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David Snow - page 93

How do you fix that wobbling screen? [Setups]

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A wobbling monitor will drive you mad in short order.
A wobbling monitor will drive you mad in short order.
Photo: [email protected]

Imagine buying a massive new ultra-wide, curved monitor to display what you do on your Macs in style. But once you get it all set up, the monstrous thing won’t stop wobbling.

Today’s featured M1 MacBook Pro and Mac mini setup suffers just that problem, despite the use of a recommended monitor arm attached to a solid standing desk.

Check out the advice the user got and all the gear in play below.

After 20 years, what’s the most ‘Shazamed’ song of all time?

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Shazam, owned by Apple since 2018, turned 20 on Friday.
Shazam, owned by Apple since 2018, turned 20 on Friday.
Photo: Apple

Apple bought the popular music-recognition app Shazam, which can name any song you hear, in 2018. Friday marks the app’s 20th birthday. And this week it officially surpassed 70 billion song recognitions, Cupertino said.

That’s a lot of people in bars wondering what the tune is.

Ever wonder what song is the most “Shazamed” of all time? Well, Apple provided that nugget and many other factoids, and referred to a lot of interesting music you may want to check out.

Kim Kardashian’s Beats earbuds sold out quickly at Apple but are now on Amazon [Updated]

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The three neutral colors are designed to blend in like a proper fashion accessory.
The three neutral colors are designed to blend in like a proper fashion accessory.
Photo: Apple

Three new colors of Beats Fit Pro wireless earbuds — a collaboration between Beats and celebrity Kim Kardashian — went on sale at Apple online Tuesday and promptly sold out. But now you can get them on Amazon, too.

The three new “neutral” colors are designed to blend in more than most earphones. Following Tuesday’s launch at Apple.com/Kim, they went on sale Wednesday at select Apple Stores and resellers.

Hey podcasters, get a monstrous deal on a Blue Yeti Nano USB mic

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The Blue Yeti Nano is an easy, plug-and-play option.
The Blue Yeti Nano is an easy, plug-and-play option.
Photo: Logitech for Creators

If you’re thinking of starting a podcast — better hurry up, every single person on earth has one, it seems — you need a good USB microphone.

And now you can get a good deal on a popular one, as Amazon has knocked 30% off the regular price of a Blue Yeti Nano USB Microphone.

That’s a savings of $30 on what was already a pretty affordable mic for podcasters and streamers.

First look at Shantaram on Apple TV+ shows thrills and romance in 1980s Bombay

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“Shantaram” is a new Apple Original drama series starring Charlie Hunnam.
“Shantaram” is a new Apple Original drama series starring Charlie Hunnam.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ offered a first look at upcoming drama series Shantaram this week in the form of a photo of star Charlie Hunnam (Son of Anarchy) in character, plus a rundown of the cast and plot of the adventure-romance, set to premiere October 14.

And speaking of drama and adventure, the production ran into big trouble on the way to becoming a reality.

How Apple Watch and iPad improve national swim team’s performance

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World record holder and gold medallist swimmer, Zac Stubblety-Cook, uses Apple Watch to track his activity and manage his training load.
World record holder and gold medallist swimmer, Zac Stubblety-Cook, uses Apple Watch to track his activity and manage his training load.
Photo: Apple

Australia’s national swim team uses Apple Watch, iPad and a combination of apps to improve performance, helping the team in the most-successful period in its history, Apple said Wednesday.

As if you needed another thing to make you feel bad about skipping the lap swim at the Y this morning.

5 things to know about Bluetti’s versatile batteries for Power Week 2022

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Bluetti Power Week features great deals on premium power stations, backup batteries and more.
Bluetti Power Week features great deals on premium power stations, backup batteries and more.
Image: Bluetti

This post on power stations is brought to you by Bluetti.

Electricity, one of the most widely used forms of energy in the world, is one of modern life’s necessities. As summer burns on with record heat throughout much of the world, even a brief power outage can have catastrophic consequences.

To ease your worries about maintaining electrical power this summer, Bluetti plans a Power Week from August 18 to 28, with major savings on the company’s products. Power Week will feature Bluetti’s B230 and B300 batteries, versatile power sources that can save the day when the lights go out.

New Keychron Q9 mechanical keyboard is miniscule

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With just four rows of keys, the new Keychron Q9 mechanical keyboard features an unusually small 40% layout.
With just four rows of keys, the new Keychron Q9 mechanical keyboard features an unusually small 40% layout.
Photo: Keychron

The ninth entrant in Keychron’s custom mechanical keyboard line came out Wednesday, making it abundantly clear the company wants to cover every corner of the market. The new Q9 is for folks who want a tiny keyboard they can customize — maybe one that’s smaller than anything they’ve ever used.

As a 40% layout mini keyboard with just four rows of keys, the all-aluminum Q9 makes even a compact 60% keyboard look big.

