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Ed Hardy - page 103

Add 3 HDMI or DisplayPort monitors to your Mac with this USB-C docking station [Review]

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Plugable UD-6950PDZ Docking Station review
Plugable’s latest USB-C hub lets you add a trio of monitors, and it sports six USB-A ports.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Plugable UD-6950PDZ Docking Station includes a trio 4K HDMI Ports and the same number of 4K DisplayPort ports. These allow users to mix and match up to three monitors. That includes M1 MacBooks that natively support only one.

The USB-C dock also includes half a dozen USB-A ports, Ethernet and more.

I put this powerful accessory through a battery of hands-on tests to see how it performed. And it lived up to my expectations.

Apple App Store, iCloud, other services go offline in major outage [Updated]

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Not just you: Several Apple online services are having ‘issues’
Many of Apple’s most-used services went offline early Monday, but things seem to be getting back to normal.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Mabel Amber/Pexels CC

Update: About two hours after various Apple services experienced widespread problems Monday, the company reported that things should be back online.

It’s not just you: Many Apple services are offline Monday. The outage affects 23 of Apple services, including many high-profile ones that users depend upon. The list of Apple services disrupted includes the App Store, iCloud, Apple Maps and Apple Music.

Apple Watch saves Florida woman’s life by calling 911 after hard fall

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Apple Watch fall detection works on Series 4 and Series 5.
Apple Watch fall detection can save you if you’re knocked unconscious.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Raylene Hackenwerth received an Apple Watch as a gift.. a gift that she says saved her life. The wearable called 911 for her after it detected she had taken a very bad fall. And that’s just the start.

Fall detection is a feature of every model since Apple Watch Series 4.

Why Mac Studio looks odd, and what Apple should have done instead

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Here's how Apple should have made Mac Studio’s front ports
This isn’t what the Mac Studio looks like. But it should be.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Mac Studio looks just a bit… off. It’s the three front-facing ports. They aren‘t arranged like they should be. The SD card slot makes a horizontal line, but the two USB-C ports are vertical.

It’s an unusual miss for a company that’s typically obsessed with tiny design details.

Clever iPad stylus defends itself against germs [Review]

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Targus Antimicrobial Active Stylus for iPad review
The Targus Antimicrobial Active Stylus for iPad makes a great addition to an iPad, no matter where you take it.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Targus Antimicrobial Active Stylus for iPad resists up to 99.9% of bacterial growth for the life of the product. That’s one less thing to worry about while you’re taking notes or sketching on your tablet.

I tested this stylus with my iPad Pro to be sure it’s up to the job. Here’s why the extra features Targus built in make me quite pleased with it.

Kids learn to make life an adventure with Pinecone & Pony on Apple TV+ in April

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Kids learn to make life an adventure with ‘Pinecone & Pony’ on Apple TV+ in April
Pinecone & Pony set off for adventure April 8 on Apple TV+.
Photo: DreamWorks Animation/Apple TV+

DreamWorks Animation created Pinecone & Pony, the animated adventure of a girl learning that there’s more than one way to be a warrior. The series for kids and families premieres on Apple TV+ on April 8.

A trailer for the upcoming series gives a taste of the fun to come.

Launch of much-anticipated home-automation standard Matter delayed again

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Matter is a new interoperable homer automation standard back by Apple, Amazon, Google and m ore.
Matter is going to… matter to fans of home automation.
Photo: Connectivity Standards Alliance

The release date for the Matter standard has been pushed back to fall of 2022. Previously, Apple and the rest of the Connectivity Standards Alliance had hoped to launch the cross-platform home-automation standard much earlier in the year.

A primary goal is interoperability, allowing accessories to connect to HomeKit, Alexa, Google Home, etc. Matter might finally make smart homes more common… even mainstream.

Mac Studio review roundup: Insane power in a small desktop

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Mac Studio review roundup: Insane power in a small desktop
Mac Studio offers better performance than Mac Pro. But there’s at least one major drawback.
Photo: Apple

The powerful Mac Studio desktop first reaches customers on Friday, but the initial reviews are out to answer any lingering questions about Apple’s latest macOS desktop.

This is supposed to be Apple’s new mid-range desktop, but hands-on tests show it beats the 2019 Mac Pro hands down.

YouTube still doesn’t offer promised picture-in-picture feature on iPhone

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YouTube picture-in-picture may finally be close to full iPhone support
The long, long wait for YouTube picture-in-picture support for iPhone could be near its end.
Graphic: YouTube

YouTube has once again pushed back the date when it will apparently follow through on its promise to allow all iPhone users to watch video from its application in a small window while another app is open. The feature is already available for YouTube Premium subscribers, but it in beta testing, and that is scheduled to end on April 8. So that’s that next date that picture-in-picture could become available for all iPhone users.

When it finally launches, PiP will make YouTube videos easier to enjoy because they’ll allow people to use their iPhone to multitask while also watching.

