Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 68 With Bug Fixes and Feature Improvements

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced over two years ago in March of 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.

Safari Technology Preview release 68 includes bug fixes and feature improvements for Web API, WebRTC, Media, CSS, Rendering, JavaScript, Web Inspector, WebDriver, Payment Request, Apple Pay, Web Animations, and WebCrypto.

The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS High Sierra and macOS Mojave, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was released to the public in September.

The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
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Apple Highlights Photos Shot With Portrait Mode and Depth Control on iPhone XS

Apple today highlighted a series of photographs that were captured using the Portrait Mode and Depth Control features of the iPhone XS, sharing the images in an Apple Newsroom article.

Apple focused on images that were shared from users around the world on social networks that include Twitter and Instagram. To find the images, Apple used the #ShotoniPhone hashtag.

Spaziergang bei dem schönen Wetter #Herbst #shotoniphone #ShotOniPhoneXSMax #iPhoneXS #portraitphotography #family #kids pic.twitter.com/WBT1YZRVyU

— heisenberg0512 (@heisenberg05122) October 6, 2018

All of the photos used Portrait Mode and the new Depth Control feature, which is exclusive to the iPhone XS , XS Max, and XR.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Felicia Fang 🌸 (@feliciafang11) on Oct 15, 2018 at 7:32pm PDT

Portrait Mode is designed to blur the background when capturing a subject in the foreground, while Depth Control allows you to adjust the amount of blur in the photograph for a customized look.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ashish Parmar (@ashishjparmar) on Oct 4, 2018 at 1:39am PDT

On the iPhone XS , Portrait Mode images with Depth Control can feature any subject, including pets, flowers, food, and more because there are two cameras to pull depth information from.

On the iPhone XR, however, it’s worth noting that Portrait Mode images must include a human subject because the feature does not work unless a face can be detected.

The full range of photos Apple thought were worthy of sharing can be found in the Apple Newsroom article.

Related Roundup: iPhone XSBuyer’s Guide: iPhone XS (Buy Now)
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Score a professionally refurbished MacBook Air for less than 300 bucks

MacBooks remain some of the best and most popular laptops on the market, renowned for their sleek aesthetics, excellent build quality, vibrant displays, and intuitive software. Apple hardware can get pretty expensive, though, with brand-new 2018 MacBook models starting at $1,250.

If you’re obsessed with Apple products – and especially if you like to have all of your data synced up to iCloud – then you don’t have to shell out a grand or more on a Mac OS laptop if you go the refurbished route. Now, and for a limited time, you can score a professionally refurbished MacBook Air for less than 300 bucks, saving you more than 50 percent.

This refurbished MacBook Air is a model that’s several years old, but still boasts solid hardware. The laptop runs on an Intel Core i5-3317U 1.7GHz dual-core processor and 4GB of DDR3 RAM which work together to deliver plenty of juice for work, web browsing, streaming, and other daily tasks. For ports, you get two high-speed USB 3.0 connections along with a Thunderbolt port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The MacBook Air’s aluminum construction is both lightweight and sturdier than plastic, and the metal housing encloses a 13.3-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1,440 x 900 pixels. This 13-inch size hits the sweet spot for an everyday work laptop: It’s not too small to comfortably use for extended periods, yet it’s still light and compact enough that it’s not a pain to carry around.

The MacBook Air comes loaded out of the box with Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks, which, although not the latest Apple software, is still a fantastic and easy-to-use operating system with a ton of great apps. The keyboard is backlit as well, and the laptop has a built-in mic and 720p HD FaceTime camera. For storage, you get a 64GB solid state drive – not the largest, but faster and more reliable than traditional hard drives while still offering enough room for your files and programs.

This recertified computer normally goes for $600, but iTechDeals currently has the refurbished MacBook Air on sale for more than 50 percent off. This brings the price down to $289 with free shipping, letting you score a MacBook for less than 300 bucks and saving you $311 while stock lasts.

