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- Tuesday January 07
- 03:34 pmGeForce Now gets native Apple Vision Pro support
Nvidia is expanding its GeForce Now game streaming service to more platforms, including the Meta Quest 3 and 3S, Pico, and, yes, even the Apple Vision Pro.GeForce Now coming soon to Apple Vision Pro On Tuesday, Nvidia announced that those with select VR headset models will soon be able to stream games directly to their devices. The Apple Vision Pro was among the supported models.It's worth noting that this doesn't mean you'll be able to stream VR games. Instead, you'll stream the games in an Apple Vision Pro Environment. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:27 pmVision Pro is getting NVIDIA GeForce NOW gaming service later this month
Vision Pro has a lot of potential as a gaming device, but that potential has mostly been untapped so far. Today, an NVIDIA announcement is one of the first signs of change on the way. more…03:01 pmApple Intelligence is proving to be anything but intelligent
Complaints and ridicule have been mounting about mistakes by the iPhone maker’s hyped feature, and its flaws risk a serious setback… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.02:53 pmPhilips Hue AI lighting scenes will be available in the official app
There are plenty of third-party apps that will create automated lighting scenes with Philips Hue products, but a report that the company will be launching this feature in the official app has today been confirmed. Users will be able to request AI-generated scenes using either voice or text, with the company citing the example “Give me a scene for a garden party” … more…02:49 pmFirst Thunderbolt 5 display with 6K res ideal for M4 Pro/Max users
The new LG UltraFine 6K Display -- the first Thunderbolt 5 monitor with 6K resolution -- looks perfect for M4 Pro and Max Mac users. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)02:47 pmSeverance season 2 ‘worth the wait’ say reviews; official podcast now available too
We’re now little more than a week away from Severance season 2, and fans of the show have two things to celebrate today: strong reviews for the new season, plus the arrival of an official Severance podcast. more…02:45 pmNvidia just unveiled a $3,000 Mac mini clone for AI computing
Macworld Just hours after Dell decided all on its own to rename its laptop line with Pro and Pro Max monikers, Nvidia also took a page from Apple’s playbook with its new “personal AI supercomputer.” No, it’s not called the Nvidia mini, but it does have a certain simpatico with the Mac mini. Nvidia didn’t share the exact specs for what it’s calling Project Digits, but the device fit neatly in CEO Jensen Huang’s palm during its unveiling. Next to a monitor and keyboard (above), it appears to be slightly bigger than the Mac mini with a boxier and more industrial design. Nvidia didn’t provide benchmarks for the GB10 chip, but did say it’s capable of a petaflop of FP4 floating point performance and able to “run up to 200-billion-parameter large language models,” likely beyond the capabilities of the $599 Mac mini. However, Nvidia isn’t selling it to just anyone. The goal of Project Digits, Huang said, is to put “an AI supercomputer on the desks of every data scientist, AI researcher and student.” Nvidia To that end, the computer starts at $3,000 and comes with a 20-core GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip and 128GB of unified memory. Configuring a Mac mini with the M4 Pro chip, which has a 14-core CPU, and 64GB of RAM, costs $2,499 with 1TB of storage. A 1TB Mac Studio fitted with a 24-core M2 Ultra and 128GB of RAM brings the price to $4,799. While it takes several M4 Mac minis to even reach a teraflop of performance, the M2 Ultra in the Mac Studio already tops 20 teraflops. And Apple is expected to upgrade that machine to the M4 family of processors sometime this year, which will obviously bring a major performance boost. And we assume the power draw will be many times that of the Mac mini or Mac Studio (or Mac Pro for that matter). Nvidia Of course, we’re comparing Apples to oranges here. Nvidia’s Mac mini clone isn’t meant for everyday work. Digits is kitted out with Nvidia’s full AI software enterprise platform, including “an extensive library of Nvidia AI software for experimentation and prototyping, including software development kits, orchestration tools, frameworks and models.”02:36 pmTotalAV Antivirus Pro review: a bit of a mess
