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Ed Hardy - page 239

Your really buggy iPhone 8 might need a new logic board

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iPhone SE 2 could cost $399 just like the first-gen iPhone SE
Don't pitch your iPhone 8 into a wall because it keeps crashing. It could have a manufacturing flaw that Apple will fix.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has found the logic board in some iPhone 8 units have serious a manufacturing problem. The company will repair these at no charge.

If your phone keeps restarting or locking up, this might well be the cause.

MagicScroll tablet phone rolls up to fit in your pocket

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The MagicScroll is a tablet with a display flexible enough to roll into a cylinder.
The MagicScroll is a tablet with a display flexible enough to roll into a cylinder.
Photo: Queen’s University Human Media Lab

Forget folding displays. A group of Canadian researchers created a working prototype of a rollable tablet. The MagicScroll is intended to show that computer screens don’t have to be flat.

The biggest challenge in mobile design today is somehow making larger and larger displays fit in a pants pocket. The MagicScroll accomplishes that by rolling up into a cylinder.

Apple Watch Series 4 face is ridiculously complicated

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Apple Watch Series 4
The more you look at this Apple Watch face, the more notifications you see.
Photo: 9to5Mac

An image of Apple’s next wearable leaked today, revealing an impractical new Apple Watch face that crams in every possible type of notification all at once.

It has no less than nine different complications. And, oh yes, the time. 

Titan Security Keys make your online accounts as safe as they can be

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There are two Titan Security Keys, one Bluetooth and the other USB.
There are two Titan Security Keys, one for your iPhone or iPad, the other for your Mac.
Photo: Google

Google just began offering its Titan Security Keys. These can be used as part of two-factor authentication to secure a range of online accounts and cloud storage services.

A Titan key is a small USB or wireless device that provides a digital signature. Without the key’s two-factor authentication, the account cannot be accessed, even with the password.

Eve’s new Light and Power strips offer HomeKit automation

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The Eve PowerStrip can be controlled with Siri thanks to HomeKit support.
The Eve PowerStrip can be controlled with Siri thanks to HomeKit support.
Photo: Eve Energy

iPhone users into home automation just got several new options from Eve Energy. It unveiled a Power Strip, a Light Strip, and an updated version of Eve Room, all with HomeKit support.

These devices can be controlled from any iOS device via Siri, or schedules can be set up to turn them on or off.

Presidential iPad proves Trump is an Apple fanboy

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The Trump iPad might be how the president starts his day each morning.
The Trump iPad might be how the president starts his day each morning.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Perhaps Pres. Trump is more tech savvy than many people would expect. He fires off his tweetstorms from his phone, and today we learned he uses an tablet.

Specifically, we learned he uses an iPad. That goes with the pair of iPhones he carries around. Obviously, the president is an Apple fan.

People can’t wait to get their hands on the 2018 iPhone models

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2018 iPhone compared to 2017 iPhone X
iPhone demand, and faith in Apple, is so high that over 20 percent of all iPhone users intend to buy an as-yet unannounced 2018 model in the next year.
Photo: Jonas Dähnert

Apple hasn’t even announced its next generation of smartphones, and millions of people already want them. In fact, interest in upgrading to any iPhone is extremely strong.

A survey of iOS users found that almost twice as many people are interested in moving to a newer model as last year.

Small phone screens go the way of the dodo

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iPhone SE 2 could cost $399 just like the first-gen iPhone SE
In just a few years this 4.7-inch iPhone screen will be considered tiny.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 8 display is 4.7 inches. Over the next few years, phone screen sizes are expected to grow to the point that only a tiny fraction will be that small.

Fortunately, it appears Apple is keeping up with the trend. In fact, it could be argued that the iPhone started it.

Nifty Zagg Flex portable keyboard works with phones, tablets, and TVs

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Touch type on your iPad or iPhone with the Zagg Flex universal keyboard.
Touch type on your iPad or iPhone with the Zagg Flex universal keyboard.
Photo: ZAGG

Many portable keyboards are designed for just one device. The new Zagg Flex works with any computer with Bluetooth, including tablets, smartphones, and most smart TVs.