Buy Now

Looking for more great stuff? Find Apple deals and more on our curated deals page, and be sure to follow us on Twitter for regular updates.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best MacBook deals for October 2018
• How to buy a refurbished Mac
• Here are the 10 best laptop deals for October 2018
• The best iPhone deals for October 2018
• Walmart Back to College sale: Save big on computers, TVs, tablets, and more

The best Nokia 7.1 cases to protect your midrange monster

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Nokia 7.1 is a sleek and powerful midrange phone with the Snapdragon 636 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of onboard storage. It’s good looking too, with a modern, bezel-less design and a glass back panel. It’s also a bargain at just $349.

But all that power, beauty, and value come to nothing if it gives up the ghost thanks to a fall or catastrophic shock. On the downside, the glass body is also a fingerprint magnet, and no-one wants their phone looking like a greasy, smudgy mess. Keep horrific accidents and fingerprints at bay with a protective case, and make sure your phone keeps on rocking well into your second year. Here are the best Nokia 7.1 cases.

Skinomi Dark Wood TechSkin ($16)

If you’re not a fan of the extra bulk a case can add to your phone, but you still want to grab some surface protection, it might be worth considering a skin. A skin will provide good protection against scratches and other sorts of surface damage that could otherwise mar your phone’s style. However, since it’s just a film addition attached to your phone, it won’t do much to protect against drops and other similar hazards. This skin is patterned to look like dark wood, adding a new design to your phone, and it’s made from quality materials. Best of all, it even comes with a free film screen protector so you can keep your display covered too.

Buy it now from:

Skinomi

Avidet Crystal Clear Case ($8)

Clear cases fill a good niche within the case market, providing decent protection without changing the outward look of your device. This case from Avidet is made from flexible but strong TPU, and it’s completely clear, providing a window straight through to your Nokia 7.1’s design. The soft TPU provides additional grip on the device, while also giving some great shock-absorption against minor drops and bumps. It’s thin and light, barely adding any bulk to your phone — but don’t expect it to absorb big hits like a larger case would. If you can’t bear to seal your Nokia 7.1 away behind thick plastic, then this is a great choice — and it’s a good price too.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Kugi Anti-Slip Case ($5)

Looking for something with a bit more protection? This case from Kugi is made from TPU as well, but it’s slightly stiffer than the variant you’ll find on most clear cases. It’s still as protective though, with great shock-absorbency that’s still fairly slim and light. It’s rocking a fairly basic style, but it’s still not a bad looking rugged case. The back panel of the case has been reinforced with extra scratch-resistance, and slashes up the side and along the back should mean that keeping a hold of your device is never a problem. It’s extremely cheap, provides great protection, and doesn’t look too bad either.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Official Nokia Flip Cover ($20)

No-one else knows the Nokia 7.1 like Nokia does, and it’s offering some great cases to complement your new midrange monster. There are a few cases available from Nokia, but we really like the executive style and all-over protection offered by this blue wallet case. It’s made from an outer cover of PU leather, combined with an inner core of hard polycarbonate (PC) that holds your device within the case. The PU leather cover contains a single pocket for spare cards or cash, and flips across the display, or can be folded behind the device when in use. The cover can even be folded to form a handy horizontal stand for watching videos on the go. It looks extremely stylish, and comes at a great price.

Buy it now from:

Amazon Mobile Fun

Sun Van Shockproof Rugged Case ($7)

If you’re looking for a case that’ll take a bit more punishment than most, then you’re probably interested in a case like this one. The style will surely divide opinion, but it’s still a great protective case, with extended bumper corners and non-slip grip. It’s made from tough TPU with a polycarbonate back plate, and this combination provides good shock-absorption with a strong backbone. There’s some additional utility too, thanks to a rotating kickstand that means the phone can be sat in both horizontal and landscape modes. It also comes with a tempered glass screen protector, giving all-around protection. It might not be the best looking case here, but it’s probably the most protective.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Editors’ Recommendations

• Nokia 7.1 hands-on review
• Nokia 7.1 vs. Honor 8X vs. Moto G6: Budget phone battle royale
• Nokia 7.1: Absolutely everything you need to know
• Nokia 7.1 Plus leaks show off a gorgeously shiny copper model
• Keep that flagship phone safe with the best iPhone X cases and covers

Should you buy the LG Stylo 4?

