Ed Hardy - page 4

Apple continues plugging away at HomePod with large display

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HomePod with a larger Display concept
A HomePod with a larger touchscreen -- perhaps something like this concept -- is supposedly on the drawing board at Apple.
Concept: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly hasn’t given up on the idea of a HomePod smart speaker with a built-in display. It’s supposedly still in development in Cupertino.

There have been leaks and rumors of such a smart home device since at least 2021.

3 iPad Pro improvements better than a thinner chassis

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2024 iPad Pro: Thinner isn't always better
There's no reason to slim down iPad Pro when there are better options.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The OLED display in the upcoming iPad Pro reportedly will allow the tablet to be more than 20% thinner. Which is … fine. But if the OLED panel takes up that much less room, there are plenty of improvements Apple could make to its top-tier iPad that would enhance usability more than slimming down an already svelte computer.

Perhaps Apple’s 2025 iPad Pro could use the extra space for more battery and more ports.

Masters of the Air stays a high-flying hit for Apple TV+

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Austin Butler, who recently played Elvis Presley, stars in the show.
"Masters of the Air" continues to be near the top of the popularity charts.
Photo: Apple

The WWII drama Masters of the Air draws in a big audience. It’s stayed near the tops of popularity charts of two different ratings services for weeks now, ever since the premiere in January.

Critics like it too, so the ongoing series that dramatizes the U.S. Army Air Force’s role in helping defeat Germany is another success for Apple TV+.

And the historical crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon continues to be a crowd pleaser as well.

Brilliant Belkin iPhone stand uses Apple DockKit to keep camera pointed at user

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Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro in use
The Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro can be your virtual cameraman, whether you're making a TikTok video or simply on a video call.
Photo: Belkin

The Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro is the first-ever accessory to work with Apple DockKit. Using this tech, it can hold up an iPhone, rotate and tilt to keep the camera focused on the user during video calls.

After being announced CES 2024 in January, the accessory reached the market on Friday.

Chrome browser taps AI for new ‘Help me write’ tool

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Google Chrome 'Help Me Write' AI writing tool
"Help Me Write" uses AI to improve your writing online.
Image: Google

Google Chrome uses artificial intelligence in a new experimental tool that makes it easier to start writing or improve something already written online. “Help me write” can punch up the content of any text field in the browser.

It’s coming to Mac and Windows, and is just the latest AI addition to Chrome.

Keep iPhone going with Belkin’s power bank/wall charger [Review] ★★★★☆

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Belkin BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K review★★★★☆
Juice up your devices even when there's no power socket in sight with Belkin's wall charger and power bank.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A wall charger is useless when there’s no power socket handy. That’s why Belkin recently launched one that has a built-in battery so it’s ready to charge up your iPhone even when you’re off the grid.

Belkin BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K has a pair of USB ports and flip-out power prongs for maximum adaptability.

I put it through a series of tests with my iPhone 15 Plus, and it came through quite well.

Improved iPad screen protector and Apple Pencil tip make drawing easier

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Astropad Rock Paper Pencil v2 textured iPad screen protector and Apple Pencil tip
Rock Paper Pencil v2 is for artists struggling with drawing on a slick iPad screen.
Photo: Astropad

The second-generation version of Astropad’s Rock Paper Pencil includes an improved version of the textured iPad screen protector. Theres also a more durable Apple Pencil tip.

The combo is designed for digital artists who want drawing on an iPad to feel more like using a pen on paper.

Apple fortifies iMessage to foil hackers of the future

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Apple Security Encryption
iMessage is about to achieve a higher level of security than any of its widely used rivals.
Image: Apple

An iMessage upgrade with post-quantum cryptography will make Apple’s instant messaging platform ready to fend off future hackers. Today’s encryption methods likely won’t be able to stand up, which is why Apple is bringing in the cutting-edge protocol.

The new tech will launch in March, making iMessage the most secure, widely used messaging service in the world, according to Apple.

New Apple Sports app gives fans scores and stats for free

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New Apple Sports app
Apple has a new iPhone application for sports fans of all types.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

The new Apple Sports app for iPhone gives fans access to real-time scores, stats and more for their favorite teams across a wide range of sports leagues. The free app launched Wednesday on the App Store.

“We created Apple Sports to give sports fans what they want — an app that delivers incredibly fast access to scores and stats,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, in a statement.

iPhone 15 battery doesn’t wear out as fast as Apple thought

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iPhone 15 Battery Health and charge cycles
iOS 17.4 will bring in a new Battery Health screen for iPhone showing the number of charge cycles.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The batteries in the iPhone 15 series are even better than Apple realized. It takes twice as many charge cycles to wear one out than previously thought, greatly expanding the time before the battery needs to be replaced.

We already knew Apple’s latest goes a long time without needing a recharge. And now we know the battery itself is good for years of heavy use while remaining healthy.

Apple chipmaker moving ahead toward 2nm processors in 2025

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TSMC looks ahead to super-speedy 2nm processors
2nm processors made by TSMC will be faster while using less power than today's 5nm iPhone and Mac chips.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Getting 2nm processors into Mac and iPhone is reportedly proceeding as scheduled, and TSMC will begin making these in 2025.

The on-schedule progress report comes as very good news. Especially considering that the Taiwanese chipmaker ran into significant delays developing the 3nm processors currently in use.

