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Twitter Adds Touch Bar And Sidecar Support to Official Mac App

Charlotte Henry ·

The official Twitter app for Mac got an upgrade. It added Touch Bar shortcuts and now supports integration with an iPad via Sidecar, Cult of Mac reported.

The version 8.5 update makes it so that you can put Twitter for Mac on your iPad when using Sidecar. It also adds some (but not many) Touch Bar shortcuts for those using a MacBook Pro. Touch Bar support is basic for now. You’ll see a compose tweet button, plus a toggle that lets you quickly switch between your most recent and most relevant timelines. There’s a lot of empty space for now. Nevertheless, it’s a good start. Future updates will likely add other useful buttons for things like direct messages, search, lists, and more.

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CES 2020: Satechi Releases Mega 108W USB-C Desktop Charger

Andrew Orr ·

Satechi unveiled a massive 108 watt USB-C PD desktop charger with two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports to charge up to four devices at once.

Ideal for the home, office or travel, the 108W Pro USB-C PD Desktop Charger features an ultra-sleek and modern design that complements users’ favorite accessories. Compatible with a wide variety of USB-C devices, the charger combines four ports into one compact, high-speed power bank, making it the only charger user’s need to take with them while on-the-go.

It’s available now to purchase for US$79.99.

TMO Deals

PaMu Slide Mini Bluetooth 5.0 Earphones: $59.99

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on a pair of PaMu Slide Mini Bluetooth 5.0 earphones. They offer Bluetooth 5.0 audio quality, up to 10 hours of talk time, and they’re designed to stay in your ears. They come with a charging case, and they’re rated IP6 water and sweat-resistant. These earphones are $59.99 through our deal.

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CES 2020: Apple Privacy Chief Defends Company Stance on Encryption and Backdoors

Charlotte Henry ·

Apple’s senior director for global privacy, Jane Horvath, spoke on a panel at CES. She used the opportunity to defend the company’s stance on user privacy, speaking out in favor of encryption and preventing software backdoors, according to MacRumors.

Jane Horvath, Apple’s senior director for global privacy, joined an all-female panel consisting of representatives from Facebook, Procter & Gamble and the Federal Trade Commission. During the discussion, Horvath defended Apple’s use of encryption to protect customer data on mobile devices.  “Our phones are relatively small and they get lost and stolen,” Horvath said. “If we’re going to be able to rely on our health data and finance data on our devices, we need to make sure that if you misplace that device, you’re not losing your sensitive data.” Apple has held a consistent position regarding its use of encryption, even if that means it has limited ability to help law enforcement access data on devices involved in criminal investigations.

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Apple Wins Patent for Variable Illumination System for Keyboards

Charlotte Henry ·

Apple has been granted a patent for a variable internal illumination color system, according to Patently Apple. Such a system could be used in keyboards and other devices.

Apple’s granted patent covers devices, systems and methods that implement variable internal illumination of input devices of electronic equipment. Input devices include keys of computer keyboards, contact areas on a contact pad (trackpad), buttons on instrument control panels, buttons on a computer mouse, and the like. Rather than having a fixed tone (such as a perceived “warmth” or “coolness”, and/or a particular color component such as a hue) or color for the light emitted by the internal illumination, user experience can be improved by using variable internal illumination, i.e., internal illumination that can be varied dynamically during operation of the electronic device.