Pokemon Go's November Community Day Will Add Ursaluna

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December 27, 2022

The best magnetic car mounts for iPhone are essential bits of kit if you need to look at your phone on the move. We all know it’s dangerous to hold your phone while you’re driving. Your hands aren’t free to maneuver the wheel, your head is tilted down, and you’re distracted. With a mount attached to your car’s dashboard, you can more safely and swiftly use a music player or navigation system on your iPhone’s screen.

While some mounts can be tedious to use and install, the best magnetic mounts make life so much easier when you’re getting in and out of the car. Whether you’re the proud owner of a spanking new iPhone 14 Pro or a slightly older iPhone, our pick of the best magnetic car mounts for iPhone will work for you.

If your phone phone supports wireless charging, you’ll have to be careful where you place the metal disc, so it doesn’t interfere with the coils. Find out where the charging coils are located and stick the metal away from them. Or better yet, put the metal between your phone and a case so you can take it out whenever you want to charge up wirelessly.

Our pick of the best magnetic car mounts for iPhone users

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WixGear magnetic phone holder 2-pack

ESR HaloLock Dashboard Magnetic Wireless Charger

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Scosche MAGVM2 MagicMount

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VICSEED magnetic rearview mirror mount

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APPS2CAR windshield car phone mount

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BESTRIX phone holder for car — compatible with iPhone — black

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WixGear magnetic twist-lock air vent mount

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Syncwire magnetic dash phone car mount

How to pick the best magnetic car mounts for your iPhone

The best iPhone cases protect your phone while you’re out and about, and the best magnetic car mounts for iPhone hold it in place while you’re driving.

Our top pick for the best iPhone magnetic car mount is from WixGear. It’s small in size, works with an iPhone case, and you can freely rotate your iPhone to get the perfect view of your screen, whether you’re using it to play music or

If you want to save some money and still pick up one of the best magnetic car mounts for the iPhone, choose the TechMatte MagGrip. It’s low-profile, keeps a firm grip on your device, and the price is nice. When freeing up dash space is a priority, choose the APPS2CAR windshield car phone mount. It suctions to your window in seconds, swivels, and hangs on to your iPhone even on bumpy roads.

We recommend getting a magnetic car mount, as they tend to be easier to use. But we also have a guide to the best car mounts for iPhone. If you don’t need a car mount but still like the idea of magnetic charging, then take a look at our best MagSafe charging stands list, as well as our best wireless chargers for multiple devices.

iPhone and iOS in 2023: What to expect and everything we want

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December 26, 2022

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iPhone and iOS in 2023: What to expect and everything we want

2022 was a pretty good year for the iPhone, and a pretty good year for iOS, too.

Apple gave us the stunning new iPhone 14 Pro with a swathe of excellent new features, making it one of the most exciting upgrades in recent years. On the software side, we got iOS 16 and levels of customizability we could only have dreamed of a few years ago — customization options our Android friends have been taunting us with for over nearly a decade.

Yet it wasn’t a perfect year. The iPhone 14 was a really mediocre upgrade on last year’s iPhone 13, and reports indicate the iPhone 14 Plus is still ailing like the iPhone ‘mini’ it supplanted did in years gone by.

With that in mind, what can we expect from Apple in 2023 when it comes to all things iPhone, both hardware and software? It might surprise you to learn that the most exciting iPhone in 2023 might not be the iPhone 15, or even the iPhone 15 Pro. Read on for our 2023 iPhone predictions, dreams and desires.

iPhone and iOS in 2023: iPhone SE, iPhone 15, iOS 17

iPhone 14 Review

(Image credit: iMore/Stephen Warwick)

When it comes to hardware and 2023, all eyes will be on Apple’s next smartphone line-up, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Yet before all of that excitement, there’s a chance that Apple could roll out a brand new iPhone SE. Rumors are it could be one of the most exciting upgrades ever to Apple’s budget line thanks to the resurrection of the excellent iPhone XR design. According to insider Jon Prosser, the next iPhone SE will be based on the iPhone XR (opens in new tab) with upgraded internals. That would mean an end to the old, faithful Home Button, and the dated forehead and chin design that has been a hallmark of the iPhone SE since its birth.

We have a good idea of what the iPhone SE could look like, but we can’t know for certain if Apple will unveil one next year. Indeed, Apple released an iPhone SE in 2022, and before that in 2020, suggesting it is possibly targeting a two-year release cycle. There are also murmurings Apple could debut a larger ‘Plus’-sized iPhone SE, and the upcoming redesign seems like the perfect opportunity for that. 2023 isn’t a lock for iPhone SE, but a rumored iPhone XR-inspired design could make it one of the best budget phones on the market.

iPhone 15

iPhone X charging port

(Image credit: Future)

Beyond iPhone SE, the main event should be iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. There are plenty of rumors suggesting that some of the big iPhone 14 Pro upgrades could come to the regular iPhone lineup next year, namely the new Dynamic Island to replace the notch. Beyond that, the iPhone 15 could get a new design with a more curved and rounded back.

Without doubt, the biggest rumored design change to iPhone 15 could be the advent of USB-C. It feels like we’ve waited ten years for USB-C, and at one point it looked like Apple might skip the standard altogether in favor of a wireless, portless iPhone. Yet with new EU legislation (other countries are following suit) there are now reports and rumors that Apple is already testing USB-C, and the company has publicly confirmed it will have to follow the new rules. A USB-C iPhone is confirmed, we just don’t know when it’s coming.

What would iMore like to see from the 2023 iPhone?

iPhone 14 Review

(Image credit: iMore/Stephen Warwick)

For me, the key to the iPhone’s success in 2023 has to be a better upgrade for iPhone 15, ideally in line with the current iPhone 14 Pro. The regular iPhone 14 was a real let-down this year in terms of new features, so I want to see Apple really push the boat out across the entire line-up. I’d also like to see Apple come up with a more innovative solution to its “problem child” iPhone: last year it was the mini, this year it’s the Plus. Neither seem innovative enough or popular enough to justify their existence. Maybe Apple should just focus on making three great phones instead?

What about the rest of us? Our Deals Writer Tammy says “it might seem like a step backward, but I’d love to see a return to the design language of the iPhone 11 Pro. It was svelte, slim, and absolutely stunning. With the new display tech and dynamic Island, it could be the best-looking iPhone ever released – and I’d buy one in a heartbeat.” With rumors of a curved back in the iPhone’s future, Tammy might just get her wish.. .

EIC Gerald Lynch is excited about the prospect of integration with VR and more AR. Is that something we could see in 2023? Tim Cook says he thinks AR and VR is the future, but Apple has openly shunned the concept of the “metaverse”, so what will Apple’s vision for virtual reality look like, and how could iPhone complement that?

iOS 17

iOS 16 Iphone 13 Pro Hero

(Image credit: Christine Romero-Chan/iMore)

iOS 16 heralded a pretty major overhaul thanks to the fantastic customization experience of the new lock screen, which works tremendously well in tandem with the iPhone 14 Pro’s Always-On display. So what could Apple do in 2023 to take its iPhone software to the next level? While we did get a pretty hefty redesign, many of the elements of iOS 16 are starting to look pretty dated, and I am just desperate to see a major overhaul. You know, the kind that would garner a standing ovation at the WWDC keynote as iOS 7 did.

Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, remains a poor voice activated companion, sometimes a broken one, and next to useless in my opinion. Apple must solve Siri’s sometimes terrible voice recognition problems and miscommunication, and it must also normalize on-device processing. It is criminal that in 2022, simple commands like pausing and playing music, turning off light switches, and more can be hung up by poor internet connectivity. Siri is miles behind competitor services and Apple risks it falling into obscurity if it doesn’t get its act together soon.

iOS 16 and the uptake of new lock screen designs show there’s a real hunger for customization on the iPhone, and Apple needs to take this further with more customization. There are some really cool new elements, fonts, and colors that can be added to the iPhone’s lock screen now, but there’s no continuity on the rest of the device, so perhaps Apple could explore a way to bring some of those designs and colors to the rest of your device. I’d also like to see more options with the Home Screen. Despite widgets, we’re still stuck with the same grid of icons that runs left-to-right and top-to-bottom. We’ve gotta shake this up next year, Apple.

What would iMore like to see in iOS 17?

iOS 16 Home app displaying a No Response message on an iPhone in front of a brick background.

(Image credit: Christopher Close/Future)

iMore Writer Bryan says “Dynamic Island is one of the best things to happen to the iPhone in a long time. Live Events makes an already impressive feature even better (think real-time sports scores and weather reports). It will be interesting to see where the feature goes from here as it arrives on more devices in 2023.”

Sometimes, when it comes to iOS, the little things make a big difference. Tshaka Armstrong writes lovingly:

“Dear Apple software engineers: Now that we can schedule email send, for the love of Bast, PLEASE give us iMessage scheduling.

With love,

A guy who wakes and goes to work HOURS before his wife and would like to send her messages without waking her or having to draft them, then remember to come back to them later, or use a wonky Shortcuts workaround.”

Other small items on Tshaka’s Christmas list include a “Reset” option in the power/SOS menu, which I agree is badly needed, and a scan document feature built directly into the iPhone’s camera for quick-sharing.

Like Siri, other aspects of iOS need to function better, for iMore contributor Karen Freeman, that’s syncing between devices, especially for contacts and calendars.

While new features are always a bonus, for me iOS 17 needs to deliver really solid execution on so many of the syncing and cross-device features that still feel like a bit of a weak spot in the ecosystem.

Take for example Podcasts. Apple’s podcast syncing is really terrible through the native app. It can never seem to remember where you left off, or which episode is next in your lineup. Some devices play podcasts chronologically, while others play them backwards, newest to oldest. It’s one of just many similar inconsistencies when jumping from iPhone to other Apple products.

What happened to “It Just works”? Because most of the time if feels like it doesn’t.

Another exciting area of expansion will be the smart home. With the advent of Matter at the end of 2022, your smart home is about to get smarter than ever, with even more devices than before available for pairing with Apple’s ecosystem. How will Apple tap into that new plethora of possibilities?

With any luck, we should see iOS 17 at WWDC in June of 2023 — plenty of time for our wishlist to come true, eh Apple?

An ode to AppleCare+: why Apple’s insurance scheme is a must-have for… well, everyone

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December 25, 2022

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An ode to AppleCare+: why Apple’s insurance scheme is a must-have for… well, everyone

Breaking an iPhone is never fun. There’s that moment when your stomach plummets, and you feel like the world has just briefly ended. What are you going to do? Where’s the spare phone? How are you going to tell everyone to only contact you on Facebook because you can’t access WhatsApp on your laptop?

More importantly, how are you going to repair it?

Hopefully, you took out an AppleCare+ policy when you bought it. Otherwise, you’ll be in the same situation as me.

What is AppleCare+?

AppleCare

(Image credit: Future/iMore)

AppleCare+ is the insurance scheme that Apple offers for all of its products. You can take out a policy when you buy a device, or you can add it a little later on in the product’s life. It works alongside the warranty and extends the life of the product beyond the warranty protection. It’s not cheap—it is Apple, after all. It is, however, often a lot cheaper than it is to repair your item should something happen.

Now, I always thought of AppleCare+ as something more like peace of mind. A pricey extra that makes you feel better about taking your devices out and about. I also thought I didn’t need it. I take care of my devices. I buy them cases, cradle them, and baby them throughout the time I use them. I don’t need AppleCare+, I thought because I’m not one of those hamfisted oafs that walks around with a shattered iPhone, bits of glass tumbling from the handset as I pull it from my pocket. I am careful, so I can save £250.

That was until the fateful moment that changed everything.

The moment everything changed

A very broken iPhone 13 Pro

(Image credit: Tammy Rogers/iMore)

I had to redo my office space a couple of weeks ago. I was moving all my gear into a different room, and building new furniture to fit in place. That meant hefting an entire surround sound system, a new desk, a new sofa, a TV bench, and two large bookshelves replete with DVDs and action figures to fill them. Something was bound to go wrong – I just wasn’t expecting that which did go wrong to go wrong.

While jumping down from a stepladder after hanging some shelving up, I stepped on a cable. A cable to a speaker that went flying as soon as the cable lost its slack. It plummeted from the TV bench on which it was sat, ultimately burying itself into the screen of my iPhone 13 Pro below. To say there is a hole in the screen would be an understatement. There’s a massive gaping void in it, thin cracks spidering across the display. I’m pretty sure, in fact, that if you were to take out some of the shards of glass that are still somehow stuck in place you’d be able to see the back of the motherboard. This is, obviously, not great.

How much could AppleCare save me?

AppleCare

(Image credit: Future/iMore)

See, anyone who has ever smashed an iPhone screen knows how ungodly expensive it is to repair one. For my iPhone 13 Pro, here in the UK, it would cost a grand total of £289. That is, with a little math, around 25% of the total price of the device. Device insurance will cover some of the repair cost, but because it’s accidental damage I’ll still have to pay for the excess. In most cases, this is around £250, so I’m not saving really any money at all by claiming on my insurance. For a device I use so much, these prices simply don’t add up — especially when I then go to look at AppleCare+.

With AppleCare+, replacing the now holy screen would only cost £25.

See, for my iPhone 13 Pro, an AppleCare+ policy attached to the device would cost me around £240 for two years of coverage. Monthly, it doesn’t work all that much more expensive at £12 per month. Either way, for the price of less than one screen replacement, I can cover my phone for unlimited claims, with much smaller excesses to pay.

With AppleCare+, replacing the now crumbling screen would only cost £25. A tenth of the cost of the full-screen replacement. After that, if it happens again, it’s only another £25. Or say I smash the back of the device – another £25. Camera breaks? That’s free, baby.

The same is true for a device like a MacBook Pro. Toward the end of its life, the machine needed a new battery. Without AppleCare+, the replacement would be £200. With AppleCare+, it would’ve been free. That would have extended the life of the device, too, meaning I wouldn’t have a now useless laptop sat in my drawer ready for the big tech hole in the sky.

In my eyes, it’s really a no-brainer. If only I’d thought about it when I bought the bloody thing. I certainly will now.

