David Snow - page 123

As many folks know by now, the new iPhone 13 series has a re-shaped and enlarged camera bump. That means some  magnetic battery packs may not fit properly. Accessories maker Ampere is rolling out its new Jetpack power bank to address that — it’s “optimized for iPhone 13” — while juicing your iPhone 12 or 13 with a full 15W of power. That’s great, as Apple limits many third-party chargers to 7.5W.

In the expanding world of smart home accessories, window blinds are among the most complicated items to install and use. But Eve Systems and window-covering retailer Coulisse have announced they’re about to change that with Eve MotionBlinds. The HomeKit-enabled motorized blinds — the first to support the Thread standard — will come out early in 2022.

Kanto has rolled out a pair of high-quality speaker stands it said can help clarify your sound system’s audio, isolate vibration and even organize some of your cable clutter. You can get the Kanto SX Series Floor Speaker Stands in two sizes: 22 inches high and 26 inches high.

A lot of computer setups we run across online look staged. They’re so perfectly, well, you know — set up. They boast impressive equipment. Some exhibit a spare beauty one would almost hate to disturb. Others scream hardcore productivity like the fate of all the companies in the Fortune 500 company rest solely upon them.

With plans underway to build two adjoining facilities on the border of Los Angeles and Culver City, Apple has signaled it means business in the entertainment industry. The new development will serve as its regional headquarters, the Cupertino tech giant said.

Apple welcomed 100 students, aged 18 to 60, to its first Developer Academy this week, located in Detroit. The academy offers students courses on coding, design, marketing and project management.

It’s “an effort to address systemic racism and expand opportunities for communities of color across the country,” the Cupertino tech giant said Thursday.

Marc Drucker serves as an associate director and technical lead for a pharmaceutical company in Menlo Park, California. Having shifted fully to working from home, he found his computer setup — his WFH rig — running so well and looking so clean, he decided to send it in to Cult of Mac.

Among the words he used to describe his WFH rig were ideal and perfect. We talked to him about what works so well for him in his workstation and included his answers, below.

Soundcore by Anker rolled out the new version of its top earbuds, the Liberty 2 Pro set. The new Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds are 30% smaller and, like their predecessors, have no stem. But they feature a more powerful driver, personalized active noise cancellation (ANC) and a more comfortable fit, the company said.

Not too long ago you didn’t have a whole lot of choices for high-quality cameras to run with Apple’s HomeKit system, but that’s changing all the time. For example, Zorachka has released its new, high-end Homam 64GB camera. It joins recent offerings from the likes of Aquara, Eufy, Eve and others.

Audio engineer Axel Grell designed Sennheiser’s much-admired HD580 and HD800 headphones. Then he left the company in 2019 to start Grell Audio. And now he offers a pair of premium, true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) called Grell TWS-1 for the not-too-lofty price of $199.99.

Apple TV+ plans a Dec. 10, debut for its first new Peanuts special after a deal struck with production companies last year. Entitled For Auld Lang Syne, it features the classic gang of cartoon kids trying to throw the greatest-ever New Year’s Eve party.

In the world of computer setups, space is often at a premium. When you’ve got computers, displays, peripherals, gadgets and cables, you need some surface area. But not everyone has a big desk, much less more than one. That’s where certain types of stands and mounting arms come in handy.

There’s nothing like toiling over a computer setup until you get it just how you like it. Of course, that can mean many different things to different people. Some folks’ setups are as austere as a monk’s workbench while others look like Mission Control on steroids.

Redditor PlaZma64 recently drew attention to their newly completed setup with a post entitled, “Finally got my setup how I like it.” It’s centered on a MacBook Pro, an iPad Pro and a slew of Apple peripherals.

The new M1 iPad mini garners rave reviews for its powerful performance and easily handled size. The M1 Mac mini is well-established as a compact but capable desktop machine. The HomePod mini smart speaker has flourished after the demise of the full-sized HomePod. So it’s no wonder to see “all mini” computer setups cropping up.

At Cult of Mac we’re always going on about M1 Macs, but here’s something for the Intel Mac crowd. OWC launched a new DisplayPort adapter allowing you to connect two 4K displays or one 8K display to your Intel-based Mac or iPad using a single Thunderbolt port.

Moft said it designed its stylish new MagSafe-compatible Snap Case with extra magnetic strength to ensure secure attachment of the company’s updated Snap-on Stand & Wallet as well as other MagSafe accessories to your iPhone 12 or 13 series handset.

You’ve got to love somebody bragging about getting their computer setup’s cable management down to one cord, because it’s never really one cord. They don’t mean it literally. It’s just that one cord to a hub or dock helped reduce their previously tangled mess of cables splaying out all over the place.

Dodocase has come out with iPhone 13 series versions of its popular collection of leather and textile-based iPhone cases, including the Durable Wallet, Shockproof CardCase, Lorna Wallet, All-Leather Angle Viewer and custom-made options. Pricing starts at $45.

Accessories-maker Laut just delivered eight new iPhone 13 cases into the Cult of Mac Store, including two MagSafe-compatible options. Several of the models offer significant protection for your expensive new handset.

Eight different models is a fair number of options. But you really need all the choices you can get, considering the recent news that most older iPhone cases won’t fit the iPhone 13 series.

Apple updated its iWork suite of productivity apps — Keynote, Pages and Numbers — with new features Tuesday that enable users to make presentations in new ways and help them work better with documents on the go.

With many new iPhones 13s already shipped to customers and many more on the way, now’s the time for folks to find the right case to protect their new investment. Accessories makers have obliged with many, many choices, from minimalistic to stylish to super-tough.

We offer a top 10 list below, but not a ranked one, because that would be comparing apples and oranges, so to speak. Several different types of cases are included.

Top-selling smartphone case brand Otterbox has rolled out a full line of cases for the new iPhone 13 series, including an assortment of fun, functional and protective models. The new Aneu series is sold by Apple and the Defender series is as tough as they come.

Finland-based student and photographer Lauri Rämä pores over finance and accounting texts in hopes of getting a Master’s degree. He uses his spare and simple MacBook Pro computer setup mainly for studying and editing, he said.

With iOS 15’s biggest-ever update to Apple Maps, the Cupertino tech giant said users in several major cities can experience a 3D view with rich detail, enhanced navigation, immersive walking directions and more.

This iPhone 13 cases post is brought to you by Totallee.

Totallee makes some of the thinnest and lightest iPhone 13 cases you can get, so you can protect and show off your new smartphone without adding bulk. The company has been making slim and sleek cases for iPhones since 2013, developing a reputation for protecting the devices without distracting too much from their beauty.