Apple Wallet, Now With More IDs

Apple has revealed it's working with several US states to let people use their IDs on their Apple Wallet in airports.

September 2, 2021 It's September 2, 2021. It's National Blueberry Popsicle Day! Whether it's still warm in your area or the temperature's stating to drop, there's never a bad time to unwrap and enjoy a popsicle. Have at it!     ⏰ Today's Big Stories... in 30 Seconds Today We Watched, Read, and Listened to (so you don't have to): 365 articles, 15 podcasts, 22 press releases, 472 tweets, and 15 YouTube videos 1. 8 States Will Let You Store Your ID in Your Apple Wallet Apple is working with eight US States to allow residents to store their IDs in their Apple Wallets. This new option for Apple Watch users is intended to make it easier to pass through specifically marked TSA checkpoints and lanes at participating airports. Interested? Expect the feature to arrive later this Fall. 2. Microsoft is Removing Users From Its Windows Insider Program Microsoft is now removing PCs from the Windows Insider program if they don't meet Windows 11's requirements. Users are met with a message stating as much, which also specifies which hardware needs upgrading. It's unclear if this will continue or if it's just a bug, but it's a bummer either way. 3. Alexa Gets Adaptive Volume Feature in the US US residents with an Amazon Echo can now set Alexa to increase its volume to be heard over loud background noises. Called Adaptive Volume, the feature is meant to automatically detect background noises, then adjust volume accordingly. Want to use it? Just say, "Alexa, turn on adaptive volume." 🦑 Go Deeper Many of us probably pay little attention to the Apple App Store unless it has a cool app, but Allison Matyus is here to tell us why we should focus on it a little more, especially after some upcoming changes.     🎱 By the Numbers An Alexa in every home Data: Business of Apps Do you have an Alexa-enabled device in your home? Maybe 2+? Congrats, you're likely a contributor to the millions of Echo devices Amazon has sold over the last 7 years. What started off at a mere 800,000 units sold in 2014 skyrocketed to 55 million last year. This year? It's almost certainly higher. 🔥 Today's Hot Deal Samsung's 120" 4K Premiere Projector is a massive $502 off on Amazon right now, making it a little under $3,000 for a limited time. Ready to cash in on and really improve your at-home theater? This is the way to do it! Don't Miss This Deal 🤓 Nerd Out "AI may be too powerful." —Kyree Leary, Associate News Editor Ever wanted to see Street Fighter characters with realistic faces? Of course not, but someone did it anyway, using an AI called StyleCLIP. They're mostly good, but some may need another pass. (Share on Twitter) 💎 You Know You Want It  Water is life Image: Hidrate Spark We should all drink more water, and one thing that could help is the Hidrate Spark 3 Smart Water Bottle. Fill it with the clear stuff, sync it with the companion app on your phone, then take a drink when the bottle prompts you to do so. Did we mention it also glows? Yeah. Good luck ignoring this one. 🎮 Up-Down-A-B-Start Get it together, Twitch Yesterday, Twitch streamers banded together to perform a digital walkout (#ADayOffTwitch) as a way to bring attention to their latest issue: hate raids, in which their chats are bombarded with hurtful, harassment-filled messages. The Verge breaks down the whole situation. Will Twitch get the message?     🗞 Extra! Extra! We've got you covered with the best in daily tech news! See the latest on our site or follow us on Google News. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here. Have something you'd like us to write about? We're always open for suggestions, too. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Tech Today newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here .   Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. A Dotdash Brand 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10005 2020 Dotdash • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.   [View in Browser]

Windows 11 Arrives in Time for Halloween

Windows 11 has finally been given a public release date, setting it for the first week of October.

September 1, 2021 It's September 1, 2021. On this day in 1979, NASA's Pioneer 11 became the first man-made object to fly by Saturn. How close was it? About 13,000 miles away.     ⏰ Today's Big Stories... in 30 Seconds Today We Watched, Read, and Listened to (so you don't have to): 481 articles, 11 podcasts, 19 press releases, 549 tweets, and 12 YouTube videos 1. Windows 11 Release Date Set for October Windows 11 will be available on October 5. On that date, Microsoft says it will begin a slow rollout process to deliver free upgrades to eligible PCs running Windows 10. It hopes to complete the rollout in phases, which it says should complete by mid-2022. Standalone OS purchase will also arrive that day. Nice! 2. Bose Opens Pre-Orders for New QuietComfort 45 Headphones Bose has announced its newest pair of premium wireless headphones, the $329 QuietComfort 45. The QuietComfort 45 are intended to replace the QuietComfort 35 II with improved functions, new features, and better battery life. For $30 more, we hope it's better that its predecessor. 3. Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 Get Protect Battery Feature Samsung is bringing a new battery protection feature to the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 to help avoid over-charging issues. Appropriately called Protect Battery, it limits charging of the phone's battery to 85% each time it's plugged in. Look at Samsung, giving us ways to get more out of our batteries. Thanks! 🦑 Go Deeper The Octatrack is an intimidating piece of audio hardware, but Charlie Sorrel nearly swears by it, saying the 10-year-old product is "tricky to get along with, but utterly worth it." Consider us convinced to giving it a shot one day.     🎱 By the Numbers The top 2 are 10 and 7 Data: statcounter Now that Windows 11 has a release date, let's look back at the top two Windows OSes in the US: 10 & 7. The more recent OS has consistently maintained 80% of the market share, which was likely Microsoft's hope. Can it do it again with Windows 11? If people can upgrade for free? Probably. 🔥 Today's Hot Deal This LG 34" UltraWide Full HD HDR monitor is $30 off on Best Buy right now, dropping it to $299. Need a new monitor? Of course you do. Pick this one up ASAP and enjoy the new field-of-view. Don't Miss This Deal 🤓 Nerd Out "Did they like shrimp with the tail on or off?" —Kevin Hogan, Content Strategist Ever wanted some insight into a Roman diet? Well, recently uncovered, 2,000-year-old bones have led a team of research to such discoveries, such as how men ate more seafood than women. Huh. Never would've guessed. (Share on Twitter) 💎 You Know You Want It  Concept vehicles are cool Image: BMW Like BMW and scooters? You may be interested in BMW's Motorrad Definition CE 04. This fully electric bike is designed for quick commutes, though you could use it for night outings, too, thanks to how quiet it is. The one problem? It's a concept bike, so it's unlikely to go into mass production anytime soon. 🚀 Facing the Future Remember life before the Apple App Store? Could Apple's App Store ever change how it works? For either developers or users? Some, like The Verge, think it won't, but only because Apple may not want it to change. Let the outlet break it all down for you.     🗞 Extra! Extra! We've got you covered with the best in daily tech news! See the latest on our site or follow us on Google News. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here. Have something you'd like us to write about? We're always open for suggestions, too. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Tech Today newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here .   Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. A Dotdash Brand 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10005 2020 Dotdash • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.   [View in Browser]