Mobile menu toggle

Ed Hardy - page 98

MacBook assembly restarts after COVID-19 lockdown

By

MacBook assembly restarts after COVID-19 lockdown: There's a light at the end of tunnel of long MacBook Pro wait times.
There's a light at the end of tunnel of long MacBook Pro wait times.
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac

Everyone waiting for a new MacBook Pro to be delivered can take heart from a report that Quanta Computer has restarted assembling Apple notebooks. This comes after its assembly plant in Shanghai had been temporarily closed as part of the Chinese government’s attempts to slow the spread of COVID-19.

In the meantime, though, wait times for top-tier MacBooks now stretch into July.

Shining Girls thriller could be another hit for Apple TV+

By

'Shining Girls' thriller could be another hit for Apple TV+
Kate Moss stars in Shining Girls, an Apple TV+ series attracting lots of viewers.
Photo: Apple TV+

The metaphysical-horror-thriller Shining Girls only premiered on Apple TV+ a few days ago, but the Elisabeth Moss series is already in the top 10 most streamed shows. And it’s drawing positive reviews, too.

Plus, the Apple TV+ hit Severance remains on the weekly list of popular shows, despite wrapping up its first season more than three weeks ago.

Chip shortage drags iPad shipments down 5%

By

New budget iPad 9 gets better video chat, doubles storage
Apple still can't keep up with demand for iPad 9.
Photo: Apple

Apple shipped 4.6% fewer tablets in the first three months of 2022 than it did during the same period of 2021, according to a market research firm. The iPad-maker blames the shortfall on the global chip shortage preventing it from making enough devices to meet demand.

This is the second quarter in a row that iPad shipments have been hurt by component shortages.

Save a whopping $100 or more on latest iPad mini

By

2021 iPad mini 6
If you've been thinking about the newest iPad mini, now is the time to jump on it.
Photo: Apple

There’s never been a better time to buy an iPad mini 6, the brilliantly redesigned model from 2021. You can pick up Apple’s smallest tablet at its smallest price yet: an amazing $99 below the usual cost for the base model. And those willing to upgrade to more storage can save $109.

This deal is just in time for Mother’s Day. Plus Father’s Day and high school graduations are also coming up. An iPad mini makes a great gift!

Hyper’s new MagSafe iPhone stand charges 4 devices at once

By

New HyperDrive iPhone MagSafe desktop stand also charges 3 other Apple devices
Got four Apple devices you need to wirelessly charge at once? Hyper has you covered.
Photo: Hyper

Power up all your Apple mobile devices with the HyperJuice 4-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe. The desktop stand can simultaneously juice up an iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and fourth device of your choice… like a second iPhone.

As a bonus, the iPhone MagSafe stand folds up for easier transport. And it can get power from either USB-C or a DC charger.

Roku users can now enjoy Apple Music

By

Roku users can now enjoy Apple Music
Add Roku to the list of devices that can play Apple Music.
Photo: Roku

Apple Music is now available on Roku streaming devices. Starting Monday, subscribers to the Apple’s streaming music service can listen on any Roku.

This adds to the list of extensive devices that can play Apple Music.

There’s still hope for body temp sensor in Apple Watch Series 8

By

There's still hope for body temperature sensor in Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 8 will have a body temp sensor if Apple can get it right.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple developers are trying to enable the upcoming Apple Watch Series 8 to sense the wearer’s body temperature, according to a trusted analyst. But it’s not a done deal. Cupertino also hoped to make sensing body temp part of Series 7 but couldn’t work out the bugs.

This is just one of the health-related sensors that are proving to be a challenge for the Apple Watch team.

Apple gives devs more time to update outdated apps before App Store removal

By

2021 App Store Awards
Apple moved back the deadline for devs to update their 'outdated' App Store applications.
Photo: Apple

Apple still intends to remove iPhone applications it considers outdated from the App Store, but has given developers more time to update their software. The deadline has changed from 30 days to up to 90 days.

And Apple says it focuses the App Store Improvements process on applications that are hardly ever downloaded.

