Poland's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has opened an investigation into Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature. Introduced with iOS 14.5, it's a prompt developers had to add to their apps to ask iOS users for their permission to track them across apps. Apple announced the feature at WWDC 2020. It was initially scheduled to launch alongside iOS 14, but the company subsequently delayed it to give developers more time for implementation.

The feature was almost immediately controversial with advertisers. In particular, Meta, then known as Facebook, said it would have potentially dire effects on its ad network. Now, Poland's competition watchdog is investigating ATT, in part due to antitrust concerns. The regulator contends it "does not mean that users' information is no longer being collected and that they do not receive personalized ads." At the same time, it says it has concerns Apple may have introduced the feature to promote Apple Search Ads.

"During the course of our investigation, we want to examine whether Apple's actions may be aimed at eliminating competitors in the market for personalized advertising services, the objective being to better sell their own service," said Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK.

We've reached out to Apple for comment.

As noted by TechCrunch, the probe follows a recent study from adblocker Lockdown Privacy that questioned the effectiveness of the App Tracking Transparency feature. The study claims the feature only creates "the illusion of privacy." While the vast majority of iPhone owners have used the feature to opt out of app tracking, researchers found ATT "made no difference" in the total number of active third-party trackers.

All the way back at WWDC, Apple showed off a feature called Universal Control, which will let users control multiple Macs and iPads with a single mouse and keyboard or trackpad. When it released macOS Monterey in October, Apple said that feature and SharePlay would arrive on Macs later in the fall. Although SharePlay is now available on Mac, you'll need to wait a bit longer for Universal Control.

Apple quietly updated its website to state that Universal Control won't be available until spring 2022. The delay, which was spotted by 9to5 Mac, might come as a disappointment to those who were hoping for more seamless connectivity between their devices in the near future. Still, it's better to make sure the feature is working correctly instead of releasing a potentially buggy version.

When it does arrive, the feature will be available on MacBook and Macbook Pro (2016 and later), the 2019 Mac Pro, MacBook Air (2018 and later), iMac (2017 and later) and the 5K Retina 27-inch iMac from late 2015. As for supported tablets, you'll be able to use iPad Pro, iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (6th generation and later) and iPad mini (5th generation and later) with Universal Control.

You'll need to be logged into iCloud with the same Apple ID on all devices. You can connect them over USB, or you can use Universal Control wirelessly as long as the devices are within 30 feet of each other.

It's a big firmware day for Apple. Not only is the company rolling out updates for iPhone, iPad and HomePod, macOS Monterey‌ 12.1 is now available. Perhaps the most notable new feature is SharePlay, which allows up to 32 people to enjoy the same TV shows, movies, music and livestreams and more in sync with each other on FaceTime calls.

Along with Apple services like TV+, Apple Music and Fitness+, a bunch of third-party apps support SharePlay, including Paramount+, TikTok, Twitch and NBA. Anyone on the call can pause, play, fast forward or rewind the content and Apple will automatically lower the volume of the music or video when someone speaks. You'll be able to share your screen through SharePlay as well.

Apple released SharePlay on iPhone and iPad in October. The company rolled out macOS Monterey on the same day, and said it would bring SharePlay to desktops later in the fall.

Many features Apple brought to iPhone and iPad today have landed on macOS Monterey too. They include support for the $5 per month voice-only plan for Apple Music and a safety setting that warns children when they send or receive an image containing nudity in Messages. The Digital Legacy program lets users denote a trusted contact who can access their iCloud account and personal information when they die, while iCloud+ subscribers can generate unique, random email addresses with the Hide My Email feature in the Mail app.

Elsewhere, Apple has redesigned the memories feature in the Photos app with a new interface, fresh transitions and animations and "multiple image collages." There are more memory types as well, such as extra international holidays, trends over time, ones centered around kids and improved memories for pets.

The company also squished some bugs in macOS Monterey 15.2. It said that, previously, "HDR video playback on YouTube.com could cause 2021 MacBook Pro computers to panic." That shouldn't be a problem anymore. An issue that prevented external displays from charging some MacBook Pro and MacBook Air systems via a Thunderbolt or USB-C connection should be resolved too, while some menu bar options will no longer be obscured by the dreaded notch on the latest MacBook Pro.

Apple has released its latest firmware updates for iPhone and iPad. One of the more notable features Apple is adding in iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 is the Voice Only plan for Apple Music. For $5 per month, subscribers can access the full library of songs, playlists and radio stations via Siri. 

On iPhone and iPad, you'll be able to access an App Privacy Report, which provides details of the data that Apple and third-party apps accessed during the previous seven days. The report shows how often apps use things like location, photos, camera, microphone and contacts, as well as their network activity.

Also new is Apple's Digital Legacy feature. You can designate contacts who can access your personal information and your iCloud account when you die.

