MacRumors

Facebook is today rolling out an update for its "Access Your Information" tool to make it easier to use and to better explain how data is used, reports TechCrunch.

facebook access your information
"Access Your Information" provides a detailed look at the information about you that's shared on Facebook. The updated version is organized into eight categories: Your Activity Across Facebook, Personal Information, Friends and Followers, Logged Information, Security and Login Information, Apps and Websites off of Facebook, Ads Information, and Preferences.

Inside of each category, information is organized into subcategories to make it easier to find the data that you're looking for, with the tool also able to be used to remove data.

Search functionality is now included so you can find something specific like "location," and there's more information on how Facebook uses data to personalize the Facebook experience.

As TechCrunch points out, the launch of the updated tool comes as Apple is requiring apps like Facebook to provide a detailed list of the personal data that's collected, and it has been released just ahead of when Apple will begin requiring Facebook and other apps to obtain express user permission before tracking them.

"Access Your Information" can be found in the Facebook iOS app by accessing the Settings & Privacy section, choosing Settings, and scrolling down to the "Access Your Information" setting. The feature will expand to the desktop in the future.

Anker today announced the launch of the Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro headphones, which are true wireless earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation capabilities.

anker soundcore liberty 2
Priced at $130, the Liberty Air 2 Pro earbuds are half the price of the AirPods Pro, and are the first Soundcore headphones to offer noise cancelling functionality. There are three ANC modes, including Transport, Indoor, and Outdoor to adjust the noise cancellation levels.

Transport mode is optimized to cut down on the noise of engines, traffic, and public transport to reduce up to 90 percent of noise during a commute, while Outdoor mode targets low and mid-frequency sounds to minimize noise while allowing traffic sounds to come through. Indoor mode targets and cancels human voices.

anker soundcore liberty 2 colors
The Liberty Air 2 Pro come in four colors: Onyx Black, Titanium White, Sapphire Blue and Crystal Pink. The earbuds offer a six hour battery life with ANC turned on or seven hours with the feature deactivated, and there's a USB-C/Qi charging case that adds up to 26 hours of additional battery life.

anker soundcore case
Six built-in microphones optimize voice for phone calls and aim to minimize background noise, and the earbuds are compatible with Siri at launch. There are built-in touch controls for music playback, which can be customized inside the accompanying app.

As for sound, Anker says that the earbuds are equipped with PureNote Driver technology with 11mm drivers for "accurate sound and clarity at all frequencies." A HearID personalized EQ feature is included to intelligently analyze each person's hearing profile to create a tailor-made sound setup. There's also an adjustable EQ with 22 preset sound profiles, and the earbuds come with nine pairs of silicone ear tips so that users can get the ideal fit.

The Liberty Air 2 Pro can be purchased from the Anker website or from Amazon for $129.99.

Tag: Anker

In an internal memo obtained by MacRumors, Apple recently informed its network of Apple Authorized Service Providers that mail-in repair is now required for Mac notebooks with anti-reflective coating issues in the United States.

mac anti reflective coating issue
The new policy went into effect January 4, 2021 and means that customers who take an eligible 12-inch MacBook or MacBook Pro exhibiting this issue to an Apple Authorized Service Provider will have their notebook mailed to a centralized Apple depot for the repair to be completed, likely resulting in longer waiting times in most cases. It is unclear if the policy applies to any countries outside of the United States at this time.

Apple launched an internal "quality program" in October 2015 after some 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro users experienced issues with the anti-reflective coating wearing off or delaminating on Retina displays. Apple has never publicly announced the repair program on its website, opting instead to handle the matter internally.

Apple continues to authorize free display repairs for eligible Mac notebooks for up to four years after the original purchase date. At this point, it is likely that only select 2016 and 2017 models of the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro still fall within that four-year window, depending on the purchase date. 2018 or newer models of the MacBook Pro and all MacBook Air models have never qualified for the program.

To initiate a Mac repair, visit the Get Support page on Apple's website. Apple has previously said that customers who already paid for a repair related to this issue may be eligible for a refund, which can be initiated by contacting Apple's support.

CBS This Morning today shared a short clip of an upcoming interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook in which addressing last week's events at the U.S. Capitol, with Cook saying "it's key that people be held accountable for it."

cook cbs this morning
Following the clip, Gayle King of CBS noted that the interview with Cook was not specifically arranged to address the current controversy over Parler and other repercussions, and that it was previously scheduled as part of a "big announcement that they want to make tomorrow."

