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News - page 141

Here are the Vision Pro apps that Apple won’t allow

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Apple Vision Pro applications
Apple wants developers to make Vision Pro applications, just not these types.
Photo: Apple

While Apple is encouraging developers to write software for the Vision Pro AR headset, there are some types of applications it doesn’t want. Camera-related apps and movement-based ones can’t be made.

Some of the restrictions don’t seem to be about privacy but instead result from limitations in the hardware. Others are a mystery.

Supercharge MacBook on the go with Ugreen’s new power bank

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Charge up to three devices at once from the new power bank's big 25,000mAh battery.
Charge up to three devices at once from the new power bank's big 25,000mAh battery.
Photo: Ugreen

 Ugreen introduced its latest on-the-go charger for MacBooks and other gear Thursday. The new Ugreen 145W Power Bank offers fast charging and a rather large 25,000mAh battery capacity.

The company said, “the intelligent power bank can charge three devices simultaneously and even charge a 13-inch MacBook Air in just 90 minutes.” If you’re looking for the best GaN charger, check out this great option that provides high-speed charging in a compact design.

Master your own sound with Denon’s new high-end earbuds

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Denon's sleek new earbuds feature proprietary tech that helps personalize your audio.
Denon's sleek new earbuds feature proprietary tech that helps personalize your audio.
Photo: Masimo

Venerable audio brand Denon, founded in 1910 and now owned by health-and-audio-device maker Masimo, introduced its first sets of wireless noise-cancelling earbuds with audio personalization Tuesday — Denon PerL and PerL Pro featuring Masimo AAT.

AAT stands for “adaptive acoustic technology,” something Masimo enhanced when it absorbed Australian sound-personalization innovator Nura months ago. Hear that, AirPods Pro 2?

Devs can now start making apps for Apple Vision Pro AR headset

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visionOS SDK released to developers
Developers now have access to a variety of resources to help them design, develop, and test apps for Apple Vision Pro.
Photo: Apple

Turning the Apple Vision Pro headset from an announcement into a shipping product took a big step forward Wednesday with the release of the visionOS SDK. This includes the software tools developers will use to write applications for the AR headset that Apple unveiled earlier this month.

Apple also said it will open developer labs around the world soon, giving coders a chance for some hands-on time with Vision Pro, which won’t launch until 2024.

New updates for iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch squash bugs

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Updates is here for your iPhone bugs
Almost every Apple computer just got operating system updates designed to deal with pesky bugs.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Egor Kamelev/Pexels

Apple just introduced a slew of operating system updates. That includes iOS 16.5.1, macOS 13.4.1, watchOS 9.5.2 and iPadOS 16.5.1, which fix bugs in the most recent versions.

But it also released bug-fix updates for older versions of the operating systems going back as far as 2020.

What hasn’t yet arrived on Wednesday are the much-anticipated second round of betas for iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma.

Amazing mod turns Apple Watch into mechanical timepiece

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What's old is new again? What's new is old again? Something like that. It's a mechanical Apple Watch.
What's old is new again? What's new is old again? Something like that. It's a mechanical Apple Watch.
Photo: NanoRobotGeek

I always had a thing for mechanical watches’ intricate machinery. But I gave up my Swiss timepiece for Apple Watch’s amazingly smart functionality.

And now someone has gone to the trouble of marrying the two on video. He replaced a nearly defunct Apple Watch’s circuitry with watch-movement technology first established more than 200 years ago.

And the end result is a gorgeous watch, if you dare try this sort of recycling project yourself.

MacBook Pro rig rides high Down Under [Setups]

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A 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro with a view drives a setup in Sydney, Australia.
A 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro with a view drives a setup in Sydney, Australia.
Photo: [email protected]

There’s nothing like working with windows — floor-to-ceiling ones with epic views of a world-class city, that is, not Microsoft’s OS software.

In today’s featured computer setup, a MacBook Pro and a Surface 8 laptop vie over a nice Dell 4K display overlooking Sydney, Australia.

In search of the perfect podcast? Now it’s easier to find.

