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News - page 356

Tiny AirPods washing machine looks cute as can be

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Cardlax EarBuds Washer is not an April Fool’s Day joke.
The Cardlax EarBuds Washer is an honest-to-god real product. You might even want one.
Photo: Cardlax Team

Cleaning AirPods is kind of a disgusting job, but Cardlax has a solution. It’s an itty-bitty washing machine to clean the crud off your earbuds in a couple of minutes.

Before you ask, April Fools’ Day was last week. This is a real thing.

iTest puts pretend Samsung Galaxy on your iPhone

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iTest puts pretend Samsung Galaxy on your iPhone
WHOA!
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Samsung reached out to iPhone users with iTest — a web app that simulates a Galaxy smartphone on an iOS device. The device maker says it’s hoping some people “might find the grass a shade greener.”

The iTest app isn’t a simple static image — it offers samples of some commonly-used Android applications, including phone calls and texts with marketing messages.

Apple helps Chipolo One Spot item tracker become a top AirTags rival

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Chipolo One Spot launches June 2021. Price is unknown.
The Chipolo One Spot boasts an advantage over every other Bluetooth item tracker.
Photo: Chipolo

The upcoming Chipolo One Spot could rise to be a top Bluetooth item tracker. And if that happens, it’ll be with Apple’s help. The product will be one of the very first accessible through Apple’s Find My network, which means iPhone, Mac and iPad users can locate it without having to install any software from Chipolo.

The same is true of AirTags, Apple’s own much-rumored item tracker expected to be released soon.

Apple says Epic’s legal challenge is all about reviving interest in Fortnite

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Epic Games mocked Apple with a ‘1984’ parody.
Epic has been battling with Apple since last summer.
Screenshot: Epic Games

Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple is less about App Store rules and more about reviving “flagging interest in Fortnite,” according to a court document filed Thursday by Cupertino’s lawyers.

In a court filing with the US District Court on Thursday, Apple argues that Epic just wants “to free-ride on Apple’s innovation” by being allowed in the App Store without having to pay Apple a cut of earnings.

Peter Thiel says US should put ‘pressure’ on Apple over its links with China

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Peter Thiel
A-list venture capitalist Peter Thiel thinks Apple relies on China too much.
Photo: Dan Taylor/Wikipedia CC

Venture capitalist, early Facebook investor and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel criticized Apple for being too close to China.

At a virtual event held Tuesday by California nonprofit Richard Nixon Foundation, Thiel said the United States should put a “lot of pressure” on Apple because of its links to the Asian country.

Alleged dummy images suggest no big redesign for iPad mini or iPad Pro

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Apple wallpapers from the 2020 iPad Pro
What to expect from this year's iPad refreshes.
Photo: ispazio

Dummy mockups of the next-gen iPad Pro and iPad mini suggest that they could look very similar to their predecessors. According to the images, the next-gen iPad mini boasts the same design as the iPad mini 5, released in 2019, although it may be slightly thicker.

Meanwhile, the next-gen iPad Pro resembles the last generation model, with a possible slightly less protruding camera bump on the larger 12.9-inch model.

Global chip shortage could make iPad and MacBook hard to find

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MacBook Air M1 2020
MacBooks may get a bit more elusive later in 2021.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

MacBooks and iPads could face severe delays later this year due to a global chip shortage. While Apple has done its best to insulate itself, the company is “not immune” from the “unprecedented supply crunch,” Nikkei Asia reports.

The lack of key computer components initially stemmed from factories shuttered at the start of last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, boosted demand resulting from “changing habits fueled by the pandemic” appear to have compounded the problem.

Crazy concepts merge Apple products with popular car models

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Apple Car: Hyundai Ioniq Electric x Apple Mouse
It’s a car. It’s a mouse. It’s a mashup of a car and a mouse. But it’s probably not the Apple Car.
Concept: LeaseFetcher

It’s an open secret that an Apple Car is on the drawing board, but no one has a clue what it’ll look like. A new collection of concept designs doesn’t make serious suggestions but takes the idea for a fun spin. The designs combine popular car models with Apple products

Take a look at what they dreamed up.

