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.
Evans Hankey, fourth from left in the front row, is leaving Apple. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Three years after the influential Jony Ive vacated the role of hardware design chief at Apple, it’s opening up again, according to a report.
Vice President of Industrial Design Evans Hankey, who stepped into the top job in 2019, plans to step down. And Cupertino hasn’t said yet who will take over when she goes.
A backyard shed-based setup works especially well when weather isn't much of a concern. This one is in California. Photo: [email protected]
As winter shambles coldly toward much of the U.S. and the world, feast your eyes on a beautiful, custom-built backyard shed housing a hot Mac mini computer setup (in the photo above). It doesn’t even need heating because it’s in California. Jealous yet?
Today’s featured setup pairs a Mac mini with dual HP displays, a Logitech webcam designed for the Pro Display XDR and some slick audio gear we haven’t seen before.
Mujjo's leather wallet case carries up to three cards. Photo: Mujjo
There’s nothing like leather to add stylish protection to your iPhone. If you have a new iPhone 14, it’s a good idea to dress up that pricey device in a high-quality leather case that’ll protect the handset and look good doing it.
For whichever iPhone 14 model you have, you can find eight Mujjo leather and leather-wallet iPhone 14 cases in the Cult of Mac Store.
The "low-profile" keyboard is shorter than your average mechanical keeb. Photo: Keychron
Keychron launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign Wednesday for its slim, highly customizable new K3 Pro mechanical keyboard. The company called it “the first-ever low profile mechanical keyboard to come with wireless connectivity and support QMK/VIA.”
And it’s “the first keyboard to ever be equipped with double-shot PBT low profile keycaps,” the company added.
The funding campaign has already eclipsed its initial campaign goal, so the product is likely to ship, just as the original K3 did.
At $400, KEF's new premium entry directly competes with flagship cans that are less costly than Apple's. Photo: KEF
With Apple’s top-shelf AirPods Max over-ear active noise cancelling (ANC) wireless headphones due for a refresh, competitors keep coming with hot new products.
High-end audio maker KEF jumped into the market for the first time this week with its KEF Mu7 headphones, not long after venerable brand Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) rolled out its newest flagship, the PX8.
The ultra-wide 1440p display shown here can be had for about $300. Photo: [email protected]
Once you shell out a couple thousand bucks or more for a marvelous Mac Studio desktop machine, how do you add an ultra-wide display without running up your already-tortured credit cards?
Today’s featured dual-monitor Mac Studio setup solved the problem by going back in time. Its owner added an ultra-wide display — and much of the other gear in the workstation — from a few years ago.
Momax Vertical Laptop Stand Holder is a good place for your MacBook and your iPhone or iPad. Photo: Momax
This post on unique MacBook, iPad and iPhone stands is brought to you by Momax.
It can pay to place your most important devices on stands, like your MacBook, iPad and iPhone. It usually makes them easier to view and use while also creating some extra space on the desktop for other items or uses, and out of the way of spills and other workstation calamities.
If you need a stand for a laptop, tablet or smartphone, Momax features a whole lineup. And better yet, as a Cult of Mac reader, you can get 10% off any purchase, plus an extra 5% off if you buy more than one item. See below.
The gang of third-string MI5 agents from Slough House are back for season 2. Photo: Apple TV+
It looks like something big and bad is about to happen to London, and it may fall to a team of remedial MI5 back-benchers to step up and stop it.
That’s at least according to the season 2 trailer of the darkly comedic Apple TV+ espionage thriller Slow Horses, which dropped Wednesday. The series resumes December 2. Watch the trailer below.
The action-thriller "Echo 3" will feature English and Spanish dialogue. Photo: Apple TV+
When a young American scientist goes missing on the Columbia-Venezuela border, all hell breaks loose. You can get a taste of the madness and mayhem, and the intense political overtones, in the Echo 3 trailer Apple TV+ released Tuesday.
The 10-episode action series, starring Luke Evans and Michiel Huisman, debuts November 23 on Apple TV+.
