iOS Today: Space Discovery Apps, AirPods Max Update, and 3D Printing Automation

Exploring the Cosmos with Apps

• 🌌 Night Sky is a free app that helps identify stars, constellations, and celestial objects by pointing your phone at the sky, offering translucent overlays and tracking capabilities for satellites and celestial events.
• 🛰️ The NASA app provides free, comprehensive content on space exploration, including news, mission updates, live events, images, videos, podcasts, and AR models of rovers and spacecraft.
• 💥 Solar Smash is a planet destruction simulator where users can virtually destroy planets and solar systems using various weapons, offering a free experience with optional in-app purchases.
• 🚀 Space Flight Simulator is a free app that allows users to build and launch virtual rockets, simulating the complexities of rocket construction and space flight, with a tutorial mode available.
• ⌚ For Apple Watch users, the Astronomy Watch Face displays 3D models of Earth, the Moon, and the solar system, allowing users to scroll through time to see planetary movements and moon phases.
• ☀️ Solar Watch Faces offer various styles (analog, dial, graph) that track the sun's movement and daylight progression based on the user's location and time of day.
• 🌍 iPhone users can utilize Astronomy backgrounds for their lock screens, featuring dynamic planet views that adjust to the time of day and the user's location, with the Earth view being particularly impressive.

Tech Updates and Listener Feedback

• 🎧 An upcoming firmware update in April will bring lossless audio and ultra-low latency to AirPods Max with USB-C, requiring the USB-C AirPods Max and a specific cable for music creators and professionals.
• 📍 Listener Carson recommended the Cachly app for geocaching, praising its comprehensive tools and offline map support as an excellent alternative for both casual and power users.

Shortcuts Corner: 3D Printing Automation

• 🖨️ Carson sought to automate an air filtration system for 3D printing using smart plugs, aiming to turn the filter on when the printer draws significant power and off an hour after printing stops.
• 🔌 While the native Home app has limitations, solutions like Controller for HomeKit or Home Assistant can be used to create more advanced automations by accessing accessory properties not directly available in HomeKit.
• 💡 OctoPrint, a system for Raspberry Pi, is also recommended for managing 3D printers, including controlling smart plugs for power management during prints.