The argument for AppleCare+

applecare

(Image credit: Future/iMore)

iPhones are notoriously hard to repair. Where you can take a broken Samsung Galaxy S20 to a small repair shop at the local shopping mall, that same small shop will turn you away if you arrive with an iPhone with a shattered screen. Parts are software locked to the device, with screens, motherboards, and cameras only working with Apple’s blessing. While some repair shops are Apple certified, most of the time you’ll have to go to an Apple Store with Genius bar to get your phone repaired. You can’t even really do it yourself. In the case of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, iFixit stated that it’s “better than last year’s” but parts still “require permission from the mothership for the most basic of repairs”.

Whatever happens to your iPhone, you’re going to have to take it to an Apple store to get it repaired.

Whatever happens to your iPhone, you’re going to have to take it to an Apple store to get it repaired, the same with damaged MacBooks, iPads, and even Apple Watches. In fact, it’s even more the case with Apple Watches. Those tiny screens and parts are only touchable with Apple equipment, and good luck trying to do it with anything else.

Home insurance companies do offer contents cover, but most excesses on repairing your electronic devices are expensive, especially if it’s an accidental breakage. According to Money Supermarket (opens in new tab), the average compulsory excess is around £100 in the UK. On top of that, you might have gone for an extra voluntary excess in order to save money on your home insurance. That, according to Money SuperMarket again, is on average £250. That leaves you with £350 with most repairs — an amount, you’ll notice that is more than it would be for even one screen repair.

Things are similar, if not worse, in the US. You’ll pay $279 for a screen repair on an iPhone 13 Pro like mine, or $29 with AppleCare+. Repairing it yourself is nearly impossible unless you have access to equipment that can mark the screen as an official replacement and software bond it to the phone. Insurance is complicated, with paper trails and expensive fees involved to get your phone repaired. Deductibles can run much higher than in the UK with home insurance, making repairing through that route ridiculous. AppleCare+ isn’t just a no-brainer, it’s a must.

So without AppleCare+, you’ll find yourself locked between a rock and a hard place. Do you pay the whole £250 for a screen repair, or do you go the insurance route and potentially add more to your premium, or pay pretty much the same? If you’re like me, it will make you think long and hard about whether you get AppleCare+ the next time you get a new device, especially if you’ve tried to save money on your insurance.

AppleCare+ and the wider repair landscape

AppleCare

(Image credit: Future/iMore)

It will likely lead you to think more about the repairability of your iPhone too. While the newer iPhones are more repairable than ever, with the iPhone 14, in particular, receiving a 7/10 repairability score from iFixit, they are still terrifying devices to take apart and repair. That, and those aforementioned software-locked screens and camera modules mean that buying parts is still very expensive.

I do consider myself fairly handy with a screwdriver, however — I have taken apart iPods, Nintendo Switches, and other gadgets to repair them. Why can’t the same be said for my iPhone? Why should I have to pay monthly for the privilege of Apple repairing my phone, when I can feasibly do it myself? It is, after all, my device. I should be able to buy a secondhand iPhone off eBay and cannibalize its screen to repair my own, and devices should be easier to teardown so that I can pop new components in. Alas, this is still not the case.

Until the day that Apple devices become more repairable, with batteries that aren’t glued into my MacBook Pro or screens that aren’t software locked, I must lump it with AppleCare+. And seriously, so should you. After all, given the incredible savings that are available when you pay just a little bit every month, it’s as I said up top — a no-brainer. You never know, it might become more than just peace of mind, like it should’ve done with me and my holey iPhone 13 Pro.

Let’s put it this way. I recently bought a MacBook Pro 14-inch. The first thing I did? I took out an AppleCare+ policy. And you should too.

Pokemon Go’s November Community Day Will Add Ursaluna

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December 25, 2022

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Pokemon Go’s November Community Day Will Add Ursaluna – CNET

Skinclusivity: iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Pixel 7 Pro camera AI skin-tone showdown

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December 24, 2022

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Skinclusivity: iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Pixel 7 Pro camera AI skin-tone showdown

What is it like to live in a world that ignores your existence? To live in a future, which has no “now” for you?

Them: “Keep waiting, we’ll get to you eventually.”

Automation. Artificial intelligence. In its early development, it won’t be for many of you. Not Google search and facial recognition. If you’re Black, it will mistake you for a gorilla. Not automated soap dispensers or faucets. The below viral video posted by a Facebook employee in Nigeria features a Nigerian man and a white man, showing what happens when companies likely don’t test their sensors on melanated hands before bringing their product to market.

If you have ever had a problem grasping the importance of diversity in tech and its impact on society, watch this video pic.twitter.com/ZJ1Je1C4NWAugust 16, 2017

Photo optic sensors have long had a love/hate relationship with layers of pigmented flesh, depending on the color of your skin. A lack of representation in tech has meant that, if you’re not white, smartphone snaps often leave you looking like a wax figure at Madame Tussauds or have your skin tone just completely washed out.

Apple has shown us sample images during its launch events, and during media briefings, they’re absolutely gorgeous. People of all hues look beautiful.

Finally though, it’s our turn? Maybe.

Do you know about the “Shirley card?” I’ll take a long story and give you the tl;dr: In the mid-1950’s, a caucasian American woman by the name of Shirley Page was a model for Kodak. They used her to set the standard for how the color temperature for an image should be appropriately processed. Because Kodak was the largest supplier of film and printers for small finishing labs, for many years, she became the standard for making sure processed negatives looked “normal.” You dropped off your photo negatives, the processing guy or gal processed your images and used her image as a guide, et voila. You received your exposures back, processed perfectly. If you looked like Shirley.

Apple and others have sought to right that wrong with differing technologies and methods for attacking the problem of processing for darker skinned human beings. Apple has given us deep fusion, and with the launch of iPhone 14 devices, Photonic Engine. When it has shown us sample images during its launch events, and during media briefings, they’re absolutely gorgeous. People of all hues look beautiful. Dark to light. Midnight to morning. A variety of skin tones and lighting conditions, all producing people’s faces as they should look. Their natural best.

But what do my dark skinned fellow human beings look like outside of immaculately choreographed presentations? In real users hands, in real life?

Marques Brownlee of MKBHD fame reviewed the iPhone 14 Pro Max (opens in new tab), and found the experience mostly positive but was still left wanting when it came to how the phone rendered his skin when taking pictures alongside people of much lighter skin tones. He displayed this in a tweet (which I unfortunately can no longer find). He being a dark skinned Black male, and that tweet being a photo of him next to a white friend.

I endeavoured to see how this would work because my photos generally come out fine, but I’m more of a caramel than a dark chocolate complexion. To that end, I enlisted the help of a family friend who is closer to Brownlee’s complexion. And, to have something to compare the iPhone’s output to, I also brought along Google’s new Pixel 7 Pro. Why? Because with the release of its Tensor chip, it made a big deal of its new Real Tone technology which is meant to address the specific problem dark skin human beings encounter with smartphone camera AI.

