pc - page 2

Apple changes App Store rules following Steam Link ban

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Screens remote desktop iOS
Has Apple changed its mind about Steam Link?
Photo: Screens

Apple has updated its App Store guidelines to include new rules for remote desktop clients.

Apps can no longer display a “store-like interface” that allows users to “browse, select, or purchase software” they don’t already own, but they can allow transactions if they are processed by a host device.

The change comes just a few weeks after Steam Link for iOS was rejected by Apple because it allowed purchasing inside PC games. It’s not yet clear whether the new rules pave the way for Steam Link’s approval.

Steam Link lets you play PC games on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV

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

You can now play your PC game library anywhere around your home without being weighed down by a chunky gaming laptop. The official Steam Link app lets you enjoy your favorite Steam games on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

You’ll be able to play with a Steam Controller, MFi controller, or a range of other gamepads supported by Steam.

Razer’s new mouse is built for budget gaming

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Razer-Abyssus-Essential
The Abyssus Essential won’t break the bank.
Photo: Razer

If you do a lot of gaming on your Mac or PC, a $10 mouse from Walmart isn’t going to cut it. But that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank on something super-fancy, either.

The Abyssus Essential, Razer’s newest mouse, has everything the average gamer needs — and it’s ideal for buyers on a budget.

Steam adds support for the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

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Switch Pro Controller Steam
Use your Pro Controller to play your favorite Mac and PC games.
Photo: Valve

Steam has added official support for the Switch Pro Controller in its latest client beta.

Players no longer have to use fiddly third-party workarounds to enjoy Nintendo’s best controller in their favorite games. All of its buttons and even its motion controls are now fully supported.

Why you can’t play Fortnite mobile with a game controller

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Fortnite mobile controller
You can now play at 120Hz on iPad Pro.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Fortnite Battle Royale on mobile is a boatload of fun — but it could be a lot better. Clunky touch controls make it more difficult to play on iOS than on console or PC, and there’s nothing game controller manufacturers can do about it right now.

Gamevice has explained why its controllers do nothing if you attempt to use them in Fortnite — and why it’s taking Epic Games so long to add controller support.

Fortnite still down after 12 hours due to database failure [Update]

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Fortnite mobile down
No one can play Fortnite right now.
Screenshot: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

No, it’s not just you — no one can play Fortnite right now.

The hottest game on the planet is down — and has been for over 12 hours — as a result of a database failure. Epic Games is in the process of carrying out major upgrades to its database systems, but there’s no word on when Fortnite will be playable again.

Nintendo Switch games could be coming to macOS

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The Nintendo Switch's flexible Joy-Con controllers work just fine with a Mac (but not an iPhone).
Nintendo’s newest console was by far the hottest product.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Nintendo Switch games could soon be popping up on macOS.

The team behind a popular Nintendo 3DS emulator for Mac is hard at work on a new Switch emulator called Yuzu. It will eventually allow fans to enjoy franchises like Super Mario and Zelda on platforms that aren’t officially supported by Nintendo.

2017 was a great year for Mac sales

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Mac
Isn't it time you swapped that dusty old Mac for a new one?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Mac shipments rose in a competitive computer market last year to give Apple a greater market share. The company, alongside HP, enjoyed impressive growth year-over-year, while big players like Asus and Acer saw their shares fall.

Global PC shipments decline as Mac sales stay stagnant

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wwdc 2017
Mac sales are still solid.
Photo: Apple

Global PC shipments declined for the 11th straight quarter, according to a new report from Gartner which found shipments were the lowest they’ve been since 2007.

While most PC manufacturers are experiencing a sales slump, Apple’s Mac and MacBook sales are pretty much stagnant from the same quarter a year ago. Other companies like Lenovo and Asus saw their shipments take a huge dip.

Is Apple back to its best following WWDC 2017? [Friday Night Fights]

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Are you pleased with what you saw at WWDC 2017?
Are you pleased with what you saw at WWDC 2017?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

This year’s WWDC keynote was an early Christmas for Apple fans. It delivered the big updates to iOS, macOS, and watchOS we were eagerly anticipating; a 10.5-inch iPad Pro; updated Macs with Intel Kaby Lake processors, plus nice surprises like the iMac Pro and HomePod.

Friday Night Fights bugBut is this Apple back at its best, or do we need more out of Cupertino? Are fancy software updates enough to breathe new life into boring hardware? Is Apple’s new push into virtual reality and machine learning too little, too late?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over a bumper WWDC!

iMac Pro’s insane price tag is actually a great deal

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Apple
Is the iMac Pro really worth $5,000?
Photo: Apple

When Apple unveiled the new iMac Pro at WWDC this week, not only was it the most powerful Mac ever made, it was also one of the most pricey ever.

At $5,000 for the baseline model, the iMac Pro is aimed at the most professional of Pro users, but according to a new price analysis on competing super-powered PC, the iMac Pro might actually be a killer deal.

New MacBook Pro gives Apple a Q1 sales bump

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MacBook
The new MacBook Pro has been great for Apple's bottom line.
Photo: Apple

Despite a slow global market, Apple’s notebook sales experienced year-over-year growth last quarter, according to a new report that reveals the new MacBook Pro provided the company with a considerable bump in sales.