Apple AirTag: What a difference a year makes [Review] ★★★★

By

Apple AirTag: What a difference a year makes [Review]★★★★
Apple AirTag seemed kind of meh when it launched. It's gotten better in many ways since then.
Photo: Auguras Pipiras/Unsplash

A year ago today, I reviewed the AirTag on launch day. I was unimpressed. Now that I’ve used Apple’s item tracker for 12 months, I can say it’s better than it seemed in my first impressions.

That said, there’s still room for improvement when Apple releases an AirTag 2 or AirTag Pro.

First Peanuts Mother’s Day special will celebrate all kinds of moms

By

First Peanuts Mother’s Day special will celebrate all kinds of moms
Peppermint Patty takes center stage in the first Peanuts Mother’s Day special.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Peanuts gang is about to star in their first Mother’s Day special. To Mom (and Dad), With Love will focus on Peppermint Patty, who doesn’t have a mom. Or does she?

A trailer dropped on Friday so you can get a glimpse of the troubles Charlie Brown and his friends will have celebrating this special day.

iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks

By

iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks
iPhone shipments increased in Q1 2022. Android did not.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The global market for Android phones shrank considerably in the first quarter of 2022, even as iPhone shipments rose.

Shipments from every major Android maker declined, from Samsung on down. Their combined drops were enough to reduce world smartphone shipments in Q1 by around 10%.

Leaked iPhone 14 front panels offer best size comparison yet

By

Every iPhone 14 model will have a ProMotion display and 6GB of RAM
This is not the new iPhone 14 picture. Keep scrolling.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

An image supposedly showing the front screen panels of all four iPhone 14 models has leaked out. It gives a side-by-side comparison of some of the most significant changes coming this fall to Apple’s 2022 handsets.

The new “hole and pill” design for the Pro models is clearly on display, as is the first iPhone Max that isn’t part of the Pro series.

Lightning strikes for Apple again, but storm clouds are on the horizon

By

Apple warns that supply chain constraints will take a heavy toll in coming months.
Apple warns that supply chain constraints will take a heavy toll in coming months.
Photo: Raychel Sanner/Unsplash License/Cult of Mac

The first three months of 2022 were good to Apple, with revenue setting a quarterly record. But the company warned on Thursday that problems getting components and assembling products will take a nasty chunk out of revenue for the current quarter. The hit will to be between $4 billion and $8 billion.

But there’s also plenty of good news in from the conference call CEO Tim Cook had with investors after Apple’s March quarter results were announced.

HyperDrive USB-C dock packs HDMI and DisplayPort into pocket-size hub

By

HyperDrive USB-C dock packs HDMI and DisplayPort into pocket-size hub
Plenty of USB-C hubs have HDMI ports, but far fewer include DisplayPort. The HyperDrive USB4 Mobile Dock offers both. And more.
Photo: Hyper

The HyperDrive USB4 Mobile Dock offers ports for both HDMI and DisplayPort, giving users additional options for an external monitor. And the just-launched USB-C hub also includes dual USB-A ports, Ethernet and more.

And all this fits into a package not much larger than a Magic Mouse.

Save $40 on the just-launched 2022 iPad Air 5

By

iPad Air 5 goes super fast with M1 processor
No matter the color, you can find a discount on the iPad AIr 5 today.
Screenshot: Apple

The iPad Air 5 has only been out a month and you can already buy it at a nice discount. The 10.9-inch mid-range tablet is available at $40 below the usual cost.

And this deal is on the base model, so you don’t have to pay more to save more. Though you can also get discounts of up to $70 on versions with 5G or more storage.

Wall Street watches to see how Apple handles global challenges

By

Apple MacBook cash dollars money
We'll discover on Thursday how Apple did during Q1 2022. Analysts are moderatly optimistic.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Wall Street analysts harbor modest hopes for Apple’s most-recent financial quarter. They predict the company saw its revenue rise by 5% versus the same quarter of 2021.

