I’ve used Tile trackers in the past to stop misplacing my keys and wallet, but they’re mostly useful when you’re already in the same room as the item you’re looking for. AirTags leverage Apple’s existing Find My app and a new chip Apple developed itself called the U1, so I was very interested to see what they could do. I tested a set of four AirTags over the course of about a month, checking out how easy they are to set up and use, how effective they are at helping you find lost items, and how well the Find My app and U1 chip work....

We’ve known about several of the updates planned for iOS 16 and watchOS 9 since Apple’s most recent WWDC, but the company has even more planned for health monitoring. A new report details a lot of what we can expect in both upcoming operating systems—focusing on 17 different areas of health and fitness. And the ability to store over 150 types of user health data. Activity monitoring, heart health, and sleep monitoring aren’t the only things Apple can (or will be able to) keep track of for you....

The second-generation AirPods Pro earbuds are equipped with the brand new H2 chipset to increase audio fidelity and make connecting to your other Apple devices even easier. This chipset has also been designed with ambient noise reduction, offering twice the amount of noise cancellation as the previous model. Additionally, the transparency mode has been given a boost, as the algorithms are now better at automatically adjusting the speakers to allow you to hear the world around you when needed....

The iTunes podcast directory is the de facto universal catalog of podcasts. Anyone can submit their show, and any developer can access the catalog and include it in their podcast app. It’s a fantastic resource that Apple has left alone for years. Now, though, Spotify is going after podcasting—and podcast advertising—in a big way, and Apple is finally starting to fight back. And that’s a very good thing. “Spotify was already the biggest threat to podcasts…,” wrote podcaster and podcast app developer Marco Arment on Twitter “They’re fragmenting podcasts into two worlds—Spotify’s walled garden with exclusives and ad tracking, and the open ecosystem of everyone else—to co-opt ‘podcasts’ to imply ‘on Spotify’....

With SharePlay on Disney+, you can co-watch movies and shows on the streaming service with up to 32 people on a FaceTime call, according to an announcement from Disney. The feature is available for Apple devices running tvOS 15.1, iOS 15.1, or iPadOS 15.1 or later. The SharePlay sessions on Disney+ allow you to choose a different language for audio and subtitles when watching with family or friends. In addition, subscribers can watch popular titles like Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye, Welcome to Earth, and upcoming Disney+ premieres like Encanto and The Book of Boba Fett via SharePlay....

The SE, starting at $279, bests its competitors in almost every respect. The screen is clear, sharp, and bright, and the performance is zippy. All it lacks is the ECG and blood oxygen monitoring of its more expensive Series 6 big brother, but there’s a good argument to be made that Apple’s health features aren’t for everyone. I’ll come right out and admit that I recently bought the Series 6....

What Is an APPLICATION File? A file with the .APPLICATION file extension is a ClickOnce Deployment Manifest file. They provide a way to launch Windows applications from a web page with just one click. The file holds information about application updates by including the name, identity of the publisher, application version, dependencies, update behavior, digital signature, etc. Files with this extension are seen alongside APPREF-MS files, which are Microsoft Application Reference files....

Is a Mechanical Keyboard Good for Typing? Mechanical keyboards are generally regarded as good keyboards for typing. They offer switches under each key rather than rubber membrane like most standard keyboards, which means a superior feeling when typing. Each keypress is tangibly felt, helping users maintain more precise and accurate typing. Mechanical keyboards are often more customizable and last longer, which helps when typing. The main downside is they usually cost a lot more than a regular keyboard....

Basic Tenets of the ACID Model There are four basic tenets of the ACID model: The atomicity of transactions ensures that each database transaction is a single unit that adopts an “all or nothing” approach to execution. If any statement in the transaction fails, the entire transaction is rolled back. Relational databases also ensure the consistency of each transaction with the database’s business rules. If any element of an atomic transaction would disrupt the consistency of the database, the entire transaction fails....

