Those participating in Apple's 2025 Swift Student Challenge can start submitting their app playground project on February 3, where 350 winners will be chosen — 50 of whom get to visit Apple Park.


Apple started the Swift Student Challenge in 2020 as a way to encourage up-and-coming developers to learn and get involved in the development community. Eligible challengers submit an interactive scene in an app playground and are judged based on demonstrations of excellence, innovation, creativity, social impact, or inclusivity.

The 2025 Swift Student Challenge submission window was previously revealed to open in February, but now an official start date of February 3 has been shared. Challengers have three weeks to submit their project, and winners are announced sometime before WWDC, usually in May.


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Apple has moved on to its second round of developer betas, issuing fresh builds of iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS 15.3, tvOS 18.3, watchOS 11.3, and visionOS 2.3.


The second round of betas for iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS 15.3, tvOS 18.3, watchOS 11.3, and visionOS 2.2 follow after the first round, which landed on December 16.

The second iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 developer betas share build number 22D5040d, replacing 22D5034e, the first build. The second macOS Sequoia 15.3 build is 24D5040f, up from 24D5034.


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Apple deals continue to roll in during CES 2025, with Amazon knocking $150 off the all-in-one M4 iMac 24-inch with a 10-core GPU, eliminating the need to purchase an external display.


The standout discount across Amazon's M4 iMac sale is the $150 markdown on the silver colorway with a 10-core CPU/GPU chip, 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage. The upgraded model also provides two extra Thunderbolt ports and a Gigabit Ethernet port compared to the standard spec.

Buy for $1,349


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Canadian smart home brand Nanoleaf released multiple new smart home products at CES 2025, including its first floor lamp and a new software subscription.


Most intriguing for Apple users will be the new Smart Multicolor Floor Lamp that is outfitted with LED lights for more than 16 million colors, music syncing, and gradient effects.

It has an ultra-slim design to fit into many rooms and is now available to preorder from Nanoleaf's website for $99.


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Satechi's new OntheGo system provides portable ways to recharge an iPhone and AirPods, with power banks and wireless chargers you can keep stowed away in a bag.


The new collection of Satechi OntheGo power banks consist of the 10K and 5K, with capacities of 10,000mAh and 5,000mAh respectively. Each power bank can output up to 15W of fast charging to an iPhone or AirPods, as well as other connected devices.

They are capable of simultaneously charging up to two devices using magnetic wireless charging, using Qi, Qi2, or MagSafe, or over USB-C. They include heat dissipation to keep the chargers cool while providing a high-speed charge.


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Prolific computer storage maker LaCie has released its latest portable drive during CES 2025, debuting the Rugged SSD Pro5 with support for Thunderbolt 5.


The new drive, arriving in their flagship orange alongside a striking blue and black, has a familiar design by Neil Poulton. It has a rugged silicone exterior with the LaCie logo right in the center.

Nvidia is expanding its GeForce Now game streaming service to more platforms, including the Meta Quest 3 and 3S, Pico, and, yes, even the Apple Vision Pro.


On Tuesday, Nvidia announced that those with select VR headset models will soon be able to stream games directly to their devices. The Apple Vision Pro was among the supported models.

It's worth noting that this doesn't mean you'll be able to stream VR games. Instead, you'll stream the games in an Apple Vision Pro Environment.


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In a bid to reinvigorate PC sales, Dell should've put a lot of thought into how it rebrands its PCs. Instead, it ripped off the iPhone's Pro and Pro Max naming conventions.


While a company can use brand names for its products successfully for long periods of time, they sometimes feel the itch to try something new. Rebranding efforts from major organizations can take a lot of resources and focus group meetings to create something new, but it seems Dell decided against that route altogether.

Announced on Monday for the annual CES tradeshow, Dell proudly declared that it's grown tired of its existing product names. Titles such as "XPS" and "Inspiron" have been used for years, denoting the performance and target markets for the models, but they won't anymore.


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Setapp and CleanMyMac developer MacPaw has launched a new device management solution for small to medium-sized businesses, providing tools to manage fleets of Macs.


MacPaw is best known for its Setapp bundle of chiefly Mac apps, although in Europe it is working to introduce an iOS equivalent through its own App Store. Alongside the subscription bundle, the company also sells CleanMyMac for individuals, and says that it is this app that has led to the new service.

Specifically, MacPaw says that data from the use of CleanMyMac has improved the performance of individual Macs. It's now hoping to bring those performance benefits to Macs across whole organizations.


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The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 offers cinematic-level picture quality in a consumer-friendly and incredibly well-engineered package.


Anyone wanting to put together a home cinema has to consider whether they want a projector or a large television. Most go for the latter, since a projector has inherent issues associated with home use.

For a start, you're not going to necessarily get the same level of picture quality that you get at a movie theater with a home projector. Part of it is light management in the environment, but nearly all of it is shelling out for a good-enough projector in the first place.


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Apple is in negotiations with an increasingly demanding Indonesia to get its iPhone 16 ban lifted, while Huawei plans to shortly launch its smartphone in the country.


The ban on sales of the iPhone 16 in Indonesia originally followed Apple's failure to meet its commitments to the country. Firms have to either source an unfeasibly large 40% of components from the country, or invest in development within the region, which is what Apple had committed to do.

Based on previous reports, it appears that Apple's shortfall was around $10 million, and the company did then offer Indonesia that amount to basically make good. It was a token and the Indonesian government rejected it, making Apple up its offer to $100 million worth of investment.


