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New Year’s sale slashes 15% off of everything from charging hubs to AirPods cases

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Elago's 3-in-1 Charging Hub keeps your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods going.
Elago's 3-in-1 Charging Hub keeps your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods going.
Photo: Elago

In a festive New Year’s promotion, Elago is offering every accessory in the Cult of Mac Store — hundreds of items, all in one place — at 15% off through January 7. No matter what Apple products you may have received as gifts over the holidays, there’s something for your in the sale. We cover some highlights below.

A year on, AirPods Max owners give pricey headphones rare thumbs down

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AirPods Max playing music on Spotify
AirPods Max owners grumble about the hefty price tag.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

A year after the debut of AirPods Max, an analysis of user reviews found that buyers like the over-the-ear headphones less than rival products. The main problem: price.

For comparison, the same study by consumer research company Revuze shows people who buy Apple’s basic AirPods seem much more satisfied. And user reviews of other Apple products are usually quite positive, too.

“It is off-brand and surprising to see how poorly the AirPods Max product was received over the course of the year since its release,” Revuze CEO Boaz Grinvald told Cult of Mac. 

Get 30% off Journey’s new MagSafe-compatible, 3-in-1 wireless charger

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Journey's new 3-in-1 wireless charging station is MagSafe-compatible.
This is one of the sleekest MagSafe chargers we've seen.
Photo: Journey

This MagSafe charger post is brought to you by Journey, a brand of Alogic. 

You probably have cables to charge your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch. But wouldn’t it be great to charge them all at once, in one place, like on your nightstand or desk? Without a bunch of wires? With the handsome new Journey 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station, you can.

Journey’s newest charger also serves as a stand for your gadgets — and it looks good doing it. And, by the way, if you act fast, you can get the new charging station for 30% off with the coupon X30.

AirBuddy unlocks your AirPods’ full potential on Mac

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Sync your AirPods to your Mac computers with AirBuddy.
Get that slick iOS feeling when you use AirPods with your Mac.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The AirPods experience is great overall, but let’s be honest. The way Apple’s earbuds work with a Mac is a pale imitation of the seamless functionality you get when using them with iPhones and iPads.

Luckily, an innovative Mac app called AirBuddy fixes that. And right now, you can save 20% on AirBuddy with code CYBER20.

Need to exchange a holiday gift? Compare top Apple and Beats earbuds

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AirPods Pro are still Apple's flagship earbud, but the others featured in the tables below make for stiff competition.
AirPods Pro are still Apple's flagship earbud, but the others featured in the tables below make for stiff competition.
Photo: Apple

In gift-giving season, sometimes you get something you already have or something that isn’t quite what you wanted. So, if you can exchange the item for something you truly covet — like a killer pair of Apple AirPods or Beats earbuds — you probably should.

But how do you choose between earbuds made by Apple and earbuds made by Apple subsidiary Beats by Dre? We’ve laid out the specs for four popular sets of buds, below, pitting AirPods Pro against Beats Fit Pro and the new AirPods (3rd gen) against Beats Studio Buds. But all the specs listed in each chart are the same, so it’s not difficult to compare and contrast all four.

Keep all your Apple devices powered up on the go with 35% off this foldable wireless charger

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Save 35% on this wireless, foldable charger during our second Cyber Week sale!
You'll pocket this wireless folding charger and over $30 in savings with our Cyber Week sale!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Having all the Apple gadgets is great for fun and productivity. There’s nothing like the ease of having your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all synced up together. Keeping them all charged and running throughout the day, though, can be a real pain. Apple is doing a better job, but the battery lives are still painfully short.

However, keeping your batteries topped off is a cinch with the MagStack Foldable 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station with Floating Stand. Even better, this MagStack station is available at a deep discount for our second Cyber Week sale! You can get this charging station on sale for only $35.99 (regularly $69) when you use the code CYBER20.

How to use your iPhone and AirPods to spy on people

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How to use your iPhone and AirPods to spy on people
Here’s how to do an iPhone spying trick. Use it for fun, not evil.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

An iPhone and AirPods can be used to listen to conversations without people knowing. Such iPhone spying is really just a tricky use of the Live Listen feature built into iOS.

