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 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.
"Silo" on Apple TV+ gets more viewers than any other series on any streaming service. Photo: Apple TV+
Silo, Ted Lasso and Ghosted all showed up in this week’s lists of the most-watched streaming movies and TV shows. They offer further proof that Apple TV+ can successfully compete against Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.
In fact, Silo currently ranks as the most popular series on any streaming service.
★★★★☆
Don't use a cable when the plug-and-play EZCast Pocket is so much more convenient. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
EZCast Pocket lets a range of computers connect wirelessly to an external display. No additional software is needed — it’s very nearly as easy to use as a cable, but without the cable clutter.
I tested the affordable and very portable wireless video adapter in my home and on a business trip. Here are its strengths and occasional weaknesses.
Note: When this review was first published in March, there was so much interest that EZCast Pocket sold out almost immediately. Amazon once again has the product in stock so we’re re-publishing the review.
iOS 16 and macOS 13 will still be around for months, even though we'll soon learn all about their replacements. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The first betas of iOS 16.6 and macOS Ventura 13.5 went to developers on Friday. The same is true for iPadOS 16.6 beta 1, watchOS 9.6 beta 1 and tvOS 16.6 beta 1.
The timing might seem odd because Apple is expected to unveil iOS 17, macOS 14 and the replacements for its other operating systems in a couple of weeks, but this is normal.
Browser clutter can be stressful, no matter what device it happens on. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
A recent study found that web browser clutter is a source of stress for many people. It’s a result of keeping large numbers of tabs open and disorganized.
Here are some tips for managing the number of browser tabs you keep open, including using Safari’s system for organizing them.
Get an iPhone version of the real ChatGPT. No workarounds necessary. Photo: Cult of Mac
OpenAI introduced ChatGPT for iOS, an application that brings the much-hyped chatbot powered by artificial intelligence to iPhone users.
It is free and has all the features of the web version, which means it is ready to answer questions with generally correct answers. Plus, this iOS version supports OpenAI’s speech recognition system.
Georgia got on board with Apple's digital ID initiative. Image: Georgia Department of Driver Services
Georgia is now the fourth U.S. state to support digital driver’s licenses and IDs stored in the Wallet app on iPhone or Apple Watch. The major advantage is speeding up the process of moving through security checkpoints at airports.
It’s another step in Apple’s goal of replacing physical wallets with iPhone.
The technology to make Apple AR glasses like these doesn't exist yet. Concept: the Hacker 34
The VR/AR headset roughly the size of a pair of ski goggles that Apple is widely expected to introduce next month isn’t even close to CEO Tim Cook’s original goal for the project, according to info leaking from the company. Instead, Cook wanted a slim pair of AR glasses that could be worn all day,
As it stands now, that lightweight version of the product remains years away.
iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and accessories are all now available in Vietnam via an online Apple Store. Image: Apple
Vietnam is the latest country to get an online Apple store to shop for iPhone, Mac and other products.
It’s the latest move in the company’s efforts to increase sales in Asia — Thursday’s opening comes a month after Apple opened its first retail stores in India.
Wow: get the 2023 Mac mini at $100 or $200 off. Photo: Apple
The 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.
That’s for the base model — and you can save even more by jumping up to the version with an M2 Pro and double the RAM and storage.
Even after all these years, there are lots of Android users who jump ship for iPhone. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The percentage of U.S.-based iPhone owners who just dumped their Android has grown in recent years, according to a market-analysis company.
That’s exactly the opposite of what conventional wisdom says should be happening. Nevertheless, the percentage of Android switchers hasn’t been this high since 2018.
Imagine getting a text from a friend and your iPhone reads it to you in your friend’s voice. Photo: Rodolfo Clix/Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple’s newly announced Personal Voice technology enables an iPhone to read text in the user’s own voice. The same tech could be used to read incoming text messages in the sender’s own voice, making them feel more personal.
This isn’t a theory — Apple submitted a patent for exactly this idea in early 2023.
