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Ed Hardy - page 154

This mobile charger quickly juices up MacBook and iPhone simultaneously [Review]

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Aukey Omnia Mix3 Charger review
The Aukey Omnia Mix3 Charger is smaller than Apple’s MacBook one, but boasts 3x as many ports.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Aukey Omnia Mix3 90W 3-Port PD Charger can juice up your MacBook Pro at nearly full speed. Or it can power your iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch all at the same time.

Since Apple stopped bundling chargers with its iPhones, but they do come with a Lightning to USB-C cable, now is a good time to consider a multi-port USB-C solution like this one.

I put the Aukey wall charger to the test powering up my devices. Read on to see how well it did.

Pick up these gold-plated AirPods Max for a mere $108,000

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Caviar takes Apple products and makes them even more expensive.
Caviar saw the complaints about the AirPods Max’s $550 price and said “Hold my beer.”
Photo: Caviar

The $550 price tag for Apple’s AirPods Max raised no few eyebrows, but the Russian luxury brand Caviar blows that out of the water. It just launched a version of these over-the-ear headphones that is 200x more expensive.

Apple Car might not drive off the lot before 2028

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An Apple Car is supposedly in development, though it probably won‘t look anything like this.
A driverless vehicle from Apple might not hit the roads for close to a decade.
Graphic: hatzfeld/Pixabay CC/Cult of Mac

A respected Apple analyst and prognosticator threw cold water on recent reports about a future Apple Car arriving in the next few years. Ming-Chi Kuo says it’s possible a self-driving vehicle from Apple could land in 2025, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the launch doesn’t happen before 2028.

Get ready for 2021 with Happy New Year, Charlie Brown on Apple TV+

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The Peanuts New Year‘s Eve special is now on Apple TV+.
Charlie Brown, Snoopy and their friends gather for New Year’s Eve.
Screenshot: Apple

Say goodbye to 2020 with the help of Snoopy and his friends. Apple TV+ is now showing Happy New Year, Charlie Brown.

It’s one of many holiday specials appearing on Apple’s streaming video service, which is now the home of all things Peanuts.

iPad needs an M-series processor to reach full potential

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iPad needs an M-series processor to reach full potential
An iPad with an Apple M-series processor should be able to run the Mac version of Photoshop. But not macOS.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Future iPads will be built around Apple’s M-series Mac processors, rather than A-series iPhone chips, according to a recent unconfirmed report. This is a much-needed step in Apple tablets becoming all they can be.

A more powerful processor would allow iPads to easily run macOS software. And that’s just one of the game-changing improvements possible for tablets with M-series chips.

Apple turned down offer to buy Tesla on the cheap

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The Tesla Model 3 is the company’s sedan
When Tesla was struggling to launch the Model 3, the CEO investigated selling the company to Apple.
Photo: Tesla

Apple could have bought electric automaker Tesla at a bargain price, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. But Apple’s chief executive wasn’t interested.

Musk revealed this historic bombshell Tuesday, alongside his comments on a recent report about Apple’s plans for a self-driving vehicle.

Future iPads could get big boost from M-series Mac processor

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An iPad with an M-series chip could happen in 2022..
iPads could be so much faster running Apple M-series Mac processors.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple could be preparing to dramatically improve the performance of its iPads. The company reportedly will start building its tablets with the same M-series chips that go into the company’s laptops and desktops.

These will be produced by Apple’s chip maker TSMC, which is moving ahead with developing 3nm processors. Its first production units will reportedly be M-series chips for Macs. And these processors will also allegedly be used in future iPad models.

Connect AirPods to almost anything with AirFly Pro [Review]

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Twelve South AirFly Pro with AirPods Pro
Twelve South AirFly Pro is the perfect companion for AirPods Pro.
Photo: Twelve South

AirFly Pro can wirelessly connect your AirPods to a plane’s entertainment system. Or the machines at your gym. If it has a 3.5 mm audio jack, this Bluetooth adapter lets it communicate with your AirPods. Even two pairs at once.

And the same easily pocketable gizmo can connect your iPhone to a car stereo’s AUX port to play music off your iPhone.

I tested both these features — find out how well they work in this AirFly Pro review.

How to customize a game controller for iPhone or iPad

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How to customize a game controller for iPhone or iPad
Reconfiguring the buttons on an PS4 or Xbox game controller connected to an iPad or iPhone is easy. Here’s how.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Serious gaming on your iPad or iPhone gets better with an external Xbox or PlayStation controller instead of a touchscreen. And Apple recently improved the experience even more by allowing you to reconfigure the buttons on your game controller.

