Category: Apple Insider

In mid-April, workers at Apple Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, Georgia, began working with Communications Workers of America in an attempt to file for a union election. The proposed union would include 107 workers, with over 70% of workers signing cards of support.

To stave off organization efforts, Apple has tapped talent from Littler Mendelson, a San Francisco-based law firm that handles labor and employment litigation.

Littler is the same firm currently fighting Starbucks’ employees’ unionization efforts. The company also helped Mcdonald’s avoid responsibility in 2014 when a case alleged that the company retaliated against workers who participated in the Fight for $15 campaign.

“From the start I’ve thought unionization was a good thing,” an anonymous Apple retail employee told the Verge. “Pay is so unequal at the stores — there are people who’ve been in roles for less time making more than people who’ve worked in those same roles for years. They position themselves as a company that’s open to feedback but nobody acts on it. With a union backing the employees, they’ll be more pressure on them to actually act on it.”

Apple Cumberland Mall employees aren’t the only ones asking for more, either. Apple Store employees across the United States have quietly pushed to organize, citing that wages have stagnated as the Cupertino tech giant continues to see record profits.

Apple employs more than 65,000 people in its retail workforce, including employees that sell, repair, and troubleshoot products and services. The Cupertino tech giant’s retail footprint was responsible for 36% of the company’s $366 billion in revenue in 2021.

Earlier in April, Apple workers attempting to organize a union at the company’s Grand Central Terminal retail store in New York City asked to be paid at least $30 hour per hour, along with other benefits.

CalDigit makes amazing accessories for Mac and iPad, recently releasing a line of Thunderbolt 4 accessories including the TS4 dock and the Element hub.

While they make headlines for their docks, they also offer several storage solutions. The CalDigit Tuff Nano has been around for a few years, and now the CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus joins the lineup.

Out of the gate, one of the best parts of the CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus is its packaging. It arrives in a plastic box that can double as a storage option.

This reduces waste and provides an extra accessory for your drive.

Holding the CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus box

The box’s label can be removed and replaced with one of your choice. These cases can be clearly labeled and organized on a shelf for quick access for heavy media users.

Open the box, and CalDigit includes both a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable. This can be unnecessary, but it’s helpful to keep the second cable in the case should you ever need it for other devices.

CalDigit Tuff Nano and USB-C cable in the case

The Tuff Nano Plus is a hair over four inches long, two inches wide, and a little over half an inch thick. With the rubber bumper, it weighs 0.22 pounds all-in.

CalDigit uses an all-aluminum enclosure for the Tuff Nano Plus wrapped in a rubber bumper. The bumper covers the corners as well as the USB-C port.

The CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus without the cover

You can remove the cover at any time for a sleeker appearance, though you do sacrifice some of the durability. The Tuff Nano Plus has an IP67 resistance rating with the protective bumper attached.

IP67 means it is sealed off entirely from dust and can be submerged in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. The USB-C port must be sealed for that water resistance to hold.

As a bus-powered USB-C NVMe SSD, it’s perfectly suited for mobile workflows. All current Macs have adopted USB-C as have the iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad Pro. Regardless of which device you use, the Tuff Nano Plus will work.

In many ways, the CalDigit Tuff Nano and Tuff Nano Plus are the same. They have a very similar metal design with a colorful rubber bumper around the outside and are bus-powered over USB-C.

Both have the same IP67 resistance and come preformatted in HSF+. Where they differ is in speed, size, and capacity.

CalDigit Tuff Nano and Tuff Nano Plus

The Tuff Nano Plus is just slightly longer than the Tuff Nano due to the new internal NVMe media. CalDigit only offered the Tuff Nano in 512GB and 1TB configurations, while the Tuff Nano Plus comes in 2TB.

Finally, that updated NVMe SSD and larger capacity result in slightly faster speeds. The Tuff Nano was advertised at 1055 MB/s read speed, while the Tuff Nano Plus is advertised at 1088 MB/s.

2TB capacity on the CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus

As the differences aren’t huge, CalDigit continues to offer both versions. The smaller capacities in the Tuff Nano and the higher capacity Tuff Nano Plus.

Out of the box, CalDigit has formatted the Tuff Nano Plus in Apple’s HSF format. This has been Apple’s go-to file format for years before it started transitioning to APFS.

APFS was designed specifically for the flash-based storage in its latest Macs but can be used with external drives. We ran speed tests both in the default HSF+ format and APFS.

