Apple plans to release a mixed-reality headset this year, but it’s indefinitely postponed development of its lightweight augmented reality glasses due to technical challenges, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
Apple’s AR glasses were expected to be released after the debut of its mixed-reality headset, which combines elements of both augmented reality and virtual reality. But now the company plans to follow this year’s release of its mixed-reality headset with a lower-cost version of the mixed-reality headset as soon as 2024 or early 2025, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with deliberations.
Unlike virtual reality, which promises to immerse goggle-wearing users in new and exciting digital worlds, AR overlays images and data atop the real world.
2023 looks like a year full of virtual reality headsets that we originally expected in 2022, including the PlayStation VR 2 and Meta Quest 3. Apple has already laid down plenty of AR clues, hinting at what its mixed-reality future could hold and has been active in AR on its own iPhones and iPads for years.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
You or your organization will have to pay extra for some Microsoft Teams features soon. Microsoft is moving features like live translated captions to its new premium tier of the video meeting service, called Teams Premium, coming in February.
Microsoft writes in its Teams licensing agreement that the following Teams features will move to Teams Premium:
Live translated captions.
Timeline markers in Teams meeting recordings for when a user leaves or joins meetings.
Virtual Appointments: Organizational analytics in the Teams admin center.
Virtual Appointments: Scheduled queue view.
Teams subscribers won’t immediately lose access to these features, though. Microsoft writes that there will be a 30-day grace period after Teams Premium is made available to the public for people to purchase the service’s new tier. After the grace period, only Teams Premium subscribers will have access to the features listed above.
Microsoft previously announced that starting in December, organizations could try a 30-day free trial of Teams Premium. As part of the free trial, Microsoft gives organizations 25 licenses to assign to users. Once the trial period ends, those licenses stop functioning.
Microsoft said online that Teams Premium will launch in February, but it didn’t give an exact date. Microsoft also said it expects Teams Premium to cost $10 per profile monthly.
When it comes to Bluetooth headphones, people have their preferences. Some people prefer wired headphones, some prefer in-ear headphones and some like Bluetooth over-the-ear headphones. If you fall into the last category, then we’ve got a special offer for you.
Right now on Amazon, you can save $40 on this pair of Treblab Z7 Pro headphones when you use the coupon code Z7PRONOWBACK. This coupon code is valid until Jan. 22, so you have just under five days to grab a pair and save some money.
I use these headphones to listen to music while doing chores or even doing my workouts at the gym. They’re truly noise-canceling and block out all the background sounds that distract me from the task I’m focusing on. Besides that, the headphones deliver great audio without overwhelming my ears.
With these headphones, you get 45 hours of playtime, stereo sound, touch controls, and USB-C fast-charging capabilities. The headphones are also comfortable to wear — they’re made with soft leather and memory foam. When you aren’t using them, they fold neatly into the provided carrying pouch, which is pretty sleek and can fit easily into your backpack or purse.
Apple introduced new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros on Tuesday that feature the company’s new M2 Pro and M2 Max processors. The new models share the same design and starting prices as their predecessors, but Apple promises better performance and longer battery life with the new chips that replace the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in the previous versions.
The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro starts at $1,999, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro starts at $2,499. The new machines are available now, and orders will start shipping on Jan. 24. The previous M1 Pro MacBook Pro models are still available at Amazon and other online retailers. You can save $300 or more on the 14- and 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pros at Amazon right now.
The next-newest MacBooks in Apple’s lineup are the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro based on the M2 chip, which were released last summer. The updated MacBook Air is bigger than the previous model, and a bit faster as well. Along with a bigger 13.6-inch display and M2 processor, however, comes a higher price. Gone is the $999 starting price; the new M2 MacBook Air line starts at $1,199. The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip starts at the same $1,299 list price as the previous generation.
