Category: Apple Insider

Amazon Halo Band

Amazon Halo has released a total of three products since its launch in August 2020. The wearable Halo Band without a screen, the Halo View with a screen, and the Halo Rise, a smart alarm clock with sleep tracking.

All of these products and their associated Halo services will no longer receive support from Amazon as of July 31. Customers that ordered new products or paid for unused subscriptions within the last 12 months can seek refunds, and some employees will be laid off with full separation packages.

Amazon didn’t provide specific details as to why the Halo division was shuttered. It called Amazon Halo an “experiment” that will no longer be supported.

A portion of Amazon’s statement read as follows:

“Beginning on August 1, 2023, Amazon Halo devices, and the Amazon Halo app, will no longer function. If you want to download or delete your Halo health data, you can do so from the Settings page in the app. If you want to save your scan images to your phone’s Camera Roll, open the individual scan image, click the button next to the camera icon, and select ‘Save images to phone.’ Remaining Halo health data will be deleted after August 1, 2023.

Some viewed the Amazon Halo products as competitors to Fitbit or Apple Watch. However, the wearables lacked many of the functions found in modern wearables, like tap payments, and some of what it tracked was deemed creepy.

The AppleInsider review of the Halo Band reflected its lack of features and invasive tracking. The fact it collected voice data to track mood didn’t sit well with us.

Service for Amazon Halo products end on July 31. Make sure to seek out refunds as applicable, or as Amazon offers, recycle products that won’t be in use.

OWC docks are 20% with coupon.

Find a dock that supports your needs, from travel-friendly adapters to full-fledged Thunderbolt powerhouses with 8K external display support and daisy-chain functionality. Plus, save 20% on qualifying docking stations with coupon code APPLEINSIDER at OWC, along with free shipping on orders of $149 or more.

It’s no secret that users often need additional ports to connect multiple accessories to Apple computers. However, with an OWC dock, you can bring all the ports you need in a compact solution.

OWC’s Thunderbolt Go Dock is a perfect partner for your MacBook, with 11 ports to connect every accessory you might need. The dock includes four USB-C ports, three USB-A ports, an SD Card reader slot, and an HDMI port.

Using exclusive coupon code APPLEINSIDER, you can take 20% off the retail price bringing your subtotal to $279.99. You won’t have to wait forever on shipping, as devices in stock ship same-day.

Buyers looking for a more flexible solution should look for the Thunderbolt Dock from OWC. This dock only offers Thunderbolt 3 support for Mac computers, yet it still provides 11 ports for users to connect accessories.

The OWC Thunderbolt Dock is an excellent platform for daisy-chaining devices using three separate device branches. These device chain branches allow you to connect extensive networks of accessories without disconnecting and reconnecting devices when something changes.

You can also take home the OWC Thunderbolt Dock for 20% off the $249.99 retail price using the APPLEINSIDER code. Enjoy three Thunderbolt ports plus the host port, four USB-A ports, an SD card slot, a 3.5mm auxiliary port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and 96W of pass-through power.

Of course, there are plenty of other OWC docks to fit the needs of every Mac or PC user.

Once you pick out a dock, you must start the checkout process to take advantage of the 20% off discount code. Follow these steps to ensure you can take advantage of the savings.

1. Select a dock for purchase and click the Add To Cart button.
   
   
2. Navigate to your cart and in the Order Summary you will see Do you have a Promo Code? Click the blue plus sign to expand the promo code box.


3. Enter the code APPLEINSIDER and hit apply.


4. To see the price of your dock with the discount, you need to click on Proceed to Checkout.
5. Complete the checkout process.

There are plenty of additional bargains going on, knocking double and triple digits off MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Air hardware that can be used alongside the this OWC deal. Here’s a sampling of some of the bargains, with hundreds of items on sale in our Apple Price Guide.

Popular Japanese electronics maker Elecom offers a small, clever, high-quality USB 2 keyboard – model TK-FCP096WH – which works with Macs and most PCs.

Elecom is a fairly popular brand in Japan and is known for its quality. Dozens of top electronics stores, such as Bic Camera, and others all over Tokyo carry Elecom’s products.

