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
Amazon Launches Dash Buttons in Germany, Austria, and the U.K.
Amazon has expanded its domestic goods-ordering Dash Buttons program beyond U.S. shores, bringing the devices to Germany, Austria, and the U.K. for the first time.
The buttons have been available in the U.S. since March of last year, and enable Amazon Prime customers to reorder specific household items like coffee, toilet paper, and washing up liquid by pressing a physical button that's...
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Apple Must Repay $14.5 Billion in Back Taxes, EU Commission Rules
Apple must repay 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) in back taxes dating back to 2003-2014, the European Commission has ruled (via BBC).
The Apple tax ruling was confirmed this morning, after the judgement was leaked to the media yesterday. In unequivocal wording, the EU commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Apple's tax benefits in Ireland are "illegal".
"The Commission has concluded that...
Apple Granted Product Certifications for 'AirPods', New iPhones and Apple Watch Models
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEC) has issued new certificates for Apple products that suggest the company is set to release wireless earphones and multiple new versions of Apple Watch alongside the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
Manufacturers are required to certify electronic devices for sale in countries that are signed up to the EAEC treaty (ratified last year), which includes Russia, Belarus,...
Opera Browser Users Urged to Reset Passwords After Sync Server is Hacked
Opera has warned users of the browser that an unknown hacker has managed to gain access to its sync system, potentially compromising the data of around 1.7 million users.
The Norwegian company said in a blog post that "some of our sync users' passwords and account information, such as login names, may have been compromised" following the hack, and encouraged users to reset passwords for...
New Surface Pro 4 Ad Compares Tablet PC With MacBook Air
Microsoft today launched a new commercial for its Surface Pro 4, directly comparing the tablet computer to Apple's MacBook Air.
The ad, titled "Surface Pro 4 is the one for me", was posted on YouTube and features a woman trying out some of the features of the Surface Pro 4 and then attempting to replicate the functionality on a MacBook Air, to no avail. All the while, a melody man plays a...
Dropbox Requiring Users to Change Old Passwords Dating Back to Mid-2012
Dropbox yesterday emailed users who have not changed their passwords since mid-2012 to inform them they will be prompted to do so the next time they log in.
The cloud storage firm called the action a "preventative measure" and said that there was no indication user accounts had been improperly accessed. Users who held passwords created after mid-2012 were not affected, said the company.
In...
First Driverless Taxi Service Begins Limited Trials in Singapore
The first driverless taxi hit the roads of Singapore on Thursday, in a limited public trial taking place in a hi-tech business district in a western part of the country (via Reuters).
Developer nuTonomy invited a select group of people to download their ride hailing app and ride for free in its "robo-taxi", saying it hoped to get feedback ahead of a planned launch of the service in 2018....
Apple Researching Forensic Data Capture in Cases of iOS Device Theft
Apple is investigating ways that future iOS devices could store the biometric details of suspected criminals in cases of theft (via AppleInsider).
An Apple patent published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office describes "Biometric capture for unauthorized user identification", by using an iPhone or iPad's Touch ID feature, camera, and other sensors.
The proposed system augments...
Google App on iOS Gains Expanded Support For 3D Touch Actions
Google today updated its iOS app of the same name, with increased support for 3D Touch on compatible devices.
The update expands on 3D Touch support originally introduced to the Google app in December, allowing iPhone 6s and 6s Plus owners to make more use of the devices' "peek" and "pop" gestures.
Deep pressing on a title or map in Google search results now offers a "peek" preview of the ...
Xiaomi Announces 'Redmi Note 4' in China Amid Market Share Concerns
Chinese mobile manufacturer Xiaomi announced a new smartphone today amid market research speculation that the Beijing-based company is struggling.
The successor to the popular Redmi Note 3, the new Note 4 has a unibody all-metal design with chamfered edges and a 5.5-inch 1080p curved-glass display.
The handset is powered by MediaTek's Deca-Core Helio X20 SoC (clocked up to 2.1GHz) and...