You can save $200 on the M2 MacBook Air at Best Buy — we’ve not seen it for less than its current $999 price. And you can spend even less to get the previous-generation MacBook Air with the M1 chip and 13.3-inch display for $899 at Amazon — a savings of $100.
US pricing for Apple MacBooks
While Amazon, Adorama and Best Buy have the best prices at the moment, one benefit to paying full price and buying from Apple is that you can customize the machine and add more RAM or a higher-capacity solid-state drive. The models sold by Amazon and other retailers are fixed configurations.
Want to go the refurbished route? You can find refurbished MacBooks on Apple’s Certified Refurbished Mac page. Refurb inventory changes rapidly so you may not always see the latest MacBook Air or Pro listed. It’s worth keeping an eye out, however, because you can lock in substantial savings, up to $200. Rick Broida, CNET’s Cheapskate emeritus, is a big fan of refurbs, particularly Apple’s — which are often as good as new.
Keep reading to see the best MacBook laptop deals currently available for Apple’s current and previous-generation MacBooks. We update this list periodically.
MacBook discounts, compared
Model w/ CPU (and storage capacity)
List price
Best price (current)
Best price (all-time)
MacBook Air w/ M1 chip (256GB)
$999
$899
$750
MacBook Air w/ M1 chip (512GB)
$1,199
$1,199
$1,000
MacBook Air w/ M2 chip (256GB)
$1,199
$999
$999
MacBook Air w/ M2 chip (512GB)
$1,499
$1,299
$1,299
13-inch MacBook Pro w/ M2 chip (256GB)
$1,299
$1,149
$1,099
13-inch MacBook Pro w/ M2 chip (512GB)
$1,499
$1,349
$1,299
14-inch MacBook Pro w/ M1 Pro chip (512GB)
$1,999
$1,899
$1,500
14-inch MacBook Pro w/ M1 Pro chip (1TB)
$2,499
$2,144
$2,000
16-inch Macbook Pro w/ M1 Pro chip (512GB)
$2,499
$2,199
$2,000
16-inch Macbook Pro w/ M1 Pro chip (1TB)
$2,699
$2,399
$2,200
14-inch MacBook Pro w/ M2 Pro chip (512GB)
$1,999
$1,999
$1,999
14-inch MacBook Pro w/ M2 Pro chip (1TB)
$2,499
$2,499
$2,499
16-inch Macbook Pro w/ M2 Pro chip (512GB)
$2,499
$2,499
$2,499
16-inch Macbook Pro w/ M2 Pro chip (1TB)
$2,699
$2,699
$2,699
*Note that “all-time” means the best price that we’ve seen at an Apple-authorized retailer in the product’s lifetime. Prices change frequently and may differ between color variants.
The MacBook Air from 2020 features Apple’s M1 processor, which has an eight-core CPU, a seven-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. The M1 MacBook Air starts at $999 from Apple and features 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It lacks the Touch Bar (which could be viewed as a positive), and does have a 13.3-inch Retina display, Touch ID and the Magic keyboard. The step-up model costs $1,199 from Apple and doubles the solid-state storage to 512GB. You can save $100 on the 256GB model at Amazon and Adorama right now.
In addition to receiving the second-gen Apple silicon chip, the M2 MacBook Air boasts a larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display and is available in two new colors: starlight and midnight. It also ditches the Air’s tapered wedge shape and now looks more like the squared-off, slablike Pro models. The webcam has also been upgraded to a 1080p resolution for better video calls. At Apple, the M2 Air starts at $1,199, which is $200 more than the previous model. It features an M2 processor with an eight-core CPU and eight-core GPU, 8GB of memory and a 256GB SSD. The step-up $1,499 model has an M2 chip with an eight-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 8GB of memory and a 512GB SSD.
The baseline 256GB model is selling at its lowest price yet at Best Buy — only $999. You can also save $200 on the 512GB model at Best Buy.
