mechanical – Latest Apple News

Deals: M2 Max Mac Studio first discounts at $310 off, Anker MagSafe power banks from $32, more

tigaman webdesign — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 15:46:50 +0000

All of today’s best deals are now headlined by the first chances to save Apple’s just-released M2 Max Mac Studio at up to $310 off. You can also outfit your iPhone 14 with Anker’s latest MagSafe power banks at all-time lows from $32, which are joined by the best price yet on Logitech’s colorful POP mechanical keyboard for Mac at $60. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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The post Deals: M2 Max Mac Studio first discounts at $310 off, Anker MagSafe power banks from $32, more appeared first on 9to5Mac.

iPhone 16 Pro Now Has ‘Low’ Chance of Featuring Solid-State Buttons

tigaman webdesign — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 14:36:15 +0000

There is now a “low” chance that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with solid-state volume and mute buttons, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities. Pu shared this prediction in a research note today alongside some details about the more imminent iPhone 15 lineup.

Solid-state buttons were initially rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models, but Apple reportedly faced “unresolved technical issues before mass production” and had to revert to mechanical buttons. Pu previously said the solid-state buttons would be postponed until iPhone 16 Pro models, but he now believes even those devices are unlikely to have them.

Apple supplier Cirrus Logic hinted at the solid-state buttons in a shareholder letter last year, but seemingly confirmed the plans were scrapped in May.

With a solid-state design, the buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro would not have moved when pressed. Instead, it was rumored that two additional Taptic Engines inside the iPhone would have provided haptic feedback to simulate the feeling of movement, similar to the Home button introduced with the iPhone 7 and the Force Touch trackpad on newer MacBooks.

iPhone 15 Pro models are still expected to feature a mechanical Action button in place of the Ring/Silent switch. It is likely that users will be able to assign the button to various system functions, such as Ring/Silent or Do Not Disturb.

With solid-state buttons now considered unlikely through 2024, it remains to be seen if Apple will ever move away from mechanical buttons on the iPhone. A benefit of solid-state buttons would be fewer moving parts that can break, and there is also potential for improved water resistance given there would be fewer points of ingress.

iPhone 16 Pro models are still over a year away from launching, so Apple’s plans for the devices remain subject to change.

Related Roundup: iPhone 16

Tag: Jeff Pu

This article, "iPhone 16 Pro Now Has 'Low' Chance of Featuring Solid-State Buttons" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple assembler Foxconn ramps up ‘iPhone City’ hiring in China ahead of iPhone 15

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:27:55 +0000

According to local reports and labor agents, Apple assembler Foxconn, which operates the world’s largest iPhone factory in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, has ramped up hiring ahead of new product launches, including the iPhone 15 family of smartphones, expected this autumn.

iPhone 15 Pro Max (iPhone 15 Ultra) rendering based on CAD. (imagevia @UniverseIce)

Iris Deng for South China Morning Posthttps://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3225783/worlds-largest-iphone-factory-zhengzhou-ramps-hiring-foxconn-chairman-reassures-china-supply-chain:

Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant is offering a bonus of 8,000 yuan (US$1,105) for former employees who return regularly to the assembly line for peak seasons, according to a job posting on Monday by the company’s Product Enclosure Business Group unit, which is responsible for producing mechanical parts for the iPhone.

Referrals are also encouraged, with the company offering a 1,000 yuan reward to staff for each new worker that they successfully recommend. Foxconn is also offering a one-off 7,000 yuan bonus to people who join during the peak season under referrals and stay for at least four months.

The factory, which saw production disrupted last year during China’s strict Covid-19 controls, currently has high demand for workers, with recruiting agencies in Zhengzhou “building a talent pool” to prepare for the upcoming peak season, a local recruiter said. The recruiter, who gave her surname as Zhao, is hiring both permanent employees as well as short-term workers at an hourly rate of 21.5 yuan.

Foxconn’s plant in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen is also offering a bonus of up to 6,980 yuan for new hires, according to recruitment posts on Tuesday.

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The post Apple assembler Foxconn ramps up ‘iPhone City’ hiring in China ahead of iPhone 15 appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple assembler Foxconn ramps up ‘iPhone City’ hiring in China ahead of iPhone 15

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:27:55 +0000

iPhone 15 Pro Max (iPhone 15 Ultra) rendering based on CAD. (imagevia @UniverseIce)

Iris Deng for South China Morning Posthttps://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3225783/worlds-largest-iphone-factory-zhengzhou-ramps-hiring-foxconn-chairman-reassures-china-supply-chain:

Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant is offering a bonus of 8,000 yuan (US$1,105) for former employees who return regularly to the assembly line for peak seasons, according to a job posting on Monday by the company’s Product Enclosure Business Group unit, which is responsible for producing mechanical parts for the iPhone.