Macworld At a GlanceExpert's Rating Pros Good level of configuration and customization Cons Errors removing some malware infections Too focused on upselling Our Verdict If you’re looking for a security utility that will supposedly help protect you on multiple fronts there are better options out there. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price Total AV $99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Price When Reviewed$99 ($29 introduction price) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Total AV $99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Sometimes there’s a reason you haven’t heard of a software company or its products. This is the case with Total Security Limited’s TotalAV Antivirus Pro 2025 software, which functions as an intended jack-of-all-trades security suite centered around virus and malware protection and removal, with almost every other utility that can be conceived of included and available as premium add-ons. TotalAV, which requires Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later to install and run, is available as a free trial and retails for a $99/£99 license fee for one year (currently discounted to $29 in the U.S. but not in the U.K.), which offers licensing for three Mac, Windows, iOS, or Android devices. The software downloads and installs cleanly, and granted full access to my hard drive for scanning with minimal fuss. An elegant user interface greets the user, and the software itself is centered around the Dashboard, Smart Scan, Password Vault, Malware Scan, VPN, Identity Protection, Total Adblock, Data Breach Check, WebShield, Junk Cleaner, Duplicate Finder, Large & Old Files, Disk Usage, Browser Cleaner, Startup Programs, and Uninstaller modules. To see how TotalAV compares to other antivirus software we have reviewed see our Best Mac Antivirus apps round-up. TotalAV offers a good level of configuration and customization, allowing the user to create whitelists as to files to avoid checking, and the generic Smart Scan feature, which runs upon initially launching TotalAV, came up with issues such as 132 tracking cookies, duplicate files, and storage that could be reclaimed. To its credit, TotalAV allows for the easy targeting and scanning of specific folders and external and removable volumes, and the software was able to identify, quarantine, and remove large swaths of infected sample software, but that’s about where the good times end. Just about everything within TotalAV is a push to get you past the free trial, to “Get Protected Now,” and the fact that the trial version of the software only allows for viral infections to be quarantined as opposed to quarantined and removed says something. Until you pull the trigger and shell out $29 for the first year’s subscription, you’ll be limited in what you can do, and even the act of purchasing the software led to my bank texting me to question whether this was a valid transaction, which has never happened before in my years of purchasing utility software. This, combined with no less than 64 pages of complaints about Total Security on the Better Business Bureau website doesn’t leave potential users feeling great about what they’ve purchased or whom they’ve purchased it from. TotalAV locating two additional instances of malware that it had a hard time removing.Foundry Aside from the few things the software does well, the strikes against it just kept coming. In addition to letting reams of sample malware be installed, macOS’ GateKeeper feature offering warnings that needed to be bypassed, setting up TotalAV’s supposed Real-Time Protection feature was vague, and the software takes you to macOS’ Privacy & Security settings, but doesn’t specifically open the extensions menu you need. It’s unclear as to which extension they’re referring to and if you’re installing it correctly, and while TotalAV was able to find and remove 102 examples of malware on its first major test run, it missed the OSX.Backdoor.Adwind and OSX.Loader infections, which had to be removed with another utility. The results of TotalAV’s malware scan and the application returning an error in quarantining the OSX.Keylogger infection.Foundry The application found 15 more pieces of malware on a follow-up scan and had errors removing some malware infections, crashing once and continuously posting pop-ups asking you to review it, even after purchasing the software. While the ad blocker feature works well, the WebShield function proved to be all but worthless, and allowed visits to websites from every possible element of my Gmail spam folder with no warnings to speak of. Other features, such as VPN and Identity Protection proved to be ads for additional services that could be purchased, including TotalAV’s cloud service for storage. TotalAV discovering an additional 15 malware infections on a follow-up security scan.Foundry Other modules, such as Junk Cleaner, Duplicate Finder, Large & Old Files, Disk Usage, Browser Cleaner, Startup Programs, and Uninstaller, work well enough and chase down cache files, language files, cookie files, duplicates, and the like, but offer nothing beyond what other utility programs of this kind tend to offer. These functions run well, but feel impeded by the rest of the suite, which is an anchor around the neck of what TotalAV could be. Finally, there’s the presence of Total Security as a company, and the failures therein. Head over to the TotalAV website, and there’s next to no means of contacting