Best answer: The LG Stylo 4 is a great midrange phone, but there are some key differences to be aware of between the different models. If you’re buying it to use on T-Mobile or a carrier that uses T-Mobile’s network, buy the T-Mobile version.

Amazon: LG Stylo 4 Prime Exclusive ($250)

T-Mobile: LG Stylo 4 ($250)

Why you should buy the LG Stylo 4

No matter your budget, it’s worth considering the Stylo 4. The Amazon version comes carrier unlocked, and it’ll work on any network in the United States. Both variants use USB-C for charging, meaning you can use the same brick and cable as you would your laptop and other newer gadgets. If you’re heading out for a weekend trip, only needing one power cable to pack is a great way to save space in your bag.

I’ll admit, I’m not a heavy stylus user. But I did enjoy the inclusion of the Stylo 4’s pen, and while this isn’t as advanced as the stylus that comes on the latest Galaxy Note, the basics are covered quite well. Taking the stylus out of the phone will show a small menu with different tools, so you can quickly jot down a memo, capture part of the screen, or bring up a cool virtual magnifying glass.

Performance is also great. With a few exceptions like the camera, I didn’t notice too much of a difference between using this and using my Pixel 2 XL. Apps open reasonably quick, and re-open fast enough from the multitasking screen. I also like most of LG’s software additions, specifically being able to rearrange and automatically hide the software navigation buttons.

Speaking of the camera, it also performs admirably for the price. Daytime shots look great, but it falls apart a bit as the sun goes down. Keep the natural light up, and you’ll have no problem with pics from this camera.

Choose your model carefully

If you’re going to use the Stylo 4 on T-Mobile — or an MVNO like Metro and Mint Mobile that uses T-Mobile’s network — it’s worth considering T-Mobile’s version of the Stylo 4. It has 2GB of RAM instead of 3GB that the Amazon version has, but adds in NFC for Google Pay and — more important to the daily use of the phone — better radio support for T-Mobile’s network.

The extra RAM in the Amazon version is nice for loading and switching between apps, but the better network support will mean faster downloads, your data inside of your apps (your Facebook feed or a YouTube video) being loaded faster, and clearer phone calls.

Stylish stylus

LG Stylo 4 Prime Exclusive

$250 at Amazon

$250 at T-Mobile

A low price for good performance.

Either version of the LG Stylo 4 has almost everything you could want: good performance, a capable stylus, and a low price. The Amazon version has more RAM, while the T-Mobile version has better support for that carrier and NFC for mobile payments.

SanDisk’s microSD cards, flash drives, SSDs, and more are on sale today

Limited time offers!

As part of its daily deals, Amazon has a wide selection of SanDisk storage products on sale with prices starting at just $13. Whether you need a flash drive to keep personal files with you, or a microSD card to add to your phone or tablet, or even a new hard drive for your computer, you’re covered here.

Some of our favorites from the sale include:

• 64GB microSDXC card – $19.99 (Was $43)
• 64GB Ultra Flair Flash Drive – $13.49 (Was $17)
• 2TB My Passport X External Drive – $59.19 (Was $74)
• 480GB SSD Plus Internal Drive – $69.99 (Was $120)
• 256GB Extreme microSD card – $109.99 (Was $180)

There are a bunch of other great deals today that you’ll also want to check out. These prices are gone when the morning comes, so don’t miss out.

See at Amazon

All the games that come with the C64 Mini

Find out what the C64 Mini has in store for you with this full list of games.

The C64 Mini is a killer little retro console that does a fine job of bringing the magic of the Commodore 64 into the modern age. All you have to do is plug it into your TV and you are whisked away to the 80’s when pixels were king and just about any idea could be made into a game.

If you read our review of the C64 Mini but you are still sitting on the fence, perhaps a list of all the awesome and sometimes bizarre games you can play on it will help you decide whether or not the console is for you.

Here are all the games that you get with the price of admission on your C64 Mini.

