The TP-Link EAP772 Outdoor is a Tri-band WiFi access point designed to provide connections outdoors.

Apple is working on a next-generation version of the Vision Pro with an updated chip, and it could include a new Dual Knit Band that provides a more comfortable fit.


Updated Apple backend code found by MacRumors includes a reference to a "Dual Knit Band," which is not a band that exists at the current time. The Apple Vision Pro comes with a Solo Knit Band and a Dual Loop Band, but no Dual Knit Band.

Based on the name, the new band could be a cross between Apple's two existing bands, featuring the same comfortable material as the Solo Knit Band but with a more supportive two-band fit. A text description of the Dual Knit Band suggests that there will be an upper band that spans the top of the head and another band that fits behind the head.

Some people have made custom adjustments to the Vision Pro to get it to accommodate two Solo Knit Bands for extra support at the top of the head, and those that have gone that route suggest it is much more comfortable than Apple's current Dual Loop Band.

Back in July, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the refreshed Vision Pro could include a new strap that would make it easier to wear the headset for long periods of time, and it looks like the rumor is accurate.

The Vision Pro weighs between 21.2 and 22.9 ounces, putting considerable strain on the head when it's worn for long periods of time. Some users find the weight of the device and the poor distribution of the Solo Knit Band to cause discomfort. The Dual Loop Band removes some of the weight from the face, but because it doesn't have the same knit design as the Solo Knit Band, it is less comfortable.

Apple is expected to refresh the $3,499 Vision Pro before the end of 2025. It will get a faster M5 chip, but Apple doesn't plan to make any other updates to the device.
This article, "Upcoming Apple Vision Pro Could Get More Comfortable 'Dual Knit Band'" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max are Apple's highest-end headphone options, so which should you choose?


Apple just debuted the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌, adding new features like improved active noise cancellation, the U2 chip, and heart rate monitoring. The AirPods Pro 2 were already more advanced than the ‌AirPods Max‌, which have not been meaningfully refreshed since their introduction in 2020, so the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ take an even bigger leap ahead of their over-ear siblings. Nevertheless, there is still a good case for buying the ‌AirPods Max‌ against the AirPods Pro.

Both the ‌AirPods Max‌ and the AirPods Pro feature active noise cancellation, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, volume controls, "Hey Siri" commands, and automatic switching. As the two highest-end AirPods options, should you consider purchasing the $249 ‌AirPods Pro 3‌, or do you need the ‌AirPods Max‌, which still sell for $549? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these AirPods are best for you.

‌AirPods Pro 3‌ (2025)	‌AirPods Max‌ (2020, 2024)
Plastic design	Aluminum, stainless steel, and silicone design
IP57 dust, sweat, and water resistant earbuds and charging case
Available in White only	Lightning: Available in Silver, Space Gray, Sky Blue, Pink, and Green USB-C: Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Purple, and Orange
In-ear fit	Over-ear fit
Clip-on silicone/foam ear tips (five size options)	Magnetic fabric ear cups
Skin-detect sensors	Optical IR sensors
~10mm custom high-excursion Apple drivers and high dynamic range amplifiers	40mm dynamic Apple drivers and more powerful high dynamic range amplifiers
Dual beamforming microphones and inward-facing microphones	Nine microphones (eight used for Active Noise Cancellation, three used for voice pickup)
H2 chips	H1 chips
Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.0
2.4GHz and 5GHz connectivity	2.4GHz connectivity
Lossless audio support with Apple Vision Pro	Lossless audio via USB-C
"Hey ‌Siri‌" and "‌Siri‌" voice commands	"Hey ‌Siri‌" voice commands
Force sensor for media and listening mode controls	Noise control button for listening mode controls
Touch controls for volume adjustment	Digital Crown for media controls and volume adjustment
Transparency and Adaptive Transparency	Transparency
Adaptive Audio
Loud Sound Reduction
Hearing Protection
Hearing Test
Hearing Aid
Automatic Conversation Boost
Conversation Awareness
Live Translation
Heart rate sensing during workouts
Lanyard loop
U2 chip for Precision Finding
Speaker in charging case for Find My
Up to 8 hours of listening time on a single charge	Up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge
5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time	5 minutes of charge time provides around 1.5 hours of listening time
Charge with Apple Watch charger, MagSafe charger, Qi wireless charging mats, and USB-C	Charge via USB-C or Lightning only (depending on model)
‌MagSafe‌ Charging Case	Smart Case to preserve battery charge in ultra-low-power state
$249	$549

While there is some overlap between the AirPods Pro and ‌AirPods Max‌ with features like Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency, the entirely different fit and form factor of the headphones should make it easier for most customers to decide which device they prefer. Some users will even buy and use both.

The ‌AirPods Max‌ offer a wide range of color options and a premium design, making them more of a fashion accessory. They also feature much longer continuous battery life from a single charge. If you dislike the in-ear design of the AirPods Pro, the ‌AirPods Max‌ may also be more comfortable, especially for longer listening sessions.