The iPhone-maker will announce the results of the January-through-March period ahead of Thursday’s quarterly earnings call. Investors will be looking closely to see how the company is managing the ongoing chip shortage, COVID-19 lockdowns at assembly plants, inflation and other challenges.

EU may soon force Apple to open iPhone NFC to other payment services

By

Apple Pay Tap-to-Pay
iPhone users might soon be able to use tap-to-pay with non-Apple payment systems. In the EU, anyway.
Photo: Apple

The European Union reportedly plans to accuse Apple of violating the law by limiting access to the iPhone’s NFC capabilities to the company’s own payment system. The goal is to give rival systems like PayPal access to the iPhone’s convenient tap-to-pay function.

Apple claims the limitation is there to protect users’ financial information. The EU calls it anticompetitive.

Clever DIY project hacks old iMac into a Studio Display

By

Clever DIY projects hacks old iMac into a Studio Display
Here's a 2014 iMac made into an external display almost a beautiful as a Studio Display.
Photo: Luke Miani

An intrepid Apple expert set out to convert an iMac on its last legs into a useful external monitor with the same general design and functionality as a new Studio Display. The inspiration comes from Apple’s recently released monitor using a 27-inch 5K LCD, as do all the iMacs made for many years.

Watch a video of this DYI project to see if this is something you’d like to do with that old iMac you have gathering dust.

Apple pushes February MacBook Pro orders back to June

By

Apple pushes February MacBook Pro orders back to June
Buying a high-end MacBook Pro requires money and patience.
Photo: Cult of Mac

People who ordered a top-tier MacBook Pro in February are being notified that it won’t be delivered until June. The delay results from COVID-19 lockdowns in China hampering notebook assembly.

New orders also face delays of several months, making a refurbished 2021 MacBook Pro a better option for some buyers.

Pro Tip: Use your iPad to charge your iPhone in an emergency

By

Pro Tip: Use your iPad to charge your iPhone
In a pinch, your iPad can charge your iPhone.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4Your iPhone battery has run out, you absolutely must make a call or text, and there’s no wall socket anywhere. If you have an iPad, the solution is easy: Connect the iPhone to the tablet.

Using your iPad to give your handset an emergency charge is a trick you might not have thought of. But maybe it’ll get you out of a jam sometime.

Apple now offers parts and tools needed to fix your own iPhone

By

Apple Self Service Program for customer repairs
Apple's Self Service Program is a major change to the company's repair policy.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone Self Service Program that Apple announced last fall launched Wednesday. It provides customers with the parts and tools they need to repair their own handsets. And it marks a major shift in the company’s approach to hardware fixes.

The program is for individuals, not small businesses.

Apple fixes Studio Display’s disappointing webcam in new macOS 12.4 beta

By

Apple Studio Display
The front-facing camera in the Apple Studio Display will soon work much better.
Photo: Apple

Apple built a fix for the webcam quality issues on its new Studio Display into macOS 12.4, which is in beta testing. This will fulfill Apple’s promise to improve the look of video conferencing done with the camera.

Early tests with the pre-release software show definite improvements.

Trailer for Apple TV+’s Essex Serpent is a mashup of science, religion and romance

By

Trailer for Apple TV+'s 'Essex Serpent' is a mashup of science, religion and romance
Tom Hiddleston and Claire Danes will star in The Essex Serpent on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

The first trailer for the upcoming historical drama The Essex Serpent dropped Tuesday. It gives a preview of a very complicated relationship between characters played by Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston. Also, there might or might not be a giant sea serpent involved.

The limited series premieres May 13 on Apple TV+.

Rugged new Samsung T7 Shield SSD survives drops, rain and dust

By

Rugged new Samsung T7 Shield SSD survives rain, drops and dust
The Samsung T7 Shield is rugged enough to be used outdoors... but you don't have to.
Photo: Samsung

The Samsung T7 Shield is a a credit-card size external SSD intended for outdoor content creators or travelers. It’s drop, water and dust resistant, and offers up to 2TB of capacity.

This new rugged version joins other SSDs in the Samsung T7 line.