Speed test results when formatted HSF+

Formatted as HSF+, our CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus scored an 828 MB/s write speed and a 738 MB/s read speed. That’s just shy of the advertised 1088 MB/s maximum read speed.

Speed test results when formatted APFS

When we reformatted the drive as APFS, the write score jumped to 921 MB/s while the read score stayed nearly identical at 740 MB/s. This score is higher than we saw on the standard CalDigit Tuff Nano.

When we reviewed the CalDigit Tuff Nano back in 2019, we loved it. It was exceptionally compact and fast.

Since then, many more portable SSDs have made their way to market.

Box for the CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus

It’s much more competitive than it was back then, and users have many more choices to choose from. Despite that, CalDigit remains at the top of our recommendation list.

The updated CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus is faster while also offering a larger storage size. Users who need a lot of storage on the go needn’t look any further.

Box for the CalDigit Tuff Nano Plus

• Ultra-fast NVMe SSD media
• Protective rubber exterior
• Carrying case included
• Great read and write speeds
• IP67 resistance

• Not many color choices
• Larger than the Tuff Nano

Apple placed a straight-to-series order for “Lady in the Lake” in March, though details of production scheduling for the show were unannounced at the time. In a tweet on Saturday, the author of the best-selling novel confirmed filming will be happening soon.

In response to a question on Twitter spotted by CBS Baltimore, author Laura Lippman confirmed the show is “set to begin filming next week – in Baltimore.” Lippman went on to namecheck the show’s headlining stars in the same tweet.

As well as authoring the book the show is based on, Lippman is serving as an executive producer, alongside series co-writers Alma Har’el and Dre Ryan, as well as Portman and Nyong’o.

“Lady in the Lake” is set in 60s Baltimore, with Apple describing the show as one “where an unsolved murder pushes housewife and mother Maddie Schwartz (Portman) to reinvent her life as an investigative journalist and sets her on a collision course with Cleo Sherwood (Nyong’o), a hard-working woman juggling motherhood, many jobs and a passionate commitment to advancing Baltimore’s Black progressive agenda.”

While filming is imminent, it will be some time before the show airs on Apple’s streaming service. There is a chance it could premiere in late 2022, depending on the speed of production and post-production activities, as well as Apple TV+’s own release schedule.

Armstrong appeared on the April 20 episode of Superstream Podcast to talk about the current state of cryptocurrency, entrepreneurship, and the company he cofounded: Coinbase.

Coinbase is a cryptocurrency exchange platform on desktop and mobile, allowing users to purchase and exchange popular cryptocurrencies. The Coinbase App is the 18th most popular Finance app on the App Store, as pointed out by 9to5mac.

When asked if Coinbase would release its own cryptocurrency hardware wallet, Armstrong pointed out that he does not believe that most people would carry a separate wallet used solely for crypto.

He states that most people would be more comfortable using something inside of their phones. However, he believes that big tech — and goes as far as naming Apple specifically — doesn’t allow features that would be required to make a user-friendly phone-based wallet plausible.

“Apple so far has not really played nice with crypto, they’ve actually banned a bunch of features that we would like to have in the app, but they just won’t allow it — so there’s potential antitrust issues there.”

While Armstrong doesn’t say what features have been banned, he does go on to say that he believes crypto-compatible phones will be necessary in the future and that they could become popular.

This isn’t the first time that Armstrong has spoke out against Apple, either. In 2020, he argued that Apple’s App Store regulations stifle innovation in the cryptocurrency space.

While Coinbase may not be allowed to have all the features it wants, several Apple-specific features are available to Coinbase users.

In June 2021, the crypto-based Coinbase Card became eligible to be used in Apple Wallet. The card allows users to spend cryptocurrency as cash across the globe.

In the March quarter, Apple’s iPhone 13 delivered the company some of its best smartphone, with all four models claiming the largest share of U.S. sales in years, according to new data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).

Combined, all four iPhone models accounted for 71% of total U.S. sales. The base iPhone 13 also had the largest share for a single iPhone model in years with a 38% slice of the pie.

“The new iPhone 13 models enjoyed some of the largest share we’ve seen in manyquarters,” said Josh Lowitz, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. “The four models, including 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, and 13 mini, accounted for almost three-quarters of sales in the March quarter. Last year at this time the then-new iPhone 12 models had 61% of sales.”

However, the data suggests one model isn’t as popular with customers as its stablemates. During the March quarter, the iPhone 13 mini accounted for only 3% of total sales.

Along with the model breakdown, CIRP also notes that its March quarter data indicates that buyers are now keeping their previous devices for a shorter period of time before upgrading — marking a reversal of a long-time trend.