• AlleyKat
• Anarchy
• Armalyte: Competition Edition
• Avenger
• Battle Valley
• Boulder Dash
• Bounder
• California Games
• Chip’s Challenge
• Confuzion
• Creatures
• Cyberdyne Warrior
• Cybernoid: The Fighting Machine
• Cybernoid II: The Revenge
• Deflektor, Everyone’s A Wally
• Firelord
• Gribbly’s Day Out
• Hawkeye
• Heartland
• Herobotix
• Highway Encounter
• Hunter’s Moon
• Hysteria
• Impossible Mission
• Impossible Mission II
• IO
• Jumpman
• Mega Apocalypse
• Mission A.D
• Monty Mole
• Monty on the Run
• Nebulus
• Netherworld
• Nobby the Aardvark
• Nodes Of Yesod
• Paradroid
• Pitstop II
• Rana Rama
• Robin Of The Wood
• Rubicon
• Skate Crazy
• Skool Daze
• Snare
• Speedball
• Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe
• Spindizzy
• Star Paws
• Steel
• Street Sports Baseball
• Summer Games II
• Super Cycle
• Temple of Apshai Trilogy
• The Arc Of Yesod
• Thing on a Spring
• Thing Bounces Back
• Trailblazer
• Cosmic Causeway: Trailblazer II
• Uchi Mata
• Uridium
• Who Dares Wins II
• Winter Games
• World Games
• Zynaps.

That is a whole boatload of games to get you started on your retro Commodore journey. However, the great news that if you see some of your favorite titles missing from this list, the developers of the C64 built in a method for you to load your own ROMs. For only $80 you can start your journey back in time to the days of the Commodore 64!

$80 at Amazon

What games do you think are missing from this list?

Let us know some of your favorites below!

Nuance Discontinues Dragon Professional Individual for Mac

Nuance this week announced that it is discontinuing Dragon Professional Individual for Mac, effective two days ago on Monday, October 22, 2018. The software is no longer available for purchase, but customers who purchased version 6 of the software and have a perpetual license will be able to keep using Dragon Professional Individual.

As of now, Nuance will no longer provide updates for the software. Customers will still be able to receive telephone support for up to 90 days from the date of activating the software in North America, and up to 180 days from activation in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. They can also visit the Nuance Dragon Knowledgebase for online resources.

Nuances says its reason for discontinuing Dragon Professional Individual for Mac comes from “constantly evaluating its product portfolio to see how we can best meet the needs of our customers and business.” The software allowed Mac users to gain access to powerful dictation and transcription tools with an emphasis on streamlining user workflows, allowing users to dictate reports, spreadsheets, and emails, which Dragon converted to text.

Now, users will be able to buy Dragon Professional Individual for Windows, Dragon Legal Individual for Windows, and Dragon Anywhere for Android and iOS. Dragon Medical for Mac was also discontinued back in August.

Tags: Nuance, Dragon
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Italy Fining Apple 10M Euros for ‘Dishonest Commercial Practices’ Related to iPhone Throttling

Nearly one year after reports began circling about Apple’s throttling of older iPhones with degraded batteries, Italy’s antitrust authority is now fining Apple 10 million euros (about $11.5 million USD) for “planned obsolescence” of its smartphones (via The Korea Herald). The fine on Apple follows Italy’s investigation into iPhone battery slowdowns that began back in January, and the Italian authority is also fining Samsung $5.7 million for similar reasons.

In a statement, the Italian authority said that “Apple and Samsung implemented dishonest commercial practices” with their respective smartphones, thanks to operating system updates that “caused serious malfunctions and significantly reduced performance, thus accelerating phones’ substitution.”

This is the definition of planned obsolescence, which Apple has refuted numerous times in the past. Most recently, Apple’s VP of marketing Greg Joswiak called the idea of planned obsolescence “the craziest thinking in the world.”

According to Reuters, Apple was fined more than Samsung because it failed to give customers clear information about how to maintain or eventually replace smartphone batteries.

The anti-trust body said in a statement that some Apple and Samsung firmware updates “had caused serious dysfunctions and reduced performance significantly, thereby accelerating the process of replacing them”.

It added the two firms had not provided clients adequate information about the impact of the new software “or any means of restoring the original functionality of the products”.

