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Ed Hardy - page 243

iPhone spared from Trump’s tariffs, for now

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iPad and iPhone tariffs aren't happening. Yet.
iPad and iPhone tariffs aren't happening. Yet. There are still no extra fees for shipping Apple's devices from China, but that could change..
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Trump administration is headed for a trade war with China, and there’s danger that Apple will get caught in the middle.

That said, the tariffs on Chinese imports going into effect in July won’t affect the iPhone or iPad. However, these devices could easily be part of a later round, which President Trump promises will be 10x bigger.

iPhone X camera officially ‘studio quality’

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Apple ad says iPhone X takes studio-quality portraits.
There were some complaints after Apple ads claimed the iPhone X takes "studio-quality portraits."
Photo: Apple

The advertising regulatory body in the UK ruled that Apple can say that the  iPhone X takes “studio-quality portraits.”

An ad for this smartphone promised “Radically new cameras with Portrait Lighting. Studio-quality portraits. Without the studio.” However, this brought two complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Future-proof your iPad keyboard case with ZAGG Nomad Book

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ZAGG Nomad Book
The ZAGG Nomad Book is a keyboard case that fits a range of tablets, including the 10.5- and 9.7-inch iPads.
Photo: ZAGG

The ZAGG Nomad Book is a keyboard case designed to fit around range of tablets 10.5 inches or smaller. That means it can be used with every iPad released for the past several years except the very largest.

ZAGG also just introduced the Messenger Folio. This has many of the benefits of the Nomad Book but was created specifically for the iPad Pro 10.5.

Wi-Fi is about to get way more secure

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smart-gadgets-are-getting-their-own-wi-fi-standard-in-2018-2-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201409150272362_95f26266a2_b-jpg
After the changes being implemented in WPA3, you might feel less nervous about public Wi-Fi.

Part of the reason public Wi-Fi is so risky to use is that the security built into this short-range wireless networking standard hasn’t had a significant upgrade since 2004. But that’s about to change.

The Wi-Fi Alliance introduced Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WPA3, the next generation of Wi-Fi security. This adds new features to simplify Wi-Fi security and enable more robust authentication. The enterprise version offers increased cryptographic strength.

Apple’s Tim Cook has no time for short-term investors

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Tim Cook is going to BoxWorks.
CEO Tim Cook says short-term investors aren't needed at Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple stock price has dropped steadily throughout June. That likely bothers short-term investors, but not Tim Cook. Apple’s CEO thinks long-term, and says planning no farther than the next quarterly earnings report is a recipe for disaster.

“If you’re making a decision based on the short term investors, you’re going to be guaranteed to be making terrible decisions,” Cook said yesterday.

macOS Mojave public beta finally here

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Mojave
After being announced at WWCD 2018 earlier this month, the macOS Mojave public beta was just made introduced.
Photo: Apple

Those in the general public eager to try out Apple’s next Mac operating system can now do so. The first macOS Mojave public beta was just released.

This appears to be the same version introduced last week as the second developer beta.

Tim Cook says Apple will never keep quiet about social issues

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Tim Cook opening remarks WWDC 2017
CEO Tim Cook apparently laid out Apple's three policy priorities.
Photo: Apple

Whenever Apple CEO Tim Cook weighs in on a social issue, like his recent disparaging comments about U.S. immigration policy, there are always voices urging him to be quiet and concentrate on making great products.

Speaking at a forum in San Francisco this evening, Cook said that changing the world is in his job description.

T-Mobile FamilyMode brings parental control over every device in the house

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T-Mobile FamilyMode Home Base
The T-Mobile FamilyMode app and Home Base promise control over every Internet-connected device in your house.
Photo: T-Mobile

Parental controls are a hot item. Apple is building them into iOS 12, kid-friendly apps have them, and T-Mobile just unveiled its solution: Family Mode.

This includes iOS and Android apps than can limit what children do online. And the Family Mode Home Base connects to the home Wi-Fi router and lets parents put restrictions on every device in the house.

Get ready for NFL football on iPhone

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Wilson connected football
CBS and the NFL ironed out their differences, allowing your iPhone to stream football games for the first time.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

CBS has been struggling to find stand-out content for its All Access streaming service beside Star Trek: Discovery. That problem has been solved. 

The entire 2018 NFL ON CBS schedule, including Super Bowl LIII, will be streamed live on All Access. That includes smartphones and tablets, a significant development.

iPhone hacking van is a spy’s wet dream

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WiSpear iPhone hacking van
The WiSpear hacking van sounds like a prop from Mission Impossible, not a product on sale at a recent trade show.
Screencap: Thomas Fox-Brewster

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if something is real or was dreamed up by a Batman villain. That’s the case with the WiSpear iPhone hacking van.

This tool supposedly can be used to install malware on an iOS or Android device from a third of a mile away.

Apple, other tech titans cross swords on consumer privacy

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Apple takes privacy seriously
Apple takes consumer privacy seriously, but Google and Facebook don't. Can an industry trade group that includes all three company reach any kind of consensus?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Information Technology Industry Council will meet on Wednesday. This trade group, made up of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and others, will discuss consumer privacy.

The proceedings are likely to be contentious, as these companies have very different views on the subject.

Hacker discovers bypassing iPhone passcode limit just requires a keyboard [UPDATED]

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iPhone passcode limit can be bypassed with a keyboard
A hacker claims the iPhone passcode limit can be bypassed with an external keyboard.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Companies like Grayshift help police bypass the passcodes on locked iPhones. One might think that this requires some byzantine hacking skills. Apparently not.

A hacker reports that iOS has a soft spot when it comes to external keyboards, allowing someone to send as many passcode attempts as desired. The passcodes have to be submitted correctly, though.

