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Ed Hardy - page 18

Tim Cook teases M4 MacBook Air launch

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Tim Cook’s MacBook Air tease
Look, up in the air! It’s a MacBook hint from Tim Cook.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook just dropped a very broad hint that the M4 MacBook Air is imminent, and maybe an upgraded iPad Air, too. Cook posted on X (formerly Twitter), “There’s something in the Air.”

While there’s plenty of anticipation for the launch, there won’t be much surprise. Rumors started talking about the M4 MacBook Air months ago. The same goes for the M3 iPad Air. If you’re wondering about the MacBook monitor improvements that could come with this release, here’s what we know so far.

Here’s what’s expected.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light makes your iPhone and iPad more fun [Review] ★★★★★

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Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for iPhone and iPad★★★★★
A new port of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for iPhone and iPad is all we could hope it to be.
Screenshot: Feral Interactive

The classic Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light just made its way to iPhone, iPad and Android. It’s an action-puzzler that’s been around for 15 years on other platforms because it’s so much fun to play.

Is the new port to mobile devices worth your time and a bit of cash? Read on.

The Gorge stays the most popular film on streaming

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The Gorge on Apple TV+ stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller as assassins falling in love.
The Gorge on Apple TV+ stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller as assassins falling in love.
Photo: Apple

The Gorge is the most popular film on streaming for a second week, according to a ratings tracker. The romantic action thriller from Apple TV+ stars Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Sigourney Weaver… plus a lot of monsters.

And Severance held onto a large audience of innies and outies, just as it has since early January.

Apple preps new tools to keep kids safe online

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Apple Child Account
Apple points out that an iPad can’t protect a user from inappropriate material if it doesn’t know their age.
Image: Apple

Apple made it easier for parents to specify the ages of children when creating Child Accounts intended to protect kids when they’re using an iPhone or iPad. And all Child Accounts have age-appropriate settings. Plus, a future iOS update will let parents update the ages of their children listed in their accounts.

The goal is to further ensure that children only have access to age-appropriate applications and content.

iPhone 16e review roundup: Bare bones but capable, with long battery life

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iPhone 16e reviews
iPhone 16e is a capable handset, but some reviewers question the price.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Early reviews of the iPhone 16e give the first real-world experience of the $599 phone that launches Friday. The takeaway: While it skimps on some features, the iPhone 16e offers excellent performance and is one of Apple’s best options for lengthy battery life.

Nevertheless, some reviews question whether the limited features justify the “budget” iPhone’s $599 price.

Save space with a wall charger that’s also a USB/HDMI hub [Review] ★★★★☆

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AVerMedia Elite Go GC313Pro review★★★★☆
Don’t carry a separate wall charger and hub when the AVerMedia Elite Go GC313Pro is both.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Plug the AVerMedia Elite Go GC313Pro into a wall socket to charge your Mac or iPad, and then (surprise!) plug an HDMI monitor and USB accessories into it, too. It’s both a charger and a hub in one package, handy for any traveler. Plus, it can charge three devices at once — also great for travelers.

As a bonus feature, the gizmo is also a video capture card. But (spoiler alert) how useful this is for Apple users is questionable.

I tested the various functions of the 4-in-1 charging hub and came away impressed… mostly.

The Gorge makes the perfect date night movie [Apple TV+ review] ★★★★

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The Gorge on Apple TV+ stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller.★★★★
The Gorge is an action thriller with plenty of monsters to kill, but loads of romance, too.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Apple TV+ original film The Gorge neatly mixes romance and action, with a pair of highly trained agents falling in love while protecting the world from horrible monsters that lie hidden in the depths of the eponymous gorge.

It’s a fun popcorn movie, with stars Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Sigourney Weaver giving it their all. There’s plenty to enjoy for those who like action and for those who like romance. Put it on the calendar for your next date night.

That said, it benefits from the lower expectations for a straight-to-streaming film like this one. It’s fun, exciting, sweet … but not perfect.

US intelligence head moves to block UK demand for backdoor into locked iCloud data

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Apple privacy
The U.S. director of national intelligence won’t let the UK force Apple make an anti-privacy move.
Image: Apple

Tulsi Gabbard, the new U.S. director of national intelligence (DNI), said a demand from the UK government that Apple build a backdoor to access the contents of encrypted iCloud files worldwide constitutes “a clear and egregious violation of Americans’ privacy.”

She then indicated that the UK would not be allowed to spy on Americans in this way.