Owing to its over-ear design and significantly larger drivers, the ‌AirPods Max‌ deliver markedly better audio quality than the AirPods Pro, so if your main priority is audio quality, the ‌AirPods Max‌ will undoubtedly be the best choice. They also support Lossless Audio via USB-C.

On the other hand, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ offer a high-level of convenience and portability due to their small size and charging case. The audio quality of the AirPods Pro cannot rival the ‌AirPods Max‌, but features like Adaptive Audio, Loud Sound Reduction, Conversation Boost are ideal for when you're on the go.

Due to their lightweight, in-ear design and sweat and water resistance, the AirPods Pro are perfect for outdoors use and fitness activities. They also now feature heart-rate monitoring during workouts.

The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are much more versatile when it comes to charging, with four different ways to charge, compared to the ‌AirPods Max‌'s obligatory USB-C port. Due to their size, weight, less durable design, and limited portability, the ‌AirPods Max‌ are best used at home for high-fidelity, prolonged listening sessions, while the AirPods Pro offer a more balanced experience with a high level of convenience and portability.

It is also worth noting that the AirPods Pro have many more features than the ‌AirPods Max‌, such as "‌‌Siri‌‌" voice commands, Precision Finding, Bluetooth 5.3, wireless lossless audio with the Vision Pro, Live Translation, and Hearing Test.

AirPods frequently see hefty discounts on Amazon and other third-party retailers, so stepping up to the Max version may be more worth it if you can take advantage of one of those deals. Both sets of AirPods often see solid discounts, so it is always worth seeking the best price using our Deals roundup.
This article, "AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Max Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain.


There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to the analysts. However, they said the ultra-thin iPhone Air has faced "relative weakness" in demand so far.

"Our supply chain checks suggest an iPhone 17 build increase is likely imminent," wrote Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring, in a research note today. In the second half of 2025, Apple's supply chain might increase its production of the new iPhones to more than 90 million units, up from 84 million to 86 million units currently, the note said.

Morgan Stanley has raised its price target for Apple shares to $298. However, analysts believe the company's stock price already reflects strong demand for the iPhone 17 series, and they would need to see even more upside "to argue for more sustained near-term stock outperformance." Apple's shares are trading for around $256 at the time of writing.

The analysts are bullish about iPhone shipments in 2026 and 2027, as Apple is widely expected to release its first foldable iPhone model in September next year.

"iPhones are getting old and Apple's biggest innovation in years less than 12 months away," the analysts wrote, in reference to the long-rumored foldable iPhone.
This article, "New iPhones See 'Stronger Than Expected' Demand With One Exception" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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NotebookLM is very useful for academic, technical, and general research.

The Pecron E3600 power station remains an affordable option that keeps pace with the competition, thanks to its numerous output options.

Can Vernal’s Standing Desk set itself apart from the stiff competition of other desk brands?

Super-lightweight, comfortable, with superb audio quality for the price.

A convertible ThinkPad that means business.

PAYE tools straight from HMRC, but other free options offer a lot more.

Free, HMRC-approved payroll, but only for the short term

From the makers of one of the most popular POS systems out there comes a small-scale HR and payroll platform.

Easy-to-use, high-performance spend tracking is just one of Rippling’s offerings.

Staffology Payroll is a powerful payroll system with handy automation, but it’s an expensive option for small businesses.

1st Money offers totally free payroll software for under 10 workers, or a cheap plan for larger businesses.

A British-built AI-enabled HR platform for SMBs based in the UK

With an ultra-thin design that measures just 5.6mm at its thinnest point, Apple's new iPhone Air tops the iPhone 6 as the thinnest iPhone ever released.


With a 6.9mm frame, the iPhone 6 was prone to bending, although the most egregious examples were often seen in YouTube videos that used excessive force.

The big question: Will the iPhone Air bend?

In a video that Apple provided to Tom's Guide, Apple subjected the iPhone Air to a machine that simulated "130 pounds of pressure" on the middle of the device. The publication said the video shows the device "springs back remarkably well and doesn't show any lasting curve from the experience." You can watch it for yourself in their report.

It appears the iPhone Air should be bend-proof in most if not all real-world scenarios, but we still have to wait for independent, third-party tests.


It does seem pretty safe to say that the iPhone Air will not bend in the same way the iPhone 6 did, and a big reason for that is the device has a titanium frame, whereas the iPhone 6 was made with aluminum. Apple said the iPhone Air "exceeds" its "stringent bend strength requirements," and touted it as the most durable iPhone ever.

The report also includes a few other durability test videos from Apple, including one that tests the Ceramic Shield 2 front cover on iPhone 17 models, which is promised to offer 3× better scratch resistance compared to the previous generation. Another video subjects the iPhone 17 Pro to simulated drop tests. Unsurprisingly, given these videos are from Apple, the results are favorable. Real-world tests will confirm things soon.
This article, "Will the iPhone Air Bend? This Extreme Test Reveals the Answer" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The first reviews of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have now been published by selected media outlets and YouTube channels, offering a closer look at the device ahead of Friday's launch.


