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A new regulatory filing suggests Apple is readying a fourth-generation Apple TV set, one that looks a whole lot like the last two models, but with one minor difference.

That difference is size. The new version, which Engadget spotted in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission today, is 93.78mm around versus the current model's 98mm. It also carries the model number A1469, which differs from the current model's A1427 designation.

The filing comes on the heels of a reference to an unreleased Apple TV model inside of iOS 6.1, which Apple released to the public yesterday … Read more

Lucky me -- I get to play with lots of headphones, but I sometimes wonder if they're all made in the same factory, and their mostly plastic construction, similar features, and designs feel interchangeable. So when CNET's David Carnoy put the Meze 88 Classics in my hands I was intrigued. The beautifully finished, hand-carved ebony wood ear cups gave a high-end sheen to the design, and a quick audition proved the 88 Classics' beauty was more than skin deep.

Build quality is a step up from what you get with Beats by Dr. Dre 'phones, and I liked … Read more

What big feature will be missing from the Wii U on launch day?

Bad news for first-day Wii U buyers: the company has announced that the TVii service, which was promised to be available at launch, will now not be live until sometime in December. In addition, streaming services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, and Amazon Instant Video will now be going live in the coming weeks. This is certainly a blow for Nintendo, which can't seem to get things ready for any launch -- you'll recall that the 3DS launched without access to the virtual eShop store, … Read more

The size of the average mobile application is on the rise, according to the results of a new study.

As part of its Mobile Application Markets research report, ABI Research today said that the size of the average iOS application last month was 16 percent greater than in March, with even larger growth in some specific app categories.

The big standout, the firm says, were games. In September, the average game was 60MB, up 42 percent from the average in March.

Why exactly are these apps expanding in size? ABI points to two possible reasons: Apple extending the over-the-air app download … Read more

RAR Expander for Mac is a utility to create and uncompress files in RAR archives. Supposedly fully compatible with WinRAR, RAR Expander for Mac is a clean, simple app that installs in a few seconds and works flawlessly in the testing we did. Notably, RAR Expander for Mac also supports AppleScript, so you can create shell utilities to handle packing and unpacking RAR files in a larger environment.

RAR Expander for Mac works with both single and multi-part RAR archives. It also supports password-protected RAR files. To use RAR Expander for Mac you can either open the app and provide … Read more

The iPhone 5 may have a bigger screen, but text still looks pretty small to my aging eyes. In fact, it looks that way on all my iDevices.

That's because iOS relies on a fixed font size, and while a smattering of apps let you increase that size, there's no "font" option to be found in iOS settings.

Actually, there is, kind of, if you know where to look. It turns out you can enlarge the default iOS font a little bit or quite a bit, depending on your eyesight needs. Here's how:

1. Tap … Read more

To say that Verizon's unlimited data smartphone customers are unhappy about changes in the company's new pricing structure is putting it mildly. But what's a disgruntled subscriber to do?

In this edition of Ask Maggie, I offer advice to a Verizon customer about the carrier's new service plans, which will require him to pay for a new smartphone at full price to keep his unlimited data plan. Should he ditch Verizon or suck it up? You'll find some alternatives below.

Also in this edition of the column, I explain why I think smartphone screens will … Read more

Live concerts are louder than ever, but home audio systems that sound great turned up loud are increasingly rare. If you're into loud music and lucky enough to live in a place where maximum volume won't get you evicted or arrested, or earn the wrath of neighbors, treat yourself to a set of big speakers.

Sure, small satellite speakers with a powerful subwoofer can sound great, but not in the same league as large speakers. Big systems really do have huge performance advantages over even the best small ones. If you've got the space to accommodate a pair of Klipsch Reference RF-7 II speakers, they deserve an audition. The only downside to listening to the RF-7 IIs is you'll never be satisfied with a Bluetooth speaker ever again.… Read more

If you have a digital camera, it doesn't take long to fill your PC with lots and lots of high-quality images, some of them huge in size. Fortunately there's no shortage of free photo-resizing software, ranging from small and speedy tools that emphasize automatic operation and batch conversion to full-fledged graphics tools rivaling some pricey packages. EasyNote's PhotoTrim definitely hews to the simple-is-better philosophy, offering basic settings and speedy batch conversion as well as some compression. Unfortunately, it's not exactly free: you have to register to unlock "advanced" features such as cropping. Add in … Read more