Tim Hardwick
Tim is a Senior Editor at MacRumors and has been writing for the site since 2016. Formerly a magazine journalist, his work has appeared in over 30 newsstand print publications and online brands covering a range of topics, from the latest trends in technology to the mysteries of ancient history.
Based in the UK, Tim's current role at MacRumors involves editorial oversight and how tos, in addition to covering daily news and contributing occasional reviews. Tim can be reached at tim@macrumors.com, Telegram (@waxeditorial) or Twitter.
Based in the UK, Tim's current role at MacRumors involves editorial oversight and how tos, in addition to covering daily news and contributing occasional reviews. Tim can be reached at tim@macrumors.com, Telegram (@waxeditorial) or Twitter.
Tim Hardwick's Articles
How to Enable Live Captions in Chrome Browser for Desktop
Google includes a Live Captions transcription feature in version 89 of its Chrome browser for desktop. Live Captions uses machine learning to create a real-time transcription for videos or audio played through the browser, which can make online media more accessible for members of the Deaf community and other people with hearing loss.
Once enabled, Live Captions appear in a box in the bottom ...
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Google Chrome for Desktop Gains Live Captions Feature for Audio and Video
Google today rolled out its live caption transcription feature to version 89 of Chrome browser for desktop, as first spotted by XDA Developers.
Previously only available on some Pixel and Samsung phones, Live Captions uses machine learning to create a real-time transcription for videos or audio played through the browser, making online media more accessible for members of the Deaf community ...
Kuo: MacBook Air With Mini-LED Display Still on Track for 2022 Launch
Apple's first entry-level Mac to feature mini-LED display technology will be a new MacBook Air due to launch next year, according to TFI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
From his latest investors note, obtained by MacRumors:
We expect that the new MacBook Air will adopt a mini LED in 2022, increasing MacBook's mini LED adoption rate. In contrast, only high-end iPad models will use mini LED...
French Regulator to Probe Apple's Upcoming Anti-Tracking Feature [Updated]
Apple will face a French antitrust probe into its upcoming App Tracking Transparency feature, following a complaint from advertisers in the country that the planned changes are anticompetitive.
Starting in iOS 14.5, Apple will require apps to get opt-in permission from users to collect their random advertising identifier, which advertisers use to deliver personalized ads and track how...
Apple Outlines How Smart Glasses Could Record Jitter-Free, Gaze-Driven Video
Multiple reports suggest that Apple is developing an augmented reality headset as well as smart glasses, and a newly granted Apple patent may provide a clue about one of the potential features that could be included in the latter device.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday granted Apple a patent describing "systems and methods for gaze-driven recording of video."
Apple's...
Chinese Tech Companies Reportedly Testing New Tool to Circumvent Apple's App Tracking Transparency Rules
Apple plans to begin enforcing its App Tracking Transparency changes following the release of iOS 14.5, and all apps that access an iPhone's ad identifier or IDFA will need to ask a user's permission before tracking is allowed.
According to a new report by the Financial Times, however, the state-backed China Advertising Association (CAA) is testing a tool that could be used to bypass the new ...
Encrypted Messaging App Signal Stops Working in China
Encrypted messaging app Signal appears to have been banned in China, reports TechCrunch. While the app remains available in the App Store, the service is no longer operational in mainland China, according to the censorship tracking website Greatfire.org.
Western-run social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been unavailable in the country for some time, but Signal has largely...
How to Sync Desktop and Documents Folder to iCloud on Mac
In macOS, you can sync any files on your Mac desktop and in your documents folder to iCloud so that you can access them on any other devices signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID.
In other words, you can start a document on your Desktop, and you'll be able to work on it later on your iPhone or iPad, or even through a browser on another computer via the iCloud website.
Here's how to ...
How to Automatically Empty Trash on Mac
Whenever you move a file on your Mac to the Trash, it stays there until you manually right-click (Ctrl-click) the trash icon and select Empty Trash. This system offers a useful fallback method if you decide you don't want to delete a file, because it allows you to return a file to its original place using the Put Back option (accessed via a right-click on the trashed file in question).
In...
