Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 26 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.
A USB-C port will be one of the more important changes in the upcoming iPhone 15 series. Photo: Mockup Cloud
If anyone still has lingering doubts that the iPhone 15 series will have a USB-C port, images showing the internal hardware for the port have leaked out.
The end of the Lightning port is expected to be one of the major changes of the iPhone 15 series when it debuts next month.
iPad Air 5 brought a big surge of sale in Q2 2022, which made Q2 2023 look weak. Photo: Apple
Although people are still buying millions of iPads, the numbers are down compared to where they were during the pandemic.
Still, Apple is doing a much better job of selling tablets than any of its rivals. During the second quarter of this year, it shipped about twice as many as any other company, according to a pair of market research firms.
So many people tuned in to see the conclusion of "Hijack" starring Idris Elba that it's the most watched show on streaming. Photo: Apple TV+
Hijack, the Apple TV+ thriller starring Idris Elba, wrapped up last week, and the finale pushed the series to the very top of the charts. It became the most popular show on any streaming service, according to a market analysis.
With the entire season of Hijack available, now is the time to binge-watch it.
Want to watch Lionel Messi? Check out the Leagues Cup on MLS Season Pass. Image: Apple
Jorge Mas, the managing owner of Inter Miami CF, says that the addition of Lionel Messi to his soccer team has “more than doubled” subscriptions to Apple’s MLS Season Pass, which allows viewers to watch Major League Soccer games.
Messi joined the Florida team in July. The huge boost in paid viewership is quick work, even for the man who’s been called the greatest soccer player ever.
macOS Ventura 13.5 users report a problem with Location Services. The bug apparently prevents users from giving or denying applications permission to gather and use information based on the current location of the Mac.
Reports of the bug date back weeks but Apple has yet to issue a fix.
Disney is taking multiple steps in hopes of making its streaming service profitable, including trying to end password sharing. Photo: Disney
Disney CEO Bob Iger said Wednesday that the entertainment behemoth is exploring ways to prevent subscribers of its video streaming service from sharing passwords. Rival Netflix saw a surge in subscribers after it did its own crackdown.
The ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu are also getting a price increase this autumn.
With Stage Manager in iPadOS 17, you can arrange app windows however you like. Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple is making significant improvements to its Stage Manager multitasking system so iPads can work even more like Macs. The iPadOS 17 version offers additional freedom in window sizing and position.
I’ve been testing the update since Apple began releasing beta versions of iPadOS 17 in June. I already liked the original version of Stage Manager — but the new one is even better.
The Supreme Court won't immediately end Apple's anti-steering policy for third-party app developers. Photo: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels CC
The U.S. Supreme Court denied a request by Epic Games that would have required Apple to immediately get rid of its “anti-steering” rule for third-party applications — a major change. Instead, the Mac-maker can wait until there’s a final decision by the high court.
This means Apple doesn’t have to change its policy that prevents developers from sending customers from their applications to their websites to pay for subscriptions or services … yet.
Not all of the chips on a wafer a good. But who pays for the defective ones? Photo: TSMC
Apple’s chip-maker TSMC does not absorb the cost of defective processors created in the production process, according to a trusted analyst. That contradicts a recent report that TSMC “eats the cost of the defects.”
Which isn’t to say that Apple and the Taiwanese company don’t have a very close working relationship.
Get two full recharges for your iPhone from Ugreen’s MagSafe power bank. Photo: Ugreen
The name for the Ugreen MagSafe 10,000mAh Battery Pack with Foldable Kickstand is a mouthful, but it’s also a full description of what the new accessory has to offer. Magnetically clip the power bank to the back of an iPhone and it’ll wirelessly recharge the handset. And the kickstand means it also functions as a stand.
The accessory can even recharge two other devices at the same time.
A MacBook Air with either a 13-inch or 15-inch display is a better choice for most students than a MacBook Pro. Photo: Apple
Dear university students: While it’s tempting to buy the top-tier MacBook Pro, it would be a huge waste of money. You simply don’t need to pay an extra $1,000 or more for a notebook that powerful. A MacBook Air fits your needs much better, especially now that there’s a 15-inch version.
And beyond the higher price, the increased performance of the MacBook Pro comes with a drawback you’ll notice every day.