Aside from the new M2 chip, the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro remains mostly unchanged from the previous iteration. It’s now the only laptop in the updated Apple lineup that has the generally disliked Touch Bar. It also lacks the new MagSafe charger and offers the same two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports for both charging and peripherals. Pricing remains the same as the previous series. The baseline model costs $1,299 and features 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. The step-up $1,499 model doubles the SSD to 512GB.
You can save $150 on either the 256GB or 512GB model at Amazon and B&H — that’s $50 more than the lowest price we’ve seen for it.
The baseline model of the previous-generation 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,999 and features an M1 Pro chip (eight-core CPU, 14-core GPU), 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The $2,499 step-up model features a higher-power version of the chip with 10 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display has a 3,024×1,964-pixel resolution.
You can save $100 on the baseline model at Amazon right now, which is only a fraction of the $400 price break at Best Buy last week. We’d wait for a larger discount to return or spend the extra $100 for the new M2 Pro machine. Need more storage? The M1 Pro model with a 1TB SSD is a good deal at its current $354 discount at Amazon.
The baseline model of the previous-generation 16-inch MacBook Pro lists for $2,499 and features an M1 Pro chip (10-core CPU, 16-core GPU), 16GB of RAM and a 512B SSD. There are two step-up models: The $2,699 model upgrades the storage to a 1TB SSD, and the $3,499 model features the M1 Max chip, which bumps up to a 32-core GPU, as well as 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display packs 3,456×2,234 pixels.
You can save $300 on the 512GB model at Amazon. The 1TB model is also $300 off.
The baseline model of the new 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,999 and features Apple’s latest M2 Pro processor (10-core CPU and 16-core GPU), 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The step-up model costs $2,499 and doubles the storage to 1TB while featuring an M2 Pro with a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU. There’s also an M2 Max model that costs $3,099 with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The M2 Max is a 12-core CPU, 30-core GPU processor.
Apple says the performance from the M2 Pro chip is up to 40% faster than the previous M1 Pro in Photoshop image processing, and that the M2 Max can do effects rendering in Cinema 4D and color grading in DaVinci Resolve up to 30% faster than the M1 Max. Apple promises the battery will last up to 22 hours, which the company says is “the longest battery life ever in a Mac.” The MacBook Pro also adds Wi-Fi 6E, up from Wi-Fi 6, and an HDMI connection that now supports 8K displays up to 60Hz and 4K displays up to 240Hz.
The baseline model of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro costs $2,499 and features Apple’s latest M2 Pro processor (12-core CPU and 19-core GPU), 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The step-up model costs $2,699 and doubles the storage to 1TB. There’s also an M2 Max model that costs $3,499 with a 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU M2 Max processor, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
Fourteen teams entered this past “Super Wild Card Weekend” with Super Bowl hopes. After Monday’s Cowboys beatdown of the Buccaneers, only eight remain (the top-seeded Eagles and Chiefs had byes). This weekend brings four more games as the postseason field continues its winnowing process, with two games on Saturday and two on Sunday. The winners of each contest will advance to next weekend’s Conference Championship round.
Here’s how you can watch all the action this weekend and throughout the rest of the playoffs, with or without cable.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are the top seed in the AFC.
Chris Unger/Getty Images
What is the NFL schedule this weekend?
As mentioned there are games scattered throughout the weekend. Here’s the remaining schedule:
Saturday, Jan. 21
Jaguars vs. Chiefs, 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) on NBC and Peacock
Giants vs. Eagles, 8:15 p.m. ET (5:15 p.m. PT) on Fox
Sunday, Jan. 22
Bengals vs. Bills, 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) on CBS and Paramount Plus
Cowboys vs. 49ers, 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT) on Fox
What does the NFL bracket look like?
There were 14 teams in the NFL playoffs, with the Chiefs as the top seed in the AFC and the Eagles as the top seed in the NFC. Both of those teams have a bye this round and automatically advance to the Divisional Round this weekend. Here is how the full bracket looks heading into the Divisional Round.
