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.
Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence stars in "Causeway" on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+ unveiled the first trailer Friday for its upcoming drama Causeway, starring and produced by Oscar-winning actor Jennifer Lawrence. In the film, she portrays a wounded soldier struggling to adjust to life upon returning home to New Orleans.
Causeway premieres in theaters and on Apple TV+ on November 4.
The Ultrahuman Ring tracks metrics for your health. Photo: Ultrahuman
Ultrahuman, which runs an advanced metabolic fitness platform of the same name, introduced its new Ultrahuman Ring Friday. The metabolism-tracking wearable is available via a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.
The company said it “seeks to engage the creator community and innovate with biohackers all around the world.” The campaign runs through October 27.
A powerful M1 Max MacBook and Studio Display have no trouble with World of Warcraft. Photo: [email protected]
Who says Macs aren’t good for gaming? M1 Macs seem to be improving Apple’s reputation on that front, as shown in today’s featured M1 Max MacBook Pro computer setup.
With Apple’s most powerful laptop driving a stunning 5K Studio Display, this player is in gaming paradise. And he digs the display’s sound, too.
Not only does it play records, you can also cut your own. Photo: Teenage Engineering
It’s no secret vinyl records have made a huge comeback in recent years after being supplanted long ago by cassettes and later CDs and MP3 files. Now a new turntable, Teenage Engineering’s PO-80 Record Factory, lets you not only play vinyl but cut your own records.
And all you need to do to get started is plug an audio device into the cute orange-and-white turntable’s standard 3.5mm jack.
If you have a tough timepiece like Apple Watch Ultra, you need a rugged band to go with it. Photo: Apple
From the three bands Apple designed especially for the chunky Apple Watch Ultra to several other worthy options, you have plenty to choose from when it comes to a rugged band that can handle whatever you throw at it and Apple’s toughest timepiece.
In our roundup below, we cover Apple’s best options for bands to pair with the high-performance Apple Watch Ultra. Plus, we found other great (and more-affordable) choices from brands like Carterjett, Kordiz, Mifa, Nomad, Pinnacle and Spigen.
The M1 Max Mac Studio works great, but sometimes the LG ultra-wide display's USB-C struggles to recognize connected devices. Photo: [email protected]
Graphic design is one of the best uses of a powerful computer like the Mac Studio, assuming it’s paired with a magnificent display. In today’s featured computer setup, the Mac Studio handles the job. But the LG UltraWide monitor falls a bit short, due to some recurring connectivity issues.
And the setup features some interesting bits that might give you ideas about how to organize your own workstation.
Apple TV+ unveiled the season 2 trailer Tuesday for the Emmy-nominated series The Problem With Jon Stewart. The show premieres Friday, October 7.
“Welcome back, it is season 2 of the The Problem — this is the new variant,” Stewart says at the trailer’s opening, offering a bit of self-effacing pandemic humor.
Elago's silicone case and strap help protect AirPods Pro 2 from loss or damage. Photo: Elago
If you bought or plan to buy Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro, now’s the time to protect your fabulous wireless noise-cancelling earbuds. Elago’s got new clear or colorful cases — in clear polyurethane or colorful silicone — plus a handy strap to help you protect your buds against damage or loss.
The strap and four cases, two with a metal clip and two without, are all super-affordable right now in the Cult of Mac Store.
A new Studio Display completes the setup, joining a MacBook Pro and a raft of excellent audio gear. Photo: [email protected]
You, like many people, may build your computer setup around a MacBook Pro. But is yours the “standard setup” for MacBook Pro users?
If you answered “there’s no such thing,” you’re right. That’s why we were surprised to see a reference to such a standard in reaction to a setup with a MacBook Pro, a new Studio Display, an excellent CalDigit dock and a raft of excellent audio gear that not everyone has or even knows about. But maybe they should.
The new Soundcore Liberty 4 wireless ANC earbuds feature heart-rate tracking. Photo: Soundcore by Anker
Soundcore rolled out its new flagship Liberty 4 wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) on Friday with some upgrades.
And one of those upgrades might get under Apple’s skin a little bit. That would be heart rate monitoring via an in-ear sensor, which has so far failed to materialize in Apple’s AirPods line despite persistent rumors.
A poor AirPods Pro 2 fit is troubling, but it's not hard to fix with after-market ear tips. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
No one wants to spend $250 on a set of outstanding wireless noise-cancelling earbuds — let’s say, second-generation AirPods Pro — only to find they don’t fit well, even with a choice of ear tip sizes.
But unfortunately, it can happen. It happened to me, actually. But once I explored after-market ear tips (the part that goes into your ear canal), I quickly solved the problem at minimal expense.
It's a go-anywhere, do-anything Apple Watch band. Photo: Mifa
Your search for a perfect sports strap for your Apple Watch could be over. The Mifa Nylon Sports Leather Apple Watch Band might just be the ideal go-anywhere, do-anything accessory for your wearable — especially if it’s space gray.
And through September 30, you can get 20% off the tactical, sporty utility band in the Cult of Mac Store. That’s a savings of $5.
