Apple releases new firmware update for AirTag item trackers
Seven months after releasing AirTag’s latest firmware update, Apple is now seeding a new version to owners of the item tracker. Here’s what you need to know about this new version.
Apple is beginning to roll out a new version of firmware to its AirTag item trackers, 9to5Mac has learned. The new version of AirTag firmware comes seven months after the previous release. Apple introduced an Android app that allows users to search for AirTags and made anti-stalking improvements for item trackers.
Today’s new firmware release is version 1.0. 391, and it features build number 1A301. Prior to today, the most recent version of AirTag firmware was version 1.0. 291 and featured build number 1A291e.
To check your AirTag’s firmware version, use the Find My app on your iPhone and then select the Items tab from the navigation bar. Then choose your AirTag from the list of items and tap on the name of your AirTag. This will reveal your AirTag’s serial number as well as the firmware version.
There is no way to force an upgrade. You can force an update by making sure that your AirTag is within reach of your iPhone.
It’s not clear what’s changed in the updated firmware version. However, we will update this story as soon as we find out more.
It is possible that the AirTag update today includes further improvements to anti-stalking technologies Apple has been developing since last year’s launch.
If you note anything different after updating the item tracker, let us know down in the comments section.
D&D’s new Dragonlance could see incredibly powerful character builds
Wizards of the Coast is taking another stab at its upcoming reboot of the Dragonlance setting, formally announced on April 21. These new playtest materials clearly state that they’ll be included in Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, a new book due out later this year. But they also hint at what may the most powerful set of character creation options yet.
Jeremy Crawford, game design architect for this project, detailed the changes in the YouTube video embedded above. After a chat about what isn’t changing from the original playtest materials, released in March, he gets to the meat of the matter: Characters are getting bonus feats, which are stunts that they can pull off during play. That’s because everyone at the table — even first-level adventurers — have already survived an apocalypse and emerged from it much stronger.
” In the context of The War of the Lance, Crawfor stated that characters in the crucible have gone through something unique compared to other D&D worlds. And so characters here have gone through a crucible that is unusual in comparison to many other D&D worlds.”
The Cataclysm, an event that takes away healing magic temporarily from Krynn’s world, is in-fiction. For a while, Krynn’s gods leave its peoples. Likewise, the dragons that are more common in Krynn than elsewhere, vanish for a time. And well, there’s this whole bit about a meteorite striking the planet. It’s a lot.
Although healing magic and dragons are back in the Shadow to the Dragon Queen , there is also an invasion of draconic powers. For that and other reasons Wizards has elected to essentially buff player characters. Players who choose one of the two new backgrounds in Unearthed Arcana: Heroes of Krynn Revisited will get a bonus feat at first level and another at fourth level.
“If you pick one of the two backgrounds [included in these new playtest materials] you get a free feat as a part of that background,” Crawford said. “Now we’re revealing more of the picture, and that is if you are playing a War of the Lance campaign you either pick one of those two backgrounds, or if you pick a background from any other source, if that background does not give you a free feat, you get to choose one from the list of feats that is in this new Unearthed Arcana.”
For those who enjoy power-leveling, custom lineages — an alternate rule first published in 2020’s Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything — would potentially give a second feat at character creation, for a total of three bonus feats by fourth level. The new playtest materials are available for free download starting Monday.
Additionally, the kender race is being tweaked. The response on the original playtest materials was “mixed” Crawford says — which is why Wizards publishes playtest materials in the first place. This version goes “back to basics” he said and, designers hope, more accurately captures the first edition version of that race.
“When you go back to first edition products like Dragons of Mystery, […] it came down to again that mix of fearlessness, unstoppable curiosity, and this taunt that discombobulates people on the battlefield.”
Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen arrives in late 2022, according to Wizards. It will launch alongside a compatible tabletop game, described as a novel “battle game” Designed by Rob Daviau (Pandemic Legacy) and Stephen Baker (Battle Masters) that can be used to directly impact the events of the role-playing campaign.
Galaxy A13 5G support page goes up in Greece as European launch nears
The Samsung Galaxy A13 (4G) is already available in parts of Europe. The 5G model is still nowhere to be seen on the Old Continent months after it launched in the US. That is about to change as a support page for the SM-A136B/DSN, aka Galaxy A13 5G dual-SIM, has appeared on Samsung Greece.
