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Ed Hardy - page 143

Tiny iPhone and iPad charger will surprise you with its power [Review]

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Aukey Minima 18W PD Charger
Aukey’s 18W USB-C power adapter has definite advantages over Apple’s offerings.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Aukey makes a USB-C charger that’s about as small at the standard 5 watt iPhone charger but provides far more power. The Minima 18W PD Charger can quickly juice up an Apple phone or tablet, as well as other devices. With it, that old 5W charger can go in a drawer where it belongs.

It’s a low-cost option, plus I tested the product with an iPhone and an iPad so you can be sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

Not just you: Apple suffers massive iCloud outage [Updated]

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if you use an iCloud service, there’s a good chance it’s down right now.
Many of Apple’s most-used online services went offline Wednesday.
Image: Cult of Mac

Apple reports that virtually all its iCloud services are down Wednesday. That includes very frequently used ones like Drive, Contacts, Keychain and Mail. And many more.

UPDATE: Apple restored all its services, though it took most of Wednesday.

Check your credit limit before preordering Kensington’s StudioDock for iPad

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The Kensington StudioDock was named a CES 2021 Innovation Awards Honoree.
Kensington StudioDock could be the iPad productivity tool you’re looking for.
Photo: Kensington

iPad users wowed by Kensington’s StudioDock at CES 2021 should be happy to hear it took a big step toward release on Wednesday. It’s now possible to preorder this stand that boasts an extensive collection of built-in ports and wireless charging mats. The product is good enough to take home a CES 2021 Innovations Award.

On the other side of the coin, Kensington is just now revealing the price. And it’s not cheap.

First macOS 11.3 beta brings tweaks to Safari and Reminders

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First macOS 11.3 beta brings tweaks to Safari and Reminders
Those in the Apple Developer Program can begin testing macOS Big Sur 11.3.
Image: Cult of Mac

A mere day after the release of a fresh macOS version, Apple went ahead and seeded to developers macOS 11.3 beta 1. The company isn’t one to sit on its hands.

The new beta includes small improvments to Safari and Reminders. And enhancements to a range of other features too. Plus bug fixes, of course.

Cupertino poaches Porsche chassis expert for Apple car

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The Apple Car could be partially designed by a man who designed this Porsche.
A man who helped design this Porsche is allegedly now working on the Apple Car.
Photo: Porsche

Apple reportedly hired Manfred Harrer for its top-secret self-driving vehicle project. It’s a telling move because Harrer previously was head of chassis development at Porsche. This is a clear sign that the Mac-maker is planning an Apple car, not simply an autonomous vehicle system to be licensed to automakers.

Apple developing mystery health hardware products

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Probably not the Apple health hardware products in development.
Probably not this.
Screenshot: NBCUniversal

A job posting leaves no room for doubt that Apple plans more health-related devices. The company seeks to hire a project manager to develop “Apple-branded Health Hardware products.”

The company doesn’t have anything like this now. It’s instead mostly concentrated on building wellness features into Apple Watch, iPhone and AirPods. And selling third-party health devices.

macOS Big Sur 11.2 brings Mac Bluetooth fix

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macOS 11.2, the latest version of Big Sur, includes a range of bug fixes.
Apple called special attention to a Bluetooth bug fix in its release notes for macOS 11.2.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.2 to the public Monday, bringing more reliable Bluetooth connections. That should warm the hearts of those using recently released Macs built around Apple’s first-generation M-series processor.

The Mac update brings other bug fixes as well, but the release notes make no mention of new features.

Facebook will try to convince iPhone users to let themselves be tracked

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Your iPhone will soon offer a bit more privacy.
Facebook will try to talk users into hitting the “allow” button when asked if they can be tracked. Apple will add this pop-up to help users protect their privacy.
Graphic: Apple

Facebook is going to take a shot at persuading users to skip the “do not track” button that Apple will soon require iPhone application to display. The pop-up is designed to protect user privacy, but the Facebook app will offer its own pop-up screen explaining the benefits of targeted advertising before users are given the option to opt out of being tracked.

Here’s why you can’t trust App Store ‘nutrition labels’ … yet

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privacy WWDC
Apple talks a lot about user privacy, but its App Store privacy “nutrition labels” need some work.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new privacy “nutrition labels” in the App Store might not be as useful as hoped. Spot checks by a Washington Post writer turned up applications with incorrect information.

The basic problem? Apple asked developers to describe their own privacy practices. And some of them were less than honest.

Dodge giant doughnuts in Populus Run on Apple Arcade

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‘Populus Run’ zoomed onto Apple Arcade on Friday.
Populus Run is a curious take on diet and exercise.
Photo: FiftyTwo

Populus Run isn’t a typical running game. Players control a group of people, not a single runner. And, oh yeah, you have to evade gigantic fast food and engage in rap battles. Because games.