September 7 might bring iPhone 14 unveiling

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This concept shows the new iPhone 14 in purple.
This concept shows the new iPhone 14 in purple.
Photo: Jon Prosser/Ian Zelbo

Apple’s next big product event — the release of the iPhone 14 series — will take place on September 7, according to a new report.

The event kicks off a busy release period before the end of the year, with new Macs, iPads and Apple Watches expected.

Last chance: Save $25 on compact stand that charges 4 devices at once

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Charge four devices at once with the stand.
Charge four devices at once with the stand.
Photo: SwitchEasy

Who doesn’t love saving money, saving space and saving your gadgets from running out of juice? Well, you can do all three at once when you buy a SwitchEasy 4-in-1 MagPower Charging Stand.

The compact charger powers up four devices at once. And you can get it at 30% off in the Cult of Mac Store through 11:59 p.m. PDT Wednesday, August 17, 2022. That’s a savings of about $25 on something you’re likely to use every day.

Free new GarageBand sessions teach you to remix tunes by Katy Perry and Seventeen

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Using GarageBand on iPhone and iPad, aspiring musicians can learn how to remix hit songs from Katy Perry and K-pop supergroup Seventeen.
Using GarageBand on iPhone and iPad, you can learn how to remix hit songs from Katy Perry and K-pop supergroup Seventeen.
Photo: Apple

Apple released two new GarageBand in-app Remix Sessions Wednesday for iOS and iPadOS featuring Katy Perry and K-pop phenom Seventeen.

So now’s your chance to learn how to remix hit songs by superstars on your iPhone or iPad (and you don’t need to be any sort of music pro to do it).

‘The perfect computer doesn’t exist’ [Setups]

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The biggest iPad doesn't look so big next to that mechanical keyboard.
The biggest iPad doesn't look so big next to that mechanical keyboard.
Photo: Steve Troughton-Smith

App developer Steve Troughton-Smith raised a few eyebrows recently when he tweeted a photograph of his iPad Pro propped up on a stand and hooked up to a mechanical keyboard that dwarfed it in size. It looked like some ungainly desktop machine of yesteryear.

“The perfect computer doesn’t exist,” the title read.

It would be a stretch to say Troughton-Smith does all his work on that iPad setup, but he does some of it via the tablet, he told Cult of Mac.

Go everyday glam at 66% off with Goldenerre’s Starburst Apple Watch Band

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It's glamorous, but it's not over-the-top glamorous.
It's glamorous, but it's not over-the-top glamorous.
Photo: Goldenerre

Sometimes you want to glam it up a bit, but not so much that you look silly at the laundromat. If you’d like an Apple Watch band that you can look good wearing at the burger joint, the French restaurant and the gala black-tie benefit, look no further. Goldenerre’s Starburst Apple Watch Band has you covered.

And it’s available now for a staggering 66% off in the Cult of Mac Store. That’s a savings of $56!

2021 MacBook Pro models sink to lowest-ever prices

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If you've been wanting an M1 Pro MacBook, don't miss this opportunity.
If you've been wanting an M1 Pro MacBook, don't miss this opportunity.
Photo: Apple

Amazon surfaced the lowest prices ever on certain 2021 MacBook Pro laptops Tuesday, including 14-inch and 16-inch models. Specifically, there are three options featuring the M1 Pro chip and different sizes of solid state drive (SSD).

If you’re in the market for one of those, act fast. Deals where you can lop $300 off the the usual prices don’t usually last long.

New AirVersa air purifier for HomeKit gets Thread networking support

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AirVersa's new Purelle air purifier works with HomeKit as well as the Thread wireless networking protocol.
AirVersa's new Purelle air purifier works with HomeKit as well as the Thread wireless networking protocol.
Photo: AirVersa

AirVersa’s new Purelle Smart Air Purifier for HomeKit came out on Amazon in the U.S. on Saturday. According to the company, it’s the first air purifier to support the Thread networking standard.

That Thread support will be important when the Matter home automation standard starts helping devices made by different makers work well together.

Dual Studio Displays dole out killer color consistency [Setups]

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Two Studio Displays offer identical color consistency.
Two Studio Displays offer identical color consistency.
Photo: [email protected]

If there’s one thing Apple displays are known for, it’s high prices. OK — all joking aside — if there are two things they’re known for, it’s crisp, accurate colors and being worth the price for that level of quality.

After all, those who work or play with graphics, photos, video or animation need great color.

And if you go dual-display, it helps if they’re the same model. Today’s featured Mac Studio setup, for example, corrected mismatched displays and the resulting color inconsistency by adding a second Studio Display.

Severance and Ted Lasso rake in awards from Hollywood critics

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Christopher Walken, John Turturro and Zach Cherry in “Severance” on Apple TV+. It won 5 awards from the Hollywood Critics Association.
Christopher Walken, John Turturro and Zach Cherry in “Severance” on Apple TV+. The series won 5 awards from the Hollywood Critics Association.
Photo: Apple TV+

Two of the best-loved shows on Apple TV+ — Severance and Ted Lasso — took home honors over the weekend from the Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards.

