Author: alex

Apple Secures Exclusive US Formula 1 Rights — Apple TV to Stream Every Race from 2026 Apple has reached a five-year deal with Liberty Media to become the exclusive US broadcaster for Formula 1, with coverage beginning in 2026. Apple TV will carry every Grand Prix, along with practice, qualifying, and sprint sessions. Select races will be available for free in the Apple TV app. Key details: Start year: 2026 under a five-year pact. Coverage: Every Grand Prix plus practice, qualifying, and sprint sessions for Apple TV subscribers. Free access: "Select races" will be free for non-subscribers via the Apple TV app. F1 TV Premium: Will still exist in the US but will require an Apple TV subscription. Reported bid: Apple reportedly offered between $120M–$150M per year, outbidding ESPN's ~$90M/year.…

iPhone Air Sells Out Quickly in China, Outpacing US and Germany Apple’s new iPhone Air reportedly sold out almost immediately in China, with devices available for pre-order delivery on launch day disappearing fast. By contrast, the phone’s launch in countries like the United States and Germany was described as much calmer, with more stock available for day-one buyers. The South China Morning Post reported that pre-orders in China for delivery on the first sales day were exhausted quickly — a sign that demand for the ultrathin model is particularly strong there. This contrasts with the more muted openings seen in several Western markets. Reasons for the difference may include stronger consumer interest in lightweight devices in China, local promotional campaigns, or retail dynamics that favor quick sell-through. If demand in…

AT&T to Raise Home Internet Prices $5/Month Starting Dec. 1 AT&T has notified home internet customers that their monthly plan rates will increase by $5 starting December 1. The move follows a similar $5 increase in November 2024 and comes despite AT&T reporting $4.9 billion in profit for the last quarter. According to the company’s customer email and statements to reporters, AT&T says the increase is needed "to ensure [it continues] providing the quality service and support [customers] deserve." The company is offering ways to offset the rise if customers enroll in eligible billing options: $10/month discount for customers who enroll an eligible bank account in Autopay and Paperless Billing. $5/month discount for customers who enroll a debit card in Autopay. It’s unclear how long these discounts will remain available,…

MacBook Pro sold without charger in EU & UK — Apple prepares for new EU rule Apple’s latest MacBook Pro is being sold without a power adapter for customers in the EU and the United Kingdom. The move has sparked discussion online, with some observers incorrectly claiming the EU has banned including chargers — the reality appears to be that Apple is positioning itself ahead of upcoming EU regulations. Key points: Apple removed the charger from the box for EU & UK sales of the new MacBook Pro. The change has prompted debate about whether this was mandated by the EU — official EU rules standardize chargers but do not explicitly ban bundled adapters; Apple frames this as preparation for those rules. Environmental and product-standardization arguments factor into the decision,…

Apple deal roundup: limited iPad discounts, notable savings on Air, Macs and accessories After a wave of deep discounts around Prime Day and other retailer events, iPad deals are thinner this week — a pre-Black Friday lull, essentially. That said, a handful of worthwhile discounts remain for shoppers who want to grab higher-capacity models or popular accessories. Highlights include a $50 discount on the 256GB iPad (A16), big markdowns on certain iPad Air configurations (including the 1TB 11" M3 Air for $949 and the 13" M3 512GB cellular Air for $1,000), and price drops on AirPods 4, AirTags (4-pack), the M4 Mac mini and the M4 MacBook Air. iPad (A16) 256GB: $50 off — a modest but useful saving if you want more storage without stepping up to the Air…

Nintendo Eyes 25 Million Switch 2 Units by March 2026 as Demand Surges Nintendo has asked suppliers to build 25 million Switch 2 consoles by the end of its fiscal year on March 30, 2026, signaling strong confidence in continued sales momentum through the upcoming holiday season. The company believes the new console could exceed its own forecast of 15 million units sold in the first fiscal year and may even outpace the original Switch’s record launch pace. Key details at a glance: Production request: 25 million Switch 2 units to be manufactured by March 2026. Nintendo’s forecast: 15 million units for the first fiscal year; outside estimates suggest around 20 million could be sold this year if momentum continues. Original Switch benchmark: 17.79 million units sold in its first…

OpenAI pauses Sora video generations of Martin Luther King Jr. after request from the King Estate OpenAI has temporarily suspended Sora's ability to generate videos of Martin Luther King Jr. following a request from The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr. (King, Inc.). The pause comes after users created disrespectful AI depictions — including altered footage of King's "I Have a Dream" speech — that prompted public outcry and appeals from family members. OpenAI said it worked with the estate "to address how his likeness is represented in Sora generations" and is "strengthening guardrails for historical figures." The company also said representatives of other historical figures can ask that likenesses not be used in Sora videos. Users previously generated Sora videos of several deceased public figures, including Michael Jackson and…

Apple’s fall lineup goes M5: MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Vision Pro — GPU takes center stage Apple has announced a fall refresh across several flagship products powered by its new M5 chip: a 14-inch MacBook Pro, a refreshed iPad Pro, and an updated Vision Pro headset. Early reports and coverage from tech outlets suggest the headline improvement is the M5’s GPU upgrades — delivering higher graphics performance aimed at creative professionals and AR/VR workloads. Key points: Devices announced: 14" MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, Vision Pro — all updated with the M5 chip. Main upgrade: significant GPU improvements in the M5 family, which Apple is emphasizing for pro graphics, video, and spatial computing tasks. Who benefits: users working in pro creative apps, 3D workflows, and developers building for AR/VR platforms.…

Apple M5 Refresh: Faster MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Vision Pro Apple has rolled out fall hardware updates across several major product lines powered by its new M5 chip. This isn’t a design overhaul, but Apple says the M5 brings measurable performance gains for the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and even the Vision Pro headset. The headline: Apple claims the M5 features a 10‑core CPU, 10‑core GPU and a 16‑core Neural Engine, built on the same 3‑nanometer process used for the M4. According to Apple, the M5’s single CPU core is the company’s fastest yet and can deliver up to ~20% faster multithreaded performance versus the M4. MacBook Pro: M5 model starts at $1,599 and retains the same chassis, weight and 70W adapter as the prior model. iPad Pro: Apple…

CNN launches All Access streaming tier — no full live feed CNN will launch its new "All Access" subscription on October 28, priced at $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. The tier promises a selection of live programming, access to 1,000 hours from CNN's Originals library, next‑day availability for new CNN Original Series and CNN Films, on‑demand programming, special features and exclusive live events. Subscribers also gain access to subscriber‑only content and articles on CNN.com. There are a few important caveats: the new All Access tier does not appear to include a continuous live feed of CNN, and the service will be free for existing pay TV subscribers (although they won’t receive the digital CNN.com content that All Access members get). CNN has rebranded its previous $3.99 digital subscription…