The iPhone 17 Pro models feature one of the biggest design changes to the device in years, moving to an aluminum unibody frame and a full-width rear camera plateau. New color options include Silver, Deep Blue, and Cosmic Orange.

A completely new front-facing camera features an 18-megapixel square sensor, facilitating automatic rotation and Center Stage. There is also a 48-megapixel telephoto camera for the first time, enabling 4x and 8x optical zoom.

The A19 Pro chip enables better performance with Neural Accelerators. A vapor chamber cooling system is built-in for even better heat dissipation.

Other new features include noticeably longer battery life, an improved anti-reflective coating, Ceramic Shield 2, a brighter display, Genlock support, and more.

The two key advantages the Pro models have over the ultra-thin iPhone Air include roughly 20% to 40% longer battery life, and a Telephoto rear camera with 4x and 8x optical zoom. The devices also have an Ultra Wide camera, if you use it.

The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max can be pre-ordered now. Below, we have rounded up some of the reviews.

Tom's Guide on the iPhone 17 Pro's battery life:

This results in a longer battery life for the iPhone 17 Pro according to our battery drain test, reaching a time of 15 hours and 32 minutes. That's a marked improvement over the iPhone 16 Pro’s average run of 14 hours and 7 minutes.

I'm also seeing solid all-day battery life with my real world use. Most of my time on the phone has been spent surfing the web, taking tons of photos with all its cameras, watching videos on YouTube, and getting in a few sessions with Diablo Immortal and Age of Origins throughout my day. I've made a point to not top off its battery during the day, only to find it at about 20% battery life by the end of the night.

CNET took a closer look at the new Telephoto camera:

I thought I'd notice the difference between 4x and 5x, but unless I had the phones side-by-side, I was unaware. The 17 Pro Max's telephoto images are brighter and have better details and resolution than ones from the 16 Pro, which is likely the result of the larger sensor.

And similar to the wizardry Apple uses to make 2x photos look good, the telephoto camera is able to achieve 8x images. Telephoto images at 4x taken under good lighting (like a nice sunny day) can stand toe-to-toe with images from the main camera. But when I took telephoto images in less than ideal lighting, the 4x images held up OK, whereas the 8x images had more noise and softness.

WIRED praised the improved thermals:

I played one of the most demanding games on the iPhone right now—Assassin's Creed Mirage—and performance was significantly smoother than when I played it on the iPhone 16 Pro last year. The iPhone 17 Pro still got hot, but the heat was spread out over the entire back of the phone, so it didn't feel as uncomfortable to hold while gaming (unlike the iPhone 17 and Air). I maxed out the graphical settings, and the frames per second were noticeably more stable, and I rarely saw stutters at all.

Engadget said the A19 Pro's Neural Accelerators make a meaningful difference to AI tasks:

I do want to commend Apple for the improved performance in Image Playground and Genmoji. It used to take ages for AI-generated pictures or emoji to appear (especially those based on a picture of someone in my photo album), but on the iPhone 17 Pro I was able to get several options in succession before things slowed down. Pictures where I opted to use ChatGPT’s more realistic styles took a lot longer, but by and large I saw a marked improvement in speed here. Those neural accelerators in the A19 Pro’s six-core GPU are certainly pulling their weight.

Videos

This article, "iPhone 17 Pro Reviews: Two Key Advantages Over iPhone Air" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The AirPods Pro 3 use an Acoustic Seal Test to check the fit of ear tips, according to a new Apple support document. Apple says that the Acoustic Seal Test will ensure that you're using the proper ear tip size for the best sound quality and noise cancellation.


The AirPods Pro 1 and the AirPods Pro 2 have an Ear Tip Fit Test, but Apple updated the process for the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. Apple suggests starting with the medium size ear tip. If you can't achieve a good seal, switch to the larger tip. If the ear tip feels too large, switch to a smaller tip.

Apple designed new foam-infused silicone ear tips for the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌, which it says are softer and less stiff than the AirPods Pro 2 ear tips. ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ ear tips come in five sizes, including XXS, XS, S, M, and L. XXS is new for this generation.

For heart rate sensing, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ need skin contact. Apple warns that the best ear tip size for heart rate sensor accuracy could differ from the best size for acoustic seal. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ should be positioned toward your face at a 45-degree angle, with the heart rate sensor resting against the ear.

If heart rate recordings seem inconsistent, Apple recommends trying a different ear tip size.

The Acoustic Seal Test can be initiated by connecting the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ to an iPhone with iOS 26 or an iPad with iPadOS 26, going to the AirPods Settings, and selecting the Acoustic Seal Test option.

The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ will launch this Friday.
This article, "AirPods Pro 3 Use Acoustic Seal Test for Optimizing Sound Quality and ANC" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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T-Mobile President Jon Freier today shared real-world photos of Apple's boxes for the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 models, which launch on Friday.


Apple has typically included iPhone box renders in its product environmental reports, but it did not do so for the latest models. However, Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program page does offer some images of the boxes, which we have shared below.


Are you the type of person who collects Apple boxes, or do you get rid of them right away?
This article, "iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Boxes Revealed" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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