The firmware update was released on April 19 as an over-the-air update. While patch notes weren’t provided at the time, Apple has since updated a support document to clarify that the update brings an improved charging rate.

“In order to get 7.5W charging on the go, update your MagSafe Battery Pack to the latest firmware,” Apple writes. “The firmware update begins automatically after you attach your battery pack to your iPhone. The firmware update can take about one week.”

Previously, the MagSafe Battery Pack topped out at 5W of charging — about the same as Apple’s ubiquitous power brick that’s no longer included with devices.

Users can check which firmware version they have on a connected iPhone by heading to Settings > General > About > MagSafe Battery Back. The firmware update that enables 7.5W charging is version 2.7.b.0.

Apple first launched the MagSafe Battery Pack in July 2021 for the iPhone 12, but it is also compatible with iPhone 13 devices. At the time, some users were disappointed by the charging speeds since other MagSafe accessories can provide up to 15W of charging output.

Amazon is the home to a variety of excellent Apple deals, from the Apple Mac mini to nearly every iPad model you can think of, on regular rotation. If you can think of the product you want, chances are you’ll find it at a great price even when there isn’t a specific sale at the online retailer.

Simply put, if you’re looking to buy a new iPad or even a pair of AirPods, Amazon is one of the best places to look — and given that, quite often there are plenty of on-page coupons to clip or

Some of the best Amazon deals on Apple products can be found during the upcoming Amazon Prime Day. Amazon Prime Day 2022 is still months away, and we don’t have any solid intel on what to expect from the holiday, but there are plenty of deals to shop ahead of the event that you can toss into your online cart now.

Peruse our picks for some of the top Amazon deals below that you can shop right now.

Those in the market for a new iPhone should check Amazon regularly for surprise markdowns on older models, both unlocked and locked to particular carriers. There are often unannounced iPhone deals that can mean plenty of savings for you if you’re looking to replace your current smartphone.

• iPhone 12 Pro Max (128GB, Renewed) Pacific Blue, Unlocked: Was $859.75, now $843.95.
• iPhone XR (64GB, Renewed) Unlocked: Was $269.86, now $242.

Save on various models of iPad tablets, from iPad Air to iPad Pro. The iPad lineup is perfect for productivity on the go, with speedy internal hardware and brilliant screens with Retina displays that offer bright hues and vibrant shades. These are all fantastic options for anyone in the market for a new iPad. You don’t have to break the bank to take home a good tablet.

• 10.9-inch iPad Air 5 (64GB, Wi-Fi): Was $599, now $569.99.
• 10.9-inch iPad Air 4 (256GB, Wi-Fi): Was $749, now $599.99.
• iPad mini 6 (64GB, Wi-Fi): Was $499, now $459.

Pick up a powerful Mac mini computer to make a reliable home workstation. Amazon often features Mac mini deals, and the latest selection of price cuts mean you can take home a model with an M1 chip for a great price.

• Apple Mac mini (M1 chip, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD): Was $869, now $749.99.

Save on Apple Watch models to pair with your other Apple products or to just see what you’ve been missing out on. Amazon routinely discounts Apple Watch styles, both new and old, so you have plenty of iterations of the smartwatch to choose from.

Grab a new pair of Apple AirPods, from the original model to the audiophile-centric AirPods Max, all of which are regularly on sale at Amazon. You’ll find excellent deep discounts on some of the best earbuds and headphones in the arena if you shop Amazon often enough.

Save on several of Apple’s powerful MacBook Pro laptops with Apple Silicon inside for savings on a portable powerhouse that you can take anywhere and accomplish just about anything with.

• 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 (8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) Silver: Was $1,499, now $1,249.99.
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro (8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) Space Gray: Was $1,999, now $1,749.99.

If you’re looking to upgrade your desktop in a significant way with everything an iMac offers, Amazon has you covered with a selection of iMac deals on the colorful computers here and there.

• 24-inch iMac with M1 chip (7-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD): Was $1,299, now $1,199.
• 24-inch iMac with M1 chip (8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD): Was $1,499, now $1,349.

AppleInsider and Apple Authorized Resellers are also running specials on Mac and iPad hardware that will not only deliver the lowest prices on many of the items, but also throw in bonus savings on accessories, software and more. Here are just a few of the deals running this week:

The entire company appears to have been shuttered just before the weekend of April 16, Stacey On IoT reported n Monday. There are a variety of signs that point toward the company disappearing permanently, instead of the lack of service being due to an outage.

