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
Accessibility Software Suffers Following Apple's Faceshift Acquisition
Back in September, MacRumors uncovered evidence that Apple had acquired Zurich-based real-time capture firm Faceshift, in a move possibly related to the development of biometrics for unlocking devices or authorizing payments through facial recognition techniques. Apple later confirmed the purchase in a statement.
Before the acquisition, Faceshift worked closely with game and animation studios...
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Apple Offers $5 Photo-to-Painting App 'Brushstroke' for Free Through the Apple Store App
While yesterday's update to the Apple Store iOS app introduced some significant alterations to the interface, one thing Apple didn't change is its tradition of occasionally offering select paid apps for free through the Store for a limited time.
Right now, users who scroll down the Discover tab can find an option to download photo painting app Brushstroke for free, instead of paying $4.99 when ...
Apple's Huge Investment in Didi Chuxing Was Behind Uber China Deal
Over the weekend we reported that Chinese ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing had agreed to acquire the Chinese operations of rival Uber in a deal worth $35 billion.
In a Reuters story filed yesterday, sources close to both companies revealed that Apple's $1 billion investment in Didi Chuxing was the driving factor in Uber's decision to agree to the deal, in return for a one-fifth stake in a...
'Strava' Running and Cycling App Updated With Real-Time Safety Feature
The developers of popular running and cycling app Strava have announced a new safety feature for premium members that lets users broadcast their location in real time to friends and family.
The new feature, called Beacon, means runners and cyclists can now share their whereabouts with select contacts, who can then easily locate them if they don't return from their workout when expected or in...
Intel Recalls 'Basis Peak' Activity Tracker Due to Overheating Issues
Intel is recalling its Basis Peak sleep and activity tracking watch due to overheating issues, and says it is shuttering the acquired startup behind the technology "immediately".
The chip company initially reported the overheating problem in June after some Basis users complained of blistering and burns caused by the wearable device. Intel told its customers not to use the watch until a...
Britney Spears' New Album 'Glory' to Stream Exclusively on Apple Music
Britney Spears has announced that Glory, her first album in three years, will be available on Apple Music from August 26, in what looks like another high-profile exclusive for the streaming service.
Spears revealed the news yesterday through her Twitter account and called the fresh release "the beginning of a new era", as she notified fans they could pre-order the album on iTunes from midnight ...
Writing App 'Ulysses' Gains WordPress Publishing Support and More
Popular writing app and Apple Design Award winner Ulysses gained WordPress publishing and Dropbox support today, in a simultaneous update to its iOS and Mac apps.
The changes that come with version 2.6 of the writing app mean that bloggers can publish their texts straight to a WordPress account, complete with tag, category, excerpt, and featured image support.
Writers using the iOS or Mac ...
Twitter for iOS Gets Shortcut Keys for Smart and Bluetooth Keyboards
Twitter has quietly introduced new keyboard shortcuts for iPad owners using Bluetooth and Smart Keyboards, in the latest update to its iOS app.
The new shortcuts were revealed in a series of tweets by Twitter app developer Amro Mousa yesterday. Mousa let it be known that holding down the Command key brings up a shortcut sheet on connected devices running iOS 9 or later.
Holding down the...
Mozilla Announces Firefox 48 for Desktop With Multi-Process Support
Mozilla announced the release of Firefox 48 for desktop yesterday, introducing a long-awaited multi-process feature to the browser along with a handful of interface tweaks.
Firefox 48 is the first version of the browser to include Electrolysis (or e10s), a multi-process feature Mozilla developers have been working on for over seven years.
Multi-process Firefox separates web content and...
Apple Music Launches in Israel
Apple Music started rolling out across Israel today, over a year after the streaming service was launched in 110 countries simultaneously. The splash screen for a three-month free trial began appearing on Macs and iOS devices for a number of users in the country this morning.
Once the free trial is up, Apple's individual plan starts at 19.90 ILS ($5.21) per month, with a family plan costing...
