Monday, December 23, 2019

Last Call: Two days left to win a $250 Visa Gift Card from Rakuten and Chrome Unboxed


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Anker's Latest Sale Has Discounted Portable Batteries Perfect for Holiday Traveling

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On Amazon, a new Anker sale has kicked off today and it's offering solid discounts on a range of Anker's best portable batteries. You can get everything from the PowerCore 5,000 mAh to the 26,800 mAh model at a discount this week.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Most of the accessories will remain on sale through December 29, making this a perfect opportunity to purchase a reliable portable battery for anyone preparing for a trip over the holidays.

Anker Sale


Head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Apple Offering an App Store 'Surprise' From December 24 to December 29

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Apple is planning to offer some kind of holiday App Store promotion that may see the company giving away free apps and games.

In Australia, where it is December 24, ‌App Store‌ users are waking up to an App Store story that mentions a "surprise" for Tuesday and explains that users can expect a treat every day from December 24 to December 29.

Tuesday's surprise isn't live yet, but it will be shortly! Make sure you come back soon to check it out.



Have you seen today's goodies? Look for the unwrapped presents on the ‌App Store‌'s Today, Games, and Apps tabs.

From December 24 to 29, you'll find a new surprise every day on the ‌App Store‌. Come back daily to discover which treat we have waiting for you!
The wording of the story suggests that Apple is planning to give away free apps and games in a promotion similar to the 12 Days of Christmas promotion that the company used to run several years back.

We don't know yet what app or game Apple plans to give away on December 24, but we should find out soon from Australian users. ‌App Store‌ users in other countries like the United States can expect to see the same promotions when December 24 rolls around.


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Apple Offers Free Two-Hour Holiday Delivery on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch Orders

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Apple is offering free two hour delivery when customers purchase any Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone, or Mac, which is ideal for last minute shoppers.

Through December 24 at 4:00 p.m. local time, customers who live in an area where courier delivery is available can get their orders for free. Apple normally charges $9 for same-day courier delivery.


Apple says that its courier delivery is available "in most metros," and it applies to the total order whenever an ‌Apple Watch‌, ‌iPad‌, ‌iPhone‌, or Mac is ordered. AirPods aren't available for free courier delivery on a standalone order basis, but can be included with other purchases.

For deliveries that do not include an ‌Apple Watch‌, ‌iPad‌, ‌iPhone‌, or Mac, courier options are still available, but Apple is charging the standard $9 fee. Delivery cutoff is December 24 in most areas, but Apple says that December 25th delivery is available in New York City, Las Vegas, and Hawaii.

Those who are not in an area where courier delivery is available can still get items before Christmas by using in-store pickup options.


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Xiaomi Haylou Smartwatch with 1.3-inch LCD Screen, IP68 Rating Launched: Price, Features


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AirPods Pro Offer 'Close to Seamless' Audio Experience Thanks to Improved Bluetooth Latency

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Software developer and composer Stephen Coyle published a new article on his blog recently, intent on measuring the Bluetooth latency of Apple's new AirPods Pro and comparing their performance to previous-generation AirPods. As Coyle pointed out, Bluetooth audio latency in wireless earphones can cheapen the user experience of these devices, and can particularly cause major issues for certain accessibility features reliant upon audio accuracy.


Coyle measured latency by testing how much time passes between a user triggering a sound and when they hear it in the earphones. The developer pointed out that these user-initiated sounds "are the most commonly encountered example" of Bluetooth audio latency, because they are unpredictable and therefore difficult for most platforms to respond to with finesse. These include keyboard clicks, accessibility features like VoiceOver, and sound effects in games.

Image via Stephen Coyle

Using the default iOS keyboard and his own game Tapt as means of measuring this latency, Coyle discovered that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ have the lowest average audio latency (measured in milliseconds) among the entire ‌AirPods‌ line. ‌AirPods‌ 1 measured in at 274ms between the time the sound was triggered and the time the sound was heard, then ‌AirPods‌ 2 was at 178ms, and ‌AirPods Pro‌ clocked in at 144ms. Coyle called this "tantalizingly close to seamless."
If it's possible for the trend line to continue in the same direction, the next generation or two of ‌AirPods‌ will be very exciting. Not being a VoiceOver user, I'm unsure how much ‌AirPods Pro‌ improve its user experience in real terms, but I think this general trend can only be for the good. Similarly, for mobile gaming and general user experience, this trend means that what is, in my opinion, the primary downside of Bluetooth earphones may be gradually disappearing.
Coyle's test also included the Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones and Sony WH-CH700N, which measured in around 250ms and 225ms, respectively. The developer included these two devices for context and explained that they represent the general state of Bluetooth headphones as it stands right now, with devices like the third-generation Amazon Echo and a JBL Bluetooth speaker also measuring in at about the same level as the Beats and Sony devices.

Check out Coyle's full article on the ‌AirPods Pro‌ Bluetooth audio latency right here.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Buy Now)

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eBay Offers Your Last Chance to Get an iTunes Gift Card on Sale Before Christmas ($100 for $85)

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PayPal has returned with the latest 15 percent discount on App Store and iTunes gift cards this week, offering customers a chance to get the $100 gift card for $85 on eBay. This could be your last chance to save on iTunes gift cards before Christmas, and with e-mail delivery you will get the card delivered to your inbox within four hours.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with eBay. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

To get the discount, head to eBay and click "Buy it Now" on the iTunes gift card's page. The 15 percent discount is automatically applied, and once you complete your order it will be delivered to the e-mail address of your choice within a few hours. The sale is only available to customers in the United States.

App Store and iTunes gift cards can be used to pay for iCloud storage, to rent films on iTunes Movies, and even on subscriptions to Apple Music, Netflix, Hulu, and more. Thanks to sales on the gift cards, you're able to save a little bit of money on these purchases, so be sure to visit PayPal on eBay this week if you've been looking to stock up on iTunes credit.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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