Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
The production company behind Sesame Street is also making Ghostwriter. Photo: Apple
Grownup shows drew most of the attention during the launch of Apple TV+, but children’s programming debuted as well, including Ghostwriter. Not to be overlooked, an extended trailer out today puts attention on this educational thriller.
A second beta of iPadOS 13.3 and the iPhone equivalent just came out. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The beta process for iOS 13.3 and its iPad equivalent is moving along. Apple just seeded the second beta of each to developers. The final version, when it’s released to the general public, will help parents limit who their kids talk to with a big improvement to Screen Time.
In addition, there are new betas of watchOS 6.1.1 and tvOS 13.3.
Once rivals, IBM later embraced the Mac, and now thousands of its employees are users. Photo: Apple
Research by IBM found that its employees who use a Mac are more likely to exceed expectations on performance reviews than co-workers with PCs. Mac’s users also make larger high-value sales deals.
Long-time Mac users should find this delightfully ironic, as IBM helped popularize the PC back in the 1980s.
Tablets are a good way to view augmented reality, and Apple’s next AR push could start with the 2020 iPad Pro. Photo: Apple
An iPad Pro in development for next year will be the first with a 3D scanner capable of creating digital representations of real-world objects, according to an unconfirmed report. This will supposedly be used in augmented reality and virtual reality applications.
This scanner will next appear in the 2020 iPhone, and in AR/VR goggles and glasses in coming years.
Sanho HyperJuice can charge all your Apple gear at once. Photo: Sanho
Sanho calls its newly-unveiled HyperJuice “the smallest 100W charger on the market.” Despite the svelte design, it has a pair of USB-C ports that can put out 100W, dual USB-A ports that max out at 18W, and swappable power prongs.
It’s on Kickstarter now, available for well below the eventual regular price.
Apple Watch is already swim-proof, but the next version could take that to new depths. Photo: Apple
It’s not exactly going out on a limb, but respected Apple expert Ming-Chi Kuo predicts next year’s Apple Watch Series 6 will be offer better performance than the current one, and include improved wireless speeds. Still, with the launch about likely 10 months away, it’s not surprising that only a few vague generalities can be said about Apple’s next wearable.
What’s more interesting is a mention of enhanced water resistance that raises the possibility of taking this device to the bottom of the sea.
Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad can handle iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at once. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Anyone who’s all-in on Apple has an iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch. Recharging that combination every night can be a hassle, but the Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad can handle them all at the same time.
Apple likes it enough to put it on the Apple Store, so take a look to see if you need one on your nightstand.
Retro, snakeskin and camo are just a few of the Slickwraps Skins available for AirPods Pro. Photo: Slickwraps
Although AirPods Pro still come only in white, users can add color with Slickwraps Skins. These are thin layers of vinyl that decorate not just the in-ear headphones but also the case, and there are dozens of options.
Adam Scott will be the face of a new Apple TV+ show produced by Ben Stiller Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC
Adam Scott reportedly will star in Severance, a drama being directed and produced by Ben Stiller. The new Apple TV+ streaming service bought the rights to all ten episodes.
See, For All Mankind, Dickinson, and The Morning Show are doing... OK? Sort of? Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
There are only vague hints about how Apple’s streaming video service is doing a week after the debut, but Variety got unnamed sources to say that Apple TV+ is getting millions of viewers.
T-Mobile 5G hits the airwaves next month, for way less that most people probably expected. Photo: T-Mobile
When the 5G iPhone launches next year, it’ll be able to connect to the T-Mobile 5G network for as little as $15 a month. That’s half what the carrier currently charges for 4G service.
Dropping prices seems to part of T-Mobile working to convince skeptics that its merger with Sprint will be a big win for consumers. And that’s the ringer here: its new ultra-low cost plan is available only if the merger goes through.
Developers get their first taste of macOS Catalina 10.15.2 in beta form. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Testing for the next version of macOS just began. macOS Catalina 10.15.2 will replace a update that came out only a week ago, but Apple never really stops work on any of its operating systems.
All we know at this point is that the initial beta of this upcoming version makes a few tweaks to networking, but more significant changes are possible.
Apple Pay is the only NFC payment system allowed on iPhone. Is that anticompetitive, or Apple just being safe? Screenshot: Apple
In August, EU antitrust investigators sent a questionnaire to banks and developers of rival payment systems about Apple Pay. They’ve gotten an earful, according to Margrethe Vestager, the EU Competition Commissioner.
Apple hopes to simplify coming back to the office after parental leave. Photo: Monit
Apple now offers new moms and dads a month of flex time after returning to work from paid parental leave after giving birth or adopting a child. The hope is there’ll be less stress for the new parents.
The Courant Carry is both gorgeous and highly functional. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Courant Carry is a lightweight and sleek phone powerbank that holds 8,000mAh. Even better, it’s wrapped in pebble-grain Italian leather so it looks outstanding, which is very important for an accessory intended to be carried everywhere.
It can wirelessly charge every iPhone released since 2017. And the Carry itself can be charged without cables.
Does the functionality of this external battery live up the the appearance? Read on to find out.
An artist proposal for iOS 14 is a wishlist of great ideas, like bringing Split View to iPhone. Screenshot: the Hacker 34
iOS 13 is still almost brand new, but some people are already looking ahead to the next version. An iOS 14 concept video is packed with suggestions likely to catch the eye of iPhone users, including support for multiple accounts, user-defined default applications, and far more.
iOS 13 has made it easier for users to shut down location tracking. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Public beta testing just started for iOS 13.3, along with the iPad equivalent. This adds an important feature to Screen Time, but the main benefit of this pre-release version is it apparently fixes a serious memory-management problem introduced in iOS 13.2.
Screen Time Communication Limits is a boon to digital parenting. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Parents will soon be able to limit when their children use an iPhone or iPad to talk to their friends, thanks to a long-awaited new Screen Time feature. Communication Limits were supposed to come earlier, they debuted in the first iOS 13.3 beta that launched today.
The first iPadOS 13.3 Developer beta is out, along with an iPhone version. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple has just begun beta testing the next updates for iPhone and iPad. It’s not known yet if iOS 13.3 and iPadOS 13.3 fix the serious memory management problem introduced in the previous version, introduced last week.
In addition, watchOS 6.1.1 also just entered beta testing.
This is the simplest way of configuring Apple’s highly innovative iPhone case concept. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple engineers dreamed up an iPhone case that’s also a stand and a handle. And maybe a keyboard. It’s surprisingly simple, but also a dramatic departure from typical cases.
And it’s possible the designers see this as more than an add on. They seem to be proposing that handsets and tablets have this case built in.
Millions of people have purchased Apple TVs. Screenshot: Apple
Apple TV owners, you are not alone. In fact, almost of a quarter of Apple’s US customers own one of its set-top boxes boxes, according to a new survey. They’re actually more widely used than Apple Watch or AirPods.
Adobe’s new software helps artists augment reality with their art. Photo: Adobe
Artists can combine 3D models and 2D images to create augmented reality experiences with Adobe Aero, which launched today for iOS and iPadOS. This free software was developed to make AR easier for creatives.
This early glimpse show what Adobe Illustrator for iPad will probably look like. Photo: Adobe
Adobe plans to launch a version of Illustrator for Apple’s tablets next year. But this won‘t be a straight port — the user interface will be changed substantially to run on a touchscreen with a stylus.