Mobile menu toggle

News - page 593

Viral ad mocks insane price of Apple’s Pro Stand

By

Pro Stand
Apple quickly moved on from this slide.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s competitors are quickly taking aim at the outrageous price of the company’s new Pro Stand that was revealed at the WWDC 2019 keynote this morning.

Taiwan-based electronics company MSI tweeted out a funny mock-ad this week comparing the price and specs of the Pro Stand with its latest 34-inch 5K monitor and it’s going viral all over the internet.

Apple has the wrong attitude toward mouse support on iPad [Opinion]

By

An iPad trackpad?! Too bad it’s only a dream.
It could be so much better.
Photo: Brydge

Apple will finally bring mouse support to iPad (and iPhone) when it rolls out major software updates this fall — and that’s awesome. Finally, you will gain full control over your device without needing to lift a finger.

But I think Apple takes the wrong attitude when it comes to mouse support on iOS.

Its current approach could hold back development of the feature later on, and could negatively impact people who really need it. It also goes against Apple’s mission to make the iPad a laptop replacement.

iOS 13 safeguards private info stored in Contacts

By

Gaia GPS
Giving your mapping app access to your address book shouldn’t also include your child’s SSN.
Photo: Gaia GPS

A change in iOS 13 blocks third-party applications from accessing the Notes field in the Contacts app. This is because many people have the bad habit of storing confidential information in this field, forgetting that they then give mapping, social networking and other types of apps access to all their Contacts data.

The change isn’t Apple fixing a security hole the company itself introduced. Instead, iPhone and iPad are compensating for users storing personal information insecurely.

Apple Watch throws out a lifeline to stranded paddleboarder

By

Apple Watch saves life of paddleboarder
Nearly two years after this Apple event, the Apple Watch aids in the rescue of a stranded paddleboarder.
Screenshot: Apple/YouTube

A woman paddle-boarding windy ocean waters near Massachusetts was rescued after using her Apple Watch to call 911.

The breathless woman told a Lynn Fire Department dispatcher that the wind took her “out to sea,” and she was unable to paddle back to the shoreline at Nahant Beach.

Only a small number of Macs will support Sidecar in macOS Catalina

By

Luna Display easily converts an iPad into a second screen for your MacBook Pro.
Third-party solutions are far from dead.
Photo: Astro HQ

Not many Apple computers will be left out in the cold when its big macOS Catalina upgrade rolls out this fall. But even if your Mac is compatible, it might not be able to take advantage of every feature.

Sidecar, which lets you use an iPad as a second screen, will only support a limited number of machines. If your Mac is getting a little long in the tooth, you’re probably going to be out of luck.

Apple explains iTunes changes in macOS Catalina

By

Apple Music in macOS Catalina
So long, iTunes!
Photo: Apple

Apple’s plan to ditch iTunes starts this fall with the release of macOS Catalina, which will offer standalone apps for Music, Podcasts, and TV.

WWDC offered a brief glimpse at how other things — like syncing iOS devices — would work after the update. Now Apple has published a new support document that explains everything for those who are still confused.

The document promises that “all of your favorite iTunes features” will still be available in Catalina. And it tells you where they will be.

Fortnite adds brand new Storm Flip item, Quick Heal on mobile

By

Fortnite Storm Flip item
Try Fortnite’s new Storm Flip item today.
Photo: Epic Games

Fortnite’s latest patch is out and there are lots of changes for Battle Royale players to look forward to.

The version 9.20 release adds a brand new Storm Flip item, a Quick Heal button on Android and iOS, and a long list of bug fixes and improvements. There’s no sign of the heavy shotgun and revolver, though.

These Mac models won‘t get macOS Catalina

By

No macOS Catalina
There are some older Macs that can’t upgrade to macOS Catalina.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple is hard at work on the replacement for macOS Mojave. The next version will include new features focused on privacy, accessibility and performance. But that‘s a bit hollow for notebooks and desktops that can’t install the upgrade.

Fortunately, Apple extended support for macOS Catalina to as many devices as possible.

Mac Pro’s monster price tag is actually a steal

By

Mac Pro
The new Mac Pro drew a lot of attention in the demo room.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2019 bug That outrage you’re feeling over the cost of Apple’s new Mac Pro is your first clue this computer is not for you.

In fact, it’s not a computer, it’s a workstation. And for those who work in jobs requiring fast, sophisticated set-ups, the new Mac Pro — even once they pay for all the beefy components — comes with a fair price tag.