Are games available in 4K?
As spotted by The TV Answer Man, Fox will be broadcasting its games in 4K, assuming you have the proper setup. To get the game in its best resolution, you’ll need to have service from a company that offers 4K broadcasts (DirecTV, Dish, Comcast, Optimum and Verizon Fios are some traditional cable/satellite companies that offer 4K) or a 4K-capable plan on a streaming service like YouTube TV or FuboTV.
If you don’t have a 4K set-top box but have a login to a cable or satellite provider, you can watch in 4K using the Fox Sports or Fox Now apps.
When is the Super Bowl and which network will broadcast it?
Super Bowl 57 will take place on Sunday, Feb. 12, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (the home of the Arizona Cardinals).
This year’s game will air on Fox, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT).
What are my streaming options for NFL games?
Paying for cable is the easiest solution, but not the cheapest. For cord-cutters looking to save some money, NFL football streaming options can get complicated, with games played across three different days and nights each week on different channels and streaming services. For the remainder of the playoffs, games will be shown on CBS, Fox, and NBC as well as on streaming services like Paramount Plus (CBS games) and Peacock (NBC games).
There are three other streaming services that cord-cutting NFL fans should consider. The paid Premium plan of Paramount Plus will show CBS games, and the paid Premium plan of Peacock will show NBC’s broadcasts.
Wait, there’s one more streaming service to consider for the remainder of the year. Prior to the season, the NFL launched a new streaming service for watching games on your phone or tablet — no casting to your TV. In past years, you could do this for free with the Yahoo Sports app, but now you’ll need to pay $5 a month or $40 for the season for the NFL Plus subscription. With it, you’ll be able to watch every local game on Sunday and the national games on Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights as well as the playoffs and Super Bowl — again, only on your phone or tablet.
Best for everything: YouTube TV ($65)
Sarah Tew/CNET
Our pick from the last two years remains our go-to choice in 2022.
At $65 per month each, YouTube TV checks all the NFL boxes. Local channels CBS, NBC and Fox are included in many markets, and ESPN and the NFL Network are also included so you can watch all the football action. The next best options are FuboTV and Hulu Plus Live TV; both offer the same channels as YouTube TV for NFL fans, but for $70 a month.
Both YouTube TV and FuboTV allow three people to watch at once (Hulu allows two live streams) and all three have apps on nearly every mobile device and major streaming platform, including Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Roku and Apple TV.
While all three are largely similar, we like YouTube TV for its superior DVR — unlimited storage compared with 30 hours on FuboTV and 50 hours on Hulu. We also like YouTube TV because it gives you the option to stream in 4K for an extra $20 a month. FuboTV does, too, with its $80-a-month Elite plan. Keep in mind that only Fox and NBC have offered 4K NFL broadcasts; CBS and ESPN do not.
DirecTV Stream offers the main broadcast channels for NFL games, but it starts at $70 per month.
Sling TV’s Orange and Blue plan for $55 a month gets you ESPN and the NFL Network, and, in select major markets, Fox and/or NBC, but you’ll still lack CBS.
Budget alternative for NFC fans in big cities: Sling Blue ($40) or antenna ($20 one-time)
Sarah Tew/CNET
Those looking to save some cash might want to check out Sling Blue for $40 a month. While it lacks ESPN, meaning you’ll miss out on Monday Night Football, in select markets you’ll be able to get Fox and NBC. The catch is that those markets are mainly in big cities, so if you live outside one of those areas, Sling Blue might not be for you.
Fox broadcasts most NFC games on Sundays, while NBC has Sunday Night Football. CBS, which broadcasts the bulk of AFC games, isn’t included on Sling at all. But an antenna can fill those local channel gaps without a monthly charge.