Apple created iPhone 16e because iPhone SE 3 was a dud

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iPhone 16e beats iPhone SE 3
Why iPhone 16e beats iPhone SE 3
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The new iPhone 16e drew criticism because it costs 40% more than the handset it replaced, the budget-priced iPhone SE 3. Critics assume Apple cynically took away something lots of buyers wanted: a cheap iPhone. But actually, Apple couldn’t sell many of the low-cost model, according to industry analysts.

The newest offering, with significantly improved specs over the now-defunct iPhone SE 3, seems to be Apple’s attempt to make a low-end handset that more consumers will be interested in, even if the cost went up.

If you’re considering whether to buy Apple iPhone, you might want to see how the iPhone 16e compares to its predecessor.

Trump blasts Apple after Tim Cook doubles down on diversity [Updated]

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Tim Cook on Apple Intelligence
CEO Tim Cook says a diverse workforce is important to Apple’s success, despite President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI stance.
Photo: Apple

During Tuesday’s Apple shareholder meeting, CEO Tim Cook said the company won’t make changes to its diversity and inclusion programs. President Donald Trump wasn’t happy when he heard about it.

Cook said Apple’s strength is based on an employee pool with “diverse backgrounds and perspectives.” To nobody’s surprise, Trump doesn’t sound pleased with Cook’s comments.

Apple should get rid of DEI rules, not just make adjustments to them,” the president wrote Wednesday morning on Truth Social. “DEI was a hoax that has been very bad for our country. DEI is gone!!!”

This one USB-C gadget simultaneously charges 10 devices

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Plugable PS-10CC 10-port USB-C charger
Plugable PS-10CC turns one power supply into ten USB-C ports.
Photo: Plugable

Got a load of computers and devices that need power every day? The Plugable PS-10CC 10-port USB-C charger might be just what you’ve been looking for.

It can handle a family’s entire collection of MacBooks, iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches. Or charge up all the phones needed by an office at once.

Folding iPhone won’t suffer from unsightly screen crease

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Folding iPhone concept
Apple moves ahead with the long-awaited folding iPhone.
AI concept: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple’s display supplier reportedly solved the biggest technical challenge slowing the acceptance of foldable phones: the ugly screen crease where the display bends.

With that hurdle cleared, production of components for the slim, folding iPhone supposedly will begin later this year.

Save on the slim power bank your MacBook needs

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Baseus Blade
The Baseus Blade is so svelte it looks great. And it’s so portable.
Photo: Baseus

Power banks with enough juice to keep your MacBook going don’t need to be huge, blocky lumps. The Baseus Blade is as slim as your notebook but holds 20,000mAh. And now you can grab one at almost half off.

Don’t make your laptop bag bigger than necessary with an unwieldy external battery. There’s a better option.

iPhone 17 Pro models might sport huge camera humps

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iPhone 17 Pro rumors
That’s a sizable camera hump, no doubt about it.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A CAD drawing purportedly showing the entire iPhone 17 line leaked out Sunday, possibly giving the world its best look yet at Apple’s entire 2025 handset lineup. The standout in the image is the super-size camera humps on the two iPhone 17 Pro models.

If the drawings prove accurate, the iPhone 17 will receive less of a design change. The rumored iPhone 17 Air also puts in an appearance in the leaked drawing.

And if you’re wondering how to get better camera quality on iPhone, the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro’s video upgrades could redefine mobile photography and potentially make traditional cameras obsolete. Read more here.

Humane’s Ai Pin bombed because voice control is (mostly) a terrible idea

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Humane AI Pin canceled
The Humane AI Pin got canceled, and for good reason.
Photo: Humane/Cult of Mac

Apple and other device makers should learn a crucial lesson from the failure of the canceled Humane Ai Pin: While voice control can play a role in new devices, it needs to be very limited. It’s simply not practical for people to talk to their computers except in special circumstances.

I hope the developers at Apple working on Siri and future versions of the HomePod took notes while Humane cratered.

Murderbot sci-fi action series explodes onto Apple TV+ in May

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Murderbot premieres on Apple TV+ in May
The Murderbot sci-fi thriller/comedy premieres on Apple TV+ this spring.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Apple TV+ adaptation of the brilliant Murderbot novels by Martha Wells got a premiere date for the sci-fi action series: May 16. And a first glimpse at Alexander Skarsgård as the lead character came out, too.

Plus, fans of the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning books can take hope from Apple’s synopsis of its show, as it closely follows the written version.