Google learned from its terrible primate faux paus and actually trained its AI with massive data sets of melanated individuals so that its Pixel cameras would process broad ranges of hues appropriately. Showing them in their best light, even if the lighting wasn’t actually the best. I took the images on a tripod with a double head, both phones mounted, and with the three-second timer turned on to eliminate any blur. I then presented these images to two photographers I highly respect. Ant Pruitt, host of TWiT’s Hands-On Photography, and Juan Carlos Bagnell who literally wrote the book on smartphone photography. This was a blind test for Ant. He received only 44 numbered photos and didn’t know which came from the iPhone 14 Pro Max or the Pixel 7 Pro. As he references the images, Series 1 were those I captured with Google’s Pixel 7 Pro. Series 2, the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Image 1 of 19

iPhone 14 Pro Skin Tone camera test — (Image credit: Future)

Ant Pruitt’s thoughts

Here’s what Ant had to say about the nighttime photos, taken with any night modes deactivated:

“On series 1, there’s a boost in saturation that isn’t needed. This negatively affects darker skin tones. Series 2 doesn’t boost the saturation so darker skin tones are more accurate. On series 2, there’s an apparent boost in warmth for fairer skin. This doesn’t always work. It’s overdone most of the time.

“BUT on series 1, fairer skin doesn’t seem to have the same boost in saturation, nor does it have good color balance. There’s a slight green tint on fairer skin which is in contrast to the slight warmth and magenta seen in series 2 for fairer skin. I like that series 2 didn’t do so much auto-boosting in saturation in comparison to series 1. But, phone manufacturers know images are going to social media first and foremost, therefore a boost in saturation will more than likely lead to someone stopping to view your images vs scrolling past.”

And the daytime photos, taken on an overcast afternoon:

“Maaaaan. I swear it seems like series 1 is trying to work hard algorithmically. There’s still a boost in saturation, just not as much as before. In image *20, the gent at the front of the frame looks like the algo decided an exposure lift was needed in series 1. This unnecessarily cranked the specular highlights on his face. It’s not bad, but not necessary, in my opinion. Series 2 looks way more natural. The only time the algo’s exposure correction looks beneficial to me is in *18 of series 1. But Series two has enough data to increase in post. The diffused lighting outside really made both of these cameras look good, though.”

Image 1 of 22

Pixel 7 Pro Skinclusion comparison — (Image credit: Future)

Juan Carlos Bagnell’s thoughts

And what did the guy who wrote the book on smartphone photography have to say? A lot actually, but I’ve condensed it down for the purpose of this article. First, it’s important to note that originally I’d planned to have him shoot many of the photos but our schedules didn’t work out. He was going to shoot with the Pixel, so he knew which phones I was using to shoot these, unlike Ant whose analysis was blind.

On the nighttime photos, Juan had this to say:

“I know this isn’t supposed to be a ‘contest’ per se, but immediately on image one, your shots here BEAUTIFULLY demonstrate my biggest issues with iPhone camera processing.

“I don’t know exactly what skin color and texture your models have, and shooting under fluorescent lights is a tricky challenge, but I can’t believe for a second that the fairer skinned model has that much pink in her cheeks. The Pixel drawing out more olive tones feels truer.

“Your darker skinned model shows this disparity even more dramatically.

“The iPhone seems to be trying to maximize exposure, at the expense of blowing out all the richer hues of the model on the right. She looks pale, and ashy, and a little ill. Apple’s color processing failing to properly represent her look, and again, almost adding a pink hue to her cheek and jaw line.

“This woman’s make up is on point, and it’s clearer in the Pixel photo. That touch of gold eyeshadow is really hot against her natural chocolate and bronze complexion. On our first image, the Pixel is absolutely delivering a bolder and richer image which feels more ‘honest’. It’s not hyped HDR or overblown exposure.

“Image 4 helps highlight the issue I have personally with iPhones. I’m Hispanic, but pale, and photos of me from iPhones routinely feel off for the highlights and yellow/pink accents. Like your model here, I think the iPhone image again is washed out. The Pixel image might be a touch warm (again for not having met your model IRL), but is certainly more flattering. Seeing both models together, the iPhone version makes both seem a bit ‘sickly’.

“Image 9 is another challenging shadowed shot for sure, but the iPhone just refuses to lean into yellow, gold, or bronze for skin. Seeing it side by side like this, it’s such a drab look for a variety of different faces.”

Coming into the daytime photos, Juan looked more favorably on the iPhone’s captures.

“Image 17 and 18 are nice! Some daylight shots. BOO photographer for missing focus on the Pixel on 17!

“Here the iPhone is competing better. HDR photos drawing light and color out of the scene better. The exposure is MUCH more flattering for both phones. Again, the iPhone seems to highlight pink tones, and seems to avoid bronze and gold highlights. I’m not GREAT at describing this effect, but the iPhone photos just look a duller shade of ‘dark brown’, where the Pixel is richer.

“With image 19, this is the main image of the whole group where I feel the iPhone lands a similarly flattering exposure of the darker complexions in this scene compared to the Pixel, but unfortunately our paler companion looks washed out by comparison. Again, not the point of the exercise, but I like the brighter gradient of the blue sky better on the iPhone, but prefer the texture and detail in clothing better on the Pixel.”

Conclusion

I think that the analysis here really proves how much of photography is art and science. Both photographers are experts I highly respect. Both walked away with differing conclusions. Ant favored iPhone 14 Pro Max’s captures and Juan, not a fan, preferred the Pixel 7 Pro.

Ultimately, I think the future looks bright for consumers of all shades, with manufacturers taking note of these previous inequities in how technology has treated darker complexioned consumers. I’ll end this with a quote from Juan, which I thought was poignant given the topic here, “…better accuracy for ‘some’ is really better accuracy for all. At the end of the day, we just want more flattering memories of our family and friends.”

To hear more of what Ant Pruitt has to say and teach about photography, check him out at antpruitt.com/prints, and increase your photography IQ by checking out his podcast twit.tv/hop. Juan’s book, Take Better Photos: Smartphone Photography for Noobs! Can be found on Amazon.com, and you can chat with him on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/somegadgetguy. And special shout to Jessica Schrody who helped me find models for the shoots!

Buy one Apple Watch SE and get another half price at Verizon

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December 23, 2022

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Buy one Apple Watch SE and get another half price at Verizon

The Apple Watch SE is a fantastic device to buy someone as a gift. It’s useful, small, and now half price. This deal is perfect if you’re looking for a last minute gift, or if you and a family member are both looking for Apple Watches. This is only on the Apple Watch SE model, but the Apple Watch Series 8 and the Apple Watch Ultra are both available with other deals on the Verizon website.

This deal is only on a contract device, so you’ll be paying monthly for the pair of watches. It is on any plan though, so you can save money there too.

Buy one Apple Watch SE and get a second for $150 off

Best photo editing apps for Mac 2022

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December 22, 2022

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Of course you can edit your photos right on your iPhone, but you’re limited by what you can do with your finger on the iPhone’s smaller screen. Your Mac has a faster processor, more storage, and just overall more computing power, making ideal for serious photo editing.

Affinity Photography

Affinity Photo on Mac showing off editing tools sepia llama — (Image credit: iMore)

If you’re looking for a photo editing app that goes above and beyond its price tag while still allowing you complete creative control over your images, take a peek at Affinity Photo, which is hands down one of the best photo editing apps for Mac.