Samsung Galaxy S21 plummets to half its original value in 3 months

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The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is not a good investment.
The recently released Samsung Galaxy S21 series drops in value as much as $281 a month.
Photo: Samsung

Those planning to resell their handset someday might want to steer clear of Samsung latest flagship models. The Galaxy S21 series reportedly lost between 44.8% and 57.1% of its original value since in debut in January 2021.

Of course, every smartphone depreciates over time. But iPhones hold their value better than their rivals.

Apple opens Find My network to third-party gadgets

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The iPhone Find My app just got a lot more open and useful.
The Find My application can finally be used to locate items not made by Apple. There’s a crop of them coming soon.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The Find My application built into iOS and macOS finally opened up to device trackers made by other companies, not just Apple. Wednesday’s move allows iPhones, Macs and iPads to locate lost items produced by third-party accessory makers without needing to install additional software.

The first supported non-Apple products come from Belkin, Chipolo and VanMoof.

The Problem with Jon Stewart tackles current affairs on Apple TV+ in fall 2021

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Jon Steward headed to Apple TV+
Jon Stewart has interviewed a lot of people over the years, including former president Obama.
Photo: The White House

Jon Stewart is coming back on TV this fall. After 6 years off the air, the acclaimed comedian will star in The Problem with Jon Stewart exclusively on Apple TV+.

This is his first show since The Daily Show with Jon Stewart came to a close in 2015 after winning twenty Emmy Awards.

Should you use both a MacBook and an iPad? Well, duh. [Setups]

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Do you really need both a MacBook and an iPad? Of course you do. Don't ask silly questions.
Do you really need both a MacBook and an iPad? Of course you do. Don't ask silly questions.
Photo: BasicAppleGuy@Reddit

The setup showcased in a recent Reddit post consists of just a MacBook Air, an iPad, an iPhone and some peripherals and accessories, but it brings up a puzzling conundrum: Should you use both a MacBook and an iPad, even though their functionality overlaps to a great extent?

According to most of the comments, the answer is yes — even if it makes you feel like a sucker.

90% of US teens plan to get an iPhone

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The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 price is now the same for all the top US telecoms.
Many teens weren't even born when the first iPhone debuted.
Photo: Apple

A massive 88% of U.S. teenagers own an iPhone, and 90% expect their next phone to be an iPhone, a new Piper Sandler survey of more than 7,000 teens suggests.

It’s an impressive showcase of just how popular Apple is among young people — especially so considering that this is a relatively fickle demographic that frequently shies away from things their parents are into. The oldest teen today was only 5 when the first-gen iPhone debuted in 2007. The youngest weren’t even born yet.

The average smartphone app harbors 6 different trackers

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Privacy
Privacy has been a big deal for Apple for years.
Photo: Apple

Ahead of the launch of the new App Tracking Transparency iOS 14 feature, Apple on Wednesday published a report titled A Day in the Life of Your Data.

It details the “$227 billion-a-year industry” made up of websites, apps, social media companies, data brokers, and more who harvest user personal data for profit — and what Apple is doing about it.

Vast majority of iPhone users now run iOS 14

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iOS 14 adoption. It’s a good thing.
Nine out of 10 users now using iOS 14.
Photo: Apple

iOS 14 adoption tops 90%, according to figures published by analysts at Mixpanel. The firm’s most recent data shows 90.45% of users with an iPhone or iPad run either iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 on it. That’s an incredibly impressive feat, considering Apple only made the operating systems available in mid-September.

Last time Apple released its own figures, back in late February, the company reported that 80% of iPhones and 70% of iPads ran the new operating systems. Those figures increased to 86% and 84% respectively when focusing on devices from the past four years.

Brilliant MacBook Pro concept packs in the features we want

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This 14-inch MacBook Pro concept is by Renders by Ian
A new 14-inch MacBook Pro concept is based on leaks about this upcoming macOS laptop.
Concept: Ian Zelbo/Renders by Ian

A 14-inch MacBook Pro reportedly will join Apple’s product lineup, and a concept artist merged all the rumors into a design that might hit store shelves later in 2021.

