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Ed Hardy - page 151

Google’s newest Chromecast gets an Apple TV app

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Google Chromecast and Apple TV may see like an odd combination. But they do mix.
Chromecast with Google TV is getting a version of the Apple TV app.
Photo: Google

Users of the Chromecast with Google TV will soon be able to install the Apple TV app. That’ll bring access to Apple’s streaming video service, along with series like Ted Lasso and movies like Wolfwalkers.

This is part of Apple’s efforts to get its video app on as many platforms as possible. Going beyond iPhone Mac, the video software is already on multiple smart TVs, game consoles and more.

Make light fixtures smart with this affordable LED bulb [Review]

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Meross Smart WiFi LED Bulb review
Plug Meross’ smart bulb into any fixture to make it a smart light.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Meross Smart WiFi LED Bulb integrates almost any lamp or light fixture into a HomeKit smart home. It can be controlled with an iPhone, and offers color changing and dimming.

I added a pair to my smart home. Here’s how it went.

Apple TV+ renews Servant for creepy third season

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‘Servant’ Season 2 debuted in January 2021 on Apple TV+.
Servant Season 2 premiers in January but Apple TV+ went ahead and greenlit a third season.

The psychological thriller Servant will be back for a third season. Apple TV+ went ahead and greenlit the next season event though it’s still a month before Season 2 premiers.

The show tells the story of young couple trying to figure out if their lost child has returned from the dead. Of if they’re going mad. Or something worse is happening. It’s what you’d expect from a series with M. Night Shyamalan involved.

Apple owes us a dedicated Apple TV+ app

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Apple owes us a dedicated Apple TV+ app
An updated Apple TV app makes it easier to find Apple TV+ original shows and movies. Slightly easier.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The Apple TV app tries to do too much. It tries to be too much. And this lack of focus damages the Apple TV+ streaming service. Still, a design change in iOS 14.3 and the iPad equivalent makes it just a little bit easier for subscribers to find Apple TV+ shows and movies.

The small tweak doesn’t go far enough, though. It’s only a tiny step in the right direction. What’s truly needed is a dedicated Apple TV+ app.

Apple rolls out big updates for iPhone, Mac, iPad and Apple Watch

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Monday brought iOS 14.3, iPadOS 14.3, macOS Big Sur 11.1, watchOS 7.2 and more.
There are operating system updates for iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.
Photo: Apple

It’s a big day for Apple fans — there are software updates for iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

With an update, iPhone 12 Pro gets support for Apple’s new ProRAW image format. And all iPhone and iPads display new privacy info about third-party apps.

But primarily, the new versions are about adding support for AirPods Max and Apple Fitness+ to a range of operating systems. And bug fixes too.

Help a little girl save animals in Alba: A Wildlife Adventure on Apple Arcade

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‘ Alba: A Wildlife Adventure’
Saving a dolphin is part of Alba: A Wildlife Adventure.
Photo: Ustwo Games

Head off with a little girl as she wanders a Mediterranean island rescuing animals in Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. She’s supposed to be on vacation, but she’s ready to start an environmental movement instead!

The game, which hit Apple Arcade on Friday, is from Ustwo Games, the creator of the classic Monument Valley.

Mystery-thriller The Last Thing He Told Me heads to Apple TV+

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‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ is making the jump from book to Apple TV+.
The Last Thing He Told Me hasn’t reached readers’ hands but an Apple TV+ adaptation is already in the works.
Photo: Simon & Schuster

Julia Roberts is the latest star putting in an appearance on Apple TV+. She’ll reportedly take the lead in an adaptation of the mystery-thriller The Last Thing He Told Me.

Update November 12, 2021: Jennifer Garner has replaced Julia Roberts as the lead in this upcoming series.

macOS Big Sur 11.1 is almost ready [UPDATED]

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macOS Big Sur 11.1 Release Candidate is what Apple used to call a ‘Golden Master.’
The macOS Big Sur 11.1 Release Candidate is likely the last step before a public release.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Update: The wait for macOS Big Sur 11.1 is over. It and operating system updates for quite a few other Apple computers launched Monday.


Apple seeded a macOS Big Sur 11.1 Release Candidate to developers on Thursday. That’s good news for those who hold off upgrading their Mac to each new big new macOS release until after it gets its first major revision.

In addition, there are second release candidates for iOS 14.3 and iPadOS 14.3 available.

This tiny charger powers Mac, iPhone and Apple Watch at once [Review]

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Minix Neo P1 review
A pair of USB-C ports and a USB-A one provide up to 66W of power for your electronics.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Minix Neo P1 uses gallium nitride to pack three powerful USB ports into a tiny wall charger. It can provide up to 66W to an iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch or other gear. And the power adapter is made for travel, with fold-down prongs and adapters for a wide variety of countries.

I tested the Neo P1 with a variety of devices. Here’s how it stood up.

Apple reveals if its own apps live up to promises of privacy

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During the WWDC 2020 keynote, Apple doubled down on its commitment to privacy.
Apple’s own applications will carry privacy labels revealing how they collect and use personal information about users.
Photo: Apple

Apple isn’t exempting itself from a new privacy rule requiring App Store software to reveal how users’ information is used. Even the applications that come pre-installed on iPhone and iPad will display their privacy info in the App Store.

