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Ed Hardy - page 171

Mythic Quest: Quarantine turns lockdown into laughs on Apple TV+

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Mythic Quest: Quarantine“ is coming to Apple TV+.
The Apple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest airs a quarantine-themed episode next week.
Photo: Apple TV+

The characters of Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet are quarantined at home like the rest of us, and it’s not going well. Their dysfunctional video chats are the subject of a special episode of this Apple TV+ show.

It’ll hit Apple’s streaming video service a week from today. But you can watch the trailer now:

China prepares to retaliate against Apple for US sanctions on Huawei

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iPhone sales
Apple could be caught in the middle of the trade war between the U.S. and China.
Illustration: Cult of Mac

The Trump administration on Friday announced a new rule aimed at blocking Huawei from getting the processors it needs to make phones, networking equipment and more. The Chinese government reportedly threatened to retaliate against Apple and other American companies.

Wiggle through Winding Worlds on Apple Arcade

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Winding Worlds is a more grownup Apple Arcade game.
Solve puzzles and help a mysterious cast of characters in Winding Worlds.
Photo: KO_OP/Apple

Winding Worlds promises to be a “world-wiggling puzzle journey.”

The latest addition to Apple Arcade is in the same genre as the classic Monument Valley, where players solve puzzles to work their way through a story. KO_OP  describes its creation as “a heartwarming tale of grief, love, truth, and acceptance.”

Facebook Messenger Rooms can handle calls with up to 50 people in US

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facebook.messenger.rooms
Facebook Messenger Rooms allows users to host video calls of up to 50 people free of charge.
Photo: Facebook

Facebook took on Zoom and FaceTime Thursday by enabling its new video-calling service, Messenger Rooms, to make free calls between as many as 50 people.

The feature was announced last month, and is available now is the US and Canada. It’ll be rolled out globally next week, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Mophie’s latest mobile power bank recharges iPhones wirelessly or via USB-C

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Mophie Powerstation Wireless XL
Mophie Powerstation Wireless XL wirelessly charges an iPhone, and can itself be wirelessly charged.
Photo: Zagg/Mophie

The Mophie Powerstation Wireless XL juices up iPhones with wireless charging or through a USB-C fast charge. And there are even more options to replenish this 10,000mAh power bank, as it receives power through a Lightning port, USB-C or wireless charging.

The product launched Thursday, and Apple likes it enough to add the product to its online store.

How the 2020 Amazon Fire HD 8 stacks up against the iPad mini

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Amazon Fire HD 8 takes on Apple iPad mini 5
The Amazon Fire HD 8 certainly costs less than iPad mini 5, but has other advantages too.
Photo: Amazon/Apple

Amazon significantly upped the specs of the latest Fire 8 tablet, with a faster processor, more storage, USB-C and even wireless charging. But how does this inexpensive 8-inch slate stack up against the 7.9-inch iPad mini 5 released in 2019?

Apple signs first-option deal with famed Alien director Ridley Scott

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Ridley Scott and his brother are the heads of Scott Free.
A new deal might lead to Ridley Scott and his brother Tony Scott making TV shows for Apple.
Photo: Scott Free/Cult of Mac

Ridley Scott directed the famous “1984” Mac ad plus many movies, and a new deal might lead to him creating shows for Apple TV+. His production company reportedly signed a first-look deal with the iPhone maker. This means Apple gets the right of first refusal for all projects the prolific director dreams up.

Unreal Engine 5 promises mind-blowing graphics for Mac and iPhone games

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Unreal Engine 5 is a quantum leap in game graphics.
Games built with Unreal Engine 5 can render movie-quality effects in real time.
Photo: Epic Games

Epic Games on Wednesday gave a first look at Unreal Engine 5, the next generation of its tool for creating 3D games. The goal is “photorealism on par with movie CG and real life,” according to the company. And a video demo shows what’ll be possible in future titles for macOS, iOS and other platforms.

Shop in the inky shadows of Apple Store’s new Dark Mode

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Apple Store’s new Dark Mode
Look for a new Mac or Apple Watch while in a darkened room without being blinded with the latest version of the Apple Store app.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Any developer taking flack for not yet adding Dark Mode to their software can take solace in the fact that the Apple Store app for iOS only now adopted this alternate look.

Shop for a new device or look for Today at Apple sessions in the dark more easily, thanks to this new version.

iPhone 12 Flip concept makes iOS handsets pocketable again

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The foldable iPhone 12 Flip concept could someday be a reality.
Apple is exploring technologies needed to make this foldable iPhone concept a reality.
Photo: ConceptsiPhone

The iPhone 12 Flip is the foldable iOS device many are hoping for. This proposed concept fits a large screen into a tiny package.

While currently only a dream, Apple is hard at work on technologies that could eventually make it real.