To be clear, there are exceptions for this — some students really do need a MacBook Pro. But odds are you’re not one of them.
This Belkin stand supports Apple Watch fast charging, but not all do. Photo: Belkin
Makers of third-party Apple Watch chargers will reportedly no longer be able to build the old, slow Apple Watch charging puck into their products. The only one available will operate 33% faster than the original Apple Watch charger.
This means that, going forward, all new Apple Watch accessories will support Fast Charge.
The HyperDrive Next 10 Port Business Class USB-C Dock is designed to be used in the office or on the go. Photo: Hyper
The just-launched HyperDrive Next 10 Port Business Class USB-C Dock can handle dual 4K monitors, and it offers multiple 10Gbps USB ports and a detachable USB-C cable.
It’s part of the new HyperDrive Next collection, which also includes a range of USB-C hubs plus an NVMe SSD enclosure with data transfer speeds up to 40Gbps.
Will there be more adventures for Sam Nelson (Idris Elba)? Photo: Apple TV+
Now that Hijack has finished its run on Apple TV+, fans of the immensely popular limited series want to know if there’ll be a season two. One of the executive producers says, “I hope so.”
Star Idris Elba already said he’s open to the idea.
Why doesn't Apple go on and on about the "AI revolution"? Because it's already baked-in to Apple products. Image: Michael DziedzicUnsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac
Apple has been conspicuously quiet about its plans for artificial intelligence, even as rivals like Google and Microsoft made headlines touting the latest tech buzzword. But CEO Tim Cook leaped to his company’s defense Thursday, pointing out that AI is already used by many Apple products.
And he also listed upcoming software and services that wouldn’t be possible without machine learning and AI.
Apple says more than a billion paid subscriptions pushed services revenues to an all-time high last quarter. Photo: Goran Bogicevic/Free Stock photos by Vecteezy
The number of people subscribing to Apple services passed the 1 billion mark during the company’s most recent financial quarter, allowing that segment of the company to bring in record revenue.
But total revenue decreased slightly during the June quarter, the third time that’s happened in a row. And the money coming in from all Apple’s hardware groups is down.
★★★★☆
The latest HyperJuice power bank is big but is packed with features professionals will love. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The HyperJuice 245W USB-C Battery Pack has four USB-C ports, stores a whopping 27,000mAh and can output 100W through a single port for high-speed recharges. Plus, its built-in display gives more info about the battery status than any rival I’ve tested.
I used Hyper’s power bank on vacation and when working out of the office. Here’s why I love it.
Apple is about to reveal the financial results of its most recent quarter, and Wall Street analysts are preparing for a whole lot of ho-hum. They’re predicting a very slight drop in revenue and earnings, during a traditionally slow time of the year for Apple sales.
That said, Apple has a habit of beating analysts’ predictions. So Thursday’s earnings call could be more upbeat than expected.
An improved follow-up to the AirTag item tracker is in development. Photo: York Regional Police
The Apple AirTag item tracker sells well enough that an updated version is in early development, according to a reputable analyst. And it might include the AR capabilities that were rumored years ago.
The tiny tracker has reportedly been selling by the millions since the product launch in 2021.
The Twelve South Curve SE does everying a MacBook stand should, at a lower-than-usual price. Photo: Twelve South
The Twelve South Curve SE stand holds up a MacBook so the screen is at eye level, making the laptop part of a desktop setup. It’s ergonomic and also cools the computer.
It’s a premium laptop stand made of aluminum but costs substantially less than the company’s other stands.
This low-cost hub can handle a high-res monitor and high-speed USB accessories. Photo: Plugable
Connect the new Plugable USBC-4IN1 hub to a Mac or iPad to add an HDMI port, and two USB-A ones, also. And its USB-C port supports simultaneous 100W power pass-through charging and 10Gbps data transfers.
★★★★☆
Unlock the 256-bit encryption on the Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy 80 by tapping in a passcode on the convenient touchscreen. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy 80 External SSD includes a touchscreen and hardware encryption to protect user data. Unlock it by tapping in a password or numeric passcode onto the touchscreen.
It’s available in capacities ranging from 480GB to nearly 2TB. And it’s accessible from just about any device with a USB port — no special software needed.
I went hands-on with the secure SSD. Here’s why I like it.