Best Portable Chargers (2025): iPhones, iPads, Laptops and; More | WIRED

March 21, 2025March 20, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

PORTABLE DEVICES HAVE a Murphy’s law-like ability to run out of power at the least convenient moment: as you step on the bus, right in the middle of an important meeting, or just as you get comfortable on the couch and press Play. This is why you need the best portable chargers handy, to make all those situations a thing of the past.

There are hundreds of portable battery packs, and picking one can be confusing. To help, we’ve spent years working our way through all of them. This obsession started when WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson lived off-grid in a vintage RV, powered primarily by solar panels. But even if you’re not living in an off-grid solar setup, good power banks will come in handy. These are our favorites. Be sure to check out our Best MagSafe Power Banks guide for Apple-specific portable chargers, and our Best Portable Power Stations guide if you need more power.

Apple Intelligence: AI features start to roll out to some iPhones | BBC News

October 29, 2024October 28, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

After a long wait, Apple has finally released its artificial intelligence (AI) tools for iPhone – to a select few.

Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI tools announced in June, became available to owners of some iPhones around the world on Monday.

The new features include notification summaries, tools to assist users in writing messages, and a glowing new interface for virtual assistant Siri.

But they will only be available to people with the latest devices – including all iPhone 16 models, and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

Apple Says iPhones Will Finally Get USB-C Ports | WIRED

November 2, 2022November 1, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

AT LONG LAST, Apple says the iPhone will be getting USB-C ports. Earlier this month, the European Union passed legislation that requires all phones and tablets sold in the EU to use USB-C charging ports by 2024. It’s a move that has huge ramifications for a company like Apple, which sells iPhones with the same physical design in every region of the world. And all of those iPhones currently use Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector to charge and to connect accessories.

This week, Apple finally acknowledged that it will bring USB-C ports to the iPhone. Apple senior vice president of world marketing Greg Joswiak confirmed to Wall Street Journal reporter Joanna Stern that USB-C ports are coming.

Battery percentage returns to some iPhones (but it’s different) | Mashable

August 11, 2022August 10, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A long time ago, before the notch came along to adorn the top of their displays, Apple’s iPhones had the ability to show battery percentage in the status bar. When enabled, you’d see the battery icon showing you, roughly, the current state of your device’s battery charge, and next to it was the exact percentage you have left.

With the iPhone X, Apple killed this feature, presumably as the status bar got significantly smaller with the advent of the notch. You could still see the battery percentage, but you had to swipe down from the upper right corner for it to show up.

How to Watch Apple’s November Mac Laptop Event | WIRED

November 10, 2020November 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

WEREN’T WE ALL here just a couple weeks ago? Hanging around on the internet waiting for Apple to show off some new hardware?

Indeed, we were. Apple has already staged two hardware release events this fall: one for the Apple Watch and iPads and one for the four new iPhones. Now the company is inviting us all to join its executives at its corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California, for another big reveal, the third of the season.

We expect this week’s event to center around Mac laptops and desktops. Apple has already announced its plans to gradually transition its computers away from Intel processors and toward its own custom silicon chips, with the first Apple-cored Macs arriving at the end of 2020. So here we are. Which computers will be the first to make the leap? As reported by Bloomberg last week, the 13-inch MacBook Air and a couple of MacBook Pro models will likely be the machines where the new processors make their Mac debut. (Apple’s custom silicon already powers its iPhones and iPads.)

PS4 Remote Play brings mobile PS4 gaming to iOS | Mashable

March 8, 2019March 7, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

People with iPhones and iPads are finally able to use PS4 Remote Play thanks to the latest PlayStation 4 update that dropped on Thursday.

PS4 Remote Play, which first debuted in October 2014, allows PS4 owners to control their consoles with their smartphones and tablets, connect to voice chat, and input text with their device’s keyboard. The free app is now available to download on iTunes for the first time.

Rumor says TSMC will supply chips for iPhones, Macs, and Apple Car | Mashable

October 19, 2018October 18, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is often right about Apple’s plans well before they become public. And his latest report might sound tame at first, but — if correct — it has tremendous implications for Apple products down the line.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the sole supplier of Apple’s A-series chips, which ensures the company’s iPhones perform well. Now, in a note shared with MacRumors, Kuo claims that TSMC is so superior to its competitors, that it will continue to be Apple’s only chip supplier for A13 and A14 chips, which should be coming in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

So far, so good. But more importantly, Kuo claims TSMC will also start making ARM-based chips for Macs in 2020 and 2021, replacing Intel.

And finally, TSMC will manufacture chips for Apple’s upcoming Apple Car, starting in 2023.

Apple growth strategy hits major roadblock in India | Business Insider

May 3, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Indian government has rejected a request by Apple to import and sell refurbished iPhones in the country, Bloomberg reports.

It’s a major setback to Apple’s India strategy, a major component of which was reusing old iPhones as a low-cost option in addition to selling new iPhones, which are too expensive for many Indians.

Indian smartphone companies opposed Apple’s application, according to Bloomberg.