Hardware

Having trouble jailbreaking iOS 12 with Chimera? Try this!

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 7, 2019

If you’re trying to use the Electra Team’s Chimera jailbreak tool for iOS 12.0-12.1.2 and you’ve had issues jailbreaking your handset – more specifically with the device rebooting after step 2/3 with no successful jailbreak – then you might want to turn your attention to some useful advice offered by Electra Team lead developer CoolStar on Tuesday.

In a Tweet shared early this morning, CoolStar noted that this could happen if your handset was heating up from attempting the jailbreak too many times in rapid succession, and that letting the device cool down slightly before trying again “massively” increases Chimera’s success rate:

The original AirPods vs. AirPods 2 – what’s different?

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated March 25, 2019

Apple’s new second-generation AirPods can now be ordered from the company’s website, and many are wondering if they’re a worthwhile upgrade from the originals.

If you’re in the same boat, then you’ve come to the right place, because this piece will discuss the most significant differences between the original and second-generation AirPods.

Lock your iPhone by placing it face-down on a desk with DownLocker

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 11, 2019

There are typically two ways to lock your iPhone when you’re finished using it: 1) press the sleep button; or 2) wait for the lockout timer time out. But with a new free jailbreak tweak called DownLocker by iOS developer Soh Satoh, you can add a third and practical method to that list.

DownLocker utilizes your iPhone’s accelerometer system to discern the handset’s orientation in space, and when it senses that your handset is lying face-down, it locks the device. This works with virtually any flat surface, whether that object is opaque or transparent, which is an apparent advantage over similar tweaks that would use the handset’s proximity sensor instead.

10 ways Apple could improve the MacBook Pro

Anthony Bouchard ∙ January 19, 2019

Apple’s MacBook Pro has been my personal computer of choice for almost a decade now, and while I’ve loved every upgrade along the way, I can’t help but feel like Apple could do better.

Given just how expensive a MacBook Pro becomes as you start pegging out the specs on Apple’s website, it seems like Apple could do more to help me justify the price point. With that in mind, I’ll discuss at least ten ways Apple could improve their flagship notebook in this piece.

2018 Mac Mini tech specs

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 30, 2018

On Tuesday, Apple unveiled a much-requested refresh of the Mac Mini, which sports powerful new hardware and a redesigned chassis constructed from fully-recycled aluminum.

In this piece, we outline the tech specs concerning Apple‘s all-new 2018 Mac Mini.

2018 MacBook Air tech specs

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 30, 2018

On Tuesday, Apple unveiled a much-needed refresh of the MacBook Air with powerful new hardware, a Retina Display, Touch ID authentication, and an all-new fully-recycled aluminum chassis.

In this piece, we outline the tech specs concerning Apple's all-new 2018 MacBook Air.

Tech specs for Apple’s 2018 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 30, 2018

On Tuesday, Apple unveiled a jaw-dropping new iPad Pro with powerful hardware, an edge-to-edge display, and support for a bevy of USB-C-enabled accessories.

In this piece, we outline the tech specs concerning Apple's all-new 11-inch and 12..9-inch iPad Pro models.

Meet Apple’s new Mac Mini

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 30, 2018

Apple on Tuesday announced an entirely redesigned Mac Mini encompassing several hardware improvements that consumers have been begging for.

Starting with an entirely redesigned enclosure built from recycled aluminum and recycled plastic, the Mac Mini is up to 50% more environmentally friendly than its predecessor.

Luca Todesco has jailbroken the iPhone XS Max

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 7, 2018

Renowned security researcher Luca Todesco (@qwertyoruiop) is best known for his iOS 10-centric Yalu jailbreak tool. But Todesco flexed his hacking muscles once again over the weekend upon confirming how he successfully jailbroke Apple’s flagship iPhone XS Max.

The confirmation comes by way of a set of Tweets shared on the Twitter social media platform, which indicate that while Todesco has finished “hacking the XS Max,” he’s since returned to a stock installation of iOS.

Axi0mX announces an update to his Alloc8 untethered bootrom exploit for iPhone 3GS

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 7, 2018

In April of last year, iOS hacker axi0mX came forward with the alloc8 untethered bootrom exploit for all models of the tried and true iPhone 3GS. But as of this weekend, he announced an update for the exploit that brings improvements to stability and usability.

As per one of the axi0mX’s most recent Tweets, the updated exploit does away with a bothersome three-second delay that typically transpires when waking the device from sleep:

Manually set your Mac’s cooling fan speeds with Macs Fan Control

Anthony Bouchard ∙ September 27, 2018

If you own an Apple computer, especially a modern one, then you’ve probably come to notice how particularly thin these machines have become. Despite that, most Macs still sport internal cooling fans to keep the CPU and GPU temperatures in check.

By default, Apple’s internal cooling fans run as silently as possible for a quiet user experience, but this isn’t without its caveats. Thinner machines like the MacBook Pro are more susceptible to heat soak because the cooling capabilities of such a compact chassis are limited; this is something you’ve undoubtedly felt while the machine sits on your lap during intensive tasks.

Apple Watch Series 4 tech specs

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated September 17, 2018

At the September 12th special event, Apple unveiled three new iPhones and a snazzy redesigned Apple Watch called the Series 4. Not only does it have a refreshed look and feel, but it comes with a slew of new features and works with all the old Apple Watch wrist straps you might have laying around.

In this piece, we’ll outline the Apple Watch Series 4 tech specs for your viewing pleasure: