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Elon Musk's SpaceX Launches 133 Spacecraft in Single Day

Charlotte Henry ·

SpaceX launched the most spacecraft in a single day on Sunday, Reuters reported. Elon Musk’s company sent 133 into space on one of its reusable rockets.

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 10 a.m. EST from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It flew south along the eastern coast of Florida on its way to space, the company said. The reusable rocket ferried 133 commercial and government spacecraft and 10 Starlink satellites to space – part of the company’s SmallSat Rideshare Program, which provides access to space for small satellite operators seeking a reliable, affordable ride to orbit, according to the company. SpaceX delayed the launch one day because of unfavorable weather. On Jan. 22 Musk, also chief executive of Tesla Inc., wrote on Twitter: “Launching many small satellites for a wide range of customers tomorrow. Excited about offering low-cost access to orbit for small companies!”

Podcast

Headphone Safety, Big Sur, & Geek Challenges — Mac Geek Gab 854

John F. Braun & Dave Hamilton · · 1 Comment

Big Sur continues to mature…and it continues to have some pesky little issues, too. Never fear, your two favorite geeks are here to answer your questions and help solve your problems. Listen as John and Dave talk through Big Sur, Headphone Safety, and share some Geek Challenges of yours with the Mac Geek Gab family. Press play and enjoy learning at least…five new things!

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Developer Complains to EU After Apple And Google Reject Game Encouraging COVID-19 Rule Compliance

Charlotte Henry ·

A German developer has complained to EU antitrust authorities after Google and Apple rejected his game from the App Store and Play Store, Reuters reported. The game was designed to encourage compliance with COVID-19 rules issued by governments.

Mueller says the app rules set by the two U.S. tech giants are holding back innovation, in breach of EU regulation, after both companies rejected his Corona Control Game app in November. Google and Apple rules say COVID-19 related apps must be government approved in order to avoid promoting conflicting or incorrect health advice. Google told Reuters in response to Mueller’s complaint that it only approves apps that reference COVID-19 or related terms if they are published, commissioned, or authorized by an official government entity or public health organization. Apple had no immediate comment but referred to guidelines issued in March which say entertainment or game apps with COVID-19 as their theme will not be allowed.

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Microsoft Edge Update Adds Built-in Password Manager

Andrew Orr ·

Version 88 of Microsoft Edge adds a new security feature for users. A built-in password manager makes it easy to keep your logins safe. It also scans for breached passwords on the dark web and notifies you if it finds a match.

Password Monitor will begin rolling out today with Microsoft Edge 88, but it may take a couple weeks for you to see it in your browser. For more information on how Password Monitor works, take a look at the latest blog from Microsoft Research.

TMO Deals

Back Bay Duet 50 Slim Wireless Earbuds: $42.99

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on a pair of Back Bay Duet 50 Slim Wireless Earbuds. According to the company, they feature strong bass, relaxed, natural midrange, and crisp highs, with up to 8 hours of battery life. The charging case holds up to 32 hours of battery life, too. They’re $42.99 through our deal.

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LG's UltraFine 4K Display Not Listed in Apple Stores in Europe

Charlotte Henry ·

LG’s UltraFine 4K is not available in Apple Stores online across Europe, MacRumors reported. The Mac Observer took a look at found that indeed in some countries, like the UK, the 5K model is available. However, in others, nothing is listed.

This isn’t the first time LG’s UltraFine Displays have been unavailable to order on Apple’s online stores in some parts of the world. However, on previous occasions, the displays were out of stockand eventually replenished, and at no time were the listings removed. That they have been this time round could suggest that one or both are set to be discontinued. Introduced in May 2019, the UltraFine 4K features a 23.7-inch display with a 3,840 x 2,160 pixels resolution, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, three downstream USB-C ports, up to 500 nits brightness, P3 wide color gamut support, and built-in stereo speakers. The display is priced at $699.95 on Apple’s online store in the United States.

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Save us From a Portless iPhone

Charlotte Henry ·

Rumors are swirling that future iPhones may not have any ports. Ed Hardy at Cult of Mac explains why a portless iPhone would be a horrible idea.

First off, there’s iPhone recovery. If something goes seriously wrong with your iOS handset, the cure is to hook it to a Mac or PC and use recovery mode. The need for this is rare, but occasionally crops up when operating system updates go horribly wrong. Without a Lightning port, this is impossible. The only option would be to send the iPhone to Apple or an authorized repair tech. A minor hassle suddenly becomes a major one. Next, even assuming the future portless iPhone comes with MagSafe, wireless charging will still be slower than wired. And the handset itself will cost more to make because Apple will (probably) put a MagSafe charger in the box. And they’ll cost users extra because most people will want to buy extras to have additional chargers at work, in the car, etc. Plus, you can say goodbye to some great accessories…