Articles about Apple

Get out of MacBook Pro (2016) dongle hell with HyperDrive Compact Thunderbolt 3 USB-C Hub

The MacBook Pro (2016) is quite possibly the most beautiful laptop ever created -- it is a work of art. It has a revolutionary new keyboard and a monstrous touch-pad. So it is perfect, right? Well, not for everyone. You see, it only has USB Type-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, meaning you may need dongles to get work done. Need to connect an SD card? Dongle. HDMI cable? Dongle. USB Type-A? Dongle.

Obviously, everyone will be searching for one ultimate dongle that can do it all. There are many such adapters on the market, but many fall short of perfection. Over on Kickstarter, however, there is a new such product called "HyperDrive" that aims to be the only dongle you will ever need.

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Using VP9 and H.264/AVC High codecs keeps Netflix video downloads smaller

The announcement that Netflix now allows viewers to download videos for offline viewing caused understandable excitement among subscribers. Of course, the key concern -- particularly with mobile devices -- is storage space. But thanks to a tweaked codec, Netflix has your back.

If you were worried that you might not be able to fit many episodes of your favorite shows on your phone or tablet, fear not. For Android users, Netflix opted to use the super-efficient VP9 codec, but as this isn’t supported by Apple, it had to think outside the box a little and ended up plumping for a custom H.264/AVC High codec for iOS users. The space savings are impressive.

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Apple letter all but confirms plans for self-driving cars and commitment to privacy

We've known (or at least believed) for some time that Apple has been working on some form of automated vehicle, but the company has remained tight-lipped about what it is up to. Now, however, a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the strongest official hint that Apple is working on something.

The letter -- written by Apple's Director of Product Integrity, Steve Kenner, back in November -- has just come to light, in it Apple praises NHTSA's policies on automated vehicles, and stresses the importance of machine learning, data sharing, and user privacy in ensuring the development and safety of such technologies.

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Apple explains the battery problem leading to iPhone 6s shutdowns

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It is a couple of weeks since Apple announced a battery replacement program for iPhone 6s handsets suffering with random shutdown issue. At the time, the company gave nothing away about what the root cause of the problem was, but now it has opened up.

In a posting on its Chinese website, Apple confirms that the shutdown problems were indeed related to a battery problem. Specifically, the company explains that it was "a battery component that was exposed to controlled ambient air longer than it should have been".

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99 percent of fake Apple chargers are unsafe

When the time comes to buy a charger for your Apple device, you better make sure that what you are getting is the real deal. Why? A new report from UK's Chartered Trading Standards Institute says that the vast majority of counterfeit chargers for Apple products are not safe to use.

CTSI purchased 400 fake chargers from suppliers across the globe and discovered that 397 of them -- or 99.25 percent -- fail to meet what it considers a "basic safety test". In other words, if you use one to top the battery on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, MacBook or other Apple product you risk damaging the device -- or worse.

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Apple will not approve updates and new apps during winter holidays

The winter holidays are fast approaching and, just like other workers, many folks in the tech industry are looking forward to their vacation days. But, before employees can celebrate and unwind, companies have to adjust their schedule accordingly and prepare their customers for the limited (or lack of) office hours.

Apple announces its schedule today, advising developers to submit their updates and new apps for approval in time, to avoid any delays and inconveniences.

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Plagued by Apple Calendar spam? Here's how to stop it

Recently a lot of people have been complaining about spam calendar invitations in iOS, and it’s something I’ve experienced too -- particularly on Black Friday. "$19.99 Ray-ban&Oakley Black Friday In-Store & Online" said one unwelcome invitation.

While you can easily decline these invites, that’s not the greatest idea because -- just like responding to a spam email -- it has the side effect of telling a spammer that your account is active. Thankfully, there is an easy way to stop them.

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Google releases 'Featured Photos Screensaver' app for Mac

Google and photography seem to go hand in hand. The company's new Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones take very high-quality pictures, while its Photos app for Android and iOS is a brilliant way to both store and categorize images in the cloud.