Foundation season 3 is ready to restart production in March

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'Foundation' Season 2
'Foundation' stars Jared Harris and Lee Pace, and is based on groundbreaking sci-fi novels by Isaac Asimov.
Image: Apple TV+

Foundation season three production reportedly will resume in early March, after problems with the Apple TV+ sci-fi epic were ironed out.

Production for the popular series was put on hold in February due to cost-cutting efforts.

This pocket-size charger juices up Apple Watch anywhere [Review] ★★★★

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qCharge 2.0 review★★★★
qCharge 2.0 is a combination Apple Watch charger and battery ready to go where you go.
Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac

qCharge 2.0 from Citius Systems is a power bank with built-in charger especially for Apple Watch. With one of these, you can replenish the device almost anywhere, no wall socket needed.

I tested it out with my own Watch. Here’s why I like it.

Vision Pro gives a first look at computers of 2034

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Apple Vision Pro Enterprise apps
Stop thinking of Vision Pro as a clunky thing you strap to your face. Instead, consider visionOS as a window into the future of computers.
Screenshot: Apple

Vision Pro is years ahead of its time. Apple’s AR headset lets us see today what using an average computer a decade in the future will be like.

In 2034, being surrounded by physical screens will seem charmingly obsolete. Virtual displays of any size generated by an AR headset from Apple (or its rivals) will take the place of displays connected to our computers, phones, watches, etc. And that’s only the start.

You can experience the coming revolution now because Vision Pro is another example of Apple giving us a glimpse of the future.

Way more Android users switch to iPhone than vice versa

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Android switch to iPhone in 2023
Android users are more likely to switch to iPhone than fans of Apple's OS are to go over to Google's.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The percentage of iPhone buyers in the U.S. whose last device was an Android was at 13% in 2023. The figure of Android users who previously used iPhone is much lower.

Apple already leads the smartphone race in the United States, and the poll data shows that’s not going to change.

Why you shouldn’t care that Apple began phasing out web apps

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iPhone web apps: Xbox Cloud Gaming and Amazon Luna
The few available iPhone web apps are about to break in the EU.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Are you familiar with iPhone web apps? No? Turns out you aren’t alone. Apple admitted that the method for turning websites into applications never caught on.

It must have been a tough admission, given that Steve Jobs’ original plan for iPhone was that it would only support web apps, with no native third-party applications allowed.

Kiss productivity goodbye: TikTok just launched a Vision Pro app

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TikTok Vision Pro app
You haven't really seen TikTok videos until you've been immersed in them with Vision Pro.
Screenshot: TikTok/ByteDance

TikTok just outraced some of its biggest rivals by releasing a native Vision Pro application. The short video service that’s become a global phenomenon can now be enjoyed on Apple’s AR headset thanks to the TikTok Vision Pro app.

The head of development for the new app says the company “redesigned the entire TikTok experience.”

Conspiracy thriller Prime Target ready to sneak onto Apple TV+. Or is it?

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Quintessa Swindell and Leo Woodall star in Prime Target on Apple TV+.
Quintessa Swindell and Leo Woodall star in upcoming series Prime Target, coming soon to Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Prime Target is an incoming Apple TV+ thriller that combines conspiracy theories with math theorems. Seriously. It’s about a mathematician whose research is being suppressed as part of a mysterious conspiracy.

The upcoming series will star Leo Woodall and Quintessa Swindell.

Apple tests AI software to transform images into video

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Apple tests Keyframer, AI software to transform images into video
Keyframer is only a research project, but it confirms that Apple is hard at work on LLM-based AI software.
Screenshot: Apple

The latest demonstration of Apple’s AI expertise is Keyframer, software that turns an image into a video based on natural language instructions.

It offers an early glimpse at the type of AI tools that might come bundled into future versions of macOS or iOS.

Mechanical Mac keyboard packs useful features into small package [Review] ★★★★

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Satechi SM1 Slim Mechanical Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard review★★★★
Satechi SM1 offers mac users a compact mechanical keyboard with multiple connectivity options.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Satechi SM1 Slim Mechanical Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard offers a 75% layout with low-profile brown switches so it’s easy to type on while not taking up much room on your desk. This mechanical keyboard for Mac can connect with up to four computers, including your iPad and iPhone, plus Windows machines. And it uses a variety of connectivity methods: Bluetooth, wired and more.

I’ve used it for several weeks now in my home office. I found a lot to like.

EU won’t force iMessage to work with WhatsApp, rival messaging apps

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iMessage messaging
The EU won't require Apple to make dramatic changes to iMessage, the iPhone's messaging app.
Photo: Cee Ayes/Unsplash

The European Commission decided not to require Apple to further break down its barriers between iMessage and rival messaging services.

It would seem Apple’s decision to add RCS support helped persuade the European regulator that no additional changes are necessary.

visionOS update eliminates a major headache

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Clicking top button on Vision Pro
visionOS 1.0.3 is ready to squash Vision Pro bugs.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple released visionOS 1.0.3 to users of the Vision Pro on Monday. It’s the first to go out since the launch, and is primarily a bug-fix patch.

That said, the new version deals with a problem that previously sent some users to an Apple retail store looking for technical assistance.

Shopping online with Apple Cash is about to get a whole lot easier

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Shopping online with Apple Cash is about to get a whole lot easier
Apple Wallet will soon be able to turn Apple Cash into a virtual debit card.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple Cash will soon give shoppers everything they need to make purchases online. Starting with iOS 17.4, a debit card number can be created for the financial service, along with the usual associated details.

This will be a boon for those who depend on the digital payment system, especially teenagers.