citpeks
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Apple's 140W 16-inch MacBook Pro charger gets the teardown treatment
Next time you see someone complaining about Apple's power adapters being "overpriced," direct them to this video, and point out that the competing $25 "Zoifoihwelk" adapter they found on Amazon isn't "just as good" or have the same design and build quality as Apple's.
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Apple expands first-party app ratings to Camera, Messages, Photos, more
It's unfortunate that only iOS 15 users are allowed to see and leave reviews for the first party apps.Messages' handling of spam texts is basically non-existent, with only the ability to filter unknown senders into a separate list, and no means or option to silence their notifications. So the multitudes of phishing attempts I receive, purportedly from AT&T, still manage to annoy, and also make their way to my Mac and iPad as well. A frustrating experience, and hardly a good UX.The black hole of Apple Feedback hasn't resulted in any hint of a desire to address issues such as this, so perhaps a fitting review might, though that is doubtful as well.
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Anker taps MagSafe for its new MagGo accessory range
payeco said:Why would Anker release the brand new products yet still not support fast MagSafe charging rates? These are still just regular Qi 7.5w chargers with magnets in them.Because MagSafe fast charging (as opposed to mounting) is part of the MFi program, and that would entail additional licensing costs, and supply and/or use constraints stipulated by Apple to participate in the program.Most accessory makers have long resisted licensing Apple's MFi watch charging pucks, and what few products do incorporate them, like Belkin's, carry an obvious price premium. Most watch charging accessories are designed to force the user to BYO puck, and skirt the issue. The iPhone charger is effectively just a larger version of the watch charger, and the market is responding similarly.However, given the not-so-cheap prices of these accessories (Anker shed its value-oriented market positioning long ago), it's still a good question to ask why Anker didn't go all-in and license like Belkin, Nomad, or other brands that position themselves as premium, do.Anker built their brand on good products, good support, and some design flair. That used to include good value as well, but their pricing now includes their own "tax." It's debatable whether the other attributes are enough to justify the higher prices, when they don't include full functionality, such as 15W charging. And, $16 for a magnetic ring? -
Apple polishing cloth for nano-texture glass added to online store
sbdude said:StrangeDays said:
FTA:bluefire1 said:What separates this cloth from all others? It has the Apple logo on it?😉
Nano-texture displays feature a special nanometer-level glass etching that provides a high-quality matte display option that reduces glare and maintains image quality. According to Apple, it can be damaged by other polishing cloths.…but hey use an old sock on your $6,000 monitor if that’s your jam.
So where was the cloth when the monitor came out almost two years ago? I'm sure any decent microfiber cloth that won't set you back 20 bones will work just fine.As the story says, it shipped with the monitor, and replacements had to be ordered as a service part. It was not available at retail like it is now.I don't have one of those $6k monitors, but I have found microfiber varies in type and quality, and even "decent" (if you count 3M as a reputable brand) cloths can scratch, never mind some other random brand off Amazon or wherever.There is little doubt a healthy margin is built into that price, but it will serve the market it's intended for, and probably beyond as well.
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Fast charging the Apple Watch Series 7 requires 5W USB-C PD adapter or better
dk49 said:If I plug it into my Macbook Pro's USB-C outlet, will it fast charge? My pro charges my iPhone much faster than the included 5W adapter.If it's a late model, it could. Apple says their USB 3.1G2 ports can supply up to 15W.When you, or anyone else, receives their S7, you can use the System Information app to see how much power the Watch cable is requesting from the MBP's USB port, and verify whether it's "fast" charging.Apple's support document, while perhaps helpful in providing the detail, is a bit oddly worded, and the source article headline's seizure upon that 5W detail in the headline is probably more harmful than helpful.The Watch models have tiny batteries, a bit over 1Wh, and aren't really demanding in term of charging power., even this new "fast" method. In fact, small batteries shouldn't be fed lots of current.As a practical matter, USB PD was designed provide a legitimate, non-proprietary universal power delivery standard, with support up to 100W in its original guise, and that has been extended to 240W in the latest spec. All spec compliant USB-C cables should have a minimum electrical capacity of 60W, so there is more than enough capacity, and extra headroom built into the standard.5W is about the minimum baseline for any type of USB power, and has been supported long before PD wad adopted. It's a trivial amount of power, for PD or not.So, for Apple to specify a PD adapter supporting at least 5W is redundant, and it would be hard to imagine any reputable PD power source not able to comply with the requirement.If one were to try to read between the lines, that might imply that the power source must support the PD protocol, and that BC is not supported, but it would also be an odd omission, when there are potential sources that can supply 5W, but not via the PD protocol. If the Watch charger doesn't support BC, it would eliminate those potential sources.
