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 Set Up and Connect AirPods (2nd Generation) and AirPods Pro
Apple in March 2019 debuted second-generation AirPods, featuring several updates over the original massively popular wireless earbuds of the same name. Then, in October 2019, Apple launched the AirPods Pro, a higher-end version of its existing AirPods with a unique design, noise cancellation technology, better sound, and a more expensive $249 price tag.
If you've just received a version of...
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AirPower Pictured on Retail Box for AirPods Wireless Charging Case
Another reference to AirPower was discovered on Monday, this time in relation to Apple's new AirPods range. The photo below was sent to MacRumors and shows Apple's long-delayed wireless charging mat on the back of the box for the new Wireless Charging Case for AirPods, which Apple announced last week. The image has since been verified by other Twitter users who have received their charging case...
Apple Announces Apple News+ $9.99 a Month Subscription Service With Access to Over 300 Publications
Apple today announced Apple News+, a revamped subscription-based Apple News service that includes news and in-depth journalism from well-known publishers and exclusive content from popular newsstand magazine brands.
Access to over 300 popular magazines, leading newspapers and digital publishers is included in each Apple News+ subscription, with topics covering everything from entertainment,...
Apple Announces 'Apple Arcade' Cross-Platform Subscription Games Service With Access to Over 100 Titles
Apple today announced Apple Arcade, a new subscription-based games service for mobile, desktop, and the living room, featuring hundreds of titles from top video game publishing houses including Disney, Sega, Lego, Cartoon Network, and Konami.
A subscription to Apple Arcade includes access to over 100 new and exclusive games that can be played both online and offline across iPhone, iPad, Mac, ...
First New AirPods Orders Now Shipping, With Deliveries From Tuesday
Apple customers who ordered new AirPods last week on the same day they were announced have been receiving shipping notifications over the weekend with delivery dates beginning Tuesday, March 26.
People who ordered the second-generation AirPods on Wednesday as soon as they appeared on Apple's online store were quoted delivery dates between March 26-28. Looking at the AirPods order status...
How to Set Up an iPad as a Home Hub for HomeKit Devices
Apple's HomeKit framework allows you to easily control compatible connected smart devices you have installed in your home using the Home app on iOS. However, there are some features of HomeKit that require you to designate a device as a Home Hub, which remains powered on and connected at your home when you're away.
The main benefit of setting up a Home Hub is that it allows you to use...
How to Set Up an Apple TV as a Home Hub for HomeKit Devices
Apple's HomeKit framework allows you to easily control compatible connected smart devices you have installed in your home using the Home app on iOS. However, there are some features of HomeKit that require you to designate a device as a Home Hub, which remains powered on and connected at your home when you're away.
The main benefit of setting up a Home Hub is that it allows you to use...
How to Use Siri to Control Your HomeKit Devices
Apple's HomeKit is integrated with Siri, which means you can use the personal assistant to control HomeKit-compatible accessories like lights, thermostats, and power outlets, even when you're away from home. Here's everything you need to know to get things up and running.
Devices That Support "Hey Siri"
First, in order to use Siri to control your HomeKit accessories handsfree, you'll need...
AirPods 2 vs. AirPods 1 Buyer's Guide
Apple in March debuted second-generation AirPods, featuring several updates over the original massively popular wireless earbuds of the same name.
So what's improved in the new AirPods compared to the older model, and what's stayed the same? Read on to find out.
Price of New AirPods vs. Old AirPods
Buying Apple's original AirPods was straightforward as they came with a single $159 price ...
Kaspersky Lab Files Antitrust Complaint Against Apple Over App Store Policy
Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab has filed an antitrust complaint against Apple with the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service relating to the company's App Store distribution policy. The action comes less than a week after Spotify filed its own complaint against Apple with EU antitrust regulators over the tech giant's "unfair" App Store practices.
Kaspersky's complaint is specifically to do...
How to Change HomeKit Accessory Icons in the Home App
Whenever you add a HomeKit accessory to Apple's Home app, a default icon is assigned to it. Smart lights, for example, are given the default bulb icon, but if you have various types of light fittings, that's not very helpful for identifying them in the app at a glance.
What you may not know is that you can change the icons of many third-party HomeKit accessories to something that lets you...
How to Customize Your HomeKit Setup With Favorites
In Apple's Home app, you can set particular HomeKit scenes and accessories as "Favorites" so that you can access them quickly and easily from the app's Home tab and in Control Center on your iPhone or iPad.
Once you've added some HomeKit accessories and/or created some scenes, follow the steps below to start adding them to your Favorites. The second set of steps shows you how to access them ...
How to Add a Second Home to Apple HomeKit
If you have a second home outfitted with HomeKit devices, you can easily add it to Apple's Home app and keep all of the device settings you own in that location completely separate from your primary home.
Once you've set up a second home in the Home app, you can set up rooms and zones in it and control any device remotely, just like you can in your main home. To add a second home to HomeKit, ...
Apple Updates Events App for Apple TV Ahead of March 25 'It's Showtime' Event
Apple today updated its Events app for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV in preparation for the March 25th "Show Time" event that's expected to focus on the company's upcoming TV and Apple News services.
The updated Events app can be downloaded from the tvOS App Store, and features the same darkened movie theater style from the media invites that were sent out last week.
In terms ...
Google to Shut Down 'Inbox by Gmail' on April 2
Google will shut down its "Inbox by Gmail" app on April 2, the company has confirmed to users of the email app.
Google announced in September that it would be shuttering the app toward the end of March 2019, but didn't give a set date for when that would happen.
However, as noted on Reddit, users of the app yesterday began being notified that the app would be "going away in 15 days,"...
Apple Announces New Fifth-Generation iPad Mini With Apple Pencil Support, Revamped Retina Display and A12 Bionic Chip
Apple today launched a new fifth-generation iPad mini, featuring an upgraded A12 Bionic processor, first-generation Apple Pencil support, a new advanced Retina display panel, and the same $399 price tag as the previous model.
Apple says that with the new A12 Bionic chip, the iPad mini now delivers three times the performance and nine times faster graphics. Meanwhile the advanced Retina...
Spotify Offering UK Family Plan Subscribers a Free Google Home Mini Speaker
Spotify on Monday began offering all premium Family plan subscribers in the U.K. a free Google Home Mini smart speaker.
From today, both new and existing family plan subscribers can claim their free Google speaker, worth £49, simply by heading to the Spotify website. The offer ends on 14 May 2019.
Spotify's premium family plan costs £14.99 per month and allows up to six people to access...
Apple's Online Store Goes Down Amid New iMac and iPad Rumors
Apple's online store has gone down this morning. The company typically takes the site down pending changes to its product lineup, so we may well see new product announcements later today.
Apple has several rumored products debuting soon, including a new affordable iPad, iPad mini 5, next-generation AirPods, and its long-delayed AirPower wireless charging mat.
At least some of these...
How to Set a Firmware Password on Your Mac
Using a login password on your Mac is a simple way of ensuring your macOS user account stays private, and using FileVault to encrypt your startup disk means only users who can log in to your Mac can read the disk's data. However, neither security method will prevent someone from booting your machine from an external hard drive.
One way to eliminate this vulnerability is by setting a firmware ...
Ulysses 15 Introduces Split Text Editing Window, Keywords Manager, and More
Version 15 of Ulysses was released today, bringing some notable new features to the popular Mac and iOS app for writers.
On Mac, users now edit two texts simultaneously in a split editing window, with options to display the two texts next to or on top of each other and switch the editors around.
The currently active editor remains highlighted to make it easy to recognize, while both...