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Nine new subcategories of Podcasts with their own popularity charts help you narrow down the search.
Nine new subcategories of Podcasts with their own popularity charts help you narrow down the search.
Photo: Apple

If you feel lost in a sea of podcasts without a paddle, Apple offered some new rowing implements Tuesday. After all, navigating podcasts can feel as hopeless as floundering among streaming TV shows and movies.

The company said Apple Podcasts will elevate nine “new and noteworthy” subcategories for browsing, plus related popularity charts and the new Podcasts by Language browsing tool.

Apple’s efforts to prevent employees from unionizing broke the law

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Apple moves to head off employee union efforts
Apple’s anti-union efforts have again been ruled illegal.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A National Labor Relations Board judge ruled Tuesday that Apple used illegal means to convince employees at one of its retail stores in New York not to form a union.

The judge issued several instructions to Apple that might assist in future unionizing efforts at the company’s 270-plus U.S. retail locations.

These iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma features are not coming to older devices

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New contact posters, iMessage stickers and voicemail transcription
Certain new iOS 17 features will not come to all iPhones capable of running the new OS.
Photo: Apple

iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma are not big upgrades. However, they will bring plenty of little improvements that add up to a better experience on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Despite that, Apple dropped support for some older iPhones, iPads and Macs with its upcoming OS releases.

That’s only part of the disappointment equation, though. Several new features won’t work on older Apple gear, even though the devices can run the new operating systems.

Many of the new features in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 that won’t make it to older iPhones and iPads will go missing primarily because they are very resource-hungry. As for Macs, several macOS Sonoma features won’t come to Intel-based machines. This is sort of a given, since Apple switched to in-house chips that deliver better performance while maintaining ruthless power efficiency. The list of features not available on Intel Macs will only expand over time until Apple eventually drops support for them altogether.

Now that you the reasons for the omissions, here’s a rundown of new features in iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma that won’t work on older devices.

Google Chrome for iOS gains Calendar and Maps integration

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Google Chrome for iOS is getting some new AI-powered features.
Your Google Chrome experience on iPhone is about to get a lot better.
Photo: Google

Google is making Chrome better on the iPhone and iPad with several new AI-powered features. The browser is gaining deeper Google Maps and Calendar integration as a part of its latest release.

Additionally, Google Chrome can now partially translate text on a page without you having to leave the app.

Apple TV+ Metropolis adaptation gets the ax

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Apple TV+ ‘Metropolis’ adaptation gets the axe
A modern adaptation of the silent classic Metropolis will not happen.
Image: Cult of Mac

Turns out Apple TV+ is not going to turn Fritz Lang’s sci-fi classic Metropolis into a series. The ongoing writers’ strike reportedly caused the project to be shut down.

And it’s not the only Apple TV+ project to run afoul of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.

Will there be a Ted Lasso season 4? Yes, if Tim Cook gets his way.

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Brendan Hunt and Jason Sudeikis in
Brendan Hunt, aka Coach Beard, left, says we might not have seen the last of Ted Lasso (played by Jason Sudeikis).
Photo: Apple TV+

Ted Lasso, the comedy that became the first surprise Apple TV+ hit, earned rave reviews with its recent series finale — and now Apple CEO Tim cook wants more!

That’s according to Brendan Hunt, one of the creators and stars of Ted Lasso. Whether Cook will get it or not remains an open question, however.

Apple websites start implementing passkeys in place of passwords

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Apple websites use passkeys in place of passwords.
That’s open less password you’ll have to remember.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Our password-free future just took a step closer. Apple has begin rolling out signing onto its online store can with a passkey instead of a password. The change allows shoppers to access the site with Face ID or Touch ID. The same is true for iCloud.com and Apple’s dev site.

However, the feature is still in testing so it’s not available for everyone. It requires a beta of iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS Sonoma.

Never lose your Apple TV remote again

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A place for everything and everything in its place -- including your Apple TV remote.
A place for everything and everything in its place -- including your Apple TV remote.
Photo: Elago

Always wondering where you left the Apple TV remote? Maybe you should always put it in the same place when you’re done with it. And Elago makes that easy with its updated magnetic Metal Plate R1.

