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Avatar for Derek Wise

Derek Wise

derekiswise

Derek is a tech enthusiast and video producer on the 9to5Mac network of sites. Most of their work can be seen over on the 9to5Mac YouTube channel. Also a major space fan, Derek is the senior editor for SpaceExplored.com, part of the 9to5Mac Network.

Twitter: @derekiswise

Instagram: @derekiswise

Facebook: @derekwisephoto

Youtube: Derek Wise

Derek can also be reached via email at derek@9to5mac.com

Connect with Space Explored

SpaceX launches 5G direct-to-cell connection on Starlink satellites

Late last night, SpaceX launched its first rocket of 2024 out of Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. On top, in addition to the Starlink V2 mini satellites were used to, were six Starlink satellites capable of connecting directly to standard 5G cellphones. These satellites are the first following a partnership with T-Mobile announced back in 2022 to feature the connectivity, and are a major step forward for SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation.

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NASA launches new app to see the International Space Station

On Thursday, NASA launched a new app to make it easier than ever to spot the International Space Station in the night sky. NASA has long operated the Spot the Station website, but its new app, available on both iPhone and Android, brings augmented reality features and a handy interface to learn more about the orbiting laboratory.

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iPhone 15 Pro Max takes top video spot, second overall in DXOMARK camera test

DXOMARK, known for their in-depth camera reviews, has tested the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple’s latest flagship phone manages to snag several top scores, with excellent stabilization, color, and video, but the large gap in the field of view between the main sensor and telephoto lens and a few other drawbacks leave it with a second place overall, with its score of 154.

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iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. DSLR photos: Real-world camera comparison

With every generation, the iPhone sees improvements to its camera system. Whether that was the introduction of the 48 megapixel main sensor last generation or the switch to 24 megapixel HEIF images this generation. With the iPhone 15 Pro Max, on paper, the camera is seeing one of the biggest improvements yet, with a new 5X camera replacing the 3X camera of previous generations. The new telephoto setup should be a big improvement over previous iPhones, but how does it compare to a dedicated camera?

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iPhone 15’s new LOG recording and why it matters [Video]

Apple didn’t spend too much time at the Wonderlust event covering the video improvements coming to the iPhone 15 Pro, but this generation is seeing some major improvements for video professionals. From LOG color and ACES support to increased frame rate while recording in ProRes, these are some big upgrades – but what does this actually mean for the non video-professionals?

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Review: DockCase Pocket SSD enclosure packs smart features in a minuscule package

Dockcase Pocket m.2 2230 enclosure

DockCase has launched its Pocket M.2 enclosure. Joining an array of SSD enclosures, this pocket enclosure is designed specifically for the smallest 2230 size NVMe M.2 drives. It brings USB-C connectivity, but like DockCase’s other products, it stands out for its combination of looks and built-in smart features, helping it earn its price.

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Review: Keychron Q1 Pro leaves just one reason to even consider Apple’s Magic Keyboard

Keychron Q1 Pro mechanical keyboard

Keychron launched their Q1 Pro keyboard earlier this year. It’s a customizable mechanical keyboard designed to work great with Macs or Windows PCs. It’s a really high quality device, and I’ve been using it as my primary keyboard for some time now, so here are my thoughts on the Keychron Q1 Pro and why you should consider it over Apple’s Magic Keyboard.

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Premiere Pro to gain text-based editing & more, changing the way you’ll edit videos

Premiere Pro on Mac

Today, Adobe announced some major changes coming to their video editing software Premiere Pro. Ahead of NAB Show 2023, the company announced the introduction of AI-powered, text-based video editing, allowing editors to cut the video by editing the text of an automatically generated transcript. This text-based editing joins automatic tone-mapping, improved format support, and collaboration improvements that have all been implemented into Premier Pro this year,

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Does Homebridge even Matter any more? [Video]

Keeping a unified smart home – where any smart phone or home assistant can be used to control any smart home device you have – can be a bit of challenge. Previously, many iPhone users have used Homebridge to connect otherwise unsupported devices to Apple’s Home app. But the Matter standard could make that unnecessary, as Matter compatible devices will be compatible with Amazon, Google, and Apple’s smart home ecosystems. That begs the question: Will Matter make Homebridge obsolete?

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2023 MacBook Pro SSD has performance drop similar to M2 MacBook Air

A quick look inside the base-level M2 Pro MacBook Pro revealed something I hadn’t expected to see – or, rather, that something I HAD expected to see was missing. Like the base level M2 MacBook Air, the base level of the latest 14″ MacBook Pro seems to feature fewer NAND chips – at a higher capacity – than the last generation. This results in SSD read and write performance that’s dramatically lower than the previous generation.

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Apple updates M2 Max media engine specs to show upgrade from M2 Pro in new MacBook Pros

16" and 14" MacBook Pros with M2 Max and M2 Pro processors

When Apple first unveiled the new MacBook Pro earlier this week, some users were surprised by a supposed downgrade in the specs of the media engine. While the M1 Max was always listed as having two encode and decode engines, the spec sheet for the M2 Max was only listed as having one. This page has since been updated to reflect to reality of the machine.

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Third-party app brings Dynamic Island to any iPhone, but is it just a party trick?

Dynamic Island on older iPhones with Notch

A developer has just brought the Dynamic Island – currently exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max – to any iPhone running iOS 16 through iOS 16.1.2. While the Pro iPhones have a physically different shape to the screen for this island, the software portion is still able to be run in the location of the notch on previous iPhones and show directions, battery charging, and currently playing media in the updated style.

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Camera stabilization on the go: DJI RS 3 Mini hands-on and first impressions [Video]

Today, DJI announced their latest gimbal to stabilize your video: the RS 3 Mini. It joins the RS 3 and RS 3 Pro, but enters as a lower-cost and lighter-weight alternative made for use with mirrorless cameras like the Canon R5. I’ve had the RS 3 for a few days now, and I already have a few things that I like and a few that I don’t about DJI’s latest product.

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Callisto technology demo on Artemis 1's Orion displaying user submitted message on an iPad while traveling around the Moon

Display your message on the iPad flying around the Moon

That’s right! While Artemis 1 is an important mission for the return of humanity to the Moon, everyone back here on Earth has the opportunity to participate by sending messages to an iPad that resides within the Orion spacecraft. A camera will capture the message on the iPad within the capsule and share the recording, so while sending your message beyond the Moon you can spread it to other people here on Earth. And sending your message is really simple. Here’s how.

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LG DualUp: Is this funky display perfect for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?

LG’s DualUp monitor is … unique. With its almost square, slightly vertical aspect ratio, it definitely stands out. Yet, somehow, I really love this thing. It’s an HDR display with a 2560×2880 resolution that is basically two 1440p displays stacked on top of each other. Trying to watch a movie or play games may be a bit weird on this display, but it’s a king of productivity – especially for a device like the M2 MacBook Air that’s limited to just one external display.

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Apple TV 4K price drops to new low, but you’ll have to pay up if you want Thread support in your Home hub

Apple TV 4K Thread

Today, Apple refreshed its Apple TV 4K, adding support for Samsung’s HDR10+ standard in addition to the existing Dolby Vision. Apple also brought a more powerful processor and USB-C remote, but if you want your Apple TV to offer support for Thread networking – a smart device standard – you’ll have to dish out for the more expensive version with Ethernet and 128GB of storage this time around.

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