Author: alex

Hands-on: Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3 & Ultra 3 — First Impressions At Apple Park I spent time with the newly announced Apple Watch Series 11, Watch SE 3 and Watch Ultra 3. Overall the most intriguing is the Series 11, though many updates are evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Key takeaways Series 11: Appears nearly identical to Series 10 in size and feel, but gains an IonX coating that Apple says is 2× more scratch resistant. Adds a new space grey case option and updated loop bands. The notable software/health changes include "Possible hypertension" alerts (trend-based alerts using optical heart sensors — not a numerical blood pressure reading), sleep scoring in watchOS 26, and up to ~24 hours of battery life with ~8 hours reserved for overnight sleep tracking.…

iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro — Which Should You Buy? Apple's new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro share the A19 Pro chip and many premium features, but they target very different users. The Air focuses on ultra‑thin design and style; the 17 Pro goes for no‑compromise performance and camera flexibility. Quick summary iPhone Air: 5.6mm thick, 6.5" Super Retina XDR, 165 g, single 48MP Fusion camera, up to 27 hours video playback, starts at $999. iPhone 17 Pro: 8.75mm thick, 6.3" Super Retina XDR, 206 g, triple 48MP Pro Fusion cameras (wide, ultra‑wide, telephoto with up to 8x optical zoom), up to 33 hours video playback, starts at $1,099. Size & weight The Air is Apple's thinnest iPhone yet and noticeably lighter. If pocket comfort and a slim…

Apple doubles base iPhone storage — all new models start at 256GB Apple’s new lineup — iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air — now start at 256GB of storage, up from the 128GB base that’s been standard since the iPhone 13. This change applies across the entire range, giving most users twice the local storage at the base price point. Why this matters Better for photos & video: Pro cameras and cinematic modes generate large files; 256GB reduces the need to constantly delete or offload media. Less reliance on cloud-only solutions: Local capacity matters if you shoot ProRAW, record high-res video, or travel without fast uploads. Resale/trade-in value: Higher base storage tends to hold value better. Costs & options Pro models still offer larger tiers (512GB, 1TB, 2TB…

Apple Watch SE 3: Improvements, limits, and is it worth $250? Summary: The Apple Watch SE 3 keeps the same screen size as the SE Gen 2 but adds the S10 chip (same as newer Series models), on-device Siri, an always-on display, faster charging (about 8 hours of use after ~15 minutes of charging), and a temperature sensor for cycle tracking. It lacks ECG and blood-pressure/hypertension detection sensors. The case is aluminum and the price remains $250. Key details Processor: S10 chip (enables features like Workout Buddy, Live Translation, Double Tap gesture) Display: same 759 mm² area as SE Gen 2 (no larger screen) Always-on display: yes Charging: much faster — ~8 hours from a 15-minute charge Sensors: heart-rate tracking, temperature sensor (for cycle tracking), no ECG, no hypertension detection…

Apple extends free satellite features for iPhone 14 & 15 until Sep 9, 2025 Apple quietly extended free satellite connectivity for iPhone 14 and 15 owners — the company will keep Emergency SOS via satellite and the expanded iOS 18 satellite features free for eligible devices until September 9, 2025. This is the third extension since the service launched with the iPhone 14. What’s included Emergency SOS via satellite Messages via satellite Find My (satellite-based location) Roadside assistance via satellite These features run through Apple’s partnership with Globalstar and require a supported country and a compatible iPhone activated in that country before 12AM PT on September 9, 2025. Unsupported countries Apple’s support pages list the following as unsupported for satellite services (devices sold/activated there won’t get the features): Armenia Belarus…

iPhone Air: 20W MagSafe Charging, Battery Life & MagSafe Pack Boost Apple's new iPhone Air keeps things thin — and that shows in the charging numbers. Unlike the other iPhones announced alongside it, the iPhone Air charges at up to 20W over both MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging, while the other models support up to 25W. Fast-charging Apple lists the iPhone Air as able to reach up to 50% charge in 30 minutes when paired with a 20W (or higher) USB‑C adapter and USB‑C charging cable (adapter sold separately). When using a MagSafe Charger, Apple specifies a 30W (or higher) adapter is required for the fastest MagSafe-assisted charging. Battery life iPhone Air alone: up to 27 hours of video playback; up to 22 hours of streaming video. With dedicated iPhone…

Microsoft reportedly to use Anthropic's Claude in some Office 365 Copilot featuresAccording to a report by The Information (covered by Engadget), Microsoft plans to begin using Anthropic's latest Claude models — notably Claude Sonnet 4 — to power some Copilot features across Office 365 apps like Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. Microsoft currently uses OpenAI models for most Copilot features.Key pointsReport says Microsoft will announce the change "in the coming weeks."Microsoft denies the decision is driven by animosity, saying OpenAI remains a partner on frontier models.Sources told The Information Microsoft believes Claude Sonnet 4 "performs better in subtle but important ways" (e.g., producing more aesthetically pleasing PowerPoint slides).Microsoft reportedly won’t raise Copilot pricing — still $30/user/month — despite paying Anthropic via AWS for Claude access, whereas Microsoft can access OpenAI…

Apple Watch Series 11 hands-on — looks the same, changes are deeper At a hands-on session at Apple Park, the new Apple Watch Series 11 felt almost indistinguishable from the Series 10: same thinness and dimensions, with subtle design tweaks such as a more scratch-resistant IonX glass and new case/band finishes. The unit I tried had a tasteful space gray case and a loop band that stood out. What’s new (quick highlights) Possible hypertension alerts — uses existing optical heart rate sensors to detect concerning differences in blood pressure patterns and alert you to seek medical advice. This is not a blood pressure reading device, but a trend/alert system. IonX glass — improved scratch resistance. New case & band options — including a space gray finish and new loop bands.…

iPhone 17 camera updates: front cam, Pro telephoto & model breakdown Apple's iPhone 17 line brings notable camera changes across the board: a new high-resolution front camera for all models, a major telephoto upgrade for Pro models, and targeted improvements for the base and Air versions. Highlights All models: new 18MP square-sensor front camera with Center Stage — easier group selfies, 4K HDR ultra-stabilized video, and a more natural vertical grip for wide shots. iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max: new 48MP telephoto sensor (56% larger), all Fusion cameras now 48MP, and expanded optical telephoto zoom from 5x to 8x via a tetraprism lens. New video tools: Photonic Engine, ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, genlock, and Dual Capture (front+rear). iPhone 17 (base): Fusion Ultra Wide upgraded to 48MP; still limited…

Apple iPhone Air — C1X & N1 chips: Faster, leaner wireless (A19 Pro) Apple’s iPhone Air introduces two in-house wireless chips — C1X and N1 — alongside the new A19 Pro. Together they enable a thinner design while delivering improved wireless performance and energy efficiency. Highlights C1X modem: Supports sub‑6GHz 5G and 4G LTE. Apple says it’s up to 2× faster than the original C1 and uses about 30% less energy overall — a key advantage for a thinner phone with a smaller battery. N1 chip: Handles Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread for accessories and smart home connectivity. A19 Pro: 6‑core CPU, 5‑core GPU and 16‑core Neural Engine — bringing pro-level performance to a thinner chassis. Why it matters By designing more wireless components in‑house, Apple reduces reliance on…