And, even if you’re not a budding James Bond, knowing about this trick could keep someone from eavesdropping on you. Here’s what to do if you want to use your iPhone to spy on someone. (Or what to watch out for if you don’t want to fall victim to iPhone spying.)

This foldable 4-in-1 charger is perfect for home, work or travel

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This 4-in-1 wireless charger is the last one you'll need.
One charger. Four devices. Case closed!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You only need one charger, even if you have four devices that you use constantly. With the 4-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Station, you can consolidate all of your chargers into one powerful device.

And right now, it’s on sale for $49.95 (regular price: $54).

We’re already salivating about iPhone 14 [The CultCast]

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The CultCast, a weekly Apple podcast: New iPhone 14 rumors get us excited about 2022.
New iPhone 14 rumors get us excited about 2022.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Our 2022 hopes are up, up and away on the latest rumors about what new features iPhone 14 Pro might bring. The camera sounds like it will once again deliver impressive gains, but it’s the potential for an iPhone 4-style makeover that’s really got us drooling.

Also on The CultCast:

  • New Apple displays on the horizon?
  • Dying AirPods … and amazing deals on replacements.
  • Alex E. Heath’s goggle-eyed moment during his interview with The Matrix stars.
  • More of our product picks in Gear of the Year.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

‘Tis the season for massive AirPods deals [Updated]

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‘Tis the season for massive AirPods savings
There’s never been a better time to buy AirPods.
Photo: Cult of Mac

AirPods make great gifts … especially when they’re nearly half off. You can get AirPods 2 for less than $90. That’s as low as they’ve ever been.

And there are deals on every type of Apple’s signature earbuds with significant savings. Even on the newest model.

This 5-in-1 modular charging station is the perfect gift for any Apple fan

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Give the gift of a full battery this holiday season.
This five-way charger takes up very little room on your desk or nightstand.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You shouldn’t need separate charging cables for each of your devices. The Omnia Q5 5-in-1 Wireless Charging Station is one of the first wireless charging stations that works for five devices at the same time. It’s on sale now for $99.95 (regular price: $120), but you can save even more — get an additional 20% off with code GREEN20.

Nomad makes its Base Station Hub MagSafe-compatible

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Nomad's updated Base Station wireless charger for up to four devices is now MagSafe-compatible.
Nomad's updated Base Station wireless charger for up to four devices is now MagSafe-compatible.
Photo: Nomad

Earlier this year, accessories maven Nomad made its popular Base Station Mini wireless charger — suitable for juicing up one iPhone — MagSafe-comptible. Now it has added magnets to another popular product, the Nomad Base Station Hub, which can top off up to four devices at once.

Pick up brand-new AirPods for under $100 ahead of the holidays

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AirPods 3 pairing with iPhone
Get yours before they're all gone.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for an Apple fan? Pick up a brand-new pair of AirPods for as little as $99.

Amazon is offering notable discounts of up to $70 on almost all AirPods models for a limited time only. Enjoy them while you can!

Next-gen AirPods Pro could bring new design, better chip in late 2022

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Next-gen AirPods Pro concept
They could look a little like this.
Concept: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

We could be waiting close to a year for Apple’s much-anticipated AirPods Pro upgrade, but according to one analyst, it will be well worth the wait. The next-generation buds are expected to deliver a brand-new design and a better chip.

They could also be Apple’s first headphones with fitness tracking capabilities.

AirPods on acid: See the evolution of Apple’s wireless buds like never before

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AirPods Pro CT scan
A CT scan reveals the insides of AirPods Pro in the prettiest way possible.
Photos: Scan of the Month

Ever wondered what your favorite wireless headphones might look like during a weird acid trip? Find out right here (while sober) with these mesmerizing CT scans of AirPods, which showcase the evolution of Apple’s buds on the inside.

AirPods have seen some surprisingly big changes since their initial introduction in late 2016. Here’s how Apple made them better — and even more compact.

Just how cool will Apple’s VR headset be? [The CultCast]

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The CultCast: Are you ready for Apple VR headset?
Are you really ready for VR?
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Let’s talk about the virtual reality headset Apple supposedly will unleash next year. Will it happen? What will it do? And do we even want it to happen?

