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 Courant Catch:2 is simultaneously gorgeous and extremely functional. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Like the AirPower charger Apple wasn’t able to deliver, the Courant Catch:2 can wirelessly send power to multiple devices placed anywhere on its charging mat — there’s no need to carefully arrange them. Plus, this accessory truly looks like the luxury product it is, with a handsome leather exterior.
Power through my review of this just-released product, which I tested with recent and older iPhones.
Georgia might go out with Michael because he has a cute dog, but the date is over when she finds out Rex belongs to a neighbor. Photo: Bumble
Showing an adorable puppy in your online dating profile is an easy way to make yourself seem likable and kind. Unfortunately, many of the people who use this method seem to think there’s no reason to put up with a smelly, dirty mutt when they can just lie about it.
Beyond just music, IQbuds Boost make it easier to listen to friends and family. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Nuheara’s IQbuds Boost work as Bluetooth headphones, but that’s only the start. They are really for people who need just a bit of help hearing. They aren’t true hearing aids, but might actually be better.
Take a listen to my review of these high-end wireless earbuds, along with an optional Bluetooth accessory that connects them to your TV.
Widgets on the Home screen are something you can have today, if you install the iPadOS13 beta. Photo: Apple
The iPadOS beta Apple introduced this week offers something none of its predecessors did: reliability. Stability, even. After days of testing on an iPad Pro, I found it close enough to the final version that an average person can access a mouse or thumbdrive with their iPad nearly hassle-free. That hasn’t been true of earlier betas.
Less rigorous testing of iOS 13 on an iPhone XS Max indicates it’s also relatively stable.
The artist’s concept shows an iPad Pro with the rumored triple-lens camera. Photo: Cult of Mac/Apple
The signature feature of the upcoming iPhone 11 could also be in Apple’s professional-grade tablets. The next iPad Pro will get the triple-lens camera supposedly launching in this fall’s iOS handsets, according to an unconfirmed report from Asia.
And regular iPad models might get a dual-lens camera.
BMW could ditch its pricey annual subscription cost for CarPlay Photo: Sony
Car infotainment systems have grown dramatically in size, and Sony promises one that allows people with older models to upgrade to an 8.95-inch screen. It supports Apple’s CarPlay, so the driver’s iPhone is ready to provide navigation, make calls or play music.
MacBook shipments were way up last quarter, and are predicted to rise this quarter too. Photo: Apple
Shipments of MacBooks were up almost 20% during the second quarter of this year compared to the same period of 2018, according to a market-research firm.
And the analysts predict another 20% growth in the current quarter, buoyed by the release of the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Mophie’s Wireless Charging Dual Pad isn’t as good as AirPower would have been, but it’s actually available. Photo: Mophie
After giving up on creating the AirPower charger, which could have charged several iPhones at once, the Apple Store is now offering a pair of multi-device chargers developed by Mophie.
Use one to get a good deal on the other. Photo: Apple
Invitations to get an Apple Card are trickling out, but even before you make the first purchase with your shiny new credit card, you should reject its arbitration provision.
If you don’t, you give up the right to benefit from any class-action lawsuits brought against Goldman Sachs, the bank backing Apple Card.
Face ID won‘t unlock your iPhone if you're unconscious. Glasses can trick the sensors, though. Image: Apple
One of the advantages of Face ID over Touch ID is that the person unlocking their iPhone must be awake. However, researchers found a way to fool Apple’s facial recognition system into thinking someone is conscious when they weren’t — using modified glasses.
This method does not allow a hacker to trick an iPhone into misidentifying one person as another. But it still could prove problematic for Face ID.
Unfortunately for Apple, customers are staying away from HomePod in droves. Photo: Apple
A drop in the price of the HomePod hasn’t helped Apple grow its share of the smart speaker market. It still has just a tiny percentage of all the units in use in the US, according to new figures from a market-research firm.
