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 SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That's because he's a "tablet first" type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don't try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 issuehere.
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.
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 thebest Apple TV movies worth watching.
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.
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 toAI take notes efficiently to enhance their workflow.
Macrodata Refinement turned up an important number! Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
There’s never been an Apple TV+ show with more viewers than Severance. The deeply weird workplace drama even surpassed the beloved Ted Lasso in viewers, Apple itself revealed on Wednesday.
And ratings charts concur — Severance is extremely popular.
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.
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: 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.
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.
Apple demoed how AI is giving Siri a hefty upgrade at WWDC24. Screenshot: Apple
Apple might push back the launch of a new AI-powered version of Siri after running into unexpected problems during development.
Rather than releasing the upgraded voice assistant in April, Apple might delay the smarter Siri several months or more. Some reports suggest that Apple is adjusting its broader AI strategy, which could also impact other anticipated releases, such as spring loading Mac updates. Read more about the latest developments here.
In the meantime, users looking for a Siri picture of how the AI assistant is evolving can check out the latest updates on its development here.
Netflix and Apple TV cooperating?! No. Image: Netflix, Apple
Netflix content started showing up for the first time in the Apple TV application. Until now, the streaming behemoth refused to cooperate with Apple’s app that displays content from a variety of services.
Netflix’s new integration with Apple TV appears to be still rolling out, so it’s not yet available to all users.
Update: A Netflix spokesperson now says integration between the streaming service and the Apple TV was just a mistake.
Discover ‘the world’s most dangerous secret’ in The Gorge on Apple TV+ in 2025. Graphic: Apple TV+
The gorge is the door to Hell.” That’s all we learn about it from the trailer for the Apple TV+ thriller of the same name coming in February. Two agents tasked with protecting the world from whatever’s hidden in the depths are strictly forbidden to go in — but you know they’re going in. For those eager to see how the film is being received, you can check outThe Gorge reviews for early impressions.
The upcoming film stars Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Sigourney Weaver.
Update:The Gorge premiered on Apple TV+ on Friday, so it’s ready to watch for Valentine’s Day.
Your iPhone and SD or microSD cards can be friends. Image: Cult of Mac
While your iPhone doesn’t have a built-in microSD card reader, adding a plug-in memory card reader is easy. And it requires no additional software. The same goes for iPads.
An upcoming Apple Studio Display version could offer a better type of screen. Photo: Apple
Apple plans to make the 27-inchapple studio display look even more beautiful, according to a reliable source. It’ll supposedly accomplish this by replacing the standard backlights with mini-LEDs.
The change will likely increase its appeal to prosumers looking for an Apple-quality external display for their Mac or iPad.
Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed Thursday that his company plans to launch a new product on February 19. He didn’t say what’s on the agenda, other than using a social media post to tease “the newest member of the family.”
There are actually several Apple products that rumors indicate could launch then, including AirTag 2, a new HomePod, the iPhone SE 4, and the MacBook Air with an M4 processor. If you’re curiouswhen does the new MacBook Pro come out, reports suggest Apple may introduce it alongside other anticipated products.
★★★★☆
Stop missing out on local TV with an affordable Tablo over-the-air DVR with antenna. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Nuvyyo’s Tablo picks up local TV broadcasts and lets you watch or record them on your TV, phone or tablet. As you’ll see in this Tablo TV review, it’s a brilliant solution for cord-cutters who lost access to CBS, ABC, etc., when they dropped their expensive cable subscriptions.
The device costs less than $100, with no subscriptions required and no hidden fees. For this review, I tested the latest Nuvyyo Tablo with my Apple devices and found the over-the-air DVR to be darn good, if not perfect.
Android users can now easily enjoy everything on Apple TV+ with a new app for phones and tablets. Image: Apple
Android phones got an official Apple TV+ app on Wednesday. This makes it easier for people around the world to watch Severance, Silo and other popular series on the streaming service.
There are already versions of the application for Roku, Google TV and more.
Record an hour of ProRes video directly onto the ShiftCam Planck. Photo: ShiftCam
ShiftCam calls the Planck “the world’s smallest portable SSD,” and it’s certainly very tiny. Plus, its USB-C connector is designed so the drive fits neatly on the bottom of an iPhone Pro where it’s ready to store up to 2 TB of high-resolution ProRes video as it’s being recorded.
The very, very compact drive can be pre-ordered now at up to 35% off the regular price.