Uber to Invest $500 Million in Global Mapping Project Led By Google Earth Creator
Ride hailing company Uber is planning to spend $500 million on a global mapping project in an effort to reduce its reliance on Google Maps, according to The Financial Times.
The San Fransisco-based company already has mapping vehicles recording geographical data around the U.S. and Mexico. With Uber's presence in over 60 countries, the significant expansion reflects its continuing growth and...
Protecting Your Privacy in Safari for iOS
Every time you visit a website on your iPhone or iPad, you are sharing information about yourself with the outside world. This guide runs through a number of methods you can use to gain more control over what gets shared, and who it gets shared with, whenever you use Apple's Safari browser to access the web on an iOS device.
It also covers some methods you can use to prevent traces of your...
Google Play Debuts 'Family Library' for Sharing Purchases Across Devices
Google this morning announced "Family Library" for Google Play that allows six family members to share their online purchases from the company's stores across devices.
The new program means movies, TV shows, and books can be shared by families on iOS devices and the web, as well as over connected TV platforms like Roku and Smart TVs, with no sign-up fee required.
Starting today, Family...
Samsung Reports Highest Profit in Two Years on Robust Galaxy S7 Sales
Samsung reported its best earning results in two years on Thursday as the company's Galaxy S7 phones outperformed all expectations, despite slowing growth in the overall smartphone industry (via The New York Times).
The South Korean company announced a 8.14 trillion won ($7.22 billion) operating profit on revenue of 50.94 trillion won ($45.2 billion), up 18 percent from the previous year.
...
Xiaomi Surprises With MacBook Lookalike 'Mi Notebook Air'
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi had a surprise in store for attendees of its new Redmi Pro smartphone launch event today, unveiling its first ever PC laptop, named the "Mi Notebook Air".
The familiar-named $750 aluminum notebook closely resembles a MacBook and features a 13.3-inch 1080p display, up to 2.7GHz Intel Core i5-6200U processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB solid-state storage, and a...
Redesigned Firefox for iOS Claims Faster Load Times, Less Battery Drain
Firefox has released an update for its iOS browser that offers interface improvements and a faster browsing experience.
Firefox v5.0 promises faster web page loading times combined with significant battery savings, according to the browser's development team. Mozilla claims up to a 40 percent reduction in CPU usage and up to a 30 percent reduction in memory usage, although it notes results may ...
Australian Banks Challenge Apple Over Mobile Payment App Restrictions
Three of Australia's biggest banks have lodged a joint application with anti-trust regulators to negotiate with Apple over gaining access to the NFC-based mobile payment hardware in its smartphones (via Reuters).
Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank (NAB), and Westpac have so far resisted signing deals to use the company's Apple Pay mobile payment system, because they want their...
WhatsApp Update Brings Video Recording Zoom and Bigger Emojis
WhatsApp developers pushed out a new update for the hugely popular messenger platform today that includes a couple of new video and chat features for iOS users.
The main change for users who record video through the app is that they now have the ability to zoom in and out while recording, simply by sliding a finger up and down the screen.
On the interface front, WhatsApp developers have...
Google Maps Gets Cleaner Look and Orange 'Areas of Interest' Hotspots
Google Maps developers yesterday introduced some visual changes and subtle navigation aids for both desktop and iOS that aim to make it easier for users to explore the world around them.
The most immediately obvious visual changes include the removal of road outlines to make traffic and transit routes easier to delineate, as well as clearer typography for street names, points of interest,...
Redbox Testing New Movie Rental Streaming Service With Customers
DVD rental company Redbox has started to test a new movie streaming and download service with some of its customers, according to Variety.
Known for its DVD rental kiosks, Redbox has dubbed its latest online service "Redbox Digital", which comes two years after the company shut down Redbox Instant, the ill-fated joint venture with Verizon that officially launched in early 2013.
The...
