Ed Hardy - page 64

Samsung used a short video to join Google in urging Apple to add support for Rich Communication Services to iMessage, which would end the blue bubble vs. green bubble divide.

The reason for their campaign is obvious: if Apple made the change, people would be more likely to switch from iPhone to Samsung’s Androids.

The Espresso 17 Pro answers the demand for a high-end portable monitor for MacBooks. It sports a 17.3-inch display at a 4K resolution, but it comes in a sleek package ready for on-the-go use. (Update: For a detailed Espresso 17 Pro review, check out our in-depth analysis of its features and performance.)

Beyond increasing the user’s workspace, the display includes a touchscreen for digital artists looking to add this capability to their Mac.

You can make your iPad into an external screen for your Mac, a Nintendo Switch, a camera or another device. All you need is the free Lux Orion application and a relatively cheap adapter.

Lux, the maker of the brilliant Halide camera application, made Orion just for fun. But it’s very useful, too.

Apple shipped 7.2 million Macs in the third quarter of 2023, according to a market analysis firm. That’s a whopping 23% decrease from the previous year, but Q3 2022 was one of the best quarters Apple has ever had for a bad reason.

Ignoring last year’s unusual quarter, Mac shipments are holding steady despite the end of the pandemic. Windows PC makers certainly can’t say that.

Apple intends to update the entire iPad lineup in the coming months, according to information leaking out of the company. Details have come to light about models from the smallest iPad mini to the largest iPad Pro.

Included on the list are tablets that haven’t been updated in a couple of years.

Here’s what to expect.

iOS 17.0.3 increases the battery life of nearly all older iPhones. However, tests done on a variety of models found that the patch released this week generally doesn’t make dramatic improvements.

That said, there’s very good news for anyone still using an iPhone XR.

In the weeks since iOS 17 launched, just a small percentage of iPhone owners have adopted it, according to an analytics firm. This is despite the fact that the new version is freely available for every iPhone going back five years.

Users may have been made cautious by Apple’s need to rush out three patches to fix bugs since the big update.

Siri Price can no longer use that name. The Edinburgh-based fitness instructor had to pick a new name because of a change in iOS 17, which was released for iPhones in September.

She’s not happy about it.

Apple will return to its habit of introducing new MacBook Pro models in Q4, according to an unconfirmed report. Supposedly, 14-inch and 16-inch models will hit the market before the end of 2023, both with mini-LED screens.

If true, these will be the second round of new MacBook Pros this year.

There’s a way to prevent your iPhone from blaring out a loud alarm whenever the feds or local governments use the Wireless Emergency Alerts system. Setting your device so it ignores these alerts is actually quite easy, though it is more complicated than putting your iPhone in Silent mode.

Here’s how.

iOS 17.0.3 just launched, and Apple promises it “addresses an issue that may cause iPhone to run warmer than expected.” This is a well-publicized problem with iPhone 15 models.

It also might increase the battery life of previous iOS handsets.

Apple CEO Tim Cook turned some of his millions of Apple shares into cash. He reportedly netted about $41 million from the sale.

Unlike some CEOs, Cook owns only a minute share of the company he runs.

The just-launched Samsung T9 solid-state drive is small enough and tough enough to go almost anywhere. And it’s available in capacities up to 4 terabytes.

The USB-C drive offers high-speed data transfers, and support for USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 allows files to move even faster … but not for Mac users. If you’re considering alternatives, the Samsung T7 is another excellent option known for its reliability and speed.

iPhones and Androids in the United States will receive an emergency alert Wednesday, but it’s not anything to worry about. It will come from a couple of U.S. government agencies testing the Wireless Emergency Alerts system.

This isn’t the first time the system has been tested — the feds are required to check that the system works every few years.

In short, just ignore it. Also ignore the crazy conspiracy theories surrounding the test.

NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition, the latest addition to the long-running sports franchise, premieres on Apple Arcade on October 28.

It’s one of four titles coming to Apple’s gaming service this month, including Jeopardy!.

Apple is now offering refurbished units of its second-generation full-size HomePod at 17% off the regular price. This new version offers high-quality audio and additional smart-home features

Buying refurbs from Apple is a popular way to save on used electronics that can be relied on.

The world is full of USB drives, from portable thumbdrives to full external SSDs. Happily, you’re not closed off from these just because you use an iPhone or iPad. Connecting to external drives has gotten much easier than it used to be.

And you’ll have full read/write access to everything on the drive. You won’t even need to install any software, as the app you need comes preinstalled on your device.

iOS 17 reduces the battery life of an array of older models. The result: Users of the iPhone XR, iPhone 13, etc., running the latest operating system version need to charge up their handsets more often.

It is not normal for a new iOS version to universally reduce battery life. But a fix may be on the way.

An iPhone 15 Pro Max came away severely cracked but still completely functional after a punishing series of drop tests.

Apple’s latest performed almost exactly as well as last year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max did on the same tests, despite a recent report that the new model is more fragile than its predecessor.

The Kingston XS1000 External SSD is about the size of pack of gum but holds up to 2 terabytes of data. And it can transfer files at high speed, too.

I put the petite but powerful and affordable solid state drive to the test and came away impressed.

iPhone users who miss the tabs from desktop browsers now have Vivaldi on iOS. The browser also blocks ads and trackers, and syncs between the mobile and desktop versions.

It’s free and available today.

Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers on Wednesday. This signals the start of testing for some iPhone features Apple already announced but didn’t debut in iOS 17, including AirDrop file transfers over the internet.

Cupertino also began beta testing macOS 14.1, iPadOS 17.1, watchOS 10.1 and tvOS 17.1.

Recent iPhones offer Emergency SOS via satellite, but not every mishap is life threatening. When non-emergency help is needed, Roadside Assistance via satellite is available. It’s a feature that debuted with the new iPhone 15 series but the iPhone 14 series can use it, too.

A video from Apple Support demonstrates how to use it.

Apple made Google the default search engine for the Safari web browser on iPhone and Mac because it’s the best option, not because Google paid billions of dollars for the prime placement, according to a top Apple executive.

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, made the claim Tuesday during testimony in the antitrust trial United States et al v. Google LLC. Cue also told the court that Apple’s deal with Google doesn’t violate his company’s oft-stated position on protecting user privacy.

A small software update that Apple initially released only for the iPhone 15 series can now be installed by any recent iPhone. iOS 17.0.2 fixes a data-transfer problem between iPhones, and also includes other bug fixes.

iPadOS 17.0.2 is also available for tablets and takes care of some of the same bugs.