Hasta La Gadget!

Shanghai has started administering an inhalable COVID-19 vaccine in what appears to be a world first.

At WWDC 2022 earlier this year, Apple announced a bunch of gaming improvements rolling out with iOS 16, including support for Nintendo’s Joy-Con and Pro controllers. Now, you’ll also be able to use Nintendo’s modernized retro gamepads with your iPhones, iPads, Mac computers and even Apple TVs. Developer Steven Troughton-Smith has discovered that iOS 16.1 and tvOS 16.1 supports Nintendo’s SNES-style Switch controllers, a modern version of their classic counterparts with wireless connection and a USB-C port for charging. 

In his tweet with a video demonstrating the capability, Troughton-Smith said he believes that the Apple platforms now support the N64 and NES controllers for the Switch, as well. MacStories ran its own tests and confirmed that the SNES-style controllers also work with the iPad OS 16.1 and macOS Ventura. In addition, the publication was able to use the modern N64 controller with Apple’s devices. The gamepads show up in Bluetooth settings when they’re pairing mode like any other device. 

The Apple App Store doesn’t support video game emulators, so you’ll still have to fire up your Switch to play your games for the console and its subscription service. But as AppleInsider notes, you can use these gamepads for the Apple Arcade and other supported titles in the App Store. 

The author and journalist gives new details on letters the North Korean dictator sent to woo Trump, calling them “very unsophisticated.”

OM System has launched its first camera that doesn’t carry the Olympus name, the $1,200 OM-5 — and it looks a lot like the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III, other than a few tweaks. It has the same sensor and video specs, but wears a new weatherproof body and updated processor that delivers improved autofocus and other features.

Other than the new body, the OM-5 looks nigh-on identical to the past model. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the E-M5 III has good handling with a generous complement of mechanical controls in a relatively light body. But it’s also three years old, so a bigger grip would have been welcome, for instance. On the plus side, OM System has given it IP53 dustproof and splashproof protection, so you can use it in more extreme conditions. 

It also carries the same 20.1-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, 121-point hybrid phase and contrast-detect AF system and 2.36 million-dot electronic viewfinder. The rear 1.05 million dot fully articulating display, battery and single card slot are also identical to the last model. Shooting speeds match the previous model at 6fps/10fps in mechanical/electronic shutter modes with autofocus enabled — somewhat anemic compared to the competition. 

OM System

However, the updated TruePic IX processor and better IBIS unit gives the OM-5 updated image processing, with image stabilization now up to 7.5 stops compared to 6.5 before. OM System also introduced a 50-megapixel handheld high-res shot mode, live ND mode and “Starry Sky” AF. Plus, you get improved face and eye detection for more distant subjects, but it lacks the new AI subject detection smarts of the OM-1. 

On the video side, it still shoots 4K 30p video as before, but can now handle super-slow-mo 1080p at 120 fps. It also adds the OM-Log400 Profile for improved dynamic range. OM System got rid of the 30 minute recording limit, so you can now shoot video for as long as your card or battery will hold out.

Overall, it’s a pretty tame upgrade for a three-year-old camera and is in tough against rivals like Canon’s $960 EOS R10, which has a bigger sensor, better shooting speeds and superior video specs. Still, if you’re set on mid-range Micro Four Thirds camera, it arrives in November for $1,200 (body only) or $1,600 with the 12-45mm F4 PRO lens. 

Spotify launched its audiobook business just last month with 300,000 titles, but is now saying that Apple is engaging in “anticompetitive” behavior that is impinging the new business, the company wrote in a blog post. It said that Apple rejected its audiobook purchasing system three times due to a violation of its rules. To comply, it had to hide the price of the audiobooks and do sales outside of the main app via an email link.

All of that makes it harder for Spotify to compete, as users can’t easily compare prices. “[This] harms not only consumers, but, this time, also authors and publishers who now find themselves under Apple’s thumb.” It’s also highly inconvenient for buyers used to simply clicking on a link to buy an audiobook.

Spotify’s audiobooks could have easily been accepted if the company had followed the App Store rules, Apple told The New York Times. “We provided them with clear guidance on how to resolve the issue, and approved their app after they made changes that brought it into compliance,” an Apple spokesperson said.

Spotify could also have sold its audiobooks through the App Store’s purchasing system, but Apple would then take a 30 percent cut — putting Spotify’s audiobooks at a considerable disadvantage against Apple Books. “With our Audiobooks launch, Apple has once again proven just how brazen it is willing to be with its App Store rules, constantly shifting the goalposts to disadvantage their competitors,” said Spotify CEO Daniel Ek.

Spotify is already in a battle with Apple over music subscriptions, having said that its 30 percent commission harms consumers. The European Commission issued Apple with a Statement of Objections after concluding that Apple was in possible breach of EU laws, but has yet to reveal a final verdict. “Almost four years. That’s how long it’s been since Spotify filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission, and we are still waiting on a decision,” said Ek.