Tag Archives: author_name|Lawrence Bonk

Apple’s M3-powered MacBook Air laptops are up to $150 off right now

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The M3-powered MacBook Air laptops have only been out a few weeks and there’s already a fairly substantial discount. Amazon is selling both versions of the laptop for up to $150 off. This brings the price of the 15-inch model down to $1,150, thanks to a discount of $100 and a clippable coupon worth $50. If that’s too much screen real estate for you, the 13-inch model is $100 off and currently an even $1,000.

The M3 MacBook Air isn’t a huge change from its predecessor, but the additional horsepower makes it the best Apple laptop for most people. We loved the sturdy form factor, ultra-fast performance and the excellent speakers. The trackpad and keyboard are also top-tier.

In our review, we mentioned the excellent display and the lightweight design. We actually called the M3 MacBook Air “impossibly thin for a notebook” and praised its unibody aluminum case. There are some tradeoffs when compared to the M3 MacBook Pro, including no option for a Pro version of the chip, but the line between the two models is getting blurrier and blurrier. The Air will get the job done, even when making music or editing videos. The Pro line will do this stuff faster, but Apple’s ultraportable laptop is not just for browsing the web anymore.

There are some minor nitpicks worth going over. First of all, there’s no USB-C port on the right side, which could make it difficult to integrate the computer into a pre-existing home office setup. The display’s also limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, which could be an issue with some AAA games.

It’s worth noting that both of these deals are for the standard version of each laptop with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state storage. However, you can up both the RAM and storage and still get a discount. The 16GB/512GB 15-inch model costs $1,500 as part of this sale, a discount of $200, and the specced out 13-inch version costs $1,350, which is a savings of $150.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-m3-powered-macbook-air-laptops-are-up-to-150-off-right-now-172834917.html?src=rss

Apple’s M3-powered MacBook Air laptops are up to $150 off right now

Posted on by

The M3-powered MacBook Air laptops have only been out a few weeks and there’s already a fairly substantial discount. Amazon is selling both versions of the laptop for up to $150 off. This brings the price of the 15-inch model down to $1,150, thanks to a discount of $100 and a clippable coupon worth $50. If that’s too much screen real estate for you, the 13-inch model is $100 off and currently an even $1,000.

The M3 MacBook Air isn’t a huge change from its predecessor, but the additional horsepower makes it the best Apple laptop for most people. We loved the sturdy form factor, ultra-fast performance and the excellent speakers. The trackpad and keyboard are also top-tier.

In our review, we mentioned the excellent display and the lightweight design. We actually called the M3 MacBook Air “impossibly thin for a notebook” and praised its unibody aluminum case. There are some tradeoffs when compared to the M3 MacBook Pro, including no option for a Pro version of the chip, but the line between the two models is getting blurrier and blurrier. The Air will get the job done, even when making music or editing videos. The Pro line will do this stuff faster, but Apple’s ultraportable laptop is not just for browsing the web anymore.

There are some minor nitpicks worth going over. First of all, there’s no USB-C port on the right side, which could make it difficult to integrate the computer into a pre-existing home office setup. The display’s also limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, which could be an issue with some AAA games.

It’s worth noting that both of these deals are for the standard version of each laptop with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state storage. However, you can up both the RAM and storage and still get a discount. The 16GB/512GB 15-inch model costs $1,500 as part of this sale, a discount of $200, and the specced out 13-inch version costs $1,350, which is a savings of $150.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-m3-powered-macbook-air-laptops-are-up-to-150-off-right-now-172834917.html?src=rss

Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote is scheduled for June 10 at 1PM ET

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Apple has just announced that its WWDC 2024 keynote is scheduled for 10AM PT/1PM ET on June 10 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The remaining festivities for the 35th edition of WWDC will run through to June 14, online and free for developers to attend.

What should we expect at this year’s keynote? WWDC is typically a software-centric event, so we might hear some details on the work Apple has been doing around AI over the last year or so. Other reports indicate that Apple will show off a suite of upcoming updates, including iOS 18, iPadOS 18, tvOS 18, macOS 15 and watchOS 11, according to MacRumors. It’s also likely the company will reveal the next operating system for the recently-released Apple Vision Pro headset, visionOS 2.

It’s even possible we’ll get some new hardware announcements. Though typically software-adjacent, last year’s WWDC was chock full of product announcements, from the aforementioned Vision Pro to the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air. The Mac Mini has been missing from recent product refreshes, so maybe the company will announce an M3-based update.