The keyboard comes in a protective case that can also serves as a stand for mobile devices large and small.

Apple’s ancient AirPort Express miraculously gets AirPlay 2 support

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AirPort Express
With Air Port 2 support added, the AirPort Express is your ticket to whole-house audio.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It’s possible you have an old AirPort Express wireless router in a box somewhere. Dig it out and set it up, because it can now be used as part of an AirPlay 2 audio system.

Even though it’s been discontinued, Apple just issued a firmware update for the second-generation AirPort Express that adds AirPlay 2 support.

Apple tries teaching photo editing over the phone

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Apple Photos app on iOS or macOS
Apple's phone-only training covers the iOS and macOS versions of Photos. But a Today at Apple training session might be better.
Photo: Apple

Apple is once again offering one-on-one tutorials on photo editing. Oddly though, these training sessions are given over the phone.

There are grounds to question the usefulness of a lesson in which neither the teacher nor the student can see what the other is doing. Perhaps an in-person Today at Apple group session would be a better option.

These new HomePod rivals are even pricier than Apple’s smartspeaker

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This Bose smartspeaker costs more than the HomePod, built not nearly as much as an upcoming Harman Kardon model.
This Bose smartspeaker costs more than the HomePod, built not nearly as much as an upcoming Harman Kardon model.
Photo: Bose

Apple’s HomePod smartspeaker has struggled at least partly because of its high price. Well, Bose doesn’t see a problem because it just unveiled an even pricier option. And Harman Kardon will bring out one twice as expensive.

The Bose smartspeaker uses Alexa, while Harman Kardon turned to Google Assistant. Both these voice control systems are widely regarded as a more capable than Apple’s Siri.

Say goodbye to 3D Touch next year

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3D Touch
There's growing evidence that 3D Touch will soon join the Dock connector and the headphone jack on Apple's scrap heap.
Photo: Apple

Some people love it, others forget about it. But however you feel about 3D Touch, it appears increasingly unlikely that it will be part of any 2019 iPhone model.

That’s because another analyst said today that some of the 2018 models will have this user-interface trick, but they’ll be the last.

Don’t expect new AirPods or HomePod until 2019

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airpods
The wait for AirPods 2 could stretch out over a year.
Photo: Ste Smith/ Cult of Mac

New iPhones and iPads are coming this fall, but some Apple products reportedly won’t be refreshed so soon. New versions of this company’s smartspeaker and wireless headphones might not be out until 2019.

And the wait for AirPods 2 could be much longer than many are hoping.

Apple A12 chip brings huge gains to performance and battery life

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A tweaked image of the A11 suggests what the improved Apple 12 princessor could look like.
A tweaked image of the A11 suggests what the improved Apple 12 processor could look like.
Photo: IFIXIT

The A11 Bionic chip from last year makes the iPhone X run faster than the new Samsung Galaxy Note 9. And now Apple is about to release the A12, a replacement with even quicker performance. 

A switch to a better manufacturing process will bring some of those performance increases, while at the same time using less power. And other improvements are expected to further boost the speed.

2018 iPhone might not work with Apple Pencil after all [Updated]

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Apple Pencil is the ultimate iPad accessory.
There are a lot of people hoping the next iPhone models will work with the Apple Pencil, but a prominent analyst says no.
Photo: Apple

A respected analyst just threw cold water on the reports that the Apple Pencil will work with next month’s iPhone models.

This contradicts several sources that pointed to support for Apple’s pressure-sensitive stylus being added to the 2018 iPhones. So we’re left guessing which is correct.

Why some people dump iPhone for Android

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Samsung Galaxy S9
Would you give up your iPhone for a Samsung Galaxy S9 or another Android device, or vice versa? Here're the reasons some people do.
Photo: Samsung

Most people would rather have a root canal than switch from iPhone to Android. In all fairness, the reverse is somewhat true, though people are far more like to switch to iOS than away.

