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- Tuesday February 18
- 10:30 amApple’s political turn is leading it down a sketchy road
Macworld In a clearing in a forest, near the magical river where the gnomes harvest mushrooms and the fairies argue over an editorial in the latest issue of Teen Vogue, sits a Macalope on a stump, hunched over a keyboard. Is it ergonomic? No. It’s a forest. How is it going to be ergonomic? Magic? Magic is surprisingly un-ergonomic. There isn’t even a power outlet. Thank god for the M-series processors’ low power consumption. There is Wi-Fi, though, because the centaurs set up an open network for their late-night MMORPG sessions. They are loud and anger the nymphs, who have to be up early to dance in the glade. It’s a whole thing. But let’s return to the lone Macalope. He’s trying to think of what to write for this week’s column. There’s going to be an Apple event this week. He could write about that. But it’s probably just the new iPhone SE, maybe with a new name. Nice, but it’s not exactly huge news. He could write about Apple Intelligence and the company’s rumored struggles getting Siri to be smarter. But there’s only so many times you can write about AI without your head exploding. The thing is, he knows what he should write about, he just doesn’t want to. The Macalope doesn’t want to write about politics. These days, he doesn’t even want to think about politics. Have you seen politics? Ugh. Blech. It was never good on a good day. But now… And writing about politics on a technology website is the very definition of a Kobayashi Maru. Except without the Klingons. And spaceships. So, not the very definition, but you know what the Macalope means. People will yell “Stay in your lane, mythical beast! Just shut up and be funny about Apple!” First of all, that’s an oxymoron. Unless the Macalope is supposed to do a funny interpretive dance about Apple and he wouldn’t even know where to start with something like that. Julliard? Could he even get in at his age? Second, though, believe the Macalope when he says he would love to just be funny about Apple. But it’s getting harder and harder to do. IDG And the Macalope isn’t the one who started it. Apple was conspicuously non-political for years, not having its own political action committee while almost all of its U.S.-based competitors did. Okay, sure, it hired a few famous former members of Democratic administrations. But it also took on the Department of Justice during a Democratic administration over privacy concerns. The first thing that drew attention to Apple’s new game was in January when Tim Cook made an unprecedented $1 million donation to the incoming administration’s inaugural fund. The Macalope says “unprecedented” because he’d never done it before. All of a sudden he’s really into the transition of power. Sure, Tim. Now, Apple has decided to resume advertising on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Let’s remember the reason Apple stopped advertising on that site in the first place: The move follows Musk’s endorsement of antisemitic conspiracy theories as well as Apple ads reportedly being placed alongside far-right content. Axios, November 17, 2023 And it’s not like he’s apologized. Still, at least since then, he’s stayed out of the spotlight and only gone on to… [pretends to put on glasses and read a piece of paper]… be the unelected, unconfirmed, unqualified auditor-in-chief of the entire U.S. government. Huh. Don’t remember that in that Schoolhouse Rock song. Guess he got the gig by doing such a bang-up job with Twitter. It’s little wonder that people are upset with Apple. The company has clearly decided to buy itself access, no matter what the cost to its reputation and, yeah, gonna say it, the rest of us. You picked a really bad time to start being political, Apple. And we see you. Plus, you’re apparently never going to make a phone in a size the Macalope likes again, either. So there’s also that. If you’d like to receive regular news and updates to your inbox sign up for our newsletters, including The Macalope and Apple Breakfast, David Price’s weekly, bite-sized roundup of all the latest Apple news and rumors.10:15 amRumor: Next-gen iPhone SE could be renamed “iPhone 16E”
Apple may be throwing its customer base a bit of a curveball, with the iPhone SE 4 being renamed the “iPhone 16E.” Per an unlikely leak that surfaced in January and backed up by Bloomberg, Apple could be doing something of a rebrand, as noted via a Tim Cook teaser tweet. “Get ready to meet […] Source10:00 amRumor: Apple may debut M5 chip via MacBook Pro this fall
Apple may introduce its upcoming M5 chip not in the next-gen iPad Pro, but in the MacBook Pro this fall. Per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple could drop the M5 chip in its upcoming next-gen notebook before its other devices. The company surprised the computing last year when it introduced the M4 chip in the iPad […] Source09:34 amPurported iPhone 17 Air design shows off ultra-thin sides and rear camera bar