It includes more ports than any MacBook in years, but even important is what’s missing: the Touch Bar and most of the screen bezels.

iPad mini 6 mockup shows edge-to-edge screen so many hope for

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An iPad mini 6 mockup from xleaks7.
An iPad mini 6 mockup could show that a significant redesign is one the way.
Photo: xleaks7/Pigtou

There’s a bit more evidence that the iPad mini 6 will feature a dramatic redesign. A mockup of the tablet leaked out, showing an edge-to-edge display and an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

Other sources previously pointed to Apple’s smallest tablet getting a size upgrade in the near future.

Mythic Quest crew dives into post-pandemic life in bonus episode next week

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You don’t have to wait until May for new ‘Mythic Quest.’
“Everlight” is a bonus pre-season Mythic Quest episode premiering in April. It takes a funny look at returning to work after the pandemic.
Photo: Apple TV+

Fans of Mythic Quest won’t have to wait until May for season two of the comedy series to return to Apple TV+. A special pre-season episode will debut Friday, April 16.

It will explore the challenges the quirky characters experience returning to their office after the COVID-19 pandemic. Anthony Hopkins will have a voice role.

ScoutPro power bank promises easy Mac, iPhone and Apple Watch charging

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Intelli ScoutPro can charge up to five devices at once.
The Intelli ScoutPro Max includes 24,000mAh of power and can send it to 5 devices at once.
Photo: Intelli

Intelli ScoutPro boasts features few other power banks do. There’s built-in wireless Apple Watch and iPhone chargers. And its USB-C ports can output up to 100W.

The external battery holds up to 24,000 mAh and powers up to five devices at once. It’s ready to handle almost every type of Apple device simultaneously while on the go.

App Store, licensing deal with Google could supercharge Apple services

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As the world shifts from web browsers to apps, tensions may rise between Apple and Google over search.
Google is a major source of Apple's revenue.
Photo: Solen Feyissa/Unsplash CC

In a Tuesday note to clients, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty raised her services-related revenue forecast for Apple through 2022 even as she lowered the overall price target for AAPL stock.

“Following strong March quarter App Store results and an analysis of the key drivers of Apple’s Licensing & Other segment, we raise our already above-street FY21 and FY22 Services revenue estimates by 3% and 5% respectively, and are increasingly convinced that consensus Services forecasts over the next 2+ years are too low,” Huberty wrote.

Apple debuts war crimes podcast The Line

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The Line
There's a line. And on this side of it, people listen to Apple Podcasts.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s foray into podcasting continues with a new series called The Line that debuted Tuesday.

The podcast, which follows the true-crime blueprint successfully laid out by Serial, tells the story of former Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was accused of war crimes. The first two episodes are now available to listen to.

Apple manufacturer earnings soar on massive iPhone 12 demand

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Totallee's thin, light but protective clear case for iPhone 12 is like having no case at all.
Foxconn's earnings are through the roof thanks to iPhone 12.
Photo: Totallee

Apple manufacturer Foxconn’s first quarter revenue soared by 44%, Bloomberg reports. The publication pins the increased cashflow on “robust demand” for the iPhone 12.

Revenue for the first three months of 2021 increased to $47 billion, Foxconn reported Tuesday. In addition to the massive success of the latest iPhones, the high earnings also reflect demand for devices like video games consoles, servers, electric vehicles as well.

How Steve Jobs unwound by looking at future Apple products

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Steve Jobs only turned off his phone while hanging out with Apple design chief Jony Ive.
Steve Jobs only turned off his phone while hanging out with Apple design chief Jony Ive.
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Steve Jobs didn’t turn off his phone often. But if he did, it probably meant that he was in Jony Ive’s Industrial Design department, where Jobs relaxed by scouring prototypes of future Apple products.

That’s according to Jobs’ former assistant, Naz Beheshti, in a new book titled Pause. Breathe. Choose: Become the CEO of Your Well-Being. While the book focuses mainly on Beheshti’s practice as a wellness coach, it includes a few memories of her time at Apple. Including how Apple staffers would go into meltdown when they couldn’t reach Jobs — and how they eventually figured out where this meant he was.