The Apple car is still on the drawing board, but that doesn't stop Chinese companies from wanting to steal details of it. Concept: Midjourney/Cult of Mac
An Apple employee was recently indicted for allegedly transferring trade secrets about self-driving car technology to a Chinese company. This marks the third such incident.
The cases seem quite similar: Chinese companies hire the workers, who then get caught attempting to bring Apple’s proprietary information with them when they leave the United States.
It's up to Apple's App Review team to prevent malware from sneaking onto its software store. Graphic: Apple
Keeping bad applications out of the App Store is a monumental task — Apple says it denied 1.7 million apps submitted for approval in 2022. That’s out of 6.1 million, and it’s an increase from the previous year.
And Apple also blocked nearly 3.9 million stolen credit cards from being used to make fraudulent purchases on the App Store. Plus, the iPhone-maker blocked millions of fake reviews.
Photomator for Mac is designed for pros, but doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Photo: Pixelmator
The powerful image-editing application that used to be called Pixelmator Photo when it was only available for iPad and iPhone launched Tuesday on Mac as Photomator.
It promises state-of-the-art color adjustments, AI tools, powerful Repair and Clone tools, and batch editing. But it faces tough competition from Adobe Photoshop.
Apple will bring Assistive Access, Live Speech and Personal Voice to iPad and iPhone. Photo: Apple
Just can’t wait for WWDC23? Apparently, Apple can’t either because it’s already starting announcing new features that will almost certainly be in iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS 14.
These are aimed at those with disabilities, and include Live Speech and Personal Voice. These will allow those with speech disabilities to participate in conversations in a synthesized voice that sounds like the user.
Quick, someone check to see if hell has frozen over. Photo: Microsoft
Windows users can now send and receive messages and calls via an iPhone. The new capability — which many thought would never happen — comes courtesy of Microsoft’s Phone Link for iOS, which is rolling out now.
This is the latest software release from Microsoft to make it easier for Windows users to own an iPhone.
Microsoft started rolling the feature out in April, and announced on Monday it’s available to all Windows 11 users.
We don't yet know what the Apple VR/AR headset will look like, but that doesn't mean it's too soon to get excited about it. AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac
Multiple sources predict Apple will launch its first VR/AR headset three weeks from today at WWDC23. As the company’s first major new product category to launch since Apple Watch, there’s a lot riding on the headset. And yet not everyone’s buzzing with anticipation.
For those who aren’t yet feeling excited, here are five reasons you should look forward to the big reveal next month.
Are you ready for some football? And by that we mean soccer, natch. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple is now offering a free, month-long trial of MLS Season Pass, its subscription service that shows all the matches from the top professional soccer league in the United States.
The deal is available for both new and returning customers.
★★★★☆
Pitaka's wireless charging case and stand look brilliant. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
With the Pitaka MagEZ Case Pro, you can stop plugging in a charging cable. Put the tablet in this slim, lightweight case then pop on a charging mat when it’s time to juice up the tablet.
Combine it with the MagEZ Charging Stand and you have a desktop setup without the hassle of wires for the iPad Pro and an iPhone or AirPods.
I tested both accessories in my home office. There’s a lot to like here.
CA Notify is no more. Photo: Ed Hardy/Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
California introduced a COVID-19 exposure-notification system that used iPhone and Android to track interactions with infected people. And now that the U.S. government says the pandemic is over, CA Notify is shut down.
It’s possible Apple will eventually remove the underlying technology from iOS.
A tutorial video from Apple Support demonstrates how to get started using Stage Manager on iPad. Photo: Apple Support
Stage Manager puts iPad applications into floating, resizable, overlapping windows. It’s the most significant change to iPadOS in many years, and Apple Support created a video that walks through the possibilities.
Watch it if you’d like to get started with this multitasking system.
Grab your axe, sword or bow and get ready to do battle. Photo: Electronic Arts
Unite a team of elves, dwarfs, wizards, men and hobbits to battle in Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth. It’s tactical, turn-based strategy combat for iPhone and iPad set in the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien (obviously).