A tech advisory highlights risks of using adhesive screen protectors on MacBooks, noting they can degrade display clarity and, more seriously, damage the anti-reflective coating when peeled off. Thicker protectors may also prevent the laptop from closing properly, risking further screen damage from the hinge mechanism. The report points to magnetic alternatives, such as Kensington's UltraThin Magnetic Privacy Screen Filter sold on Apple's site, as safer options.
SpaceX's compact Starlink Mini dish, which measures 11.75 by 10.2 inches and weighs about 2.4 pounds, is now priced at $199 when bought directly from Starlink, down from its initial $599 launch price. The device includes a built-in Wi-Fi router, uses 20 to 40 watts of power, and can run on USB-C power sources, with Starlink offering an optional USB-C to barrel jack cable for off-grid use.
Modern Windows, Mac and Linux PCs now handle audio processing through integrated motherboard chips, commonly Realtek components, rather than separate sound cards. High-quality lossless audio, including 24-bit/192kHz Dolby Atmos streams, can be transmitted over USB 3.x, DisplayPort, Wi-Fi or HDMI without the bandwidth constraints that once necessitated dedicated hardware.
Apple's foldable iPhone Duo reportedly forgoes FaceID facial recognition in favor of a TouchID fingerprint sensor built into the power button, similar to designs on Samsung foldables. The device also lacks the Camera Control button found on other current iPhones, and reportedly has less capable cameras and no true multi-window multitasking.
A series of papers published in The Lancet reviewed existing research on how digital media affects young people's physical and mental health, covering issues ranging from nearsightedness to self-harm. The authors argue that uncertainty in the scientific evidence should not be used as a reason to delay policy measures addressing these risks.
Apple's foldable-style iPhone Duo can be tented to use its 48-megapixel rear cameras for selfies, paired with new software features called Smart Take and Duo Preview. Smart Take automatically captures a photo when it detects everyone has paused after movement, removing the need for a timer, while Duo Preview shows subjects a live front-screen feed so they can check their pose. Both features are accessible via the Camera app's customizable controls introduced in iOS 27.
A technical post walks through building a self-hosted alternative to services like ngrok or Cloudflare Quick Tunnels, relying only on standard OpenSSH remote port forwarding and an Nginx reverse proxy rather than proprietary clients or servers. It details configuring SSH to forward a local port to a remote server, setting up Nginx to route wildcard subdomains to that port, and obtaining a Let's Encrypt wildcard certificate via DNS-01 challenges on Route 53.
Apple's iOS includes a Voice Isolation mode, available on iPhone XR/XS and newer running iOS 16.4 or later, that uses machine learning to filter out background noise during phone calls. Users can activate it mid-call via Control Center's Phone Controls banner, selecting Voice Isolation or Automatic under the Mic Mode section. Other fixes for poor call quality include checking volume and speaker settings and moving to an area with stronger signal.
Braid, released in 2015, offers players intricate puzzles centered around time manipulation, complemented by impressive visual design and a soundtrack by Jami Sieber. Despite some control issues linked to keyboard drivers, the game is praised for its engaging mechanics and aesthetic appeal, though its story remains deliberately ambiguous and open to interpretation.
At the Python Language Summit, software engineer David Hewitt presented a proposed timeline and success criteria for incorporating Rust into CPython, following up on discussions from last year's PyCon. The effort, led by core developers Kirill Podoprigora and Emma Smith, now involves roughly 60 contributors including some Python core developers and Rust project members, and includes a draft PEP. The plan calls for Python distributors to test optional Rust support starting with Python 3.16, due October 2027.
Apple's iPhone Duo introduced a redesigned outer display that places navigation and dock controls within thumb's reach while retaining a large viewing area. The design has inspired tech enthusiasts, including a Twitter user named Dylan, to mock up a non-folding 'iPhone Solo' concept using the same outer-screen layout and proportions.
Following Tippett Studios' closure in August and the sale of its props and archives at a two-day auction, an anonymous bidder known as 'TippettFan' purchased a folder of CD-ROMs and other discs from the sale. That person has since digitized and uploaded 90 key, non-duplicated discs from the studio's archives to the Internet Archive, making them freely browsable online.
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