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Ed Hardy - page 96

Simplify your storage with this tiny Samsung USB-C flash drive [Review] ★★★★

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Simplify your storage with a tiny Samsung USB-C flash drive★★★★
Samsung's flash drive plugs into an iPad Pro as easily as it does any Mac.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Samsung USB Type-C Flash Drive adds up to 256GB of additional storage to Mac desktops and notebooks as well as most types of iPad. It can be easily switched among all of these, and other computers, too.

I tested the tiny drive with multiple devices, and it stood up quite well. Here’s why I love this speedy little accessory.

AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid

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AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid
AirPods Pro 2 will supposedly be a mix of AirPods Pro (right) with AirPods 3 (left).
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It goes without saying that AirPods Pro 2 will offer better sound. Duh. But Apple also will add some surprise features to the next generation of its earbuds, according to a new leak. That includes heart rate detection and a new hearing aid feature.

Plus, the charging case supposedly will make the switch to USB-C, to match reports that iPhone 15 will dump the Lightning port.

Commercials are coming to Netflix

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Commercials are coming to Netflix
You'll soon be able to get Netflix at a lower cost by watching commercials.
Photo: Netflix/Cult of Mac

It’s official: Netflix is adding a cheaper ad-supported tier to its streaming service. The change is apparently intended to reverse a recent drop in subscribers.

It’s part of a trend, as rival streaming service Disney+ announced this spring it is making the same move.

First MacBook Pro with speedy M2 chip now in Apple stores [Updated]

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The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro keeps its compact form factor but gains capabilities with the M2 chip.
The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro keeps its compact form factor but gains capabilities with the M2 chip.
Photo: Apple

An updated MacBook Pro – the first laptop to run on the powerful new Apple M2 processor – hit store shelves Friday morning. The chip makes it the fastest 13-inch notebook in Apple’s lineup.

The company unveiled the M2 chip  three weeks ago at its Worldwide Developers Conference. It also took the wraps off the first two laptops to run on it: the just-launched MacBook Pro and a redesigned MacBook Air that is coming in July.

Apple Music student discount is now less of a discount

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Apple Music student discount is now less of a discount
Students now have to pay a bit more for an Apple Music subscription.
Photo: Apple

The cost of an Apple Music subscription for students just jumped 20%. The music streaming service is still available at a substantial discount, but it’s no longer half price.

This follows a similar price increase in other parts of the world.

Disney Mirrorverse opens whole new world of violence to iPhone gamers

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'Disney Mirrorverse' offers a whole new world of violence to iPhone gamers
The just-released Disney Mirrorverse is darker than the company's usual games.
Photo: Kabam/Disney

Disney Mirrorverse takes classic characters in a darker direction. Alternate-reality versions of these screen icons have to team up face a “dark, unrelenting threat.”

The free-to-play action team-based action RPG debuted Thursday in the App Store.

iPhone dominates sales of $400-and-up phones

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iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks
Android makes up most cheap smartphone sales, but anyone able to pay more usually gets an iPhone.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

High-end Android models sell in much smaller numbers than iPhones, according to a market research firm. Apple handsets that cost over $400 outsold all Androids in that price range almost two-to-one.

The data shows that while Androids with cutting-edge features like folding screens and very high-res camaras draw a lot of attention, they don’t attract many buyers. But pricier iPhone models do sell well.

iOS 16 lets users report spam SMS messages as junk

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iOS 16 lets users report spam SMS messages as junk
Apple is making it easier for iPhone users to fight the scourge of spam texts.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

 The upcoming iOS 16 will help battle the growing problem of spam text messages. The latest beta includes the ability to report SMS messages as “junk” to the user’s wireless carrier. iPhone users already can report spam messages that come through Apple’s own iMessage service. If you’re looking for a way to delete and report junk, here’s a helpful guide on how to report spam texts.

If you’re curious about what does delete and report junk do, you can find out more in this guide.

iPhone users already can report spam messages that come through Apple’s own iMessage service.

Send aid to Ukraine for chance to win rare WWDC19 pin

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Send aid to Ukraine for chance to win rare WWDC19 pin
This WWDC 2019 pin could be yours if you donate to a Ukrainian aid fund.
Photo: Sergii Kryvoblotsky

Sergii Kryvoblotsky, head of R&D at MacPaw, is raffling off a Worldwide Developers Conference 2019 pin to raise money for Ukrainian aid.

The money raised will go to the MacPaw Development Fund to provide Ukrainian defenders with medicine and protective equipment.

Apple M2 is fast, but not faster than M1 Pro or M1 Max

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Apple's M1 vs. M2.
The Apple M2 outperforms the M1, but not the other processors in the M1 series.
Photo: Apple

The first real-world benchmark tests of Apple’s M2 chip show that the just-launched processor is about 20% faster than the original M1. That’s welcome news for anyone in the market for a MacBook or iPad in the next few years.

But the newest chip does not offer better performance than Apple’s M1 Pro or M1 Max from 2021. That will have to wait for advanced versions of the M2 expected to launch in 2023.

Travel-ready 7-in-1 USB-C hub packs both HDMI and DisplayPort [Review] ★★★★☆

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HyperDrive USB4 Mobile Dock review★★★★☆
Be ready to connect to HDMI or DisplayPort monitors with the HyperDrive USB4 Mobile Dock.
Photo: Hyper/Cult of Mac

With Hyper’s HyperDrive USB4 Mobile Dock, you’re ready to connect to either HDMI or DisplayPort monitors at 4K or even 8K. The USB-C hub also includes dual USB-A ports, Ethernet and more. Plus, it’s the right size to use in your office or on the road.