We should say, he didn't sit and say "You know, I want to sit and talk to CBS about this." This was an interview that was scheduled because they have a big announcement that they want to announce tomorrow. It is not a new product, we should say, it's not a new product. It's something I think bigger and better than that. So we did an interview, and we did it at the Apple Store here, and he's at his headquarters, and he agreed to answer other questions. But that wasn't the purpose of the interview. What we're going to tell you about tomorrow is very exciting.

No further information on Apple's announcement has been made available.

Comments on this story have been disabled.

Apple is researching a number of unique iPhone cases that can charge AirPods, as well as other accessories, according to newly-granted patent filings.

airpods iphone case patent folio

The patent, spotted by AppleInsider, titled "Cases and folios for carrying and charging accessories" and was granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. While the patent predominantly "relates to a case for retaining a portable electronic device and an accessory," suggesting that it could apply for virtually any external accessory, the majority of the images included in the filing clearly feature AirPods.

The described embodiments relate generally to protective cases and covers for electronic devices. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to cases and covers that receive and retain portable electronic devices as well as electronic accessories, such as earphones, and that provide or facilitate charging of the electronic accessories or the electronic devices.

The filing outlines a wide range of different configurations for storing and charging AirPods or other electronic accessories within an ‌iPhone‌ case, including "a folio, a wallet, a flap, a cover, an enclosure, a holster, a clip, a sleeve, an armband, or suitable combination hereof." Specifically, it covers cases with "a cavity that generally corresponds to the dimension of an accessory" and a number of terminals, as well as a battery.

If the case variant contains a battery, it can be charged via a terminal from the device in the case. This battery can then charge accessories via another terminal. Apple also highlighted that cases could communicate with the device inside and accessories via NFC and have "a slotted compartment to store money and credit cards."

One of the main designs for the case depicts AirPods being charged within a long, raised section on the front of a folio.

airpods iphone case patent folio 2

The patent adds that some cases could "include a display that displays information supplied by the electronic device and/or the electronic accessory, such as a level of charge of the electronic device and/or the electronic accessory," and illustrates how a small display could display the time and an incoming call on the front of a folio case.

airpods iphone case patent exploded

Another less well-developed case design features "two openings, one at each end for receiving accessory devices," on the top of a case. Each opening contains "a charging terminal in between for energy transfer between the receptacle and the accessory devices." AirPods or other accessories "can be retained through frictional fit, magnetic coupling, or both."

Unlike the folio design, this variant is less invasive and more lightweight. However, it leaves much of the AirPods exposed and offers less protection. It is also unclear if this slimmer design is able to include a battery for charging, or if it solely relies on the ‌iPhone‌ itself for power.

airpods iphone case patent top

Other case variants visualize AirPods being charged on the back of a case in a design that appears to be similar to the MagSafe Wallet.

airpods iphone case patent rear

It may be important to contextualize this patent with the understanding that Apple is increasingly interested in its accessories segment, which has been bolstered in recent years with Apple Watch bands and ‌MagSafe‌ accessories. While patent filings do not necessarily prove what Apple is intending to implement on a consumer product and the contents of many patents never come to market, an ‌iPhone‌ case that can stow AirPods does not seem to be an unfeasible product.

In light of its expanding selection of accessories and increasingly modular approach, an ‌iPhone‌ case for AirPods could offer a compelling option for users that frequently travel with both devices, should Apple ever choose to release the product.

Tag: Patent

A few weeks ago, Adobe dropped support for Flash Player and continued to strongly recommend that all users immediately uninstall the browser plugin for security reasons. And starting today, Adobe has gone one step further and blocked Flash content entirely.

end of an era
When a user attempts to load a Flash game or content in a browser such as Chrome, the content now fails to load and instead displays a small banner that leads to the Flash end-of-life page on Adobe's website. While this day has long been coming, with many browsers disabling Flash by default years ago, it is officially the end of a 25-year era for Flash, first introduced by Macromedia in 1996 and acquired by Adobe in 2005.

"Since Adobe will no longer be supporting Flash Player after December 31, 2020 and Adobe will block Flash content from running in Flash Player beginning January 12, 2021, Adobe strongly recommends all users immediately uninstall Flash Player to help protect their systems," the page reads. Adobe has instructions for uninstalling Flash on Mac, but note that Apple removed support for Flash outright in Safari 14 last year.

Adobe first announced its plans to discontinue Flash in 2017. "Open standards such as HTML5, WebGL, and WebAssembly have continually matured over the years and serve as viable alternatives for Flash content," the company explained.