There’s lots to try out in iOS 13 Public beta 5. Screen capture: Apple
Apple just introduced a fifth beta of iOS 13 to the general public. All the really significant new features appeared in earlier betas, but this one does have a nice tweak: switching to Dark Mode takes only pushing a button.
Apple also released the closely-related iPadOS 13 Public beta 5, as did tvOS 13.
The recent controversy surrounding Siri recordings is headed for the courts. Photo: Apple
A class action lawsuit has been proposed to prevent Apple from recording Siri commands without users’ express consent. And the plaintiffs want restitution, of course.
Apple admits it made recordings of people talking to the Siri voice-control system to improve the system. As part of the process, some of these were listened to by humans.
Will Apple devices ever replace traditional blood pressure testing? Photo: Pexels
Researchers built a smartphone app that can check blood pressure by simply recording a short video of someone’s face, then analyzing the blood flow under the skin.
High blood pressure can lead to heart attack or stroke so making an easy at-home test for it could save huge numbers of lives.
A decline in how someone uses an iPhone or iPad could be an early indication of mild cognitive impairment. Photo: Pexels
Researchers from Apple and Eli Lilly looked into whether the ways people use their iPhone and Apple Watch can warn of mild cognitive impairment, a condition that’s difficult to diagnose.
After being unveiled in June, iOS 13 is headed for release perhaps as soon as next month. Screenshot: Apple
Apple seeded iOS 13 Developer beta 6 this afternoon, slightly more than a week after the last pre-release update. Until now, the company has generally introduced new versions every two weeks, so it’s accelerating the rate.
Tablet users also got the sixth iPadOS 13 Developer beta today containing the same changes as the iPhone one. There are fresh betas for watchOS 5 beta 6 and tvOS 13 beta 6, too.
AirPods are tiny, but they’re big business. Photo: Apple
Apple’s wireless earbuds are selling better than most people realize. The company is on track to sell 50 million pairs by the end of this year, according to an industry analyst.
That’s up from 35 million in 2018. The product only debuted in 2016.
Facebook Messenger is fun, chatty... and always running in the background whether you’re using it or not. Always. Photo: Facebook
A change in iOS 13 that limits what applications can do when running in the background will force a rewrite of Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and other apps that offer voice calls.
While these developers will be inconvenienced, the goal is to increase the battery lives and performance of all iOS devices. The change will also make iPhones and iPads more secure.
Journey is less a game than an experience. Photo: Annapurna Interactive
Journey has been described as more a work of art than a game. It depends on its amazing visuals and Grammy-winning music to draw players into a mysterious world. And now iPad and iPhone users can experience it for themselves.
When Journey debuted in 2012 it was awarded a Guinness World Record for “The Most Awards won by an Independent Game.”
The already slender MacBook bezels could nearly disappear in the 16-inch version. Photo: Apple
Apple’s next MacBook Pro will reportedly fit a 16-inch screen into the same size chassis as the current 15-inch model. An industry analyst says Apple plans to take the logical step and drop the smaller screen option.
This would keep Apple’s laptop lineup simple, with just 13-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pros, and a 13-inch MacBook Air.
This 8-port hub lets you hook your Mac or iPad Pro up to almost anything. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The designers of Inateck’s latest USB-C hub obviously believe that too much is never enough. It has eight ports, including the typical USB-A and HDMI ones but also some real legacy ports, including Ethernet and even VGA. There’s also a built-in removable USB-C cable for use on the go.
There’s a lot to test here, but I put this full-featured hub through its paces. Plug into my review to see what I learned.
Fossil unveiled the first Wear OS watches that can make iPhone calls. Photo: Fossil
Fossil’s fifth-generation smart watches run Google’s Wear OS, but they don’t reject iOS users. Users will be able to make and receive phone calls when connected to an iPhone over Bluetooth, a first for wearable with this operating system. These wrist-worn devices also can go multiple days on a single charge.
The company just unveiled its first Gen 5 models in a range of colors.