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.
Never be without the charging cable you need with the Mophie Powerstation Plus. Photo: Zagg
The latest model in the Mophie Powerstation Plus line of external batteries includes two integrated charging cables —Lightning and USB-C. This simplifies charging an iPhone, iPad or Mac.
The 10,000 mAh power bank can extend the battery life of these devices by hours.
The eye is the window to your soul, and the key to your Apple AR/VR headset. Photo: Skitterphoto/Pexels CC/Cult of Mac
Apple’s much-rumored AR/VR header won’t use Face ID or Touch ID. Instead, the mixed-reality device will reportedly scan the iris of the wearer’s eye to identify them.
Apple TV+ will release Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues, giving an in-depth look at the musician’s life and legacy. Photo: Apple
Louis Armstrong is one of the most important jazz musicians ever, as both a trumpet player and a singer. Apple TV+ promises to introduce a definitive documentary of his life based on never-before-heard home recordings and personal conversations.
Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues premieres worldwide at the end of October.
You'll soon be able to get Netflix at a lower cost by watching commercials. Photo: Netflix/Cult of Mac
The price of Netflix dropped like a rock for those willing to watch commercials. The streaming service announced Thursday that its new ad-supported subscription plan is only $6.99 a month – 30% to 55% below the current cost.
The new option will debut in November 2022. It’ll then be a cheaper option for enjoying a large library of shows and movies on a Mac, iPad or Apple TV.
The updated Eve Light Switch includes Thread, and Matter support is promised. Photo: Eve
The third-generation of Eve Light Switch adds support for Thread and will be updated with Matter, keeping it on the cutting edge of smarthome tech. The smartswitch continues to support Apple HomeKit.
It can be used as either a single-pole or 3-way switch.
A new Savings account for Apple Card holders includes a Savings dashboard to track progress. Image: Apple
The money Apple Card users get as a cash-back reward can go automatically into a savings account from Goldman Sachs, the same bank that backs the credit card.
Windows users get get a touch of sweet iCloud Photos goodness Screenshot: Microsoft
Microsoft and Apple are cooperating to enable the Windows 11 Photos app to access photos and videos from iCloud. In addition, the Apple Music and the Apple TV applications are also coming to Windows.
These is all just one iPad case/stand. The Moft Snap Float Folio can be folded into many different configurations. Photo: Moft
The new Moft Snap Float Folio raises the bar on iPad cases that also function as stands. Literally. It can be folded to lift the the iPad screen up to 3.6 inches.
If that’s not enough, the case/strand also folds into five other configurations to allow the iPad to be used in different ways.
You might see this message soon on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Although Apple TV+ is one of the few streaming services without commercials, the company is reportedly talking to media agencies about adding adverts to its shows.
If true, Apple is likely considering a cheaper ad-supported tier for TV+, not forcing all subscribers to watch commercials.
Charlotte Nicdao and Rob McElhenney in Mythic Quest, premiering November 11 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
Mythic Quest season three is just weeks away, and Apple TV+ ramped up fan excitement on Tuesday with a trailer for the new season. The new episodes will pit the gaming company newly formed by Ian and Poppy against David and Mythic Quest.
Ask Apple is a new series of interactive Q&As and one-on-one consultations for developers. Photo: Apple
Ask Apple is a new way for iPhone and Mac developers to get support and feedback. It will include interactive question-and-answer sessions and one-on-one consultations.
“If you’re a developer, you don’t want to miss out on Ask Apple,” says Greg Joswiak the company’s global head of marketing.
Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011) did not do a new interview with Joe Rogan. You can listen to it anyway. Image: Hotpot
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs passed away more than 11 years ago, but that didn’t prevent him from giving a new interview with superstar podcaster Joe Rogan. In it, the co-creator of the Mac talks about the importance of Eastern mysticism, his thoughts on LSD, Google, innovation and more.
There’s just one tiny wrinkle: The entire podcast is generated by artificial intelligence. That includes Jobs’ and Rogan’s voices and their responses.