Budget alternatives for AFC fans: Paramount Plus (or an antenna)
Sarah Tew/CNET
There are some apps that offer CBS’ slate of Sunday AFC games live, including Paramount Plus’ Premium tier for $10 per month. Depending on where you live, however, your local CBS station (and those NFL games) might not be available. CBS offers livestreaming services in many markets; you can check for yourself if your area has live CBS streaming here.
An antenna is another option for getting CBS. And as we mentioned above, an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV provides all major football channels — ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC — with no streaming or monthly fee required, as long as you have good reception.
For $65 a month, you’ll get all the major football channels with YouTube TV. Plug in your ZIP code on YouTube TV’s welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
Sling TV’s $40-a-month Blue plan includes NBC, Fox and the NFL Network. Enter your address here to see which local channels are available where you live.
Note: This version of Sling TV does not include ESPN. For that, you’ll need to switch to the similarly priced Orange plan or go for the combined $55 per month Orange and Blue bundle.
Those looking for CBS’ Sunday games will be able to stream them on Paramount Plus with its $10 per month Premium tier. You can check for yourself if your area has live CBS streaming here.
If you’ve got an iPhone that is slow to charge, has trouble maintaining a charge throughout the day or is unexpectedly shutting down, you might need to get your iPhone battery replaced.
So how do you find out if you really do need to replace your battery? We’ll show you how to check out your battery’s health via your iPhone settings, as well as what you can do to prolong your battery’s lifespan.
Your iPhone battery becomes less effective over time, but you could also have a faulty battery on a brand-new iPhone. To quickly check if there’s an issue with your battery health, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. If you’re running anything below iOS 16.1, the latter will appear as just Battery Health.
At the top, you’ll see the maximum capacity of your battery, which should be 100%, or close to it, if you have a relatively new iPhone.
However, what you want to look at is Peak Performance Capability and the sentence underneath that. If you see Your battery is currently supporting normal peakperformance, you don’t have any recognized battery issues and you shouldn’t need a replacement.
Check what it says under Peak Performance Capability to learn if you need to replace your battery.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Do you need to replace your iPhone battery?
If you see any of the following messages, you may need to replace your battery, or at the very least make an appointment with Apple or an authorized service provider to check your battery out:
This iPhone has experienced an unexpected shutdown because the battery was unable to deliver the necessary peak power. Performance management has been applied to help prevent this from happening again, or You have manually disabled performance management protections.
This iPhone is unable to determine battery health. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can service the battery. More about service options.
Your battery’s health is significantly degraded. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace the battery to restore full performance and capacity. More about service options.
Depending on whether you have insurance (third-party or AppleCare Plus) or not, you may not have to spend any money at all to replace your iPhone’s battery. If your iPhone is new, you have at least a one-year warranty to replace a defective battery. If you do not have insurance, Apple charges an estimated $49 to $99 to replace your battery. Additionally, you can check out the Apple Service Programs page to see if any replacement or repair programs are available for your device.
You can even replace your own battery.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Is there anything you can do to prolong your iPhone battery’s life?
The quicker you go through your daily battery life, the quicker your battery’s overall lifespan degrades, so here are some tips to follow, according to Apple:
Update to the latest software available.
Adjust your screen brightness (manually or automatically) as needed.
Use Wi-Fi when available.
Enable Low Power Mode as needed.
Turn off Background App Refresh (overall or an on a per-app basis).
Turn off Location Services (overall or on a per-app basis).
Turn off Allow Notifications.
Turn on Airplane Mode when applicable.
When you charge your phone with your computer, make sure your computer is plugged in.
You can toggle on auto-brightness (left) and prevent apps from refreshing in the background (right) to improve your battery life and lifespan.
Having an extra copy of things like plane tickets or receipts for online purchases is a good idea in case a ticket app doesn’t work at your gate or you want to return an item. Taking a screenshot is an easy way to ensure you have extra copies of these important documents. Whether you have Windows 10 or Windows 11, there are a few easy ways to take screenshots of all (or part) of your screen.