Today, Google takes its passion for photography to another level with an all-new app for macOS. Dubbed 'Featured Photos Screensaver' it creates a screensaver using images that are sourced from user photos which were uploaded to Google+. Don't worry about privacy, folks -- these are images that users have agreed to share. Google+ photographers can choose to opt-out if they prefer.

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The 30 percent bug sees iPhone battery life dropping dramatically in iOS 10.1.1

If you've updated your iPhone to iOS 10.1.1, you may have started to feel that your battery is not lasting as long as it used to. You are not alone; you could be experiencing what has been named the 30 percent bug.

Many users are complaining that their iPhones will suddenly drop from 30 percent battery charge to 1 percent, and then shutdown. The problem does not seem to affect one particular generation of iPhone, suggesting that the issue lies with iOS itself, but at the moment Apple does not have a fix available.

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Apple's disappointing Black Friday deals -- gift cards worth up to $150 with every order

After years of avoiding getting in on the Black Friday action, 2016 sees Apple finally letting its hair down and joining in with everyone else. Earlier in the week we learned that there were some treats in store, and today we can reveal what they are.

If you were hoping to save some money on a new MacBook Pro (2016) or to bag yourself a cheap iPhone, you're going to be disappointed. Apple is not offering any Black Friday discounts whatsoever; instead the company is giving away gift cards worth up to $150 with every order placed. So here's the lowdown.

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UK retailer Argos is selling the new Apple MacBook Pro (2016) for just £100!

Apple is planning some Black Friday offers, but if you’re looking to get a good deal on a new MacBook Pro (2016), you’re probably going to be very disappointed.

However, UK retailer Argos has the deal of the century on the new MacBook Pro with TouchBar -- it’s currently offering it for just £100 ($124) -- a significant saving over the recommended price of £1,449. And if that’s still a bit rich for you, there are credit options available.

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Why did Apple limit the MacBook Pro (2016) to 16GB RAM? Battery life

The recently unveiled MacBook Pro (2016) complete with its Touch Bar has been praised and criticized in just about equal measure. One of the biggest criticisms levelled at Apple is that RAM is limited to 16GB. Why such a cap on a professional device?

Apple has revealed that the reason for the limit is nothing to do with -- as some may have suspected -- keeping costs down (as if!), but rather due to concerns about battery life. The reasoning may be fairly sound, but the full explanation may not be enough to silence critics completely.

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Apple has some Black Friday special offers for you -- but they're secret for now!

Black Friday is mere days away, and shoppers are preparing to hit the streets and online stores. Big names like Microsoft have already revealed some of the bargains you can snap up, and this year Apple is getting in on the action too.

Apple has traditionally turned its nose up at Black Friday, but the lure of shifting a few extra units by lopping off a few dollars seems to have been too great this year. The company's Black Friday special offer site is up and running, but it's a bit of a tease at the moment.

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Apple reportedly kills its Linux-unfriendly AirPort line of wireless routers

Apple's AirPort wireless routers are iconic -- well designed aesthetically, while being rock solid from a performance standpoint. The company even took an odd approach to management -- an app that was only available for macOS, iOS, and Windows. In other words, it did not use a browser-based web interface like routers from other companies.

The routers' lack of a web UI meant that it could not be managed from Linux-based operating systems. If you owned an Android device, Chromebook, or PC running Ubuntu, you could not change the AirPort settings. Some would argue that a lack of web interface made it more secure, but ultimately, it was a bit of an inconvenience. Linux users no longer have to worry about this snag, however, as -- according to Bloomberg -- Apple is reportedly stopping development of new AirPort routers.

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Apple launches battery replacement program for iPhone 6s handsets with shutdown problems

Apple has launched its second repair program in quick succession, this time focusing on iPhone 6s handsets that suffer unexpected shutdowns. The program will see batteries replaced in a number of affected phones.

The battery replacement program comes hot on the heels of a repair program for iPhone 6Plus handsets afflicted with 'touch disease'. Apple stresses that the battery problems are not a safety issue such as seen with the Samsung Galaxy Note7, and advises customers with problematic handsets how to get a repair.

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