David Snow - page 3

In partnership with Universal Music Group, Apple Music on Tuesday launched Sound Therapy, a collection of specially enhanced tracks designed to help listeners achieve wellness through better focus, deeper relaxation and improved sleep.

It combines the power of your favorite music with cognitive science to improve daily well-being, the companies said in a press release.

“Given Apple’s leadership at the intersection of health and technology, the launch of Sound Therapy represents an important validation of our innovative, science-led Sollos initiative,” said Michael Nash, UMG’s executive vice president and chief digital officer. “We look forward to working closely with the team at Apple to expand the ways that music can be harnessed to improve the wellness benefits for its users.”

In a groundbreaking development, a brain-computer interface (BCI) company successfully demonstrated the first-ever use of Apple’s Vision Pro AR/VR headset controlled directly by thought, according to Synchron. The innovation opens up exciting possibilities, perhaps even beyond helping individuals with severe mobility limitations engage with cutting-edge technology. Innovations like thought control of Vision Pro could lead to big things for both hands-free and voice-free use of devices.

Update: Synchron said Tuesday it would be the first brain-computer interface (BCI) company to achieve native integration with a new BCI Human Interface Device (BCI HID) profile Apple just rolled out among various accessibility upgrades.

A tiny new silicon micro-speaker could transform future wearables — like Apple Watch and other smartwatches — by dramatically reducing thickness while improving audio quality, xMEMS Labs said Tuesday. It unveiled Sycamore-W, an ultra-thin micro speaker engineered for wrist-worn devices. It could make more room in devices as new features like AI interactions become more prevalent.

“Sycamore-W redefines audio for smart watches, combining compact design with robust performance to meet the demands of next-generation wearables,” said Mike Housholder, xMEMS VP of Marketing and Business Development. “As the wrist becomes a key interface for ears-free, hands-free AI interactions, Sycamore-W empowers manufacturers to deliver premium audio in smaller, lighter more durable devices.”

Logitech kicks off summer with its Buy More & Save sale on an array of peripherals for your Apple setup. You can scoop up keyboards, mice, webcams, iPad keyboard cases and more, through June 1. In this Logitech sale, some individual items get discounts, but the main deal comes on how much you spend, the company said: $150 off $450; $70 off $250; and $30 off $150.

As a person who relies on Logitech gear every day, I can vouch for it — especially when you can get a deal on a few items at once to really improve your setup.

A comprehensive suite of new Apple accessibility upgrades relying on Apple silicon and machine learning to enhance usability across products and services will launch later this year, the iPhone giant said Tuesday.

The innovations aim to make Apple devices more usable for people with various disabilities. Those include visual impairments, hearing loss, mobility challenges and cognitive differences.

“At Apple, accessibility is part of our DNA,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Making technology for everyone is a priority for all of us, and we’re proud of the innovations we’re sharing this year. That includes tools to help people access crucial information, explore the world around them, and do what they love.”

When the second edition of the Beats Pill portable Bluetooth speaker came out in mid-2024, the Apple subsidiary made a big deal about how it completely overhauled the powerful little sound machine. It’s more powerful, yet lighter and more portable. And now you can get a great Beats Pill deal — 33% off at Amazon — bringing the price down to $149.95 $99.95.

Believe it or not, today’s magnificent featured setup includes five computers — each with a job to do, even the ol’ trash-can Mac Pro — and one absolutely huge computer monitor. It’s a 57-inch curved ultra-wide Samsung. What, 49 inches wasn’t big enough for ya?

And the workstation includes other great features. Those include a Rode PodMic, the same great open-back Sennheiser headphones I own, and powerful Klipsch bookshelf speakers paired with a subwoofer that I wish I owned.

Sonos and Ikea loved to make speakers that look like other things. They launched the Symfonisk table lamp speaker, bookshelf speakers and a picture frame, among other products. But now the Sonos-Ikea partnership ends, according to reports.

The Symfonisk line of speakers, which also includes a bookshelf speaker that can hold books and a picture frame speaker that looks like wall art, is designed to blend in with your home decor.

Update: Sonos and Ikea just ended their lengthy partnership on the popular Symfonisk speakers, which included a table lamp and a picture frame, according to various reports.

“Over the past eight years, we’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Ikea and are proud of what we’ve achieved,” Sonos told The Verge. “Although our work together has largely wound down and we won’t be releasing new products as partners, we’ll continue to support every existing Symfonisk product so customers can keep enjoying great sound in their homes for many years to come.”

In a big move reshaping the premium audio landscape, Samsung subsidiary Harman International acquired Masimo Corporation’s Sound United consumer audio business for $350 million in cash, the companies said this week — including some of the industry’s most storied brands.

The deal brings renowned audio brands like Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz and Polk Audio under Samsung’s expanding audio empire — potentially creating new challenges for Apple in both the consumer audio, automotive and smart home markets.

And the seller happens to be Apple legal rival Masimo, whose lawsuit against the iPhone giant put a stop to blood oxygen sensing in Apple Watch. Ouch.

Among various chips Apple currently develops for products like smart glasses and Macs, new AI server chips will help power the Apple Intelligence platform, according to a report Thursday. And the new, immensely powerful AI server chips will be the first of their kind for Apple.

