AirPods and AirPods Pro are some of the most popular Christmas gifts every year, and that was no different this year. Aggressive sales pricing and ample supply saw many people unwrap AirPods or AirPods Pro today. Here are some of the best tips, tricks, and features to get you started with your new AirPods.
Name your AirPods
The most basic way to personalize your AirPods or AirPods Pro is by giving them a custom name. Here’s how to do this after you’ve paired your AirPods to your iPhone or iPad:
Open Settings
Tap “Bluetooth”
Look for your AirPods in the list of devices, tap the “i” next to them
Tap “Name” and type in whatever name you want
Ear Tip Fit Test
AirPods Pro feature the unique option to choose the tip size that best fits your ear. To access this feature, go to Settings, Bluetooth, and tap the “i” next to your AirPods. Look for the “Ear Tip Fit Test” option. Once you do this, your AirPods Pro will test the seal provided by the tip you selected, and offer suggestions on whether to switch to the larger or smaller tips.
This feature is exclusive to AirPods Pro, as they include three different sets of tip sizes in the box. AirPods feature a one-size-fits-all design, but you can buy aftermarket ear hooks if you have trouble securing them to your ears.
Customize your controls
While you can always use the controls on your paired iPhone to manage your AirPods, the AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max all feature built-in control options as well.
For AirPods, you can double-tap either AirPod. By default, this will pause playback. To customize this behavior:
Open Settings
Tap Bluetooth, and tap the “i” next to your AirPods
Look for your AirPods in the list of devices, tap the “i” next to them
Once here, you can customize the double-tap gesture to invoke Siri, play/pause, and skip to the next track or previous track. You can also turn off the double-tap feature altogether.
Whereas standard AirPods require you to tap on the sides for playback control, AirPods Pro feature a “Force Sensor” that lets you perform common tasks by pressing on the side of the earbuds. To access these controls go to Settings, Bluetooth, and tap the “i” next to your AirPods. In Settings, you can customize the press and hold gesture to either switch between noise cancellation and Transparency, or invoke Siri.
Here are the default controls with AirPods Pro:
Press once to play, pause, or answer a phone call
Press twice to skip forward
Press three times to skip back
Press and hold to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode
Other settings for AirPods include adjusting the press speed, the press and hold duration, and enabling noise cancellation for one AirPod.
Wondering how to change the volume with AirPods or AirPods Pro? Unfortunately, to do this you’ll either need to use Siri or the volume buttons on your connected iPhone, iPad, or Mac. There are also no custom EQ controls available.
Finally, AirPods Max feature a Digital Crown on the side to adjust volume and playback:
Turn for volume control
Press once to play, pause, or answer a phone call
Press twice to skip forward
Press three times to skip back
Press and hold for Siri
AirPods Max also include a dedicated noise control button, which you can press to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. Again, you can customize these controls by going to the Settings app and choosing your AirPods Max from the Bluetooth menu.
Find My integration
You just unwrapped your new AirPods, so the last thing you want to do is misplace or lose them. Thankfully, there’s a “Find My AirPods” feature to prevent you from doing just that. It’s not quite as robust as the “Find My iPhone” feature, but it’s still incredibly useful for AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max users.
In order for the Find My AirPods feature to work, your AirPods must be connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth. This means that if the AirPods are too far away, you won’t get the full feature set, though Apple will help you track them down the best that it can.
To access the Find My AirPods feature, head into the “Find My” app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Then tap the “Devices” menu along the bottom. In that list of devices, you should see your AirPods alongside your other devices.
When you tap on your AirPods, you’ll see their location (or their last reported location) and the ability to play a sound.
If you are not close enough to your AirPods for them to be connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth, you’ll see the last known location on the map. And, when you play a sound, you’ll see a “Sound Pending” message. This means that you’ll receive a notification when your AirPods are reconnected to a paired device.
But while Find My AirPods is useful, it’s not a panacea for losing your AirPods. There are a lot of situations in which Find My AirPods won’t work, so I wouldn’t rely on it too heavily.
Spatial Audio
Exclusive to AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, Spatial Audio essentially brings surround sound to your AirPods. Apple says that the feature uses directional audio filters to “play sounds virtually anywhere in space, creating an immersive sound experience.” This will put surround channels exactly in the right spot, even as you turn your head or move your device.
To enable Spatial Audio on your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, follow these steps:
Open Settings
Tap “Bluetooth”
Make sure your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max are connected, tap the “i” next to them
Scroll down and look for the Spatial Audio toggle
To find content that supports Spatial Audio, check for Dolby Atmos content in Hulu, the Apple TV app, and Disney+.
AirBuddy for Mac
When you’re using AirPods with your iPhone or iPad, the integration is virtually flawless. There are slick animations, automatic pairing and device switching, and quick access to controls and battery life information. On the Mac, the experience is less impressive.
AirBuddy is an app from 9to5Mac’sGui Rambo and it brings quick access to AirPods and other Bluetooth devices to your Mac’s menu bar, alongside some impressive animations and more:
Show the status of your AirPods Pro or other Apple and Beats headsets when they’re near your Mac
Connect and change the listening mode on AirPods Pro with a single swipe gesture on the trackpad
Shows status and batteries for all of your Apple and Beats devices at a glance with the status bar menu, including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, and other Macs running AirBuddy 2
Quickly connect to AirPods, switch between listening modes, and more using the status bar menu or keyboard shortcuts
AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max also all support the Announce Messages with Siri feature. When enabled, this feature allows Siri to automatically and conveniently speaks incoming messages as soon as they arrive. You can then dictate your response, and Siri will send it.
To enable Announce Messages with Siri, which is disabled by default, you can follow these steps:
Open the Settings app
Choose “Siri & Search”
Look for the “Announce Messages” toggle
By default, when you reply to a message, Siri will read what it heard back to you. You can streamline this further by enabling the ‘Reply without Confirmation’ setting.
Automatic device switching
One of the new features in iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur is an automatic device switching capability for AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max. This feature is designed to be convenient, but more often than not, it can actually get in the way.
The idea of the automatic switching feature is that when you start playing content on another Apple device, the AirPods connection automatically switches in unison. You can enable or disable this feature on your iPhone and iPad by following these steps:
Open Settings
Tap “Bluetooth”
Make sure your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max are connected, tap the “i” next to them
Tap the “Connect to this iPhone/iPad” setting
Change from “Automatically” to “When Last Connected to This iPhone/iPad”
On the Mac, you can find this setting by opening System Preferences, choosing Bluetooth, choosing your AirPods from the devices list and clicking “Options.” Here, you’ll be able to change the “Connect to This Mac” setting from “Automatically” to “When Last Connected to This Mac.”
When you change the setting to “When Last Connected” it means that the AirPods only connect to the device if they were previously connected to that same device.
Audio Sharing
This feature allows you to connect multiple pairs of AirPods to your iPhone or iPad. This means you can listen to the same thing with someone else, which is especially useful for a situation like watching a movie or TV show together.
Here’s how to initiate Audio Sharing:
Tap the AirPlay icon in Control Center, the Lock screen, or in the app you’re listening to.
Tap Share Audio.
Hold the other pair of AirPods or beats near your iPhone or iPad
When the other pair of headphones appear on your screen, tap Share Audio
AirPods accessories
Qi chargers
A great complement to the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case or the AirPods Pro is a Qi wireless charger.
One popular way to personalize your AirPods is with a case for the charging case. Here are some options for the standard AirPods as well as the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case:
AirPods Pro cases
Looking for accessories for your AirPods Max? Check out our full guide right here.
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The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
