After going in depth with iOS 14 earlier this week, today we focus on macOS Big Sur. The biggest takeaway from my hands-on time with the follow up to macOS Catalina is that Apple’s latest OS is clearly being designed with the future in mind. Although it’s unmistakably Mac, Big Sur is a departure from previous versions of macOS in terms of aesthetics. Everything, from the dock, to the menu bar, to window chrome, icons, and even sounds have been updated....

My iPhone X lost a fight with concrete on Sunday morning when I folded up my jogging stroller and forgot the phone in its storage compartment. The smashed iPhone X is on its way to Apple’s repair facility (yes, the one that makes all those 911 calls) and I’m living on an iPhone 6 Plus for the week. A few observations: the modern haptic engine is light years ahead of the 2014 vibration motor, cameras on newer iPhones have improved dramatically, and older iPhones feel slow in comparison with or without throttling....

Yesterday, Apple released the second developer beta for iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5. Like the initial beta, this update comes with lots of new additions, including new emoji and several notable Music app updates. In this video, we go hands-on with new iOS 14.5 beta 2 changes and features. Be sure to subscribe to 9to5mac on YouTube for more videos. What’s new in iOS 14.5 beta 2 and iPadOS 14.5 beta 2?...

Warning: SPOILERS for Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is different from how she was portrayed in Suicide Squad, and it’s also a huge leap forward that made her character so much better. Director Cathy Yan’s sequel/expansion of Harley’s story sets the irrepressible psychopath on a new life path after she breaks up with the Joker....

Harry Potter’s Lord Voldemort is one of the most powerful and terrifying villains in the history of books and film. He went from a creepy, sadistic little kid to the evilest dark wizard of all time, and then transformed into a variety of grosser versions of himself in his quest to become a fully formed snake man and kill Harry Potter. Tom Riddle takes himself far too seriously. It is not that weird to change your name, but going with Lord?...

While Harry Potter might be the protagonist of the Harry Potter series, he’s not the only character who does a ton of heroic things. Harry is definitely a hero, but there are many people around him who are just as much so. His two best friends are often just as heroic as he is. While Ron Weasley might have his own flaws, he also has many heroic moments and does try to do everything he can to fight against Voldemort....

Last month during the Apple Watch event, CEO Tim Cook also announced the Apple TV’s price was cut $30, down to $69. It was also announced that HBO, in partnership with Apple, is launching a standalone streaming app called HBO Now. The HBO service is exclusive to Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for the first 90 days, and will cost $14.99/month. It provides instant access to every episode of all HBO original programs, sports, documentaries, etc....

Earlier this week I shared by personal gift guide for the Apple fans in your life, suggesting products like iPhone cases, drones, HomeKit accessories, and much more. This time around, I’m sharing apps and products that will be greatly appreciated by the Apple-loving students in your life this holiday season… As a student myself, I’ve slowly started to learn the perfect balance of how much technology is useful in education. You don’t want to become too dependent on it, but there’s definitely a middle ground at which you’ll be most efficient with your time....

[Warning: Spoilers For ‘How The Riddler Got His Name’ Ahead] - Gotham returned to the small screen this week after a hiatus of several months, and with seven episodes left of the third season, the show is starting to build toward the season 3 finale. In the latest episode ‘How The Riddler Got His Name’, Ed Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) descended into an insane killing spree while hallucinating the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) while Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) tried to figure out his long-lost uncle’s game plan with the Court of Owls....

Feral Interactive has brought Codemasters’ hit racing game GRID Autosport to iPad and iPhone. The app promises ‘console-quality racing’ offering a complete version of the game with all of the content. In an unusual move, all the ‘in-app purchases’ are free … GRID Autosport for iOS is the latest instalment in the celebrated Codemasters series, comprising the complete game and all the add-on content. Compete in the world’s most exciting cars on motorsport’s most challenging circuits....