App Store Supports Over 830,000 Jobs in UK, Germany, and France, Says Apple
Apple says its App Store now supports more than 330,000 jobs in the U.K., a 10% increase over the past year, despite the pressures of the global health crisis on the nation's economy.
According to Apple, 2020 was a "breakthrough year" for the iOS app economy, with developers in the U.K. generating more than £3.6 billion in total earnings, which represents 22% in growth compared to the...
Judge Rules Google Must Face Lawsuit Alleging Chrome Tracks Users in Incognito Mode
A judge in California has ruled that Google must face a class action lawsuit alleging that it secretly tracks the online activity of Chrome users even when they're using the browser in its privacy-oriented Incognito mode (via Bloomberg).
The lawsuit was filed in June by three plaintiffs alleging that Google hoovers up user data through Google Analytics, Google Ad Manager and other applications ...
How to Launch the Intel Version of a Universal Apple Silicon App
Macs powered by Apple silicon, such as the M1 MacBook Pro, can run both iOS apps and Mac apps, but they can also run x86-64 software that's been built to work on Intel architecture, thanks to something called Rosetta 2.
Rosetta 2 is the translation layer that enables a Mac with Apple silicon to use apps built for an Intel-based Mac. The first time you launch an app that requires it, an alert ...
How to Check Your Apple MagSafe Charger's Firmware
If you've got your hands on an Apple-branded MagSafe Charger, you can follow the steps below to check the current firmware version that your charger is running. Apple occasionally sends firmware updates to accessories over the air that contain bug fixes and improvements, so this is a good way of checking that your charger is up-to-date.
Perhaps more importantly, if you're able to follow...
How to Make Sure Your Apple MagSafe Charger is Genuine
If you've got your hands on an Apple-branded MagSafe Charger, you can follow the steps below to check the current firmware version that your charger is running. Apple occasionally sends firmware updates to accessories over the air that contain bug fixes and improvements, so this is a good way of checking that your charger is up-to-date.
Perhaps more importantly, if you're able to follow...
Google Touts Chrome 89 Memory Savings That 'Keep Your Mac Cooler' While Browsing
Google's Chrome browser has been criticized for years for being a system resource hog, but Chromium developers are making some loud claims about how much smarter the latest version is at using and freeing up memory on macOS.
According to a new post on Google's Chromium blog, Chrome developers recently managed to shrink the memory footprint of background tabs on Mac by up to 8%, or just over...
Apple Pay Promo Offers Up to 50% on Meal Plan Delivery Services
In its latest emailed Apple Pay promotion, Apple is offering deals on three different grocery and meal plan delivery services from now until March 17 when using the company's digital payments service.
The first deal partners with Instacart to offer new subscribers a two-month Express membership for free. People who sign up for the offer also get $5 off their first order when they use Apple...
How to Find Your Powerbeats Pro Serial Number and Check Firmware
If you've recently updated your PowerBeats Pro or are thinking of doing so, you can follow the steps below to check the current firmware version your wireless earphones are running. Apple will occasionally send firmware updates for its audio accessories over the air, though the software should install automatically if you follow these general guidelines.
The method described below will also ...
Wistron Resumes iPhone Production at Violence-Hit India Factory
Apple supplier Wistron has reportedly restarted operations at its iPhone manufacturing facility in India, where workers caused widespread damage late last year over claims of unpaid wages.
In a machine translation from Chinese-language paper United Daily News:
Indian media reported that the local Minister of Industry, Jagadish Shettar, stated that Wistron had resumed production at the...
Apple Could Use Contract Manufacturers Like Foxconn or Magna for Apple Car Assembly
Amid rumors that Apple is working on an Apple-branded car that will come out in the next decade, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has published an article about Apple's troubled search for an existing automaker partner to build the vehicle, and how the company's more traditional approach to launching new products could better work in its favor.
Reports first surfaced in January suggesting that Apple...
How to Enable or Disable Optimize Mac Storage
In macOS, Apple includes a feature that can optimize the storage on your Mac by reducing the amount of space that data takes up on your Mac's internal drive. It does this by offloading certain files, data, and documents to iCloud and iCloud Drive when space on your Mac is running low.
If you have a lot of iCloud storage space and a high-speed internet connection, Optimize Mac Storage is a...