When the reports began circulating in December 2017, claims were made that Apple was deliberately slowing down older iPhones that weren’t operating at peak battery performance. In a response, Apple said it was aiming to smooth out the high power draw peaks that can result in shutdowns and other problems in older devices so that its customers had “the best experience.”

Eventually, it was discovered that Apple quietly implemented a power management feature into iOS 10.2.1 that prevents older iPhones from shutting down during times of peak power draw, which rolled out in January 2017. Because the feature was not widely publicized until the accusations against Apple took place, many customers felt deceived by the company. In response, Apple apologized for not better explaining its actions and now offers $29 battery replacements for the iPhone 6 and later until the end of the year. On January 1, 2019, battery replacements will cost $49.

Furthermore, iOS 11.3 launched in the spring with detailed information about battery health so that customers can know if the state of their battery is impacting processor performance. With the update, the power management feature can also be turned off.

Over the course of the year, an increasing amount of countries and customers have investigated or sued Apple over “secretly throttling” older iPhones. In the spring, Apple faced more than 60 class action lawsuits over the incident, and these eventually became consolidated in one courtroom in the U.S. District Court for Northern California.

In an earnings call over the summer, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained that Apple has never done an internal analysis on how many people have bought a battery replacement instead of purchasing a new iPhone, because that statistic wasn’t a factor in their decision to offer the discounted batteries. “It was never about that for us,” said Cook. “It was about doing something great for the user. Treat users and customers well and you have a good business over time. That’s how we look at that.”

Tags: Italy, iPhone Slowdown
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Google Follows in Apple’s Footsteps With Free 4K Movie Upgrades and Cheaper Prices of $20 and Under

Google this week announced that it will now automatically upgrade all previously purchased films from participating Hollywood studios to 4K, even if those movies were originally bought in SD or HD. The company is also reducing the price of new 4K movies on its Google Play store to match SD/HD prices of $19.99 and below. Previously, 4K films on Google Play rose to as much as $30.

These new updates match numerous practices that Apple has implemented on the iTunes Movies store starting with the launch of the Apple TV 4K in September 2017. With the rollout of 4K support in iTunes, customers’ back catalog of HD movies were automatically upgraded to 4K where applicable, and Apple promised all new 4K releases would remain at a competitive price of $19.99.

Apple never specified that SD movies were getting a boost to 4K, but some users have noted that select films upgraded from SD to HD to 4K over time. Still, other users have not seen any updates to their SD iTunes movies, perhaps due to missing rights from certain movie studios, so Google’s promise of both SD and HD upgrades to 4K should be an easier transition for those with a bunch of old movies in the Google ecosystem.

Google will also notify users when their movies are upgraded to 4K, and point out which ones were upgraded in the Play Movies and TV app, which is a feature that iTunes lacks at this point. For Apple users curious about this aspect of their film collections, the third-party Cheap Charts iOS app [Direct Link] has an “Upgraded to 4K” section with a reverse chronological list of films that recently received the picture quality update in iTunes.

Apple struggled to get Hollywood’s major studios to support 4K films at $19.99 — and Disney still remains notably absent from any 4K support on iTunes Movies — but eventually many of the major studios backed Apple’s decision. The same appears true for Google Play, with new films from studios like Sony Pictures, Universal, and Warner Bros. available in 4K at $19.99 and under, but new Disney films like Incredibles 2 are only listed as HD compatible.

Additionally, Google announced that users can now watch content in 4K using the Play Movies and TV app on most 4K Samsung Smart TVs (in addition to previous support for 4K Sony Bravia TVs). The company says it’s working on adding support for LG TVs as well. Lastly, the smart TV app for Samsung, LG, and Vizio TVs has been updated with a modern look and feel for an overall “better experience,” according to Google.

Google has been expanding its Play Movies and TV app throughout the year, in March introducing a feature that accumulated content from numerous streaming services into one centralized watchlist. Similar to Apple’s TV app, Play Movies and TV now lets users discover new shows and movies, and find which streaming service to watch them on, adding all of the content into their watchlist. In this area, Google notifies users when content is available to buy and rent, if the price has dropped, and if it’s now available to stream.

Tags: Google, Google Play
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