Category: Technologies

Last year, Apple added a new compact desktop: the Mac Studio. Essentially a supercharged version of the Mac Mini, the machine hit shelves in March 2022 and we’ve been tracking Mac Studio deals ever since.

The Mac Studio comes with serious hardware that’s designed to handle even the most demanding tasks with ease. There are two different versions of the machine: one that features the M1 Max processor found in the top-end 2021 MacBook Pro models, and one that is equipped with an even more powerful M1 Ultra chip.

Whether you’re a developer or content creator, having a fast and powerful computer is a must, which is why Apple says this machine can “deliver an unprecedented level of performance, an extensive array of connectivity, and completely new capabilities in an unbelievably compact design that sits within arm’s reach on the desk.”

Apple was serious when it spoke about power. You can configure the Mac Studio to come with up to 128GB of RAM, an 8TB SSD and up to a 64-core GPU. Like with many other Apple desktops and laptops, you’ll need to make your configuration choices while ordering. You can make changes to the system-on-a-chip (processor), memory, storage and opt to include preinstalled software if you wish.

Read more: Apple Mac Studio Review: A Compact Desktop for Creators

Retailing for $1,999 and up, the Mac Studio is now readily available to buy and pick up in-store, and we’ve been on the hunt for the best Mac Studio deals across a variety of retailers since its launch. We’ve listed the best Mac Studio deals available right now below and we’ll keep this list updated as new offers emerge to help save you the most cash.

Best Mac Studio deals

Forbes has added BitCoinPay Trade to its list of trusted cryptocurrency exchanges.

The Forbes Digital Assets project was launched at the beginning of last year. According to Money Editorial Director Mike Ayers, the topic of digital assets has become one of the “most read” topics in the magazine over the past two years. Therefore, the employees of the department are in constant search for new and promising crypto projects. This week, the BitCoinPay Trade crypto exchange has its own page in Forbes.

BitCoinPay Trade is a reliable, easy to use crypto exchange. The free BitCoinPay Trade app provides its clients with a wide range of supported cryptocurrencies and trading pairs, crypto assets storage services, and convenient ways to deposit and withdraw fiat money.

Earlier, the BitCoinPay Trade crypto exchange added the Nomics cryptocurrency data aggregator to the list of analyzed trading platforms.

According to Nomics data, daily trading volumes on BitCoinPay Trade exceed $4.5 million. Of all the pairs available to clients, the most popular are BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT and LTC/USDT. The VERUM/USDT pair – with a daily trading volume of $385,683 – is the most promising and attractive for clients, showing the maximum growth in liquidity.

Amazon is getting more competition when it comes to ebooks. Kobo, the e-reader company owned by Rakuten, launched its Kobo Plus all-you-can-read subscription service on Wednesday in the US and the UK. The service offers 1.3 million ebooks and 100,000 audio books for a flat monthly fee. Plans start at $8 ( 9) a month for read-only or listen-only options, while full access to audio books and e-books will cost $10 ( 12) a month.

At launch, Kobo Plus includes titles from Ian McEwan, Elena Ferrante, Alice Hoffman, Philip Roth and other authors. You’ll be able to find romance books by Barbara Freethy and Beverly Lewis, as well as as mysteries from M.C. Beaton, Patricia Highsmith, and Elizabeth Peters.

“At Kobo, we’re always working to make the reading experience better and more accessible,” Bart Robers, Kobo’s director of audiobooks and global subscriptions, said in a press release on Wednesday. He added that “there’s nothing as gratifying as saying ‘read as much as you want for a set monthly fee,’ which is exactly what our Kobo Plus subscription offers.”

Kobo Plus, like Amazon’s $10-a-month Kindle Unlimited service, offer readers a smorgasbord of books — but the quality of the books on offer can fluctuate wildly. Don’t expect to see big new releases or books that ranked in the year-end best lists. That’s because big publishers like Penguin Random House, Hachette, Macmillan and HarperCollins don’t allow their books to be part of these services.

