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Hey Everyone, this is Sanjeev from Techkle. Welcome to this week’s episode of TNBT where we will cover the latest Tech news and updates.
TNBT Episode Summary
There is a lot happening in the Tech world this October. Usually, we see this much activity in September with the launch of new iPhones and accessories. But this time the launch of the iPhones was delayed till mid of October due to COVID-19 and Apple has just started shipping latest devices.
They have also announced the new iPhone Accessories standard called MegSafe which means we have a lot of new accessories coming into the market. We will talk about all these along with other latest news in this episode.
iPhone 12 and MegSafe Accessories
Apple has started shipping the new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro model this week. The initial review of the device is positive and its selling like hotcakes. The current shipping estimates on Apple site are already down to 2-3 weeks if you order today.
Though only two out of four models are available for sale currently. iPhone Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available to pre-order on November 6th with availability from November 13th onwards.
Along with iPhones, Apple also launched a new set of accessories with new standard called MegSafe. Now, MegSafe is something that we use to see on older generation Mac’s before Apple shifted to USB-C standard. The good thing about the Mac MegSafe chargers was how easy it was to place it on charging pins. You just bring it close and it snaps on!
Now, with the new line of accessories Apple wants the similar experience for iPhone users. You can just snap on different kind of accessories including chargers, wallet to use with your iPhone. Now no more fight to figure out if your wireless charger is aligned properly.
MegSafe Accessories
Apple has launched cases which will support MegSafe accessories that means you can snap chargers while keeping the case on. Now, we are seeing third party cases with the support of MegSafe standard hitting the market.
OtterBox has announced MegSafe supported cases for all its lineup including Symmetry, Aneu, or Figura Series. You can pre-order those cases from the OtterBox site.
Belkin has also announced some of the new accessories for iPhone 12 including new 3-in-1 MegSafe Wireless charger which will snap on your iPhone, charge it along with Apple Watch and AirPods.
So, go ahead and take your pick for the MegSafe Accessories with the new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.
iPhone 12 Reverse Charging
One of the expected features for iPhone 12 was reverse charging but Apple decided to not announce it in the iPhone 12 launch. Initially everyone though that iPhone 12 was not capable of reverse charging but with a new FTC filing, it looks other way round.
Based on iPhone 12 FTC filing looks like iPhone 12 is capable enough to do reverse charging, just that Apple decided to not activate the functionality. One of the reasons might be lack of accessories which they would like iPhone to support. They might activate it when they will announce next generation AirPods that can take advantage of the reverse charging.
Hopefully, we will see more and more accessories which can take advantage of this feature in future.
iPad Air 4th Generation
Apple not only started shipping the iPhone but also started shipping iPad Air 4th Generation this week. People who pre-ordered have started receiving the device, including me. Till now, I was using MacBook and iPhone for most of my work and was thinking to add iPad in my inventory but never able to justify the iPad Pro use.
Don’t get me wrong, iPad Pro’s are very capable machine but may not be suitable for everyone. In my case, I do not plan to click many pictures from my iPad, so having advanced camera is one of the least prominent features on my list.
Same goes for Face ID, I am using it on my iPhone, and it works great but the Touch ID is also convenient. It also allows to unlock the device easily while providing enough security.
The only drawback with the regular iPad Air was outdated design. iPad Air 4th Gen fixes that issue. It provides modern design with a more affordable price point. It also comes with a new processor that will give it a good overall life.
I have gotten my new iPad Air 2 days back and this episode is created on the new device..Hurray, Congratulations to me!!
Having said that, there are new iPad Air 2020 Cases and accessories available from Apple as well as third party venders. Some of the accessories including cases from iPad Pro 11-inch model will work fine on iPad Air also.
It also gets a USB-C port, which means you can attach a host of accessories to the iPad Air. I am using my condenser microphone to record this podcast episode on iPad Air. You can also connect external monitors or hard disks to your new iPad.
