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Category: Entertainment

Josh Centers 16 comments

Apple Buys Classical Music Service Primephonic

Apple has bought Primephonic, a classical music service. Apple will be shutting Primephonic down soon but promises to create a new app just for classical music fans.

Julio Ojeda-Zapata 10 comments

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Apple/Beats Audio Gear

Choosing Apple earbuds or headphones becomes more complicated when you factor in gear from Apple subsidiary Beats by Dre. To wrap his head around all the options, Julio Ojeda-Zapata constructed a huge comparison chart. This companion article separates the various Apple and Beats devices into categories to assist you in your decision.

Adam Engst 2 comments

Global Delight Sponsoring TidBITS

We’d like to welcome our latest sponsor, Global Delight, makers of the Boom 3D audio enhancement utility for the Mac.

Josh Centers 4 comments

Apple Clarifies Lossless Audio Support Details

Apple has published a support article offering clarity on how lossless audio will work with your devices.

Josh Centers 19 comments

Apple Takes Apple Music Sound Quality to the Next Level

Apple Music will provide free upgrades to lossless audio, Dolby Atmos, and Spatial Audio starting next month.

Josh Centers 2 comments

Standard Ebooks Makes Classic Texts Beautiful

The Standard Ebooks project is building on the work of Project Gutenberg to spruce up classic ebooks for modern devices. Find out how you can use it to expand your ebook collection.

Josh Centers No comments

Apple Updates Firmware for AirPods Pro and Second-Generation AirPods

Apple has quietly updated the firmware in the AirPods Pro and second-generation AirPods, which will hopefully fix their sound issues.

Michael E. Cohen 8 comments

Apple’s Spring Loaded Appetizers: Apple Card Family, Podcast Subscriptions, and a Purple iPhone

It wasn’t all big hardware news at Apple’s Spring Loaded event. As a warmup to the cavalcade of major rollouts, Apple CEO Tim Cook spun through announcements of a new Apple Card Family service, a revamped Podcasts app that includes premium subscriptions, and a snazzy new iPhone color that Prince would have loved—yes, it’s purple.

Jeff Carlson 9 comments

Refresh Your Old AirPods with a Podswap

If the batteries in your first- or second-generation AirPods are suffering from massively reduced battery life, you don’t have to pay full price for a new set (and throw away the old ones). For half the cost, Podswap will exchange your expired ones for a set of refurbished, genuine Apple AirPods with new batteries.

Josh Centers 6 comments

Apple Expands Arcade with Classic Games

The Apple Arcade subscription game service is struggling to catch on, so Apple is adding a slew of classic board games and App Store hits to lure in subscribers.

Adam Engst 19 comments

Apple Discontinues Original HomePod, Focuses on HomePod mini

Apple has announced that it is discontinuing the original HomePod to focus on the HomePod mini. The company will continue to service and support the HomePod, and it will remain available while supplies last.

Julio Ojeda-Zapata 11 comments

Apple’s AirPods Max Headphones Are Pricey but Good

You would pay dearly for Apple’s AirPods Max headphones, which at $549 exceed the cost of rival products by $200 or more. But Julio Ojeda-Zapata came away impressed with their stylishness, ruggedness, audio quality, active noise cancellation, design flourishes, and integration with Apple’s ecosystem. They have flaws, but none are deal-breakers.

Adam Engst 3 comments

Plastic Fantastic Trainer: Get Stealth Exercise at Home

Looking for a way to work out at home during the pandemic? Adam Engst tried the Stealth Core Trainer, which enables you to do dynamic planks while using your body as a game controller for playing simple video games on your iPhone.

Julio Ojeda-Zapata 23 comments

Apple Introduces $99 HomePod mini

Apple announced the HomePod mini, a smaller, less expensive, and more rounded version of its two-year-old HomePod. The expanded speaker line has little in the way of groundbreaking features as it competes with speakers from Amazon and Google, but at least it’s now more affordable.

Julio Ojeda-Zapata 12 comments

Skip the Library Trip, Borrow Ebooks and More at Home

If you’re skittish about visiting a public library during a pandemic, ask about electronic borrowing you can do from home. Many US libraries provide digital versions of books, comics, and magazines, plus music downloads and streaming video options. Julio Ojeda-Zapata examines all the likely choices.