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Ed Hardy - page 176

It’s official: Macs will start ditching Intel for Apple silicon this year

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Apple silicon will power future Mac desktops and laptops
Yesterday's Apple keynote was one of the best in years. And not just because it had great products announced.
Screenshot: Apple

WWDC 2020In a dramatic shift, Apple is giving up Intel chips. Instead, future Macs will run Apple silicon — processors engineered by Apple based on ARM designs.

While Apple revealed a general timeline for the transition at its developers conference on Monday, and unveiled software developers will need to get their applications ready, the first ARM Macs are still months away.

iPadOS 14 brings huge Apple Pencil advances

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Apple Pencil just got much more useful in iPadOS 14.
Use an Apple Pencil to enter text anywhere with Scribble in iPadOS 14.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 iPad owners can use an Apple Pencil to write words into any text box thanks to iPadOS 14, which Apple announced Monday at its developers conference.

And there are other enhancements coming as well, like home screen widgets, improvements to search, and some user interface tweaks.

ARM-based Macs could be 50% or even 100% faster than Intel ones

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Apple_macbookpro-13-inch_screen_05042020
The replacement for the 13-inch MacBook supposedly will be one of the first ARM-based Macs.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 The first Macs running ARM-based processors designed by Apple could be out as early as the fourth quarter of 2020, according to trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This will supposedly bring significant performance gains.

We’ll possibly know for sure tomorrow, as Apple will supposedly reveal its plans to move macOS to its A-series processors at WWDC 2020.

There might be no new hardware at WWDC 2020

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2020 WWDC looks epic anyway
Apple might not use WWDC 2020 to unveil the new iMac, AirTags, etc.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2020 Rumors point to Apple using Monday’s keynote for its annual developers conference to unveil a new iMac, a new HomePod and the debut of AirTags. But on Sunday, a reliable leaker said that these WWDC 2020 plans have been “scrapped.”

That said, the company supposedly still plans to unveil a long-term plan to switch Macs from Intel processors to ones Apple designs itself.

Update June 22: Confirmed. The keynote for this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference was all about software, and there was no new hardware.

Aukey’s handsome 4-in-1 USB-C hub also does wireless charging [Review]

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Aukey CB-C70 review
The Aukey CB-C70 looks great, and it does multiple jobs — It’s both a wireless charger and a multiport USB-C adapter.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The trouble with wireless phone chargers is that they take up valuable room on your desk even when they’re not being used. But the Aukey CB-C70 is also a multiport USB-C hub, so it packs plenty of functionality into a small package.

I thoroughly tested this accessory in my home office. Here’s how it stood up to daily use.

Adoption of iOS 13 by iPhone users is nearly total

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iOS 13
iOS 13 adoption is almost universal.
Screen capture: Apple

Even as Apple is expected to unveil iOS 14 on Monday, the company revealed that 92% of all iPhones introduced in the last four years run iOS 13. That’s a higher adoption percentage than for iOS 12 this time last year.

And it’s vastly ahead of the percentage of Android users who’ve been able to upgrade to the latest version of Google’s operating system.

Production begins this month on A14 chip for 5G iPhone 12

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Apple A14 processor
Expect great things from the Apple A14 processor.
CGI: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 12 will take a giant step closer to reality when TSMC begins producing the Apple A14 processor later this month, according to an unconfirmed report coming out of Asia on Friday. This reportedly will be the first A-series chip made with a 5-nanometer process, which should bring an increase in performance while improving battery life.

The A14 will supposedly use Qualcomm’s X60 modem, potentially giving it access to every type of 5G network.

Apple won’t budge on controversial App Store payment rules

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Phil Schiller
Apple VP Phil Schiller sees no need for changes to the App Store payment rules on revenue sharing.
Photo: Apple

There are no plans to modify the rules of the iOS App Store that would allow Basecamp’s Hey mail app to avoid paying to be listed, according to Phil Schiller, Apple’s SVP of marketing.

The creators of Hey made news recently by calling Apple “gangsters” for requiring companies to pay 30% of their revenue to have software appear in the App Store.

iPhone Podcasts app could get more personal in iOS 14

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The Apple Podcasts app could be getting some new features in iOS 14.
iOS 14 could bring new features to the iPhone Podcasts app as Apple faces increasing competition.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Apple Podcasts app is reportedly getting a facelift. The version debuting in iOS 14 will supposedly include a “For You” tab with suggestions based on podcasts the user is already subscribed to.

Back to the future: iOS could get original ‘iPhoneOS’ name back

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Original iPhone running iOS 1
Apple’s first handset in 2007 ran iPhone OS. And the 2020 model might run an operating system with the same name.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Before there was iOS, early Apple handsets ran iPhone OS. A frequent Apple leaker apparently suggested on Thursday that the next version of this operating system will return to that classic name.

While this might seem like a seismic shift to some, if Apple really is prepping iPhone OS 14 — or perhaps iPhoneOS 14 — it’ll simply be using the same pattern for this operating systems as it does for all its others.

Anker’s Thunderbolt 3 hub packs an amazing 13 ports

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The Anker PowerExpand Elite connects to Macs over Thunderbolt 3.
The Anker PowerExpand Elite includes so many ports it’s almost easier to list the ones it doesn’t have.
Photo: Anker

Anker boasts that the just-released PowerExpand Elite hub lets you “connect everything imaginable,” and there’s a certain amount of justification. This accessory has no less that 13 ports. There’s Thunderbolt 3, USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, audio ports, memory card readers, and more.

The company also launched on Wednesday the Anker PowerExpand, which “only” has seven ports of a range of types.