With all these changes, iPad Air becomes the go to machine for casual users.
Apple One Subscription Plan
Apple One will be available for subscription from today onwards, though Fitness+ will launch later fall. You can still subscribe the service from Apple site starting from $14.95 for individual and $19.95 for Family of six.
The regions where Apple News+ and Fitness+ is not available, plans will be maxed out on $19.95 plan otherwise you can subscribe to $29.95 plan to include all 6 services. Apple promised to reduce the prices based on your existing subscriptions in case you are already subscribed to any of the services.
I personally, use Apple Music and Apple TV+ with active subscription which already costs around $15. It means I can get additional service of Apple Arcade and iCloud storage for almost free with this bundle. Though I need to see how Apple handles the free subscriptions provided with iPad Air and this bundle.
With the purchase of iPad Air, I have 1 year of Apple TV+ service free of cost. Since I was already a paying subscriber and had yearly plan, Apple extended the plan date for a year automatically, so I don’t need to pay anything for next year subscription. Let’s see how it will be handled with Apple One subscriptions.
T-Mobile TVision Streaming Service
T-Mobile is entering an overcrowded space of video streaming service. They have launched a new service called TVision which will provide Live TV Streaming. The plan starts for $10 a month for TVision Vibe, which provides around 30 live channels including categories of Drama, Comedy, or Lifestyle.
If you are a sports fan, you can subscribe to TVision Live, which includes Sports channels. That will cost you upwards of $40 depending on the number of channels you want to subscribe. You will also have choice to top up your subscription from Premium channels at small monthly fee.
Though, they claim that what they are charging is half of the monthly cost for regular connection, we need to see acceptance to this service. The market is already crowded with most of the content providers having their own streaming services.
Though at the start, these services might be of interest as they provide a gourmet of channels at a fraction of price, but the model might not be sustainable. We all have seen how Google has increased the prices of YouTube TV subscription because it becomes unrealistic to keep running on these costs.
Linksys New Velop WiFi 6 Mesh Routers
Linksys has launched a new Velop AX4200 WiFi 6 Mesh Routers that is available for purchase right now. The WiFi 6 Router pack can support up to 120 devices with 3 nodes supporting the network.
The router can be easily setup with the help of Linksys free mobile app. Once setup, you can control the routers with Alexa voice commands at home. The easiness and WiFi 6 support make it a good networking solution for large homes.
Just to emphasize, WiFi 6 delivers up to 4 times higher speeds then WiFi 5. Though internet speed will still be limited based on your ISP line and its exceedingly rare that you will have more speed available then offered by WiFi 5. But internal network bandwidth will be eased off with this device.
Sony Cameras As WebCam on Mac
In another news from Sony, they have launched the new imaging software for macOS that will allow their Cameras to use as a WebCam. This is good news for the people who would like to Social Media Streaming, since they can now use their Mirrorless camera as a Webcam.
The software was available for Windows for some time and now Mac users are also can benefit from it. This way you do not need to buy high-end webcam for your video calls on Mac, you can use the existing Sony Camera and get the clear picture on the calls.
Facebook Gaming Service
Facebook is also entering the gaming streaming space with a new streaming service which will be available on Web and Android Application. They are not launching it on iOS or Apple devices due to review restrictions from Apple.
The service will be integrated with existing Facebook app rather than a separate application. The console quality games will be offered as part of service and progress will be synchronized across platforms. Though Apple devices will be excluded from this sync due to the restrictions.
To start with they are offering some of the Mobile Games on the platform including Asphalt 9, PGA Tour Golf Shootout, WWE Supercard etc. The service is in BETA and will slowly be ramped up for console level games. But for now, you can try the service for free and play some of the games over cloud.
Is there something else you would like to listen about or like us to cover as part of this Tech News series, please write to tn.feedback@techkle.com. If you have any tips for the news around Technology, you can send it to us on tn.tips@techkle.com. You can always follow us on Twitter or Facebook for the latest updates.