Here’s how to use built-in tools and other shortcuts for taking screenshots in Windows 10 and Windows 11, so you can decide which you like best.
Snip & Sketch
The Snip & Sketch tool is easier to access, share and annotate screenshots than the old Snipping Tool. It can now capture a screenshot of a window on your desktop, a surprising omission when the app was first introduced that kept us on Team Snipping Tool until recently.
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The easiest way to call up Snip & Sketch is with the keyboard shortcut Windows key + Shift +S. You can also find the Snip & Sketch tool listed in the alphabetical list of apps accessed from the Start button as well as in the notification panel where it’s listed as Screen snip. Or you can just search for it if you don’t commit the keyboard shortcut to memory. (If you’re a frequent screenshot taker, we recommend pinning the app to the taskbar.)
The built-in Snip & Sketch app has finally won us over and is now our go-to method for taking screenshots in Windows 10 and 11. So long, Snipping Tool.
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
Either the keyboard shortcut or the notification button will dim your screen and open a tiny menu at the top of your screen that lets you choose which type of screenshot you want to take: rectangular, freeform, window or full-screen. Once you take your screenshot, it will be saved to your clipboard and show up momentarily as a notification in the lower-right corner of your screen. Click the notification to open the screenshot in the Snip & Sketch app to annotate, save or share it. (If you miss the notification, open the notification panel and you’ll see it sitting there.)
If you open Snip & Sketch from the Start menu or by searching for it, it will open the Snip & Sketch window instead of the small panel at the top of the screen. From here, you need to click the New button in the upper left to initiate a screen capture and open the small panel. It’s an extra step to proceed this way, but it also lets you delay a screenshot. Click the down-arrow button next to the New button to delay a snip for 3 or 10 seconds.
The Snipping Tool has been around since Windows Vista. Windows has warned for a couple years that the Snipping Tool is going away, but it’s still kicking around in Windows 11. The Snipping Tool has been delisted from the list of apps in the Start menu, but you can still easily access it via the search bar.
Click the New button to begin the screenshot process. The default snip type is rectangular, but you can also take free-form, full-screen and window snips.
Snipping Tool does not automatically save your screenshots — you will need to manually save them in the tool before you exit — and it does automatically copy your captures to the clipboard.
The Snipping Tool has been with Windows for a long time.
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
Print Screen
To capture your entire screen, tap the Print Screen (sometimes labeled PrtScn) key. Your screenshot won’t be saved as a file, but it will be copied to the clipboard. You’ll need to open an image editing tool (such as Microsoft Paint), paste the screenshot into the editor and save the file from there.
You can also set the PrtScn button to open the Snip & Sketch tool by going to Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard and toggling on Use the PrtScn button to open screen snipping under Print Screen Shortcut.
You can adjust print screen settings in Windows.
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
Windows key + Print Screen
To capture your entire screen and automatically save the screenshot, tap the Windows key + Print Screen key. Your screen will briefly go dim to indicate you’ve just taken a screenshot, and the screenshot will be saved to the Pictures > Screenshots folder.
Alt + Print Screen
To take a quick screenshot of the active window, use the keyboard shortcut Alt + PrtScn. This will snap your currently active window and copy the screenshot to the clipboard. You’ll need to open the shot in an image editor to save it.
No Print Screen key?
If your computer doesn’t have the PrtScn key, no worries, Microsoft has another keyboard shortcut for you. You can press Fn + Windows logo key + SpaceBar to take a screenshot. It will then be saved to the Pictures > Screenshots folder.
Game bar
You can use the Game bar to snap a screenshot, whether you’re in the middle of playing a game or not. First, you’ll need to enable the Game bar from the settings page by making sure you’ve toggled on Record game clips, screenshots and broadcasts using Game bar. Once enabled, hit the Windows key + G key to call up the Game bar. From here, you can click the screenshot button in the Game bar or use the default keyboard shortcut Windows key + Alt + PrtScn to snap a full-screen screenshot. To set your own Game bar screenshot keyboard shortcut, to Settings > Gaming > Game bar.