Severance won five awards, including Best Drama, and Ted Lasso won two awards, including Best Comedy. Apple TV+ topped all streaming services with 53 nominations overall.

Journey’s protective iPhone 13 leather case feels just right [Review] ★★★★☆

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I've already accidentally added some ★★★★☆
I've already accidentally added some "character" to this fine leather iPhone case. You know, scratches. Maybe they'll fade or blend in as the patina develops.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Whether you’re getting an iPhone 13 series handset at a discount because iPhone 14 is coming soon or you just want to change up your case for the iPhone you already have, you can’t go wrong with the tasteful and tough Journey iPhone 13 Leather Case.

The company sent me a MagSafe-compatible, tan-colored case for iPhone 13 Pro to try out. I found it a refreshing switch from the Apple clear MagSafe case I’d been using, which had begun to blacken at the corners over the past several months.

Save big on cloud storage with pCloud’s new family plan and back-to-school offer

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pCloud has a new family plan with 10TB of cloud storage -- and you can get up to 80% off the price!
pCloud has a new family plan with 10TB of cloud storage -- and you can get up to 80% off the price!
Photo: pCloud

This cloud storage post is presented by pCloud. 

If you’re looking for reliable cloud storage for the whole crew, pCloud’s new family plan delivers 10TB of shared storage. Plus, a great back-to-school deal can save you some serious money (up to 80% off).

The Switzerland-based company, subject to strong privacy laws, offers affordable, super-secure cloud-based storage and backup for individuals, families and businesses.

Stephen Colbert’s mashup of Severance and The Office is hilarious

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"Stephen C." annoys Irving B. at Lumon Industries in "Severance" parody.
Photo: Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert created a parody Thursday night of the psychological thriller Severance on Apple TV+. The segment’s a must-see for fans of the show, or for fans of nouveu-comedy classic The Office, which figures into the mashup heavily.

I just called Severance a psychological thriller. In his lead-in to the video, which you can watch below, Colbert was probably more accurate.

Severance is easily one of the top dystopian workplace sci-fi mystery black comedy psychological thrillers I’ve ever seen,” he deadpanned, getting a laugh.

Mac Studio workstation makeover enhances whole room [Setups]

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In an
In an "after" picture, one larger monitor on a desk shelf instead of two on the desk opens up the space nicely.
Photo: [email protected]

With so many people working from home these days, a whole lot of them spend much of their life in one room — wherever the computer setup is, that is. And that’s all the more the case in apartments and small homes. So improving the setup can have a pretty big impact.

In today’s featured Mac Studio setup, swapping out two smaller displays for one bigger one, adding a desk shelf and making a few other changes made quite a difference in enhancing the workspace.

Anker GaNPrime power bank and charging station are capable specialists [Review] ★★★★☆

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The Anker 727 Power Station, left, and Anker 733 Power Bank have your special needs covered.★★★★☆
The Anker 727 Power Station, left, and Anker 733 Power Bank have your special needs covered.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Anker deployed a whole squad of six new, compact and capable high-speed GaNPrime chargers to the charging accessory battlefield a few weeks back. They seem equipped to cover pretty much any need, taking different forms and offering different charging capacities and numbers of ports.

The company sent me a few to try out. I already reviewed the impressively potent and portable Anker 747 150W GaNPrime Charger, an adapter. Now I’ll take a look at two other forms — the Anker 733 Power Bank and the Anker 727 Power Station, which is a compact power strip.

They each address specific capabilities a lot of people might look for in a charger. You might want one of each.

Grovemade adds small and medium sizes to its desk-shelf lineup

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Now available in small and medium sizes. This one is made from walnut-based plywood.
Now available in small and medium sizes. This one is made from walnut-based plywood.
Photo: Grovemade

Accessories-maker Grovemade recently added small and medium sizes to its lineup of desk shelves, which are wooden stands or risers for monitors and laptops that help you organize and store other items.

We see the Portland, Oregon-based company’s desk shelves from time to time in people’s workstations in Setups feature articles.

And the winner of the best-macOS-wallpaper-ever tournament is …

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Is this your favorite macOS wallpaper?
Is this your favorite macOS wallpaper?
Photo: Apple

Apple aficionado Basic Apple Guy ran a “bracket” polling competition — think March Madness basketball, but without any perspiration — to determine the greatest macOS wallpaper ever. And users have spoken, according to a tweet pointing to final results Wednesday.

In a field of 18 competitors, macOS Catalina wallpaper emerged the champion (pictured above).

New Anker power bank pushes 140W to charge 3 devices

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Anker's new power bank charges three devices -- or itself -- with 140W of power.
Anker's new power bank charges three devices -- or itself -- with 140W of power.
Photo: Anker

Anker has been on a roll lately with new chargers, and it kept going Wednesday with the release of its PowerCore 24K, aka the Anker 737 Power Bank.

The gadget packs a 24,000mAh battery, three ports for charging devices (up to and including your MacBook) plus a handy digital display that shows you what the device is doing.