The title zoomed onto the Apple Arcade subscription service on Friday.

Stellar growth for iPad part of a burgeoning tablet market

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There are no iPad or iPhone purchases limits
Apple sales in the 2020 holiday quarter were very strong.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

iPad shipments shot up 40% during the last quarter of 2020, according to a market research firm. And the whole tablet market increased dramatically.

This growth helped Apple hold onto its place as the world’s second largest computer maker.

Combine iPhone MagSafe and Apple Watch chargers into one attractive tray [Review]

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Elago Charging Tray Duo for MagSafe review
Reduce clutter with the Elago Charging Tray Duo, which holds Apple MagSafe iPhone and Apple Watch chargers.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Elago Charging Tray Duo adds color to your MagSafe and Apple Watch chargers. And brings them together into a single unit for your office or bedside.

I added this accessory to my home. Here’s how well it works in real life use.

iPhone 13 might offer double the storage capacity

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The iPhone 13 notch could go on a diet.
The iPhone 13 might have more storage but less screen cutout.
Artist Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 13 is in the prototype phase, and some of those prototypes include 1TB of storage capacity, according to a reliable tipster. That’s twice as much as is available in the current model.

The same source says Apple is still working to decease the size of the iPhone notch.

Facebook’s spat with Apple keeps getting uglier

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Facebook’s spat with Apple keeps getting uglier
Facebook continues to attack Apple, with the social-networking giant accusing Apple of unfair business practices.
Photo: PxHere

The war of words between Facebook and Apple heated up further on Wednesday, with the Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stating, “we increasingly see Apple as one of our biggest competitors.” And the rivalry between the might be headed to court, with the social-networking giant accusing Apple of using the App Store to disadvantage rivals.

1 billion iPhones and other mind-blowing tidbits from Apple’s blowout earnings call

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Apple roars through another record-setting financial quarter, with a massive $111.4 billion in revenue for Q1 2021.
Apple roars through another record-setting financial quarter. Here’s what the number mean.
Image: Vista Wei/Unsplash CC/Cult of Mac

The results of each Apple financial quarter somehow keep topping the one before. This time, the big news is that revenue blew past $100 billion for the first time, buoyed by record-breaking sales of iPhone and other products.

But there’s more to Apple’s announcement than a parade of figures. Here’s what all those number mean for the company, and for users, based on what Apple’s top brass told investors on Wednesday.

Strong iPhone 12 sales fuel record $111.4 billion quarter for Apple

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Apple’s financial results were all the company could ask for.
Multiple products contributed to Apple having a stellar financial results last quarter.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

As a company, Apple is firing on all cylinders. It pulled in record revenue from iPhone, Wearables and Services during its most-recent financial quarter. And there was healthy growth in Mac and iPad revenue too.

Total quarterly revenue hit 111.4 billion, up 21% year over year. This is the first time Cupertino broke $100 billion, a milestone few companies reach.

Apple forces Google’s iPhone apps to stop tracking users online

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Google
Millions in Britain wants $1000 each because they claim Google invaded their privacy
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Google’s iOS applications will comply with Apple’s App Tracking Transparency policy, according to a blog post from the company on Wednesday. That means these applications won‘t have to specifically ask users to permit the app to track them online.

Apple’s ATT policy hasn’t gone into effect yet, but it’ll give iPhone and iPad users more privacy. And it’s expected to cost advertisers billions.

Pandemic spending spree might lift Apple to record $100 billion quarter

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Apple will reveal how well the iPhone 12 is selling on January 27
Apple quarterly earnings will be revealed on Wednesday, along with an executive call to investors that will reveal much more about the iPhone 12 launch.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Working and schooling from home has led to a rush of computer purchases, to Apple’s benefit. The Mac-maker is set to reveal the results of its most-recent financial quarter on Wednesday, and analysts predict quarterly revenue will break through the $100 billion mark for the first time.

EasyPencil Plus is like Apple Pencil lite [Review]

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SwitchEasy EasyPencil Plus review: Inexpensive iPad stylus
This isn’t an Apple Pencil, though the SwitchEasy EasyPencil Plus looks much like Apple’s iPad stylus.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The SwitchEasy EasyPencil Plus is an iPad stylus that does most of what Apple Pencil does for a lot less money. It even magnetically clings to the iPad Pro, and works with a broad variety of Apple tablets.

I used the stylus for taking notes, sketching and photo editing. Here’s how it stood up to my everyday life.

HomePod mini music handoffs just got better

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HomePod Software Version 14.4 debuted January 26.
The littlest HomePod isn’t being overlooked.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The recently released HomePod mini got a raft of new features in a software update released Tuesday. The process of handing off songs from an iPhone to the smart speaker now comes with some visual, audio and haptic effects. And media controls automatically appear on the iPhone when it nears the diminutive HomePod.