Watch a video of the iPhone 12 Flip concept now:

AirPods users hope firmware update lets them use replacement buds

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Airpods 2
An AirPods 2 firmware update benefits everyone who uses these earbuds, but some people should be extra happy.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple on Tuesday introduced the first firmware update for second-generation AirPods since late last year.

This should benefit those who received a replacement AirPods bud last month with unreleased firmware. They can now update both to the same firmware version so they’re usable again.

5 MacBooks hit Apple’s dreaded ‘vintage and obsolete’ list

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The new MacBook Air has more graphics power than it appears at first. Photo: Apple
Remember the 11-inch MacBook Air? That was a long time ago.
Photo: Apple

MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models that launched in 2013 and 2014 moved onto Apple’s list of “vintage and obsolete products” at the beginning of May.

Despite what the name implies, this doesn’t mean these devices just became useless. It might be harder to get them serviced, though.

iOS 15 concept goes minimalist with the Home screen

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iOS concept thinks simple, not more complex.
An iOS 15 concept design simplifies the Home screen... and looks familiar.
Concept: Roland Mészáros

When concept designers imagine the future of iOS, they often pack in new features. A new design goes the opposite route, simplifying the look of the iPhone to “keep you focused,” in the words of the artist.

Still, it finds space for some Home screen widgets, which are supposed to debut in iOS 14.

Easily take notes on your iPad with inexpensive Meco Stylus Pen [Review]

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Meco Stylus Pen review
Meco Stylus Pen costs far less than many rivals, and might be the only stylus you need for your iPad.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Meco Stylus Pen is an affordable alternative to Apple Pencil. It’s well suited for taking handwritten notes on a range of iPad models, and offers palm rejection. And while it doesn’t have the features artists need, it offers a long battery life and is simple to connect to your iPad.

I tested this budget active stylus by taking notes and sketching out ideas. Here’s how it stood up to real-world use.

Funny documentary Dads hits Apple TV+ just in time for Father’s Day

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“Dads” on Apple TV+ is funny, heartwarming, and also revealing.
Bryce Dallas Howard’s documentary Dads stars her father Ron Howard as well as other funny fathers.
Photo: Toronto Film Festival

Dads, a humorous documentary about modern fatherhood directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, daughter of Ron Howard, is headed for Apple TV+ next month.

Dads includes funny stories from Will Smith, Jimmy Fallon, Neil Patrick Harris and others.

Microsoft Office for iPad finally offers full support for Split View [Updated]

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Microsoft Office for iPad now has Split View
You can now open two Word documents side-by-side with Microsoft Office for iPad.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Almost a year ago, Microsoft promised to add Split View to its Office for iPad suite of applications. The feature is available now, at long last. This allows users to work with two Word or Powerpoint documents side-by-side.

Update: Excel does not yet support this feature.

Over-ear headphones dubbed ‘AirPods Studio’ might debut in June

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Apple headphones concept
This artists concept for over-ear AirPods headphones brings in design aspects from HomePods.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Apple is allegedly prepping a set of over-ear wireless headphones that will be part of the AirPods line.

Currently, the company offers headphones in this style under its Beats label. But the upcoming model supposedly reflects a change in strategy. If you’re looking for high-quality alternatives, you might want to check out the Sennheiser website for premium audio options like the Sennheiser HD 550 open-back headphones.

Apple starts gradual reopening of its US stores next week

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Apple Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall will reopen in mid-May.
This Apple Store in Anchorage, Alaska, will be one of the first to open its doors.
Photo: Apple

The long wait is almost over. Apple said Friday it will open the doors of a few of its U.S. retail locations next week. The majority of Apple Stores globally closed almost two months ago as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. More stores will reopen when the company deems it safe.

MacBook Pro ‘Flexgate’ flaw fuels demands from angry owners

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These cables can wear out and cause your MacBook Pro’s display to fail.
These “delicate” cables can wear out and cause your 2016 MacBook Pro’s display to fail.
Photo: iFixit

A law firm accuses Apple of forcing customers to fix the malfunctioning displays in the 15-inch MacBook Pro that launched in 2016 even though the failure is a result of a design flaw. The problem is common enough that it has a name: Flexgate.

The Parris Law Firm is hoping to force Apple to fix all affected computers, and refund the cost to anyone who already had this problem repaired.

Apple TV+ is still a long way from winning viewers’ hearts

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Apple TV+ is free to everyone who buys a new iPhone, Mac or iPad.
Although people generally like Apple TV+, they like rival streaming services more.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ won an accolade no one wants: it’s the streaming video service viewers are most likely to cancel once it stops being free.

Still, satisfaction with Apple’s offering is fairly high, according to survey results revealed on Friday. But people like almost all its competitors more.