Also on The CultCast:

  • Maybe AirPower isn’t dead — and maybe something even more amazing is on the horizon.
  • Tesla Cyberwhistle FTW.
  • Our first round of Gear of the Year picks.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Check out these crazy translucent AirPods prototypes

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AirPods-Pro-teardown-1
The real translucent AirPods don’t reveal their internal components quite this well.
Photo: iFixit

AirPods come in white, white and also white. But a collector scored a prototype pair in very unusual translucent blue casings.

Taste a rare look at a product that’ll never hit store shelves.

Apple hasn’t given up on making a do-it-all charger for multiple devices

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AirPods on AirPower
AirPower might be dead, but the dream lives on.
Photo: Apple

Apple continues to work on a wireless charger, similar to the abandoned AirPower mat, that will allow users to charge multiple devices simultaneously, according to a new report. The company also hopes to develop truly wireless charging in the future.

Cupertino reportedly is working on “short and long distance” charging solutions that don’t require physical contact. It also wants to give all major Apple devices the ability to charge each other.

The best Cyber Monday deals on Apple’s hottest devices

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Apple Cyber Monday deals
Enjoy the discounts before they disappear.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Black Friday is over for another year, but Cyber Monday has just begun, which means there’s still time to enjoy big discounts on Apple devices.

AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad and more are currently available at tasty discounts from third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. And to make shopping a little easier, we rounded up all the best deals on Apple’s hottest gear.

Next year’s iMac Pro sounds like a screamer! [The CultCast]

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An iMac Pro with 2x the processing power of the M1 Max? Is Apple crazy?!?
An iMac Pro with 2x the processing power of the M1 Max? Is Apple crazy?!?
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: If you thought the M1 Max MacBook Pros were powerhouses, wait till you hear about the iMac Pro that might be coming down the pike. Apple reportedly wants to double up the world-beating chip to amp up the performance even more. Prepare to be amazed!

Also on The CultCast:

  • Black Friday deals on Apple gear and The Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition coffee table book.
  • AirPods are not for late-night snacking!
  • And new products we love in “Under Review.”

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Maximize your iPhone trade-in by cutting Apple out of equation

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Sell your old iPhone today
The quick and easy way to make the most from your old iPhone.
Photo: Aaron Yoo

Apple just gave customers another big reason to avoid its trade-in service by slashing prices on almost all iPhone models. Instead, sell your old handset to Cult of Mac to make more from it, and get real cash you can spend anywhere.

Find out how much your old iPhone is worth today in just a few simple steps, and secure your quote for 14 days.

Get up to $200 back when you shop at Apple this Black Friday

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Apple Black Friday 2021
But you won't get real cash.
Photo: Apple

Apple is offering customers up to $200 back in Apple Store gift cards when they buy eligible products this Black Friday. Its four-day shopping event runs from November 26, and you can enjoy in in-store, online, and over the phone.

Find out what you’ll get back on certain products right here.

Apple needs to take the frustration out of AirPods firmware updates

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Apple needs to take the frustration out of AirPods firmware updates
AirPods firmware updates shouldn’t be so frustrating.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

What’s in that firmware update for a couple of AirPods that came out Tuesday. Who the hell knows?!? Apple doesn’t announce updates for its truly wireless headphones — and won’t tell anyone what’s in them. It’s very frustrating.

Apple’s attempt at making AirPods firmware updates simple instead makes them way more complicated than necessary. Currently, they happen in the background, but what’s really needed is an “Update Now” button.

Sleek new Satechi 3-in-1 magnetic charger powers up iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch

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The new Satechi 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger features a black finish and steel-and-aluminum construction.
The new Satechi 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger features a black finish and steel-and-aluminum construction.
Photo: Satechi

Satechi rolled out a new 3-in-1 MagSafe-compatible charger on Thursday to help users power up their iPhones, AirPods and Apple Watches. The sleek black Satechi 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger features a hands-free, adjustable, MagSafe-compatible mount for your phone, plus solid steel-and-aluminum construction.