As with most things Japanese, the keyboard keeps with Japan’s aesthetic ideals of smallness and understated beauty.

It is a small portable keyboard slightly larger than Apple’s own current model wireless aluminum Bluetooth keyboard. It uses a wired USB 2 connection, but the lack of USB 3 shouldn’t be a problem since the amount of data used by keyboards is tiny.

The rear of the keyboard has six large rubber feet, and a slightly raised area at the top with a weight inside to provide the keyboard with both a slope and a little heft. Along with keeping it from sliding around on your desk, the internal inert weight also gives the keys a more solid feel when typing.

The added weight, however, does make it slightly heavy for travel – weighing in at just under a pound versus nine ounces for Apple’s wireless compact keyboard.

The keyboard’s non-removable USB cable is approximately four and a half feet in length and uses a standard USB-A connector.

The underside round edges have a unique shape and curve to them, somehow making the keyboard easier to pick up than most computer keyboards. It’s a curve that is just enough to slip your hand under, but hardly noticeable when you look at it.

Overall the device has a solid feel – with quality plastics throughout, and special key mechanisms called Pantographs. These devices were originally used to trace small images by hand to create larger copies on paper, and had two inverted movable “V”-shaped sides connected in the center with two round joints.

Pantographs slide open and closed vertically, and their use as key switches is ingenious as they give the keys a smooth but solid click.

Key faces include both English and common Hiragana characters for English and Japanese use. The use of a language key allows you to switch between either of the languages.

There are also a few special-use keys for computers found only in Japan.

Although the TK-FCP096WH isn’t a full-sized keyboard and thus lacks dedicated PC keys and a numeric keypad, Elecom has thought of a solution anyway: Page keys are located on the arrow keys, and are accessible using the function key.

Likewise, most other PC and Mac function keys are found on other keys via the use of the function key:

• Eject and Mac media keys are found across the top on the Esc, number, and Delete keys accessed via the function key.
• PC Scan Lock, Print Screen, and Insert keys are found on F12, Delete, and Backspace keys, respectively, also accessed via the function key.
• There are both physical Mac and PC (Backspace) Delete keys.
• There are Mac Command and Option keys on the physical Windows and Alt keys.
• There are two physical control keys on either side of the spacebar.

These key combos mean you get nearly the full range of both Mac and PC/Windows keys on a compact keyboard for both platforms. The only major key missing is Apple’s Touch ID key found on Apple keyboards.

There is also a tiny green Caps Lock LED at the top right corner which lights when the Caps Lock key is engaged.

The TK-FCP096WH comes in both white and black, although the black version is extremely difficult to find both online and in retail shops in Japan itself.

Overall Elecom has created a fine, quality keyboard, with simple, clean design and great keys – but you will feel the little extra weight if you carry it in your travel bag. It’s not grossly heavy, but the extra weight is noticeable.

Considering the low cost – less than half of Apple’s Bluetooth keyboard – it makes a nice addition to your travel kit.

• Small, with quality materials.
• Sleek design.
• Long USB cable.
• Multilingual.
• Custom keys for both Mac and Windows.
• Low cost.

• A bit heavy for travel.
• No numeric keypad.

You can purchase the TK-FCP096WH on Amazon US and other western sites, although the device is imported from Japan so additional shipping may or may not apply.

You can also find it at several large Japanese electronics shops online, such as Bic Camera, if you can find one that ships to other countries.

Elecom also makes small portable drives, mice, Ethernet switches, and other small computing devices.

A UK emergency alert test will occur on Sunday, messaging iPhones across the country

Emergency alert systems around the world occasionally get tested by governments making changes to the infrastructure. As part of the setup of a new system in the United Kingdom, people within the country will experience an alert broadcast on Sunday.

At 3p.m. BST, 10.a.m. Eastern, smartphones and cellular-equipped tablets using 4G and 5G networks in the UK will receive a message from the Emergency Alerts system. The alert itself will consist of a “loud siren-like sound” and a vibration lasting ten seconds, with some devices also reading the alert aloud, according to the government website.