As for the new software, there have been plenty of rumors regarding iOS 18. It has been reported that Apple might integrate Google’s Gemini AI with Siri and various iPhone apps. Check the suspicious capitalization of "Absolutely Incredible" in the above post from Apple's VP of worldwide marketing Brad Joswiak for a winking acknowledgement of the move. It’s also been suggested that the smartphone software will allow users to place apps anywhere on the home screen grid and will offer RCS support in the Messages app, along with the usual array of design changes.

The keynote event will be available on the Apple Developer app, the Apple website and YouTube. The company is also inviting 50 winners of its annual Swift Student Challenge to attend WWDC in person.

Update, May 28, 1:15PM: This story was updated after its original March 26 publishing to include the time of Apple's WWDC 2024 keynote.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-wwdc-2024-keynote-is-scheduled-for-june-10-at-1pm-et-180558382.html?src=rss

T-Mobile to acquire majority of US Cellular, further consolidating carrier market

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T-Mobile will acquire the majority of US Cellular in a deal worth approximately $4.4 billion. This means that T-Mobile will own all of US Cellular’s stores, some of its spectrum assets and some of its customers. The deal includes a combination of cash and up to $2 billion of assumed debt, according to a press release by US Cellular. The companies expect to finalize the purchase by mid-2025, though the deal must attain regulatory approval.

All told, T-Mobile will walk away with around 30 percent of US Cellular’s wireless spectrum, which it hopes to use to improve coverage in rural areas and offer better connectivity to current US Cellular customers throughout the country. Current customers will be able to keep their plans or switch to a similar T-Mobile contract.

US Cellular will retain 70 percent of its wireless spectrum and towers. Additionally, it will lease space on around 2,100 additional towers to T-Mobile. "The decisions we announced today are in the best interests of our customers and our shareholders. T-Mobile is the right partner for our wireless operations," said Laurent Therivel, CEO of US Cellular.

This is just the latest consolidation move by T-Mobile. The company recently acquired the Ryan Reynolds-backed Mint Mobile, via the purchase of parent company Ka'ena Corporation for around $1.35 billion. T-Mobile also merged with Sprint back in 2020. It’s basically Pac-Man, but instead of dots it hoovers up smaller cellular carriers.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that T-Mobile had teamed up with frenemy Verizon to “carve up” US Cellular’s wireless spectrum, but it looks like that deal has either fallen through or will be significantly delayed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/t-mobile-to-acquire-majority-of-us-cellular-further-consolidating-carrier-market-152212548.html?src=rss

T-Mobile to acquire majority of US Cellular, further consolidating carrier market

Posted on by

T-Mobile will acquire the majority of US Cellular in a deal worth approximately $4.4 billion. This means that T-Mobile will own all of US Cellular’s stores, some of its spectrum assets and some of its customers. The deal includes a combination of cash and up to $2 billion of assumed debt, according to a press release by US Cellular. The companies expect to finalize the purchase by mid-2025, though the deal must attain regulatory approval.

All told, T-Mobile will walk away with around 30 percent of US Cellular’s wireless spectrum, which it hopes to use to improve coverage in rural areas and offer better connectivity to current US Cellular customers throughout the country. Current customers will be able to keep their plans or switch to a similar T-Mobile contract.

US Cellular will retain 70 percent of its wireless spectrum and towers. Additionally, it will lease space on around 2,100 additional towers to T-Mobile. "The decisions we announced today are in the best interests of our customers and our shareholders. T-Mobile is the right partner for our wireless operations," said Laurent Therivel, CEO of US Cellular.

This is just the latest consolidation move by T-Mobile. The company recently acquired the Ryan Reynolds-backed Mint Mobile, via the purchase of parent company Ka'ena Corporation for around $1.35 billion. T-Mobile also merged with Sprint back in 2020. It’s basically Pac-Man, but instead of dots it hoovers up smaller cellular carriers.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that T-Mobile had teamed up with frenemy Verizon to “carve up” US Cellular’s wireless spectrum, but it looks like that deal has either fallen through or will be significantly delayed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/t-mobile-to-acquire-majority-of-us-cellular-further-consolidating-carrier-market-152212548.html?src=rss

You can now hum to find a song on YouTube Music for Android

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YouTube Music for Android is finally releasing a long-awaited tool that lets people hum a song to search for it, in addition to singing the tune or playing the melody on an instrument, according to reporting by 9to5Google. The software has been in the testing phase since March.

All you have to do is tap the magnifying glass in the top-right corner and look for the waveform icon next to the microphone icon. Tap the waveform icon and start humming or singing. A fullscreen results page should quickly bring up the cover art, song name, artist, album, release year and other important data about the song. The software builds upon the Pixel’s Now Playing feature, which uses AI to “match the sound to the original recording.”

