What happens when you use a three-finger tap on your Mac’s touchpad to look up a word? In olden times, it would bring up a dictionary definition, instantly. Today, it probably doesn’t do anything. Not for a few seconds at least. Or rather, it pops up a panel right away, but then it takes a few seconds to load whatever Siri reckons you might be looking for.
So, how do we stop this madness? Easy. We switch it off in the Mac’s settings, aka System Preferences.
Clear the clutter on your bedside table with the Zens Stand+Dock. This stunning charger tops up iPhone and AirPods simultaneously and eliminates messy cables that are forever in your way.
A built-in USB port on its base also allows you to charge a third device — like your Apple Watch. And with up to 20W of power output, there’s more than enough to go around.
Here’s why we love the Zens Stand+Dock.
WatchOS 6 introduces a new Compass app (only for the Apple Watch Series 5), along with a couple of Compass complications. It works pretty much exactly like you’d expect, only with a few neat extras. You can access it from the All Apps screen, or by tapping the Compass complication on one of your Apple Watch faces. Let’s take a look.
The Files app is waaaaay better in iOS 13 and iPadOS. It adds external USB storage support, so you can plug in anything from a hard drive or USB-C stick to a synthesizer that can mount as a USB drive to load samples and presets.
Apple’s built-in file-management app adds column view (with a handy preview) and all the metadata you want to know about a given file. And it also benefits from a massively upgraded search feature.
In iOS 13 and iPadOS, Safari gets a download manager. If you tap (or click, with the new iOS mouse support) on a link to a file, that file will now get downloaded to a folder. What’s more, you can change the location of that download folder.
This is one of the small but essential new features in iPadOS that really turns the iPad into a viable MacBook replacement, even for those who aren’t yet used to the arcane ways of iOS. Let’s check it out.
The iPhone finally joined the dark side with the new Dark Mode feature introduced in iOS 13. Apple delighted fans who have been clamoring for the feature for years — and it appears the wait has been worth it.
After using Dark Mode, I don’t think I’ll be going back to the bright white iOS interface anytime soon. Apple poured a bunch of thought into Dark Mode so that it does more than just make everything black.
I wasn’t expecting much from the Apple Watch Series 5 refresh. The rumor mill only predicted new ceramic and titanium finishes, plus maybe sleep tracking. That was all for this year.
But it turns out Apple had three big surprises hidden up its sleeves — new features that look set to make Apple Watch Series 5 the best smartwatch money can buy.
With big discounts to be had on Apple Watch Series 4, it’s an ideal time to upgrade — and sell off your old model.
It might seem like a relic now, but it’s probably still worth a small fortune — if you sell it properly. Here’s how to get the best price for your old Apple Watch and ensure you get paid fast.
The iPhone’s incredible Portrait mode does a great job of blurring the backgrounds of photos, making the subject stand out from busy backdrops. (Apple also uses this depth information for its truly awful Portrait Lighting effects — has anyone ever gotten a good result from the Stage Light filter? — but that’s another story.)
What if you could use the depth information inside Portrait photos to get rid of the background entirely? Wouldn’t that be something? Well, yes it would. And if you have the right app, it’s really easy to remove photo backgrounds.
With a constant stream of new, console-quality games in the iOS App Store, and subscription gaming service Apple Arcade on the way, there’s arguably never been a better time to be an Apple gamer. Yet despite all the great new iOS games, sometimes you just want to relive your misspent youth.
This week, Paul Cuisset’s classic Mac platformer Flashback blasted its way into the App Store. To mark the occasion, we dug up some of the best classic games that graced vintage Macs but now can be played on your iOS device. Check them out.
Add a touch of class to your Apple Watch with a stunning Vitero band from Juuk Design. Made from high-grade 6000 series aluminum, they’re incredibly robust but lightweight, and available in a range of striking styles.
Get yours now and enjoy 20% off the usual price.
Xiaomi has a history of shamelessly ripping off bigger brands, and nine times out of ten, its chosen target is Apple.
The Chinese company has previously cloned the iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and more — without a single shred of fear that it might one day feel the wrath of Apple’s legal department.
Xiaomi’s latest ripoff is its own version of Memoji, and it brazenly stole Apple’s own commercials to promote it on a number of retail channels this week.
Here’s how Xiaomi gets away with it.
