AirPort Express

If you’re using an AirPort, you should upgrade it ASAP

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AirPort Express
Anyone with an AirPort Express like this one should install the latest security update.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple discontinued the AirPort line of wireless routers last year but continues to support them, including efforts to keep out hackers. The US government’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a statement urging users of networking equipment to install a new firmware patch to block attacks.

Apple’s ancient AirPort Express miraculously gets AirPlay 2 support

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AirPort Express
With Air Port 2 support added, the AirPort Express is your ticket to whole-house audio.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It’s possible you have an old AirPort Express wireless router in a box somewhere. Dig it out and set it up, because it can now be used as part of an AirPlay 2 audio system.

Even though it’s been discontinued, Apple just issued a firmware update for the second-generation AirPort Express that adds AirPlay 2 support.

iPhone X is a huge hit, the death of 3D Touch, and inflatable paddle boards on The CultCast

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quotes on Apple
Tim Cook is the CEO of getting a bag.
Illustration: Cult of Mac

This week on a very volatile episode of The CultCast: the analysts were all wrong—iPhone X is a massive hit. Plus: the death of 3D Touch starts with 2018 iPhone; the world’s most famous Apple analyst may no longer be reporting on Apple; Apple’s AirPort router lineup is officially dead; and we pitch you our favorite show, movie, and vodka in an all-new Under Review. It’s a juicy one. Hit play and catch the discussion.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first hosting plan or domain.

AirPort Express gets Air Play 2 support for whole-house audio

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AirPort Express
Still using an AirPort device? Update the companion app today.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Air Play 2 in the first beta of iOS 11.4 lets users add AirPort Express base stations as speakers. Sort of. This could become a relatively inexpensive option for whole-house audio.

What makes this move surprising is that Apple hasn’t updated the AirPort Express since 2013. That said, the wireless router is still being sold on the company’s website. 

Week’s best Apple deals: Bring game night to your iPhone

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iOS games Apple deals
It's time to get a Ticket to Ride on your iPhone.
Images: Asmodee Digital, Apple, Zinsoko

If you love hit board games like Ticket to Ride and Splendor, you’ll love this week’s roundup. You’ll find heavily discounted iOS versions of those hit games, plus hot buys on earbuds, AirPort Express and more in the best Apple deals of the week.

People love Apple’s doomed AirPort more than any other router

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Apple's routers are #1.
Apple's routers are #1.
Photo: Apple

Apple sure seems to be doing routers right. At least according to the more than 3,000 customers polled in J.D. Power’s 2016 Wireless Router Satisfaction Report.

Apple came out as the top-rated router manufacturer in Overall Satisfaction, which would be great news for the AirPort team — if Apple hadn’t just disbanded it.

Google’s mesh router might fix your Wi-Fi problems

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eero
Google Wifi will be a lot like Eero.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Your home’s Wi-Fi could soon be powered by Google, according to a new report that claims the search engine giant plans to get into the router business next month.

Instead of competing head-on with Apple’s AirPort Express, the new Google router will supposedly bring a slew of smart features to the home, allowing users to pair two or more routers together to fix your home’s shoddy Wi-Fi coverage.

Ditch your old router, Eero is the new king of Wi-Fi routers [Review]

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In a recent survey, Apple's soon-to-disappear AirPort was ranked the most popular Wi-Fi router.
In a recent survey, Apple's soon-to-disappear AirPort was ranked the most popular Wi-Fi router.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

I’ve seen the future of Wi-Fi. It’s called Eero. It comes in a pack of three, costs an arm and a leg, but boy is it worth it.

Eero is a slick system of mesh-connected routers that blanket your whole house in Wi-Fi. Eero promises to eliminate dead spots, make restarts redundant, and offer blazing speeds from the basement to the attic.

In my tests, Eero performs as advertised. After years of Wi-Fiheadaches, and an Apple Time Capsule that barely worked, we now have fast and reliable Wi-Fi all over the house.

