Category: Apple Insider

Steve Jobs Theater

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The AI summit is similar to Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, except it caters only to Apple employees. Topics this year will likely focus on ChatGPT and OpenAI.

While the event will be held in-person, it will still be streamed for employees who are unable to attend.

The news was shared on Twitter by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

While it’s impossible to tell, Apple could return to the live format for its other events, such as iPhone launch events and WWDC.

It was recently learned that Apple changed its corporate worker COVID-19 policy and will no longer require employees to get tested before entering the office.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 are $50 off.

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Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are the latest addition to the AirPods family and are designed to provide the ultimate earbuds experience for users. With Active Noise Cancellation technology and a comfortable fit, these earbuds are a must-have for anyone who values quality audio and convenience — all with seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem and a $50 discount at Amazon.com.

This February AirPods deal delivers the best price we’ve seen this year. And with units in stock and ready to ship, you won’t have to wait long to begin enjoying the second-generation AirPods Pro. Or give someone special the perfect gift this Valentine’s Day.

Amazon has also discounted Beats, with Beats Studio Buds dipping to $99.95. That’s a 33% price cut off MSRP. Beats Fit Pro x Kim Kardashian are also on sale for $179.95, a discount of 10%.

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 boast state-of-the-art noise cancellation technology that is designed to provide an immersive audio experience even in noisy environments. The earbuds use advanced algorithms to identify external sounds and block them out, allowing you to focus on the audio you want to hear.

AirPods Pro 2 are designed to provide a comfortable fit for just about every ear size. They come with four sizes of ear tips that can be swapped out to ensure a perfect fit for each individual user. The ear tips are made of a soft, flexible silicone material that provides a comfortable fit even during extended use.

AirPods Pro 2 pair easily with Apple’s iPhone.

The second generation of AirPods Pro delivers improved sound quality compared to its predecessor. It features a custom-designed high dynamic range amplifier that provides a powerful and balanced audio experience. The earbuds are also equipped with a beamforming microphone system that provides clear and crisp audio during phone calls.

AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) offer a range of convenient features that make them the ultimate earbuds for the modern user. The earbuds are equipped with a sensor that automatically pauses audio playback when you remove them from your ears, and resumes playback when you put them back in. Additionally, the earbuds are equipped with touch controls that allow you to control audio playback and switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Transparency. You can also say “Hey Siri” to issue voice commands to play a song or dial a friend.

Designed to be IPX4 water and sweat resistant, AirPods Pro 2 are perfect for active users. Whether you’re working out, running, or just on-the-go, you can be sure that your AirPods Pro 2 will stay in place and provide you with high-quality audio no matter what the conditions.

With AirPods Pro 2 currently on sale for $199.99 at Amazon, now is a great time for anyone who wants to upgrade their audio experience. Whether you’re looking for a new set of earbuds for your daily commute or for your workout sessions, Apple AirPods Pro 2 are the perfect choice for anyone who values quality audio and convenience.

There are plenty of additional bargains going on, knocking double and triple digits off Apple hardware, software, and more. Here’s a sampling of our favorites, with hundreds of exclusive deals at your fingertips in the AppleInsider Apple Price Guide.

Save on a Rosetta Stone lifetime subscription.

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The retail price for this travel bundle goes for an eye-watering $3,600 but is now on sale for only $199. Buyers using promo code VACATION15 can take an additional 15% off, bringing the final price to only $169.15.

In addition to the Rosetta Stone lifetime subscription, buyers also receive other essentials, like the Dollar Flight Club Premium lifetime subscription, lifetime access to RealVPN, and travel courses through Skill Success.

Follow through with the dream of learning a new language with the help of Rosetta Stone’s intuitive teaching program designed to help you speak confidently. With the lifetime subscription, you receive unlimited access to 24 languages, allowing you to converse in popular languages like Spanish, German, and Chinese.

The Rosetta Stone lifetime subscription alone is worth $299 because of proprietary speech-recognition software and TruAccent, which helps develop your skills to sound more natural. Plus, you can use Rosetta Stone on a Mac or PC with a stable internet connection.

With the VACATION15 code, you can unlock Rosetta Stone and other great software for only $169.15.

Keep your internet traffic secure and dodge potential censorship with lifetime access to RealVPN. RealVPN allows you to secure up to five devices thanks to iOS and Windows support, and the high-level AES-256 encryption is among the best in the cybersecurity industry.

Plan an affordable trip abroad with the Dollar Flight Club premium membership that’s also included in the Travel Hacker Bundle. Dollar Flight Club allows travelers to receive alerts when flights to premium destinations become more affordable.

Travel like an expert with the Travel Hacker courses provided through Skill Success, another benefit of the Travel Hacker Bundle. Learn the ins and outs of international travel through more than 400 courses and nearly 80 hours of lectures on topics that make travel easier.

There are plenty of additional deals going on, often knocking double and triple digits off Apple hardware, software, and more. Here’s a sampling of our favorites, with hundreds of exclusive bargains within grasp in the AppleInsider Apple Price Guide.

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We’ve heard a couple of stories of people using Apple’s item tracker to recover lost luggage — but now one AirTag owner has used the device to track his wallet as it traveled to 35 cities.

John Lewis had contacted American Airlines regarding a wallet he lost in late January. When American Airlines responded, it said the crew had thoroughly cleaned the plane and could not find it.

Lewis chronicled his story on Twitter, as spotted by People.

At the time of writing, American Airlines has not returned Lewis’ wallet. However, the airline has since reached out to him via Twitter.

In August 2022, a couple watched as their lost luggage toured Portugal without them, but thanks to AirTag, was able to recover it five days later.

