While the new MacBook Pro lineup features faster M4 chip options, Thunderbolt 5 support for higher-end configurations, a nano-texture display option, and more, most of the previous MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon chips still offer the latest overall design, and fast performance, which might lead you to avoid upgrading this year.


If you are planning to skip the new MacBook Pro, here are two bigger changes that are rumored to come to the laptop in a few years from now.

First is an OLED display. Previous rumors have claimed the MacBook Pro will switch to OLED display technology as early as 2026. In the meantime, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and display industry analyst Ross Young both recently predicted that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro will continue to have mini-LED displays in 2025.

Compared to current MacBook Pro models with mini-LED screens, benefits of OLED technology would include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks, improved power efficiency for longer battery life, and more. The switch to OLED displays could also contribute to future MacBook Pro models having a thinner design.

Second is the just-mentioned thinner design. Earlier this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was working to make the MacBook Pro thinner over the "next couple of years." He said that Apple is aiming to create a class of devices that "should be the thinnest and lightest products in their categories across the whole tech industry."

A more vivid OLED display and a much thinner design would be more compelling upgrades that might finally drive existing Apple silicon MacBook Pro users to upgrade.
This article, "Skipping the New MacBook Pro? Here Are Two Bigger Changes Rumored" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple this week launched the new USB-C Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard along with the M4 Macs. While the new Macs won’t arrive until November 8, customers can already buy the new Magic accessories in stores. However, you may need to update macOS before you can pair them with your Mac.

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Apple held its earnings call for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024 today (third calendar quarter), announcing quarterly revenue of $94.9 billion, up six percent year over year. During the call, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri provided a look into Apple's performance, sales of the iPhone 16 models, Apple's services growth, and more.


We've rounded up the most interesting tidbits from the Q4 2024 earnings call below.

Apple's Profit

Revenue was up, but profit was down during the quarter because Apple had to make a one-time payment of $10.2 billion to settle tax issues in the European Union.

Apple Intelligence

In an interview with CNBC, Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that iPhone 18.1 is encouraging customers to upgrade, and adoption rates are exceeding iOS 17.1 during the same time period last year.

"We're getting great feedback from customers and developers already and a really early stat, which is only three days worth of data: Users are adopting iOS 18.1 at twice the rate that they adopted 17.1 in the year ago quarter," Cook told CNBC.

Cook also said that Apple believes Apple Intelligence is a "compelling upgrade reason," but since it just launched three days ago, there's little data. "I could not be more excited about ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and the rollout in front of us," Cook said. He is using "future releases" and said it is "changing [his] daily life."

Apple is "moving as fast as possible" to bring ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to more countries "while ensuring quality." As for R&D, the level of intensity that Apple is putting into AI has "increased a lot," with some existing resources allocated to the new technology as well.

iPhone Sales

It's no surprise that ‌iPhone‌ sales were up during the quarter, as the ‌iPhone 16‌ models launched in September. ‌iPhone‌ revenue was $46.2 billion, up from $43.8 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Cook said that ‌iPhone 16‌ sales in September 2024 were stronger than iPhone 15 sales in September 2023.

Mac and iPad Sales

Mac and iPad Sales were up, with the Mac coming in at $7.7 billion, up from $7.6 billion in Q4 2023, and ‌iPad‌ revenue at $7 billion, up eight percent from $6.4 billion last year.

Wearables

Apple's wearables revenue fell this quarter, coming in at $9 billion, down three percent from $9.3 billion last year. Wearables revenue for fiscal 2024 was $37 billion, down from $39.9 billion in fiscal 2023.

Though wearables revenue was down, the Apple Watch install base reached a new all-time high, and more than half of customers who purchased an Apple Watch during the quarter were new to the product.

Services

Services revenue was almost $25 billion during the quarter, up from $22.3 billion in Q4 2023, and a new all-time record. Fiscal 2024 services revenue was $95 billion, up from $90 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Paid and transacting accounts reached a new all-time high, and paid accounts and paid subscriptions grew double digits year over year. Apple has more than 1 billion paid subscriptions across the services on its platform, which is double what it had four years ago.

Next Quarter

For the December quarter, Apple expects revenue to grow low to mid single digits year over year, with services revenue to grow double digits.