Affinity Photo supports unlimited layers, groups, layer adjustments, filters, masking, and more: you also have access to tools like dodge, red-eye fix, burn, blemish, clone, and patch (so pretty much Photoshop without all the convoluted bells and whistles). In addition, nondestructive auto-saving makes undoing everything you’ve done easy, so the option is there if you need to start from the beginning.

Play, manipulate, edit, and get creative with Affinity Photo, whether you’re a serious graphic designer or someone who’s just looking to do some basic editing. Your photography will seriously thank you.

Fotor – Photo Editor, Designer

Fotor

(Image credit: iMore)

Are you searching for a super simple, straightforward photo editing app? Then check out Fotor Photo Editor!

With this photo editor, you can easily adjust the contrast and color of more washed-out photos, add borders, tilt and shift your images, add different text, slap on a few filters, and so much more, all from the easy-to -find toolbox on the right side of the app. You can even create collages of your photography masterpieces!

The BBC once called Fotor Photo Editor ‘light Photoshop’, and they’re right! You can go above and beyond editing your images with Fotor Photo Editor without getting bogged down by more complicated editing buttons and tools.

Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom

(Image credit: iMore)

When you look into photo editing software, one of the first things that’ll pop up is Adobe’s Lightroom, and for good reason! It’s essentially a staple in the photo editing community.

Lightroom is great for photographers who need to manage a large image library and who are prepared to commit to (and pay for) Adobe’s cloud storage space. But it is purely a photography tool that’s a little outside the regular Adobe design ecosystem. (Creative Block)

Pretty much anything you want to do with your photo, you can accomplish with Lightroom. You can blend and merge shadows and highlights, sharpen dull, blurry images to look crisp and clear, add details and tint colors to make a photo stand out, and so much more. While it is more complicated, people who use the program and know how to navigate it are hooked.

While you can download and use Lightroom for free, you need an Adobe Creative Cloud membership to access all of the features. However, a single Creative Cloud membership gets you unlimited access to all of the other Adobe creative suite apps, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Fresco, and more. Creative Cloud membership isn’t cheap, but you get a lot of tools for your dollar.

Pixelmator Pro

Pixelmator Pro Screenshot

(Image credit: iMore)

Pixelmator Pro is a powerful version of Pixelmator specifically geared for photo editing and not just a general graphic design app. With Pixelmator Pro, you’re getting a ton of professional-grade, nondestructive editing tools. It’s powered by machine learning, so you get the best results every time you use the program.

You can use Pixelmator Pro for basic photo editing features like resizing, cropping, adding filters, adjusting color settings, etc. But, thanks to machine learning, you can take things to new levels.

We think Pixelmator Pro is one of the best photo editing apps for the Mac that’s reasonably priced with many excellent features. Don’t miss our full in-depth Pixelmator Pro review if you want to learn more about it.

GIMP

(Image credit: iMore)

Love Photoshop (or the idea of Photoshop…) but don’t want all the complicated components nor the price tag that comes with it? Then it might be worth it to take a peek at GIMP.

Like Photoshop, GIMP allows you complete control over editing your photos: an advanced image manipulation program with detailed customization for color reproduction.

You can add layers to your photos, edit and tweak colors, adjust contrast, crop, change saturation, etc. So, if you’re someone who admires Photoshop but is terrified of the price or the learning curve, then GIMP might be the perfect pal for you.

Luminar Neo – Photo Editor

Luminar Neo

(Image credit: iMore)

Another fantastic option for Mac’s best photo editing app is Luminar Neo. With Luminar Neo, the goal is to make photo editing as straightforward as possible while also being enjoyable. You can do all of the basics in Luminar, like cropping and resizing, color adjustments, applying filters, and whatnot, but there is more to the app than that.

With Luminar, you can do some magical things like replacing dull skies with just one click — there is a collection of fantastic custom skies in the app that will breathe new life into any photo. In addition, the portrait enhancer tool lets you light up faces and even slim them down if necessary, and it removes dark circles, defines brows, enhances lip color, and more. There’s even AI to help reduce shine on oily skin. Other cool features include adding sun rays, instant looks, textures, and more.

Canva: Design, Photo & Video

(Image credit: canva)

Canva is an iMore favorite, since it’s free and allows you to do many “Photoshop-like” tasks quickly and easily. We often use it for removing and replacing photo backgrounds, but you can also adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, blur, and more. Apply filters and other effects, add text, and create templates that allow you to stay on-brand.

The best photo editors for your Mac

Why you can trust iMore
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

You’re out there taking all those wonderful photos on your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, other other great iPhone, but what about editing? When editing on your iPhone isn’t enough, you’ll want to edit photos on your Mac. While Apple’s built-in Photos app certainly has some essential photo editing tools already integrated, sometimes you need more. Any of the apps listed will work beautifully on macOS Ventura and all of the best Macs. If you’re looking to dive into paid apps, check out Affinity Photo. It’s a Mac App of the Year winner, and it has an enormous suite of tools.

Apple confirms price of its exclusive MLS streaming package (and TV Plus discount)

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December 21, 2022

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Apple confirms price of its exclusive MLS streaming package (and TV Plus discount)

Apple has confirmed the price and schedule of its exclusive MLS Season Pass streaming package that will air on Apple TV from February 2023.

The company also confirmed (opens in new tab) the schedule of all the games set to air on the platform.

2023 sees the start of the MLS Season Pass, which will feature all MLS regular season, playoff, and Leagues Cup games in one place with no blackouts.

That means MLS Season Pass holders can watch MLS on Apple’s iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TV, smart TVs, and more through the Apple TV app. The subscription kicks off on February 1, 2023, marking the start of a 10-year partnership.

MLS Season Pass price and schedule

Apple says the majority of games will be played on Saturdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 pm ET, starting on February 25. The first weekend of matches will be completely free on the Apple TV app.

The MLS Season Pass on Apple TV will cost $14.99 a month, or $99 per season. Apple TV Plus customers can sign up for the special price of $12.99 monthly or $79 per season, a much better deal. Remember, MLS Season Pass is not included in Apple TV Plus, and is instead an Apple TV service.

The MLS Season Pass is Apple’s biggest commitment to streaming live sports to date. Earlier this year Apple showed MLB Games on Apple TV Plus for free, but coverage was ailed by poor broadcasting and commentary teams.

The 2023 MLS Season will see a return of Rivalry Week in May, as well as the All-Star Game in July. A new Leagues Cup tournament featuring all 47 MLS and Liga MX clubs will kick off in July and run through August. MLS Decision Day will also be back on October 21.

Alongside the announcement, Apple is also touting the new My Sports section of the Apple TV app that debuted in iOS 16, as the easiest way to follow your team.

Pokemon Go’s Halloween 2022 Event Adds New Shiny Pokemon and More

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December 20, 2022

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Pokemon Go’s Halloween 2022 Event Adds New Shiny Pokemon and More

Halloween is just around the corner, and Pokemon Go is celebrating with its annual Halloween event. Like last year, the festivities will be divided up into two parts, the first of which kicks off this week and introduces several new Pokemon to catch.