Adobe does not intend to issue Flash Player updates or security patches any longer, so it is recommended that users uninstall the plugin.

Over the years, Flash had an infamous reputation due to numerous security vulnerabilities that exposed Mac and PC users to malware and other risks, forcing vendors like Microsoft and Apple to work tirelessly to keep up with security fixes.

Apple's co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs offered his "Thoughts on Flash" in a 2010 open letter, criticizing Adobe's software for its poor reliability, security, and performance. Jobs also said that Apple "cannot be at the mercy of a third party deciding if and when they will make our enhancements available to our developers."

Flash's discontinuation should not heavily impact most users since many popular browsers have already moved away from the plugin. Additionally, iPhone and iPad users are not affected by the change, as iOS and iPadOS have never supported Flash.

Following backlash after changing its terms and privacy policy to consolidate a significant amount of data sharing with Facebook, WhatsApp is now assuring users about the privacy measures built into its app.

whatsapp wallpapers 1

Last week, WhatsApp began informing users of updates to the app's terms of service and privacy policy. The updated agreements, which users must consent to in order to continue using WhatsApp, explicitly give parent company Facebook access to a large amount of user data. While WhatsApp has shared some user data with Facebook for years, this update consolidates data sharing for all users, including those that chose to opt-out of data sharing with Facebook in the past.

The updated terms help WhatsApp to integrate more closely into Facebook's family of products, as it aims to provide a more coherent experience to users across services, and enables the company to use gathered information on all users to display targeted ads. The widely-reported change was met with an outcry of displeasure on social media, leading to a rush to download rival messaging app Signal, and has even sparked an antitrust investigation in Turkey.

Via posts on social media, WhatsApp is now assuring users that "Our privacy policy update does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family." It has also added to its FAQ to address users' privacy concerns relating to data sharing with Facebook.

The FAQ explains that WhatsApp and Facebook cannot see a user's private messages or hear their calls. Logs of who users are messaging and calling are not retained and shared location, contact information, and group membership is kept private.

WhatsApp suggests that the majority of data sharing with Facebook is derived from communicating with businesses that use hosting services from Facebook or after using Facebook-branded commerce services such as Shops. Either may result in targeted ads being shown to users.

However, it is noticeable that WhatsApp has mostly focused on what data is not shared with Facebook, rather than what is. The FAQ update does not acknowledge the fact, as stated under the updated privacy policy, that WhatsApp shares device and interaction information, IP address, and unspecified "other information" with Facebook.

Satechi today announced the launch of the Aluminum 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand, which is designed to work with the magnets inside Apple's iPhone 12 lineup.

satechi magnet stand 1
Though the charging stand includes magnets, it is not MagSafe and it is limited to charging an ‌iPhone‌ at 7.5W rather than the 15W that's available with official ‌MagSafe‌ chargers.

The Aluminum 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand has an upright charger that works with an ‌iPhone‌ 12, and a 5W Qi charging spot at the base that is compatible with AirPods or AirPods Pro. Because it requires a magnetic connection for a device to stay upright, the Aluminum 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand is not compatible with earlier ‌iPhone‌ models.

satechi magnet stand 2
The stand features an adjustable ball mount that allows the attached ‌iPhone‌ to be moved and titled into a variety of viewing angles, and an ‌iPhone‌ can be attached either in landscape or portrait mode. Satechi says that there's non-slip padding at the bottom of the charger to keep it secure on a table or desk, and it features LED lights to indicate when devices are charging.

The Aluminum 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand can be pre-ordered from the Satechi website for $59.99, and through February 15, customers can get a 20 percent discount using the code MAGNETIC at checkout.

LG announced it will launch the world's first rollable smartphone this year, as it offered a sneak peek of the device at CES 2021 with a five-second teaser video.

LG rollable display ces 2021
The clip features a smartphone held in landscape orientation as the display rolls in from an expanded tablet-style form factor screen into a more compact chassis.

The hybrid handset is said to be based on flexible organic light-emitting diode technology, which is reportedly being supplied by China's BOE Technology Group, although the specifics of the tech remain unclear. Speaking at CES, the company told Nikkei Asia that the product would be officially released later this year:

"Our management wanted to show that it is a real product, as there were many rumors around the rollable phone," said Ken Hong, a spokesman for LG. "As it is released at CES 2021, I can tell that it will be launched this year."

lg rollable smartphone
LG's rollable display follows the moderate success of Samsung foldable smartphones, and comes as the LG's phone business is struggling financially due to stiff competition from the likes of Samsung, Huawei and Apple.

