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 owns), 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 must use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
An update to iOS 16.1 is out. The same is true for iPadOS 16.1 and macOS Ventura. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple on Wednesday released iOS 16.1.1, iPadOS 16.1.1 and macOS 13.0.1 to fix bugs and close a couple of security holes. These updates don’t add any new features, but are nevertheless recommended for all users.
In a battery life test, iPhone 14 Pro Max still has hours of use left when Samsung's S22 Ultra goes dead. Screenshot: PhoneBuff
Battery life is an important consideration in any handset, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max solidly outlasts two Android flagship devices in a real world battery test. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and Google Pixel 7 weren’t even close.
In celebration of his chart-topping album and his impact on global pop, Bad Bunny is Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2022. Photo: Apple Music
Bad Bunny is Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2022. The award came because of “the musician’s artistic excellence and influence on global culture,” according to Apple.
After being released in May, Un Verano Sin Ti, the artist’s sixth project in four years, is Apple Music’s most streamed album of 2022 and now the biggest Latin album of all time.
NightWare uses sensors built into Apple Watch to detect a nightmare then vibrates to pull the wearer out without waking them. Photo: Apple
Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder can be tortured by their nightmares. NightWare running on Apple Watch can pull the wearer out of their horrible dream without waking them up.
It’s the first product developed specifically to treat nightmares to be cleared by the FDA.
Your M1 or M2 MacBook can handle a wall full of monitors with the Plugable Quad HDMI Adapter. Photo: Plugable
Plugable’s new Quad HDMI Adapter can add up to four displays to a MacBook, even even ones that would otherwise only support only a single external monitor.
Stage Manager isn't perfect but it doesn't deserve all the criticism being heaped on it. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The new Stage Manager multitasking system is Apple’s answer to requests for floating app windows on iPad. It’s drawn a lot of criticism, much of which is undeserved.
I use the new system all day every day. Here’s why there’s a lot to like in Stage Manager, although there are undoubtedly some problems, too.
Five of best Jennifer Lawrence films are now on Apple TV+. Screenshot: Apple TV+
To celebrate the launch of Causeway on Apple TV+, the streaming service is now offering five other movies starring Jennifer Lawrence. That includes all four Hunger Games films.
It’s part of a recent move by Apple to temporarily add already-released movies to its catalogue.
Apple TV is currently unable to access the cheap new Netflix ad-supported plan. Photo: Netflix/Cult of Mac
The inexpensive new Netflix “Basic with ads” plan launched Thursday, but users of Apple TV quickly discovered they couldn’t access it. Netflix promised a fix, though.
Users of other devices can now watch the streaming service for only for $6.99 a month, as long as they also watch commercials.
The July launch of the M2 MacBook Air helped propel Apple's to new heights in notebook shipments. Photo: Apple
Apple shipped a record number of MacBooks during the September quarter, a whopping 26% increase over the same period of 2021, according to a market-analysis firm. That’s more than the company has ever shipped in a single quarter.
At the same time, Windows notebook-makers saw their shipments decline.
"Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me" comes with a free trial of Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me premiers Friday on Apple TV+, and to be sure her fans can watch it, Apple is offering a free two-month trial of its streaming video service.
iPhone users in India don't have to wait much longer for 5G. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
5G service launched in India in October, but no iPhone supports the high-speed wireless networking standard… yet. Apple plans to change that in December.
And those who are part of the iOS beta program can get access even earlier.
Put the iPad 10 in a very protective case before handing it to child, like this one from OtterBox. Photo: OtterBox
The just-released iPad 10 is a major update, but the design changes mean new cases are required. Fortunately, accessory makers OtterBox and Logitech quickly brought out several of them for designed with children in mind.
★★★★☆
Your AirPods get more useful with AirPods 2. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
AirFly 2 from Twelve South can wirelessly connect your AirPods to any 3.5mm audio jack. It’s great for airline entertainment systems and gym machines. The new version has a longer battery life, adds new volume controls and costs less than its predecessor.
I tested the wireless audio adapter with AirPods and other headphones, as well as a variety of audio sources. Here’s why I’m quite pleased with it.
Production is officially underway for Severance season 2 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
Fans of the hit Apple TV+ series Severance can rejoice that production on season 2 started this week. More of what Stephen Colbert called a “dystopian workplace sci-fi mystery black comedy psychological thriller” is on the way.
Upcoming episodes of the Emmy-winning – and very creepy – series will feature the original stars as well as eight new ones.
Coding can be a rewarding career, but not if you don't ever get started. Devs have some suggestions to help. Inage: Apple
Creating iPhone and Mac apps can be a rewarding career, both financially and by doing something you enjoy. But some people find it hard to get started. Developers who’ve made the jump into coding point out that you can make your hobby into your career, it’s never too late, and more tips.
Anyone one considering becoming a dev might benefit from their advice.
★★★★★
The iPad Pro 2022 is Apple's most powerful ever. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The launch of the 2022 iPad Pro in 12.9- and 11-inch versions means current tablet users have new upgrade options. Their M2 processor makes these the most powerful iPads ever made, but they are not right for everyone.
I’ve used an M2-powered iPad Pro for a week now, and that’s given me insight into who should upgrade and who should not. Some people should definitely go for the latest and greatest, but others would be disappointed if they did so.
"Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock" on Apple TV+ is up for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Series. Photo: Apple TV+
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences named the nominees for the new Children’s & Family Emmys on Monday, and Apple TV+ earned 17 nominations. That includes shows in two of the top categories.
While Apple is in there swinging, the real competition will be between Disney and Netflix, both of which earned dozens of nominations.
iPhone SE 4 might look much like the iPhone XR, but Apple is also considering other designs. Photo: Apple
Apple is reportedly sticking with a two-year replacement cycle on its budget handset line. That means the iPhone SE 4 won’t be out until 2024, according to a reliable source.
The launch is apparently far enough away that Apple hasn’t settled on a final design.
The wait for MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro or M2 Max is supposedly going to be much longer than expected. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple is done introducing Macs in 2022, according to a reliable source of insider information. The MacBook Pro models with the M2 Pro and M2 Max allegedly won’t be out until late in Q1 2023.
The report is unconfirmed, but it fits with a recent warning from Apple’s CFO that Mac sales this quarter will be much slower than during the same period of 2021.
iPhone 14 helped push up Apple handset shipments in Q3. Photo: Apple
iPhone shipments grew in the July-through-September period compared to the same quarter of 2021. The increase was modest, but still put Apple on a different trajectory from other handset makers.
Shipments of iOS devices went up 1.6% while its biggest rivals all dropped, some quite significantly.
iOS 15.7.4 takes care of a long list of security bugs. Photo: Cult of Mac/Egor Kamelev/Pexels
iPhone users not on iOS 16.1 can now update their handset to iOS 15.7.1. Apple says it “provides important security updates.” It closes almost 20 security holes in the OS.
There’s also iPadOS 15.7.1 that does the same for iPad.
The Apple M2 chip in the just-launched iPad Pro (2022) really delivers. Screenshot: Apple
Apple put its latest processor in the 2022 iPad Pro and it gave the tablet a significant performance boost. The M2 chip make it almost 20% faster than its predecessor.
And it’s almost 80% faster than the 2018 iPad Pro.