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Apple Pencil - page 4

Save $30 on a brand-new Apple Pencil 2 — now just $99

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Apple Pencil 2 in Hand
Bag yours before the discount disappears!
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Pick up the newest Apple Pencil for iPad with a generous $30 off the usual price from Best Buy. The saving applies to brand-new units backed by a one-year Apple warranty, which are now just $99.

The discount won’t last long, so enjoy it while you can.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

iPad mini will see ‘biggest redesign’ and larger display this fall

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iPad mini concept is cool but not happening.
Like the newest iPad Air, only smaller.
Concept: Parker Ortolani

Apple’s new iPad mini is on track to launch this fall with its “biggest redesign” to date, according to one reliable reporter.

The sixth-generation device, which could look like a more compact version of the iPad Air, is expected to feature a larger edge-to-edge screen. It could be powered by the lightning-fast A14 Bionic chip.

A year of effort goes into a clean and balanced look [Setups]

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Chris Reed's dual-monitor M1 MacBook Pro setup was a long time in the making.
Chris Reed's dual-monitor M1 MacBook Pro setup was a long time in the making.
Photo: Chris Reed

Working student Chris Reed told Cult of Mac he put a year of work into his “slow build” home office and computer setup. In that year he strove to achieve a clean and balanced look, and, judging by his pics and comments, it seems he got there.

Reed said he wanted to go with dual monitors rather than a wide screen display to save some money. He’s pleased with his choice of 32-inch Samsung 1080p curved monitors, run along with his 2020 MacBook Pro and his iPad Pro.

Save on some of the best accessories for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch

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Elago-Apple-Watch-stand
Get sweet, retro stands from just $11.04.
Photo: Elago

Save on some of the best accessories money can buy for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac in the Cult of Mac Store’s big Father’s Day sale. Enjoy up to 72% of cases, bands, charging stands, and more from the likes of Elago, Elkson, Monowear, and SwitchEasy.

These are limited-time offers, so enjoy them while you can!

iPad mini 6 redesign might usher in USB-C, smaller Apple Pencil

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iPad mini 6 could be the redesign so many people have been hoping for.
The iPad mini 6 will reportedly be revamped to add features from the iPad Pro and Air series.
Photo: RendersbyIan/ Front Page Tech

A significantly redesigned iPad mini 6 could drop its Lightning port in favor of USB-C, according to a new unconfirmed report. And a smaller Apple Pencil could be produced for it.

The tablet already drew quite a bit of attention because it’s expected to offer a nearly edge-to-edge screen, dumping the hefty bezels in the current version.

Keep Apple Pencil looking sharp and ready to go with this soft sleeve

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Laut Pencil Case for Apple Pencil
Available now for just $14.99.
Photo: Laut

Keep your Apple Pencil free from scuffs and scrapes and ensure it’s always easy to find with the stylish and affordable Pencil Case from Laut.

It’s soft, protective, and can be easily attached to your iPad’s case (or something else) so that you never lose it. Bag yours today from the Cult of Mac Store for under $15.

Leaker suggests Apple is gearing up to unveil new AirPods, Apple Pencil

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Like everything else, the new Apple Pencil is better.
Potentially they could debut at next week's Apple event.
Photo: Andrea Nepori

Apple may be on the verge of showing off new AirPods and a third-gen Apple Pencil, claims a tipster on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

An image, posted by user UnclePan, shows what they claim are the next-gen AirPods, along with text claiming that Apple is currently gearing up to show off the Apple Pencil.

Guitar-wielding student marshals nifty light show [Setups]

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Nanoleaf Shapes give you interesting lighting options.
Nanoleaf Shapes give you interesting lighting options.
Photo: arnaki_gkioulmpasi@reddit

If one thing catches your eye first about Redditor arnaki_gkioulmpasi’s setup, it’s probably the interesting light show on the wall behind it. That array is made up of Nanoleaf Shapes that can be arranged any which way.

Those cool-looking lights, along with a Yeelight Screen Light Bar Pro atop the Dell 32-inch curved 4K monitor and a standing lamp next to the desk, keep eyestrain to a minimum.

EasyPencil Plus is like Apple Pencil lite [Review]

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SwitchEasy EasyPencil Plus review: Inexpensive iPad stylus
This isn’t an Apple Pencil, though the SwitchEasy EasyPencil Plus looks much like Apple’s iPad stylus.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The SwitchEasy EasyPencil Plus is an iPad stylus that does most of what Apple Pencil does for a lot less money. It even magnetically clings to the iPad Pro, and works with a broad variety of Apple tablets.

I used the stylus for taking notes, sketching and photo editing. Here’s how it stood up to my everyday life.

How to draw with shape recognition in iPadOS 14

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How to draw with shape recognition in iPadOS 14
Shape recognition in iPadOS 14 makes your Apple Pencil even more useful.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Most people’s drawing skills peaked in first grade. Which means the diagrams we include in handwritten notes often look like they were drawn by a moderately skilled raccoon. Fortunately, iPadOS 14 offers shape recognition, turning our scrawls into the neat geometric shapes we envisioned.

Using this feature in Apple Notes or Email is easy. But there’s a trick to it. Here’s how to use shape recognition with an iPad and any stylus.