The first part of the event runs from Oct. 20 to Oct. 27. During that time, Mega Banette will make its debut in Mega raids. Each time you defeat the Pokemon, you’ll earn energy to Mega Evolve your own Banette.

On top of that, two new shiny Pokemon will be available for the first time: shiny Galarian Yamask and shiny Noibat. The former will appear in one-star raids, while the latter may hatch from 7 km eggs. Giratina will also return to raids for the event, and each one you catch will know the Charged Attack Shadow Force.

In addition to the featured Pokemon, a variety of in-game bonuses will be available throughout the event. You’ll earn double candy for catching, hatching and transferring Pokemon. PokeStops and gyms will also be decked out for Halloween, and a remix of the Lavender Town theme will play at night.

In the meantime, Pokemon Go’s Festival of Lights event is underway until Oct. 17, while Xerneas is back in five-star raids. You can see everything else happening in the game this month in our October events roundup.

More on Pokemon Go

Apple’s new 2023 MacBooks could be made in Vietnam

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December 20, 2022

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Apple’s new 2023 MacBooks could be made in Vietnam

A new report says Apple is planning to move some of its MacBook production to Vietnam in 2023.

It comes as Apple continues to move production away from China following massive COVID disruption in its supply chain and heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Apple’s biggest supplier Foxconn has been tapped to start producing MacBooks in the country as early as May, according to Nikkei Asia. Apple has reportedly been moving production for all of its major product lines, but MacBook has taken longer “due to the complex supply chain needed for making laptop computers.”

2023 MacBook

One source told the outlet the move would mean that Apple would have one production location beyond China for each of its flagship products. Apple makes between 20 million and 24 million MacBooks each year, and has been considering moving production to Vietnam for two years.

Apple already makes AirPods, Apple Watch, and some iPads in Vietnam. Its new best iPhone, the iPhone 14, is also being produced in India.

It comes as reports emerge that Apple is planning new models of MacBook for 2023, including upgrades to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro that will feature the new M2 chip. a recent report also claimed Apple could launch a new 15-inch MacBook Air in the spring of 2022 that will likely be based on the design of the popular M2 MacBook Air unveiled at WWDC.

As Apple continues to diversify its supply chain, Nikkei Asia says that Apple “aims to significantly increase iPhone output from India this year and next” to turn the country into another key production base. Apple is also reportedly planning to move some AirPods and Beats production to India as well. One expert cited in the report states that while many hoped for the situation in China “could go back to the good old days”, companies are now realizing “there is no way of turning back, and no matter what they need to prepare alternatives beyond China .”

Elon Musk might be about to step down as head of Twitter, following a poll in which nearly 60% of respondents said he should give up the role.

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December 19, 2022

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Elon Musk might be about to step down as head of Twitter, following a poll in which nearly 60% of respondents said he should give up the role.

Elon Musk’s tumultuous tenure as Twitter CEO might be about to come to an abrupt end after the Tesla and Space X mogul vowed to abide by the results of a poll which is currently calling for him to step down.

Overnight, Musk took to Twitter “Should I state step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll.” As it stands, nearly 16 million people have voted in the poll, 57.4% in favor of his resignation.

The results mean more than 9 million people have called for Musk to resign, following a very controversial new policy about linking to other social media platforms that was trashed after public outcry.

Should I step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll.December 18, 2022

A rough 24 hours

As Musk attended the World Cup Final Sunday, Twitter Support rolled out a controversial new policy threatening to ban users if they posted links or usernames for platforms including Facebook and Instagram, as well as emerging rival Mastodon. Notably, Twitter had nothing to say about links to TikTok. Twitter also said it was going to remove Linktree URLs from user bios.

The new policy was met with almost universal condemnation across the platform, in particular from content creators who rely on expanding their audiences across a broad range of social media platforms. “It’s going to hamstring creators/social managers,” Bad Brain Digital Consulting founder Bailey Carlin told Musk. “This policy hurts creators, who you said you were making a better environment for.”

Musk spent a few hours furiously defending his plans, further muddying the waters about what exactly would and wouldn’t be allowed under the new rules. “Casually sharing occasional links is fine, but no more relentless advertising of competitors for free, which is absurd in the extreme,” he said. Yet Twitter’s own tweets specifically stated it would remove “content that contains links or usernames” to the offending platforms.

Box CEO Aaron Levie called out the policy as “just sad”. Musk said that feedback about the policy seemed reasonable regarding the rules being far too sweeping and draconian, suggesting a change might be afoot. He went on to say that the policy would be adjusted “to suspending accounts only when that account’s *primary* purpose is promotion of competitors, which essentially falls under the no spam rule.” He further confirmed that going forward “there will be a vote for major policy changes”, apologizing for the debacle and saying it wouldn’t happen again.

Going forward, there will be a vote for major policy changes. My apologies. Won’t happen again.December 18, 2022

Yet the madness didn’t stop there, with Musk shortly after asking his followers if he should step down as the head of Twitter, stating he would abide by the results of the poll. As noted, a large majority of the votes (almost 60%) say he should go. Perhaps more worryingly for Twitter, Musk says that there “is no successor” for the role of CEO and that no one wants the jobs who can actually keep Twitter alive. In passing, he noted that Twitter has “been in the fast lane to bankruptcy since May.”

The results of the poll, Musk’s apparent desire to comply with its results, and the prospect of no replacement leave Twitter’s future very much up in the air. This is the closest we’ve come to Twitter seemingly teetering on the brink of collapse since Musk made sweeping redundancies across its workforce, with departing employees stating the site could break irreparably at any moment.

Under Musk’s tenure, Twitter has fast gone from being one of the best iPhone social media apps around to something of a dumpster fire, this most recent episode just one example of major policy changes that haven’t come to fruition following backlash.

Nintendo recap: Ash and Pikachu’s story is coming to an end after 25 years

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December 18, 2022

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Nintendo recap: Ash and Pikachu’s story is coming to an end after 25 years

Hello and welcome to this week’s Nintendo recap! There were plenty of interesting things in the world of Nintendo this week.

For starters, The Pokémon Company revealed that Ash and Pikachu’s story is coming to an end with new protagonists taking center stage in the new animated series — a somber reveal for many. Nintendo also officially revealed the look and release dates for a few more Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo.

In other news, the upcoming Switch version of Hogwarts Legacy finally got a release date, Mario Strikers received its final update with new playable characters, and Mario Kart 7 on 3DS unexpectedly received a patch that might do more than Nintendo officially revealed. There’s, even more to discuss so let’s get started.

New Pokémon show will feature Scarlet and Violet starters

On Friday, The Pokémon Company announced that the upcoming Pokémon Animated Series will be “coming in 2023 and beyond.” We’ve been expecting the announcement of a new show ever since Pokémon Scarlet and Violet released since the usual trend is for a new show to come out shortly after the launch of a new game. However, it looks like this new series is going to change things up quite a bit by not having Ash and Pikachu as the main characters.

In a trailer, we learned that the current show, Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, is “the final chapter of Ash and Pikachu’s story,” with the final episode launching in early 2023. The new show will focus on two brand-new characters (a boy and a girl) along with the Gen 9 starters: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.