For example, the company’s servers have been down for days despite the Insteon website claiming that all servers are online. The company support forums are down, and its social media pages have been completely unresponsive.

More than that, Insteon CEO Rob Lilleness appears to have scrubbed any mention of the smart home firm from his LinkedIn page. The same goes for other high-profile executives at the company.

With servers down, the Insteon app is now completely non-functional. Additionally, users have reported that their automations and schedules have stopped working.

Furthermore, troubleshooting steps that users have taken have done further damage. A factory reset of the company’s hubs requires a server connection to complete. With the servers down, there is no way for the initial setup after the reset to complete.

Insteon was a company that produced various smart home products, ranging from hubs to thermostats and plugs. Many of its devices were compatible with Apple’s own HomeKit system, including the flagship Insteon Hub.

Production of the Insteon Hub ended about five years ago. Practical support from the company for the hub ended about three years ago.

The company is also owned by Smartlabs, and both firms share many of the same executives. Internet of Things reporter Stacey Higginbotham, who runs Stacey on IoT, says that Smartlabs has yet to return her calls or emails.

If you haven’t seen any of Grovemade’s gear before, the company focuses on natural materials and old-world craftsmanship. May products are finished or created by hand instead of being mass-produced overseas.

Many of its products focus on Apple users, with a custom kit created to be paired with Apple’s gear. There is a stand for MagSafe, docks for iPhone, and trays for the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad.

We’re looking at a wood and leather wrist rest, made as a companion to Apple’s Magic Keyboard with a numeric keypad and Touch ID. Apple only just released these keyboards in August of 2021.

These products feel distinctly Apple-like. They’re intricately designed with every detail scrutinized.

Grovemade’s Wrist Rest is crafted from either American black walnut or eastern hard rock maple. Both look great, but we’re partial to the darker tone of the walnut. Plus, it matches the walnut coasters and planters we already have on our desk.

The wood is cut to size before being hand-sanded to a smooth finish. Inlaid in the wood is a panel of premium vegetable-tanned leather.

The leather — available in black or tan based on your wood choice — provides a soft, elevated surface for your wrists.

The wrist rest has a bit of give, making it more comfortable than sitting your wrists directly on your desk. Since it is slightly elevated, it also reduces the strain on your wrists as you type.

Below the wood is a layer of aluminum that adds some rigidity to the piece. It’s slightly visible from the outside, contrasting the matte finish of the wood.

Finishing it all off is a natural cork base. This prevents the rest from sliding around your desk but is more natural than a molded rubber or silicone sheet.

We’ve been using the Grovemade Wrist Rest for weeks with our Mac Studio. We paired it with the new black and silver version of Apple’s latest desktop peripherals.

Apple’s keyboard is quite flat, and after many hours of typing, there are times when we feel the fatigue in our wrists. We haven’t experienced that with Grovemade’s accessory.

We’ve tried many of those gel-filled, squishy wrist rests in the past, but they get dirty, don’t look great, and break down over time. Grovemade’s Wrist Rest only improves with age.

The leather starts to develop a patina in the areas you make contact with it, creating a pattern unique to you. The leather will never peel, and it will last many years without issue.

As is often the case, you can find a much more affordable product than this one, but it won’t match Apple’s keyboard dimensions, nor will it have the quality to last a lifetime.

One downside to this is that it can get in the way if you’re eating at your desk. We know — eating near your keyboard is a cardinal sin. But there are still times we are in a hurry or just grabbing a quick snack at our desk, and we have to make do.

Instead, we will have to move our wrist rest off to the side to get some space. The same goes for opening packages and looking over review products in that space in front of our keyboard.

This is probably a worthwhile tradeoff, however. Placing something that can ease wrist stress versus making room for snacking seems like the wise choice.

A wrist rest is a common accessory to add to one’s desk, and Grovemade happens to create the nicest one we’ve ever tested.

We’re always appreciative of handcrafted accessories and supporting US-based brands. But that comes with a price — literally.

For the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad version, it will set you back $100. If you want a smaller one for the Magic Trackpad, that will only run you $50.

If you want a product as polished as Apple’s hardware, Grovemade has you covered. If you’d prefer to save some money on a cheaper option, we wouldn’t judge you for a moment.

• High quality of materials
• Handmade in the USA
• Comfortable and ergonomic to use
• Light and dark color options
• Custom designed to match Apple’s peripherals

• Expensive addition to your desk setup

You can pick up the Grovemade Wrist Rest for Apple’s Magic Trackpad, Magic Keyboard, or Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad starting at $50.