the company outside of submitting help tickets. I never heard back from media relations regarding questions I had, and the general feeling here is for you to purchase as high a level of services from them/give them your account information and go away. The website, as ridden with typos and grammatical errors as it is, offers little that makes one feel confident about dealing with Total Security in and of itself. Should you buy TotalAV Antivirus Pro? What’s present here is an outright mess of a utility that’s trying to do everything at once and does little of it well. Yes, the user interface is elegant and the performance is speedy, but this comes at the cost of functionality, reliability, and the fact that TotalAV just seems to be trying to upsell you as to the next feature. Any sane software company would have offered a fully-featured trial version of its software as well as sorted out the bugs prior to release, and I feel as if this barely came up as an option for Total Security. This is the software equivalent of visiting your friend’s home and talking with their small children, who are telling you about their toy collection and proceeding to take 459 toys out of a toy chest and show each of them to you with half a sentence of explanation as to each toy before moving on to the next one, something that doesn’t pass muster if you’re looking for a security utility that will supposedly help protect you on multiple fronts. There are better options out there, and you’d be better off seeking them out than in giving Total Security any of your time, attention, and money until they dramatically overhaul TotalAV and make it focused, reliable, and better suited to the user’s needs.02:30 pmTurn your iPhone into a guitar teacher and get ready to shred
With The Complete 2024 Beginner to Expert Guitar Lessons Bundle you will learn how to play guitar a 14-course bundle of online guitar lessons. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)02:17 pmStart your photocopiers: Dell rebrand shamelessly rips off Pro iPhone marketing
In a bid to reinvigorate PC sales, Dell should've put a lot of thought into how it rebrands its PCs. Instead, it ripped off the iPhone's Pro and Pro Max naming conventions.Dell Pro 14 Premium beside an iPhone 16 Pro Max - Image Credit: Dell, AppleWhile a company can use brand names for its products successfully for long periods of time, they sometimes feel the itch to try something new. Rebranding efforts from major organizations can take a lot of resources and focus group meetings to create something new, but it seems Dell decided against that route altogether.Announced on Monday for the annual CES tradeshow, Dell proudly declared that it's grown tired of its existing product names. Titles such as "XPS" and "Inspiron" have been used for years, denoting the performance and target markets for the models, but they won't anymore. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums02:15 pmPowerful new charger boasts display and ‘vertical hanging ports’
CES saw the debut of a powerful new Anker charger with an information display and downward-facing ports, plus a potent power bank. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)02:11 pmApple, Indonesia discuss investment proposal meant to lift iPhone sales ban
Indonesia's industry minister met with Apple representatives on Tuesday to discuss potential investment in the country. Such investment… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.02:00 pmChrome vs. Safari on Mac: Why Google’s browser wins for me
Google Chrome or Safari — which is the best Mac browser? I prefer Chrome over Apple's browser despite some major shortcomings. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)02:00 pmGovee unveils new Mini Panel Lights at CES 2025
Govee has just unveiled their latest innovation at CES 2025: the Mini Panel Lights. These compact, customizable lights are designed to transform any space with vibrant colors and intelligent features. And the best part is, they support Matter! Here’s what you need to know. more…01:52 pmApple Intelligence summaries mess could be solved in three ways – Jason Snell
Veteran tech writer Jason Snell thinks Apple’s plan to address the Apple Intelligence summaries mess doesn’t go far enough, and has three suggestions for the company. The post follows a series of embarrassing mistakes in attempted summaries of news stories, which have variously claimed that Luigi Mangione shot himself, announced the winner of a competition which hadn’t even taken place, and reported the non-existent coming out of a tennis player … more…01:30 pmMacPaw goes after mobile device management with CleanMy Mac Business