Connect a wide array of accessories to a Mac with the Kensington SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 dock. Photo: Kensington
The Kensington SD5780T is a desktop dock that connects to a Mac over Thunderbolt 4 at up to 40 Gbps. And it includes almost a dozen ports of various types to enable to everything from a mouse to a high-speed external drive.
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me premieres in November on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
At first glance, Selena Gomez is a fabulously successful actress and singer. But she has had her share of troubles, including medical and mental health problems.
Upcoming Apple TV+ documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me looks at her struggles to overcome these challenges. And the first trailer, released Monday by Apple, gives us a sense of what to expect.
Install iOS 16.0.3 now to remove some irritating bugs. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple released iOS 16.0.3 and watchOS 9.0.2 on Monday to remove a range of small bugs. Many of these affect the new iPhone 14 series and Apple Watch models.
Both updates are recommended for those with Apple’s latest handsets and wearables, as well as who’ve already installed iOS 16 and watchOS 9.
"This ride is so much fun it should make my iPhone call 911!" Photo: Angie/Pexels
People are reportedly getting off roller coasters and discovering that their new iPhone 14 called 911 for them. Turns out the handsets mistook thrilling rides for a car wreck and thought their users needed emergency help. It’s an unintended result of Crash Detection, a feature added to Apple’s latest handsets.
Fortunately, there are a couple of options to use as a workaround until Apple has a better solution.
★★★★☆
The iPhone 14 Plus offers a big, beautiful display and impressive battery life at a nice price. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The iPhone 14 Plus combines two popular phone features: larger screens and lower prices. With a 6.7-inch screen, it offers Apple’s largest display but for a lot less money than any previous model this size.
I replaced my iPhone 13 with the larger Plus. The large screen and lengthy battery life make me happy with the change, and they’re why I recommend others choose a larger iPhone, too.
Components in Apple processors keep getting smaller and smaller. Photo: TSMC
A new report indicates Apple is preparing to start putting CPUs made with a 2nm process in its computers, although they won’t be available for several years. This would allow the chips to perform faster while using less power than today’s best.
Progress marches on… with the occasional stumble. The new report comes after the Mac-maker missed out on chips made with a 3nm process, forcing the company to use a 5nm one in its 2022 Mac, iPhone and iPad models.
★★★★★
OWC Envoy Pro mini is both a small thumbdrive and a powerful external SSD. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The OWC Envoy Pro mini is a small external SSD with both USB-C and USB-A connectors so it works with Mac and iPad but also Windows, Android and more. It’s rugged, fast and comes with up to 1TB of storage.
I ran the tiny drive through a battery of tests. It passed with flying colors.
An enhanced version of the Apple Studio Display won’t launch until the first part of 2023, according to a very reliable source of insider info. It supposedly will have much in common with Apple’s current version, but with a mini-LED screen in place of the standard LCD.
This is the third time unconfirmed reports have indicated the product release has been pushed back.
iOS 16 brought new bugs to many third-party applications. Photo: Cult of Mac/Egor Kamelev/Pexels
When a new iOS version launches, it’s easy to concentrate on its bugs and forget the problems it causes for third-party iPhone software. An analysis of user reviews made in the weeks since iOS 16 debuted found that social networking apps and dating apps are more likely to have issues on iPhones running Apple’s latest OS.
So if you’re suddenly having problems with a frequently used app, you might not be alone.
The iPhone 14 Plus delivers a large screen with a lengthy battery life. Photo: Apple
Early reviews of the iPhone 14 Plus praise its long battery life and large display. There are also positive comments on the camera and the smartphone’s weight.
Apple’s first 6.7-inch non-Pro handset reaches store shelves on Friday.
Add fast and extremely rugged storage to your MacBook with SanDisk PRO-G40 SSD. Photo: SanDisk
The SanDisk PRO-G40 SSD checks all the boxes professionals are looking for in an on-the-go external drive. It offers up to 2 terabytes of capacity, it’s extremely rugged and supports Thunderbolt 3.
The drive also supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 for wider compatibility.