Farewell to Luca Maestri

This is Apple's final earnings call with Maestri, who is stepping down from his role on January 1, 2025 to lead the Corporate Services teams. Kevan Parekh will take over as Chief Financial Officer, joining Apple's executive team.

During the earnings call, Cook thanked Maestri for his "extraordinary service as Apple CFO," and said that during his 10 years in the role, Luca had done "truly exceptional work in shaping Apple as we know it today." Maestri said that serving as Apple CFO has "been a real privilege and an amazing journey."
This article, "Apple's Q4 2024 Earnings Call Takeaways" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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As announced back in August, Apple’s current CFO Luca Maestri will soon be moving to a new role at the company. During the Q4 2024 fiscal earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook took some time to honor Luca Maestri’s work as CFO, as this is the last call he will participate in.

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Apple released iOS 18.1 with the first Apple Intelligence features on Monday. In a new interview with CNBC today, Apple CEO Tim Cook touted that Apple is seeing strong adoption numbers of iOS 18.1 so far.

Cook’s comments come following Apple’s Q4 2024 earnings report, where it set a new September quarter revenue record.

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The new Apple Intelligence features that Apple released in iOS 18.1 are spurring people to update to the new software, Apple CEO Tim Cook said today in an interview with CNBC.


Customers are downloading and installing iOS 18.1 at twice the rate that they adopted iOS 17.1 during the same timeframe last year, according to Cook.

Apple has not yet provided installation numbers for the iOS 18 update, so this is the first insight we've had into how ‌iOS 18‌ adoption compares to iOS 17.

iOS 18.1 was released on Monday, and it brings ‌Apple Intelligence‌ capabilities to the iPhone 15 Pro, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 models. It includes Writing Tools for proofreading text, a new Siri look and Type to ‌Siri‌ functionality, summaries and smart replies, a "Clean Up" tool for Photos, and more.

iOS 18.2, which is set to be released in December, is likely to encourage even more people to update, because it has the first ‌Apple Intelligence‌ image generation features like Image Playground and Genmoji.
This article, "iPhone Users Updating to iOS 18.1 Twice as Fast as iOS 17.1 Following Apple Intelligence Launch" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024, which corresponds to the third calendar quarter of the year.


For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $94.9 billion and net quarterly profit of $14.7 billion, or $0.97 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $89.5 billion and net quarterly profit of $23.0 billion, or $1.46 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

While revenue was up 6 percent year-over-year, Apple's profits were hit hard by a one-time charge of $10.2 billion over tax issues in the European Union. Without that one-time charge, Apple's profits would have been $1.64 per share, up 12 percent year-over-year.

Gross margin for the quarter was 46.2 percent, compared to 45.2 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple also declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.25 per share, payable on November 14 to shareholders of record as of November 11.

For the full fiscal year, Apple recorded $391.0 billion in sales and $93.7 billion in net income, compared to $383.3 billion in sales and $97.0 billion in net income for fiscal 2023.

"Today Apple is reporting a new September quarter revenue record of $94.9 billion, up 6 percent from a year ago," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "During the quarter, we were excited to announce our best products yet, with the all-new iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and remarkable features for hearing health and sleep apnea detection. And this week, we released our first set of features for Apple Intelligence, which sets a new standard for privacy in AI and supercharges our lineup heading into the holiday season."

As has been the case for over four years now, Apple is once again not issuing guidance for the current quarter ending in December.


Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q4 2024 financial results conference call at 2:00 pm Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Conference call starts at 2:00 p.m. Pacific - No need to refresh




This article, "Apple Reports 4Q 2024 Results: $14.7B Profit on $94.9B Revenue" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has released its earnings report for fiscal Q4 2024. The company reports $94.93 billion in revenue during the three-month period, up 6% year-over-year. This sets a new September quarter revenue record. For comparison’s sake, Apple reported $89.5 billion in revenue in the same quarter last year.

There is, however, a $10 billion wrinkle to Apple’s earnings this quarter…

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With the launch of new M4 Macs this week, Apple introduced USB-C versions of the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard to continue on with phasing out the Lightning port. Apple users who plan to buy these new accessories should be aware that there are some software limitations currently.


