CATEGORIES

PIXAR'S ‘SOUL' JOINS MID-LIFE CRISIS, JAZZ FANTASIA

Pete Docter’s “Soul” features stairway-to-heaven visions of the afterlife, a pre-birth “before” realm where souls are glowing turquoise orbs and an in-between spiritual realm trafficked by some kind of psychedelic pirate. And yet, kind of magically, it’s about “just regular old living.”

FROM ZOOM TO QUIBI, THE TECH WINNERS AND LOSERS OF 2020

We streamed, we Zoomed, we ordered groceries and houseplants online, we created virtual villages while navigating laptop shortages to work and learn from home. In many ways, 2020’s pandemic-induced isolation threw our dependence on technology into overdrive, snipping away at our real-life connections while bringing digital relationships to the fore.

WATCH OUT LA: FEDS CALCULATE RISKIEST, SAFEST PLACES IN US

Spending her life in Los Angeles, Morgan Andersen knows natural disasters all too well. In college, an earthquake shook her home hard. Her grandfather was affected by recent wildfires in neighboring Orange County.

TOM HANKS IS DOGGEDLY HEROIC IN ‘NEWS OF THE WORLD'

Tom Hanks rides a horse and blasts a six-shooter in his new film, “News of the World.” Some of you might be thinking this must be his first cowboy role. To those, we respond: Have you forgotten about Woody so soon?

GREEN FUTURE: HOW TECH GIANTS CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION

With consumers encouraged to upgrade their smartphones on a near-annual basis and the throwaway culture of technology continuing apace, e-waste is fast-becoming one of the key environmental concerns. Less than 40% of our phones, tablets, and laptops are recycled, with the rest destined for landfill. The key to change lies with us - and our technology giants.

CIA'S NEW RECRUITMENT WEBSITE AIMS TO DIVERSIFY SPY AGENCY

Wanted: Spies from all backgrounds and walks of life.

CALIFORNIA BOARD URGES BIAS REVIEWS OF POLICE SOCIAL MEDIA

California police agencies should routinely review officers’ social media, cellphones and computers for racist, bigoted or other offensive content that contributes to disproportionate police stops of Black people, a state advisory board said Monday.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN TO GET MY 2ND VACCINE SHOT?

As U.S. health officials try to get COVID-19 vaccines to people more quickly, it’s already time for some people to get their second shots.

AFTER TOP STAFF EXODUS, TEXAS AG SEEKS $43M FOR GOOGLE SUIT

The mass exodus of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s top staff over accusations of bribery against their former boss has left the Republican seeking $43 million in public funds to replace some of them with outside lawyers to lead a high-profile antitrust lawsuit against Google.

Back To School: Return To The Classroom Safely

Five months on from the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and policymakers and public health officials have decided it’s time to return to the classroom. Around the world, schools and colleges are preparing for a new semester, and though environments may be different, one thing is clear: teachers and students will be depending on technology more than ever.

CONTROL: WHY SHOULD BE KEPT LOCKED DOWN

Developers are quietly working on iOS 14 and its Mac and Watch counterparts, and many are wondering what the next-generation operating system will look like. A Bloomberg report has shed some light, and Apple looks set to loosen its grip on its privacy-focused ecosystem.

MACBOOKS: M1 PROCESSOR TAKES MAC FAMILY INTO A NEW ERA

This year, our computers have been more important than ever before. Whether we’re working from home or catching up with friends over FaceTime, our Macs have become a part of who we are. This year, Apple is taking the Mac to new heights with the introduction of the industry-leading M1 chip, ushering in a new era for macOS and the future of computing.

2021: PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES

With the introduction of a 5G iPhone, a superfast M1 chip for the Mac, a bunch of hardware like AirPods Max, Apple Watch SE, and HomePod mini, and significant investments in its services division, Apple had a stellar year in 2020. But the future is just around the corner, and even greater innovations await. Let’s take a look at what the company has up its sleeve.

SILICON: HOW IT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE COMPUTING

At this year’s virtual WWDC, Apple announced plans to move away from Intel-based Macs to custom silicon, perhaps one of the biggest changes to the Mac since its introduction in 1984. By further unifying the hardware and software of MacBooks, Mac Minis and iMacs in a similar manner to the iPhone, it could revolutionize the way Apple does computing forever…

FAST LANE: REVVING THE ENGINES ON NEW APPLE CARKEY FEATURE

Though we might still be a few years off the long-rumored Apple Car, this year’s WWDC did not disappoint, lifting the trunk on some exciting new car-related features. Alongside CarPlay enhancements, Apple made its next big leap towards revolutionizing the way we get from A to B, by overhauling the Apple Maps user interface and putting our car keys on our phone.