Elsewhere, there's another safety setting for Messages. It will provide children with warnings and helpful resources when they receive or send photos containing nudity. Apple announced this feature alongside CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) detection tools in August. It planned to release the updates as part of iOS 15, but delayed them following a backlash.

Other iPhone and iPad updates include a way to browse, buy, and rent movies and TV shows in one place in the TV app; a macro photo option for the ultra wide lens on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max; an enhanced city map in Apple Maps on CarPlay; and the Hide My Email tool for iCloud+ subscribers in the Mail app.

A firmware update for HomePod OS is also rolling out that enables the Voice Only plan on HomePod mini. HomePod OS 15.2 also adds Siri voice recognition support for other languages. 

Adobe has rebranded its Spark multimedia creation suite as Creative Cloud Express and created a standalone version. The idea is to help folks create rich visual content like social media posts, stories, flyers and banners using a straightforward drag-and-drop interface. Along with a fairly generous free plan, there's a $10 per month or $99 a year premium option.

The free version includes thousands of templates, fonts and design assets as well as some royalty-free photos. You'll have access to some basic editing tools and photo effects on the web and mobile, including background removal and animation. You'll get 2 GB of cloud storage too.

While that might be enough for more casual users, professionals might find the premium plan more suitable. Along with everything from the free tier, they'll get access to all premium design assets and templates (around 50,000, according to a demo), more than 20,000 fonts and all of Adobe's 160 million+ royalty-free stock images.

A brand manager will allow paid users to include their logo, branding, colors and fonts with a single tap, which could be a major time saver and help maintain a consistent design language. There are more in-depth editing features, such as graphic groups, resizing and refine cutout. You'll be able to import and export PDFs and other file types.

There's integration with Creative Cloud Libraries. All Express assets and templates can be edited and managed across other Creative Cloud apps. You'll also get 100 GB of storage. In addition, the premium plan includes access to features from other Adobe apps. They include video capture and editing on mobile and desktop (Premiere Rush); combining photos and creating collages (Photoshop Express); video slideshows (Spark Video); and building web pages from text and images (Spark Page).

Creative Cloud Express uses Adobe Sensei, the same artificial intelligence and machine learning tech behind the company's core apps, such as Photoshop and Premiere. The framework powers features like the ability to turn videos into GIFs and merging videos. There are also plans to integrate ContentCal, which automates social media publishing and reporting, into Express. Adobe announced an agreement to buy ContentCal last week.

Until now, Express had only been available with Creative Cloud plans. A standalone version could help Adobe better compete with the likes of Canva, Prezi and Picsart, especially given that there's a free option.

Express is included with Creative Cloud All Apps and flagship single-app plans costing at least $20. The suite is free for K-12 as well. Creative Cloud Express is available now on the web and as an app from the Microsoft Store, Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Versions for Enterprise and Teams will arrive next year.

Dremel is the standard when it comes to rotary tools. DIY enthusiasts use them for everything from standing down a dog's nails to cutting through steel. If you fall into that category, the company's latest release, the 8260, is interesting for a few reasons. 

To start, it's Dremel's first brushless rotary tool. Thanks to its more modern motor design, Dremel claims the 8260 outputs 20 percent more power than the 4300, its most powerful corded model. Moreover, it features double the battery life of the 8220, its previous flagship cordless model. It's also 20 percent faster than the 8220.  

It's also Dremel's first smart tool. The addition of Bluetooth connectivity allows you to connect the 8260 to your phone through Dremel's mobile app. One of the niftier features here is an interactive guide that will tell you what accessory and RPM you need to use to cut through specific materials. It will also send you battery notifications and warnings if the tool is about to stall or overheat. An LED light on the 8260 will also warn you if you're about to run into those problems.  

The 8260 is available today through the Home Depot for $169. The kit comes with three wheels for cutting metal and one designed for plastic, a battery, charger and a carrying case.    

Apple's latest Mac Mini is the most cost-effective way to get an M1 machine, and now you can get the desktop for even less. The base 256GB model is going for $570 on Amazon right now, which is a new record low. You'll get this price thanks to a $50 discount plus an additional coupon that knocks another $79 off at checkout. The 512GB version has also been discounted to $750, which is a price we've seen a handful of times in the past but remains a good deal.

The Mac Mini is the best option if a desktop fits better into your lifestyle than a laptop, and if you don't have a ton to spare a new computer. It packs a good amount of power into a compact device thanks to Apple's M1 chipset. While we haven't put the Mac Mini through its paces, we have tested out the MacBook Air M1 and the previous MacBook Pro M1 — both of which impressed us with their overall smooth performance and remarkable speed. It sports an eight-core CPU and an eight-core GPU, plus a 16-core Neural Engine that handles machine learning tasks. While the 256GB model is probably sufficient for most people, you'll future-proof the device a bit if you spring for the version with extra storage because you won't run out of space as quickly.

