Mobile menu toggle

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro first impressions: Apple does it again

By

iPhone 12 Pro in Pacific blue
Coming soon to a pocket near you.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro landed online Tuesday, and the devices’ marquee feature — 5G wireless connectivity — largely went unnoticed.

Most reviewers said they could not properly take advantage of the next-gen networking, which Apple heavily promoted during last week’s iPhone 12 launch event. This makes 5G more of a hypothetical selling point than something the reviewers could personally recommend. (That’s not surprising, considering the current state of 5G in the United States.)

That said, the first impressions focus on both phones’ impressive new designs — and pay special attention to the premium feel of the iPhone 12 Pro. The reviewers also highlight MagSafe, the new magnetic connection system for cases, chargers and other accessories that Apple added to this year’s iPhones.

Here’s a look at the first iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 reviews.

Airline crew arrested for smuggling $50 million in stolen iPads, iPhones

By

Handcuffs
Ten Aeroflot crew members have been charged.
Photo: Bill Oxford/Unsplash CC

A band of Aeroflot Airlines crew members have been charged with smuggling $50 million worth of stolen electronic goods — including iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches — into Russia.

The plot was uncovered when crew members’ luggage was inspected. This resulted in the discovery of many of the devices in question. In total, 10 people have so far been charged, eight suspects arrested, and two are currently described as fugitives. A massive 113 visas of Aeroflot employees were also revoked.

Make the most of your videos on any device

By

videoproc
This powerhouse video-processing tool makes clips look their best on any device or platform.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Uploading videos to social media or transferring them between devices, it’s easy to wonder what went wrong. Strange compression, weird resolution issues, and other problems can make even high-quality videos suddenly look like junk.

You can avoid those kinds of totally annoying hassles with a heavily discounted lifetime subscription to this video-processing app for Mac.

Apple’s location-tracking AirTags could come in 2 different sizes

By

AirTags are allegedly being released next month because AirPods Studio won’t be.
After more than a year of rumors, AirTags might soon see the light of day.
Concept: Jon Prosser

Apple’s eagerly anticipated, location-tracking AirTags will come in two different sizes, claims reliable Apple leaker l0vetodream.

In a tweet sent out Tuesday, the leaker — who has a reliability score of 87.9 percent on the website AppleTrack — claimed that Apple will release AirTags in both large and small options. It’s not clear what the precise sizes would be or what, if anything, would be the different functionality between sizes.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and other Peanuts specials come to Apple TV+

By

Promotional image for Charlie Brown Halloween special,
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is always streaming on the Apple TV service.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ is the new home for all things Peanuts. That includes rights to stream the classic Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving specials starring Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole gang. In addition, new specials are in development just for this streaming service.

Many of the beloved classics will be available to all, not locked behind a paywall.

New Beats Flex earbuds offer AirPods features for just $49

By

Beats Flex have many AirPods features for much less.
Beats Flex wireless earphones offer sophisticated Apple tech for just $49.
Photo: Apple

Some of the advanced features of Apple AirPods are in Beats Flex, wireless earphones that come in at a much lower price. Apple’s Beats division built in 12-hour battery life, a new acoustic driver and USB-C charging. All for $49.

Beats Flex are scheduled to reach customers’ hands on Wednesday.

iPhone 12 sees strong start with twice as many preorders as iPhone 11

By

iPhone 12 Pro in Pacific blue
Up to 2 million preorders during the first 24 hours alone.
Photo: Apple

iPhone 12 has seen twice as many preorders as last year’s iPhone 11, while iPhone 12 Pro is proving more popular than iPhone 11 Pro, according to new estimates from reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple’s newest smartphone lineup — the first with 5G connectivity — is thought to have attracted between 1.7 million and 2 million orders during the first 24 hours of availability.

Easily manage your iOS music and data without iTunes

By

WALTR 2
Easily transfer music, videos, and other files between iOS devices with drag and drop, and without iTunes.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Our mobile devices were supposed to make life easier. But as time goes on, it gets harder to keep all our tunes, videos and other data where we want it. Part of the challenge is using iTunes — luckily, this tool offers an intuitive alternative.

Repair costs rise for iPhone 12’s Ceramic Shield display

By

The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 price is now the same for all the top US telecoms.
Fixing a broken iPhone 12 out of warranty isn't cheap.
Photo: Apple

iPhone 12 users will have to cough up more cash should they need to replace the handset’s new Ceramic Shield display. The price of a new screen has risen by $80 compared to that for last year’s iPhone 11.