It’s hard to think that just a couple of years ago, the Guardians of the Galaxy were thought to be one of the most obscure Marvel Comics properties. Now, two movies and an Avengers appearance later, they’re among the most beloved and iconic characters in the MCU. Thanks to the comedic tone, exciting intergalactic adventures, and the performances of Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, et al, their fan base has grown immeasurably in the years since their first film in 2014....

Apple includes 5 GB of free cloud storage with each iCloud account, yet with iPhone and iPad cameras improving each year and an expanding amount of ways to utilize iCloud, that free storage fills up fast. Let’s take a look at managing your iCloud storage plan along with a few tips and tricks on managing what you’re saving with iCloud. If you know you’d like to upgrade or downgrade your current iCloud storage plan we’ll cover that first....

Gwyneth Paltrow had a tough gig in the Iron Man series, playing both the role of “straight man” and romantic interest to Robert Downey Jr.’s charming-yet-erratic Tony Stark. Her character, Pepper Potts, is essentially the rock that prevents the eccentric superhero from collapsing under his own impractical urges. Her absence from Iron Man’s two most recent MCU appearances (Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War) speak volumes about why he’s become an accidental antagonist in both those chapters....

The creators of Halo Infinite’s new game engine SlipSpace says its production was vitally important for the future of the Halo franchise. It’s been nearly five years since the last main entry in the Halo series, Halo 5: Guardians, was released, but the continued success of re-released titles like Halo Reach and Halo: The Master Chief Collection has kept the franchise fresh in player’s minds. With Halo reaching the top of Steam’s player charts only a few months ago, both new and long-time fans are surely eagerly awaiting the newest entry in the Halo series, Halo Infinite....

[youtube=http://youtu.be/C_GShuLzUlw] Last year we told you that Lightning headphones were on the way when we were first to report on Apple opening up the spec to headphone makers through its Made-for-iPhone licensing program. And now, the first wave of products that will be hitting the market using the Lightning connector are officially on show this week at CES. Using Lightning for audio offers a few benefits, including the ability to draw power for noise cancelling features and more without a battery....

Here’s a guide to crime thriller series Hap And Leonard. Hap And Leonard is based on a series of novels by author Joe R. Lansdale (Bubba Ho-Tep). The series began with 1990’s Savage Season, which also formed the basis for season 1 of the show. Hap And Leonard was developed by Jim Mickle and Nick Damici, who previously adapted Landsdale thriller novel Cold In July into a movie starring Michael C....

Albus Dumbledore is a well known and very powerful wizard in the Harry Potter series. Some may even say he is more powerful than Voldemort. Voldemort certainly does his best to avoid dueling Dumbledore directly. And it should be noted that though his demise was ordered by Voldemort— kind of— it was not done by Voldemort himself. Throughout the Harry Potter series, we are led to believe that Dumbledore is one of the only people Voldemort actually fears....

GeForce Now is the cloud gaming service brand developed by Nvidia. The Nvidia Shield version of GeForce Now was launched in 2015 and now, available for the public. It’s available on Nvidia Shield devices, macOS, Microsoft Windows, and Android platforms. GeForce Now can instantly transform any laptop, desktop, Mac, SHIELD TV, or Android device into a gaming PC. So, users can instantly and easily play the most popular hardcore PC video games seamlessly across all devices....

There used to be a time when movie studios turned to fast-food restaurants to help sell their product, and the merchandising came in the form of a kid’s meal toy in the hopes that the plaything would in turn make the kid nag their parents to bring them to a movie. And while kid meal movie toy tie-ins still very much exist, the idea of merging the worlds of advertisers and tentpole movies has become more commonplace....

Update: That was quick. Apple appears to have removed the app from the App Store. A Game Boy Advance emulator has quietly passed Apple’s App Store review team and is now available on the App Store hidden inside an app that at first glance appears to generate baby names. The Game Boy Advance emulator is activated through the $1.99 app, dubbed “Awesome Baby Names”, with a series of secret button presses like some of the past emulators that have snuck into the App Store....