David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
A survey ranked Tim Cook fourth most-popular CEO, according to employees. Image: Canva
Apple CEO Tim Cook place fourth on a list ranking CEOs by popularity according to employees. Blind Workplace Insights released it this week.
Tech, e-commerce and finance leaders dominated the high end of the Blind professional social network’s list. But tech firms were no stranger to the low end, either.
However you celebrate in the deep, dark winter, these lights can help. Photo: Nanoleaf
New Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Holiday String Lights — with support for the new Matter standard and all smart-home plaforms, including HomeKit — are coming in time for winter holidays, the company said Thursday.
Or maybe even in time for Halloween, for that matter. At any rate, it’s almost time to get festive.
This guy claims two Magic Trackpads is the way to go. Photo: [email protected]
From time to time we see setups with both a Magic Trackpad and a mouse because of their different peculiarities — mainly because many people find trackpads especially good for gesturing. But why would you use two Magic Trackpads?
Well, today’s MacBook Pro setup with dual Studio Displays and dual Magic Trackpads provides a use case.
Austin Butler, who recently played Elvis Presley, stars in the show. Photo: Apple
Apple TV+ provided a first look Thursday at upcoming World War II drama series Masters of the Air, from the team behind the acclaimed wartime series Band of Brothers and The Pacific. That would be Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman.
So the gritty and realistic WWII action continues, and that’s OK by me. The new nine-episode series follows the harrowing missions of an 8th U.S. Army Air Force bomber group as it helped defeat Nazi Germany.
Students at TechConnect learn the fundamentals of coding while programming robots using iPad. Photo: Apple
Apple’s Community Education Initiative (CEI) brings “coding, creativity and career opportunities to learners of all ages, and to communities that are traditionally underrepresented in technology,” the tech giant said in a new feature story about its outreach success in Houston.
The article focuses on programs including TechConnect, which gives iPads to kids in various training projects. It joined the initiative in 2022.
That's an HP Pavilion desktop machine running macOS. Photo: [email protected]
The quote in the headline above may be overly dramatic. Steve Jobs might not give a hoot that someone’s running macOS on an HP desktop machine. But the discussion on social media about whether it’s even worth it to bother with a hackintosh anymore is pretty interesting.
And if you’re into gaming, check out this guy’s mechanical keyboard and mouse.
"The Buccaneers" are coming to raid English manors. Photo: Apple
Olivia Rodrigo’s hit single “all-american bitch” and other tunes by women drive the new trailer Apple TV+ dropped Wednesday for The Buccaneers. The tale, set in 1870s England, comes from Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel of the same name, in which rich young American women mix it up with powerful English nobles.
It’s not the first series to pump out an anachronistic soundtrack. It debuts on Apple TV+ November 8 with three episodes. The remaining five come out on Wednesdays through December 13.
As part of a trend among streaming services, Netflix will jack up the price of ad-free streaming soon. Photo: Netflix
With the writers and actors strikes now over if tentative agreements hold, Netflix plans to raise its ad-free streaming subscription price soon, joining other streaming platforms in doing so, a report said Tuesday.
Add your PayPal or Venmo credit or debit cards to Apple Wallet for use with Apple Pay. Photo: PayPal
If you use Apple Wallet and Apple Pay, now you can add your PayPal and Venmo credit and debit cards to the mix for easy payment on the go using iPhone or Apple Watch, PayPal said Wednesday.
This follows a previous PayPal announcement in November 2022 and some testing earlier this year.
Apple Original special The Velveteen Rabbit debuts on November 22. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+ set a slate of kids-and-family specials Tuesday for the upcoming holiday season, including the new Apple Original special The Velveteen Rabbit, based on Margery Williams’ beloved children’s book, on November 22.
But that’s not all. New holiday-themed episodes from series The Snoopy Show, Frog and Toad and Shape Island premiere December 1. And a special New Year’s Eve-themed episode of Sago Mini Friends comes out December 22.
Some Peanuts classics will stream for free, too — you don’t need to subscribe to Apple TV+ to see the classic Charlie Brown shows for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Academy Award winner Peter Capaldi (left) and Cush Jumbo star in Criminal Record, premiering with the first two episodes on January 12 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple
Apple TV+ unveiled a first look Tuesday at Criminal Record, an eight-episode crime thriller in which brilliant detectives clash over a high-profile murder in London.
Debuting January 12, the series stars Academy Award and BAFTA award winner Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who, The Thick of It) and Laurence Olivier Award and Critics Choice Award nominee Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife, The Good Fight, The Beast Must Die).