Apple reduces iCloud encryption in UK after government demands ‘backdoor’

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Apple decryption
Sorry UK, your iCloud files are getting less secure.
Image: Apple/Cult of mac

Apple moved toward deactivating its Advanced Data Protection iCloud privacy-protection feature for iCloud in the United Kingdom. The move is a stopgap measure instead of giving the UK government what it demanded: a “backdoor” way to break the encryption offered by the feature so it could secretly surveil its citizens. This decision also raises concerns about iCloud deals and the implications for user privacy. Read more about the issue here.

The problem is, this move won’t fully satisfy the UK government, who wants to be able to spy on the iCloud accounts of any Apple user in any country.

The Gorge ranks as biggest film premiere in Apple TV+ history

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The Gorge on Apple TV+
Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy star in romance/thriller The Gorge.
Photo: Apple TV+

No Apple TV+ movie ever had a bigger opening weekend than The Gorge, according to the streaming service. It seems viewers were drawn to the romantic action thriller starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller. The overwhelming response has cemented The Gorge film as one of the platform’s most talked-about releases. For those who enjoy premium sound quality, the debate between AirPods Beats continues, as showcased in this Spike Jonze short film.

With its record-breaking success, the film is already being discussed among the best Apple TV movies worth watching.

And this wasn’t the only thing Apple TV+ had to crow about — it revealed on Wednesday that Severance had just become its most popular series ever.

iPad stylus sale drops Apple Pencil Pro to just $99

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Apple Pencil in use
Apple Pencil adds so much to iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple Pencil Pro is the best iPad stylus on the market, and a deal knocks a whopping $30 off the regular cost. For a limited time, you can get an Apple Pencil Pro from Amazon for just $99. That’s over 20% off.

Or consider a Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or Apple Pencil (USB-C), both with deals making them cost even less than the premium model than they usually do.

Apple’s AI-powered Visual Intelligence tool heads for iPhone 15 Pro

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iPhone 16 using Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligance transforms real-world objects into digital data.
Photo: Apple

Visual Intelligence, which previously was reserved for the iPhone 16 models, will reportedly reach the two iPhone 15 Pro variants in the near future.

Realistically, there was no reason why the artificial intelligence feature shouldn’t have been added to Apple’s 2023 models with the debut of iOS 18. In fact, with the growing demand for AI-powered productivity tools, many users are looking for ways to AI take notes efficiently to enhance their workflow.

Everything Apple stripped out of iPhone 16 to make the iPhone 16e

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iPhone 16 versus iPhone 16e
iPhone 16e is essentially the iPhone 16 but with many features pulled out. Is it right for you?
Image: Apple/.Cult of Mac

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the newly launched iPhone 16e is missing features found in higher-end models. But what exactly did Apple exclude from this stripped-down version of the iPhone 16? The two models have quite a lot in common — the same size screen, general design, A18 chip and more. But many secondary features don’t appear in the cheaper model.

Check this list of all the missing features in the iPhone 16e before deciding to buy Apple’s budget handset. You might not be able to live without some of them.

Save hundreds on a powerful new iPad

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iPad sales
Whether watching videos or creating amazing art, find the perfect iPad at a sale price.
Image: Cult of Mac

Stop procrastinating on the new iPad, iPad Pro or iPad Air you’ve been wanting. You can buy one now and save up to $200 with the iPad sales currently available.

Apple’s tablets are great whether you only want something to watch video on or are looking for a light-duty notebook. And a wide variety of models are now on sale at up to 17% off!

Dio Node AirPlay speakers fill your home with sound [Review] ★★★★

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Dio Node AirPlay speaker★★★★
Dio Node: Big sound in a small package.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Dio Node speakers connect to your Wi-Fi network and let you easily stream music, podcasts and more from your iPhone or Mac. Thanks to support for AirPlay, virtually any audio on the device can stream to one or more of these speakers.

I put an array of Node speakers to the test in my house. They invite an immediate comparison to HomePod mini, given the features and price, so I put them up against Apple’s smart speaker, too.

What rumors reveal about speedy new iPad 11

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iPad 11 rumors
You don’t have to wait for an official announcement to learn about the iPad 11.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The latest iPad 11 rumors indicate Apple’s next-gen budget tablet will look quite familiar but benefit from internal upgrades. The wait for a new budget tablet from Apple now stretches well over two years, but the iPad 11 is finally drawing near.

Here’s what to look forward to from the affordable tablet expected to launch by spring.