n3 - page 7

Expect a more powerful Mac mini Pro this fall

By

Apple Mac mini
The 2018 Mac mini Pro is rumored to be much powerful than the "current" model, which hasn't been updated in almost four years.
Photo: Apple

The last time Apple gave any love to the Mac mini was way back in 2014. But a refresh is reportedly coming.

This inexpensive macOS desktop is apparently popular with developers and server farms. The 2018 mini is supposedly being created with these professionals in mind.

Apple T2 chip might crash iMac Pro, MacBook Pro

By

The Apple T2 chip could be the source of mysterious crashes afflicting two of Apple's newest computers.
The Apple T2 chip could be the source of mysterious crashes afflicting two of Apple's newest computers.
Photo: IFIXIT

Some iMac Pro units are subject to occasional hard crashes. The reasons are hard to pin down, but fingers are starting to point at the Apple T2 chip inside this computer. 

There’s also one in the 2018 MacBook Pro, and this new device is seemingly prone to the same problem.   

These 2018 MacBook Pro models are the best values

By

2018 MacBook Pro
Figuring out which 2018 MacBook Pro is fastest or cheapest is easy. We puzzled out which offers the most bang for the buck.
Photo: Apple

You need a 2018 MacBook Pro, but there are a bunch of configurations to choose from, with the top model more than twice as expensive as the base one. Of course, Apple is asking you to pay extra for a faster processor, but is the additional cost worth it?

We took benchmarking scores for all the variations of the newest macOS laptop and divided them by the cost of each. The results might well surprise you.

2018 MacBook Pro performance shows dramatic improvement

By

The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar up the ante for pro users.
2018 MacBook Pro performance offers the biggest year-over-year improvements since the release of the 2011 models.
Photo: Apple

The 15- and 13-inch MacBook Pro models launching this week boast significantly faster processors. Tests with the Geekbench benchmarking tool show speed increases as high as 86 percent.

The improvements come from faster Turbo Burst frequencies and more processor cores.

Apple axes beloved 2015 MacBook Pro

By

MacBook Pro
The 2015 MacBook Pro is dead.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

MacBook Pro fans that want a variety of port connections are officially out of options.

Along with releasing new MacBook Pro models this morning, Apple discontinued the 2015 MacBook Pro which was the last notebook to offer more than just expandable Thunderbolt 3 ports.

2018 iPhone lineup to come in gorgeous new color options

By

iPhone X
The 2018 iPhone lineup could be prettier than ever.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Apple will offer the 2018 iPhone lineup in a range of stunning new color options, according to one reliable analyst.

Grey, blue, red, and orange will be some of the shades available when the new devices go on sale this fall. The largest of the three, dubbed iPhone XI Plus in some reports, will be offered in gold.

Facebook’s scary plan to record your conversations while you watch TV

By

the Facebook logo on an iPhone 6 Plus
Here we go again.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Some believe Facebook is already using our smartphones to hear our private conversations. That’s not true, but the social network is certainly considering it.

Facebook has applied for a new patent that describes a method of tapping into our microphones to listen to our reactions to TV ads. It’s just as invasive as it sounds.

AirPower to arrive in September after design problems are solved

By

AirPower
Will we finally get a release date for AirPower?
Photo: Apple

Apple will finally deliver its AirPower charger in September after solving “a series of technical hurdles,” according to a new report.

Overheating is one problem company engineers have had to contend with. Another is AirPower’s complex circuitry, which is necessary to allow compatible devices to be placed anywhere on the mat for charging.

Next-gen Apple Watch could use solid-state haptic buttons

By

Apple Watch goal
Wave goodbye to physical buttons!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The next-gen Apple Watches have so far avoided physical redesigns in favor of under-the-hood improvements. That could change this year, however, according to a new report.

Sources in Apple’s supply chain claim that the Apple Watch Series 4 will replace the current physical buttons on the device for solid state buttons with haptic feedback. While the device will retain the same button configuration as existing Apple Watches, these buttons won’t physically click as before.

Why Apple’s low-energy WWDC is actually totally exciting

By

iOS 12
Apple's focus this year is on performance improvements in iOS 12, as well as improvements in macOS Mojave, not new features. And that's a good thing.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of MacApple put on a good show for its WWDC keynote, but realistically it was a lot of hype without much substance. Dark Mode for macOS Mojave and Memojis for iOS 12 was about as exciting as it got. And you know what, that’s a good thing.

Both these operating systems have serious problems, and it’s far more important for Apple to spend a few months fixing them than adding new bells and whistles.