Apple explains the secret sauce that makes Scribble so great in iPadOS 14

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Scribble in iPadOS 14 was developed with machine learning.
Scribble in iPadOS 14 recognizes how you write, not only what you write.
Photo: Apple

Scribble handwriting recognition in iPadOS 14 is a more complex system than many might realize. Identifying letters and words goes beyond simply examining what someone has written. The iPad uses machine learning to recognize the writer’s intent through how they write, according to Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of software engineering.

When you want a desk done well, build it yourself [Setups]

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MacBook Pro Setup
That's how you build a desk on a budget.
Photo: @alexknollphoto

Alex Knoll is a professional photographer with some serious carpentry skills. When he couldn’t find a desk he liked that matched his budget, he decided to just build one himself. He sketched a plan on his iPad with the Procreate app and bought himself a few long slabs of pine and got to work. With a set of $100 table legs he bought from TableLegs.com, the total cost of the materials came out to roughly $300.

In praise of Apple Pencil [Cult of Mac Magazine 364]

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Apple Pencil is not just for artists anymore.
Apple Pencil is not just for artists anymore.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac’s Ian Fuchs says new features in iPadOS 14 make the Apple Pencil an indispensable tool — even for people who aren’t artists.

That’s the cover story in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for that story, plus the latest Apple news, leaks, how-tos and reviews. (In case you hadn’t noticed, Apple’s battle with Fortnite dev Epic Games is getting nasty.)

Scribble and Smart Selection make Apple Pencil way more productive

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Apple Pencil 2 in Hand
The Apple Pencil is fancy, and finally getting more useful.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Back when Apple introduced the Apple Pencil, the company positioned the stylus primarily as a tool for artists. And try as I might, I’ve never been particularly great at drawing. That said, it didn’t stop me from picking up an Apple Pencil to annotate documents, edit photos or use as an alternative way to touch the screen.

Then the Magic Keyboard came along with a fantastic trackpad experience. It offered a different way to interact with the screen without touching it with my finger. But now, with iPadOS 14, Apple has rewritten the story of what Apple Pencil can do, and it’s completely changed how I use my iPad once again.

7 features Apple should steal from Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra vs. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
There are some features in the new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that Apple should put in the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Samsung’s newly unveiled Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will have to take on the iPhone 12 Pro Max after Apple launches it this autumn.

Samsung’s top-tier handset offers seven features iOS fans should hope will show up in Apple’s next flagship iPhone. But the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra also has some real problems.

Best Apple Pencil alternatives for your iPad

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Adonit Note+ review
Apple Pencil isn’t the only iPad stylus. With Adonit Note+, you can draw Tippy. Or take notes, sign PDFs, and more.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPadOS 14 includes Scribble, finally allowing you to hand write text on an iPad with a stylus. If you don’t already have a stylus, there are some great options out there besides the very expensive Apple Pencil.

Here are some of the best available, so you can take full advantage of your iPad’s capabilities without paying too much.

See 5 stunning Beastie Boys posters flow from Apple Pencil

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Beastie Boys Story: Mike Diamond, Adam Yauch and Adam Horovitz in 1993 from an archival photo used in “Beastie Boys Story,” premiering globally on Apple TV+ on April 24.
Decades after they sprung into being, the Beastie Boys are still inspiring creativity.
Photo: Apple TV+

To promote its excellent Apple TV+ documentary Beastie Boys Story, Apple has debuted a short video featuring longtime artistic collaborator Geoff McFetridge discussing five posters he created for the band using an iPad and Apple Pencil. It’s pretty rad.

Check it out below.

Apple gets it ‘write’ with Scribble on iPadOS

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Scribble is the most significant new feature in iPadOS 14
Apple’s Scribble handwriting-recognition system makes iPad styli more useful.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple finally brought handwriting recognition to iPad. With Scribble built in iPadOS 14, it’s possible to enter text simply by drawing on the screen.

My testing with the first version shows its an amazing feature. But one with room for improvement.

iPadOS 14 brings huge Apple Pencil advances

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Apple Pencil just got much more useful in iPadOS 14.
Use an Apple Pencil to enter text anywhere with Scribble in iPadOS 14.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 iPad owners can use an Apple Pencil to write words into any text box thanks to iPadOS 14, which Apple announced Monday at its developers conference.

And there are other enhancements coming as well, like home screen widgets, improvements to search, and some user interface tweaks.

Apple Card users could get interest-free payment plans for iPad, Mac

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Apple Card
Apple hopes the service will boost sales.
Photo: Apple

Apple Card users could soon be offered interest-free payment plans for iPad, Mac, AirPods, and more, one report claims.

Sources say Apple is planning to roll out the new service, which will make many of its pricey products more accessible, in the coming weeks. Users will be able to spread the cost of their purchase over as many as 12 months.

iPadOS 14 expected to add new uses for Apple Pencil

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Sketching with an Apple Pencil is the merest tip of the iceberg of Apple’s suggestions for making your iPad Pro more useful.
Get ready for Apple Pencil to become useful for more than artists and students.
Screenshot: Apple

iPadOS 14 reportedly will bring multiple new features to Apple Pencil. On Tuesday came word that Safari will offer new markup tools for webpages.

An earlier report indicated the next iPadOS version could finally bring handwriting recognition to Apple tablets.