Zoom does an about-face on end-to-end encryption

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Zoom
Zoom will offer top-tier encryption to all users.
Photo: Allie Smith/Unsplash

Zoom promised on Wednesday to make end-to-end encryption an option for all users, not just paying ones.

This video conferencing app became incredibly popular during the COVID-19 epidemic. But it also drew criticism for weak security.

Zoom worked quickly to fix that, but again faced complaints when the company decided that end-to-end encryption would only be for paying customers. That’s a decision it changed today.

Apple Camp fires up free activities for kids stuck at home this summer

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Apple Camp at Home replaces the in-store version.
Apple Camp at Home will teach kids about making art or coding with Apple devices.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s educational summer camps for children are moving online. They’ve been redubbed Apple Camp at Home.

In previous years, Apple Camps were held in the company’s retail stores. But this year, they’ll be teaching video, art and design, and coding through a self-guided Activity Book and virtual sessions.

Apple’s Tim Cook is lone holdout in congressional investigation of big tech

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Tim Cook called for Ohio State University grads to embrace hope in a fearful time during his virtual commencement address.
Apple CEO Tim Cook apparently doesn’t want to testify to the U.S. Congress on antitrust issues.
Photo: Ohio State University

U.S. lawmakers want to talk to the CEOs of the biggest tech firms. And the heads of Amazon, Facebook and Google said they‘re willing to testify in the House of Representatives’s probe into antitrust activities. Apple, on the other hand, reportedly told Congress that it’s willing to send a senior executive, but stopped short of promising that would be CEO Tim Cook.

Adobe Aero augmented reality creation tool goes multisensory with spatial audio

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An AR experience created by Naima Almeida with Adobe Aero.
Designer Naima Almeida used Adobe Aero to design an imaginary interactive garden with integrated spatial sound effects.
Screenshot: Naima Almeida

Artists can use an iPad or iPhone to create augmented reality experiences with Adobe Aero. And today the software added support for embedding audio into AR experiences. It’s now possible to add sound effects to virtual objects overlaid on the real world by this app.

Aero is free, and is intended for creatives not coders.

AirTab becomes world’s lightest 15.6-inch touchscreen monitor

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AirTab with MacBook
Plug the AirTab external display directly into a MacBook’s USB-C port.
Photo: AirTab

Travelers looking for a lightweight external monitor for their MacBook can turn to AirTab. This comes in at only 1.1 pounds and 0.19 inches thick.

And the AirTab Touch adds a 10-point touchscreen without increasing the bulk.

Espionage thriller Tehran sneaks toward Apple TV+

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Tehran is reportedly headed for Apple TV+.
Tehran is a spy thriller starring Israeli actress Niv Sultan.
Photo: Apple

Apple has reportedly picked up international broadcasting rights for Tehran, a spy drama about a young Israeli agent trying to destroy an Iranian nuclear reactor.

The eight-episode Israeli series, created and written by Moshe Zonder (Netflix’s Fauda), could be coming to Apple TV+ very soon.

App Store is a $519-billion-a-year economic engine, Apple says

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The App Store facilitates sales of billions of dollars in sales of physical goods.
Apple’s App Store is much more than software sales. It contributes to the economy in many ways.
Photo: Apple

The Apple App Store ecosystem contributed over half a trillion dollars to the global economy in 2019, according to a study commissioned by Apple.

This total encompasses far more than just what iPhone or Mac users pay for software. It includes transactions done through these apps, from grocery deliveries to streaming services.

iOS 13.6 beta confirms that iPhones will work as car keys

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iPhone car key feature is a rumor no more.
No room for doubt. iOS 13.6 Beta 2 flat out says Apple Wallet is getting virtual car keys.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple inadvertently confirmed rumors that iPhones will soon function as car keys. Buried in the privacy information for Apple Wallet in the iOS 13.6 Beta is a lengthy description of the upcoming feature.

Called “Adding and Managing Car Keys,” the verbiage details how wireless keys can be added to Wallet and how they can be shared.

Macs get their own version of Apple Developer app the week before WWDC

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Apple Developer for Mac is finally here.
A Mac version of Apple Developer is finally out. Just in time for WWDC.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 The Apple Developer app is the one-stop-shop for all the information devs need, but until now there’ve only been versions for iPhone and iPad. On Monday, the company finally brought out a version for Mac. This guide to the 2020 Worldwide Developers Conference comes a week before WWDC kicks off.

And while this event will be entirely online, Apple is sending out press invites anyway.

Apple offers college students free AirPods along with deals on Mac and iPad

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Apple back to school 2020 deals are already here
Get a deal on a Mac or iPad with Apple’s 2020 back-to-school sale. And get free AirPods too.
Photo: Apple

Summer is just starting but Apple is already thinking back-to-school. College students and teachers can save up to $200 on a MacBook or iMac. Or up to $100 on iPads. And get a pair of AirPods gets thrown in for free.

In previous years, Apple’s back-to-school promo always included Beats headphones. This is the first time AirPods have been part of the deal instead.

Get online in those hard-to-reach places with handy Wi-Fi range extender [Review]

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Rock Space AC1200 Dual Band Wi-Fi Repeater review
The Rock Space Wi-Fi Repeater brings internet to dead spaces in your wireless network.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Rock Space AC1200 Dual Band Wi-Fi Repeater is just right for anyone working or taking classes at home and struggling with a weak Wi-Fi signal. Plug this accessory into any wall socket and it’ll expand your wireless network’s usable area. It offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, it supports one-button setup with WPS, and you can connect to it via Ethernet.

I tested this Wi-Fi range extender in my own home, and share how well it stands up to daily use.