Alleged prototypes show colorful 2018 iPhone refresh

By

TechnoCodex
Will iPhones go colorful again this year?
Photo: TechnoCodex

The 2018-era iPhone refresh could be a bit more colorful than recent years if two new images are to believed.

Supposedly leaked from one of the iPhone manufacturing plants in India, the pictures show two alleged iPhone prototypes, complete with “rich gold stainless steel frame” and violet and green color glass backs.

Silly App Store bans have gone too far with Steam Link

By

Steam Link iPhone iPad Apple TV
Steam Link’s first big update is great for controller users.
Photo: Valve

Apple has decided that it won’t allow iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV owners to play PC games through Steam Link.

Valve’s new app, which is now available in beta on Android, has been banned from the App Store because of “business conflicts.” Apple has also turned down Valve’s appeals.

It’s yet another example of Apple customers being hurt by its often farcical App Store rules. What makes this ban even more ridiculous is that there are so many apps similar to Steam Link already available in the App Store.

Court documents reveal Apple knew iPhone 6 was bendy

By

Bendgate
Tests prior to launch showed the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus could have bending issues.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Bendgate is back in the news and this time, court documents show Apple knew about structural problems with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus prior to release.

Apple’s own tests revealed the handsets might have a bending problem but publicly defended the structural soundness despite widespread customer complaints of frozen or unresponsive touchscreens. As the complaints piled up, Apple quietly corrected the defect, the documents show.

Alligator leather makes Hadoro AirPods more luxurious and expensive

By

These are just some of the color options for Hadoro AirPods.
These are just some of the color options for Hadoro AirPods.
Photo: Hadoro

Apple’s AirPods are more than wireless headphones; they’re fashion accessories. Hadoro AirPods take that to the next level by using alligator leather to make something any starlet or internet billionaire could be proud to be seen carrying.

The French company produces these cases in seven different colors. A black version includes a pair of matching black AirPods. 

New iPhone SE 2 renders reveal gorgeous glass back

By

iPhone SE 2 with glass back
iPhone SE 2 looks good in these renders, but they may not be accurate.
Photo: Olixar

New renders of the upcoming iPhone SE 2, which depict its gorgeous glass back, have been revealed by a popular case-maker.

Olixar is already producing accessories for the device based on information it has gleaned from sources in China. Its new screen protector indicates the iPhone SE 2 will be a big surprise, with an edge-to-edge display just like iPhone X.

MacBook butterfly keyboard problems spawn recall petition [Update]

By

MacBook butterfly keyboard
A new petition calls for Apple to recall the MacBook butterfly keyboard, which can fail when a speck of dust gets in the wrong place.
Photo: Apple

The butterfly keyboard in recent MacBooks draws frequent complaints. And these have now escalated to the point where an online petition is requesting that Apple recall every MacBook Pro released since 2016.

These laptops are super-slim, and so are their keyboards. Reducing the thickness left room for very little key travel, resulting in accusations that even a small speck of dust underneath one of the keys can cause it to stop functioning.

Why Apple Watch apps are dying off in droves

By

timestand
People would rather look at Instagram on a Mac than an Apple Watch.
Photo: Just Mobile

Apple Watch sells very well, but apparently not strongly enough for some companies. A deadline requiring developers to base their apps on newer versions of watchOS just passed, and some businesses choose to pull their software rather than update it.

Instagram garnered the most attention, but there are surely other examples. 

How Facebook data scandal could boost Apple

By

Facebook employees
Facebook is one of many tech giants that builds is business on user data.
Photo: Facebook

Thanks to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, a backlash is brewing against the way tech giants like Facebook monetize data. This could result in government regulation, which has the potential to upend the business models of some of the world’s biggest companies.

Luckily, Apple is practically immune. Here’s why 2018’s biggest tech scandal could actually help the world’s biggest tech company.

Fortnite beginner’s guide: How to dominate the year’s hottest game

By

Fortnite iOS 14
Everyone should welcome skill-based matchmaking.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

You’re missing out on one of the greatest games to ever grace iOS if you’re not playing Fortnite. It’s that good. And now you can dive in knowing all you need to know about getting started with battle royale.

Our beginner’s guide will teach you how to win games without Fortnite experience. You’ll learn which weapons are best for new starters, where to land if you want to stay alive longer, how to loot effectively, and more.

Get stuck in and start racking up those wins!

This app rewards you with discounts for not looking at your iPhone

By

iPhone Hold
Hold gives discounts on products if you put down your iPhone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Not looking at your smartphone is the new looking at your smartphone. Or, at least, that’s the idea driving an intriguing app which aims to reward students with discounts on movie tickets and other services if they don’t keep checking their iPhones.

Here’s how it works, and why its creators think it matters.