Teenage Engineering’s awesome, pocket-size OP-Z synth can now record and use samples. Thanks to a massive software update, it can now sample live audio in through its mic, or via its USB-C port. And yes, if you hook it up to an iPhone or iPad via USB, it shows up as a standard audio interface: You can record from, and send audio to, the OP-Z in lossless digital quality.
Today we’re going to check out these new features. A few limitations prove annoying, but Apple users should feel accustomed to that by now.
iPad multitasking gets a boost in iPadOS, with tweaks and enhancements that make it easier to do more on Apple tablets.
If you use an iPad for anything beyond watching videos, you should be thrilled by these changes, which boost inter-app productivity. Here’s how to take advantage of the different flavors of multitasking in iPadOS.
iOS 13, iPadOS, and tvOS 13 will finally allow you to play games with a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller.
That means there’s no need to purchase a pricey MFi controller that is restricted by Apple’s outdated gamepad guidelines. Simply connect one of the controllers you already own and you’re good to go.
Here’s how to get set up.
Today we have another great tip ripped form the iPhone’s accessibility settings. The screen reader lets you use a quick two-finger gesture to read anything on the screen. This is obviously designed for folks who have trouble reading the screen, but it is also very handy for everyone else.
You can listen to a long magazine article while you do the dishes for example, and much more.
If you’re anything like me, you love having contact photos for people you talk to most. But, again, if you’re like me, keeping those pictures updated and accurate can be a total pain and a massive time suck.
That’s where Vignette comes in. The simple utility app for iPhone is your key to a better looking contacts list without all the hassle.
Developed by Casey Liss of “Analog(ue),” “Accidental Tech Podcast,” and “Casey on Cars” fame, the app grew from a passing notion on a podcast to a full-on utility for updating contact photos.
Wireless charging is so much easier than the daily hassle of plugging and unplugging your iPhone. And the new AirPods wireless charging case makes giving up Lightning cables even more logical. Satechi just introduced a Apple-compatible wireless charger that’s not only functional, it’s also great looking.
We fully tested this accessory out, so don’t miss our hands-on review.
The Sensel Morph is a different kind of “keyboard” for the iPad or Mac. It’s a pressure-sensitive panel onto which you can slap various silicone overlays, turning it from a QWERTY keyboard into a piano, a movie-editing controller or many other specialized interfaces.
It’s a customizable, wildly imaginative input device designed for musicians, video editors, illustrators, writers and other creative types.
There’s no headphone jack in the 2018 iPad Pro, which is darn inconvenient for anyone who wants to hook their tablet up to a non-Bluetooth pair of headphones or speakers. Fortunately, Satechi makes a small and simple USB-C adapter with a 3.5mm jack. There’s also a second USB-C port so the tablet can charge at the same time.
In addition, Satechi just released a USB-C cable that can handle 100W of power. Be sure to read our reviews of both.
Slope, a beautifully designed minimalist tablet stand, transforms your iPad into a second Mac screen or even a mini iMac.
Whether you’re pairing iPad with Apple Pencil, Smart Keyboard, or using it as an external display for MacBook or iMac, Slope positions and displays your tablet with utmost style and security.
It’s the perfect way to integrate your new iPad Pro into your desktop setup and Apple ecosystem. This is especially significant with the rumored macOS 10.15 update, code-named “Sidecar,” enabling an iPad to act as a second screen for running macOS software.
A trusted analyst says Apple is working on a MacBook Pro that’s bigger than any released in years. The downside is this model won’t be out until 2021.
This device, as well as a new iPad and an external display, will all supposedly use a new type of display: microLED.
Ever since I got a 2018 iPad Pro last year, I’ve gone through a drawerful of USB-C hubs. And finally, I’ve found one that works. Or rather, one that works without any odd, annoying or inexplicable behavior. It’s the Kingston Nucleum, it doesn’t have quite enough ports, and it’s just great.
If you’ve updated your iPhone or iPad to iOS 12.2, and you own a pair of first-gen AirPods, the wireless earbuds probably got an automatic firmware update already. Today we’ll see how to check your AirPods firmware version, and learn what’s new in the update.
Spoiler: Some owners even report better battery life in their original AirPods.
High-quality leather is a universal way to look and feel classy, timeless and powerful. Deck out your beloved Apple Watch in something it deserves, regardless of price point. Whether you’re buying on a budget or searching for the perfect splurge, your internet scouring ends here.
Check out our watch store guide to finding the perfect leather Apple Watch band for your budget.