With all of the improvements being internal, the latest Mac Mini looks much the same as the previous version. The silver box has a seamless appearance on most sides, save for its back edge which holds all of its connectivity options including two Thunderbolt ports, two USB-A connectors, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Since we didn't get an updated Mac Mini this fall, there's currently no telling when Apple may introduce a new version of its small desktop. That makes a sale like this one a great opportunity to upgrade your home's computer without spending too much money. If you plan on gifting the device, just keep in mind that it may arrive after Christmas depending on which model you choose.

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After shutting down third-party PS5 console covers with legal threats, Sony has launched its own official $55 PlayStation five colors, the company announced. Those will go along with the DualSense controls it launched earlier this year, and introduce three new colors in the same galaxy-inspired theme.

The console covers (and matching controllers) will come in Midnight Black, Cosmic Red, Nova Pink, Starlight Blue and Galactic Purple. "Simply remove your original white PS5 console covers and click your new ones into place," the company said. "The PS5 console covers will be available for both the PS5 with the Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive and the PS5 Digital Edition." 

The Midnight Black and Cosmic Red PS5 console covers will be available starting in January 2022 in specific regions, including the USA, Canada, UK, France, Australia and China. The Nova Pink, Galactic Purple, and Starlight Blue models will launch in those same locations during the first half of 2022.

As you may remember, Sony recently launched new DualSense wireless controllers in Cosmic Red and Midnight Black. Now, it will also release new controllers in the other three colors (Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple) for $75 globally in January 2022 at participating retailers. 

As a reminder, last year a company called PlateStation unveiled replacement PS5 covers in colors like cherry red, black and jungle camo. However, the company subsequently announced on Twitter that it would be canceling all orders and processing refunds "due to patent and intellectual property issues" with Sony.

Now we can see why Sony asserted its IP rights so strongly. Given that it can't sell as many PS5 consoles as it would like due to semiconductor shortages, accessories like this will provide another revenue stream. Yes, console color and design aren't that important, but the new covers are a good option for the many folks who aren't that keen on white. Pre-orders are now open for the new controller colors ($75) and first two console covers ($55) — if you're planning to get one, let us know below. 

Apple brought some design chops back to the iMac lineup with the 24-inch 2021 M1 models, and a pretty good dose of extra performance, too. If you've been looking at getting an 8-core model for productivity or creative chores but found the $1,500 price a tad much, there's good news. The 8GB version with 256GB of storage is now available at Amazon for $1,400, the lowest price we've seen yet. 

The 2021 iMac M1 received an excellent Engadget review score for a variety of reason. With a new M1 chip also found on Apple's MacBooks, it delivers formidable performance for activities ranging from spreadsheets to video editing to gaming. It even loads quickly, waking up almost instantly from sleep mode and getting to the desktop in around 25 seconds from a cold start. On top of that, it's 50 percent quieter than past models.

It's also got a fresh new design, with slimmer bezels and a more refined look. The new 24-inch, 4.5K Retina display is also excellent, thanks to the full DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and 500-nit brightness. Another nice upgrade is the new 1080p FaceTime Camera with larger image sensors and AI tricks that improve exposure, color and noise levels. 

The drawbacks are few, but they include a lack of HDR on the display, a port selection limited to USB-C and the Magic Mouse and Keyboard that can be uncomfortable to use. Also, if you were hoping to pick up a colorful version of the iMac, only the silver model is on sale, alas. Still, it's a nice little saving for deal hunters on a model we haven't seen discounted very often. 

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It's now that much more affordable to scoop up an AirTag and track your keys or bag from your iPhone. Woot is selling single units of Apple's item tracker for $25 to Amazon Prime Members, and $27 for everyone else. The sale runs either until the end of 2021 or supplies run out, so this might be ideal for last-minute gifts or post-holiday splurging. Just be aware that Woot's return policy isn't the same as Amazon's, although you will have until January 31st to return anything purchased by December 31st.

The AirTag has a handful of tricks to help it stand out from other find-my-stuff devices. The NFC-based pairing makes it easy to set up with iPhones, but the real star of the show is ultra-wideband support that helps you find tags with high precision. So long as you have a UWB-equipped Apple handset (the iPhone 11 or newer), you may know the exact spot where you lost your goods — helpful if something fell between the couch cushions.

The main catch, as is often the case with Apple gear, revolves around the ecosystem. While you can use an Android phone to help return an AirTag-equipped device or (soon) spot nearby tags, you'll need an iPhone to set up those tags and track them from afar. You'll also need accessories if you want to clip a tag to a keychain or backpack. The batteries are replaceable, though, and the simple design might be appealing if you think the alternatives are unwieldy or dull.

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