After releasing a video on their expected iPhone 17 Pro design, Jon Prosser at FrontPageTech returns with another video depicting what they believe the upcoming ‘iPhone 17 Air’ will look like, the radically new addition to the iPhone family. The Air is expected to replace the in the lineup, a mid-range model with an all-new ultra-thin chassis design. Many publications have indicated that one of the compromises will be the fact that the phone features a single rear camera. However, these renders suggest that single lens will still be housed inside a full-width protruding bar shape. more…08:00 amWaited too long to book your trip? This app finds the best options fast
Macworld You had every intention of booking early for your next trip, but life got in the way (again). Now, flights and hotels are sky-high — unless you have this secret travel deals app. OneAir gives you lower prices than sites like Expedia and Hotels.com, and a lifetime subscription is at its lowest price ever with this deal: $69.99 with code FLY30 until March 30. Let’s start with that airline ticket. You can find a cheap last-minute flight for $50 to $150 less than free websites, which pretty much pays for the OneAir subscription after your first trip. You’ll find deals from economy up to first-class by search, or you can set destination-specific deal alerts powered by an AI engine that finds the best prices online. You can also save $20 to $150 per night on hotel stays if you need it! When you book right on the OneAir app, you also earn 10% in cash rewards for future purchases, helping you double down on the savings. Save on your travels with a OneAir lifetime subscription at $69.99 with promo code FLY30. OneAir Elite: Lifetime Subscription (Book Unbeatable Hotel and Flight Deals + Earn Up to 10% in Cash Rewards on Most Bookings) – $99.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.08:00 amSubscriptions are out, lifetime Office for your Mac is in
Macworld Let’s be real — subscription fees are the worst. If you’re tired of shelling out cash every month just to use basic apps like Word or Excel (or you’re missing them on your Mac!), it’s time to switch things up with Microsoft Office 2019. For $39.99, you’ll get lifetime access to the full suite of Office apps on your Mac computer — only pay once. No subscriptions, no sneaky renewal charges, just the tools you need to get stuff done. With this deal, you’re getting the full lineup: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams Classic. Whether you’re drafting proposals, crunching numbers, or firing off emails, you’ll have everything you need to stay on top of your game. Plus, since it’s built specifically for Mac, it looks sharp with features like Retina display support and full-screen view for a smoother experience. Just make your one-time purchase, download the software, and you’re good to go. And because the license is tied to your Microsoft account (not your device), you won’t lose access if you upgrade your Mac in the future. Skip the subscriptions and get the tools you need without the hassle. Grab your lifetime license to Microsoft Home and Business 2019 for Mac on sale for $39.99 for a limited time. Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac – $39.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.06:20 amHere’s your first look at the iPhone 17 Air’s alleged design
A video reveals the final design of Apple's rumored 5.5mm slim iPhone 17 Air in all its glory, highlighting the Pixel-like rear camera bar. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)04:40 amGolfo del Gringo Loco
Much serious thought and consideration, from very smart people in Mountain View and Cupertino, went into determining how to respond to a profoundly silly and thoughtless executive order.12:55 amYes, using Low Power Mode slows down your iPhone
The iPhone’s Low Power Mode is not a new feature. In fact, it was introduced with iOS 9 back in 2015. But from time to time I see someone on the web complaining about how their is running slowly. What do some of these cases have in common? Screenshots or videos showing that Low Power Mode is on. Read on as I detail how exactly this feature affects iPhone performance. more…Monday February 1711:22 pmDeepSeek to be removed from App Store in South Korea due to local ban
Bad news for DeepSeek users in South Korea. The country’s regulator announced on Monday that the Chinese AI app is now banned in South Korea under allegations that it fails to comply with local data protection laws. As a result, both Apple and Google will have to remove the app from their respective app stores. more…10:00 pmSave on Dollar Flight Club, then save on air travel for the rest of your life
Turn your dream vacation into reality with discounted flights, via a lifetime subscription to Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus+. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)09:27 pmApple’s competitive edge in AI hinges on these three unreleased Siri features
At a glance, the most notable change to Siri in iOS 18 is its new design. The floating orb has been replaced with a rainbow glow around the edge of the device. This signals that Siri is now powered by Apple Intelligence, but the biggest AI features for Siri haven’t rolled out yet. That’s about to change in the next few iOS 18 updates. more…09:23 pmParallels Desktop 20.2.1
Bug fixes for the virtualization software. ($99.99 Standard Edition, free update for subscribers, macOS 10.14.6+)08:06 pm9to5Neural: xAI unveiling Grok 3 tonight — could GPT-4.5 steal the show?