Tinder explores becoming slightly less of a hookup app

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Tinder Picks currently only for iPhone
The new Tinder Picks option -- currently testing exclusively on iOS -- helps you find people you have something in common with.
Photo: Tinder

Tinder Picks is a feature this dating app is testing that might make it a better way to find people you’re compatible with emotionally, not just sexually.

Picks takes the user’s profile and shows them pictures of people who have similar jobs, educations, and interests.

Amazon’s unlimited reading app finally arrives on iOS

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Amazon FreeTime Unlimited for kids now available on the Apple App Store.
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited offers kids age-appropriate videos, books, and apps. It's now on the Apple App Store.
Photo: Amazon

Amazon FreeTime Unlimited just made the jump to to the Apple App Store. This service for children ages three to twelve offers thousands of books, movies, and games for a flat monthly fee.

The service launched years ago on Amazon’s own tablets, but only became available for iPad and iPhone today.

Supreme Court rules police need a search warrant to track your iPhone

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Tower
Your wireless service provider always knows where your iPhone is, but police can no longer access that data without a search warrant.

The U.S. Supreme Court just handed down a victory for privacy advocates: police can no longer access mobile phone tracking data without a warrant.  

Wireless providers know which of its cell towers each of their customers is connected to, giving it a basic idea of where all of them are. Law enforcement agencies used to be able to obtain this data without permission from a judge.

Apple challenges Qualcomm patents as legal battle rages on

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Qualcomm patents
Apple to Qualcomm: "I wish I knew how to quit you." But the companies continue to do business even as they drag each other to court.
Photo: Qualcomm

“Coopetition” best describes the relationship between Apple and Qualcomm. Wireless modems made by Qualcomm are used in iPhones even as the two companies are locked in a years-long patent dispute over billions of dollars.

The fight reached a new phase today as Apple challenged four Qualcomm patents, arguing they shouldn’t have been awarded in the first place.

iPhone might soon offer handwriting recognition

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iPad and iPhone handwriting recognition is a real possibility
Apple is investigating including handwriting recognition in the iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple is actively working on a handwriting recognition system. This raises the distinct possibility that you might someday enter text by writing words on your iPhone or iPad screen, rather than tapping out letters on a virtual keyboard.

Some will remember that Apple’s tried something similar before and it didn’t go well.

Spike Jonze’s amazing HomePod ad wins Cannes advertising award

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From The Rock to 'Your Verse': Apple's best ads of the 2010s
This is the second major award for the 'Welcome Home" ad Spike Jonze created for the HomePod.
Photo: Apple

A Grand Prix in the Cannes Entertainment awards went to “Welcome Home,” a long-form ad for the HomePod created by Spike Jonze. The goal of the “Lions”  is to reward education or advertising excellent enough to qualify as art..

Watch the brilliant 5-minute ad below:

AT&T’s WatchTV service adds 30 TV channels to unlimited data

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AT&T's WatchTV combines streaming TV channels with unlimited data.
AT&T's WatchTV service combines entertainment with unlimited data.
Photo: AT&T

AT&T wants to stand out in the wireless market by combining streaming TV with unlimited data. Two newly-announced WatchTV options add dozens of TV channels and thousands of on-demand TV shows to the carrier’s unlimited data plans.

This move comes in the wake of the $85B AT&T/Time Warner merger, giving the carrier far greater access to video content that can be streamed to your iPhone or iPad almost anywhere.

iOS 11.4 causes camera woes

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A black screen is one of the iOS 11.4 camera problems users are reporting.
A black screen in the native app is one of the iOS 11.4 camera problems users are reporting.
Screenshot: Wizard Design/Twitter

Everyone’s attention is on iOS 12, but Apple still has a team working on a “bug fix” update to iOS 11.4. Among the reasons for this is the complaints from numerous iPhone users that this version causes their camera to malfunction in various ways.

This is on top of the battery problems with iOS 11.4 that have been widely reported.

Cupertino postpones vote on ‘head tax’ on Apple employees

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Apple leases new offices near to Apple Park
Cupertino decided to not raise additional taxes this year on employees working at Apple Park.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

Cupertino’s city government decided to ask voters next year whether it should charge businesses a tax on every worker. Apple is the city’s largest employer, so most of the cost would have fallen on the iPhone maker.

The original plan, while vague, was to use the additional revenue to create more affordable housing options and improve Cupertino’s transit system.

Facebook finally going to charge you for some content

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Facebook subscription fees are coming.
Declutter My Home is one of a handful of Facebook groups that get to test charging subscription fees.
Photo: Facebook

A pilot project allows people who run Facebook groups to charge subscription fees for the content they create. During the testing process, this is an option for a limited number of group admins.

The fees can range from $4.99 to $29.99 a month. Facebook isn’t taking a share of the revenue.

Exploding phone blamed for Malaysian VC’s death

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iPhone fire
It's very rare, but smartphones can catch fire. They aren't known to explode powerfully enough to kill someone, though.
Photo: Langley Township Fire Department

A Malaysian man perished in a fire in his bedroom, but his family and his company say he was actually killed when the phone charging near his bed exploded.

“He had two phones, one Blackberry and a Huawei. We don’t know which one exploded,” said the brother-in-law of Nazrin Hassan, the CEO of a venture capital fund.

macOS Mojave easter egg scrambles your desktop with a single click

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macOS Mojave Mess Up easter egg
I swear, we didn't make this up. There really is a "Mess Up" feature in macOS Mojave.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Surely you’ve said to yourself, “My Mac desktop is messy, but it could be messier.” No? Well, someone at Apple has, and built a tool into the macOS Mojave beta to disorganize everything on your desktop.

This easter egg is almost certainly a feature needed during testing, but it’s also a sign that the Apple developers are willing to have a bit of fun.