Notebook shipments were up 6.1% worldwide for the first quarter of 2017 with total shipments hitting 37.81 million units. That’s great news for manufacturers, but TrendForces’ latest findings show that a cool down period could be on the way.

Hackers dump NSA tools targeting millions of Windows machines

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Eternalromance, one of the hacking tools dumped by Shadow Brokers.
Eternalromance, one of the hacking tools dumped by Shadow Brokers.
Photo: Matthew Hickey

A new batch of classified NSA data was leaked today by the hacker group called Shadow Brokers, revealing malware used by the government agency to break into PCs and servers running Windows.

The leaked software is so powerful, it could give nearly anyone with a bit of technical knowledge the ability to hack millions of Microsoft users.

Looks like it’s time to finally get a Mac.

Apple drops to fifth place in 2017 laptop rankings

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15 inch MacBook Pro Silver
The new MacBook Pro is Apple's best laptop yet.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s reputation as the world’s best laptop maker took a serious hit in 2016, due to the new MacBook Pro’s adoption of USB-C.

In the latest brand rankings by Laptop Magazine, Apple’s slipped five spots as Lenovo and Asus surged to the top of the pack with their affordable and dependable wares.

Check out the full rankings:

Can Apple outdo PCs with the new Mac Pro? [Friday Night Fights]

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Are you waiting for the new Mac Pro?
Are you waiting for the new Mac Pro?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple excited us all this week by revealing it is finally planning a major redesign for the neglected Mac Pro. Although we don’t know much about it just yet, we’ve been promised a modular machine that will be easier to update.

Friday Night Fights bugThis signals a return to a more traditional desktop form factor with user-upgradeable parts and more flexibility. But is it too little, too late? Has Apple already lost too many pro users, and will its next Mac Pro do enough to win them back?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over Apple’s efforts to win back the professionals.

Gorgeous keyboard brings the typewriter feel to Mac and iOS

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Penna is the retro keyboard you've been waiting for.
Penna is the retro keyboard you've been waiting for.
Photo: Eletron

Still miss the deafening clunk and iconic design of an old typewriter? You can bring it back with Penna, a gorgeous retro keyboard for Mac and iOS.

Packed with Cherry key switches for a firm click, a macro bar for frequent shortcuts, and up to six months of use on just two AA batteries, it’s the old-school keyboard made for modern machines that you’ve been waiting for.

Android squeaks past Windows to become internet’s most popular OS

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Android rules the Internet.
Android rules the Internet.
Photo: Google

Windows can no longer claim the crown as the most popular operating system on the internet thanks to the rise of smartphones.

During the month of March, Microsoft finally saw its share of worldwide OS internet get eclipsed by Google’s Android operating system, marking the first time a mobile OS is more popular than the software powering PCs.

Apple targets students and travelers in new iPad Pro ads

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iPad Pro comes with all-day battery.
iPad Pro comes with all-day battery.
Photo: Apple

Apple continued its new ad campaign series for the iPad Pro today by publishing some new ads that showcase how the tablet is the perfect laptop replacements.

The three new ads are aimed at students and frequent travelers by highlighting the iPad Pro’s lightness, ability to carry textbooks and notes on the same screen, as well as its all day battery life that can keep you entertained on a 12 hour flight. Like the previous set of iPad Pro ads, the quirky new videos feature tweets from real people with real problems.

Watch all three short ads below:

Apple tops tech support rankings for third year in a row

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The Genius Bar is one of the best things about buying a Mac.
The Genius Bar is one of the best things about buying a Mac.
Photo: Apple

If you want to get the absolute best tech support for your laptop, pay the Apple tax and get a Mac.

In the latest annual Tech Support Showdown rankings, Laptop Magazine has awarded Apple the number one spot for the third straight year. Apple beat out nine other companies, but it’s starting to get some serious competition from companies like Acer that are focusing more on online service.

Apple trashes printers in new iPad Pro ad

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No printer, no problem.
No printer, no problem.
Photo: Apple

Apple wants you to replace your printer with an iPad Pro.

In the company’s latest ad touting the iPad Pro as the perfect laptop replacement, Apple takes aim at the hassles of having to use a printer.

Created in the same vein as Apple’s last batch of iPad Pro commercials, the new ad features a real tweet complaining about having to print personal stuff at work. Apple’s solution is simple: get an iPad.

Apple pushes iPad Pro as PC killer in new ads

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The iPad Pro comes with LTE.
The iPad Pro comes with LTE.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s latest advertising campaign for the iPad Pro touts how well the tablet works as a PC replacement.

The funny new ads, released today, use real tweets from real people to highlight how the iPad Pro excels over old-school computers in areas like speed, Wi-Fi, productivity and viruses. Each clip is only 15 seconds long — and they all exhibit a playful tone that’s similar to the old “Get a Mac” campaign.

Watch all four right here:

Why has the past decade of PCs been so boring? [Friday Night Fights]

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fnf
Are you still excited by PCs?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

As a pioneer of personal computing, Apple’s first machines changed the way we looked at computers. In the years that followed, the company broke new ground with incredible innovations that its rivals couldn’t have dreamed of.

Friday Night Fights bugThings have been a little different over the past decade or so. Apple’s innovations haven’t been quite as forthcoming, and while some would say its rivals are catching up, others would argue that the PC industry as a whole has become somewhat boring.

So, why has personal computing gone stagnant? Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out!