Apple has explored rollable displays in the past, based on patents from the company. In March 2020, a patent attributed to Apple appeared on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that describes an "Electronic device with flexible display structures."

The patent details a flexible display that can be wrapped around one or more internal roller mechanisms, allowing the screen to expand out of the chassis. A rigid section remains to house the printed circuit boards and other electronic components, but with the addition of the rollable display layers.

apple patent rollable display
"Elongated bistable support members may run along the edges of the display or may be overlapped by a central active area of the display to help stiffen and support the display in its extended position," explains the patent, which conceives the technology as adaptable to anything from a smartphone to a smartwatch.

As with all Apple patents, there's no indication that Apple has plans to bring such a device to market, but it is interesting to see what sorts of future solutions Apple is eyeing as it seeks to innovate beyond current consumer-use technologies.

Tags: CES 2021, LG

Tech blogs 91mobile and MySmartPrice on Tuesday posted a series of allegedly leaked factory CAD images of Apple's upcoming fifth-generation 11-inch iPad Pro.

ipad pro 2021 mysmartprice cad
Rumors suggest Apple plans to announce two new ‌iPad Pro‌ models in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch versions, and today's images offer perhaps the clearest indication yet that Apple's next-generation iPad Pros will have minimal, if any, external design changes.

According to MySmartPrice, the the fifth-generation 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ will be the same thickness, but Apple will "shave off some millimeters from the length and breadth." The device may also exhibit changes to the internal speaker system, by potentially reducing the number of speakers grilles and relocating them.

Previous rumors about the next-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ models indicate no changes to the display size or housing, but A-series chip performance is expected to be "significantly improved."

According to one rumor, the rear cameras are said to protrude less in the new ‌iPad Pro‌ models. Specifically, the camera bump will remain, but the protrusion of the individual camera lenses will not be required.

ipad pro 2021 cad mysmartprice
There is also the suggestion that Apple will release standard ‌iPad Pro‌ 11-inch and 12.9-inch updates, while also making a separate high-end mini-LED 12.9-inch model, which could be about 0.5mm thicker to accommodate the higher spec display.

DigiTimes believes Apple is working on a 5G iPad with mmWave support, which would be positioned as a high-end ‌iPad Pro‌, and 5G support could be released alongside the new mini-LED display.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that a mini-LED ‌iPad Pro‌ launch is expected in the first half of this year, while DigiTimes also believes a mini-LED ‌iPad Pro‌ will launch in early 2021, as does Korea's ETNews.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)

Apple's iPhone 12 sales in China exceeded all expectations in the fourth quarter of last year, according to local media sources (via DigiTimes).

iPhone 12 Layout
Sales reached 18 million units, earning Apple an over 20% market share, with momentum expected to continue through the Lunar New Year holiday, bringing shipment volumes for Q1 2021 on par with the number of units shipped the previous quarter.

The figures are all the more impressive given that prior to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 series launch in October 2020, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo accounted for over 90% of China's smartphone market.

The staggering fourth-quarter iPhone 12 shipments helped push Apple's share in China's handset segment to over 20% in fourth-quarter 2020 and reduced the combined share of Chinese brands to about 78%, said the sources, citing market data.

The DigiTimes report offers a word of caution regarding whether supply can keep up with demand, following a widening shortage of semiconductors for handset parts.

However, Apple's wholesale adoption of 5G should bode well for it in the mainstream Chinese market, where 5G phones have started replaced 4G models, with shipments totaling 160 million units out of a total of 300 million handsets.

Microsoft today released updates to its suite of Office apps for iPad, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Notably, Excel for ‌‌iPad‌‌ now supports Split View, which allows you to open two spreadsheets simultaneously side-by-side to view and edit. Word and PowerPoint received support for Split View in May 2020.

word excel powerpoint ipad
Split View can be accessed by touching and holding on a spreadsheet document in any file view and then dragging it to the left or right side of the screen. To exit Split View, grab the slider in the middle of the screen and drag it to either the left or right to close one of the spreadsheet documents and take the remaining one full-screen.

Meanwhile in PowerPoint, users can now rehearse their presentations with the new Presenter Coach feature, which offers feedback on the things that keep an audience engaged, such as pacing, pitch, filler words, sensitive phrases, and more.

ipadpromagickeyboardtrackpad
Microsoft has also been working to implement full support for the iPadOS trackpad controls that were introduced in iPadOS 13.4, and the latest version of Word (2.45) does just that. Following the update, users can connect a trackpad and mouse to their ‌iPad‌ to interact with documents. Keyboards with trackpads include Apple's Magic Keyboard and Brydge's Pro+ for the iPad Pro and Logitech's Combo for the 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌ and the 10.5-inch iPad Air.