This is an emotional revelation for many long-time Pokémon fans as Ash has been a staple of the series for 25 years. But it seems that after finally becoming a Pokémon world champion that his journey to be the very best like no one ever was has concluded.

Sarah Natochenny who has been the voice actor of Ash Ketchum for the last 17 years released an emotional video talking about her time as the iconic trainer. She ends by saying, “Thank you all for being on this incredible journey. I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life and I hope to meet you all in person someday.”

It’s truly the end of an era. While sad for many, this change in dynamic opens up the Pokémon series to potentially explore new characters and new focuses like never before. There currently is no exact release date for the new show’s first episode. However, The Pokémon Company has stated that “more details regarding the new Pokémon animated series will be revealed in the future.” It wouldn’t be surprising to see another trailer for the show sometime in February when the first Pokémon Presents showcase typically kicks the year off.

Upcoming Super Smash Bros. amiibo get 2023 release dates

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo Kazuya, Sephiroth, Pyra, Mythra

(Image credit: iMore)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate received its very last DLC fighter over a year ago when Sora from Kingdom Hearts was revealed as the newest addition to the roster on October 5, 2021. Nintendo is still making good on its plan to release an amiibo figure for every fighter in the game , but amiibo for five characters still haven’t released.

Thankfully for amiibo collectors, this week Nintendo announced the release dates for some of these upcoming amiibo and showed off official high-resolution images of what they will look like.

Super Smash Bros. #amiibo for DLC fighters Kazuya and Sephiroth will be released on 1/13/23. Plus, look forward to the release of Pyra and Mythra in 2023! pic.twitter.com/6HEuGR07NvDecember 15, 2022

Collectors won’t have to wait long since both of the amiibo for Kazuya (Tekken) and Sephiroth (Final Fantasy) will come to store shelves on January 13, 2023 and they’re both currently available for preorder. There’s no indication on when exactly the Pyra and Mythra (Xenoblade Chronicles 2) figures will hit retailers or when preorders for them will go up, but it will likely be within a few months into the new year.

From the images, it looks like these are all very good-looking amiibo with plenty of attention to detail. The clothing folds and facial characteristics of each figure look really nice and Sephiroth’s wing, in particular, looks awesome. I’m excited to add each of these to my collection.

Sora Alts Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

(Image credit: iMore)

Of course, with the release of these Super Smash Bros. Ultimate figures we only have the Sora amiibo (Kingdom Hearts) to wait for after that. These NFC figurines usually have the same stance as the official Super Smash Bros. Ultimate artwork. As such, the upcoming Sora amiibo will likely depict Sora standing in his iconic pose from the first Kingdom Hearts game with the Keyblade dipping down over his shoulder. It’s hard to know for sure, but it’s likely that this final Smash amiibo will get released by the end of 2023.

Super Nintendo World opening date revealed

On Wednesday, Universal Studios Hollywood and Nintendo of America announced that the brand-new Super Nintendo World will be opening Feb 17, 2023 in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California.

Lots of changes have been coming to Universal Studios Hollywood over the last several months, which will soon allow visitors to experience the Mario Kart ride, dine at Toadstool Cafe, purchase items at the 1-UP Factory, or even meet characters from the Mushroom Kingdom .

What’s more, patrons can purchase Power-Up Bands, which are like Mario-themed bracelets with NFC chips inside. Putting this accessory near certain things in the park makes interactive objects respond and earn virtual rewards. For instance, you could punch a? Block and collect virtual coins. You can then view any virtual goods you’ve collected via special checkpoints within the area.

It’s looking like this will be a fun new destination for many people and I personally cannot wait to grab a few of those awesome shirts, cups, and other collectibles at the merch stores.

Dirty Sonic Frontiers

Sonic Frontiers: Sonic approaching trapped Amy.

(Image credit: Sega)

Sonic Frontiers has been out for over a month now and has been received well by fans. This is reflected in the fact that the game has already sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide since launch as reported by the official Sega account on Twitter.

『ソニックフロンティア』、世界累計販売本数がががががががが万本万本を 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 🦔💨 ÉLLS OVER 2.5 million copies worldwide✨ #ソニック #ソニックソニック #sonicfroniers pic.twitter.com/uffdq3tcDecember 13, 2022

While nothing truly groundbreaking, Sonic Frontiers is considered by many fans to be the best Sonic game that’s come out in a very long time. With the game’s new “open-zone” direction that feels like open-world spaces divided into a handful or really large islands, there is plenty to explore and new mechanics to interact with. It’s no wonder the game has been selling so well.

Mario Strikers Battle League update

Mario Strikers Battle League released in 2021 and has received free updates periodically over the last few months. But as of this week, the silly soccer game has received its very last free update, which included the addition of Birdo and Bowser. Jr. This brings the total number of playable characters to 18.

It’s unclear if any paid content is on the horizon or if this is the last of the major updates for Mario Strikers. Considering that the game wasn’t received very well due to its clunky online offerings and limited modes, it wouldn’t be surprising if this is the end.

Hogwarts Legacy on Switch gets release date

Hogwarts Legacy school

(Image credit: WB Games)

A few months back, we learned that the Xbox, PlayStation, and PC versions of the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy game would be coming out before the Nintendo Switch version. However, it wasn’t until this week that the exact release dates for all platforms were revealed.

CP— Feb 12, 2023
PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S — April 4, 2023
Nintendo Switch— July 25, 2023

It’s kind of odd to see a new game launch on different platforms in such a staggered schedule. Switch owners wanting to play will have to wait the longest as the Nintendo release is five and a half months after the PC version, which launches first. This later Switch launch possibly has to do with the fact that the game will run locally on Switch rather than being a Cloud streamed game, so it might be taking the developers or those working on the port a longer time to make the game playable on the Nintendo hybrid’s lower processing and graphical capabilities.

As of yet, no screenshots or videos of the Switch version of Hogwarts Legacy have been shared. It will be interesting to see just how different the Switch version looks compared to other platforms. More than likely, these images won’t be shown until closer to the Switch version’s launch.

Mario Kart 7 on 3DS receives update that potentially fixes security bugs

Mario Kart 7

(Image credit: Nintendo)

With the 3DS eShop closing in March 2023 and many games on the older handheld no longer receiving support, it was a little confusing when Mario Kart 7 on 3DS received a Version 1.2 update this last Tuesday. To give some context, the last time the game received an update before that was 10 years ago in 2012, so that’s a huge jump between version adjustments.

According to Nintendo’s official update history (opens in new tab) for the game, “Several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.” But this is all rather vague and doesn’t really explain why the game was patched. It could just be that this update was in preparation for the 3DS eShop getting shut down soon, but there also might be more to it.

[Mario Kart 7]Version 1.2 is now out. This is the first update that this game has received in 10 years. (Recall the Splatoon 2 / Animal Crossing / etc update a while back.) I’ll keep everyone updated. https://t.co/7i2ZSp6mYcDecember 14, 2022

Renowned dataminer, @OatmealDome on Twitter, was able to offer an intelligent conjecture on the situation that could make sense. “This patch might fix a severe security exploit,” OatmealDome’s post reads. The post goes on to reference the fact that other older Nintendo games such as Splatoon 2, Animal Crossing, and others received updates a while back as well.

