MacBook Pro 13 Inch - Power and Portability at a Steep Price

Wired has published its review of the new 13-inch MacBook Pro. It finds lots to compliment, but says that the power and portability comes at a high price.

For a $1,799 machine, there are a few areas where Apple needs to improve things. First, the webcam. It’s not great. More people are video calling than ever before, and it’d be great if we could see each other in 1080p. The addition of Face ID as a login option would be nice too. Touch ID is fine, but I’ve gotten used to the iPad Pro unlocking as soon as I remove the cover, and I think that experience would translate well on a MacBook.

How to Spot Online Scams Using Google’s New Tool

Partnering with the Cybercrime Support Network, Google has a new tool called Scam Spotter. It gives you a quiz to help you spot online scams. It simplifies advice from experts into three golden rules:

  • Slow it down: Are they telling you it’s urgent? Take your time and ask questions to avoid being rushed into a bad situation.
  • Spot check: Are they claiming to be from a specific institution? Do your own research to double check the details you’re getting.
  • Stop! Don’t send: Are they asking you to go to the store and get gift cards? If you think a payment feels fishy, it probably is.

You Can Buy This Former Apple CEO's Home... For $37.5 Million

Mike Markkula, Apple employee number three, has his rather impressive Carmel Valley Ranch on the market, iDropnews has spotted. Mr. Markkula was also Apple’s second CEO. The property will set you back US$37.5 million.

More than just 14,000 acres of land, you’ll receive quite the bundle for your 37 million dollars, including seven homes, a helipad, a private lake, two barns, a 2,900-foot airstrip, offices, staff housing, a horse-riding arena and more. See photos below… Markkula purchased the ranch back in 1982 for $8 million, which, adjusted for inflation, equals roughly $21.2 million in 2020. The ranch is said to be perfect for those who enjoy the outdoors, riding horses, ATVing, or hunting and sits just 85 miles south of Silicon Valley.

Tidal Bringing Dolby Atmos to Apple TV 4K

Tidal subscribers will soon be able to get Dolby Atmos Music on their Apple TV 4K. AppleInsider reported that the change is set to be included in a forthcoming update to the music and entertainment streaming service.

To get the update, users will need to have a Dolby Atmos-enabled devices to a compatible streaming player, have an active subscription to Tidal HiFi, and make sure their Tidal app is updated to the most recent version. The Apple TV 4K, which supports Dolby Atmos, should get the update soon as the service will be rolling out over the next few days. Other compatible devices include Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick (second generation), Fire TV (third generation), and Nvidia’s Shield TV and Shield TV Pro. The Tidal app is also available on Dolby Atmos-enabled Android TVs from Sony and Philips.

This Antenna Has an 80-Mile Range to Receive HDTV, 4K TV, Analog TV Signals, More: $49.99

We have a deal on the Monster Targe 80, an indoor/outdoor full HD TV antenna. The design features 360° Signal Reception, meaning you won’t have to worry about what direction your antenna is facing to receive your channels. It’s also fully assembled, and TV-ready with the ability to receive HDTV, SDTV, 4K TV, RCA’S DTTV, Analog TV Signals, and more. This device is $49.99 through our deal.

Anker Debuts 24K Gold USB-C to Lightning Cable

Anker’s latest product is a 24-karat gold USB-C to Lightning cable. It’s part of the company’s Powerline+ III product line and designed with a 35,000 bend lifespan. Additionally, Anker says “We’re so confident in PowerLine+ III that we are offering a hassle-free replacement for all quality issues.“ Each cable is partially assembled by hand in a 51-step production process. Need I say more? It’s US$99.99 on Amazon, and it’s the perfect accessory for your gold-plated iPhone 11 from Roberto Escobar.

'Mythic Quest' on Apple TV+ Might be The First Great Piece of Quarantine TV

Lots of shows have done special ‘at home’ or quarantine episodes. Some have even found a way to carry on in our new work from home conditions. Lots of it has been watchable, but Fast Company’s  Steve Berkowitz thinks that with its latest episode of Mythic Quest, Apple TV+ has the first great piece of quarantine TV.

The most remarkable thing about the episode is that it mostly feels like any other installment of the show. Cocreator and star Rob McElhenney spent a whole season with his creative team (Charlie Day, Megan Ganz, and David Hornsby) sketching out various dynamics—between the titular game’s creator, Ian (McElhenney), and its lead developer, Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao); between the put-upon cofounder, David (Hornsby), and the shameless CFO, Brad (Danny Pudi); and between lovestruck Rachel (Ashly Burch) and her fellow game tester, Dana (Imani Hakim)—not to mention a deep bench of side characters. The new episode nimbly toggles between all those plotlines in mini-vignettes that are so organic, the Zoom format feels almost incidental at times. (Except for a running bit about making spatial illusions in Zoom that culminates in a grand payoff.)

More Details on Apple Card Rival Samsung Money Emerge

More information about Samsung Money, the South Korean firm’s attempt to rival Apple Card, was announced on Wednesday. The new debit card will link with the existing Samsung Pay app. The Verge has the details.

Originally announced earlier in May, today’s news offers more concrete information on what Samsung Money will actually offer — specifically, a cash management account and a Samsung Money debit card (a Mastercard issued by The Bancorp Bank). Samsung is promising that Samsung Money will feature no account fees (although the fine print reserves the right to change that in the future) and “higher interest” compared to the national average (although Samsung doesn’t go into specifics). A key part of the Samsung Money program is the Samsung Pay app integration: customers will be able to easily apply for the card directly from the app and start using it through Samsung Pay on their phones once approved, before the physical card even arrives. Furthermore, you’ll be able to use the Samsung Pay app to check your balance, review past purchases, freeze your card, and flag fraudulent purchases.

Roberto Escobar Sues Apple for $2.6B Over iPhone Security

Roberto Escobar, brother of Pablo Escobar, is suing Apple for US$2.6 billion. He claims someone hacked his iPhone and found his email through FaceTime. As a way to fight the company he’s also launching a limited edition iPhone 11 Pro 256GB, gold plated, for US$499.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Pablo’s brother bought an iPhone X back in April 2018, and he claims the security promise fell horribly flat. One year after buying the X, Roberto claims he got a life-threatening letter from someone named Diego, who said he found Roberto’s address through FaceTime.

In the suit, Roberto says he conducted his own investigation after receiving the letter, and found his iPhone had been compromised due to a FaceTime vulnerability.

Go to Settings > FaceTime. You can choose which address and phone number you let people contact you with, if you have multiple numbers and emails associated with your Apple ID. This won’t stop people from obtaining your address elsewhere.