Many current Mac keyboards are not mechanical – pushing a key pushes two membranes together, which sends an electrical current to your Mac to tell it to produce a letter. Mechanical keyboards have physical switches, which make them louder, and ensure you really know when you’ve pressed a key. A lot of folks are going back to mechanical keyboards since the ”mushy” keyboards of today aren’t responsive enough. If you miss the clickety-clackety keyboards of yore, then check these out!

Top pick

Das Keyboard 4 Professional

Staff Favorite

Das Keyboard 4 Professional gives you a choice between Cherry MX Brown or Blue, depending on how loud you like your keyboard, and it even has dedicated media controls, including an oversized volume knob, as well as a number pad. Two USB 3.0 ports make it perfect for the ultra-productive folks.

$169 at Amazon

Backlight champ

WASD CODE 87-key keyboard

If you have a dimly lit workspace or find yourself regularly typing in the dark, then this is …

It’s one of several changes being made in response to California’s new gig-economy law.

What you need to know

Uber is testing a feature that will let drivers set their own fares.
It’s being tested in California, specifically by drivers picking up from airports in Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, and Sacramento.
It will allow drivers to set fares in 10 percent increments, up to five times the Uber base price for the ride.

Uber is testing a feature in California that will allow drivers to set their own fares, part of a series of changes made in response to California’s new gig-economy law.

As reported by WSJ, the change will allow some drivers to increase their fares by up to five times the base price set by Uber for the ride:

SAN FRANCISCO—Uber Technologies Inc. is testing a new feature that gives some drivers in California the ability to set their fares, the latest in a series of moves to give them more autonomy in response to the state’s new gig-economy law.
Starting Tuesd…

What you need to know

A Redditor used Shortcuts to recreate Cover Flow.
They used physical cards and NFC to create a digital jukebox.
The NFC triggers a shortcut that launches Apple Music.

Nobody needs it. But you’re going to want it anyway.

I’m old enough to remember when Cover Flow was an amazing addition to the way we browsed and listened to music. So the thought of using physical NFC cards with gorgeous art on them to play music via Shortcuts sounds awesome. And it’s even better in action.

Redditor nfabula did all the hard work and I’m so glad they did. They shared a video that shows the whole thing in action, but it boils down to this:

Tap an NFC card against an iPhone. That card has album artwork so you know what it’s going to play.
The NFC reading triggers Shortcuts which in turn opens Apple Music, ready to play the exact album printed on the card.
You watch in awe as the physical world turns digital.

Sure, none of this is particularly groundbreaking and anyone can d…

Are you searching for an excellent game for your Switch but want to get great deals? We’ve found the best games for a fraction of their price!

Have you played all of your Nintendo Switch games, and you’re looking for a bit more fun? I know how pricey they can be, especially if you’re on a budget and can’t spend $60 on a game. Here at iMore, we have found some great games currently on sale. If any of these types of games spark your interest, be sure to check them out by clicking the links below.

Pre-orders available on Amazon right now
Physical game cartridges on sale now
eShop games on sale this week

Pre-order options on Amazon

Here’s every game you can pre-order on Amazon right now. Just click the title to check it out!

SNACK WORLD: THE DUNGEON CRAWL — GOLD – Available February 14 – $50
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection – Available February 18 – $30
Gods & Monsters – Available February 25 – $60
Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories – Available March 1 – $60
Animal Crossi…

What you need to know

Gartner’s global device forecast has 5G iPhones driving demand.
2020 will see device growth.
But things will slow again afterward.

Positivity with a dash of negativity.

Gartner believes that 2020 will be a year of device growth, according to its annual global device forecast.

Gartner looks at shipments for everything from phones to computers, and it believes that we can expect 5G iPhones to help push demand skyward in 2020 according to 9to5Mac.

The worldwide mobile phone market is on course to grow by 1.7% in 2020 […] Shipments of smartphones were weak in 2019, recording a 2% decline year over year, but are expected to grow in 2020, particularly in Greater China and emerging markets in Asia/Pacific.

Gartner estimates that 5G models will account for 12% of mobile phone shipments in 2020, and that will reach 43% by 2022.

That growth will be a rare one for the market as a whole, with 5G thought to be the main driving force.

Worldwide shipment…

What you need to know

Apple is suing a former chip lead after he left to start a new company.
The chip company also hired former Apple employees.
If Apple wins the suit it could prevent people from planning startups while employed.

This could send ripples throughout Silicon Valley.

We’ve been following Apple’s lawsuit against Nuvia co-founder Gerard Williams III for a few weeks, but while this could be hugely damaging for Williams and his company, a negative outcome could also affect startup culture as a whole.

That’s because, as Reuters notes, if Williams and his attorneys are unable to win out it could prevent people planning startups while they’re still employed.

We need to back up a bit in order to explain, though.

The main issue that Apple has with Nuvia is that Williams allegedly spent his time planning the company during working hours while employed by Apple. He is also accused of tapping up employees while there, too.

Apple sued Williams in August, alleging that h…

We repeat this is just a rumor.

What you need to know

A rumor claims that Midnight Green may be out for the iPhone 12.
That’s according to EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach.
Instead, they’ve suggested Apple may be planning to release a Navy Blue model instead.

A rumor (repeat, rumor) suggests that Apple may be planning to replace the Midnight Green iPhone with a Navy Blue model in 2020.

According to EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach, the iPhone 12 is getting a new flagship color, Navy Blue. This is the same Max Weinbach who has been pushing out leaks for the Galaxy S20 of late.

Exclusive Navy Blue iPhone 12 Pro Leaks w/ @MaxWinebach & latest  news https://t.co/aHpjPRYy8y pic.twitter.com/FdVwpNy3Pd— EverythingApplePro (@EveryApplePro) January 21, 2020

A video on YouTube detailing the rumor says that the purported new Navy Blue color will presumably replace the Midnight Green.

Navy blue iPhone 12 Pro. I want it so badly. https://t.co/xtTlMsYNIY— Max Weinbach (…

A Reuters report says the FBI complained that the move would harm investigations.

What you need to know

A report suggests Apple abandoned plans to fully encrypt backups of user devices in iCloud.
It is claimed the FBI complained that it would harm investigations.
More than two years ago Apple told the FBI of its plans, primarily designed to thwart hackers.

A report suggests that Apple may have abandoned plans to fully encrypt backups of user devices in iCloud after the FBI complained it would hinder investigations.

According to Reuters:

More than two years ago, Apple told the FBI that it planned to offer users end-to-end encryption when storing their phone data on iCloud, according to one current and three former FBI officials and one current and one former Apple employee.

Under that plan, primarily designed to thwart hackers, Apple would no longer have a key to unlock the encrypted data, meaning it would not be able to turn material over to authorities in a readable f…

What you need to know

A new patent describes identification via in-screen technology.
The patent appears to suggest Touch ID could work anywhere.
Many Android phones already have in-display fingerprint sensors.

We’ve previously heard rumors of Touch ID returning.

A new patent appears to suggest that Apple could be working on technology that would allow Touch ID to be used anywhere on a device’s display.

US Patent No 10,541,280, ”OLED based touch sensing and user identification,” was spotted by Apple Insider and it mentions OLED screens that could detect a user based on ”the reflected light or spectral ’fingerprint’ detected by the plurality of OLED.”

The patent points to capacitive touch sensors being used in the first instance, but with new optical sensors being used to detect what Apple calls ”finer details.”

Approximate touch location can be determined by capacitive touch sensors, and one or more finer details can be resolved by optical touch sensors. The touch screen c…