Macworld Reuters reports that Russia has blocked usage of Apple’s FaceTime app at the network level, leaving users in the country who try to connect via Apple’s encrypted video platform with a “User unavailable” message. ...   Mac Central

Macworld Apple on Thursday announced the winners of its annual App Store Awards. From the 45 finalists that the company announced in November, 17 developers were recognized for “their technical ingenuity and lasting cultural impact. ...   Mac Central

Macworld The original iPhone SE from 2016, one of Apple’s most popular handsets of all time, has finally been declared obsolete. This is bad news for anyone who still uses the phone because it is no longer eligible to receive repairs and battery replacements from Apple Stores and authorised service partners. ...   Mac Central

Rast Sound has updated Transformer to version 1.5. The resonator effect now includes two new modes and expanded LFO capabilities. New in v1.5: Mode D (Muted/Pluck) — tight, controlled resonance for drums and percussion. Mode E (Shimmer/Ambient) — detuned strings and extended decay for atmospheric textures. LFO presets for quick modulation setups. LFO micro-randomiser. ...   KVR Audio

discoDSP has updated OB-Xd synth to version 3.14. OB-Xd 3.14 introduces polyphonic unison mode - a major enhancement allowing multiple notes to be played simultaneously with stacked voices per note, unlocking more evolving chords and complex textures. What's New: Polyphonic Unison: Previously, unison forced monophonic behavior (one note at a time). ...   KVR Audio

KVR Show Report: SF Music Expo 2025 SF Music Expo was founded in 2014 by Loic Maestracci to bring together local Bay Area music creators for education and networking. Originally held at The Chapel in San Francisco's Mission District and later moved to SAE Expression College. ...   KVR Audio

Media Overkill (MOK) has announced the free upgrade to its wavetable synth plugin, Miniraze, bringing it to version 1.5. The update adds more waveforms, matching the full library available in the flagship Waverazor synth plugin. Miniraze 1.5 also introduces two new formant filters and 390 sounds, including new patches from synthesists Dash Glitch, Alex Reid, Xenos Soundworks, and Ross Totino. ...   KVR Audio

Daniel Gergely has updated Emergence v1.0.4. The update adds 25 new factory presets and introduces an improved preset browser with tagging, favorites, and search. Factory presets are now installed automatically. The update is free for existing users of the 1.0 version (The older, free version of Emergence is not affected by this update). ...   KVR Audio

The Bob Moog Foundation has announced its winter fundraising raffle featuring a custom-built Eurorack modular synthesizer valued at $24,000. The system is housed in a handcrafted 15U (126 hp) walnut cabinet by Asheville woodcraftsman Chris Perryman (Gold Splinter) and includes 50 Eurorack modules and 11 controllers, all donated from 52 companies. ...   KVR Audio