If you run into trouble with your AirPods Max and need to get a replacement pair under warranty, it looks like the new set will be delivered without a refreshed set of ear cushions.

airpods max in green
A 9to5Mac reader sent in a pair of ‌AirPods Max‌ for repair due to an issue with the Digital Crown, and the replacement set that he received back did not include ear cushions.

Apple instead expects users to keep the ear cushions from the damaged set of ‌AirPods Max‌ to use them with the replacement pair, unless of course the ear cushions themselves have also experienced damage. Given the modular design of the ‌AirPods Max‌, it is possible for Apple to ship just the headphones or just the ear cushions for replacement purposes.

Apple's instructions for mailing in the ‌AirPods Max‌ include a diagram that instructs users to remove the ear cushions before shipping the ‌AirPods Max‌ in a repair box.

airpods max packaging instructions

Image via 9to5Mac

With replacement AirPods Pro models, Apple does provide new ear tips, but ear tips for the ‌AirPods Pro‌ are priced at $8 rather than $69 like the AirPods Max ear cushions, so it's no surprise these are delivered separately.

At the current time, Apple is not selling ear cushions on a standalone basis, but they will presumably be available when stock improves. ‌AirPods Max‌ purchases from Apple continue to have March delivery dates at the current time.

Related Roundup: AirPods Max
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Apple has scored the rights to an upcoming sci-fi comedy drama from Ben Stiller, Noah Hawley, and "Palm Springs" team Andy Samberg and Andy Siara, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Apple TV Ray Light 2 Yellow
Apple apparently won a bid for the show over the weekend, which is based on an original idea from "BoJack Horseman" creator and author Raphael Bob-Waksberg. The project is untitled as of yet.

Andy Samberg will produce and star in the series, while Stiller and Bob-Waksberg will serve as producers on the show. Andy Siara will write the script and will also serve as an executive producer. The show received interest thanks to "Palm Springs," a 2020 Hulu movie starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milloti.

In other Apple TV+ news, Geoffrey Arend has joined the cast of "Physical," an upcoming comedy drama starring Rose Byrne. "Physical" is set in a 1980s Southern California beach community and will follow a woman struggling in her role as a tortured housewife who finds a path to power through the world of aerobics.

Intel today showed off its next-generation Alder Lake chips designed for desktop and mobile processing (via The Verge). Intel says that the Alder Lake chips represent a "significant breakthrough" in x86 architecture, and are the most power-scalable system-on-chip from Intel to date.

intel alder lake
Coming in the second half of 2021, Alder Lake chips will be built on Intel's new 10nm SuperFin process, and will combine high-performance cores and high-efficiency cores into a single product, much like Apple's M1 chips.

Intel says that these new chips will deliver smarter, faster, and more efficient real-world computing through their ability to maximize power and efficiency.

It's not clear if Apple will have any use for Intel chips going forward as the transition to Apple silicon has already begun. So far, Apple has debuted the ‌M1‌ Mac mini, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air, with additional Apple silicon machines on the horizon for 2021.

With Apple planning to eventually use Apple silicon chips across its entire lineup, it continues to be unclear if there will be additional Macs that use Intel chips as the transition continues.

Apple's worldwide Mac shipments were up in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to new PC shipping estimates shared this afternoon by Gartner. Apple shipped an estimated 6.9 million Macs during the quarter, up from the 5.25 million it shipped in the year-ago quarter, marking growth of 31.3 percent.

gartner 4Q20 global

Gartner's Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q20 (Thousands of Units)

Apple was the number four vendor during the quarter, and its market share also grew to 8.7 percent, up from 7.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020. There was growth across the entire PC market, and Lenovo, Dell, Acer Group, and ASUS all saw sales growth.

Lenovo was the number one PC vendor in the world with 21.5 million PCs shipped, followed by HP, with 15.7 million PCs shipped. HP was the only vendor that saw a slight drop in sales in the fourth quarter of 2020.

gartner 4Q20 trend

Apple's Market Share Trend: 1Q06-4Q20 (Gartner)

Dell was the number three vendor with 13.2 million PCs shipped, while Acer and ASUS brought up the rear with 4.7 and 4.6 million PCs shipped, respectively.

