News

 I found myself wishing that the Studio Display had more distinguishing features. Apple says it’s powered by an iPhone chip, but it doesn’t have an interface or other common monitor features, such as the ability to switch between inputs without plugging and unplugging cords. You can’t display inputs from multiple computers in split-screen, either, and it doesn’t let you stream media or act as a wireless speaker like some other displays. It also doesn’t support high refresh rates, which makes scrolling smoother and is important for gamers. Apple has started to include the feature on its phones, laptops and tablets under the marketing name “ProMotion,” so it may become a standard Apple feature during the lifetime of the Studio Display, but as it stands the monitor is less “future-proof.” For most people, this won’t be a deal-breaker.

 The six-speaker setup is also excellent, although audiophiles will still likely opt for separate studio monitors or headphones. But the built-in speakers are good enough to listen to rock or pop music and more than sufficient for watching movies. Many monitors don’t have built-in speakers or webcams, so both are a nice touch. The Mac Studio is not user-upgradable. Apple says it is “modular,” which refers to the fact that the screen isn’t built-in. But that means power users can’t add additional RAM, graphics cards or storage space, unlike on high-end Windows desktops.

 The new products are the culmination of a Mac revival that started over five years ago. In 2017, Apple said that it had formed a new internal group to address the issues that artists, creatives and computer scientists had raised with the state of Apple’s high-end desktop computers, which were rarely updated and languishing at the time. It’s strategic for Apple, even if it sells four laptops for every desktop, as company officials said in 2018. Creative professionals, who have historically preferred Mac computers over Windows, need options on the high end that can support computationally intensive work such as video editing or 3D rendering. In exchange, Apple stays relevant to highly skilled talent and gets a marketing boost from impressive artists using its products.

 People always ask me what iPhone they should buy. My response is usually to ask another question: What do you want to do with it? If you just need an iPhone that can run every app and the latest software, then the iPhone SE is a great buy for the price. It’s a huge upgrade for folks coming from similar devices, like the old iPhone 8. It’s also a great first phone for teens — these days, a lot of kids get their first phone when they’re in middle school.

 Apple’s iOS 16 software, which is in beta and will release to everyone this fall, lets you add all sorts of things to the lock screen. So, you can quickly view the weather, the battery status of your AirPods, upcoming calendar events and more. On a current iPhone, though, you still have to tap the power button to turn on the screen.

 This section contains general state maps, descriptions of Major Land Resource Areas, watershed information, and links to NRCS reference manuals and handbooks. Section I contains links to research universities and other partners NRCS collaborate and work with. Section I also contains conservation practice cost data, agricultural laws and regulations, cultural resources, and information about protected plant and animal species. This section contains detailed sources of information about soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources. NRCS Soil Surveys, Hydric Soils Interpretations, Ecological Site Descriptions, Forage Suitability Groups, Cropland Production Tables, Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guides, Water Quality Guides, and other related information can be found in this section. This section contains information on NRCS conservation planning criteria, which establish standards for resource conditions that help provide sustained use. This section contains NRCS’s Conservation Practice Standards and Practice Support Documents. The Practice Standards section defines the conservation practices. The section also does the following:

 But things are moving slowly in some areas, such as last year’s feature that lets you add your driver’s license, which is available in just a couple of states in the U.S., and with a few more expected soon. Even then, you can use the ID only at TSA checkpoints at one airport in Phoenix. Carmakers have also been slow to adopt the iOS feature that lets you store a digital version of your car key on your phone. Still, Apple told me yesterday there’s little concern over that slow adoption. The hope is consumer demand pushes third parties to adopt the technology.

 You should always purchase small business-grade laptops from an online source, as these are a step up from what you will find in most stores. Be wary of outstanding price offers on consumer-grade computers from chain store retailers. In most cases, you get what you pay for. You can expect to pay between $750 and $1,500+ for a good-quality, business-grade computer. Products in this price range have higher quality internal components and will generally last four to five years or more with proper care. Examples of recommended business-grade computers include: HP Probook, HP Elitebook, Dell Latitude, Dell Vostro, Microsoft Surface Pro, Toshiba Dynabook Tecra, Lenovo Thinkpad T, Macbook Air, and Macbook Pro.

 ResTechs oversee the daily operation and maintenance of the on-campus housing labs, kiosks, collaborative study desks, and printers. Additionally, they assist with network connections, perform student computer OS re-installs, run anti-virus and anti-malware scans, and provide general hardware troubleshooting. The Connect to Tech Guide is a University-wide resource that describes computer specifications for students bringing a used computer with them.