Amazon fills its Kindle Unlimited service with books from self-published independent authors, with work that’s marketed as an Amazon Exclusive. Kobo has not said if it has a similar program or how it chooses which books are in its service.

Sure, there are plenty of excellent headphones and earbuds you can pick up right now, but like many of you, I’m always on the lookout for the next great set of cans and buds. Though it’s hard to predict exactly when the most-anticipated models will be released, recent image leaks of Beats and Sony earbuds could mean we may see some as early as this spring, with others arriving this summer. Here’s a look at some of the top new earbuds and headphones I’m looking forward to testing based on the recent rumors and expectations online.

Note that representatives for Bose, Sony and Beats had no comment on the rumors, and Apple didn’t respond to our request for comment.

Read more: Best wireless earbuds for 2023

Walkman Blog

Sony WF-1000XM5

One of the most anticipated new wireless earbuds of 2023 is the Sony WF-1000XM5. It’s the successor to the XM4, which earned a CNET Editors’ Choice award when it was released in 2021. The Walkman Blog uncovered an image of the new buds in their preproduction state as they make their way through the FCC certification process. According to the Walkman Blog’s report, the XM5s are smaller than the XM4s and are shaped differently, which may help them fit more ears comfortably (the XM4s could be a little big for some ears).

The buds are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 and should support Bluetooth LE Audio, according to the Walkman Blog. Bluetooth LE Audio supports such features as Auracast (broadcast audio) and the LC3 audio codec.

The XM4 carries a list price of $280, but if the WF-1000XM5 follows the same path as the full-size WH-10000XM5, we could very well see a price hike to $300 or more.

The XM4 earbuds were released on June 8, 2021, so I expect the XM5 to have a similar release date. Typically, Sony updates its flagship headphones every two years.

Separately, reports suggest Sony will also soon bow the WF-700CN, but that’s a more entry-level model.

9to5Mac

Beats Studio Buds Plus

9to5Mac makes a habit of discovering what new Beats earbuds and headphones are coming by digging “under the hood” of Apple’s beta iOS software releases. Recently, support for Beats’ upcoming Studio Bud Plus buds showed up in the iOS 16.4 RC (“release candidate”). The full version of iOS 16.4 became available to the public in late March.

The new buds look very similar to the standard Studio Buds. It’s unclear what this new Plus version brings to the table, but some folks complained that the originals didn’t have strong enough noise canceling. According to 9to5Mac’s sources, the Studio Buds Plus won’t be powered by Apple’s H1 or H2 chips (the H2 is in the AirPods Pro 2) and will instead use a custom Beats chip.

The originals were designed to appeal to both Apple and Android users, and the new buds appear to be sticking to that approach. We should see them announced fairly soon since they’re already showing up in Apple’s software.

Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET

Bose QuietComfort Ultra

A few weeks back, Twitter user Kuba Wojciechowski posted what he said was a leaked render image of Bose’s new flagship headphones, the QuietComfort Ultra (code-named Lone Starr), which were purportedly in “early stages of development.”

It’s hard to know how much credence to give to the purported leak, but the image has since been removed from the Twitter post “in response to a report from the copyright holder.” Though Bose doesn’t comment on leaks, the company clearly seemed upset the image was out there.

Bose is due to replace its flagship Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, which came out in June of 2019, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the Ultra — or whatever the new flagship model is called — ships later this year in time for the holiday buying season. At the time of the 700’s release, many people couldn’t understand why Bose moved away from using its well-known QuietComfort brand name, and Bose has subsequently shipped the QuietComfort 45, an improved version of the QuietComfort 35.

There’s chatter about this new model featuring higher-end sound and improved performance all around. The question is whether it’ll carry a similar list price ($380) as the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 or cost even more, perhaps heading into the $500 pricing territory of Apple’s AirPods Max.