Here’s how to customize what those all-important buttons do.

Innovative batteries might power Apple Car by 2024

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An Apple Car looks increasingly likely.
An Apple Car for your family might be ready in 2024.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly prepping an an autonomous vehicle that’s aimed at the consumer market. Leaked information indicates Apple is going to make a car and sell it to the public, not just develop self-driving technology to license to other companies.

Apple Car production supposedly will begin in 2024 using cutting-edge battery technology.

Mophie clip-on power bank charges your iPhone on the go [Review]

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Mophie Juice Pack Connect review
The Mophie Juice Pack Connect is bulky, but the clip-on battery is easily removable.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Attach the Mophie Juice Pack Connect to your iPhone to significantly increase the battery life. And replace it with a ring holder/stand when you want a slim handset again.

I put this clip-on battery system to the test. Here’s how it stood up.

Don’t hold out for an OLED iPad Pro in 2021

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2020 iPad Pro with Apple Pencil
Apple tipsters are butting heads over whether there’ll be an iPad Pro with an OLED screen in 2021.
Photo: Apple

Apple reportedly isn’t prepping a iPad Pro with an OLED display in 2021. This counters a report from several weeks ago that said an iPadOS tablet with the advanced screen is in development.

All iPads use traditional LEDs, but that might change in the coming year. What the new type of display will be is still up in the air, though.

Samuel L. Jackson comes back to Apple TV+ in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

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Apple TV will debut “The Banker” later this month.
Samuel L. Jackson (center) first appeared on Apple TV+ in “The Banker.”
Photo: Apple

Superstar Samuel L. Jackson will take the lead in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, a limited series coming to Apple TV+. The show is being adapted from a novel about a dying man getting a revival of his youth.

Earlier in 2020, Jackson appeared in The Banker, the first movie on Apple TV+.

Apple leaps to the defense of its crazy AirPods Max case

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The AirPods Max case is easy to mock. But it does the job.
The AirPods Max case may look odd, but the designers point out it’s very efficient.
Photo: Apple

AirPods Max are controversial for a number of reasons. For one, there’s the $550 price tag. But the odd-looking case Apple designed for these over-the-ear headphones also drew plenty of mockery.

The designers of AirPods Max defended their creation in an interview published Thursday.

Float your iPad Pro above your keyboard with the amazing Moft Float [Review]

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Moft Float review
Moft Float adds a dual-hinge stand to an iPad, giving it a huge range of viewing options.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Moft Float adds a two-level kickstand to your iPad Pro or iPad Air, and can even lift the tablet so it seems to float over the keyboard. This combination case and stand is a truly brilliant piece of kit.

I’ve been testing this not-yet-released product, and here’s what it’s like to use every day.

Apple quickly begins beta testing iOS 14.4, watchOS 7.3 and macOS 11.2 [Updated]

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iOS 14.4 beta 1, iPadOS 14.4 beta 1, watchOS 7.3 beta 1 and tvOS 14.4 beta 1
iOS 14.4 is just one of multiple Apple operating system updates now in beta testing.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Never one to rest on its laurels, Apple already seeded the first betas of iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4. And that’s not all. watchOS 7.3 beta 1 and tvOS 14.4 beta 1 are also up for testing.

If that wasn’t enough, macOS Big Sur 11.2 is included in this rush of fresh pre-release versions, too.

iOS 14 adoption passes 80%, solidly outpacing iOS 13

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iOS 14 adoption. It’s a good thing.
Many iPhone users can’t resist the new features in iOS 14.
Photo: Apple

Four out of five iPhones released in the past four years run iOS 14, according to Apple. That’s despite the operating system version only being available for three months. And iOS 14 adoption is well ahead of where iOS 13 was at this point last year.

Nearly as many iPad users have upgraded to iPadOS 14.

iPhone and iPad can finally play Google Stadia games

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Google Stadia for iOS is going into public beta testing soon.
Google bypassed the App Store to make a version of Stadia that’ll run on an iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Google/Cult of Mac

Google followed through with a promise to make its Stadia cloud-gaming service available for iPhone and iPad. On Wednesday, the company starting the process of giving Apple mobile devices access to console-quality games, including Cyberpunk 2077.

But don’t look to the Stadia application in the App Store — the subscription service must be played through a web app.

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.