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A newly revealed patent application for a “Disappearing Button or Slider” shows Apple wants to make controls nearly invisible. A buttonless design also could improve durability. It’s part of Apple’s continuing drive to make its devices as minimalist as possible. “The advantages include having less mechanical parts to fail,” James Mitchell, a usability and mobile software researcher at Keele University who previously worked at Apple, said in an email interview....

A: When it’s Apple’s three-meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable. Apple’s computers are a good deal when compared to the direct competition in the PC world, but there’s no doubt that Apple gouges us on the prices of accessories: $99 for a braided watch strap, $29 for a USB-C iPhone charging cable, and so on. It doesn’t help that Apple’s cables are junk and usually split and fray in no time at all....

Technology continues to advance and evolve, bringing new ways for users to make the most of new gadgets and devices. One of the latest types of tech to start making waves is audio glasses. While the notion of listening to music or talking on the phone through speakers connected to your glasses might seem a bit silly, these smart glasses have been getting quite a bit of attention. Razer is just the latest company to release audio glasses, and experts say we could see even more companies taking advantage of the benefits offered by this new tech....

The best iPad bargain right now is the upcoming Air, which is almost as good as the iPad Pro, but for $200 less. The Air, though, is almost double the price of the plain old iPad. If what you want is a basic iPad that will last you a few years, then this is the right iPad for you. Just don’t buy the cheapest, $329 version, unless you’re using it as a cash register for your store or restaurant....

Look quickly, and the Apple Watch Series 7 looks just like all the other Apple Watches so far. The family resemblance is strong—it’s still a rounded blob that bubbles out from your wrist, looking more like dorkwear than an elegant timepiece. I can’t tell you how happy I am about that. I own a basic Apple Watch Series 5, and I really don’t dig its blobular, protruding form. If the Series 7 had followed the rumors of a sleek, new, flat sided design, I’d have jumped on it right away....

A technology website is challenging people to unplug for 24 hours with a $2,400 prize. It might seem like easy money. But with the growing amount of time spent streaming, gaming, and video chatting, staying away from tech could be more complex than you think. “Websites, social media, and smartphones are designed to hook us and keep us coming back for more even when we don’t consciously decide to do so,” Robert Glazer, the CEO of marketing agency Acceleration Partners, said in an email interview....

What’s going on? Apple’s FaceID has been around since its 2017 debut in the iPhone X, and yet it has never been available in a Mac. Is there a technical reason for this? Does Apple think a biometric face-unlock is a poor match for a Mac? Or has it just not gotten around to it yet? “Apple doesn’t like to make an entire suite of sweeping changes to its product lines,” Rex Freiberger, CEO of Gadget Review, told Lifewire via email....

For years, Samsung’s Galaxy S-series has been the best that it has to offer. While that’s still technically true, the smartphone manufacturer recently revealed that it would be bringing one of its core ‘flagship’ features to the A-series, its more affordable mid-range devices. This move, along with better support for 5G networks, could completely negate the need to purchase those more expensive S-series devices. “Samsung’s A-series phones are great phones that have some pretty sophisticated features at an affordable price,” Peyton Leonard, a smartphone expert with AutoInsurance....

Despite months with millions working from home, 2020 saw a rise in deaths related to traffic incidents, growing from 36,096 in 2019 to 38,680. Now, with even more workers returning to the daily commute, experts say keeping safe on the road is more important than ever. One way that has become especially popular in recent years is the installation of a dash cam in your car. These can record your driving, keeping track of your actions and the actions of others....

Users of iCloud+ can now add their own custom domain name to their iCloud mail. That is, instead of being kool_kim1988@iCloud.com, you can be kim@koolkim.com. And that’s not just vanity, or being more, you know, kool. If you want to leave Apple, or Gmail, or any other free mail provider, you leave your email address behind too. All future mail to that address, including security messages and more, will disappear forever....

The Count mode on iScanner uses artificial intelligence (AI) to save time totaling up toothpicks or any other objects you might want to tally. The iScanner software is one of a growing number of AI-driven counting and tagging apps available. The ability to count things with your phone might be handier than you expect. “I remember reading about the update and didn’t think much about it because I couldn’t think of a time when I would need to use it,” Andreas Grant, a network security engineer who works with AI, said in an email interview....

Why Is Windows Search Not Working? Windows 11 is still in its infancy, so bugs are expected. Future updates to Windows will address bug-related search issues. Other problems might just be perceived; there are some settings, when set a certain way, which masquerade as a malfunction. Regardless, all search-related problems in Windows 11 are software related, so either an update from Microsoft or some tweaking on your end should be enough to fix Windows Search not working....

Here are some types of wireless adapter cards and network adapters. PCI Wireless Adapter Card for Desktop Computers A PCI wireless adapter card connects to a desktop computer’s PCI bus. Because the PCI bus is contained inside the computer, the computer case must be opened and the wireless network adapter installed inside. An example of a PCI wireless adapter card, the Linksys WMP54G, is shown here. This unit is more than 8 inches long to accommodate the standard connection strip required to electrically join to the bus....

For quick reference, 801.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) is the most recently approved standard. The protocol was approved in 2019. Just because a standard is approved, however, does not mean it is available to you or that it is the standard you need for your particular situation. Standards are always being updated, much like the way software is updated on a smartphone or on your computer. What is 802.11? In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers created the first WLAN standard....

Xbox Party Chat now will have speech-to-text abilities and text-to-speech abilities for Xbox Insiders. Xbox said the speech-to-text transcription would convert words spoken by people in the party into text displayed in an adjustable overlay on top of gameplay. The text-to-speech feature allows players to type into Party Chats and have it read by a voice to the rest of the people in the party. The feature also allows players to choose their own voice and language....

What Is an XWB File? A file with the XWB file extension is an XACT Wave Bank file, a format that holds a collection of sound files for use in video games. They may include both sound effects and background music. The true source program for XWB files is the Microsoft Cross-Platform Audio Creation Tool (XACT), part of the Microsoft XNA Game Studio program. This software exists to help develop video games for the Xbox, Windows OS, and other platforms....

If you already have Sling TV and rather use a device you can watch it on, plenty of other devices support the service. What Can You Watch on Your PS4? Since Sony’s PlayStation Vue service has shut down, Sony has made these other live TV streaming services available for the PS4. But if you’re already paying for Sling TV, you likely want to find a device with the ability to stream it....

How to Turn On Your iPhone’s Hotspot Here’s how to set up a hotspot from your iPhone’s Settings. Add a password to make your hotspot more secure. How to Connect to a Hotspot on Your iPad Connecting your iPad to the hotspot is almost identical to connecting it to any other Wi-Fi network. Pricing and Other Considerations Pricing will depend on your service provider. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon all have packages that include using your smartphone as a hotspot....

Can You Watch Hulu Together With Friends? Hulu has a Watch Party feature that lets you watch together with friends. Instead of loading up Hulu and pressing start simultaneously, Watch Party automatically synchronizes playback for everyone in the party. Participants can communicate through text chat, but you need to use a third-party voice chat app like Discord if you want to talk to each other while you watch. Here’s how to start a Hulu Watch Party:...

How to Watch the Australian Open ESPN has the Australian Open’s broadcast rights, so cable and satellite subscribers can stream through the official ESPN site. If you’ve cut the cord, you can stream matches through services like Hulu With Live TV and YouTube TV. Finals: January 29-30, 2023 Location: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia Stream: WatchESPN To stream the Australian Open, you need a computer, dedicated streaming device or phone, a high-speed internet connection, and the right television streaming app....