The thin and light MagSafe case comes in solid black or frosted clear (shown in photo) colors. Photo: Totallee
iPhone case maker Totallee launched a set of minimalist cases when the iPhone 14 series launched in September. Now it adds a MagSafe choice to the line in solid black and frosted clear colors that will work on magnetic chargers.
Totallee is known for its minimalism. Its exceptionally thin and light cases feature zero branding, even. Not a logo to be seen. And this new case is no different.
It looks like a nice iPad 10 accessory, but it's not cheap. Photo: Apple
Along with the redesigned 10th-gen iPad that Apple released Tuesday, the company rolled out the first Magic Keyboard Folio to go with the entry-level tablet. The new iPad accessory adds function keys — a first for Apple’s iPad keyboards.
While the iPad 10 costs much more than previous versions, starting at $449 instead of $329, if you want the detachable keyboard and stand Apple now makes for it, you have to add another $249.
That completes your basic iPad experience for a pretty penny. And the new Magic Keyboard Folio only comes in white, by the way.
VogDUO's leather-wrapped wireless chargers can add luxury to your everyday carry. Photo: VogDUO
This post on Apple accessories is brought to you by VogDUO.
VogDUO makes stylish but practical accessories for Apple gear. They include a leather-clad, 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger that can power up your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all at the same time, while adding a bit of luxury to your home or workplace.
And for a short time, if you buy one of those, you’re not just adding a touch of class to your space. With your purchase, you can get a powerful 10,000mAh USB-C Power Go Power Bank for free.
An iPhone case doesn't have to hide the handset. Photo: SwitchEasy
Searching for the perfect transparent iPhone 14 case to protect and show off your gorgeous new handset? Look no further. SwitchEasy has a brilliant contender. They call it “Crush.” The crystal-clear case uses an air barrier for optimal shock-proofing, in addition to other treatments to increase durability.
And you can get it right now at a great price in the Cult of Mac Store.
See the cables? It's pretty easy to neaten those up by putting the dock under the desk. Photo: [email protected]
Maybe you can’t be bothered to fuss over cable management. But some tricks for a cleaner-looking computer setup are so easy anybody can pull them off with minimal effort. Take today’s featured MacBook Pro setup, for example.
Its owner is primarily concerned about replacing aging dual displays, and we’ll cover some advice on that. But he also gets a valuable lesson about how to present a cleaner workstation by making one simple change.
Write or draw like it's real paper with this iPad screen protector. Photo: SwitchEasy
If you’re like me, you love your iPad for its many uses and its portability. And an Apple Pencil is fun to use for both writing and drawing on the tablet. But wouldn’t it be more rewarding if it felt more like writing and drawing on real paper?
This may be why I still use an old-school notebook for most of my notes and doodles. But now the SwitchEasy PaperLike iPad Screen Protectors offers an inexpensive way to make the iPad screen feel more like paper when you use Pencil.
And better yet, you can get the screen protector at 20% off in the Cult of Mac Store from October 14 through October 21. That’s a savings of $6.
Those who use Roku streaming devices will find the new smart-home gear, like the doorbell camera, integrate seamlessly. Photo: Roku
Roku is best-known for its streaming media devices. But it’s branching out with a whole-home strategy that will see a range of smart-home gadgets, including security cameras, lights and plugs, go on sale next week at Walmart, the company said.
But a report indicates the company isn’t saying yet whether its new gadgets will work with the new Matter smart-home connectivity standard supported by Apple and other companies. It’s designed to let devices from different makers work together on systems like Apple’s HomeKit and others.
Roku’s lack of clarity is a bit odd, given that it’s among the companies supporting Matter, and that might give some would-be purchasers pause.
This moody shot doesn't show the folding MagSafe stand well, but you can see it in the images below. Photo: [email protected]
Once in a while a computer setup comes along that shows off its owner’s invention. Sometimes it’s something perfectly utilitarian and sometimes it’s something weird and wonderful (examples below).
In today’s featured MacBook Pro and Intel NUC PC setup, we find a nifty folding MagSafe charging stand just about to go on the market.