Elton John, Chance the Rapper, and Britney Spears Among Apple Music Festival's Headline Acts
Apple today announced the artist lineup for its 2016 Apple Music Festival, the free annual concert series that takes place at the London Roundhouse theater from September to 18 to September 30.
Headliners at the festival's 10th anniversary this year will include Alicia Keys, Bastille, Britney Spears, Calvin Harris, Chance The Rapper, Elton John, Michael Bublé, OneRepublic, Robbie Williams and ...
Photo Editing App 'Prisma' Now Supports Offline Picture Processing
Popular photo manipulation app Prisma has been updated to allow offline processing of images for the first time.
The photo app recreates images in the style of famous artists and gives shots a painterly aesthetic using neural networks, but up until now users needed an internet connection and had to wait for the app's Moscow-based servers to process their pictures.
The latest update...
Thunderbolt Device Promises Desktop-Class GPU Performance for MacBooks [Updated]
A Kickstarter project for a high-performance desktop GPU that can plug into a MacBook via Thunderbolt and is compatible with the Oculus Rift VR headset has raised its backing target of $50,000 in less than 24 hours.
The Wolfe is a portable box that contains an Nvidia desktop-class graphics card and connects to a MacBook or other laptop via Thunderbolt 2 (or potentially Thunderbolt 3), and...
Australian Retailers Back Banks' Right to Negotiate With Apple
Australian retail giant Coles, the Australian Payments Clearing Association (APCA), and the Australian Retailers Association have all expressed their support to allow some of the country's banks to collectively negotiate with Apple over access to its NFC-based digital payment technology (via ZDNEt).
Last month, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank (NAB), and Westpac lodged a joint...
Woz Laments No Headphone Jack on iPhone 7, Sees USB-C as Future of Audio
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has predicted a consumer backlash if Apple drops the headphone jack in the upcoming iPhone 7 in favor of an all-in-one Lightning connector for audio output, charging, and accessory connectivity.
"If it's missing the 3.5mm earphone jack, that's going to tick off a lot of people," claimed Woz, speaking to The Australian Financial Review.
"I would not use...
Apple Patent Details Visual-Based AR Navigation Device
Apple has been granted an augmented reality navigation patent stemming from its acquisition of AR startup Flyby Media earlier this year (via AppleInsider).
The patent was published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under the title "Visual-based inertial navigation", and describes a system that allows a consumer device to position itself in three-dimensional space using data from...
Amazon Working on Echo $5-a-Month Music Streaming Service
Amazon is working on a $5-a-month music subscription service that will be exclusive to owners of the company's internet-connected Echo speaker.
According to Recode, Amazon is planning to introduce the service in September alongside another music streaming service that costs $10 a month, to compete more directly with the likes of Apple Music and Spotify.
Industry sources say the company has...
Samsung Could Sell Refurbished Smartphones in the U.S. By Next Year
Samsung is planning to launch a new program selling refurbished used versions of its smartphones as early as next year, according to sources who spoke to Reuters.
The Korean tech firm is seeking ways to sustain its earnings after the company posted its best profits for two years following a restructuring of its mobile lineup. With the smartphone market plateauing, Samsung hopes that selling...
Privacy Advocates Cite NSA Hack as Vindication of Apple's Fight With FBI
Privacy advocates have claimed the breach of hacking tools and exploits apparently stolen from the National Security Agency has vindicated Apple's stance in its dispute with the FBI earlier this year.
Last week, reports emerged that a hacker group called the "Shadow Brokers" had allegedly stolen a cache of the NSA's top espionage tools and offered to sell them to the highest bidder.
The...
Ride Hailing Firm Lyft Courted Apple in Attempted Sale
Ride hailing company Lyft recently approached several companies including Apple in an attempt to sell itself, according to a report by The New York Times.
The second-largest ride hailing firm in the U.S. held talks with or contacted Apple, Amazon, General Motors, Uber, Google, and Didi Chuxing over a potential sale, but was unable to find a buyer, said the newspaper's sources.
G.M., one of...