The alert notification will advise recipients that it is a test, that it is a system to warn in the case of a life-threatening emergency nearby, and that device users should follow any issued instructions in a real emergency. It will also advise recipients to visit the UK government’s website for more information about the alerts.

In England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, the message will be in English. In Wales, the message will be in both English and Welsh.

The alerts will work with iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later, as well as Android smartphones running Android 11 or later. Older devices, turned off smartphones, and those in airplane mode will not receive the alert at the time of broadcast.

The alert will sound even if the devices are set to silent, though they can be disabled on an iPhone. Government alerts for many countries can be disabled by going to Settings, selecting Notifications, then under Government Alerts, turning the type of alert on and off.

However, since government alerts are intended to help with emergency situations, threats to safety or life, extreme weather warnings, missing persons broadcasts, and other public safety alerts, it’s not advised to turn them off unless absolutely necessary.

Though well intentioned, alert systems do have the potential to cause panic. In 2018, a false emergency alert was broadcast in Hawaii warning of incoming ballistic missiles, which prompted the FCC to make changes to the U.S. system.

Google’s San Jose “Downtown West” development

The controversial “Downtown West” facility, was met with protests from the start. As early as 2019, activists fought against the sale of public land, and land holding historical buildings to Google.

Ultimately, after a $200 million benefits package, San Jose approved Google’s project. As part of that $200 million, the development was slated to have housing for thousands of families, 15 acres of public parks, and more.

Contractors were supposed to break ground in early 2023, and that date has passed. As it stands today, it is a wide, barren, field adjacent to San Jose downtown, with mostly-completed demolition of historic locations and beloved local attractions.

A report from CNBC on Friday delves into the severity of the situation. The main cheerleader for the project, David Radcliffe, left Google in 2022. Scott Foster, Radcliffe’s replacement, is described as “more conservative in spending” in Friday’s report.

Contractors were told in late 2022 that the project could face delays, and in February 2023, the lead developer for the project laid off 67 employees, including people directly associated with Google’s project.

CNBC performed site visits performed by the publication. Construction vehicles were present, but there was no sign of any work being done on-site.

The development appears, at present, to be casualty of Google’s miserable earnings for the last few quarters. Layoffs were the first impact, and real estate the second.

In February, the company said that it would have to take a $500 million hit to cut down on office space.

Additionally, it said that other real estate changes were likely going forward.

“We’re working to ensure our real estate investments match the future needs of our hybrid workforce, our business and our communities,” a Google spokesperson said in an emailed statement to CNBC. “While we’re assessing how to best move forward with Downtown West, we’re still committed to San Jose for the long term and believe in the importance of the development.”

The future of the site isn’t clear. The company says that it could take decades to finish the project, so the window to meet that very large time span remains open.

Other projects that Google has in the works is continued investment in New York City; a campus in Boulder, Colorado; expansion of the Dulles, Virginia data center; and a data center in Texas.

San Jose stands to lose the most from the retreat, delay, or cancellation, whichever the case may be. As the report states, the area now is a demolition zone instead of what it was before — a productive downtown. Additionally, vendors, construction companies, and contractors expecting work from the build have nothing to show for it.

Apple Music

Universal Music Group (UMG) reportedly contacted streaming platforms about AI in March 2023. The company said that the song violated copyright law since it was created by artificial intelligence tools, which have been the focus of other copyright issues.

Recently a song called “Heart on My Sleeve” went viral on popular streaming platforms from a creator known as “ghostwriter.” They said that it was created by software trained by artists Drake and The Weeknd, according to a report from the BBC.

Apple Music, Deezer, and Tidal removed the song after a complaint from UMG on Monday, followed by Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube. A link to an original version of the song on YouTube now says: “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Universal Music Group.”

“These instances demonstrate why platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists,” UMG said. “We’re encouraged by the engagement of our platform partners on these issues as they recognise they need to be part of the solution.”

An intellectual property lawyer said copyright and artificial intelligence are more complex. “However, a ‘deepfaked’ voice, which does not specifically copy a performance, will most likely not be covered and could even be considered a protected work in its own right,” said Jani Ihalainen of RPC.