The desk mat's charging panel is a convenient place to top off your smartphone and earbuds charging case. Photo: Journey
You may not consider the humble desk mat a necessity in your computer setup. But what if you could charge your smartphone and earbuds charging case just by placing them on your desk? You can with the new Alti Wireless Charging Desk Mat. Accessories maker Journey unveiled it Thursday.
“This charging mat is our all-in-one solution to keeping your desk clutter-free while simultaneously charging your devices. We promise that it will soon become your favorite desk companion,” the company said.
★★★★☆
The 5-foot braided cable that comes with the charger is one of its highlights. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
In the fast-growing world of increasingly compact-yet-powerful gallium nitride (GaN) chargers, Ugreen is a player. The company has expanded its line of multiport chargers and recently sent me its Nexode 140W model to try out.
I found it potent, reasonably compact and a fine purchase for most people who need to charge laptops, tablets, smartphones and other devices — especially if they can get it at the discount below, which makes it an exceptional value.
SwitchEasy's aluminum alloy case protects Apple Watch and looks good doing it. Photo: SwitchEasy
If you spend a few hundred bucks or more on an Apple Watch, you may want to protect it. People put their iPhones in cases all the time, so why not Apple’s wearable?
Good thing SwitchEasy makes a pair of aluminum cases that are protective yet subtle, saving your smartwatch from bumps, scrapes and drops.
And through October 13, you can get 20% off the cases in the Cult of Mac Store.
Ryan Reynold share a new enthusiasm for tap dancing in the teaser for the Apple TV+ musical "Spirited." Photo: Apple TV+
How many times have you watched the many-and-varied film-and-TV versions of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol? You know, Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, bad dreams, redemption. Well, if you haven’t heard, the story has once again clawed its way out of the grave.
Apple TV+ dropped a teaser trailer Wednesday for its new version, the comedy-musical Spirited set for release in theaters November 11 and on the streaming service November 18.
This time it looks like a contemporary take, with Ghost of Christmas Present Will Ferrell trying to drag corporate-executive-looking Ryan Reynolds into a vision that includes big dance numbers.
This setup just added an LG UltraFine display, but it's the pegboards behind it everybody's raving about. Photo: [email protected]
Sometimes the hero of a computer setup isn’t the computer itself. And it may not be a slick external display or other peripherals, either. In today’s featured MacBook Pro setup, a newly added LG UltraFine display gets some attention, but the real star is something a bit more pedestrian mounted on the wall behind it.
Pegboards may have no world-changing technology built into them, but they can radically change your setup for the better as an inventive storage and charging solution.
The new Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is only about 2 inches high. Photo: Bose
Bose took a further step into the compact, affordable soundbar market Monday with release of its new Smart Soundbar 600. It looks set to compete in a growing pool of home-theater audio products that don’t break the bank.
Featuring Dolby Atmos, Bose “TrueSpace” and AirPlay 2 technology, the slender speaker goes for $499, Bose said.
The Roborock S7+ can automatically switch from mopping floors to vacuuming carpets. Photo: Roborock
This post on smart vacuums is brought to you by Roborock.
Hate the drudgery of vacuuming and mopping the floors in your house or apartment? You might be surprised how brilliant robot smart vacuums have become lately. They can do much of the work for you, with remarkable efficiency.
And this week you can take advantage of Roborock’s deep discounts on 10 advanced models of robot vacuum cleaners, saving you hundreds of dollars in some cases.
Laut Shield's soft inner layer and a tough outer layer keep your iPhone 14 safe. Photo: Laut
Anyone who recently nabbed a fancy new iPhone 14 faces the question: Do I trust the device’s built-in durability, or do I put it in a case? Your iPhone may be tough, but is it tough enough to withstand you dropping it all over the place? Most people still elect to use cases because they can add both style and protection at a low cost.
A great option for stylish handset protection in the Cult of Mac Store is the Laut Shield case, new for the iPhone 14 lineup. Its dual-layer design is highly protective and it comes in six interesting colors.