Referrals are also encouraged, with the company offering a 1,000 yuan reward to staff for each new worker that they successfully recommend. Foxconn is also offering a one-off 7,000 yuan bonus to people who join during the peak season under referrals and stay for at least four months.

The factory, which saw production disrupted last year during China’s strict Covid-19 controls, currently has high demand for workers, with recruiting agencies in Zhengzhou “building a talent pool” to prepare for the upcoming peak season, a local recruiter said. The recruiter, who gave her surname as Zhao, is hiring both permanent employees as well as short-term workers at an hourly rate of 21.5 yuan.

Foxconn’s plant in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen is also offering a bonus of up to 6,980 yuan for new hires, according to recruitment posts on Tuesday.

MacDailyNews Take: It’s that time of year again.

Please help support MacDailyNews. Click or tap here to support our independent tech blog. Thank you!

Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.

The post Apple assembler Foxconn ramps up ‘iPhone City’ hiring in China ahead of iPhone 15 appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Amazing mod turns Apple Watch into mechanical timepiece

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:57:43 +0000

It took a lot more than the planned one weekend and $100 to do it, but the resulting mechanical Apple Watch is gorgeous.

(via Cult of Mac – Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Apple Watch rarities: Unreleased gray ceramic Series 4 and first-gen model restored to tick

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:31:25 +0000

It appears that Apple may have once considered a second color option for the now-discontinued ceramic Apple Watch Edition. Meanwhile, someone has managed to turn an obsolete original Apple Watch into a fully functioning mechanical watch – and it actually looks nice!

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The post Apple Watch rarities: Unreleased gray ceramic Series 4 and first-gen model restored to tick appeared first on 9to5Mac.

You can now repair your iPhone 14 and M2 MacBook at home

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 15:45:06 +0000

Macworld

Apple on Tuesday announced that its Self Service Repair program will be expanded to include the current iPhone 14 lineup and M2 Macs. The company also changed its iPhone System Configurator process, and in some countries added new components that can be self-repaired.

Starting on June 21, each iPhone 14 model, the M2 13-inch MacBook Air, the M2 Pro MacBook Pro, and the M2 Max MacBook Pro are part of the Self Service Repair program. Anyone wanting to repair these devices can use the same parts, tools, and manuals the Apple Store locations and Authorized Service Providers use. These items are available at the Self Service Repair Store.

In Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S., Apple added Self Service Repair for desktop M1 Macs, and the True Depth camera and top speaker on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups.

A major part of the self-repair process is System Configurator, an app that, according to Apple, “ensures repairs with genuine Apple parts–designed and tested to internationally recognized standards–were completed correctly, and the parts are working properly.” Apple will now no longer require users to contact the Self Service Repair support to finalize a repair in System Configurator.

Apple launched the Self Service Repair program last year, in what seemed to be a response to pressure from the Right to Repair campaign. Customers can read the appropriate manual to check the difficulty of a repair–in some instances, tool kits will need to be rented, in addition to buying parts. The repairs all require a certain level of mechanical aptitude as well as a good amount of patience, but its a good way to fix a device that otherwise has a lot of life left in it.

iPhone, MacBook

New QuietType mechanical keyboard cuts down on the clackity-clack

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 15:15:53 +0000

Kensington unveiled its new full-sized and (not actually) “silent” MK7500F mechanical keyboard for business and home use Tuesday.

(via Cult of Mac – Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Lofree Flow keyboard review: smooth, responsive typing in a stylish package

tigaman webdesign — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 11:23:56 +0000

If you love the feel of a mechanical keyboard, but you don’t want to compromise on aesthetics, the Lofree Flow mechanical keyboard makes an impressive showing with a stunning, simple design coupled with some of the best mechanical switches we’ve seen so far.

Lofree Flow mechanical keyboard

Mechanical keyboards are popular for plenty of reasons. However, many mechanical keyboards have bulky designs, making them less ideal for those on the go.

Lofree Flow keyboard review: smooth, responsive typing in a stylish package

tigaman webdesign — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 11:23:56 +0000

Lofree Flow mechanical keyboard

Mechanical keyboards are popular for plenty of reasons. However, many mechanical keyboards have bulky designs, making them less ideal for those on the go.