CONTROL OVER ADVERTS: iOS 14 FEATURES WILL CHANGE THE BATTLEFIELD

With the release of iOS 14 just around the corner, advertising giants are quaking in their boots, concerned that the Cupertino company’s upcoming changes will put the breaks on their success. Apple has made it clear: consumers should be in control over their data, and in a few weeks’ time, a real revolution will begin in the world of digital advertising…

BUSINESS: APPLE POSITIONS iPHONE 12 AS A CORPORATE MUST-HAVE

Critics labeled the iPhone 12 Apple’s biggest leap forward in years, with analysts suggesting that the Cupertino company will shift close to 70 million units before the end of 2020. As if the iPhone 12 range wasn’t popular enough, Apple has announced a partnership with carrier Verizon to make iPhone the most compelling business smartphone, offering 5G on the go.

WATCH SE: AN AFFORDABLE PRICE TAG & A NEW DIRECTION FOR APPLE

Alongside the new Apple Watch Series 6 announcement at this year’s September Event, Apple introduced an altogether more interesting concept: the affordable Apple Watch SE.

HOMEPOD MINI: HUGE COMPUTATIONAL AUDIO IN A LITTLE PACKAGE

HomePod was introduced to much fanfare in 2018, but it was a smaller, more affordable smart device that consumers were crying out for.

MUSIC TV: TAKING SHOTS AT MTV WITH NEW DIGITAL TV STATION

In an unexpected move, Apple announced in late October that it would launch Apple Music TV, a new 24-hour curated live stream of chart-topping music videos, designed to encourage more consumers to subscribe to its Apple TV+ streaming service.

WWDC: EXPLORE ALL NEWS FROM THE VIRTUAL KEYNOTE

Although this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference was a little different amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Tim Cook, Craig Federighi, and Friends still managed to lift the lid on a whole host of new innovations for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS - and confirmed the long-awaited transition from Intel to Applepowered chips for its iMacs and MacBooks.

macOS; TAKING LEAPS FORWARD WITH BIG SUR

Despite the coronavirus pandemic causing the world’s biggest tech events to be canceled, Apple powered through with a virtual alternative, with Craig Federighi taking to the stage to lift the lid on an all-new macOS.

CONSOLE BATTLE: PS5 AND XBOX SERIES X FIGHTING TO BE CHRISTMAS #1

With the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 launching this month, it’s never been a more exciting time to be a gamer. In today’s COVID climate, these next-gen consoles open up new worlds and experiences that take players on immersive adventures away from reality. But deciding whether to pledge your allegiance to Sony or Microsoft is their first challenge…

iPHONE 12 PUSHING FURTHER THAN EVER BEFORE

Despite a month-long delay due to COVID-19 supply chain issues, the virtual announcement of this year’s iPhone range did not disappoint.

iOS 14: HANDS-ON WITH THE BIGGEST NEW FEATURES

Refusing to let COVID-19 impact its release schedule, Apple took to its virtual WWDC stage at the end of June to show off the latest version of its iOS and iPadOS operating systems, set for release this fall. Craig Federighi introduced a bunch of new game-changing features, including a redesigned home screen, overhauled Siri, and tonnes of long-awaited UI tweaks. Let’s get hands-on with the beta version of the new software and see what’s really changed.

iPHONE SE 2020: POWERFUL & AFFORDABLE A13 BIONIC CHIP, 4.7-INCH SCREEN & MORE

Apple has unveiled a new low-cost iPhone SE on its website.

2020: A MONUMENTOUS YEAR FOR APPLE

Whatever your background, there’s no denying that 2020 has been a challenging year for us all. COVID-19 has impacted virtually every aspect of our lives, yet for Apple, it’s been a year of monumental growth, cementing the company’s market dominance.

POP CULTURE IN (UGH) 2020, FROM THE BIZARRE TO THE SUBLIME

And now, for our annual look at the year in pop culture…. Oh, wait. This was 2020. The year everything stopped cold.

WRAPPED UP: THE BEST GIFTS FOR APPLE LOVERS THIS CHRISTMAS

It’s hard to go wrong with a gift from Apple. Whether you’re looking to treat your daughter to the latest iPad, your husband to a new Apple Watch, or get grandma set up with a HomePod mini, Apple’s ever-expanding ecosystem means there’s something for everyone.

Q & A: WHAT'S NEXT FOR FACEBOOK IN THE ANTITRUST CASE?

Could Facebook be forced to spin off WhatsApp and Instagram?