Apple prods devs to give ‘Sign in with Apple’ top billing

By

Sign in with Apple
Get ready to see this button everywhere.
Photo: Apple

Sign in with Apple could give Facebook and Google some serious headaches when it launches as part of iOS 13 this fall, however, Apple’s strict rules could bring some pushback.

Not only will Apple require all apps that use third-party login services like Facebook to also support Apple’s privacy-focused login service, but it is also asking that the button be placed above competitors’ options.

Safari in iPadOS is almost as good as macOS [Opinion]

By

Safari in iPadOS desktop-class browsing
At WWDC, Apple Safari and Desktop Engineer Charles Ying promised iPadOS will include a full-featured browser.
Photo: Apple

Apple promised the Safari browser coming to iPads later this year will be “desktop class.” That’s a vague term, but tests with the first beta of iPadOS 13 show that it comes very close to the macOS version. There’s still room for improvement, though.

Even so, this is a major milestone for Apple’s tablets. Limitations in Safari have held the iPad back for far too long.

Fraudsters steal whopping $19 million worth of iPhones

By

Fraudster steals $16k from victim posing as Apple tech support
A wide-ranging criminal enterprise devoted to stealing new iPhones has been broken up by police.
Photo: Donald Tong/Pexels CC

Criminals allegedly used identity theft to steal thousands of iPhones from across the United States over several years. Their scheme involved assuming stolen identities and going to stores run by wireless carriers to pose as customers looking for upgrades to new models.

iOS 13 opens door for Spotify to use Siri

By

Spotify Premium update October 2018
Jamming out on Spotify using Siri is finally possible.
Photo: Spotify

One of the best features on Apple Music could soon make its way onto Spotify thanks to iOS 13.

Apple is finally making it possible for Spotify and other music, podcast and audio apps to use Siri. Not being able to integrate with HomePod or Siri were two of Spotify’s many complaints in a recent open letter slamming Apple. When iOS 13 comes out that will finally be possible.

Tech company workers are split on Apple monopoly

By

App Store
Is the App Store a monopoly?
Photo: Cult of Mac

Nearly 75% of Apple employees are behind Tim Cook’s recent declaration that the App Store is not monopoly.

A recent survey found that Qualcomm and Spotify employees are the biggest Apple haters with over 80% responding that recent App Store monopoly claims are legit. The overall tech industry appears to be split on the case though with 54% of employees from the biggest companies taking Apple’s side.

How new Mac Pro borrows from Apple’s best designs

By

Mac Pro cheese grater
You might be better off with iMac Pro instead.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2019 bug It’s obvious that the new Mac Pro, unveiled this week during Apple’s WWDC keynote, is a reboot of the venerable Power Mac G5, a machine released in 2003 that featured a distinctive “cheese grater” grille.

Aside from looks, there are many similarities to the G5, plus a couple of ideas from other older Apple machines. Here are some of the clearest design influences on the new Mac Pro.

Anonymously enjoy everything the internet has to offer

By

Everybody needs a VPN in their life these days. Like Surfshark Mac VPN.
Everybody needs a VPN in their life these days.
Image: Surfshark

This post is presented by Surfshark.

These days, anyone who’s even a little bit tech-savvy knows that using a virtual private network when you go online is a must. But with all the VPN options out there, it can be tough to find the right one. For true anonymity, you want one that doesn’t log your activity, that’s flexible for use on all your devices, and that works wherever and whenever you hop online. If you’re planning to upgrade your online security at the best price, keep an eye out for Surfshark VPN Black Friday discounts to get premium features at a fraction of the cost.

Apple doesn’t want everyone to use a mouse with iPhone and iPad

By

iPad-Pro-mouse
Not everyone should use a mouse. Especially not this kind.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

You might think it would be pretty simple for Apple to add mouse support to its mobile operating systems. But that’s not so. The company reportedly spent years developing its newest accessibility feature.

Apple is also keen to stress that mouse support in iOS 13 and iPadOS is for certain users — those who cannot easily use touch. It was not added to replace touch for the average iPhone and iPad user.

You won’t need iTunes to install the iOS 13, iPadOS public betas

By

iPadOS-multitasking
Awesome news for public testers.
Photo: Apple

You won’t need iTunes to install the iOS 13 and iPadOS betas when they go public, Apple’s Craig Federighi has confirmed.

Registered developers who want to get their hands on the software now must download the update package and restore their device through iTunes. They must also have the new Xcode 11 beta installed.

That won’t be the case when Apple expands the reach of its betas next month.