A new survey shows why people give up their iPhone for something from Samsung, Lenovo, or similar Android OEM, and vice versa.

Apple drops second round of iOS 12 betas this week

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iOS 12 features
We don't know why Apple quickly introduced new iOS 12 beta versions, but they're ready for download.
Photo: Apple

Apple is really moving on iOS 12. It has introduced new pre-release versions for both developers and the general public just a few days after the last ones.

For developers, this is the tenth beta available. For everyone else, it’s the eighth.

Isaac Asimov’s Foundation sci-fi epic definitely headed for Apple TV

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Foundation was a major influence on Star Wars, and now it's coming to Apple TV.
Foundation was a major influence on Star Wars, and now it's coming to Apple TV+.
Photo: Bantam Spectra Books

A few months ago, we heard that Apple was developing Isaac Asimov’s Foundation book series for TV. Today, came word that Apple has committed to turning the sprawling sci-fi epic into a show.

Foundation follows the fall of a galactic empire, and centers on a group of scientists trying to save civilization from chaos.

PlugBug Duo makes your MacBook charger twice as useful

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With PlugBug Duo, you can simultaneously charge your MacBook, iPhone, and iPad from one plug.
With PlugBug Duo, you can simultaneously charge your MacBook, iPhone, and iPad from one wall socket.
Photo: TwelveSouth

Everyone wants to tote around less stuff, so add-ons that make your current gear more useful are welcome.  And that’s just what the new PlugBug Duo by TwelveSouth does: it clips onto your MacBook charger and adds a pair of USB ports.

It’s especially handy for people who have a MacBook Pro with a USB-C port, but need to charge gadgets that take a traditional USB port.

Apple places risky bet on sole iPhone chip provider

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Apple A12 replaces A11 Bionic
TSMC beat out Samsung and Intel to make Apple's A11 Bionic processor, and will apparently be the sole producer of its replacements.
Photo: iFixit

TSMC has produced every iPhone processor for several years, and is reportedly going to continue to be Apple’s sole source for chips.

Apple generally prefers to get components from multiple sources, but apparently no company — not even Samsung or Intel — can compete with TSMC. That makes the two companies very dependent on each other.

Auction of working Apple-1 from 1976 should bring big bucks

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In previous auctions, other Apple-1 computers have sold for as much as $815,000.
In previous auctions, other Apple-1 computers have sold for as much as $815,000.
Photo: RR Auction

You can buy a piece of Apple history next month. An Apple-1 computer built by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak will be auctioned off.

But bring your credit card. The auction house expects it to go for about $300,000.

5G iPhone will cost Apple a pretty penny

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iPhone 5G
Making the 5G iPhone is going to be a complex and expensive business.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

There’s no doubt Apple will eventually make a 5G iPhone. The high-speed standard was finalized a few months ago, and wireless service providers are building 5G networks.

The next step is for the companies that developed the technology to decide what they’ll charge Apple and other phone makers to license their patents. The total might be more than you expect.

Box of crystal meth shuts down Apple Store

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Ingenious
Just after opening the package containing 2 pounds of meth, the poor Apple Store employee probably looked a lot like this.
Photo: Samsung

The life of an Apple Store employee isn’t always easy. Sometimes they get punched in the face by irate customers, there are robberies, plus they have to put up with being mocked by Samsung. 

And then there’s the day an Apple Store employee opened a package to find it stuffed with tens of thousands of dollars worth of extremely illegal crystal meth.

Walmart horns in on the $1.1 billion e-book market

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A Walmart eBooks iOS app just launched, hoping to take on the established leaders in the market.
A Walmart eBooks iOS app just launched, hoping to take on the established leaders in the market, Amazon and Apple Books.
Photo: Walmart

While brick-and-mortar bookstores have almost disappeared, the number of e-book stores grew today with Walmart throwing its hat into the ring.

This is clearly an attempt to take on arch-rival Amazon in yet another market, but Apple Books is caught in the middle too.