Setapp and CleanMyMac developer MacPaw has launched a new device management solution for small to medium-sized businesses, providing tools to manage fleets of Macs.Managing multiple Macs in a business — image credit: MacPawMacPaw is best known for its Setapp bundle of chiefly Mac apps, although in Europe it is working to introduce an iOS equivalent through its own App Store. Alongside the subscription bundle, the company also sells CleanMyMac for individuals, and says that it is this app that has led to the new service.Specifically, MacPaw says that data from the use of CleanMyMac has improved the performance of individual Macs. It's now hoping to bring those performance benefits to Macs across whole organizations. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums01:09 pmThis $160 cellular smartwatch with a camera aims to be an Apple Watch for kids
While some parents treat their kids to an Apple Watch, the Pinwheel Watch aims to offer an interesting alternative. The $160 cellular smartwatch combines strong parental controls with a kid-friendly AI chatbot. Unlike the real thing, the Pinwheel includes a camera, with the company promising that video calling will be coming later this year … more…01:06 pmApple vows to ‘clarify’ AI summaries after spate of fake news alerts
Macworld Following a litany of serious errors and numerous complaints, Apple has announced that it will make changes to the way its AI news summaries are presented to users. In December, the BBC complained when Apple Intelligence auto-summarized one of its articles as part of a notification and completely altered its meaning, falsely informing readers that the alleged killer Luigi Mangione had shot himself. The rest of the summary is accurate, but the first clause is wholly false.BBC “BBC News is the most trusted news media in the world,” a BBC spokesperson said at the time. “It is essential to us that our audiences can trust any information or journalism published in our name and that includes notifications.” But Apple seemingly did not respond to the complaint and more errors followed. In January the company’s AI summarized a BBC article about the World Darts Championship to say that Luke Littler had won the competition, when it hadn’t even started. (Funnily enough Littler did go on to become the youngest ever winner, but not until later.) It also incorrectly claimed Rafael Nadal had come out as gay when he had not, again presenting this information as if it came from the BBC. While the BBC appears to be the main sufferer of Apple Intelligence’s inaccuracies, a New York Times alert was reportedly twisted to suggest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been arrested; he had not. Apple AI notification summaries continue to be so so so bad— Ken Schwencke (@schwanksta.com) 2024-11-21T19:22:27.650Z Apple has not apologised for the errors, nor has it even explicitly admitted that the AI got these things wrong. But the company has this week acknowledged that Apple Intelligence’s summaries can be improved, and promised that an imminent software update will do so. “Apple Intelligence features are in beta and we are continuously making improvements with the help of user feedback,” the company said. “A software update in the coming weeks will further clarify when the text being displayed is summarization provided by Apple Intelligence. We encourage users to report a concern if they view an unexpected notification summary.” At the moment, the notifications are presented as if they come directly from the news source. At the top they say BBC News (or NYTimes, or whatever), with the official app logo on the left; nowhere does it say that the text has been autogenerated by Apple Intelligence rather than being provided by the app. It would appear that Apple is promising only to label the text more informatively, rather than to make it more accurate… although one would hope that work on the latter aspect is ongoing as a matter of routine. For more on this story, and the limitations of AI more generally, read the Macalope’s latest column, Apple Intelligence didn’t write this headline.01:00 pmAI Dominates 2025 Cybersecurity Predictions
Experts predict new threats, expanded attack surfaces, and the critical need for secure and responsible AI adoption as it reshapes cybersecurity strategies in 2025. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.12:45 pmValerion VisionMaster Pro 2 projector review: Beautiful hardware, amazing image quality | AppleInsiderValerion VisionMaster Pro 2 projector review: Beautiful hardware, amazing image quality
The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 offers cinematic-level picture quality in a consumer-friendly and incredibly well-engineered package.Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2Anyone wanting to put together a home cinema has to consider whether they want a projector or a large television. Most go for the latter, since a projector has inherent issues associated with home use.For a start, you're not going to necessarily get the same level of picture quality that you get at a movie theater with a home projector. Part of it is light management in the environment, but nearly all of it is shelling out for a good-enough projector in the first place. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums