Review: Three weeks working from the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

The new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar has been out for a few weeks so you’ve probably seen the early reviews and know all the initial takes. The USB ports changed, the Touch Bar may be gimmicky, and some pros are feeling left out.

My own machine (base 15-inch with upgraded 1TB SSD) arrived three weeks ago as my new work computer, giving me plenty of real-world use with it. My main observation from time spent using the new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is that early impressions don’t necessarily last.

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Filed under: Apple

Apple Maps now lets you view ChargePoint EV stations, initiate charging & complete payment

Apple has been slowly adding more electric charging station listings to Apple Maps since the release of iOS 10, and today the world’s largest EV charging network, ChargePoint, officially confirmed integration. The official integration not only means that ChargePoint’s network of charging stations will now be visible as EV Charger badges within Apple Maps, allowing users to tap through to get more info on the station, but users can also initiate charging and complete payment right from in the app.

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Filed under: Apple

Happy Hour Podcast 097 | Red iPhone rumors, Tim Cook goes off the charts, new MacBook Pro deep dive

This week Benjamin and Zac discuss the new red iPhone rumor, iPhone 6s shutdowns, single sign-on launching, Apple Music and Apple Pay numbers, Apple Watch sales, and more MacBook Pro with Touch Bar impressions. 9to5Mac’s Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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Moody’s report suggests more than Trump’s tax holiday for companies including Apple needed for long-term improvement

Analysts from Moody’s Investors Service are weighing in on President-elect Donald Trump’s proposal for a one-time tax holiday for U.S. companies including Apple to bring back overseas cash. In the report via MarketWatch, Moody’s suggests there could be a positive short-term impact from the potential one-time tax cut, but that deeper tax reform is needed to see long-term results.

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Filed under: Apple

TSMC looks beyond iPhone 8’s 10nm chips as it plans new plant to make 5nm and 3nm ones

TSMC may have won the exclusive contract to produce the A10 chip in the iPhone 7 and be on track to do the same for the A11 chip for next year’s iPhone, but the company isn’t taking future business for granted. Nikkei Asian Review reports that the company is already planning to build a new plant to create 5nm and 3nm chips to help win future Apple business …

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Following MLB deal, Apple said to be close to NHL partnership for iPads on team benches

Sports side TSN is reporting that Apple is close to reaching agreement with the National Hockey League for all teams to use iPads rather than Microsoft’s Surface tablets. This follows a multi-year deal agreed with Major League Baseball earlier this year.

The National Hockey League has informed teams that it is in late-stage negotiations to strike a partnership with Apple that could see the company’s iPads and other technology become commonplace on team benches.

The NHL had been in extended talks with both Microsoft and Apple over whose tablets would be used by teams, but an NHL source suggested that it is now almost certain that the iPad will be chosen …

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Filed under: Apple

Try Super Mario Run in Apple Stores today, game featured on Jimmy Fallon ahead of launch next week

Nintendo’s upcoming mobile title for iPhone and iPad, Super Mario Run, is launching next week and it seems both Apple and Nintendo are doing what they can to make it a success. The game launches publicly next week on December 15.

If you are anxious to try the game ahead of its release, a demo is playable from today at Apple Stores; Super Mario Run has been installed on the iPhone and iPad units at Apple retail locations.

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Filed under: Apple