Tim Cook speaks with university students in Naples, Italy, after accepting an honorary Master's degree. Photo: Federico II online canale 1
Apple CEO Tim Cook’s unannounced European tour has taken him to the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy so far. And on one of his latest stops, he received an honorary master’s degree Thursday from the Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II in Naples, Italy.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by an institution with such a distinguished history, one that has nurtured Italy’s brightest young minds for nearly 800 years,” Cook said, accepting the honorary master’s degree for innovation and international management.
Just try to stay in the warm glow of that duck and you might get some work done. Photo: [email protected]
You can amass an array of the world’s most formidable tech gear and photograph it, but if you get a cute animal in the frame — living or inanimate — that’s where all eyes will go.
Today’s clean MacBook Pro setup boasts a 34-inch curved ultra-wide display, a custom mechanical keyboard and other cool stuff.
A commemoration of the haenyeo stands on Jeju Island. Photo: Pixabay
“Korea’s mermaids,” also affectionally known as “rowdy grandmas,” are elderly free divers who for generations have caught seafood off South Korea’s Jeju Island to feed their community.
They’re known in Korean as the haenyeo. Apple TV+ said Tuesday an upcoming documentary film will tell their story, including how younger generations are filling their ranks to keep the time-honored — and environmentally sustainable — tradition from dying out.
Timeless style and protection? Go with leather. Photo: Journey
Accessories brand Journey rolled out full-grain leather cases for the iPhone 14 soon after Apple rolled out the handsets. The new cases can protect your pricey new handset in falls up to 6 feet. And the minimalistic, modern cases are practical, durable and stylish, Journey said.
This setup has been massively upgraded for better video calls and overall sound quality. Photo: Santego
Cybersecurity expert Santego shared his computer setup with Cult of Mac recently, unveiling major audio-visual upgrades in the Mac Studio and ultra-wide display rig. He wanted to improve the quality of his overall sound and his video calls.
And those additions came on top of a beautifully put together setup with great connectivity, power management and backup, as well as specialized lighting and terrific input devices.
A follower of our Setups coverage, he said “You encouraged me to upgrade the space I spend 10 hours a day in working from home.”
★★★★☆
At a glance, they could be AirPods Pro, but they're AirPods Pro 2, with many internal upgrades. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro look almost exactly like the original model released in 2019. But they’re upgraded in every way that matters most, thanks mainly to the new H2 processor. In this in-depth AirPods Pro 2 review, I’ll run through all the ways Cupertino gave its flagship noise-canceling earbuds a boost.
Apple may not have gone as far as it could have in some ways. But still, the second-gen AirPods Pro are among the best earbuds on the market and a worthy upgrade for almost anyone. They’re particularly great for those who use lots of Apple gear and love how seamlessly their devices can work together.
Let’s take a look at, and a listen to, the second-gen AirPods Pro, aka AirPods Pro 2.
Up for feats of endurance? Nomad's rugged new Ultra Orange limited-edition accessories could be for you. Photo: Nomad
If you’ve got a new iPhone 14 or an Apple Watch Ultra, it’s time to get tough about protecting them.
Good thing Nomad rolled out its special-edition Ultra Orange iPhone 14 case and Apple Watch Ultra band just for the occasion, now available for preorder at a discount.
And they’re not kidding about “ultra orange.” They’re vividly colored accessories.
The DAC is the little gadget to the left of the monitor. Photo: [email protected]
If you’re at all into audio equipment, you’ve probably heard of a digital-to-analog converter, or DAC. You might think it’s a fancy thing for rich audiophiles. But, actually, even you already have a few DACs if you have gadgets that make sound, like a computer, tablet and smartphone.
But not every DAC is created equal. Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup illustrates the point by going to the trouble of adding a standalone DAC in between a laptop and a pair of excellent powered speakers.
2022's Super Bowl LVI halftime show featured Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem (not pictured). Photo: NFL
The National Football League brokered a multiyear deal with Apple to bring the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show to one of the world’s biggest stages, the league said Friday.
The new halftime show debuts at Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, February 12, 2023. But most details about it have yet to take the field.
You can use a smartphone or the touchscreen or keypad on the lock. Photo: Yale
Yale, long known for its old-school locks, updated its Assure smart lock series Thursday. In addition to being 30% smaller than the original Assure smart locks, the new Assure Lock 2 models work with HomeKit and Siri voice control.
AirPods Pro 2 look pretty much the same as the original, but they're better in nearly every way. Photo: Apple
Reviews of Apple’s new AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) are rolling in. The overwhelming consensus? The design is only slightly changed from the first-generation buds, but almost everything else is improved, with a few minor caveats.
They’re better than the original where it counts most: Higher sound quality, stronger ANC, more controls, longer battery life and an improved wireless charging case.
In short, given that the wildly popular AirPods Pro launched way back in 2019, it’s time for an upgrade for most people.
Wondershare FamiSafe helps you keep track of your kids. Photo: Artem Podrez@Pexels
This parental control app post is presented by Wondershare.
Do you know what your kids are doing right now? These days, parents typically keep a pretty close eye on their children’s whereabouts and activities. And technology can help you do an even better job of it, thanks to apps like Wondershare FamiSafe.
FamiSafe lets you control kids’ screen time, detect inappropriate content on their devices, and track their locations in real time. In this article, we’ll cover FamiSafe’s benefits with a focus on live location tracking. Because if you don’t know where they are, you can’t keep them safe.