David Carnoy/CNET

Beats Studio 4

Beats is still selling its Beats Studio 3 headphones, and you’ll often see them priced at a healthy discount. But they were released in October 2017, which makes them pretty darn ancient and in need of a serious upgrade — they still have a Micro-USB connector, for instance. Other publications, like Android Authority, have talked about their potential arrival in 2023, and it seems quite plausible we’ll see the Beats Studio 4 turn up sometime this year with upgraded Apple components (newer chips), better all-around performance and maybe even USB-C charging. But I was expecting them to turn up last year and they never did, so don’t bet the house on it.

Angela Lang/CNET

New AirPods

Apple seems to be releasing a new pair of AirPods every year. The original AirPods Pro were released in October 2019, the AirPods Max in December 2020, the AirPods 3rd Gen in October of 2021 and the AirPods Pro 2 in September 2022. So the question is: Will we get a new set of AirPods in 2023?

The rumor mill keeps talking about “cheaper AirPods Pro Lite” earbuds that would carry a lower price tag and might be a stripped down version of the AirPods Pro sans noise canceling. Though it’s a product that makes some sense, Apple has always positioned the AirPods as more premium earbuds and simply lowered the price on earlier models like the AirPods 2 to target more budget-conscious consumers.

Could Apple upgrade the AirPods Max, introducing a 2nd gen version? Sure, it’s possible — but probably less likely.

In the same post where 9to5Mac talked about the discovery of the Beats Studio Buds Plus in that iOS 16 RC (see above), it also pointed out that there was a reference to an “unreleased AirPods model number A3048 and AirPods case model number of A2968.” The site noted it could be “a revision of the current regular AirPods or the rumored AirPods Lite.”

Other AirPods mysteries: Some models — but not all — are reported to be moving to USB-C (from Lightning) to match the same transition on the new iPhone 15 models. And MacRumors has noted that Apple has filed a patent for an AirPods case with a built-in screen. That’s something we likely wouldn’t see anytime soon, but also not totally novel: JBL has a similar model, the Tour Pro 2, slated for a mid-2023 debut.

Almost all the best 3D Printers can be upgraded in some way with new parts and accessories. One of the most important potential upgrades is to the machine’s hot end assembly, which controls the temperature your printer prints at, and houses the nozzle that helps determine the filament flow.

The Rapidchange Revo Six is a replacement hot end for your 3D printer. It’s from E3D, a company that’s been making parts for 3D printers for years and is one of the gold standards, especially for nozzles and hot ends. This new model has really changed how I use my 3D printers and how I think about the models I’m making.

With the Revo Six, you can swap out the nozzle part of a printer’s hot end easily, which allows for lots of variation in the materials and line thickness for your project. Normally you need to remove the filament from your nozzle, heat the nozzle to loosen the threads, undo it with a socket wrench while it’s hot, then let it cool. After that, you can install your new nozzle, but you need to install it cold, then retighten it once it’s hot.

The $93 Revo Six ( 77 GBP) takes out a lot of steps by making the nozzle and other parts of the printing assembly one piece and fully removable by hand. Take out your filament, immediately unscrew the nozzle, and swap it out. This saves a lot of time when replacing nozzles that’ve worn out, but the real magic is swapping different-sized nozzles for different models.

Why you want different nozzle sizes

Often the purpose of your 3D model dictates the settings you’ll use to print it. When printing something delicate with a lot of details, you need a smaller nozzle diameter. With something structural that requires strength, you need a larger diameter. Most 3D printers come with a 0.4mm nozzle as standard, which is fine as a happy medium but won’t always be enough in either direction.

The genius of the Revo Six is the ability to change nozzle sizes almost on the fly. Each nozzle size is color-coded and available from 0.15mm all the way up to 0.8mm and can be replaced in less than a minute. The $89 kit comes with a 0.4mm nozzle but the $139 fully loaded kit has four nozzles ranging from 0.25 to 0.8mm.