Apple’s annual Swift Student Challenge coding competition showcases young talent whose apps never cease to inspire. This year is no different, as Apple profiles four coders working to preserve cultural heritage, improve disaster preparedness, connect astronomy enthusiasts and expand educational access. Meet Swift Student Challenge winners and their inspiring coding projects below.

These four are part of a group of 50 winners who will attend WWDC25 in person at Apple Park in Cupertino for a three-day program.

“We’re always inspired by the talent and perspective young developers bring to the Swift Student Challenge,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “This year’s winners show exceptional skill in transforming meaningful ideas into app playgrounds that are innovative, impactful, and thoughtfully built — and we’re excited to support their journey as they continue building apps that will help shape the future.”

Apple TV+ subscribers get an inside look at Hollywood’s streaming wars through Seth Rogen’s hit comedy series The Studio — complete with a surprising guest appearance Wednesday night from rival streaming executive Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. Apple tried to prevent the Netflix CEO cameo with a Tim Cook substitution, according to a new report Wednesday.

“It” girl actress Sydney Sweeney plays a drug addict and probable killer whose mom, played by Julianne Moore, will do anything to save her, according to a trailer Apple TV+ dropped Thursday for upcoming the upcoming Echo Valley movie.

The thriller, produced by Ridley Scott and also starring Kyle MacLachlan and Domhall Gleeson, debuts June 13 on Apple TV+.

The best deal we’ve seen on the new iPad 11 takes $50 off the tablet’s retail price of $349. That drops the entry-level tablet to its best price yet: $299.99 (in blue, silver and yellow colors and even lower in pink, at $288.39).

The budget iPad, which launched in March, offers solid performance for basic tasks like surfing the web, streaming videos and handling email. Plus, it comes with a welcome boost over the iPad 10’s base level of storage.

Apple’s epic sci-fi saga Foundation, adapted from the legendary Isaac Asimov stories, returns for season three on July 11 with a new threat of galactic war, Apple TV+ said Wednesday. And Foundation season 3 also has a new trailer, too. Watch it below.

“It’s anyone’s guess who will win, who will lose, who will live and who will die,” teases the official synopsis. It describes the upcoming season as “a potentially deadly game of intergalactic chess” involving central characters Hari Seldon, Gaal Dornick, the Cleon clone emperors and humanoid bot Demerzel.

The best desk cable management seems like magic because it makes things disappear. Today’s M4 Mac mini setup with dual 4K displays shows that off beautifully, hiding most of the workstation’s gear underneath an elegant desk.

“That cable management is art,” said one appreciative commenter.

In this case, the user made the cable-management parts using a 3D printer. But you can achieve the same effect using a few inexpensive products that aren’t difficult to install.

Newly updated Soundcore Liberty 5 noise-canceling wireless earbuds pack enhanced voice reduction, more-adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) and improved Dolby immersive audio, the Anker Innovations brand said Wednesday.

And did we mention the price dropped by $20 since Liberty 4? So now they’re even less expensive than Apple’s various AirPods Pro 2, at $129.

Apple Arcade plans to expand its growing library with five new games on June 5. That offers subscribers fresh gaming experiences across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Vision Pro. And Vision Pro headset users will get to play a spatial-computing version of the comedy racing game What the Car?

The new titles include both original releases and popular games making their debut on the subscription service. Plenty of existing games will get updates, too.

The sleek new Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds designed to stay on during workouts of any intensity only came out in February 2025. But you can already get a 20% discount. That brings down the list price from $249.99 to $199.99, a savings of $50. And that applies to all four color choices!

So maybe you buy these and that becomes your motivation to get back to the gym. Everybody wins.

EarFun looks set to make some waves in the premium headphones market with its new Tune Pro cans. They could make devotees of AirPods Max and other fancy headphones sit up and take notice. The wireless noise-canceling Tune Pro headphones, scheduled for official release May 20, launch Tuesday with an early-bird deal bringing the already-low list price of $70 down to a stunning $49 for a limited time.

My review of these new headphones is coming soon. I’m already testing them. And I’ll just say this for now: Getting these great cans for under $50 seems like a miracle deal.

Legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low gets a modern New York City music industry twist courtesy of director Spike Lee and star Denzel Washington, according to the new teaser trailer for the Highest 2 Lowest movie Apple TV+ posted Monday.

The new movie hits theaters August 22 before streaming on Apple TV+ September 5.

Careful mounting of devices is a hallmark of light and clean computer setups because it lifts most of the gear up off the desk, making room for other gear or simply creating clean, open space. In today’s setup, the MacBook Pro sitting open on a stand is just one of three small screens, including a portable monitor, that nicely complement and expand the Studio Display.

Apple showed off its 2025 Pride Collection Monday ahead of Pride Month, featuring a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band alongside matching watch faces and wallpapers for iPhone and iPad. The collection celebrates the “strength and beauty of LGBTQ+ communities around the world” with vibrant, rainbow-themed designs.

In a move that could interest Apple users looking to expand their audio options, LG Electronics unveiled its new “xboom by will.i.am” lineup of Bluetooth speakers and earbuds recently. When a big electronics maker puts out four new products at once — complete with celebrity sound engineer in the mix — it tends to grab out attention.

Probably the coolest smartwatch you can get is the Apple Watch Ultra 2, especially in the stunning black titanium finish. With this Apple Watch Ultra deal, you can get $70 off the rugged smartwatch with a black titanium finish and a black trail loop.

A 9% drop on the price is welcome, even if it applies only to this casing and color combination.