Windows Logo + volume down
If you’re rocking a Microsoft Surface device, you can use the physical (well, sort of physical) buttons to take a screenshot of your entire screen — similar to how you would take a screenshot on any other phone or tablet. To do this, hold down the Windows Logo touch button at the bottom of your Surface screen and hit the physical volume-down button on the side of the tablet. The screen will dim briefly and the screenshot will be automatically saved to the Pictures > Screenshots folder.
If you’re eyeballing a new Galaxy S22, you should probably think twice.
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 lineup is expected to launch in Feburary, meaning the Galaxy S22 you’re thinking about purchasing could feel outdated in just a matter of weeks. Even if you just want to score a discount and don’t necessarily care about having the latest phone, there are good reasons to wait.
The biggest one, of course, is that the Galaxy S23 family will likely have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which should bring perks like better graphics and power efficiency. Reportedly leaked images published by the blog WinFuture also indicate a slightly different design might be in store.
The most significant update, however, is expected to arrive on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is rumored to get a 200-megapixel camera, according to often-correct leaker Ice Universe. Samsung’s new 200-megapixel image sensor should provide both high resolution and solid performance in challenging conditions, as my colleague Stephen Shankland reported. However, we won’t know whether that chip will be in the Galaxy S23 Ultra until Samsung announces the phone.
Those changes might not sound like much, especially when it comes to the regular Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus. But it’s still a good idea to wait if you can.
You’ll get more longevity out of the Galaxy S23 compared with an older phone like the Galaxy S22 for two simple reasons. One is that the processor is newer, so performance will remain speedy for a longer period of time. But the more important point is that it will likely get an extra year of software and security updates.
Samsung committed to offering four generations of Android updates and five years of security updates for the Galaxy S22 last year, and it will probably do the same for the Galaxy S23. The Galaxy S22 is already one year into that upgrade cycle.
You might be tempted to buy the Galaxy S22 anyway, since there are plenty of deals available through Samsung and other retailers. I’d encourage you to consider that similar discounts on the Galaxy S23 lineup may surface once the devices launch. Last year, for example, AT&T shaved $800 off the Galaxy S22 even when trading in an older, broken phone. Samsung also offered some bargains last year to promote the Galaxy S22 family at launch. Those who preordered the device before Feb. 24 were eligible to upgrade to the next storage tier and gain Samsung credit that could be applied toward the Galaxy Watch 4 or Samsung Freestyle projector.
There’s also a chance that we may see some Galaxy S22 discounts after the Galaxy S23 launches. Samsung released the Galaxy S21 FE in 2022 as a slightly cheaper alternative to the Galaxy S22, targeting the audience that would typically opt to save a few bucks by going for the prior year’s model. Since Samsung didn’t release a Galaxy S22 FE, perhaps it’ll keep a version of the Galaxy S22 around at a lower price.
Regardless, it’s a good idea to wait if you’re in a position to do so. Learning about what the Galaxy S23 has to offer and seeing which discounts are available will help you make a more informed decision. And of course, CNET will have plenty of advice on whether the Galaxy S23 is worth the upgrade once it launches.
Apple has announced new additions to its M-series chips, adding M2 Pro and M2 Max versions, and offering them in updated versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and in the Mac Mini desktop.
The new MacBooks and Mac Mini share the same design as their predecessors, and these new chips replace the M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in the previous versions.
In a press release, Apple says, “M2 Pro scales up the architecture of M2 to deliver an up to 12-core CPU and up to 19-core GPU, together with up to 32GB of fast unified memory. M2 Max builds on the capabilities of M2 Pro, including an up to 38-core GPU, double the unified memory bandwidth, and up to 96GB of unified memory.”