The 4G model is available through partner stores at a regular price of EUR200 and a discounted price of EUR180 (e.g. Germanos). The 4G phone can also be found in other countries at various prices, e.g. in the Netherlands, where a 64 GB unit can be had for EUR174, and in Germany (EUR190). The older Galaxy A22 5G started at EUR250, but can currently be found for EUR210-EUR230, which puts an upper limit to the reasonable pricing of the A13 5G.
What does the Galaxy A13 5G has that its 4G sibling doesn’t have? Well, besides the next-gen connectivity, it also has a more powerful Dimensity 700 chipset (with two A76 big cores instead of all A55), along with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU (vs. G52).
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G highlights
The rest is a mixed bag. The 5G model has a 90 Hz IPS LCD, though at a lower resolution (HD+ vs. FHD+), it also keeps the 50 MP main camera, but loses the 5 MP ultra wide. The battery is the same, 5,000 mAh capacity and 15W charging. This is a comparison of the two batteries.
The most powerful M1 MacBook that Apple never built…
This Frankenstein monster of a laptop basically attaches an iPad Mini onto an M1 Mac Mini, giving you a laptop with more ports and better performance than a MacBook Pro while still being a (theoretically) portable laptop. This laptop is not a notebook. It also features a touchscreen with Apple Pencil input.
YouTuber Scott Yu-Jan hates laptops, as he so thoroughly expresses throughout his video (he even punches a hole through one for emphasis). He argues that laptops may be very powerful but they are not designed to replace sleekness. Even the most top-of-the-line laptop today is still under an inch thick. The purpose of laptops is to be portable and easy-to-carry. Scott believes that a laptop without wires is the best. It should be portable, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be sleek. Scott’s MacMiniBook, or MacBook Mini, is a cleverly crafted solution that proves his point. Sure, it isn’t sleek, but it doesn’t pull punches. With an M1 chip on the inside that lifts well above its weight, Scott’s creation comfortably bridges the gap between the laptop and desktop experience. In fact, parts of the video above were even edited on Scott’s MacGyvered MacBook Mini.
Scott started his experiment by just getting a Mac Mini. He then began to wonder how to get there. But, things took off when, for fun, he placed his iPad Mini on the Mac Mini to see that the two were identical in size. What were the odds, eh?! Apple seems to take nomenclature very seriously.
Once the perfect CPU and Display combo were picked out, it was just a question of merging them together into a rather chunky looking laptop. Scott designed, modeled, and 3D printed his housing in multiple parts, complete with openings for ports and cables, and even a friction hinge that would let you adjust your iPad to any angle you wanted.
Scott’s solution is what the internet would call ‘thicc’. It isn’t elegant by a far stretch, but it’s job isn’t to look elegant, it’s to outperform every laptop out there – a claim that Scott was pretty confident about once his solution was ready.
To run his mad machine, the iPad would have to work as an external display, rather than a tablet. Scott’s app of choice was Duet, using it to create an external screen for his M1 Mac Mini. A USB-C cable both beamed video information to the iPad, while keeping it charged. Scott could still use his Apple Pencil by docking it at the iPad’s upper edge.
Scott’s creation is undeniably bonkers, but it is an incredibly powerful device on paper. The M1 chip handles complex tasks without consuming power or causing the cooling fans to go crazy. Scott demonstrated this by even editing a 2K video on it. However, the Frankenstein MacBook has a few flaws. First, the MacBook doesn’t come with a battery. This means that you will need to be connected to an electrical source in order to use it (unless you are using the iPad). In the second place, Scott said that he is more comfortable with a Magic Keyboard than a keyboard and trackpad. Finally, using the machine takes a little getting used to. First, switch on the Mac Mini, iPad Mini, and Duet separately. While shutting your laptop down, you need to switch the Mac Mini off too, given that closing the lid doesn’t snooze this laptop. Even the webcam placement may bother a few, and finally, the presence of 2 cables that are a permanent fixture may irk a few people… especially the design team at Apple!
