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
Twitter Expands Downvote Button Test Worldwide
Twitter is globally expanding its testing of a new "dislike" or thumbs down button for tweets, which is designed to let people downvote replies on the social media platform.
The company announced the global expansion of the test on Thursday, saying it had "learned a lot" about the downvoting option in its initial limited testing:
We learned a lot about the types of replies you don't find...
Read Full Article • 133 comments
Apple to Collect 27% Commission on Third-Party App Payment Systems in the Netherlands
Apple says it will take 27% commission on purchases made in dating apps through third-party payment options in the Netherlands, in compliance with a Dutch regulatory ruling.
In an update on its developer support site, Apple said it would collect 27% commission instead of its usual 30% on transactions made in dating apps that use alternative payment methods. Apple says the decreased...
Amazon Set to Increase Prime Membership Fee By 17% for US Customers
Amazon is increasing its Prime membership subscription prices in the U.S., the company has revealed in its Q4 2021 earnings results.
According to the company, the fee for a Prime subscription is set to increase for the first time in four years, rising to $15 per month (up from $13), or $139 per year (up from $119).
The price hike, representing an almost 17% increase, will go into effect...
iOS 15.4: How to Customize iPadOS Corner Gestures
In iPadOS 15, Apple introduced a new productivity feature called Quick Notes that provides a quicker way to jot down things on your iPad without you having to go in and out of the Notes app.
Whether you're on the Home Screen or within any app, you can bring up a floating Quick Note window at any time using your finger or an Apple Pencil, by swiping diagonally up from the bottom-right corner...
Microsoft Responds to OneDrive Mac User Criticism Following Decision to Enforce Files On-Demand Feature [Updated]
Earlier this week, MacRumors reported on a OneDrive for Mac update that has caused upset among users of the cloud storage service, partly due to alleged bugs it has introduced but mainly because the new version no longer allows users to opt out of its cloud-based Files On-Demand feature, which was previously an optional setting.
In an update to its original blog post introducing this aspect...
CARROT Weather Gets Redesigned Maps With 3D Globe View, Forecast Layers, and More
CARROT Weather, the award-winning app known for its funny and sarcastic weather information, has received a major update that adds new map styles, individual radar stations, and more.
Rebuilt from the ground up, the new weather maps in version 5.5 focus on readability and fast-loading of map layers, according to app creator Brian Mueller.
There are six map styles to choose from, and...
Telegram Gains Better Reactions, Video Stickers, Interactive Emoji, and More
Telegram has updated its iPhone and iPad app with several new features, including new easy-to-make video stickers, better reactions, interactive emoji, improved navigation between chats, and other additions and improvements.
Telegram's video stickers have proven a popular feature on the chat platform, and in the latest version of the app, support has been added for stickers converted from...
WhatsApp Readies Message Reactions for iPhone and Android
WhatsApp's plan to bring iMessage-style message reactions to the massively popular chat platform appears to be entering its final stages, based on new screenshots shared by WABetaInfo.
WhatsApp has been working on message reactions – or "Tapbacks" in Apple Messages parlance – for some time, with evidence of their development first coming to light last summer.
The feature gives...
Man Who Duped Apple into Replacing Fake iPhones for Authentic Devices Worth $1 Million Convicted and Sentenced
A man has been sentenced to 26 months time served in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to defraud Apple out of more than $1 million by tricking the company into replacing hundreds of fake iPhones with authentic handsets through its warranty program.
Haiteng Wu, 32, a Chinese engineering post-graduate residing in McLean, Virginia, immigrated to the United States in 2013 and secured...
iOS 15.4: How to Add Notes to iCloud Keychain Entries
In iOS 15.4, currently in beta, Apple has added the ability for users to add notes to account entries in iCloud Keychain. This article explains how it's done.
Slowly but surely with each iteration of iOS, Apple has been improving iCloud Keychain to put it on equal footing with rival third-party password managers such as 1Password. And in iOS 15.4, it continues that tradition with a simple...
Universal Control vs. Sidecar: What's the Difference?
Apple's Macs and iPads include support for two separate features called Sidecar and Universal Control that allow the devices to be used together, but in different ways.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
In this guide, we'll go over everything you need to know about Universal Control and how it differs from the Sidecar feature that's been available since 2019.
What...
OneDrive Mac Users Unhappy With Buggy Update That Removes Ability to Keep Local Copies of Synced Files
Changes to the way OneDrive syncs files and folders on Mac has caused upset among users of the cloud storage service, following Microsoft's rollout last month of a new "Files On-Demand Experience" for Macs running macOS 12.1 and later.
In a change coming with macOS 12.3, currently still in beta, Apple is deprecating the kernel extensions originally used by OneDrive's syncing features, so the ...
iOS 15.4: How to Adjust Magic Keyboard Brightness on iPad From Control Center
If you use an Apple Magic Keyboard with your iPad, you might be interested to know that Apple has added an optional setting in iPadOS 15.4, currently in beta, that allows you to adjust the brightness of the keyboard's backlighting.
To access the Keyboard Brightness option, you'll first need to add it manually to the Control Center. The following steps show you how.
Launch the Settings app...
iOS 15.4: How to Set Up Face ID With a Mask
In iOS 15.4, currently in beta, Apple has added a handy new feature that allows you to unlock your iPhone with Face ID and authenticate Apple Pay payments even when you're wearing a mask.
In previous versions of iOS going back to iOS 14.5, it is possible to unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask, but only if you're also wearing an Apple Watch as an extra layer of security. The new option...
How to Set Up Universal Control Between Mac and iPad
As of iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3, Apple has introduced support for Universal Control, the long-awaited feature that's designed to allow multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with a single mouse and keyboard.
Thanks to Universal Control, you can use the same cursor and keyboard on any nearby Mac or iPad that's signed into your iCloud account. So, for example, if you have a...
Epic vs. Apple Takes a Twist As 35 US States and Department of Justice Weigh in to Back 'Fortnite' Maker
Apple is stifling competition with its monopoly on app distribution through the App Store, attorneys general for 35 states told a California appeals court on Thursday.
The joint statement was submitted into the appeals process that is ongoing following the judge's decision in the Epic v. Apple lawsuit, with the attorneys general siding with the "Fortnite" video game maker on the issue,...
How to Multitask on iPad With Slide Over
In iPadOS, Apple includes several multitasking options that let you work with more than one app on your iPad at the same time. This allows apps that support multitasking to be used in a few different ways. This article looks at Slide Over. Be sure to check out our separate Split View how-to guide by clicking the link. We've also provided a link for it at the end of this article.
Slide Over in ...
How to Use Split Screen on iPad
In iPadOS, Apple includes several multitasking options that let you work with more than one app on your iPad at the same time. This allows apps that support multitasking to be used in a few different ways. This article looks at Split View, which makes two apps appear side by side in a split screen arrangement. Be sure to check out our separate Slide Over how-to guide by clicking the link. We've...
How to Use a Private Wi-Fi Address on Apple Watch
Did you know that your Apple Watch can use a different MAC address with each Wi-Fi network to prevent network operators from tracking your activity across different Wi-Fi networks?
To communicate with a Wi-Fi network, a device has to identify itself to the network with a unique network address called a media access control (MAC) address.
If your Apple Watch always uses the same Wi-Fi MAC...
How to Show Function Keys on a Mac's Touch Bar
When Apple first introduced the Touch Bar on its Macs in 2016, the company touted the adaptive app-specific features of the OLED strip and framed it as an improvement over the traditional function keys that it replaced.
What Apple didn't expect was the number of users who mourned the physical function keys, which often play an important role in the workflows of creative professionals and...
