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Ed Hardy - page 104

Why you should turn off Activation Lock when selling your AirPods

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How to turn off Activation Lock when selling your AirPods. And Why.
You must turn off Activation Lock when you sell your AirPods. Here’s why, and how.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple added Find My to AirPods in 2021, and it’s causing problems for resellers of these wireless headphones. Many people are unaware that their AirPods now support Activation Lock, which means they are locked to their user’s Apple ID. This must be deactivated when selling or giving the devices away or no one else can use them.

Here’s how to turn off Activation Lock on your AirPods.

YouTube picture-in-picture rolling out for all iPhone users [Update: NOPE]

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YouTube Picture in Picture is back. At least for now.
Watching a YouTube video in Picture in Picture is back!
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

YouTube said Sunday that it is rolling out picture-in-picture support for all users of its iOS app. Then it walked the announcement back on Monday. A mixup by a support person is the problem.

The convenient feature has been in beta testing for many months, and some people say they’ve begun getting access to the non-beta version several days ago. But not according to YouTube.

Apple employees must begin dragging their sad asses back to the office

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Apple Park Close up
Apple Park will soon be humming with busy employees again.
Photo: Apple

Monday is the day Apple requires its corporate employees to start working in the office some of the time. The pandemic era when most of them could work from home all the time is over.

But everyone doesn’t have to be back in the office five days a week starting today. This is the beginning of a transition period, after which many workers will still be able to work from home a couple days of every week.

For All Mankind season 3 rockets to Mars this June on Apple TV+

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‘For All Mankind’ season 3 rockets to Mars this June on Apple TV+
The third season of For All Mankind moves forward a decade in time and blasts off for the Red Planet.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ revealed that For All Mankind season 3 will premiere in June, with the alternate-history sci-fi series headed for Mars.

A teaser trailer gives a first look at the new frontier the show will explore.

Upgrade your HomeKit setup with this Thread-compatible smart plug [Review]

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Wemo Smart Plug with Thread
The Wemo Smart Plug with Thread is both simple and advanced, offering home automation with mesh networking.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Insert the Wemo Smart Plug with Thread into any wall socket and you can use HomeKit to control any plug-in appliance with your iPhone. It’s easy. Plus, this gadget (obviously) offers Thread mesh networking, the future of smart home tech.

I tested in my own home. Here’s why there’s a lot to like.

Mac shipments grow even as PC market declines

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M-series Macs
People are buying plenty of Macs, despite a slowdown in PC shipments.
Photo: Apple

Mac shipments grew 4.3% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2022. But its biggest rivals dropped — HP shipments plunged almost 18%, for example.

The pandemic boom in computer sales is slowing, but it’s affecting Apple less.

Elon Musk flip-flops on joining Twitter board

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A new Twitter threaded conversation layout might declutter the tweet machine.
Elon Musk changed his mind about joining the Twitter board of directors shortly before joining it.
Image: Twitter

Elon Musk is not going to be on the Twitter board of directors, despite what was announced a few days ago. The Twitter CEO says the change is “for the best.”

Musk is retaining his 9.2% stake in the company, though. And he’s has shown a lot of enthusiasm about Twitter recently. Why he’s not joining its board is unclear.

How to watch It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown on Apple TV+

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How to watch ‘It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown’ on Apple TV+
Apple TV+ subscribers can now watch It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. It’s easy.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Nothing says springtime is here like a visit from the Easter Beagle. Snoopy and his friends are back in It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown, showing now on Apple TV+. Watch now to enjoy this and many other Peanuts holiday specials on Apple’s streaming video service.

Here’s what you need to watch it.

These 3 hits prove Apple TV+ is a serious streaming contender

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3 hits show Apple TV+ is now a serious streaming contender
CODA, Slow Horses and Severance are popular because they are some of the best streaming shows available.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

CODA, Severance and Slow Horses all showed up in this week’s top 10 most-watched movies and TV shows. Each is from Apple TV+, and they show the streaming service has become a strong competitor against Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.

Perhaps this will silence any lingering doubts about Apple’s foray into film and TV.