Welcome to 9to5Neural. AI moves fast. We help you keep up. OpenAI says GPT-4.5 is coming to ChatGPT in a matter of weeks. But first, xAI will unveil Grok 3 tonight. Now the countdown is on for OpenAI to do the funniest thing ever… more…08:06 pmNeural: xAI unveiling Grok 3 tonight — could GPT-4.5 steal the show?
Welcome to Neural. AI moves fast. We help you keep up. OpenAI says GPT-4.5 is coming to ChatGPT in a matter of weeks. But first, xAI will unveil Grok 3 tonight. Now the countdown is on for OpenAI to do the funniest thing ever… more…07:55 pmMagSafe Monday: Does AUKEY’s MagFusion GameFrost fix MagSafe overheating?
As iPhones have become more powerful, they’ve also become hotter—especially during heavy usage periods with games on Apple Arcade, video conferencing, etc. Combine that with MagSafe, and you see the opportunity for an iPhone to get warmer very quickly. AUKEY aims to solve both problems with the new AUKEY MagFusion GameFrost Active Cooling Wireless Charger. Let’s take a look at how it works. more…07:55 pmMagSafe Monday: Does AUKEY’s MagFusion GameFrost fix MagSafe overheating?
As iPhones have become more powerful, they’ve also become hotter—especially during heavy usage periods with games on Apple Arcade, video conferencing, etc. Combine that with MagSafe, and you see the opportunity for an iPhone to get warmer very quickly. AUKEY aims to solve both problems with the new AUKEY MagFusion GameFrost Active Cooling Wireless Charger. Let’s take a look at how it works. more…07:55 pmMagSafe Monday: Does AUKEY’s MagFusion GameFrost fix MagSafe overheating?
As iPhones have become more powerful, they’ve also become hotter—especially during heavy usage periods with games on Apple Arcade, video conferencing, etc. Combine that with MagSafe, and you see the opportunity for an iPhone to get warmer very quickly. AUKEY aims to solve both problems with the new AUKEY MagFusion GameFrost Active Cooling Wireless Charger. Let’s take a look at how it works. more…07:55 pmMagSafe Monday: Does AUKEY’s MagFusion GameFrost fix MagSafe overheating?
As iPhones have become more powerful, they’ve also become hotter—especially during heavy usage periods with games on Apple Arcade, video conferencing, etc. Combine that with MagSafe, and you see the opportunity for an iPhone to get warmer very quickly. AUKEY aims to solve both problems with the new AUKEY MagFusion GameFrost Active Cooling Wireless Charger. Let’s take a look at how it works. more…07:55 pmMagSafe Monday: Does AUKEY’s MagFusion GameFrost fix MagSafe overheating?
As iPhones have become more powerful, they’ve also become hotter—especially during heavy usage periods with games on Apple Arcade, video conferencing, etc. Combine that with MagSafe, and you see the opportunity for an iPhone to get warmer very quickly. AUKEY aims to solve both problems with the new AUKEY MagFusion GameFrost Active Cooling Wireless Charger. Let’s take a look at how it works. more…