However, it should be more difficult to break iPhone 12’s screen, thanks to tougher glass. And you do get a lot more for your money.

Improve your grammar and writing with machine learning

By

whitesmoke
Gain access to a suite of web-based tools for improving your writing quality, for emails, reports, and anywhere else words are involved.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Becoming a better writer requires feedback. But not everyone has room in their life for writing workshops and deep dives into literature. If you want to improve your writing quickly and easily, you need this web-based tool that uses machine learning to polish your prose.

You’ll want to open Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You again and again [Apple TV+ review]

By

Bruce Springsteen's Letter To You review: Upcoming Apple TV+ documentary offers a moving look at the songwriter's life and music.
The upcoming Apple TV+ documentary offers a moving look at Bruce Springsteen's life and music.
Photo: Apple TV+

Just in time for election day, America’s real president makes a stump speech that’s part biography and part self-mythologizing letter to an equally mythic version of the state he calls home. Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You, like a lot of the Boss’ later albums, isn’t exactly groundbreaking or inventive. However, there’s a good reason his homespun coastal Americana never goes out of fashion. Nobody gets America like Springsteen.

Upcoming Apple TV+ documentary Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You showcases the songs on his 20th album. While it won’t tell you anything you didn’t already suspect, you will find an incalculable kind of value in the songwriter’s company.

5 biggest takeaways from Apple’s iPhone 12 event [Cult of Mac Magazine 371]

By

Let's run down all the week's big Apple news.
Let's run down all the week's big Apple news.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

New iPhones (both “regular” and mini, as well as Pro and Pro Max). A new, pint-size HomePod mini. And the triumphant return of MagSafe … this week’s “Hi, Speed” event delivered the goods.

Read up on all the new Apple gear, and find out why we’re totally psyched about the iPhone 12 mini (and a bit less so about 5G), in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now to read on your iOS device.

Oh, and don’t worry — we’ve got plenty of post-show analysis (and some even fresher Apple news and rumors, too) …

Get a VPN, an ad blocker and more in one packed app

By

Clario
Get VPN, malware, ad blocking and other essential digital security tools in one intuitive app.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

As more of our life moves online, security and privacy become more valuable. That’s why we’re big fans of virtual private networks, malware blockers and any other tools that make online life more secure. Luckily, you can get all that and more from one app.

Helpsters returns for more of the adorable same [Apple TV+ review]

By

John Lutz and the Helpsters
Shut up, Lutz! The Helpsters are back for a second season.
Photo: Apple TV+

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” has long been the Sesame Workshop’s modus operandi, and the second season of Apple TV+ kids show Helpsters is living proof that the strategy works.

The educational show, created by Odd Squad and Adventure Time writer Timothy McKeon, with music by longtime collaborator Paul Buckley, is long on charm and star power and short on filler.

Season two of Helpsters, which arrived on Apple TV+ Friday, is likely exactly what your kids need while you finally get around to doing the laundry. And you’ll laugh, too, at the litany of guest stars and the occasional elegant joke.

Take a meditative walk through a hand-drawn world in The Collage Atlas on Apple Arcade

By

‘The Collage Atlas’ debuted Friday on Apple Arcade.
The Collage Atlas takes players on a hand-drawn, first-person journey through a picture book.
Photo: John William Evelyn

The Collage Atlas could be a temporary escape from 2020. It’s “a journey through an entirely hand-drawn picture-book dream-world,” according to the creator of the game, John William Evelyn.

This title launched Friday on Apple Arcade, and is available for a range of devices.

Faster Apple TV hardware might not arrive before 2021

By

Expect a significant Apple TV hardware update in 2021.
A significantly better Apple TV is in development. But it won‘t be out in November.
Photo: Apple

A rumored Apple TV with more of a focus on gaming allegedly won’t be out before the end of 2020. It’ll be a significant upgrade, with new features beyond a performance bump.

But it’s probably not on the list of devices to expect at an anticipated Apple November product launch event.

Look at all these fantastic iPhone 12 cases

By

Apple plans several iPhone 12 cases, all MagSafe compatible.
Apple’s iPhone 12 cases aren‘t ready yet, but there are plenty of third-party options available now.
Photo: Apple

There are already plenty of iPhone 12 cases to choose from, even though Apple’s newest handset hasn’t yet reached customers hands. When this product arrives on October 23, they can have a case waiting.

Here’re are descriptions of a wide range of options already up for sale, along with lots more coming soon.