Steam Deck has a new operating system upgrade that includes a lock screen. Now, owners of Valve’s handheld PC gaming device can set secure it with a six-digit PIN to wake it, boot up, log in, or switch to Desktop mode — or any combination of the above.
In addition to the new lock screen feature, the latest Steam Deck patch also includes an updated achievements page, which will load faster and also have a toggle for global stats and your friends’ stats; localized keyboards for 21 languages; and the ability to switch between multiple windows within a single game or app. The full patch notes can be found on the Steam website; a more top-level version is available if you don’t need the finer points.
The Steam Deck, which lets users play their Steam PC gaming library on the go, launched on Feb. 25 after several delays to production, most of them linked to supply chain and other logistical challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Steam Deck is in very scarce supply, and swamped by so many preorders last summer that some units are not scheduled to arrive till sometimes after September 2022. Valve stated earlier in the month that the company will increase production and ship the gaming portable device.
New Apple Card promotion offers $75 Daily Cash bonus for new referrals
Apple has reintroduced a lucrative Apple Card promo for its new customers. The company announced today that new users to Apple Card, who are referred by existing users, can secure a $75 bonus after making their first purchase. This bonus is in the form Daily Cash
In an email sent to Apple Card holders, the company stated:
Hey Chance, you probably know this already, but we love having you as an Apple Card customer. Right now, for a very limited time, you can help your friends earn $75 Daily Cash. If you refer Apple Card to a friend and they open a new Apple Card by May 10th, we’ll give them $75 Daily Cash if they also make their first purchase within 30 days. Daily Cash is the best gift, because there is no better way to give a friend than by hooking them up with Daily Cash.
The email includes a link to Apple’s website where the new customer can apply. The person who refers the customer does not get any bonus. This policy is quite different from other referral programs. For instance, American Express offers a referral program that benefits both the new customer and the person making the referral.
Apple says:
It looks like you received an exclusive Apple Card invitation from a friend. Congratulations!
Apple Card gives you unlimited Daily Cash back on everything you buy. Apple Card is free of fees.
And right now, for a very limited time, when you apply using the link below and open a new Apple Card by May 10th, we’ll give you $75 Daily Cash when you make your first purchase within 30 days.
Email us in a few minutes to see your credit limit, interest rate offer and credit history. This will not affect your credit score.
This new Apple Card referral offer is available starting today, Tuesday, April 26, through May 10. You can learn more on Apple’s website.
Apple releases Studio Display Firmware 15. 5 beta for developers, webcam fixes included
Apple is rolling out a beta new firmware update for its Studio Display today. As we’ve reported before, the Studio Display runs firmware based on iOS and is powered by an A13 Bionic chip inside.
This combination allows Apple to roll out firmware updates to the Studio Display, and today’s update is referred to as “Apple Studio Display Firmware Update 15. 5.” Apple has confirmed that today’s update addresses issues with the webcam quality.
When the early reviews of the Studio Display hit the web last month, Apple promised it would roll out a software update to address concerns about the webcam quality. It is likely that this update will address the concerns regarding the Studio Display’s webcam quality, which has been heavily criticised by reviewers.
According to code changes seen by 9to5Mac, Apple Studio Display Firmware Update 15. 5 does make multiple changes to the frameworks for the webcam as well as Center Stage. We haven’t yet tested it, but it does appear that this update address the lackluster camera quality at least in some form.
[Update: After 9to5Mac‘s findings, Apple confirmed to The Verge that the update addresses “camera tuning, improved noise reduction, contrast, and framing.”]
As of right now, Studio Display Firmware 15. 5 is only available to beta testers. This means that it will appear in System Preferences on your Mac only if the connected Mac is running the macOS Monterey 12. 4 beta. The Studio Display update clocks in at 487 MB in terms of size, which seems like a pretty big update for a display.
If you spot any changes in the new betas from Apple today, let us know in the comments below or on . Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage with the new releases right here at 9to5Mac.
Read more:
Studio Display reviews: The Apple display we need, but with the webcam of an ‘old BlackBerry’
Apple Studio Display tidbits: ‘Hey Siri’ for connected Mac, A13 handling, Center Stage onboarding, more
Apple promises software update to improve Studio Display’s lackluster webcam
A week after releasing watchOS 8. 6 beta 2 to developers, Apple is now seeding the third test version of the upcoming operating system for the Apple Watch. Here’s everything new coming with watchOS 8. 6 beta 3.