Can I Keep My Phone Number With VoIP? You have used a phone number for years and many people recognize you or your company through it, and you don’t want to abandon it for a new one. Switching to VoIP means changing phone service providers and also phone numbers. Can you still use your existing landline PSTN phone number with your new VoIP service? Will your VoIP service provider allow you to keep your existing phone number?...

Change Outlook So It Sends Mail Right Away If Outlook waits to send your email according to a schedule, change the settings so that it sends emails immediately when you press the Send button. What Happens When ‘Send immediately when connected’ Is Enabled? When the ​Send immediately when connected option is enabled in Outlook and you click Send, what happens next depends on whether you are connected to a network and whether Outlook is offline or online:...

First, make sure you are using a strong password. The password for your Google account is also your password for your Chromebook. Experts suggest using a combination of upper and lowercase letters, along with non-alphabetic characters, such as numbers or symbols. Others suggest using a passphrase rather than a password. It’s also a good idea to use two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your account. 2FA requires that you confirm all logins with your phone before the login is successful....

What Is Composite Video? The composite video connector is the oldest and most common video connection that is still in use. It can still be found on many video source components and display devices, including VCRs, camcorders, DVD players, cable/satellite boxes, video projectors, and TVs. However, composite video connections have been eliminated from Blu-ray disc players and most newer streaming devices. Composite video signals are analog and typically consist of 480i (NTSC)/576i (PAL) standard-definition resolution video signals....

The Q-Latch looks more like a widget you’d find in an IKEA furniture kit than a way to install an NVMe drive. The little internal drives, which are little more than a bunch of chips on a bare circuit board, are usually secured using tiny screws. The Q-Latch is nothing more than a rotating plastic latch on a metal shaft. It comes as standard in Asus’ latest AI motherboards, but could it point the way to more repairable gadgets?...

What Is a CUR File? A file with the CUR file extension is a Windows Cursor file. They’re still images that are identical to .ICO (Icon) files in every way aside from the different extension. Animated cursor files have the .ANI extension instead. A different cursor is seen in Windows when the mouse pointer is doing certain tasks, like as a capital “i” when positioned over text or as an hourglass when something’s loading....

How to Delete a Message from Sent Mail But Keep an Archived Copy in Gmail To remove an email you sent from Gmail’s Sent Mail folder while still keeping a copy under All Mail, drag the message from Sent Mail into a different Gmail folder. For example, you can do this if you link your Gmail account to Microsoft Outlook. The next time you check your mail from the Gmail web interface, the message will be gone from your Sent folder, yet you can still find it in the other folder....

What Is a DIFF File? A difference file records all the ways two text files are different. They’re sometimes called patch files and might use the PATCH file extension. This file type is normally used by software developers who are updating multiple versions of the same source code. Since it explains how the two versions are different, the program that uses the file can understand how the other files should be updated to reflect the new changes....

What Is a Modem, and Why Do I Need One? Modem stands for modulator-demodulator. When internet adoption was still somewhat new in many homes, data was transmitted over the same copper wiring that telephones used. However, transmitting the binary zeroes and ones of a data stream over long metal strands isn’t easy. Instead, the signal is sent as either high or low. These are translated to the ones and zeroes that computers expect....

Autofocus and manual focus do the same thing. Both adjust the focus of the camera lens. But, with autofocus, the camera determines the sharpest focus using sensors devoted to measuring it. In autofocus mode, the photographer doesn’t have to do anything. In manual mode, the photographer must adjust the lens focus by hand. While both can produce great results in most circumstances, there are times when it’s better to choose one over the other....

The Internet of Things The Nest replaces a traditional thermostat and provides features like an internet connection, an app to control it, the ability to control it over the internet, usage reports, and intelligent features like learning patterns and suggesting improvements to save energy and improve performance. Internet of Things devices is sometimes referred to as home automation or smart home devices. Those names are a bit misleading because the Internet of Things isn’t just the products used in the home....