The Griffin Twenty: An AirPort Express Amp That Brings Your Wired Speakers Back To Life [Deals]

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This Cult of Mac Deals promotion is going to do its part to bring your speakers back to life.

The Griffin Twenty is a system that takes your existing speakers and allows you to do something new with them. You don’t need an iPhone speaker dock, or Bluetooth speakers, or cables. Connect your favorite speakers to Twenty, and it acts as your stereo receiver for pure digital sound. And right now you can get The Griffin Twenty for 30% off – just $69.99.

These Are The Deals You Can Expect From Apple Next Black Friday [Buying Guide]

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Apple-Black-Friday

The biggest shopping day of the year is fast approaching. The day after Thanksgiving in the United States is Black Friday, and it’s the best time to begin you’re holiday gift shopping — if you can face the frenzy, that is. Retailers all over the U.S. will be offering big discounts on some of this year’s hottest gifts, and the Apple store will be no exception, having given Black Friday discounts to Apple Store customers for the last few years regularly.

Next Friday the 23rd is Black Friday, and while Apple hasn’t tipped its hand as to when

If you’re looking to save cash on the latest Macs, iOS devices, and accessories, then Black Friday is an ideal time to buy them. Based on Apple’s previous Black Friday deals, here’s what you can expect to see this year.

Apple TV Can Send Audio To AirPlay-Enabled Speakers In iOS 6 Beta 3

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Apple TV will now send audio wirelessly to your speakers.
Apple TV will now send audio wirelessly to your speakers.

If you want to watch a movie on your Apple TV, but you want the sound to play through a stereo or home theater system, rather than through your TV, the only way to do that right now is to install a bunch of messy cables that connect one device to the other — and they need to be relatively close together.

In iOS 6 beta 3, however, you can send audio from the Apple TV to an AirPlay-enabled speaker system at the other end of the room wirelessly.

Porthole Streams Mac Audio Over AirPlay

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Stream any audio from your Mac to your AirPlay speakers, not just iTunes
Stream any audio from your Mac to your AirPlay speakers, not just iTunes

Porthole is a Mac app which will stream all the audio coming from your computer to AirPlay speakers, instead of just the music from iTunes. It’s kind of like Rogue Amoeba’s excellent AirFoil, only much less fine-grained in terms of control.

Here Are The Holiday Discounts You Can Expect From Apple This Black Friday [Apple Store Shopping Guide]

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Apple-black-friday-sale

The biggest shopping day of the year is fast approaching. This Friday, countless retailers all over the U.S. will be slashing prices for Black Friday, causing a frenzy amongst shoppers who cannot wait to spend some of their hard-earned cash on discounted goods.

Apple famously recognizes the event by discounting some of its hottest products in the Apple online store for one day only, with savings to be made on new Macs, iOS devices, iPods, and even the latest accessories for your beloved Apple gadgets. This year will be no different, so based on the past few years’ reductions, here’s what to expect at the Apple online store on Black Friday.

What Is Steve Jobs Announcing Monday? Here’s The Scoop About iCloud & Time Capsules [Exclusive]

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Apple has already revealed that Steve Jobs will talk about iCloud, iOS 5 and OS X Lion during his WWDC keynote on Monday morning.

In addition, it’s rumored that Apple’s wireless Time Capsule backup/router will get a big update.

Here’s how iCloud and the new Time Capsule will work, according to a source close to the company who asked not be identified. It’s pretty surprising:

Linex Sues Apple, Tries To Rid U.S. Of All MacBooks

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If you’re read this expecting to see Linus Torvalds and Steve Jobs exchange body blows in court, read the headline again: that homophone can be confusing, the ‘e’ matters and the company we’re talking about here is Linex, a Florida company that licenses wireless technology.

Even so, Linex and Apple are revving up to go to court, and if Linex has its way, the import of all MacBooks will be banned, along with Apple’s Airport Extreme and Time Capsule products.