The tool comes in a server-side update with version 7.02 of YouTube Music for Android. There doesn’t look to be any availability information for the iOS release, though it’s most likely headed our way in the near future.

This type of feature isn’t exactly new, even if it’s new to YouTube Music. Google Search rolled out a similar tool back in 2020 and the regular YouTube app began offering something like this last year. Online music streaming platform Deezer also has a “hum to search” tool, released back in 2022.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-now-hum-to-find-a-song-on-youtube-music-for-android-190037510.html?src=rss

Apple built a Tetris clone for the iPod but never released it

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Apple once designed a Tetris clone that has been found on a prototype version of the third-generation iPod, indicating the company was experimenting with releasing the game on the music player. It’s called Stacker and, obviously, is controlled via the iPod’s scroll wheel. The software was spotted by X user AppleDemoYT, who is known for finding rare prototype devices.

The prototype iPod is a "DVT" device, meaning it was a mid-stage device that was still in "Design Validation Testing." It has a model number of A1023, which is not a known model number of any iPod version.

The device runs a prototype version of iPodOS 2.0, which is where Stacker comes from. The pieces are moved from left to right using the scroll wheel and they fall when the middle button is pressed. The goal is to clear lines and score points. You know the deal. It’s Tetris.

It’s not the only game found on the prototype iPod. There’s something called Block0, which is likely an early version of Brick. The device also features a game called Klondike, which is likely an early version of Solitaire. The music player did eventually get some games, including the aforementioned Solitaire and Brick. AppleDemoYT asked former Apple VP Tony Fadell why Stacker was never released and he said it was because games didn’t show up until a “later software release.”

Later versions of the iPod got an official version of Tetris, in addition to games like Bejeweled, Mini Golf, Mahjong, Zuma, Cubis 2, and Pac-Man. All of these releases predate the App Store. The iPod Classic was discontinued in 2014 and the iPod Touch was sent to a farm upstate in 2022, ending the era of the standalone music player.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-built-a-tetris-clone-for-the-ipod-but-never-released-it-173810144.html?src=rss

The ‘Doge’ dog has died

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The dog who inspired the famous meme coin Dogecoin has died, according to a post on Instagram by its owner. Kabosu, an adorable Shiba Inu, was likely around 18 years old, though owner Atsuko Sato doesn’t know the exact birthdate of the rescue pup.

“She quietly passed away as if asleep while I caressed her,” she wrote in a blog post published by The Guardian. “I think Kabo-chan was the happiest dog in the world. And I was the happiest owner.”

The Japanese dog not only inspired Dogecoin, but the iconic 2010 photo became the source of a vast collection of internet memes. Some have even called Kabosu the “Mona Lisa of the internet.” Sato snapped the photo two years after rescuing the dog from a puppy farm, in which she would have likely been put down. The image shows Kabosu with her paws on the sofa while giving the camera, well, a sort of grin. 

The photo became an NFT digital artwork that sold for $4 million, back when NFTs were a thing that people paid money for. As for the memecoin, it started as a joke by two software engineers but has now risen to be the eighth-most valuable cryptocurrency with a market capitalization of $23 billion. The price has ticked up today, likely by news of Kabosu’s passing.

Dogecoin was most famously backed by Elon Musk, even becoming available as currency to buy certain Tesla products. Other famous backers include Snoop Dogg, Gene Simmons and Mark Cuban, to name just a few.

Dogecoin has also inspired a bunch of other memecoins, from the spin-off Shiba Inu coin to cryptocurrency coins based on cats, Elon Musk and, sigh, even Donald Trump. These coins are known to be highly volatile, so invest at your own risk. Dogecoin, however, has remained mostly stable for a while now.

Musk has long-been the primary cheerleader behind Dogecoin, even changing the Twitter icon to the image of the Shiba Inu, before he pivoted to X. He also single-handily wiped out most of the coin’s value during his disastrous SNL performance and has been accused of using it to defraud investors and create a pyramid scheme.

A statue of Kabosu was erected in Sakura, Japan in November of last year. Reporting indicates that it cost $100,000 to build. “In the last few years I’ve been able to connect the online version of Kabosu, all these unexpected things seen from a distance, with our real lives,” Sato wrote. She has used the virality of her beloved Shiba inu to donate large sums to charities, including more than $1 million to Save the Children. Godspeed, you adorable pup.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-doge-dog-has-died-162733508.html?src=rss