n2 - page 6

Apple’s original TV shows will get a sneak preview at March 25 event

By

apple tvPIC
Don't expect them to officially debut until later in 2019, however.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple’s March 25 media event will be dedicated to services — and that will include the first glimpses of video content from Apple’s original TV series.

While we’ll get a look at some video clips, however, customers shouldn’t expect the series to debut immediately after the event.

Quit or canned? Why is Angela Ahrendts leaving Apple? [Opinion]

By

Ahrendts
Did Angela Ahrendts jump or was she pushed?
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

When Apple fires an executive, the company is rarely straightforward about the situation. Apple never puts out a press release stating plainly that the executive was canned. So Tuesday’s unexpected announcement that Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s head of retail, is leaving in April led many to suspect she was fired.

That’s because the announcement came as a surprise and seems rushed. She’s certainly not retiring or quitting to join another company. The press release phrase “new personal and professional pursuits” sounds like code for “canned.”

3D laser camera could make 2020 iPhones AR machines

By

The 2019 iPhone could have a much larger camera bump than any predecessor.
Your next iPhone might come with 3 cameras.
Render: OnLeaks/Digit.in

The 3D sensing capabilities on the iPhone are set to get a big upgrade in 2020, according to a new report.

Apple is supposedly planning to add a laser-based 3D camera system to the 2020 iPhone lineup that will be more powerful than the dot-projection system currently used by the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR for facial recognition.

MacBook Pro ‘stage light’ flaw could hit you with a $600 repair

By

These cables can wear out and cause your MacBook Pro’s display to fail.
These cables can wear out and cause your MacBook Pro’s display to fail.
Photo: iFixit

Every MacBook Pro since 2016 harbors a hidden design flaw that inevitably will require an expensive repair, according to DIY repair website iFixit.

The problem supposedly lies in “delicate” ribbon cables that connect the screen with the display controller inside the main body of the laptop. Opening and closing the clamshell case eventually causes these to wear out and begin to tear, iFixit says.

How to change the Slack logo back on your Mac

By

Oh man, what were they thinking?
Oh man, what were they thinking?
Photo: Cult of Mac

Slack is everybody’s favorite way to waste time when they’re supposed to be working. And today, the biggest conversation in Slack chats everywhere is Slack’s hideous new logo.

It’s dull. It’s ugly. It has none of the personality of the original logo, and it doesn’t look like the Slack hashtag even if you squint at it hard.

If you’re on iOS, tough. You’re stuck with this awful new corporate abomination. But if you’re on the Mac, there’s good news: You can keep the old Slack app icon.

Step one is DON’T UPDATE THE SLACK APP YET!

How to free up storage on your iPhone or iPad

By

There’s no need to buy new storage space for your iPhone — just free up what you already have.
There’s no need to buy new storage space for your iPhone — just free up what you already have.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

It’s happening again! You cheaped out and bought that 32GB iPhone or iPad a few years back, and it’s full up, again. But wait — before you go deleting your photos, or uninstalling apps at random until you recover enough space, take a look at this how-to. You might be able to recover tens of gigabytes from apps you’d totally forgotten about.

iPhone XR is Apple’s biggest lure for Android lovers

By

iPhone XR Spectrum ad
iPhone XR sales in its first month were as about as strong as those of previous Apple bandsets right after their launches.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR got off to a fairly strong start. In November, this just-launched model made up 30 percent of Apple’s U.S. sales, slightly higher than the iPhone X in Nov. 2017.

But the standout aspect of the XR’s launch is this new model drew in a higher percentage of Android fans than any Apple device in years.

How to stop apps from tracking your location

By

Wherever you go, your iPhone is tracking youR location
Wherever you go, your iPhone is tracking you.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Your iPhone apps can track your location. You already know that, but maybe you tell yourself that that weather app just uses your current location to give you an accurate forecast, or that your bike-routing and tracking app is just keeping a count of miles and calories.

In reality, any one of these apps may be taking that location data and selling it. One way to handle this is to keep up to date with the privacy policies of any location-aware apps you use, but that’s too much work for most of us. Instead, why not just deny them access to your location? On iOS, that’s easy, and it works.

How (and when) to use Apple Watch ECG feature

By

Apple health care
Apple's health-tracking features have been a game changer.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

watchOS 5.1.2 launched to the public this morning and finally activated the ECG feature on Apple Watch Series 4.

For now, the ECG app can only be used in the US and US territories, but it gives wearers the ability to take an electrocardiogram to see whether your heart rhythm shows signs of atrial fibrillation. Using the ECG only takes about 30 seconds and it could save your life.

Here’s how to master the ECG:

How to translate anything with Siri shortcuts

By

If only all text was so easy to translate.
If only all text was so easy to translate.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Today we’re going to make a Siri Shortcut that takes any text, converts it into English, and copies it to the clipboard. Never again will you have to struggle with a foreign menu on a web page, or a snippet of text from a non-English news site.

There are a few ways to translate text and websites on iOS, but this shortcut has two big advantages: It’s really, really fast, and it automatically copies the result to the clipboard. If you ever used the otherwise-excellent Microsoft Translate share extension, you will already be sick of having to manually select the result in a tiny window, and then use the share sheet again just to copy it.

2018 iPad Pro – A week with Apple’s computer for everywhere [Review]

By

IPad Pro and Mac Pro
Apple’s on their hardware “A” game with the new iPad Pro
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The new iPad Pro is arguably the most powerful, most familiar, most versatile, and most fun computer you can get today. Yes, you read that correctly. I said computer.

For the past week, I’ve been testing out Apple’s latest 12.9” iPad Pro. I’ve used it around the house, and at work, in the kitchen, and in bed, at the coffee shop and on the couch – and it’s been great. I actually look forward to using it, and it has replaced both my MacBook and my iPhone for a lot of my most common situations.