Apple’s AirTag

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Apple has been clear about whether or not you should use an AirTag to track a pet — and the answer is no. While attaching an AirTag to a pet’s collar sounds like a good idea in practice, it would only help find them while inside the home network. If they ran away and got picked up by someone, the person finding the pet would need an updated iPhone or iPad nearby to ping the Find My network.

Even if they had an Android device to tap the AirTag for more information, they’d have to know that it was a capability in the first place.

So, while there have been times when an AirTag has helped return a lost dog, that doesn’t mean it’s a particularly good idea.

Still, that hasn’t stopped countless numbers of accessory makers from creating AirTag-compatible collars, harnesses, and clips for doing just that. And it certainly has not prevented many well-intentioned pet owners from attaching an AirTag to their pets, either.

The Wall Street Journal has highlighted stories that exemplify why you shouldn’t put an AirTag on your dog’s collar.

One owner mentioned he had lost an AirTag that he’d previously attached to the collar of his dog Sophie. When he triggered the AirTag sound alert, he tracked the beeping to the stomach of his foster dog, Sassy.

Eventually, he got Sassy to throw the tracker up, and after purchasing a new AirTag holder, he reattached it to Sophie’s collar.

Another couple had attached an AirTag to their dog, Rose, who proceeded to chew the device and ingest bits of metal and plastic while they were out of the house.

A trip to the vet showed that Rose had indeed eaten parts of the AirTag. Fortunately, the battery had not been ingested. The owner admitted that she’d thought it was a great idea without realizing the potential drawbacks.

Another owner wasn’t so lucky. When her six-month-old puppy, Luna, ingested an AirTag, she took her to the vet. Unfortunately, after failing to get Luna to vomit the AirTag out, the animal hospital had no choice but to attempt surgery.

Unfortunately for Luna, the surgeon was unable to locate the AirTag and sent her home. Six weeks later, Luna eventually vomited up the AirTag on her own.

And it’s not just Apple who warns against using AirTags to track your dog, either. Vets have warned pet owners against using AirTags to keep tabs on their pets.

Because AirTags contain batteries, there’s a significant risk that they could leak and cause organ damage. The dangers of battery leaks increase if the battery has been damaged by chewing or if it sits in the dog’s stomach for a long time.

Instead of putting an AirTag or other item tracker on your dog, it’s better to get your dog microchipped, as most dog shelters and veterinarian offices can scan them to bring up your contact information. Also, be sure to keep your dog licensed and keep their dog tags on their collar or harness at all times.

It’s also wise to practice preventative measures to avoid a dog escaping in the first place. Always keep your dog on a leash when not in fenced areas, and ensure everyone in your home knows to leave doors closed tightly when coming in and out of the house.

If you absolutely must use an AirTag to track your dog, ensure that you purchase a collar that holds the AirTag flush. Do not hang an AirTag from the collar where it could come loose or be pulled off by another dog.

[Mati Mango/Pexels]

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The Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has put out a call for smartphone owners to be cautious about crash detection features in smartphones and other devices, due to an influx of automated attempts to call for help in situations when it’s not needed.

The problem has been an issue for the Fire Department of Kita-Alps Nagano, which covers five municipalities in Nagano Prefecture, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun on Sunday. Between December 16 and January 23, 919 emergency calls were made, but 134 were false calls, with most triggered by Crash Detection within a skiing area.

Gujo City Fire Department in Gifu Prefecture had 351 emergency calls from January 1 to January 23, but 135 of the calls were similarly false alarms.

Under normal use, Crash Detection may determine a user’s fall or collision while skiing or snowboarding to be the equivalent of a crash, triggering a countdown that results in a call to emergency services. However, users may not necessarily be able to react to alerts preceding the call in time, so they can’t stop the call before it is placed.

Calls are also placed to the iPhone to follow-up an automated alert, but if there’s no response, there’s no option but to answer the call.

While it is possible to turn off the feature, one firefighter explained that since it’s an effective feature in cases where a serious accident actually occurs, “we can’t ask users to turn it off.”

An agency official asks the public to inform the local fire department of the mistake if their iPhone makes a false emergency call.

Crash Detection is a problem in other ski-related areas too, including in Utah and Colorado. Off the slopes, the feature has also been triggered by other events, including riding a rollercoaster.

BRAW Toolbox for Blackmagic

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BRAW Toolbox lets Mac users import their Blackmagic RAW files directly into Final Cut Pro without transcoding. The extension prepares all footage before import so users can change the RAW metadata and transfer it from different BRAW video clips.

Users can also save presets for specific metadata attributes. After importing to Final Cut Pro, the RAW metadata can still be modified at any time, and categories such as the ISO, Exposure, Color Temperature, and Tint are available to keyframe.

BRAW Toolbox comes with a Metadata View that allows users to view every piece of BRAW Metadata directly within the Final Cut Pro Inspector.

BRAW Toolbox lets Mac users import their Blackmagic RAW files directly into Final Cut Pro without transcoding

Other features include automatic Decode Quality options for HD and UltraHD projects and the ability to work at a low-quality Decode Quality where a “Global Setting” option will force Full Quality before export.

Blackmagic Design engineers released its own RAW codec in 2018 to solve problems with traditional video codecs. While these codecs are faster, quality is damaged because of the limitation to 10 bits and the 4:2:2 video filter that’s used, which reduces color detail.

The BRAW codec moves part of the de-mosaic processing from the computer’s CPU into the camera, resulting in efficient encoding for a new high-performance RAW experience. It uses noise management, sensor profiling, and new edge reconstruction algorithms to produce high-quality cinematic images with depth, crisp details, and image separation.

BRAW Toolbox is available on the Mac App Store for $79.99. However, for the first week of the launch, it will be available for 50% off. There will be no free trial, and will only be available as a one-time payment.