Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer who started his career on PC World and has written for dozens of computer and technology magazines, as well as numerous national newspapers, business and in-flight magazines. He has also written two technothriller novels , a romcom novel, and an SF novella series.
He is old enough to have owned the original Macintosh. He currently owns an M1 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro, a MacBook Air 11, 12.9-inch iPad Pro (LTE 256GB), iPhone 13 Pro Max (256GB), Dell Ultrawide 49-inch monitor, an Apple Watch (Series 4 WiFi) and multiple HomePods – he suspects it might be cheaper to have a cocaine habit than his addiction to all things anodised aluminum.
He thinks wires are evil and had a custom desk made to hide them, known as the OC Desk for obvious reasons.
He’s known for his op-ed and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review:
He considers 1000 miles a good distance for a cycle ride and Chernobyl a suitable tourist destination. What can we say, he’s that kind of chap.
He speaks fluent English but only broken American, so please forgive any Anglicised spelling in his posts.
If @benlovejoy-ing him on twitter, please follow him first so that he can DM you if appropriate. If you have information you can pass on, you can also email him. If you would like to comment on one of his pieces, please do so in the comments – he does read them all.
If you’ve ever thought that you’d love to get your grandmother’s advice on your next hookup, then Tinder Matchmaker has you covered …
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As Tim Cook continues a rather comprehensive tour of China with a visit to a Luxshare Apple Watch factory, the WSJ has an interesting profile on how the Apple supplier worked its way up from making iPad cables to becoming one of Apple’s most important manufacturing and development partners.
The story of Luxshare founder Wang Laichun, aka Grace Wang, is a true rags-to-riches one. She started out as a Foxconn production line worker, manually adding components to circuit boards …
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iPhone 15 parts costs hit a new high, with especially steep price rises for the Pro Max model. The titanium frame cost Apple some 43% more than the stainless steel one used in last year’s model, while the cost of the 5x telephoto camera was three times higher than the 3x module.
A new report breaks down the component costs of the base model iPhone 15 Pro Max, and notes that Apple chose to absorb these higher costs rather than pass them on to consumers in the form of higher prices …
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A new Discord Teen Safety Assist initiative is aiming to make the group chat platform a safer place for teenage users – in part, replicating an iMessage feature announced by Apple two years ago …
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While the Department of Justice has accused Google of a range of anti-competitive behaviors, the judge in the case has said that the Apple search payment is “the heart” of the matter.
The implication is clear. If that deal is illegal, then Google will lose the case, and the company may have to be broken up. Conversely, if the court finds that the payment was legal, then Google likely wins, as the other charges are comparatively minor …
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CEO Tim Cook said this week that Apple remains committed to China, and cherishes the things that have been achieved during the company’s 30-year relationship with the country.
Cook made his remarks during a meeting with Chinese government officials, as he continues his tour of the country …
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Some 81% of Americans are concerned about how companies use their personal data, according to a large-scale study.
Two-thirds of those surveyed said they have little to no understanding of what companies do with the data collected about them, and even more believe there’s nothing they can do about it …
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Elon Musk reportedly thinks it may be simpler to block X in Europe, rather than fix the massive problem with disinformation on the platform.
The issue is now so bad that video game footage has been passed off as news coverage of the terrorist attack in Israel, and Musk himself has been promoting accounts known for racist content and conspiracy theories …
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It will soon be possible to have two WhatsApp accounts on one phone, thanks to an update now rolling out to the encrypted chat app.
There is, however, a catch – which is likely to mean some people will have to continue using an unofficial and somewhat clunky workaround …
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The latest TSMC earnings report appears to provide further evidence for recent reports of relatively weak iPhone 15 demand – when compared to last year’s iPhone 14 lineup.
While the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models appear popular, it seems demand for these isn’t high enough to offset disappointing sales of the base and Plus models …
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A British charity that investigates tax avoidance has named Apple as one of seven tech giants it says pays too little UK tax.
It says that collectively Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Adobe, Cisco, and Google owner Alphabet paid around four times less tax than should have been due – but doesn’t blame the companies …
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Pickleball has been named the fastest-growing sport in America, combining elements of tennis, table-tennis, and badminton. But when it comes to tennis versus pickleball, which offers the greatest health benefits?
That’s a question a research study is tackling with the help of Apple Watch data, and the Cupertino company has shared some initial insights …
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We’ve been hearing claims about folding iPhones and folding iPads for years now, with the latest supply chain report saying that it could launch as soon as 2024.
Today’s report echoes earlier ones, stating that Apple will launch a foldable iPad ahead of a folding iPhone …
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Apple has today been granted a patent for using Vision Pro (or variant) to see out of an Apple Car (or other self-driving vehicle) without windows – or to use movements of the car to simulate an entirely different experience …
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The IRS is piloting a free TurboTax alternative, offering the benefits of the paid app without the price tag, but there are plenty of limitations for now.
TurboTax has become an increasingly popular way of filing taxes, as it automates a lot of what would otherwise be a tedious manual process …
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After conflicting reports about whether Apple was going to launch new iPads, a new Apple Pencil, or both, the matter appeared to have been settled with yesterday’s announcement of the Apple Pencil (USB-C).
However, it turns out there was a new(ish) iPad also – but only in China …
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While next year’s iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to use a smaller version of TSMC’s 3nm process, Apple’s chipmaker is already planning production of its first 1nm chips …
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All current Apple processors are compared in an updated chart, mixing in iPhone, iPad, and Mac chips to show their relative power in benchmark tests – including, of course, the new A17 Pro.
One standout result is that the iPhone 15 Pro is almost on a par with the entry-level MacBook Air when it comes to processing power …
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Apple CEO Tim Cook has put in an appearance at a Chinese games tournament and local Apple Store. The rest of his itinerary isn’t yet known, though it’s likely he will be attending an international political and economic forum hosted by the Chinese government.
The visit comes at a time when Apple has been caught in the cross-fire of diplomatic tension between US and Chinese governments – and Cook also managed to get caught up in a minor photo battle of his own …
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WhatsApp passkeys are on the way, says the developer, but the security feature will be rolling out to Android users ahead of iPhone owners.
Once it does reach iPhone, however, you’ll be able to ditch your password or passcode and simply use Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate …
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I get offered a lot of Bluetooth speakers for review, and turn down most of them because I’ve experienced <insert company name here>’s prior offerings and have been left decidedly unimpressed. But the Tribit Stormbox Flow made it through, because my last experience left me very pleasantly surprised.
I wrote last year that the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 had absolutely no right to be as good as it was, for both size and price reasons – and the same is true of the company’s latest offering …
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Apple’s environmental claims have again come under the microscope, just a few weeks after Greenpeace criticized the company’s annual product cycles for driving carbon emissions.
While a new report also accuses Apple of exaggerating its environmental credentials, it does acknowledge that the Cupertino company is far ahead of its tech rivals …
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A Goldman Sachs exec reportedly responded to the announcement of the Apple Card savings account by immediately declaring it a mistake.
According to the report, the unnamed Goldman partner said: “We should have never done this f—ing thing” …
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TSMC founder Morris Chang has said that Intel won’t catch up with its technological lead, and will remain in the “shadow” of the Taiwanese company.
Intel has acknowledged that Apple’s own Mac chip designs are more advanced than any PC chip the US company currently offers, but the company’s CEO has repeatedly suggested that it will eventually catch and then overtake TSMC …
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