Dom Esposito

Apple Music is almost here and it looks like Taylor Swift had a thing or two to say about it. Along with that, we have some exclusive details on Apple Watch 2 and an overview of the new iOS 9, OS X El Capitan, and watchOS 2.0 betas. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed.

This week we’re very excited to podcast with Brian from Pad & Quill and talk a little bit about some of the excellent accessories they make. Be sure to check out padandquill.com to view their products.

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It would be silly to say that Apple’s latest iteration of the 15-inch 2015 MacBook Pro with Retina Display is the best MacBook yet, because that’s mostly the truth with every new model. Unfortunately, you won’t find a shiny new processor setup this time around, as Apple stuck with the trusty old Haswell configuration, but there are some nice improvements here.

The good news is, there’s a bump in clock speed across the board if that matters to you and we have a new GPU setup thanks to AMD in the high-end model. Even with these modest upgrades, the MacBook Pro I purchased is a beast for content creation…

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Pebble Time is an interesting smartwatch. This is a bit different from anything else out there in the sense that it’s super low-tech. There’s absolutely nothing flashy about it. As far as smartwatches go, this is as barebones as it gets, but is that bad thing?

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It looks like a few lines of iOS 9 code have provided a couple of key details regarding the upcoming iPad Pro. The resolution of this mysterious large device has been discovered, along with a new keyboard layout. In this episode we discuss our iPad Pro wish list and what we’d like to see if this device becomes a reality later this year. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed…

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At Apple’s WWDC 2015 keynote, we got our first glimpse at OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Say what you will about the name (I’m not a huge fan), but it does come along with some nice under-the-hood improvements and new features. Today we’re taking a look at the top five features available with OS X El Capitan…

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WWDC has brought a ton of announcements for Apple’s software and services. This week, we’ll discuss the important topics, what you need to know, and how we feel about iOS 9, watchOS 2, OS X El Capitan, and more. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed…

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Along with the announcement and beta release of iOS 9 at WWDC 2015, Apple has unveiled watchOS 2.0. This software is currently in beta, but brings along some cool changes you should know about. Check out our watchOS 2 feature video to find out if these changes make your Apple Watch experience better…

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Apple’s WWDC 2015 keynote was full of software announcements. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much on the hardware side of things, but we have some important updates for Macs, Apple Watch, and iOS devices. Today we’re checking out the Top 10 features in iOS 9. There’s not much of a redesign happening here, but there are a handful of noteworthy features you should know about…

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Google I/O is behind us and brought along interesting integration for iOS users, but now WWDC 2015 is right around the corner. This week we’ll discuss some upcoming announcements and expectations including a native Apple Watch SDK and how Apple plans to take on Google Now in iOS 9. There’s also a new bug feature that made some important changes to the heart rate sensor on Apple Watch. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed…

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Apple’s new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display is here and available in a few different configurations. We’re take a closer look at the 2.5 GHz model with 16GB of RAM, and 512 GB of internal storage today, but also comparing some benchmarks to Apple’s two other 15-inch configurations for this year.

This MacBook features slight improvements in the battery department, makes the switch from NVIDIA to AMD for discrete graphics, faster internal storage, and also includes Apple’s new Force Touch trackpad as we’ve seen with other MacBook releases this year….

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WWDC is right around the corner, and you can definitely expect some interesting changes with iOS 9 and OS X 10.11. This week we discuss some of those changes, along with some new features for the next iPhone. Also, it looks like Jony Ive has moved on from his position as Senior Vice President of Design at Apple. What is he up to now? The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed…

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Meet BlueLink, a Hyundai cloud-connected service that provides cool remote access features for select vehicles. I recently had a chance to test BlueLink with the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In, and now I’m convinced that connected cars are the future.

BlueLink links up to your vehicle using its VIN number, using the Internet to relay information to and from the car, wherever you may be. Connected apps for cars, homes, and other smart accessories are cool and all, but what if you could start your car or unlock your doors from an Apple Watch, without taking a step? Welcome to what’s next…

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I know what you may be thinking: why would you spend any significant amount of money on a gold Apple Watch? Well, this isn’t an Apple Watch Edition, but it’s the closest thing available to my wallet. This Apple Watch and Link Bracelet was beautifully plated with 18K gold and it looks stunning.

I’m not even a fan of gold, but I can definitely appreciate the beauty here. This is just about as classy as it gets if you’re into the style. Last week, this used to be an ordinary Apple Watch, but a few days with the people over at WatchPlate changed it for life. If you’re not into spending a boat load of cash on an Apple Watch Edition, this is the next best thing and quite possibly a better option…

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Back at NAB 2015, I had a chance to meet with Sennheiser and take a look at their new ClipMic Digital. This is a professional grade lavalier microphone that connects to an iOS device via its Lightning port, not to mention the the first of its kind. I know most audio accessories for iOS claim to be “professional” quality, but this thing is no joke. It even compares to my $600 wireless lavalier kit from Sennheiser…

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Apple has slightly refreshed the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, added a more affordable Retina 5K iMac, and an iPhone related surprise. Along with that, we have a new Watch OS update and sad news about Apple’s rumored TV plans. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed…

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For the last month, I’ve been using Apple’s new 12-inch Retina MacBook almost exclusively. There’s no denying that’s it’s underpowered when compared to other models on the market, but is its portability worth the performance sacrifice? Can you really get anything done with a relatively small display, an Intel Core M processor, and more importantly, zero traditional USB ports?

This won’t be an in-depth review of features and performance (check out Zac’s take on the MacBook for an in-depth look), but instead, I’ve mainly focused on my personal experiences over the month I’ve been using it. Does the Retina MacBook live up to the hype? Let’s go ahead and find out…

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Rumors are already floating around about Apple’s iPhone 6s and we’ve got the rundown on everything. Along with that, we discuss WWDC 2015 and our expectations for software and hardware announcements. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed…

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Apple Watch is finally here and this week we all have one. In this episode we discuss our experiences (good and bad) with Apple Watch, Apple’s official solution for third-party bands, and news about the rumored iPad Pro. Feel free to drop us a line about your Apple Watch experience at listenermail@9to5mac.com. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed…

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A new video has been published that compares the rumored iPad Pro shape/size to the current generation iPad. It’s obviously much larger than the iPad Air 2. This rumored tablet is said to feature a 12.3 to 12.9 inch display. Check out the video below for a size comparison between the cases and iPad Air 2…

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There’s no denying that connected smart home accessories are on the rise. Apple’s HomeKit is slowly making an entrance into this space, but for the moment there are a wide variety of accessories available that can make your house a lot cooler. Today we’re taking a look at some of the essential options that have been around for a little while, but are definitely must-haves if you’re into the smart home scene. These devices may not be necessary, but they make things around the house more convenient…
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