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MacBook Pro adds M2 Pro/Max
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops were released in October 2021, and started a shift towards a more structured, squared-off design with a flat lid and sharp corners, rather than the gently bowed lids of previous MacBooks. These models also lacked the touchbar interface of previous MacBook Pro laptops, and that feature remains on only the 2022 M2 13-inch MacBook Pro, which also keeps the older throwback look and feel (for now).
The biggest change, besides the chip generation, is Apple’s claim of battery life of up to 22 hours, which the company says is, “the longest battery life ever in a Mac.” The MacBook Pro also adds Wi-Fi 6E, up from Wi-Fi 6, and an HDMI connection that now supports 8K displays up to 60Hz and 4K displays up to 240Hz.
Apple claims the performance from the M2 Pro chip is up to 40% faster than the previous M1 Pro in Photoshop image processing, and that the M2 Max can do effects rendering in Cinema 4D and color grading in DaVinci Resolve up to 30% faster than the M1 Max.
The Mac Mini was last updated in 2020, when it added the M1 chip, shifting away from Intel. The new version offers both the M2 and M2 Pro chips.
Apple claims the M2 version offers Photoshop performance that can be up to 50% faster than the M1 version and 2.4x faster in transcoding in Final Cut Pro; while the M2 Pro version can be up to 4.2x faster than the M1 Mac Mini in Final Cut Pro. There was no M1 Pro version of the Mac Mini for a direct comparison.
It’s worth noting that Apple has also killed off the Intel Mac Mini, a version of which was still available (alongside the M1 version) until this announcement. That leaves the Mac Studio desktop as the final Intel-based Mac you can buy from Apple directly. Some retailers still have stock of the Intel Mac Mini, including Best Buy, if you absolutely, positively need one.
In 2022, Apple announced Safety Check, a new iOS security feature designed to allow you to quickly see all the information (location, credentials and so on) you’re sharing with someone else, like an ex-partner, and instantly revoke those permissions in the case of domestic abuse.
Safety Check, however, can also play an important role for anyone with an iPhone who’s interested in their own privacy and security. The feature not only protects you from abusers but also helps you keep an eye on all your downloaded applications, and revoke those permissions, like to your phone’s camera or speaker, as well.
You may not want some apps to have permission to certain information, and Safety Check is the quickest way to not only check this information but also stop the access completely. Here’s how.
Use Safety Check to view and revoke app permissions on your iPhone
On your iPhone, launch the Settings app and go to Privacy & Security > Safety Check. Here you’ll be greeted with a few options: Emergency Reset, which is used for exactly that, emergencies, and Manage Sharing & Access, which is what we’ll be using to manage app permissions.
Use Manage Sharing & Access to customize which apps have access to your information.
Apple/Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
After tapping Manage Sharing & Access, use Face or Touch ID to access the security feature. Next, you’ll get a detailed summary of what you can review, including people, apps and account security. Again, we’re focused on app permissions, so we’ll be reviewing all your applications and what information they have access to.
Go through the Sharing with People section by hitting the blue Skip button until you reach App Access, which is the second step in the Safety Check feature. You should see a list of your third-party apps, along with a short description of what information (Bluetooth, camera, location and so on) is being shared.
To revoke an app’s permissions, check the circle next to the app and then tap the Stop App Access button at the bottom of the page. You can revoke permissions for multiple apps at once by selecting more than one. If you want to view everything a specific app has access to, tap on the information button (ⓘ). You can revoke specific permissions, such as local network or location, instead of every single permission.
You can manage permissions per-app or by information (i.e. microphone).
Apple/Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
The most extreme thing you can do is hit Select All & Stop Access. But applications need certain permissions to work, so I wouldn’t suggest this option.
You can also revoke permissions by information. If you tap on the Information tab at the top, you’ll see all the information that’s being accessed listed, instead of the apps. For example, you can remove media library or calendar permissions for every app that has it, at once.
Once you’re finished revoking app permissions, you can either skip through the rest of Safety Check or use the Quick Exit option at the top right.
