O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: News

  • T-Mobile beats out U.S. wireless competitors in recent Ookla study

    T-Mobile beats out U.S. wireless competitors in recent Ookla study

    Ookla, the firm responsible for the ever-handy Ookla Speedtest app and website, has released its H1 2024 US Connectivity Report wherein T-Mobile retained the top slot for the fastest download and upload speeds, best consistency, earned the highest customer ratings, and more.

    Per the report Ookla shared in June about the state of 5G performance in the U.S., the company used a new metric that combined both download and upload performance of 4G and 5G connections into one score. T-Mobile’s score, which came in at 205.98, almost doubled Verizon’s score of 112.28 and AT&T’s score of 107.77. T-Mobile’s median download speed was 234.82 Mbps with an upload median speed of 13.30 Mbps.

    For consistency and customer satisfaction, T-Mobile was able to present an 86.6 percent score among the three major US carriers. The company was able to take the new “Consumer Sentiment” metric with a score of 3.73/5, and Verizon came in second with 3.29/5, and AT&T came in last with 3.14/5.

    T-Mobile was also able to win the best video and gaming experience category, albeit the carriers were all within three to five points of each other for these metrics.

    Finally, Ookla noted that T-Mobile was the fastest provider in 73 of the 100 most populous cities and as well as the fastest in 45 states plus the District of Columbia.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and Ookla

  • Apple adds new eligible products to U.S. sales tax-free holiday sale website

    Apple adds new eligible products to U.S. sales tax-free holiday sale website

    Because tax holidays and savings are never a bad thing.

    Apple recently updated its website to include new products that are eligible for upcoming 2024 sales tax holidays in select U.S. states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia. These holidays provide a limited-time opportunity to snag select Apple wares both online or in stores without having to pay sales tax. The products and price limits vary from state to state, as detailed on Apple’s website. Apple has also noted that tax savings may not appear during checkout, but will be reflected on the final receipt.

    The tax-free holidays run from July 19 to August 11, with the exact dates, discounts, and details varying by each state.

    The holidays are also especially beneficial to students and can be combined with Apple’s ongoing Back to School promotion, which offers students a $150 Apple gift card with the purchase of a qualifying Mac or iPad and 20 percent off AppleCare+ warranties. These savings can also be combined with Apple’s standard educational discounts on select products.

    If you get a chance to try these discounts over the next few days or weeks, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • Presto transit card support arrives for Apple Wallet, offers easier access to parts of Canada

    Presto transit card support arrives for Apple Wallet, offers easier access to parts of Canada

    Getting around Canada just got a bit easier.

    Apple’s Wallet app now supports the Presto transit card used in Canada’s Ontario province. The card can be used for travel in Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa, and the digital version includes the Express Transit Pass feature, which allows users to tap in and out without having to authenticate.

    The Presto contactless smart card system was first trialled back in 2007, and started the full rollout in 2009. The card can be used across 11 different transit systems in the areas covered. Apple Wallet support for the card was first promised several years ago, leading to a quiet phase, then a “coming soon” announcement back in May of this year.

    Although the contactless terminals allow the use of credit and debit cards for regular fares, a Presto card is needed for monthly passes and discounted travel.

    Per Mobile Syrup, riders can choose between adding their existing card to their Wallet or creating a new one. Users can either buy a new card or move their old one over using the Presto app.

    As with any digital card or pass, users can use either their iPhone or Apple Watch, but because each generates a unique virtual card number, they’ll need to use the same device at both ends of their journey.

    Express Transit can also work in Low Power mode and can function when the device’s battery is almost entirely out of power.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and Mobile Syrup

  • Delta 1.6 game emulator released, offers full support for iPad

    Delta 1.6 game emulator released, offers full support for iPad

    The game emulators for iPhone and iPad are beginning to emerge following Apple’s App Store rule change, and among them, the Delta emulator app from developer Riley Testut allows players to use their own ROM files to play Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advanced, NES, SuperNES, Nintendo 64, and DS ROMs of classic games. The iPhone version of the app could run on an iPad previously, but was limited to the iPhone screen size.

    The iPad version removes this limitation, running full-screen either vertically or horizontally, depending on the game and system being emulated. The app update to version 1.6 also brings new controller skins specifically design for the iPad.

    The emulator also supports external game controllers, is available for free, contains no ads, and does not track users.

    The update to the Delta emulator also brings an optional feature that can automatically pause games when switching windows. The app now supports multiple windows in Stage Manager and Split View. Finally, games can “hand off” progress from one device to the other, and the game will continue “exactly where you left off,” says Testut.

    If you’ve had a chance to try the Delta emulator, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via AppleInsider and the App Store

  • Apple launches Midnight color option for HomePod mini speaker, ousts Space Gray color

    Apple launches Midnight color option for HomePod mini speaker, ousts Space Gray color

    It’s not the biggest change in the world, but it’s a neat color option.

    Apple on Monday announced that the current HomePod mini model is now available in a Midnight color option, which replaces the nearly-identical Space Gray color previously offered. The speaker remains available in Blue, Orange, White, and Yellow.

    The full-sized second-generation HomePod and HomePod mini are now available in a Midnight color scheme. Apple has yet to announce any other changes to its HomePod mini lineup today, and the smart speaker remains proven at $99 in the U.S. market for all color options.

    The new Midnight color option can be ordered on Apple.com starting today, and it will be available at Apple Store locations in the U.S., Canada, China, Singapore, and 28 other countries and regions starting July 17.

    The HomePod mini was first released in November 2020, and a second-generation model has yet to be released.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Apple