Apple preps power adapter with gasp! two USB-C ports

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Apple prepping power adapter with (gasp!) two USB-C ports
The Apple Dual USB-C Port 35W Power Adapter might look something like this.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly about to release a power adapter with dual USB-C ports, not just one. It’s hardly cutting-edge — accessory makers have offered similar wall chargers for years. But it’s good news for those who prefer Apple-branded gear.

There’ve been rumors Apple is going to start using gallium nitride in its chargers. A dual-port one might be a sign this is finally happening.

Collect and race gorgeous supercars in Gear.Club Stradale on Apple Arcade

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Collect and race gorgeous supercars in ‘Gear.Club Stradale’ on Apple Arcade
Put the pedal to the metal in Gear.Club Stradale, now on Apple Arcade.
Photo: Eden Games/Apple Arcade

Take a long holiday in a gorgeous villa with all the time in the world to drive beautiful supercars. We can’t do it in reality, but we can in Gear.Club Stradale. The multiplayer racing game for a variety of platforms zoomed onto Apple Arcade on Friday.

In addition, the Sega classic Sonic Dash also made the jump to Apple’s gaming subscription service.

How to watch Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ for free

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How to watch Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ for free
You can watch Friday Night Baseball on any Apple computer, or use a Roku, PC or smart TV. Here’s how.
Photo: Cult of Mac

When it premieres today, Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ won‘t require a subscription. And it’ll stay that way for a while. The show presents two marquee games a week, along with live pre- and postgame coverage.

Here’s how to watch baseball games on Apple’s streaming service for free — without needing an Apple device or an Apple TV+ subscription.

Apple admits its iPhone apps don’t always win popularity contests

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App Store
A study commissioned by Apple indicates that third-party iPhone apps are often more popular than Apple’s own.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Plenty of third-party iPhone applications outperform Apple’s own on the App Store. That’s the conclusion of a report commissioned by Apple itself. The iPhone-maker’s offerings don’t even come in second place in categories like music streaming, navigation and instant messaging.

This might sound embarrassing for Apple, but the company has a reason to tout the strength of rival software.

Tom Hiddleston will trek across Antartica in Apple TV+ series The White Darkness

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Tom Hiddleston will trek across Antartica in Apple TV+ series ‘The White Darkness’
Tom Hiddleston will take off the Loki costume to star in the upcoming Apple Original series The White Darkness.
Photo: Apple TV+

Tom Hiddleston will soon be a familiar face on Apple TV+. On Thursday, the streaming service green lit his limited series The White Darkness. It will be based on a real-life adventure exploring Antarctica.

The actor already filmed The Essex Serpent for Apple TV+, which is expected to debut on the streaming service this spring.

iWork 12 adds features to better compete with Microsoft Office

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iWork 12 adds features to better compete with Microsoft Office
All the iWork 12.0 applications for iPad and iPad let users edit font sizes more precisely.
Screenshot: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The just-released Pages 12.0, Numbers 12.0 and Keynote 12.0 offer a variety of new features, including much finer control over font sizes in the iPad and iPhone versions.

And there are additional new features available in all versions of the iWork suite, including the one for Mac.

iPad with OLED display pegged for 2024

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Here's more proof iPad will get gorgeous OLED screens
An iPad with a beautiful OLED display seems inevitable at this point. It’s only a question of when.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The first iPad with an OLED display could be in customers’ hands in 2024, according to new report.

There’ve been enough previous leaks pointing to Apple switching at least some of its tablets from standard LCDs to OLEDs that it’s become a question of when, not if.

Wow, this stunning iPad drawing isn’t a photo

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iPad art: Wow, this stunning iPad drawing isn’t a photo
It’s amazing what can be created with an iPad, Apple Pencil and Procreate.
Photo: Apple/Greg Joswiak/Cult of Mac

Greg “Joz” Joswiak, Apple’s marketing chief, shared an image of a surprised young girl today. It looks like a photo, but the image was instead drawn by an Apple employee using an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.

Check Joswiak‘s post for the full image. And never doubt that iPad is a serious tool for creating amazing art.

Apple resumes beta testing upcoming iOS and macOS versions [Updated]

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Apple resumes beta testing upcoming iOS and macOS versions
Developers got their first look at macOS 12.4, iOS 15.5 and more on Tuesday. And the public could join in starting Wednesday.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

After a three-week hiatus, Apple seeded to developers beta versions of all its operating systems on Tuesday. That includes macOS Monterey 12.4, iOS 15.5 and more. On Wednesday, the public was also given the option to test these.