Satechi’s new foldable stand lets an iPad hover over your keyboard

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Satechi Aluminum Foldable Stand launched December 9 on the Apple Store.
Combine the Satechi Aluminum Foldable Stand with a keyboard to make a mobile computer better than a laptop.
Photo: Apple/Satechi

The Apple online store just became the exclusive source of an updated version of Satechi’s foldable iPad stand. This holds a tablet at wide range of heights and viewing angles. And it makes the screen “hover” above a keyboard.

For All Mankind sci-fi drama picked up for stellar third season on Apple TV+

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‘For All Mankind’ season two premiering globally on Apple TV+ on February 19, 2021.
Apple TV+ gave an early season three renewal to For All Mankind.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ is clearly confident about For All Mankind. The alternate-history sci-fi series got a green light for a third season on Tuesday. And that’s months before the second season debuts on Apple’s streaming video service.

The show depicts a different version of the space race — one that begins with the USSR beating the US to the Earth’s moon.

Apple’s autonomous car unit gets a new driver

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The Apple Car won‘t look anything like this. At all.
The Apple autonomous vehicle project is now part of the company’s AI division.
Illustration: Cult of Mac

Apple’s self-driving car division is reportedly on the move, but not in the usual way. The project has been transferred into Apple’s artificial intelligence division.

The reorg comes at the retirement of Bob Mansfield, who’d been managing the company’s not-so-secret autonomous vehicle development.

Mix and match AirPods Max ear cushions for cool color combos

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AirPods Max red and black
This red and black AirPods Max color combo isn’t available from Apple, but you can make it yourself.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Those with very deep pockets can make their AirPods Max colors even more personalized. Ear cushions for the headphones are replaceable and come in a variety of hues. They sure aren‘t cheap, though.

But save some money for a charger, because there’s no power adapter in the box.

iOS 14.3 with ProRAW support for iPhone 12 Pro is nearly here

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iOS 14.3 Release Candidate, iPadOS 14.3Release Candidate, watchOS 7.2 Release Candidate and tvOS 14.3 Release Candidate.
Look at all those Release Candidates. iPhone users can grab iOS 14.3 in less than a week. And iPadOS 14.3, watchOS 7.2 and tvOS 14.3 are nearly here too.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple gave developers early access to iOS 14.3 on Tuesday, which will bring ProRAW support to the iPhone 12 Pro models. Plus, it and the iPad equivalent will give everyone more information about the privacy practices of the apps they use.

Apple also seeded to devs the release candidates for watchOS 7.2 and tvOS 14.3 on Tuesday.

That weird AirPods Max case gives jokesters plenty of ammo

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AirPods Max or AirPods Bra. You decide. The internet happily points out the ... quirks in the AirPods Max design.
The internet happily points out the ... quirks in the AirPods Max design.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

After Apple unveiled AirPods Max this morning, the internet jumped quickly into mockery mode. The pricey over-the-ears headphones come with a case that lots of jokesters think looks like a bra.

And that’s just the start.

Transfer iPhone photos to hard drive to free up space with OWC Copy That

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OWC Copy That is a free image-transfer app for iOS and iPadOS.
Move multiple iPhone or iPad photos and videos to an external drive with ease using OWC Copy That.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

OWC’s just-released Copy That application frees up space on iPhone or iPad by transferring images or videos to external drives. Alternatively, it can easily back up an collection of these files.

And it’s free, with an in-app purchase for extra features.

HomePod 14.2.1 software update fixes bugs

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HomePod Software Version 14.2.1 is out.
HomePod owners can install an update to Software Version 14.2.1.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Both sizes of Apple’s smart speaker got an update to HomePod Software Version 14.2.1 on Monday. The new system software promises just general improvements. It’s not yet known if that includes squashing a reported bug in Wi-Fi connectivity for the HomePod mini.

Interesting Apple Watch concept totally rethinks a basic feature

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An Apple Watch concept gets complications out of the way
What if your Apple Watch face was pristine because the complications were hidden out of the way?
Screenshot: A Better Computer

Apple Watch offers watch faces that’s do much more than tell time. But a user thinks the extra snippets of information — called complications — junk up the appearance of the wearable. They created an Apple Watch concept that moves them off the display and onto the pop-up window that’s currently the Control Center.

After mocking Apple, Samsung stops including chargers with phones

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No Samsung charger for you!
Samsung buyers could soon wave goodbye to a free wireless charger and headphones.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Samsung is copying Apple again. The Galaxy S21 series reportedly will not come with a wall charger or a pair of headphones when the new top-tier handset debuts in January.

This despite Samsung mocking Apple in October for leaving these accessories out of the iPhone 12 box.

Apple TV focused on gaming won’t launch Tuesday [Updated]

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An Apple TV made for gaming could be announced December 8
Apple TV can play games, not just video. New hardware focused on gaming could be in development but not out soon.
Photo: Cult of Mac

A faster version of the Apple TV set top box apparently isn’t going to unveiled Tuesday morning, despite significant speculation.

Apple is reportedly going to launch something on December 8, and earlier today a noted leaker seemed to hint about it being new Apple TV hardware. But that’s now been retracted, and other sources have stated that whatever gets announced tomorrow, it won‘t be an Apple TV.

UPDATE: Apple took the wraps off AirPods Max headphones and Apple Fitness+ on December 8.