This iPad Pro unboxing will give you FOMO

By

Boxes for iPad Pro Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard
The new iPad Pro, Smart Keyboard Folio, and 2nd Generation Apple Pencil are finally here!
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

It’s finally here – Apple’s most drastic change to iPad since it was introduced in 2010. The brand new iPad Pro with slimmer bezels, a gesture-based UI, blazing fast processors, and a downright gorgeous design. It’s the first Apple product in a long time that I’m truly excited to get my hands on.

So that’s what I did.

5 things we didn’t get at Apple’s ‘More in the Making’ event

By

The new iPads and Macs that have been in so many rumors will apparently be unveiled in less than two weeks.
While the Apple's October press event wasn't disappointing, not everything people had hoped for showed up.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s press event this morning was jam packed with new devices, including redesigned iPad Pros, an updated MacBook Air, and a faster Mac mini. But we still didn’t get everything we were expecting.

There were some notable absences from the ‘More in the Making’ event, and at least one glaring omission.

iPhone XR camera gives some iPhone XS users buyer’s remorse

By

iPhone XR portrait mode
Thinking the iPhone XR would have been worth the wait?
Photo: Apple

The early reviews for the camera on the iPhone XR have been impressive – and that has a few who purchased the iPhone XS wishing they had waited a few weeks.

Apple, trying to accommodate more budget-minded consumers, announced the mid-range iPhone XR for $799 at the same time it unveiled the more expensive iPhone XS and XS Max.

The XS line was available on Sept. 21 while the XR, not quite ready for shelves then, went on sale today.

Photoshop for iPad will be useless without the keyboard [Opinion]

By

photoshop for iPad
A keyboard is as essential to Photoshop as a screen.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

When Photoshop comes to the iPad next year, it will apparently be the full desktop version, with the same code base, shrunk down to run on iOS. At launch, a few features will be missing, but the plan is parity between desktop and iOS versions.

But there’s one thing that will ruin the iPad version of Photoshop from day one — a lack of keyboard shortcuts.

Big 2018 iPad Pro details spilled in new leak

By

2018 iPad Pro concept art
Here's what to expect from the 2018 iPad Pro.
Photo: Álvaro Pabesio

It is looking increasingly likely that Apple will deliver a new iPad Pro lineup before the end of 2018. A new report, citing a number of sources familiar with the company’s plans, reveals some things we can look forward to.

Here’s what to expect from the next-generation iPad Pro’s display, Face ID, Apple Pencil, and more.

iPhone XS Max can replace your iPad mini [Review]

By

The iPhone XS Max is 25 percent larger than any previous iOS handset. So how is it as an iPad mini replacement?
The iPhone XS Max is 25 percent larger than any previous iOS handset. So how is it as an iPad mini replacement?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple stopped updating the iPad mini a few years ago because sales dropped off at the release of the first iPhone Plus model. Seems lots of people prefer a large-ish smartphone to a small tablet, even if the iPad is bigger than the iPhone.

And now there’s the iPhone XS Max, Apple’s biggest smartphone ever. So we explored using one as a replacement for an iPad mini 4.

Apple Watch Series 4 review: So good it’ll make your heart race

By

Apple Watch Series 4 Infogram Watch Face
The Series 4 comes with some great new watch faces, like this information-packed Infograph face.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

I have a new best friend. It’s the Apple Watch Series 4. Boy, do I love this miraculous little machine.

The new Apple Watch really is wonderful. As with everything else, speed makes it so much more fluid and seamless. The display is gigantic and awesome! There’s so much technology packed inside, it’s a sci-fi marvel.

I took it for a long bike ride to test it out. Here’s what I found.

Smiling Apple fans show off their new haul of devices

By

iPhone XS fan in Singapore
One happy new iPhone owner in Singapore.
Photo: Apple

Forget Amazon’s Prime Day, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday — if you’re an Apple fan, the biggest non-holiday day of the year is new device day. And it’s finally here!

As of 8am local time on Friday, September 21, the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 go on sale around the world. While we’re still a few hours away from that time rolling around in the U.S, a number of places in the world have already received their devices. And, boy, do their customers look happy!

Apple’s new iPhone lineup is bigger and better than ever

By

iPhone Xs Max
This is what we've been waiting for.
Photo: Apple

Apple just unveiled its biggest and best iPhone lineup to date.

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max come packing a brand new A12 Bionic chip with greatly improved performance and sound, as well as Apple’s best displays and even better designs. They can also juggle two SIM cards simultaneously.

Meanwhile, the new iPhone XR delivers the flagship iPhone look and some of the best features from iPhone XS at a more-affordable price.

Everything we think we know about the 2018 iPhone lineup [Updated]

By

iPhone X
Behold, the iPhone Xs.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is set to unleash its newest iPhones on the world in just a couple weeks and based on the rumors, these will be the most lust-worthy phones to ever come out of Cupertino.

Not only will the 2018 iPhone lineup include the biggest iPhone display Apple’s ever made, it will also be more colorful and more expensive than ever. We’ve been keeping our pulse on all the rumors leading up to Apple’s big September 12 unveiling and have a pretty solid idea on what’s coming through the pipeline.

This is what the 2018 iPhone lineup will look like:

Mystery iPhone spotted in Apple code hints at surprising refresh

By

iOS 11 Beta 4
It's a great time to buy older Apple devices.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is expected to introduce three new smartphones this fall — all of which will include some of the best features of iPhone X. But it seems it could have another surprising refresh up its sleeve.

One developer has discovered references to an unreleased device that closely resembles the iPhone 7.