I’ve printed a set of brackets for a machine I needed to mount to the wall. The mount is completely hidden and layer lines don’t matter, so I used the 0.8mm nozzle to print extra thick, extra strong parts as quickly as possible (larger layer lines mean faster printing too). As soon as I’d finished the brackets, I immediately swapped the nozzles on the Revo Six to the 0.25mm one and started printing a Flower Dragon with tiny details from Fotis Mint. Having that flexibility in a single machine is fantastic. It saves money on different printers and, more importantly, saves me time, something I have very little of day-to-day.

Upgrade the upgrade with the E3D Obxidian

Like all good 3D printing accessories, even the Rapidchange Revo V6 can be upgraded. Not only did E3D produce low-cost replacement nozzles for all the different sizes you might want, they made a specialty nozzle for the exotic filaments too.

The Obxidian (pronounced obsidian, like the rock) is a nozzle from E3D that’s specially designed to help combat the wear and tear you get from using abrasive materials infused with other mediums, such as wood or carbon fiber. It’s made from copper, rather than a brass alloy, and has a special coating that helps move the fibers through the nozzle without sticking. It’s also designed to work with the Revo system for quick changing.

Buzz phrases like “the last nozzle you’ll ever need” feel hyperbolic, but at the same time, the longevity of the $59 Obxidian compared with standard nozzles — it can last indefinitely as long as you aren’t using glow-in-the-dark filament at high speed — makes me wonder if it’s even worth buying a standard Revo nozzle again. Actually, the Obxidian comes only in 0.4mm and 0.6mm diameters, so it’s worth having the other nozzle sizes around for other print jobs. Filaments with other materials in them — wood or carbon-infused PLA for example — benefit from a high flow rate, so larger nozzle sizes work better for the Obxidan. For standard prints, though, the Obxidian has everything covered.

An accessory that elevates your entire machine

E3D Revo Six Obxidian Nozzle

$59 at Matterhackers

All the best 3D printing accessories improve your experience in some way, but the Revo Six coupled with an Obxidian nozzle will fundamentally change how you print. Because so many manufacturers have used the E3D V6 hot end in some fashion, the company was able to create Revo Six systems that are easy to replace on a huge variety of 3D printers. From Creality to Prusa, E3D has Revo to help you convert.

I’m convinced that the Rapidchange Revo Six is the next big change to hot ends moving forward, and though I haven’t managed to convert all my 3D printers, if you have just one or two, then investing in a fully loaded kit is well worth it.

Google on Monday announced three new Search features that could make planning your next vacation cheaper and easier. The features are meant to help you save money on your next flight, explore a hotel before you book it and easily plan things to do on your trip.

Here’s what you can expect to see if you plan your next vacation using Google.

Flight price guarantee

Google Flights already shows you whether flight prices are low or high compared to historical averages, but now Google is launching a pilot program for price guarantees in the US.

How it works is that Google will place a badge next to low-priced flights. Google doesn’t think the price for these flights will get any lower, but if the price does go down, it’ll send you the difference via Google Pay.

This pilot program is only available for “Book on Google” flights that depart from the US.

Explore hotels before booking

If you use Google Search on mobile to find a hotel, you can view a slideshow to explore different hotels and find the right one for you. You can save hotels you like and pull up more information about the area around particular hotels, too.

Find prices for and book nearby activities

Finally, you can find prices for nearby attractions in Google, and you’ll also find a link to book tickets for those activities.

To view these, you have to use Google Search or Google Maps to find an attraction or tour company. You’ll see prices attached to different attractions and companies, as well as a “Tickets” tab that pulls up different ways to book admission. Searching for some attractions will also show you suggestions for similar experiences you might enjoy.

For more on Google, check out eight new Google products CNET expects in 2023, how to travel back in time with Google Maps and tips and tricks to help you save money on Google Drive and Gmail.

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