Today’s build is 19T5562f. Most of the news related to this version regards Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, which are the features also available with iOS 15. 5 beta 3. These are the :
updates
Physical Apple Card now called “Titanium Card” in Wallet settings
Apple Pay rebranded as “Apple Cash” in Messages app
iTunes Pass rebranded as “Apple Account Card” in the Wallet app
As analyzed by 9to5Mac, iTunes Pass will become a new card called the “Apple Account Card.” This card will be displayed in the Wallet app just like the Apple Card and the Apple Cash card. This way, instead of having to show a QR Code when shopping at an Apple Store, the user will be able to complete the purchase using Apple Pay.
Different from watchOS 8. 5, watchOS 8. 6 feels like a small update, since we are getting near WWDC 2022 keynote. The current version of the Apple Watch operating system offers a handful of new features, including 37 new emojis.
It also offers :
The ability to authorize Apple TV purchases and subscriptions;
COVID-19 vaccination cards in Apple Wallet, which now supports the EU Digital COVID Certificate format;
Updates to irregular rhythm notifications designed to improve atrial fibrillation identification (available in the United States, Chile, Hong Kong, South Africa, and many regions where the feature is available);
Audio Hints in Fitness+ offer audio commentary on visually-depicted moves during your workouts.
watchOS 8. 6 beta 3 is available alongside the third beta version of iOS 15. 5, iPadOS 15. 5, tvOS 15. 5, and macOS 12. 4 .
If you spot any changes in the new betas from Apple today, let us know in the comments below or on .
JoyCon-shaped TV cabinets attach to the sides of your television, turning it into a massive Nintendo Switch!
Sure, you can cast your Nintendo Switch onto a TV, but can you turn your TV into a Nintendo Switch??
Rather succinctly named the Nintendo Switch TV Cabinets, these little storage units attach to the sides of your TV, turning it into a massive wall-mounted Nintendo Switch replica. The cabinets are custom-built by WishIWoodWorkshop and can be customized to fit your TV. They’re made from a combination of wood, plywood, and MDF, and get finished with a coat of paint to make them look exactly like the JoyCons, complete with the joystick and buttons!
The cabinets come in two styles – with a hinged door on the front (shown above), and with drawers and shelves (shown below). When placing your order, you can choose the style that suits your TV best. However, the Nintendo Switch TV Cabinets are not cheap. Clearly more of a vanity purchase than a practical piece of furniture, each pair of cabinets can set you back $750 plus shipping.
Apple releases iOS 15. 5 beta 3 to developers as public release nears
One week after the release of the second beta, Apple is now rolling out iOS 15. 5 beta 3 to developers. iOS 15. 5 includes small under the hood changes, as well as updates to the Wallet app, Apple Cash, HomePod, and the App Store. For more information, see below.
Today’s new release of iOS 15. 5 beta 3 is available to developers via an over-the-air update in the Settings app. If the update doesn’t appear immediately, please check again. Sometimes, it can take a while for all registered developers to receive the update. The build number of iOS 15. 5 beta 1 is 19F5062g.
Here are the details on what’s new in iOS 15. 5 so far:
iOS 15. 5 beta 1 changes and features: Wallet updates & handy new HomePod feature [Video]
iOS 15. 5 includes support for apps with external purchases
iOS 15. 5 hints at Bancomat and Bancontact on Apple Pay
Apple to rebrand iTunes Pass in Wallet app with iOS 15. 5
iOS 15. 5 comes after the feature-packed release of iOS 15. 4, which added support for Face ID while wearing a mask, new emoji, Universal Control support on iPad and Mac, and much more. iOS 15. 5 could also be the last major update to iOS 15, with Apple planning to unveil iOS 16 at WWDC in June.
Other new releases from Apple today include:
tvOS 15. 5 beta 3
macOS Monterey 12. 4 beta 3
If you spot any changes in the new betas from Apple today, let us know in the comments below or on . Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage with the new releases right here at 9to5Mac.