A Plugable Thunderbolt 4 dock (TBT4-UDX1) sits on a desk with multiple devices connected. Photo: Plugable
A new Plugable docking station provides 10 ports for Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 laptops, including support for dual 4K displays at 60Hz, the company said upon rolling out the new device Tuesday.
Why not grab Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $25 off? Photo: Apple
Apple Watch Ultra 2 only just started shipping, yet Amazon currently offers it at a new low price — $774 instead of $799. That’s a savings of just $25, but it beats paying full price.
This setup lost one of the three display in a recent move. Photo: [email protected]
Today’s featured computer setup isn’t turning heads for its Apple gear — just a 2019 MacBook Pro — but its displays deserve a good look. The Mac goes through a Razer Thunderbolt 3 dock as it drives an “odd couple” of displays — a huge, curved LG 5K2K monitor and a tiny LG portable display.
And don’t miss the audio gear in the gear list below, either. It’s good stuff.
Apple may lay out big money for one of the world's major sports. Photo: Chris [email protected]
Somewhat like soccer, outside of the United States Formula 1 racing is really big. And Apple wants those exclusive streaming rights enough to think about putting the pedal to the metal with a $2 billion bid for them, according to a report.
The Slopes tracking app for skiers and snowboarders is now updated for iOS 17 and watchOS 10. Photo: Slopes
As fall rolls toward winter in much of the world, it’s time for skiers and snowboarders to get ready to hit the slopes. And major updates in the popular Slopes tracking app offer a lot of great new features for just that.
The app’s slogan is “Track your edge,” and the new version gives you plenty of ways to do it with iOS 17 and watchOS 10.
International soccer legend Lionel Messi is now a fixture with MLS club Inter Miami CF. Photo: Apple
World soccer phenom Lionel Messi conquered the world. And now he’s come for the United States, according to a new documentary teaser trailer Apple TV+ dropped Monday for Messi Meets America.
The six-part series, which debuts October 11, is all about Messi’s first season with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami CF.
A ban would outlaw smartphones in schools during lessons and even on breaks. Photo: RDNE Stock [email protected]
England’s ruling Conservative Party plans to issue new guidance Monday banning smartphone use in schools, including during breaks from lessons, according to several sources.
While some schools already have restrictions in place, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan’s new guidance would set a country-wide ban.
Bluetti offers solar-powered products and practical advice on living sustainably. Photo: Bluetti
Climate change makes protecting our environment and embracing sustainable living practices more important than ever before. Impacts include warmer temperatures through increased greenhouse gases, rising sea levels, warmer oceans, more volatile weather and increasing ocean acidity.
Can true love be scientifically tested and proven? Photo: Apple
Apple TV+ debuted its first trailer Wednesday for a rare beast — a sci-fi romantic comedy. It’s called Fingernails, and its appealing cast includes Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White and Luke Wilson.
Set in and around a “love-testing institute,” the Apple Originals film debuts in New York City and Los Angeles theaters October 27 and in more theaters and on Apple TV+ November 3.
Videos online demonstrate how the Instagram app seems to be heating up iPhone and draining batteries. Photo: YouTube
With iPhone 15 Pro models getting hot in users’ hands, new theories as to why are burning up the internet. One of those blames the Instagram app running on iOS 17 — and not just with the latest iPhones.
This Mac mini user has a Dell laptop and wants to run them both with peripherals. Photo: [email protected]
Anyone looking to run different peripherals with both Mac and PC might take a look at today’s setup advice-fest. The user runs a Mac mini with dual displays and typical Apple input devices, but wants to add a Dell laptop from work into the mix.
They got plenty of advice on doing just that with the right kind of dock or KVM switch, below.
Thanks to a software patch, iPhone 12 can stay on the market in France. Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
French regulators approved Apple’s software update addressing radio-frequency radiation levels in iPhone 12 on Friday, so the handset can remain on the market in that country.
Previously, authorities ordered sales of the phone halted until it complied with European electromagnetic radiation standards.
The Enfield Poltergeist debuts October 27 on Apple TV+. Image: Apple
The story of “the most famous poltergeist haunting in history” came my way first in the form of a trailer Apple TV+ dropped Tuesday for The Enfield Poltergeist documentary series. I hadn’t heard of the case it covers.
The trailer delivers a chill or two, but it’s kind of over-the-top with the spooky narration. The four-part documentary series debuts October 27.