Skip Apple’s $99 iPhone Air MagSafe Battery — Better MagSafe Options Exist Apple’s new iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone yet — and Apple launched a specially designed iPhone Air MagSafe Battery alongside it. But the battery pack is expensive and not great value. Here’s a quick breakdown and a recommendation for better alternatives. Quick summary Apple iPhone Air MagSafe Battery: ~3,149 mAh, listed ~12.26 Wh, tops out at 12W wireless charging (unless using passthrough while plugged in), price: $99. Anker Nano / Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (5,000 mAh): ~5,000 mAh, roughly 19–25 Wh depending on reporting, Qi2/MagSafe-compatible, up to 15W wireless charging, typical price: ~$55–60. Value math - Apple: 3,149 mAh for $99 → about $0.03 per mAh. - Anker (5,000 mAh) at ~$55 → about $0.01–0.011 per mAh.…

Proton Lumo — a privacy-first chatbot built on open-source models Proton launched Lumo, a privacy-focused chatbot built from open-source models. Lumo encrypts conversations, avoids using user data to train models, and integrates with Proton’s ecosystem (Mail, Drive). Proton positions Lumo as a practical, lower-cost alternative to bigger, data-driven assistants. Key points Privacy-first: end-to-end encrypted chats and a no-logs stance; features like Ghost Mode to discard conversations. Open-source models: Lumo stitches together smaller open models (Nemo, OpenHands 32B, OLMO 2 32B, Mistral Small 3) to be resource-efficient and nimble. Pricing: free tier available; paid Plus tier removes limits for $13/month (cheaper than many rivals). Philosophy: Proton argues many users don’t need the largest models — a smaller, well-integrated model can be sufficient for everyday productivity. Targets users who value privacy over…

OpenAI updates ChatGPT: Personalization, youth protections, and Codex improvements OpenAI announced three notable updates for ChatGPT: Unified personalization & new personalities: Personalization controls have been consolidated into a single "Personalization" settings page. Users can choose or tweak different ChatGPT personalities to better match tone and behavior, and manage memory and preferences more easily. Enhanced youth protection: New safety measures restrict certain interactions for users under 18, including bans on flirtatious conversations and other safeguards to reduce exposure to inappropriate content. Codex / developer improvements: OpenAI introduced an optimized Codex variant (GPT-5-Codex) targeted at coding tasks and code reviews. It’s intended to be the default in cloud coding workflows and selectable for local Codex toolchains and IDE extensions. Some developers have reported regressions in certain coding tasks, so results may vary…

Anker Nano 5K MagGo Slim — Slim MagSafe Power Bank Deal Carry less without losing juice. The Anker Nano 5K MagGo Slim is a compact 5,000mAh MagSafe-compatible power bank that's about one-third of an inch thick and magnetically attaches to MagSafe phones. Deal Price: $46 (was $55) — a ~16% discount. Key specs Capacity: 5,000mAh Thickness: ~0.33 inches (ultra-slim) MagSafe compatibility: Qi2 / MagSafe-compatible phones and magnetic cases Colors: Black and White Charge performance: Tested to charge an iPhone 15 from 5% to 90% in ~2.5 hours and to about 40% in under an hour Why it’s useful Its minimalist design, matte texture and magnetic attachment make it a convenient option for light travel or day-to-day top-ups without the bulk of typical power banks. Buy it Amazon (affiliate): https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Anker+Nano+5K+MagGo+Slim&tag=f1rede-20 Manufacturer…

iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16e — Is the 16e Still Worth It? The iPhone 17 makes the iPhone 16e look increasingly hard to justify. For $200 more, you get several meaningful upgrades that change the everyday experience: Display: ProMotion 120Hz for much smoother scrolling and more vivid visuals. Cameras: Dual 48MP system (including an improved ultrawide) and a new 18MP Center Stage front camera with a square sensor for easier portrait/selfie framing. MagSafe & Charging: Full MagSafe support for magnetic accessories and wireless charging. Storage & Value: Base storage doubled (starts at 256GB) and a zippier processor for better longevity — all at a $799 starting price. Bottom line: unless you only want the absolute cheapest iPhone, the iPhone 17 is the smarter buy over the 16e due to screen,…