These pre-release versions for iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, etc. first came out on the same day Apple announced the date for its WWDC Developers Conference. Beta testing for the five just-released OS versions is expected to end around the same time as the conference.

YouTube may be rolling out picture-in-picture feature for all iPhone users

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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

Looks like YouTube might have begun rolling out picture-in-picture support for all users of its iOS app. A Cult of Mac reader reports the feature started working on his iPhone on Wednesday, and he’s not a YouTube Premium subscriber.

Beta testing for the PiP feature is scheduled to end April 8, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the rollout had already begun.

Creepy hit Severance is coming back to Apple TV+ for second season

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Creepy hit ‘Severance’ is coming back to Apple TV+ for second season
Good news: More Severance is on the way!
Image: Apple TV+

 Apple TV+ today committed to a second season of Severance, a series popular with viewers and critics alike. That’s good news for fans, as they’ll be able to keep unraveling the mysteries of Lumon Industries.

Season one wraps up April 7, so those who’ve held off watching until they could binge the show can soon dive in. Fans of mind-bending storytelling, like that of Matt Colville, will be thrilled to hear that Apple TV+ has renewed Severance for a third season.

Apple just can’t resist BS like its $129 Thunderbolt cable

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Apple just can’t resist BS like its $129 Thunderbolt cable. This Apple cord costs about twice what it ought to. But there are good alternatives at reasonable prices.
This Apple cord costs about twice what it ought to. But there are good alternatives at reasonable prices.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Apple Tax is real. Apple really does overcharge for some of its products. Nowhere is that clearer than with Apple’s 1.8-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable that costs double what it should.

But you don’t have to pay the tax. Not for high-quality cables, anyway. I tested 2-meter Thunderbolt cables from OWC and Plugable to show they do the job for a lot less money.

Unreal Engine 5 launches to make games more awesome

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Unreal Engine 5 launches to make games more awesome
This is what games can look like with Unreal Engine 5.
Image: Epic Games

Epic Games gave developers access to Unreal Engine 5, the next generation of its tool for creating 3D games. It offers “a collection of groundbreaking features for rendering real-time worlds in incredible high-fidelity detail.”

The new version of this software-development environment released Tuesday replaces Unreal Engine 4, which has been around since 2014. It’s used in many Mac, iPhone and/or iPad games, including Injustice 2 and Darkness Rises.

WWDC22 starts June 6, will be ‘online-only’ (with a twist)

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Mark your calendars! WWDC 2022 happens online on June 6, 2022.
Mark your calendars!
Image: Apple
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

The 2022 iteration of Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference will start June 6. Apple promised Tuesday the event will showcase the latest innovations in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — which is code for unveiling the next major upgrades for these operating systems.

WWDC22 will be online-only for most people, but a fortunate few developers and students will be able to watch the keynote from Apple Park.

Credit card-size item tracker supports Apple’s brilliant ‘Find My’ network [Review]

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Credit card-size item tracker supports Apple’s brilliant ‘Find My’ network [Review]
The Chipolo Card Spot is the size of an Apple Card, and helps you find you misplaced wallet.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Think of the Chipolo Card Spot as a very flat AirTag. Put either device into something valuable and you’ll be able to locate it with your iPhone, whether it’s lost in your home or out in the world. But the Card Spot is slim enough to go into your wallet — don’t attempt that with an AirTag.

I tried out Chipolo’s latest item tracker with support for the Find My network to see how well it survives daily use. And it came through with flying colors.

Trailer for Apple TV+ Prehistoric Planet dinosaur documentary looks stunning

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Trailer for Apple TV+ ‘Prehistoric Planet’ dinosaur documentary looks stunning
The five-episode Prehistoric Planet dinosaur documentary will premiere on Apple TV+ in late May.
Graphic: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ on Monday gave the first glimpse at Prehistoric Planet, its highly anticipated series of documentaries focusing on dinosaurs and other ancient animals. It’ll be narrated by Sir David Attenborough, and produced by Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton.

The eye-popping trailer shows off the series’ photorealistic visual effects from MPC (The Lion King, The Jungle Book).