Crossy Road Castle. Solitaire Stories is a spin-off of the classic card game, where users play on a virtual table. Multiple variants, such as Draw 3, Spider, and Klondike […] The post appeared first on iLounge.06:04 pmPasskey support added on iOS WhatsApp
Passkeys is now supported on the latest version of messaging app WhatsApp on iOS. Meta recently announced that its messaging app will roll out Passkeys support on iOS devices. WhatsApp users can log on using Touch ID, their device passcode, or Face ID instead of entering a password. Passkeys are meant to replace entering traditional […] The post appeared first on iLounge.