Just stick it to a surface on or near your TV and your R1 remote sticks to it. And viola, once you get in the habit of putting it back there, your remote is always where it’s supposed to be.

New QuietType mechanical keyboard cuts down on the clackity-clack

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"Silent" may be a stretch, but Kensington's new full-sized mechanical keyboard cuts down on the keystroke noise.
Photo: Kensington

Kensington unveiled a new “silent” mechanical keyboard for business and home use Tuesday. It’s the new MK7500F QuietType Pro Silent Wireless Mechanical Keyboard with Meeting Controls.

“Ideal for use in noise-sensitive home or office work environments, the MK7500F delivers a combination of beauty, durability and functionality, to provide professionals with a premium, quiet typing experience,” the company said.

Fixing your iPhone 14 and 2022 MacBook models just got easier

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Apple Self Service Program for customer repairs
Several recent Apple handsets and notebooks are about to be added to the Self Service Repair program.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Self Service Repair program will soon expand to include the iPhone 14 series as well as MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models released in 2022.

The program provides customers access to parts and tools they need to fix their own devices.

iPhone media apps can play music on HomePod using Siri with iOS 17

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The big HomePod could be back soon. But how pricey and how functional will it be?
Spotify is finally coming to HomePod but it relies on using your iPhone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple finally plans to make playing music from third-party sources easier on HomePods. Starting with iOS 17, you can ask Siri to play music on your HomePod from music apps installed on your iPhone.

Despite Apple providing the necessary apps, only a handful of music streaming services natively support HomePod. This change from Apple in iOS 17 is an excellent workaround to this problem.

Why Apple Watch doesn’t allow third-party watch faces

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watchOS 7 new faces
There are a lot of cool Apple Watch faces, all created by Apple.
Photo: Apple

A high-level Apple exec recently answered a question that bugs many Apple Watch users: Why aren’t third-party watch faces allowed?

It comes down to the company not allowing the wearable’s all-important home screen to be replaced by a non-Apple alternative that might not prove as reliable.

EU forces removable batteries on iPhone and iPad

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iPhone 14 is easier to repair than any of its predecessors in years.
iPhone 14 is easier to disassemble than its predecessors, but Apple might have to go further.
Photo: iFixit

The European Parliament passed sweeping legislation last week intended to make recycling batteries easier. The new rules will require Apple to redesign iPhone and iPad so their batteries can be replaced by users. (Android devices will face the same mandate.)

This will be the second major hardware change to Apple products to result from EU legislation. iPhones soon will come with a USB-C port in place of Lightning because of a European requirement.

Monster 65-inch display dominates dual-station home office [Setups]

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A roving laptop station holds an iPad Pro.
A roving laptop station holds and iPad Pro plus Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad.
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s featured computer setup sports something we don’t see often — multiple stations for different uses. And its colossal 65-inch smart TV, used as a computer display as well as a home theater screen, is pretty unusual, too.

Check it out and peruse the gear list below.

Last chance for Father’s Day deals on Apple accessories

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Laut's Zentry AirPods Pro case is tough and it looks cool.
Laut's Zentry AirPods Pro case is tough and it looks cool.
Photo: Laut

It’s not too late to snag deals on Apple accessories for your dad — or for yourself — in the Cult of Mac Store’s Father’s Day Sale, which runs through Monday. You can find discounts of up to 15% off on 140 products from Elkson, Just Mobile, Laut, Mifa, Rilee & Lo and Speidel. It’s quite a selection.

See some highlights below and others here, and check out the whole Father’s Day Savings Collection!

iPhone 15 could use powerful U2 Ultra Wideband chip for deeper Vision Pro integration

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Two people having a conversation, one wearing the Vision Pro headset with EyeSight.
Apple has a plan to boost the Vision Pro ecosystem.
Photo: Apple

Apple could switch to a more powerful Ultra Wideband chip on the iPhone 15. And for its 2024 iPhones, the company could adopt the newer and faster Wi-Fi 7 standard.

These hardware upgrades will seemingly allow Apple to build a more competitive ecosystem for its upcoming Vision Pro headset.