Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
The Thirteenth Doctor and her companions must solve a mystery. Photo: Tilting Point/Apple Arcade
Doctor Who: An Unlikely Heist challenges players to solve mysteries by finding clues. The story-driven hidden-objects game debuted on Apple Arcade on Friday.
It’s the latest addition to Apple’s gaming service, which adds a new title almost every week.
iOS 16.4.1 is ready for your iPhone. And there are macOS and iPadOS updates, too. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
iPhone, Mac and iPad users got fresh operating system updates on Friday. iOS 16.4.1, macOS 13.3.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1 fix a smattering of bugs on the devices — including some security vulnerabilities that Apple admits may have been exploited — but there are no new features.
At this time, there are no equivalent updates for Apple Watch or Apple TV.
In Silo, if the lies don't kill you, the truth will. Photo: Apple TV+
Silo premieres in May, and Apple TV+ just released the full trailer for the upcoming drama series based on a bestselling trilogy of dystopian novels.
In the series, a few thousand people are left on earth hiding in a mile-deep silo. But what if everything they’ve ever been told about the outside world is a lie?
Thieves didn't get through these doors. They went in another way. Photo: Apple
Thieves were apparently stymied by the security on an Apple store in Washington so they broke into an adjacent store and cut a hole in the wall. That reportedly enabled them to make off with $500 thousand in Apple gear.
USB-C is finally coming to the iPhone, but there are rumors and speculation that only Apple-approved cables will be able to charge the device. Realistically, though, there’s no way Apple would be allowed to get away with that.
The European Union is forcing Apple to drop the Lightning port, and would surely squash attempts to make USB-C into anything but a universal standard. That’s if Apple is even trying to do that, which is questionable.
Will Patricia Arquette's second show on Apple TV+ be as big a hit as Severance? Photo: Apple TV+
High Desert will join the collection of comedies on Apple TV+ when it premieres in May. This won’t be light fare, as it follows an addict who decides to become a private investigator.
The upcoming series stars Patricia Arquette, winner of several Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy awards.
Have ChatGPT always available on your iPhone with S-GPT. Photo: Federico Viticci/MacStories
Don’t be jealous of Microsoft Bing’s new AI capabilities: A new Shortcut called S-GPT integrates OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot into Apple devices. It works as a conversational search engine but can do much more, including summarizing a webpage and creating an Apple Music playlist from a list of suggested songs.
It’s a Shortcut rather than an app, and it’s free to download. There’s a very small fee for using it.
Wow: get the 2023 Mac mini at $100 off. Already. Photo: Apple
The new Mac mini with M2 processor is a bargain at its regular price, and $100 off makes it an even better deal. That cuts the price of Apple’s newest desktop to less than $500.
Technicians from Simmitri perform maintenance on solar panels installed at Bench-Tek Solutions in Santa Clara, California.
Apple and 250 companies that supply components for its products are making progress in switching to renewable energy for all Apple production by 2030. The manufacturing partners support over 13 gigawatts of renewable electricity per year, a nearly 30% increase.
The company continues to distribute money from its $4.7 billion Green Bonds program to help finance the expansion of clean energy solutions around the world.
Is this happening to you, too? Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
If the Weather widget on your iPhone says, “No weather available,” you’re in good company. Apple reports that its weather service has been having a problem since Monday.
It’s affecting some but not all users.
Update:Apple says the problems were resolved early Wednesday morning.
"To the cineplex!" -- Napoleon, probably. Photo: Apple TV+
Ridley Scott’s epic starring Joaquin Phoenix as French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte as he conquers Europe will premiere in theaters this autumn. It will later appear on Apple’s streaming service.
The film will tell the story of Napoleon’s ruthless rise to power and his obsessive love for his wife, Empress Josephine.
There’s a bit more demand for a folding iPhone than skeptics realize. A new survey found almost a third of U.S. smartphone users say they are highly likely to get a foldable as their next device.
Tim Cook is very optimistic about the potential for augmented reality once practical AR glasses become possible. Illustration: Open AI/Cult of Mac
Apple CEO Tim Cook sounds very upbeat about the potential for augmented reality in a new interview. He says the technology “could greatly enhance people’s communication, people’s connection.”
Cook stayed mum about a related tech, virtual reality, though.
The always-on display will apparently stay a Pro feature for years. Photo: Apple
Some of the best features of iPhone 14 Pro screens won’t trickle down to future non-Pro versions until the iPhone 17 series, according to a reliable source for Apple information.
If correct, the prediction means we shouldn’t expect the iPhone 14 Plus or basic iPhone 14 to come with a 120Hz ProMotion display or an always-on screen. Apple will reserve these features for iPhone Pro models until 2025.
The Samsung T7 Shield is one of several SSD on sale for World Backup Day. Photo: Samsung
Several companies, including Samsung and Western Digital, have cut prices on SSDs and memory cards for World Backup Day. Save up to $80 on the rugged Samsung T7 Shield, while the SSD that’s WD’s closest rival is also on sale.
A 1TB SanDisk microSD card is surprisingly affordable. And the JetDriveLite specially made for MacBooks card readers is available at a discount, too.
Some of the deals are only available on March 31, so don’t procrastinate.
The very odd platforming game Human: Fall Flat+ is now on Apple Arcade. Photo: 505 Games/Apple Arcade
Apple just added Human: Fall Flat+ to the hundreds of games already in Apple Arcade. And Clue: The Classic Mystery Game+ and Osmos+ joined the service earlier in March.
These “App Store Greats” are available to Arcade subscribers without the usual up-front fee or in-app purchases.
Apple Watch refurbished units comes with considerable cost savings. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple just began offering refurbished units of the Apple Watch Series 8 and SE 2. Both wearables launched in autumn 2022, and shoppers can save as much as $80 by choosing a refurb unit.
These are primarily devices that consumers bought then returned so supplies are limited.
Apple is already looking ahead to iOS 16.5 and macOS Ventura 13.4. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple seeded the initial betas of iOS 16.5 and macOS Ventura 13.4 to the general public on Thursday. Developers were given access on Tuesday. Beta testing began almost immediately after the public release of the previous versions.
iPadOS 16.5 beta 1, watchOS 9.5 beta 1 and tvOS 16.5 beta 1 are also available to the public and to devs.
Whales and hippos and ostriches, oh my! Image: Apple TV+
After the success of Tiny World, Apple TV+ is going to the opposite extreme with Big Beasts. The documentary series puts whales, bears, gorillas and many more in center stage.
Tom Hiddleston is narrator, and the multi-part docuseries premiers on Earth Day. A new trailer gives a sneak peek.
iOS 16.4 makes it easy to block embarrassing background noise from your phone calls. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Voice Isolation feature that’s been making FaceTime and Zoom video chats better for over a year is finally available for regular iPhone voice calls. With it, the people you’re on a phone call with can’t hear noises going on around you.
Here’s how to activate one of the best new features of iOS 16.4.