I put the dock through a battery of tests to see how it stands up on real-world use. Here’s how it did.

M2 MacBook Pro review roundup: Powerful chip, archaic design

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13-inch MacBook Pro with an Apple M2 processor
The M2 MacBook Pro gets called "a relic from another era" by Engadget.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with an Apple M2 processor are not kind. It gets called a “Pro in name only” and “literally a processor update and nothing more.”

Still, the M2 provides a pleasant increase in speed over the M1, making the new MBP the best-performing 13-inch Mac notebook.

Add a handle to your iPad Pro with Pitaka FlipBook Case

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Add a handle to your iPad Pro with Pitaka FlipBook Case
The Pitaka FlipBook Case for iPad works with the Apple Magic Keyboard to make your tablet a bit more portable.
Photo: Pitaka

The Pitaka FlipBook Case for iPad wraps around an iPad Pro and the Apple Magic Keyboard to protect them and add a handle.

The tablet and its keyboard can be used while the magnetic sleeve is still wrapped around them, making them easy to grab and go.

T-Mobile beats the competition in 5G speeds

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T-Mobile 5G service
Put your iPhone on T-Mobile for the fastest average speeds,
Photo: T-Mobile

T-Mobile is the clear winner in a cross-country study of cellular data by PCMag. For the second year in a row, rivals Verizon and AT&T can not come close to providing the same average download or upload speeds.

PCMag summed its results up with, “T-Mobile isn’t just America’s fastest network, it’s also the best.”

Apple iWork 12.1 desperately tries to make presentations more exciting

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Apple iWork 12.1 desperately tries to make presentations more exciting
Moving backgrounds are new feature of Keynote 12.1.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple’s Keynote version 12.1 adds moving backgrounds intended to add visual interest to presentations. And Pages 12.1 adds support for mail merge.

Add in a performance-oriented tweak in Numbers 12.1, and you’ve got iWork 12.1, the latest version of Apple’s free productivity suite for Mac, iPad and iPhone.

Twelve South HiRise 3 iPhone stand beautifully charges trio of Apple devices

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Twelve South HiRise 3 iPhone stand beautifully charges trio of Apple devices
HiRise 3 iPhone stand also powers up Apple Watch and AirPods cases.
Photo: Twelve South

Put the Twelve South HiRise 3 on a desk or nightstand and it can hold up and juice up an iPhone, while also charging Apple Watch and AirPods. And it takes up less desk space than an iPhone.

The magnetic charging stand comes in two colors to match your décor.

Add a trio of hi-res monitors to your Mac with Plugable’s new desktop dock

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Add three hi-res monitors to your Mac with Plugable's new desktop dock
You can add three screens to your Mac (even M1 and M2 ones) with the Plugable UD-ULTC4K.
Photo: Plugable

While the Plugable UD-ULTC4K doesn’t have a very exciting name, the USB-C hub does boast a whopping 13 ports. It can add up to three high-res external displays to a Mac, plus USB-A accessories, Ethernet and more.

It’s an improved version of a popular model that first launched back in 2017.

Apple’s Automatic Verification will help us escape from annoying CAPTCHAs

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Apple Automatic Verification will help save us from CAPTCHA hassles
Apple users may be freed from CAPTCHA.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple developed Automatic Verification to let iPhone, Mac and iPad users bypass those irritating CAPTCHA image tests that websites use to confirm that someone is a human and not a bot.

Cloudflare and Fastly, big cloud computing companies that power tons of websites, are already on board to adopt the new system.

Apple TV+ sci-fi drama For All Mankind rockets to popularity

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‘For All Mankind’ season 3 rockets to Mars this June on Apple TV+
'For All Mankind' is one of the most popular shows on streaming.
Photo: Apple TV+

For All Mankind is one of the most popular shows available on streaming, according to a ratings tracker. Season three of the alternate-history sci-fi series premiered on Apple TV+ in early June, and it’s been a Top 10 show both weeks since then.

Critics praise the series, too, so it’s doubly a success for Apple’s streaming service.

Apple’s clever Escape From the Office ad hits YouTube top 10

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Apple’s clever 'Escape from the Office' ad hits YouTube top 10
Escape from the Office is more than an ad for Apple products. It's fun and aspirational.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple successfully created an extended video advertisement that people want to watch. Escape From the Office made it on YouTube’s own most most popular global ads of the past year.

It’s about a group who sets out to create a small business after ditching corporate life. They use Apple products, of course, but that’s not truly the focus.

Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo will star in London crime thriller Criminal Record on Apple TV+

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Peter Capaldi will star in London-based crime thriller on Apple TV+
Apple TV+ announced a series order for Criminal Record, starring Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo.
Photo: Apple TV+

Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo will take the leads as police detectives in Criminal Record, a thriller series coming to Apple TV+.

It will be set in racially charged and politically polarized modern London.

Apple store workers vote to unionize

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Apple Store workers in Maryland vote to unionize
Apple store employees in Towson, Maryland, voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Photo: International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

Employees at an Apple store in Maryland have made it the first of any of the Mac-maker’s retail locations to vote in favor of joining a union. Several other such stores are preparing to hold their own votes. Meanwhile, Apple is trying to discourage any efforts by its employees to unionize.

It’s not clear how all this will affect users of Apple devices.