“Current legislation is nowhere near adequate to address deep fakes and the potential issues in terms of IP and other rights,” he added.

He mentioned that — at least in the UK — performers have specific rights over their performances under copyright law, which includes recordings of particular performances and making copies of those recordings.

Although neither artist has yet commented on the song, Drake recently voiced his annoyance at having his voice duplicated. “This is the final straw AI,” he posted on Instagram in response to a music video that used his voice.

Drop CTRL mechanical keyboard

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It’s a superb mechanical keyboard with a premium design and high-end features. Drop designed it to provide an outstanding typing experience for gamers, programmers, and typists.

The keyboard is a tenkeyless (TKL) design, meaning it has a compact layout that saves space on your desk. And it’s ideal for people who don’t want to build a custom mechanical keyboard.

The build quality of the CTRL keyboard is impressive. Its solid aluminum frame gives it a premium look and feel at 14.5 inches by 5.5 inches by 1.4 inches, weighing 3.88 pounds.

The keycaps are made from PBT plastic, known for their durability and resistance to wear. The keyboard also features customizable RGB lighting, which can be programmed to create stunning effects.

It’s “per-key” RGB, which means users can program each key’s color individually.

One of the standout features of the CTRL keyboard is its hot-swappable switches. This means that users can easily swap out the switches on the keyboard without having to solder anything.

This feature allows people to experiment with different switch types and find the perfect one for their needs. Drop has various options for choosing the kind of keys at checkout, although only two are currently available.

The Halo Clear keycaps are 65g, while the Halo Trues are lighter at 60g. They are Tactile switches, meaning they have a point of resistance in the middle of each keystroke.

Drop has a helpful animation for each kind of switch when people click the “Help Me Choose” link on the product page.

The keyboard that Drop included is part of the Icon Collection, where the company handles the styling and hand assembly to offer a fully-functioning keyboard out of the box. The collection has various designs to suit different aesthetics.

The design that Drop sent us is called the Ultrasonic Keyboard. In a vaporwave-like style, the keyboard has Holy Panda switches made with stems from Halo Clears or Halo Trues with the housing from Invyr Panda switches.

No additional tools are needed to change switches because the package includes a keycap puller and a switch puller. Remove the keycap, remove the old switch, and press the new switch into position.

Some companies, like Keychron, offer a second set of keys inside the package but Drop only included the ones already built-into the keyboard. However, Drop does list switches and keycaps for the standard model, so that might only be the case for the Icon Collection.

The Configurator

All this is to say that the keyboard was comfortable typing on. For people who type with force, the tactile “bump” that Drop describes as being in the middle of the keystroke makes it feel like you’re accomplishing your tasks with some power behind each word.

Although the keyboard has a Windows layout, with an Alt key instead of the Mac’s Option key and no Command key, the System key functions like Command. So, the Mac keyboard shortcuts you’re used to will work fine on the Drop CTRL.

A USB-C port on each side of the keyboard at the top front offers flexibility when positioning it on a desktop. For example, users can plug peripherals into the second port while using the other port to connect to a computer.

As mentioned, the keyboard has backlighting with RGB support, and the default lighting pattern is a rainbow that flows across the keys. Instead of software, it is a Quantum Mechanical Keyboard (QMK).

That means you can use Drop’s online Configurator tool to remap the keys or configure the LED backlighting. But it’s also possible to remap certain modifier keys directly in macOS for caps lock, control, option, and command keys.

The keyboard also supports up to 15 layers of key mapping. Users can create multiple keymaps using the Configurator and access them on the fly once downloaded using the Fn button.”

• Sturdy metal frame
• PBT keycaps are durable and resistant to wear
• Multiple programmable layers allow for customization of key functions

• Requires some technical knowledge to customize and program the keyboard fully
• Expensive compared to other mechanical keyboards on the market

Overall, the CTRL keyboard from Drop offers a premium typing experience with its high-quality build, hot-swappable switches, and customizable RGB lighting. While it may be more expensive than other mechanical keyboards on the market, it offers functionality that makes it a worthwhile investment for typists and gamers.

Some users may find the clicky keycaps too loud, although that’s a commonality that many mechanical keyboards share.