Ed Hardy - page 32

If you own an Apple device, it probably needs an operating system update. That includes iPhone, Mac, iPad Apple Watch … even Vision Pro. The hefty list of security-focused upgrades released Monday by Apple includes iOS 17.6, macOS Sonoma 14.6 and more.

They patch a list of more than two dozen vulnerabilities detailed on Apple’s security update page.

Apple Intelligence took a big step toward release on Monday. The AI-powered features unveiled at WWDC24 entered beta testing so developers can start trying them out in the real world.

They are part of the initial round of betas of iOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which are expected to launch in October.

When iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 launch this fall, do not expect Apple Intelligence to be part of the first releases of the operating system upgrades. The company’s cool new AI capabilities reportedly will arrive about a month later. Monday’s release of the first developer beta of iOS 18.1 — which includes some Apple Intelligence features — seems to confirm that release roadmap.

This means Apple Intelligence likely will arrive in October, around the same time as macOS Sequoia. So Mac users might get Apple AI along with their big upgrade.

Apple reportedly met with the U.K.’s TV ratings organization Barb Audiences in what’s being taken as a sign that the company’s streaming service is prepping an ad-supported subscription plan.

Apple TV+ is the only one of the large streaming services that lacks such a pricing tier.

Silo will return for a second season on Apple TV+ this fall. Apple announced the premiere date for season two of the popular sci-fi series Saturday at Comic-Con International. In addition, we also learned that Steve Zahn (War for the Planet of the Apes) joined the Silo cast.

Update: Late Saturday, more than two days after the iCloud Private Relay problem first cropped up, Apple fixed it.

If you’ve received repeated notifications that iCloud Private Relay is inactive on one of your Apple devices, it’s not a problem with your internet connection or network. The problem is on Apple’s end.

The issue has persisted since Thursday afternoon and into Friday morning, and might be slowing down your web browsing.

The Apple TV+ thriller Lady in the Lake got off to a strong start, immediately becoming a top 10 hit with streaming viewers. Natalie Portman leads the cast of the limited series as new episodes appear each week through late August.

In addition, the Apple TV+ crime drama Presumed Innocent is still pulling in plenty of eyes, as is the mystery series Sunny.

Epic Games will make its highly popular game Fortnite and other titles available via AltStore PAL, the first app marketplace for iPhone to open in the European Union. The game developer is also continuing to work on its own iOS app marketplace, because it’s banned from Apple’s App Store.

So the days of playing Fortnite on iPhone will be back soon … but only for those who live in the right region.

The new Scuf Nomad makes playing advanced games on your iPhone much more fun by adding physical buttons, triggers and sticks. It’s designed to go where you go, and works on nearly every iPhone.

The controller emphasizes customization, allowing you to change what the buttons do even if the game itself doesn’t support that. And there are rear paddles in addition to all the usual controls.

I happily played hours of games on the Nomad — here’s what it’s like to use.

For $16.99 a month, it’s now possible to subscribe to Disney+, Hulu and Max. That’s a 53% savings for the popular streaming services. The cost almost doubles for advertising-free versions, though.

The three are ready to watch on Mac, iPad, iPhone or Apple TV.

Thursday’s move is part of a recent trend toward bundling. Apple TV+ got on the bandwagon in May, joining in with Netflix and Peacock.

Apple TV+ turned the 1981 cult classic movie Time Bandits into a comedic adventure series for all ages starring Lisa Kudrow (from Friends, duh).  It premiered Wednesday on the streaming service.

The new Apple TV+ series drew considerable praise from reviewers.

iPhone users could use AI to create their own artwork for playlists in Apple Music, according to code reportedly found in the latest iOS 18 beta. The feature would use Apple Intelligence’s ability to generate images based on simple instructions.

If true, this is be one of multiple new artificial intelligence capabilities coming to iPhone.

Apple is reportedly moving ahead with making an iPhone with a folding screen. If multiple unconfirmed reports from Tuesday turn out to be true, the first foldable iPhone could hit the market in 2026.

An iPhone Fold would be the first significant change to the standard “slab” design of iOS handsets since, well, ever.

The number of Android applications on Google Play is likely to drop after Google updated its Minimum Functionality policy to block apps that “only have limited functionality and content.”

Unlike the experience in Apple’s App Store, Android users must wade knee-deep through useless apps to find anything worthwhile. The new policy should remedy this … assuming Google enforces it.

The CEO of Rivian says his company has no intention of ever adding Apple CarPlay to its electric vehicles. This means drivers can’t plug their iPhone into an R2, R3, etc., and gain easy access to Apple Music, Maps, etc., as they can in so many other car models.

CEO R.J. Scaringe says the decision was about keeping control of the user experience, but money has played a role in similar decisions.

Slack added a trio of iPhone and iPad Home Screen widgets on Monday — the first ever for the popular team communication app.

Users can jump directly to unread messages or update their status with these widgets. Or even launch Slack directly from their Lock Screen.

A super-slim version of the iPhone 17 could stand out as the most expensive option in Apple’s lineup, even though it wouldn’t come with all the features of the Pro models in that same series.

Other specifications for 2025’s iPhone 17 series supposedly leaked out over the weekend as well.

Apple reportedly wants to reduce the amount of money it pours into its Apple TV+ streaming service. And the company also wants to get more bang for its buck.

The result likely will be fewer Apple TV+ shows, and decreased spending on marquee projects. Plus, underperforming series can expect to get canceled more quickly.

Sunny, a mystery thriller with a darkly comic bent starring Rashida Jones and a robot, quickly became one of the most popular shows on streaming after premiering on Apple TV+ earlier in July.

But it’s not even the most-watched Apple series. That honor belongs to the crime drama Presumed Innocent, which has drawn a big audience for weeks.

A faulty Windows security update crashed Windows computers across the world on Friday. Any PC that installed the update got hit with the infamous Windows Blue Screen of Death, leading to planes being grounded, disruptions at banks, stores that can’t make transactions, and many more problems.

As a macOS user, there’s no reason for you to feel left out. You can install the BSOD as a wallpaper on your Mac and pretend to join in.

Instead of an ordinary video demonstrating how useful MacBooks, iPads and iPhones are on a business trip, Apple presents another madcap adventure of the Underdogs.

The group is off to Thailand to have millions of boxes produced for their most difficult client, and everything possible goes wrong. Fortunately, it’s Apple gear to the rescue.

The Apple TV+ streaming service earned more Emmy Award nominations than it ever has before. There were 72 noms for 16 different shows, including The Morning Show, Palm Royale, Lessons in Chemistry, Slow Horses, Loot, Hijack and many more.

“We are so thankful to the Television Academy for honoring our storytellers with a record number of Emmy nominations today,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video.

New game Roia challenges players to guide a river down a mountain by rearranging the terrain. It’s another unique premise from Emoak, a team of developers with a history of creating standout games.

I spent a couple of hours playing it on my iPhone, and found the game to be demanding but also relaxing. And not like anything I’ve played before.

With a market capitalization above $3.6 trillion, Apple regained the title of world’s most valuable publicly traded company. The Mac-maker is valued well above Microsoft and Nvidia, both of which had been valued higher earlier this year.

A recent sharp rise in AAPL share value seems to indicate that investors are optimistic that a surge in iPhone sales is on the horizon.

Apple just replaced the space gray HomePod mini with a new midnight color option. Monday’s change to the company’s smart speaker lineup is hardly monumental — you might not even be able to see the difference.

Still, the new midnight HomePod mini is also “green.” Apple made it using 100% recycled mesh fabric.