Technology and Computing
If the last few months of COVID-19 developments have taught us anything, it’s that hygiene is way more important than we thought (and we already thought it was important!). In the interest of keeping ourselves and others safe now and in the future, we felt it was a good time to review how we should all be cleaning our devices. We’ve talked about this before, but this time we wanted to focus on Apple products specifically, since we are an…
We’ve all had the experience: a favorite device is chugging along, getting a little slower with new updates, maybe getting a little glitchy, but still largely reliable and familiar. We keep putting off getting a replacement, because we’re managing just fine, but then all of a sudden – the device’s manufacturer decides not to support maintenance for it anymore. This effectively means it has reached end of life (EOL). Doubtless this provokes a certain tendency to shake our fists and…
For many years, tech geeks have descended on Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show or CES as it’s more popularly known. Each year we know that Android device makers will be at CES in droves, but the one company that has traditionally eschewed CES each year is Apple. It’s a strange decision for one of the most popular smartphone makers in the world to skip one of the biggest electronics conventions in the world, but Apple creates buzz with its own…
Apple touts its T2 security chip as “the next generation of security” for its 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models, pitching it as a feature and benefit to customers. Is it really, though? The T2 chip has come under fire for its ability to effectively thwart third-party repairs. The answer, as it turns out, is not a simple one. First let’s talk about what the T2 security chip actually does. On Apple’s website, the company describes various functions of the chip, all…
Privacy is a very big deal for millions of people around the world who use mobile devices and social media. The challenge for many people is knowing exactly what data social networks and devices are collecting from you. Apple is trying to make it easier for users of its devices to see what is being gathered and stored, and to facilitate that sharing of information the privacy page has been revamped in the U.S. image: https://hothardware.com/ContentImages/NewsItem/46001/content/small_apple-privacy.jpg The verbiage on the page hasn’t changed…
It seems as though Apple has declared war on the right-to-repair movement, both in the way it designs its products to make repairs difficult, and due to a new relationship with Amazon that is a game changer in the refurbished space. Third-party sellers who carved out a living or side hustle selling refurbished Apple products on Amazon report receiving emails telling them of an important change in policy. “As part of a new agreement with Apple, we are working with a select group of…
The geek rumour mill has spoken again, this time about the colours for the upcoming new iPhone Really, by now, we shouldn’t be excited about new iPhone developments. We should still be angry at them for all the times they change the charger size so you have to buy 14 new leads for everything you own. We should still make them work for our love after their admission that they slow down the function of phones as they get older. But are we?…
Achievement badges are a funny thing. You know they’re just a simple little bit of visual flair, they don’t even do anything, and yet for some reason you just have to collect them. Achievements are great motivators, and the achievement badges for the activity tracking on the Apple Watch have inspired many users to get more exercise. If you want to maximize your badge count, you’re going to watch to chase down as many activity achievements as you can. Most are available year-round, but there are…
HIGHLIGHTS iFixit finds a ‘cover-up’ in MacBook Pro keyboards The keyboard has a ‘thin, silicone barrier’ under each key It is a new method for repelling dust Apple appears to have finally taken some major action on the notorious Butterfly-switch keyboard in the MacBook Pro laptops. Earlier this week, the Cupertino giant updated its MacBook Pro lineup, with new 13-inch and 15-inch Touch Bar models. Notably, the new MacBook Pro models also come with an “improved third-generation keyboard for quieter typing”, and are expected to have…
Nothing epitomizes our love-hate relationship with today’s tech more than the push notification. Our hatred of those badges, banners, and little red dots has never felt more visceral. To anyone with a smartphone, the device often feels like a devil’s bargain: You get to carry around knowledge and communication beyond what anyone in history has ever wielded at the cost of getting interrupted several times a day by default. It’s not just smartphones. Desktop operating systems have borrowed heavily from…
LG Display has for years been one of Apple’s primary liquid crystal display (LCD) suppliers, producing panels for devices like iPhone, iPad and more. And while Apple is currently rumored to be readying three new iPhone models for the fall of 2018 – two of which are slated to boast 5.8- and 6.5-inch OLED displays produced by Samsung Display Co. – the company is also rumored to be readying a mid-range 6.1-inch iPhone model boasting an LCD panel of unknown proportions. It’s even been…
As its relationship with Qualcomm continues to strain, Apple is looking to move away from the chipmaker entirely as an iPhone supplier. A new report from Fast Company today, however, says Apple won’t be able to ditch Qualcomm entirely this year… The report, citing “a source with knowledge of Apple’s plans,” says that Apple currently plans for Intel to supply 70 percent of modems for this year’s new iPhone models. Qualcomm is said to make up the remaining 30 percent. Since the iPhone 7,…