OatmealDome went on to say, “there is even a possibility that this patch fixes the same security bugs as the other games, since Mario Kart 7 is a first-party Nintendo game and could use a lot of the same common netcode that was found to be vulnerable.” Nintendo is fiercely protective of its property, so it’s easy to see the company taking time to improve security measures on its games even if they are older ones.

Best Switch games to play this weekend

Several new games came out this week, but these are the best Switch games that we really recommend checking out.

Almost at the end of the year

That’s all the Nintendo news for this week. It’s crazy to think that we only have a couple weeks left in 2022. Nintendo has had an amazing year when it comes to game releases as some of the very best titles for the hybrid gaming system came out within the last 12 months. There’s bound to be some interesting developments within the next few weeks and I’ll report on them as they come.

Until next time.

-Rebecca Spear

Apple confirms Emergency SOS via satellite is coming to more countries next year

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December 17, 2022

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Apple confirms Emergency SOS via satellite is coming to more countries next year

Apple has confirmed that it is expanding Emergency SOS via satellite to more countries next year.

as spotted by MacRumorsthe company has revealed that it plans to bring the new safety feature to even more countries in 2023. At the bottom of the press release bringing the feature to four more countries this week, the company noted that “support for more countries will follow next year.”

While the company has confirmed that more countries are being lined up for support next year, it has not yet said which countries those are or which ones are coming first. Until then, the feature is now available in six countries including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

The feature has already saved many

The new safety feature is currently exclusive to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro and will be available to iPhone 14 owners for free for the first two years. It is currently unclear what Apple may charge for the feature after those two years are up.

Emergency SOS via satellite “combines custom components deeply integrated with software to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Satellites are moving targets with low bandwidth, and it can take minutes for messages to get through. Since every second counts, with Emergency SOS via satellite, iPhone front-loads a few vital questions to assess the user’s situation and shows them where to point their phone to connect to a satellite. The initial questionnaire and follow- up messages are then relayed to centers staffed by Apple-trained specialists who can call for help on the user’s behalf.”

The feature has already come in handy for some who found themselves in an emergency situation, including a couple who used it after their car went into a canyon and a man who got stranded in Alaska.

Public betas for iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, and macOS Ventura 13.2 now available. Here’s what’s new

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December 16, 2022

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Public betas for iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, and macOS Ventura 13.2 now available. Here’s what’s new

There’s one big feature to enjoy in the latest round of public beta releases.

Today, Apple rolled out the public beta versions of iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, and macOS Ventura 13.2. The launch comes two days after the company released the developer betas. Now, public beta testers that are part of the Apple Beta Software Program can dive into one of the big changes coming with the new software versions.

There aren’t a lot of new features that have been discovered with the first betas for iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, and macOS Ventura 13.2 just yet, but there is one change that will mean a lot for those looking to increase the security of their devices: support for physical security keys.

Physical security keys are here

(Image credit: Apple)

In the latest developer betas for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS that Apple released earlier this week, the company added support for physical security keys that connect to your devices and offer an additional level of verification. While the company has not provided release notes for the public betas, the feature is likely included on those betas as well.

Apple says that Security Keys are designed for “users who, often due to their public profile, face concerted threats to their online accounts, such as celebrities, journalists, and members of government. For users who opt in, Security Keys strengthens Apple’s two- factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors. This takes our two-factor authentication even further, preventing even an advanced attacker from obtaining a user’s second factor in a phishing scam.”

The company says that support for physical security keys will be available to all users “globally in early 2023.” Until then, developer and public beta users can jump ahead of the line and give the feature a try.

At the same time that the company announced support for physical security keys, Apple also revealed its new Advanced Data Protection feature that offers end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups. That started rolling out to users with iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1.

HomePod handoff gets easier

HomePod mini touch panel illuminated

(Image credit: Luke Filipowicz / iMore)

The latest iOS 16.3 public beta also launched dynamic instruction on how to transfer music from an iPhone to a HomePod or HomePod mini using the Handoff feature. It’s a relatively small update but a meaningful one for those who would like to bounce music between their phone and speakers around their home but lack the knowledge on how to do so.

Handoff for the HomePod mini isn’t a new feature. It has technically been around for years. However, if you never hovered your iPhone near your speaker, you’d likely have never even realized it exists. Apple seems to want to help more users discover the feature in the new iOS beta.

Other than physical security keys and the HomePod update, the new betas haven’t featured much. That’ll likely change as newer versions of the betas are released over the coming weeks.

Pokemon Go Halloween 2022 Part 2: New Costumed Pokemon, Bonuses and More

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December 15, 2022

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Pokemon Go Halloween 2022 Part 2: New Costumed Pokemon, Bonuses and More

Part 2 of Pokemon Go’s Halloween event is now underway. This portion runs until Nov. 1 and introduces its own slate of spooky new Pokemon to catch, namely costume-wearing versions of Vulpix, Gengar and other monsters. On top of that, costumed Pokemon from last year’s Halloween event are making an encore appearance.

Here’s everything you need to know about Pokemon Go’s Halloween 2022 celebration.

Halloween event schedule

Like last year, Pokemon Go’s Halloween 2022 event is divided up into two parts.

Part 1 kicked off Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. local time and ran until the same time on Oct. 27. Part 2 picked up immediately afterward and will end on Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. local time.

Featured Pokemon

Several new costumed Pokemon have arrived as part of this year’s Halloween event. You can find costume-wearing versions of Vulpix and Pumpkaboo in the wild, while a new costumed Gengar is appearing in three-star raids.

On top of that, you still have a chance to encounter Pokemon introduced during part one of the event. Mega Banette is appearing in Mega raids until Nov. 1, and you can still get shiny versions of Galarian Yamask and Noibat. The former can be found in one-star raids and by completing research tasks, while the latter may hatch from 7-kilometer eggs.

Various other ghost- and dark-type Pokemon will be appearing during the event, as well. You can see the full list below:

Wild encounters

Pikachu wearing a Halloween Mischief costume.
Vulpix wearing a Spooky Festival costume.
Zubat.
Haunter.
Spinarak.
Murkrow.
Misdreavus.
Sableye.
Shuppet.
Dusclops.
Piplup wearing a Halloween Mischief costume.
Yamask.
Golett.
Phantump.
Pumpkaboo wearing a Spooky Festival costume.

One-star raids

Sableye.
Purrloin.
Yamask.
Galarian Yamask.
Phantump.

Three-star raids

Gengar wearing a Spooky Festival costume.
Umbreon.
Drifblim wearing a Halloween Mischief costume.
Drapion.

Five-star and Mega raids

Bonuses

Along with the featured Pokemon, various in-game bonuses will be available during the Halloween event. You’ll earn double the usual amount of candy for catching, hatching and transferring Pokemon. On top of that, players who are level 31 or higher are guaranteed to earn at least one Candy XL when walking with your buddy Pokemon.

In addition to those bonuses, spooky new poses and clothes are available in Pokemon Go’s item shop. Gyms and PokeStops are also decked out with Halloween decorations, and a remix of the infamous Lavender Town theme will play at night.

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Halloween event schedule

Featured Pokemon

Bonuses

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