Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
OS X Mavericks Taps Ambient Light Sensors to Detect Motion and Prevent System Sleep
OS X Mavericks includes a new feature that leverages the light sensors included in many Macs to detect movement in front of the machine and prevent the system's Energy Saver sleep functions from activating even when the user is not actively using the machine, notes The Verge.
First highlighted by Moshen Chen of Radiantlabs and confirmed by developer Jonathan Wight, the feature was initially thought to use the iSight camera to monitor movements but was quickly discovered to actually be tapping into light sensors.
The sensor is already used to adjust screen brightness to ambient light, but the new OS puts it to a different purpose, tracking changes in the light as "movement," and resetting idle time accordingly. Verge tests confirmed this on two separate Mavericks laptops: after covering the camera but not the light sensor, we were able to delay sleep mode by changing the ambient lighting conditions.Users have long been able to set separate thresholds for display and system sleep based on lack of interaction with their Macs, but under Mavericks, many Macs have now become smarter about being able to detect whether or not the user is sitting in front of the machine.
[ 83 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
73 months ago
How about we have the Mac not go to sleep when you're downloading something or encoding a video?
That would be really helpful.
That would be really helpful.
73 months ago
Dave?
Dave, are you awake?
"Ugh, just go to sleep."
I'm sorry, Dave. I can't do that.
Why are you not typing on my Dave?
I know you're awake...
Dave, are you awake?
"Ugh, just go to sleep."
I'm sorry, Dave. I can't do that.
Why are you not typing on my Dave?
I know you're awake...
73 months ago
How about we have the Mac not go to sleep when you're downloading something or encoding a video?
That would be really helpful.
this doesn't help?
73 months ago
How about we have the Mac not go to sleep when you're downloading something or encoding a video?
That would be really helpful.
Well, ask your application developers to use power assertions.
73 months ago
How about we have the Mac not go to sleep when you're downloading something or encoding a video?
That would be really helpful.
Here's my FAVORITE simple Mac app:
http://caffeine.en.softonic.com/mac
It puts an icon in the task bar that toggles on a 'no sleep mode' when you want it.
73 months ago
this doesn't help?
It should automatically disable sleeping in those cases though.
73 months ago
I hope this sensor isn't "racist" like the HP webcams...
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/22/hp.webcams/ (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/22/hp.webcams/)
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/22/hp.webcams/ (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/22/hp.webcams/)
73 months ago
After I seen this article, I decided to test it out a bit. I set mine to sleep after 1 minute. Just sitting and looking at the screen without touching anything kept it awake. I wasn't moving around a whole lot. I was trying to stay as still as possible, but it picks up the slightest movement, which is good. I sat for about 3 minutes and the screen stayed on. I stood up and walked off to the side, out of view from the sensor but where I could still see the screen. It dimmed after 10 seconds, and went to sleep after 20. This means the timer does not reset and begin counting after it stops sensing movement. If you don't use the computer at all after your time is reached, it won't shut off until it stops sensing you sitting there. Basically, the timer starts counting after the last physical interaction with the computer, but won't begin sleep mode until you walk away. Very neat and well designed.
[ Read All Comments ]
In iOS 13, Apple has extended the system's built-in screenshot feature to include the ability to save a full web page as a multi-page PDF.
Don't expect this option to appear when...
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Twelve South to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a prize pack that includes a BookBook vol. 2 for iPad Pro, an AirFly, and a set of...
O2 has became the latest network carrier in the United Kingdom to offer the cellular version of the Apple Watch Series 4. iPhone users can now order the LTE-enabled smartwatch through the O2 website,...
Unsolicited phone calls can become a regular annoyance and even a cause of stress for many smartphone users these days. Thankfully, Apple provides a feature in iOS 13 that can automatically silence...
The Iconfactory today announced it has released a significant update to its popular third-party Twitter client Twitterrific for iPhone and iPad. The latest version of the app contains over 50 new...
Apple yesterday released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced three years ago in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to...
Amazon and B&H Photo are discounting the latest versions of Apple's iPad Air this week, with each configuration of the tablet receiving a new all-time-low price tag. Amazon offers the largest...
Spotify today announced a new version of the "Your Library" tab in its mobile apps for iOS and Android, which is "designed to get you to the content you want faster." This update is...