Overall, there were 79.4 million PCs shipped in the fourth quarter of 2020, a 10.7 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2019. Total PC shipments hit 275 million in 2020, a 4.8 percent increase from 2019 and the highest growth seen in 10 years.

In the United States, Apple was the number four PC vendor with 2.7 million PCs shipped, up from 2 million in the year-ago quarter for a total of 32 percent growth. HP, Dell, Lenovo, and Microsoft also saw significant growth in U.S. shipments.

gartner 4Q20 us

Gartner's Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q20(Thousands of Units)

Across all of 2020, Apple shipped an estimated 22.5 million Macs worldwide, marking 22.5 percent growth compared to 2019 when it shipped 18.3 million Macs. Apple was the number four vendor for the entire year, trailing Lenovo, HP, and Dell.

gartner 2020 global

Gartner's Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2020 (Thousands of Units)

IDC also released its own shipping estimates this morning, noting similar significant growth for Apple and other vendors. According to IDC, Apple shipped an estimated 7.4 million Macs, up from 4.9 million in the year-ago quarter for estimated growth of 49.2 percent.

Across 2020, IDC suggests Apple shipped 23 million Macs, up 29.1 percent from the 18 million that it shipped in 2019.

Data shared by Gartner and IDC is estimated and not reflective of Apple's actual sales, though historically, it's not usually too far off. Estimated data used to be able to be confirmed when Apple provided quarterly earnings results with actual Mac sales information, but Apple no longer breaks out unit sales for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, making it impossible to determine exact sales numbers.

Apple in the fourth quarter of 2020 released the M1 Macs, which include the ‌M1‌ MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. Mac growth could continue to rise significantly in 2021 as Apple is rumored to be overhauling additional Macs with Apple silicon chips, including iMacs, higher-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, and more.

Tags: Gartner, IDC

Ecobee today announced that its SmartCamera has a new price of $129.99, down from $179.99, and the camera has also been updated with some new features.

ecobee SmartCamera
In addition to gaining compatibility with HomeKit Secure Video last month, which allows users to securely stream and store video from the SmartCamera on iCloud servers, the indoor security camera now features Spotify integration, smoother panning and zooming, and smoke alarm detection with a subscription to Ecobee's home monitoring service Haven.

- HomeKit Secure Video to safely stream and store videos taken on the ecobee SmartCamera with voice control on Apple’s secure servers. To give users additional peace of mind, the Smart Camera leverages Apple's iCloud service to securely encrypt and store video clips, where they will stay.
- SmartFocus v2 to track the motion of multiple people and pans and zooms more smoothly.
- Spotify Connect to stream anything from Spotify through SmartCamera with voice control.
- Smoke Alarm Detection (with Haven subscription) to alert users and the family when the SmartCamera with voice controls hears the smoke alarm.

The SmartCamera is available at its lower $129.99 price starting today, and users can receive the latest software updates via the Ecobee app.

Key features of the SmartCamera include 1080p image quality, a 180° field of vision, infrared night vision, voice control with Siri or Alexa, built-in speakers with two-way talk, person detection, the ability to set activity zones, and more.

Anker brand Eufy has more affordable indoor security cameras with HomeKit Secure Video, including the Indoor Cam 2K for $39.99.

Tag: Ecobee

Western Digital today announced the upcoming launch of several new consumer-oriented portable SSDs with 4TB capacities, with new offerings from the SanDisk, WD, and WD_Black brands. The new 4TB SSDs are designed for gamers, content creators, and creative professionals who need additional storage space to work with.

western digital 4tb ssds
The SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable NVMe SSD offers up to 2000MB/s read and write speeds, and its aluminum chassis serves as a heatsink to deliver higher sustained speeds. The SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD will be available later this quarter for $750.

Also under the SanDisk brand, Western Digital is offering the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD with read speeds up to 1050MB/s and write speeds up to 1000MB/s. The Extreme Portable SSD features two-meter drop protection and IP55 water and dust resistance. The new SSD will be available later this quarter for $700.

For gamers, the WD_Black offers read speeds up to 2000MB/s, and it is compatible with PCs, PlayStations, and Xbox One game libraries. It will be available later this quarter for $750.

Under the WD brand, Western Digital debuted the latest MyPassport SSD, which offers read speeds up to 1050MB/s and write speeds up to 1000MB/s. It features a shock and vibration resistant metal design that is drop resistant up to 6.5 feet, and it comes in colors that include blue, gray, red, gold, and silver. It will be available later this quarter for $680.

All of the new SSDs will be available from the Western Digital Store and other major retailers when they launch.