The new USB-C accessories require macOS Sequoia 15.1 to work properly, and as noted on the MacRumors forums, earlier versions of macOS do not work. There are reports from users running macOS Sonoma and Ventura who are having issues with the new devices. With the keyboard, Touch ID and function keys don't work, and with the Magic Mouse, the scrolling doesn't function. In some cases, the accessories are recognized as older devices, inhibiting proper functionality.

This isn't a problem limited to just people running older versions of macOS, because there are also reports from developers who have installed the first ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.2 beta. It appears that the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.2 beta was released before Apple could add in support for the new Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad.

‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 seems to be required to use the accessories as intended at the current time. For those who had an older version of macOS, updating to ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 did solve the functionality issues, and Apple should be adding support to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.2 beta in the near future.
This article, "PSA: Apple's New USB-C Accessories Require macOS Sequoia, Don't Work Properly With macOS 15.2 Beta" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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I’ve written before about Copilot’s crucial role in my life, making it extraordinarily easy (and even enjoyable!) to track my finances. Over the last several months, Copilot has gotten even better with new “Tags” and “Cash Flow” features.

Copilot is also expanding to yet another platform: the iPad. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s new with Copilot and how I’m using the new features every day.

Before we begin, a quick reminder that 9to5Mac readers can use code 9TO5MAC to unlock an extended two-month free trial of Copilot.

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Following a limited test under the name SearchGPT, OpenAI today formally launched its newly branded ChatGPT search feature. The best shot at a Google contender in years is here, and this is what it can do.

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For Snoopy fans who use the Snoopy watch face on the Apple Watch, Apple has a selection of Halloween-themed animations that are available today.


The Snoopy watch face cycles through different animated scenes featuring Snoopy and Woodstock, so the Halloween options will come up randomly if you're using the Snoopy watch face.

There are at least three Halloween faces, including a mummy version Snoopy that walks across the watch display before disappearing, Snoopy in a pumpkin jumping out to say Boo to Woodstock, and Snoopy with a treat bag that Woodstock drops a treat into. Apple added these last year, but they are available for a limited time again.

Apple has quite a few different Snoopy watch faces available, but the Halloween options will likely come up at least a few times during the day with the Snoopy watch face set.
This article, "PSA: There Are Special Halloween-Themed Snoopy Watch Faces Available" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has launched its first M4 Macs, but the most popular Mac wasn’t among them. The MacBook Air has not yet received an M4 chip. But here’s everything we know about when that upgrade’s coming, and what else to expect from the new model.

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OpenAI today announced the addition of ChatGPT Search to ChatGPT, allowing for improved AI-based internet searches. OpenAI says that ChatGPT is able to search the web "in a much better way than before," with the chatbot able to provide links to relevant web sources like a traditional search engine.


ChatGPT Search uses ChatGPT-4o, and it is available now on the ChatGPT website and in the desktop and mobile apps for those who have ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Teams. ChatGPT users who have been on the SearchGPT waitlist will also have access today, with OpenAI planning to bring the feature to enterprise and education users in the next few weeks. ChatGPT Search will roll out to all free users over the coming months.

Searches can be initiated based on what you ask or by clicking on the web search icon in the ChatGPT interface. With ChatGPT Search, you can ask a question using conversational language and get web info, along with more information through follow-up questions. ChatGPT maintains context, so the entire conversation can be used to get a tailored answer to a query.

OpenAI says that it has partnered with news and data providers to offer up-to-date information for categories like weather, stocks, sports, news, and maps. Searches with ChatGPT will include links to sources like news articles and blog posts for learning more about an answer. The sources button below the response will provide a sidebar with all of the references used.

OpenAI has partnered with multiple media companies, including Axel Springer, Condé Nast, Dotdash Meredith, Financial Times, GEDI, Hearst, Le Monde, News Corp, Prisa (El País), Reuters, The Atlantic, Time, and Vox Media. Websites and publishers can opt-in to appearing in ChatGPT searches.

SearchGPT, a prototype AI search engine, was introduced earlier this year, and OpenAI tested it with a select group of users before rolling out ChatGPT search integration.
This article, "OpenAI's ChatGPT Search Now Available as Google Alternative" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Benjamin and Chance react to this week’s trio of Apple announcements, with the exciting launch of the newly redesigned M4 Mac mini, and all the changes in the updated M4 MacBook Pro and iMac lineups. 