Garmin launches three new smartwatches — Bounce 2 targets kids Garmin has expanded its smartwatch lineup with three new models. The standout is the Bounce 2, designed for children and family use. It includes built-in LTE for two-way calls and texts, real-time GPS location tracking, and parental controls via the Garmin Jr. app. Key specs & features LTE connectivity with two-way calling and text/voice messaging Real-time GPS tracking and geo-fence alerts Managed by the Garmin Jr. app (family contacts, notifications, location updates) Approx. 2 days battery life (varies with LTE use) Water-resistant Integration with services such as Amazon Music LTE subscription: approx. $9.99/month Available colors: light purple, turquoise, slate gray (varies by region) The Bounce 2 is positioned as a way for parents to delay giving kids a smartphone while…

iPad Air M3 deal: 11-inch Wi‑Fi — $150 off, now $450 Now’s a great time to shop iPad deals: the 11‑inch iPad Air M3 (Wi‑Fi) is discounted by $150, dropping to $450 — a record-low price for this configuration. Why consider it? The iPad Air M3 earned high marks (review score: 89) thanks to Apple’s M3 chip, which delivers a solid performance boost over the M2 model while keeping the price lower than the iPad Pro. For most users who don’t need a laptop replacement or the top-end display, the Air M3 hits the best balance of features and value. Deal tip: Check major retailers for availability and pricing — you can start searching here: Search iPad Air M3 on Amazon. Would you buy the Air M3 at this price?…

iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max — Key takeaways Here’s a concise, hands-on summary of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max based on a full review. (Source review link removed.) Design & Build New aluminum unibody (7000-series) with Ceramic Shield 2 and a raised camera plateau. Feels familiar but more durable than recent glass-backed models; new orange color is eye-catching. Thermals & Performance Big addition this year: an internal vapor chamber. In everyday use the 17 Pro stays noticeably cooler than the 16 Pro, though heavy AI tasks (Image Playground, Genmoji) can still warm the chassis. The A19 Pro chip and upgraded neural accelerators noticeably speed up AI tasks. Cameras Three 48MP sensors offer flexible shooting and new zoom options: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x (and up to 40x…

iPhone Air — Thinness with Purpose The iPhone Air is Apple’s bold experiment in razor-thin design: a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display, titanium frame, Ceramic Shield 2, and an A19 Pro chip — all starting at $999. It sacrifices a second rear lens and a slightly smaller screen vs. last year’s Plus model in exchange for unprecedented style and engineering. Design At just 5.6mm thick, the Air is the thinnest iPhone to date with polished rounded edges and an IP68 rating. It’s lightweight (165g) and uses a Ceramic Shield 2 panel with anti-reflective coating. Downsides: a single mono speaker and a slightly off-center USB-C port (manufactured with a 3D-printed titanium connector). Performance Powered by the A19 Pro (with one fewer GPU core than the Pro line), the Air handles apps…

DJI Mini 5 Pro — first Mini with a 1-inch sensor: Quick hands-on impressions DJI's new Mini 5 Pro brings pro-level imaging to the sub-250g class. Key standouts from an early hands-on: 1-inch 50MP sensor — a major jump from the Mini 4 Pro's 1/1.3" sensor for much better low-light performance. Weight: 249.9 g — still under the 250g limit in many regions (no permit required in those areas). Video: up to 4K at 120 fps, 10-bit D-LogM, ~14 stops dynamic range for grading. Obstacle avoidance: nose-mounted LiDAR for low-light/night detection plus six omnidirectional sensors for ActiveTrack 360 and tight‑space flying. Gimbal: 225° roll for true vertical/rotating footage and support for QuickShot Rotate, Timelapse, Spotlight, Waypoint Flight. ActiveTrack 360: improved tracking and smoother, safer trajectories (better at following cyclists and…