Proposed UK law makes ‘cyberflashing’ via AirDrop a crime

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Proposed UK law makes ‘cyberflashing’ via AirDrop a crime
Cyberflashing could put you behind bars in the UK. That includes using AirDrop to do it.
Image: Cult of Mac/Icons8

Cyberflashing, sharing unsolicited sexual image via social media, could soon be a crime in the U.K. That specifically includes using Apple’s AirDrop to send a nearby stranger a picture of your junk.

Just… don’t do it. For a lot of reasons. Including the fact that you don’t want to spend up to two years in prison.

Major update to Slack for iPad revamps user interface

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Major update to Slack for iPad revamps users interface
Slack for iPad works more like the desktop version.
Graphic: Slack

Slack promises a “major update” for the iPad version of its application. It mixes the mobile and desktop versions into a design suited for a tablet.

With so many people working from home, iPad has become a computer millions depend on for their jobs. And Slack is a part of the daily routine for many of them, leading to complaints about the design of the previous version.

Floating app windows could be coming to iPad. Finally.

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Floating app windows could be coming to iPad. Finally.
Apple is allegedly working to make this dream into a reality.
Illustration: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPad users will soon be able to work with applications in floating windows, if an unconfirmed report is correct. This is a highly requested feature from those who want Apple’s tablet to function more like a Mac.

iPadOS will supposedly offer something like tablet mode and laptop mode depending on how it is being used.

Lucky shopper receives Mac Studio days early

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Lucky shopper receives Mac Studio days early
Turns out not everyone has to wait until Friday to receive a Mac Studio.
Photo: Simon/Mac4Ever

The Mac Studio is scheduled to start reaching customers on March 18. But a fortunate Frenchman got his Tuesday, three days early!

Seems a store in France missed the note from Apple about not shipping until later in the week.

Brilliant MagSafe power bank cuts cables with two-way charging [Review]

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OtterBox Wireless Power Bank for MagSafe review
With double the MagSafe, this power bank from OtterBox both sends and receives power wirelessly.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The OtterBox Wireless Power Bank for MagSafe doubles down on wireless charging. It clings magnetically to your iPhone while charging it, and the external battery also magnetically attaches to MagSafe chargers to receive power. And it can do both at the same time. There are versions with 3,000mAh and 5,000 mAh of capacity.

I tested the MagSafe accessory with my iPhone 13, and I’m pleased with how well it works.

Apple Car team was ‘dissolved’ but vehicle still coming in 2025

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Making a car could produce a massive windfall for Apple.
An Apple autonomous vehicle could still be on the road in just a few years, despite a reorg of the development team.
Photo: Possessed Photography/Unsplash CC

The group at Apple developing a self-driving electric car has been “dissolved for some time,” according to a reliable source of insider information. But the project supposedly hasn’t been canceled — it’s undergoing a reorganization.

This is likely a reflection of the many difficulties Apple has run into with this very complex project.

iPad Air 5 is every bit as fast as iPad Pro

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iPad Air and iPad Pro
iPad Pro does not have better performance than iPad Air 5.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Early benchmark scores for the soon-to-be-released iPad Air 5 show the tablet has approximately the same performance as the iPad Pro models that cost much more.

That’s not a surprise considering the new Air has the same M1 processor as the Pro.

This powerful Wi-Fi 6 router is amazingly affordable [Review]

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Rock Space AX1800 WiFi 6 Router review
The Rock Space AX1800 WiFi 6 Router is quite capable despite a bargain price.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest version of the wireless networking standard we all love. It’s so much better than its predecessor you should think about upgrading your router just to get it. Especially because the change won‘t be as expensive as you might expect because the Rock Space AX1800 WiFi 6 Router is just $80.

At that price, I was a bit suspicious that the device. But I’m a believer. I used this Wi-Fi access point in my home office for nearly two weeks and have no complaints.

27-inch iMac could be stuck in limbo

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The 2020 iMac could like a bit like this.
The 27-inch iMac Pro is/is not about to launch.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The 27-inch iMac is gone from Apple’s lineup. And it’s not clear when it’s coming back. Or if it will return at all.

One new leak claims that Apple has dropped plans to make a larger iMac. Another says development goes on, but the all-in-one desktop won‘t be out for a long time.

Some iPhone 14 models might miss out on Apple’s new A16 processor

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Every iPhone 14 model will have a ProMotion display and 6GB of RAM
Apple might limit its new A16 processor to only iPhone 14 Pro models.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The basic iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will launch this fall with the same A15 processor as the 2021 models, according to a reliable tipster. Supposedly, only the pricier iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will sport a new A16 chip.

If true, it’ll be a move Apple has never used before.

Batter up! Friday Night Baseball starts April 8 on Apple TV+

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Apple TV+ scores Friday night baseball
Apple TV+ will stream Friday night baseball games as soon as these are available again.
Photo: Apple

In the wake of MLB team owners and players patching up their differences, Apple TV+ announced Friday that it’ll be streaming some of the first baseball games of the 2022 season. And every week thereafter until the playoffs.

Beginning April 8, Friday Night Baseball on Apple’s streaming service will be a weekly doubleheader with live pre- and postgame shows.And it won‘t require a subscription. At least not at first.