And in Happy Hour Plus, we consider how successful this three-day event format was for Apple, and whether we’d like them to do it again. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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Apple's 256GB 13-inch M2 MacBook Air is back down to its all-time low price of $699.99 with the use of an on-page coupon. This is $299 off the original price of the 2022 computer.

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.

Shoppers should note that this is the older version of the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM. This week, Apple updated the entire MacBook Air lineup and it now starts with 16GB of RAM. We haven't yet tracked discounts on the 16GB models, but today's discount is still a great deal if you think 8GB of RAM is enough for your needs.



Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

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This article, "Amazon Offers Massive $299 Discount on 8GB M2 MacBook Air, Available for $699.99" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple’s big trio of M4 Mac announcements is over. But one of the week’s biggest surprises gives us a hint into what Apple has in store for the Mac’s future, especially in the realm of new Apple Intelligence features.

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Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well.


While not all advertised Apple Intelligence features will be available immediately, iOS 18.2 introduces several capabilities that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've listed 10 new things your iPhone will be able to do when the update rolls out in December.

Adjust Media Volume on Lock Screen

Prior to 2022, the volume slider was a familiar presence on the Lock Screen whenever media was playing. When Apple released iOS 16, however, it removed the control without explaining the reason, much to the dismay of many users.

Thankfully, Apple is bringing the control back as an option in iOS 18.2. If you're already on the iOS 18.2 beta, you'll find a toggle in Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Audio & Visual, labeled "Always Show Volume Control". Enable the switch, and you'll be able to adjust volume from the Lock Screen without having to unlock your ‌iPhone‌ or use the physical volume buttons.

Play Daily Sudoku Puzzles

With iOS 18.2, Apple News+ subscribers in the U.S. will gain access to daily sudoku puzzles, offering easy, moderate, and challenging difficulty levels. A scoreboard will keep track of your sudoku statistics, including the total number of puzzles solved and your fastest completion times for each difficulty level.

This addition will be the fourth puzzle game available with an Apple News+ subscription, joining Crossword, Crossword Mini, and Quartiles.

Easily Manage Default Apps

iOS 18.2 includes a new "Default Apps" section that can be found in the Settings app, which can be used to manage your default apps for the iPhone. This is a feature that Apple promised would be coming to the European Union, but it looks as if it may become available worldwide, based on the beta.

• When Is Apple Intelligence Launching in the European Union?

In the latest beta, US users can access the Default App interface to choose their preferred Email, Call Filtering, Browser, and Passwords, and Keyboards. EU users should have more options for choosing non-Apple apps as their default, as they are able to delete core apps like Messages, App Store, Safari, Camera, and Photos.

Categorize Emails in Mail

In iOS 18.2, Apple is introducing an updated version of the Mail app for built-in categorization. Mail Categories effectively organize your incoming emails into distinct sections for easier navigation.

Important emails are grouped in a "Primary" category, while other types are categorized into three additional sections. The "Transactions" section streamlines access to receipts, orders, and shipping information, allowing you to quickly locate your purchases. Meanwhile, the "Updates" section gathers newsletters, appointment reminders, and various subscription emails, keeping you informed. Lastly, the "Promotions" category highlights special offers and promotional messages, to make sure you don’t miss out on any deals.

Generate Images Using Prompts

Image Playground is a totally new app designed to help you create images based on your ideas. Similar to ChatGPT, you can generate images by providing a prompt, and Apple offers suggested categories like themes, locations, and costumes to inspire your creativity. The app specializes in stylized content, meaning the generated images won't be realistic, but can choose from Animation and Illustration styles.

Additionally, you can include likenesses of friends and family by pulling images directly from your Photos app. While Image Playground functions as a standalone app, it can also be integrated into apps like Notes and Messages and added to third-party applications.

Generate Images With Sketches

In the Notes app, Image Wand can be used to generate an image that fits into the content of your note. You can use it by circling an empty space – Image Wand will create a new image that's inspired by your text. Alternatively, you can draw something with your finger and circle it with the tool to get a new related image. And on iPad, you can draw a sketch with the Apple Pencil to have Image Wand generate an appropriate image.

