by Anna Breuer

So-called vaccine passports are intended to verify an individual’s Covid-19 immunization status. By virtue of this, they would allow vaccinated people to participate in everyday activities including dining in restaurants, attending theater performances, going to the cinema, working out at the fitness center, and traveling, among other pre-pandemic activities.
Vaccine passports document an individual’s vaccination status or, in some cases during the coronavirus pandemic, proof of a negative Covid test.
While they …

Apple Unveils New MacBooks, AirPods, and $5 Music Service

by Paul Riegler

At what ostensibly was part two of the company’s annual virtual product launch, Apple introduced two new MacBooks, new AirPods, and a $5 music-streaming service.
The new MacBook Pro laptops, which come equipped with 14” and 16” displays, are powered by new Apple silicon.  They address many of the complaints customers have had about the current MacBook lineup until now by restoring several connectors including the MagSafe power connector that had …

Monday is Columbus Day: Here’s What’s Open and What’s Closed This Year

by Anna Breuer

Monday is Columbus Day in the United States, a holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Columbus was an Italian explorer sailing on behalf of Spain who crossed the Atlantic Ocean in an effort to find a faster route to the Far East, only to land in the New World.
It is also Indigenous Peoples’ Day, in accordance with a proclamation signed last …

‘Moulin Rouge’ Sweeps 2021 Tony Awards, ‘The Inheritance’ Wins Best Play

by Paul Riegler

“Moulin Rouge” won best musical, best actor and best actor in a featured role, as well as a host of technical prizes at the 2021 Tony Awards, and ‘The Inheritance’ captured four Tonys, including best play and best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play.
Held for the first time in over two years, the 2021 Tony Awards honored shows that had opened before the start of …

Siri Now Works Without an Internet Connection – Here’s How to Use It

by Jonathan Spira

Siri, the Apple digital assistant, now processes audio on-device by default in iOS 15, the mobile operating system released earlier in the week.
Processing audio inputs on the device makes using Siri more private, Apple says.
Offline Siri is only available on iPhones and iPads with the Apple A12 Bionic chip or later and this includes the iPhone XS, SR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 smartphones including Pro and Max …

Say Goodbye to Summer: The Autumnal Equinox is Wednesday

by Anna Breuer

The unusually hot weather in many parts of the United States may say summer, but the calendar says otherwise, namely that summer is coming to an end.
Indeed, the first day of autumn is not only just around the corner, but it is tomorrow, September 22.
The seasons change on the day of the autumnal equinox, the second of two equinoxes each year.
What exactly is an equinox and what does it signify? …

United Airlines CEO Kirby: ‘We’re Prepared’ for a Passenger Vaccine Mandate

by Paul Riegler

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said that his airline is “prepared” for an air travel environment with vaccine mandates.
Speaking on the CBS news program “Face the Nation” Sunday morning, Kirby said that such a mandate would place a “burden” on vaccinated individuals, but he would nonetheless support it given the “great data and science” the administration uses to make such determinations.
“If they tell us that they want us to check …

New Lucid Air EV Gets 520 Miles on a Charge, Beating Tesla in EPA Rating

by Paul Riegler

Lucid Motors, a start-up in EVs compared to Tesla, has beaten its competitor at its own game, namely extending the distance an electric vehicle can travel on a single charge.
The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that the Lucid Air Dream Edition Range can go 520 miles (837 kilometers) on a single charge.  The Tesla Model S Long Range, which previously was the record holder, has a range of 402 miles …