 Amazon on Tuesday unveiled Amp, a new app that makes DJs of users’ own radio shows, as a growing number of companies jump into the live audio space. Demand for the services surged during the pandemic, and tech companies have raced to launch features to capitalize on the trend. Audio app Clubhouse last year spurred attention and investments from Silicon Valley, while Twitter, Facebook, Spotify and Discord feature content around live conversations. It’s not the first live-content play for Amazon, which owns livestreaming subsidiary Twitch and through Audible has beefed up its podcast library. Amp could provide additional content for users to access through Echo smart speakers, and it could potentially give a boost to the company’s fast-growing advertising business.

 Amazon has signed up popular artists including Nicki Minaj, Pusha T and Tinashe, as well as social media influencers and radio hosts, to create content for the app, the company said. The app is currently available for iPhone in beta, which requires an invitation to join, but people can sign up to join a waiting list for access. Apple’s new Mac Studio computer goes on sale on Friday. I’ve been testing it for over a week, and it’s a good pick for video and photo professionals for whom cost is no issue and who want a Mac desktop that will be able to handle anything thrown at it for years. But, with a starting price of $1,999 that doesn’t include a screen, it’s not the computer for people who just want to browse the web and watch Netflix. They’re better served by the $699 Mac Mini.

Fake News

 More cost-sensitive buyers who don’t need all the power of the Mac Studio should consider a Mac Mini if they need a desktop computer, or a MacBook Air laptop, which is more portable and can easily power a desktop experience with a compatible monitor, such as the Studio Display, which is a solid option if you want a 5K screen with good speakers and a great webcam. Apple’s new $599 iPad Air launches on Friday. I’ve been testing it for the past several days and think it’s the best iPad for most people. It’s more powerful and is better than the regular $329 iPad in almost every way, the best mix of features and price for people who want to play the latest games and do some video and image editing. But power users may be disappointed by the skimpy 64GB of storage in the base model and could find that the $799 entry-level iPad Pro is a better deal.

 But, if Apple adds an always-on display to its next iPhone, it will allow you to just glance over at your new lock screen on your phone while it’s sitting on your desk. That’s something Samsung, Google and other Android phone makers have been including for years. Apple has been resistant to adding that option, perhaps to instead focus on longer battery life. An always-on display can slowly sap battery, even if the screen is much dimmer. TechGuide provides actionable information to help readers make data-driven decisions on the best tech-related educational and career opportunities.

 From medicine to entertainment and from school to sports, technology is changing how we live and how we relate. It is also changing the way we work — and where we work. TechGuide is a culmination of research, writing, interviewing, and personal experiences gleaned from experts in the field. The site references papers and journals as much as it will reference years of experience of people that have gone through degree programs, bootcamps, certification courses — all to land a first job in tech, or level-up their career.

 All of this points to one of the most interesting corners of the Apple ecosystem — a growing suite of financial products within the Wallet app. Many of these features aren’t designed to make money for Apple directly, but they do make Apple Pay more attractive for people who haven’t tried it yet. (Apple takes a tiny percentage of every Apple Pay transaction, so the more people using it, the better it is for Apple.) Like most major new iOS features, it’s also another mechanism to keep customers locked into Apple’s ecosystem and upgrading to a new iPhone when they’re ready. But Apple’s new Wallet features are also coming at a time of great economic uncertainty. Inflation is still going wild. Gas prices continue to hit record highs. And there are plenty of very real fears about an upcoming recession. It could be a tough time for Apple to launch a new product designed to get people to buy more stuff if those trends persist throughout the year.

 The iPhone SE isn’t really made for power users, and that shows in the battery life. It’ll get you through a day if you’re making phone calls and surfing the web, but don’t expect it to last all day if you’re doing a ton of gaming or more processor-intensive tasks. It looks the same as the iPhone SE from 2020, which looked the same as the iPhone 8 from 2017. It does look dated, and there are lots of phones with nicer screens that reach the top and bottom of the phone. The screen is adequate, but won’t wow you like the brighter and faster screens on Apple’s more expensive phones.

 Finally, while it’s not as water-resistant as Apple’s other iPhones, it can still survive a dunk in the bath or a spill without any worry, and has the same strong glass as other iPhones to help prevent shattering if you drop it. It doesn’t feel cheap like some low-cost Android phones, which often use plastic instead of glass and metal.