Create Custom Emoji Characters

Genmoji are akin to traditional emojis but offer enhanced functionality. With Genmoji, you can create virtually any emoji you desire, freeing you from the limitations of the standard emoji set.

While they function like emojis on Apple devices, they are not encoded characters from the Unicode Consortium. Instead, Apple developed a unique API for Genmoji, ensuring they display correctly in any application that supports rich text. You can generate a Genmoji by providing a description of your desired design, and you even have the option to create Genmoji that resemble individuals from your Photos library.

Query ChatGPT via Siri

Apple is collaborating with OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT into the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This partnership allows Siri to handle complex requests by referring them to ChatGPT, such as generating images or creating text from scratch. With the Writing Tools feature, ChatGPT can produce and illustrate original content, expanding its capabilities beyond what Siri can currently offer.

For instance, you can open a lengthy PDF and ask Siri to summarize information on a specific topic; Siri can then pass this request to ChatGPT to generate a comprehensive summary. Apple envisions Siri as a facilitator for AI models and tools, optimizing available resources to provide you with answers without the need to switch between multiple apps.

Visual Intelligence

If you have an iPhone 16, you can make use of Visual Intelligence, a feature that offers insights about your surroundings. For instance, when you open the camera and aim it at a restaurant, you'll receive details such as opening hours and reviews.

Additional capabilities of Visual Intelligence include reading text aloud, identifying phone numbers and addresses for adding to Contacts, copying text, and summarizing information. Users can also search Google to find where to purchase a specific item they see, and by pointing the camera at an object, they can access further information through ChatGPT. Apple intends to enhance this feature by introducing more functionalities in the future.

More Options in Writing Tools

Apple is upgrading the Writing Tools feature to include options for more open-ended modifications. In iOS 18.1, Writing Tools can only adjust the tone to friendly, professional, or a simplified version. However, with the release of iOS 18.2, users will be able to specify the desired tone or content changes, such as incorporating more action words or transforming an email into a poem.
This article, "10 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple will soon be opening revamped retail stores near Garden City, New York and Fairfax, Virginia, according to notices posted on its website.


Apple is opening a temporary store at Roosevelt Field, the largest shopping mall on Long Island, so it can renovate its existing store in the mall. The temporary store will be located in the west side of the mall, on the main level, but we have not confirmed if it is open yet. It is unclear when the renovated store will be completed, or what it will look like. Apple's retail design varies from store to store, but one modern element often included in newer spaces is an Apple Pickup station for in-store pickup of online orders.

Apple opened its Roosevelt Field location in 2002, months after the original iPod launched, and the company now operates 23 stores across New York state.

Over in Virginia, Apple is leaving the Fair Oaks shopping mall in Fairfax County, but is not moving very far away. Apple's website invites customers in the area to visit its new location "soon" at 4221 Fairfax Corner East Avenue, in the Fairfax Corner shopping plaza that is just across the Interstate 66 from the Fair Oaks mall. Apple has not shared an exact date and time for the relocated store's grand opening.

Apple opened its Fair Oaks store in 2008, less than a year after the original iPhone launched. It is in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, and not too far from Apple's first-ever store at Tysons Corner Center, which also moved as part of a revamp last year.
This article, "Apple Opening Revamped Stores on Long Island and in Fairfax, Virginia" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The new M4 MacBook Pro is a beast, offering a phenomenal combination of performance and battery-life, with the bonus of a Center Stage camera and the option of a nano-texture display.

But I have to say that I’m not remotely tempted because, honestly, my 2021 M1 Max MacBook Pro still feels to me like a brand-new machine – and that phenomenon could be an issue for Apple going forward …

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Joining early discounts and elevated trade-in opportunities on the new M4 iMac and the new M4 Mac mini, today we are turning our attention to the next-generation M4 MacBook Pro lineup with the deals. Not only can My Best Buy members knock up to $150 off pre-orders right now, but the retailer is also offering elevated trade-in values that can net you an M4 MacBook Pro as low as $639 when flipping a base model M3 model (and the value just goes up from there). All of the details you need are right here alongside new lows on the black Apple Watch Ultra 2, notable discounts on M2 iPad Air models starting from $497, a solid offer on Apple Pencil Pro, and more. Everything awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break. 

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