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There are two new cutting-edge docking stations and a massive USB-C charger from Plugable, adding more displays and ports to your desk than ever before.


Even as Apple adds more ports to its laptops and desktops, it is never quite enough. Thankfully, companies like Plugable offer ways to push past external display limits or pack way more charging ports into a tiny space.

Plugable revealed three new products during CES 2025 — the 5 Display Dock, 10-port USB-C Charger, and DisplayLink Pro Quad Display Adapter. Each of these products will help users cut cable clutter and improve their workspace.


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The Eureka J15 Max Ultra is a robot vacuum cleaner that is capable of detecting transparent wet messes on floors, and then adapting to it.


Launched at CES, the Eureka J15 Max Ultra is an advanced robot vacuum cleaner that offers many features to please homeowners. The feature we're most interested in helps combat wet messes.

The onboard IntelliView AI 2.0 system uses infrared cameras and an FHD vision sensor in tandem to see two different views of the floor. Using algorithms trained to identify differences in surface reflections and texture, it is capable of detecting liquids, including transparent droplets on a floor.


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Anker comes prepared for CES 2025 with lots of new accessories, from powerful chargers to speakers to solar beach umbrellas.


The Consumer Electronics Show is underway yet again for 2025 and all the big tech accessory makers are present as always. Anker is known for its charging and power solutions, and it has packed its booth with new products.

Starting out in the world of chargers, the Anker Charger (140W) with display has an integrated collapsible plug that connects into the wall. An outward-facing display gives real-time charging information.


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At CES 2025, the Ultraloq Bolt Mission UWB + NFC turned heads with support for hands-free auto-unlocking and Matter support.


Headlining U-tec's CES announcement is the premium Ultraloq Bolt Mission UWB + NFC, which is the world's first smart lock with Ultra-Wideband technology built in. This delivers what the brand calls "centimeter-level accuracy" in tracking the phone's location as it approaches.

UWB precision, often used with digital car keys, helps determine when a user is walking towards the door. It can also prevent inadvertently unlocking the door when located on the inside of the house.


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At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, UnifyDrive has announced a new network attached storage device featuring a built-in tablet-style display, and AI-powered features in the operating system.


CES is underway, and artificial intelligence (AI) is once again the key phrase for the event in 2025. Everything is packed with AI technology, including network-attached storage (NAS).

The UnifyDrive UP6 was revealed on Monday, and includes a built-in rechargeable battery for on-the-go transfers. The new battery should be an improvement on the previous UT2 drive's battery, which was only good for up to an hour in our testing.


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In a response to BBC concerns over incorrect Apple Intelligence notification summaries, Apple has promised to make it more clear when AI is used.


Apple Intelligence rolled out to the public in October 2024 in a very early state. One of the primary features, notification summaries, often stumbles over the nuances in language that result in incorrect or outlandish results.

Rather than promise to make notification summaries better, Apple has shared, through a statement to the BBC that it will make it more clear when AI is used to generate a notification summary. The fix is meant to ensure users know that what they see may not be 100% accurate.


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LG's latest UltraFine 6K Monitor could be a great display for a new M4 Pro Mac mini, but Thunderbolt 5 is not necessarily enough to get people to buy the high-spec screen.


Apple's Mac mini refresh also expanded the video capabilities for the model, with each able to display a 6K-resoution picture. One option in LG's CES 2025 launches seems to fit the bill exactly.

The LG UltraFine 6K Monitor, model 32U990A, surfaced on Monday as part of the 2025 CES Innovation Awards, as an honoree in imaging. The monitor is described as the first in the world to have a 6K resolution display that also uses Thunderbolt 5.


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Robot vacuum peddler Ecovacs is showcasing their latest flagship model at CES 2025, Deebot X8 PRO Omni which is several improvements including a self-washing roller mop.


Ecovacs cites dirty mops as one of the number one concerns with combination robotic vacuum cleaners and mops. As they mop, they can potentially spread dirty water around your floor.

To solve this issue, Ecovacs has a new OZMO roller mop that cleans itself as it goes. It also has improved downward force and higher rotation to improve its overall performance.


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At CES 2025, Roborock has unveiled its latest flagship robotic vacuum cleaners, including a futuristic model with an AI-powered articulated grabbing arm that will pick up your dirty socks.


In total, Roborock has three new robotic vacuums on display. The Saros Z70, the Saros 10, and Saros 10R. These are the new flagship offerings, replacing the previous S8 MaxV Ultra at the high end.

First things first — the Roborock Saros Z70 is the most intriguing with it's wandering arm. It collapses down into the top of the robot but extends out to pick up items as it is cleaning your home.


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Apple's first software releases of 2025 have arrived, with updates for iOS and iPadOS 18.2.1 serving as bug-fix releases.


Following the holidays, Monday served as the first opportunity for Apple to release updates for its operating systems. For this incarnation, it turned out to be for iOS and iPadOS.

The updates for iOS 18.2.1 and iPadOS 18.2.1 both have build number 22C161.


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Electronics brand Aukey is showing off two new MagSafe-compatible products at the annual Las Vegas-based tech show, bolstering its growing lineup.


Aukey is announcing the MagFusion Titan 6-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger and the magFusion UltraSlim 5000 Qi2 Magnetic Wireless Power Bank. Both launching later this year.

"We continue to innovate at AUKEY to address some of the most prevalent pain points in mobile


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