New in iOS 17 are interactive widgets on the Home Screen — that is, widgets that can do things, not just passively show information — and a handy one is Calcullo.
Calcullo is a $1.99 calculator widget for your Home Screen that makes it easy to tap out quick calculations on the fly.
In this week’s Awesome Apps roundup, we have a major update to Dungeon Hunter, a beloved RPG game; an RSS reader that can keep track of pretty much everything online; and a handy app for seeing what’s playing next in Apple Music.
In this week’s Awesome Apps roundup, we have a book-reading app that will help you make reading a habit; a free app that turns an iPad into an external monitor for game consoles or cameras; and a great travel app that puts critical flight information on your Apple Watch.
Although I go for almost daily bike rides for exercise, I used to always forget to record the rides on my Apple Watch. I’d always record the rides on my bike computer. But when it came to the watch, I’d never remember until halfway through the workout, if at all.
That’s until I got the Apple Watch Ultra, which boasts a bright orange Action button that I set to start an Outdoor Cycle workout.
Now, I remember every time, and it’s because of the button. It’s the strangest thing, and I have no explanation. But the act of hitting a physical button makes me remember.
The versatile Action button — which you can set to turn on the watch’s flashlight, start the stopwatch or run a shortcut, among other things — is reason enough to get the Apple Watch Ultra, which I’ve been wearing since its launch last year. But there’s another great reason. Actually, two.
This week’s Awesome Apps include a comprehensive skiing and snowboarding app with a ton of features, an app for running every aspect of a freelance business, a social network for photographers that isn’t Instagram, and a simple iPad game for dogs that also helps some humans with their anxiety.
Jolly Dog, an iPad game for dogs, is rapidly climbing the App Store charts, thanks to viral gameplay clips on social media.
Originally released in 2016, the app currently ranks No. 27 on the top free iPad apps in the United States, according to App Figures, a market research firm that provides app analytics.
I couldn’t get our dog interested in it, but plenty of pet owners say it provides lots of gameplay fun — and not just for their furry friends. Some humans enjoy playing it, too.
One of my favorite iPhone cases of all time is Spigen’s Classic C1 MagFit case. Inspired by the iconic iMac G3, the translucent case is strong, protective, easy to get on and off, and inexpensive.
I used a similar Spigen case all last year to protect my iPhone 14. The case now looks worse for wear, but the iPhone remains pristine.
Spigen updated the case in a limited run for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and in my hands-on testing, it’s as good as ever.
I’ve been using my new iPhone 15 Pro for a couple of weeks now, but I still haven’t gotten used to the new Action button.
The Action button can be configured to give easy, one-button access to a range of functions, from launching the flashlight to opening a Tesla car door.
I have mine set up to open the Camera app and then act as the shutter button. But it’s kinda useless for two reasons.
This week’s Awesome Apps include a great way to keep your Mac in tip-top shape, a desktop-style web browser for mobile, and an app for correcting your posture using your AirPods.
Humane, a startup founded by Apple veterans, will unveil its “Ai Pin” on November 9, the company said Friday. The press release offered no further details about the launch.
Last week, the company teased the Ai Pin at Paris Fashion Week. Photographers shot pictures of supermodel Naomi Campbell wearing the device — the first person to wear it in public, Humane said.
Update: We embedded a video below showing Humane’s device up close. You probably won’t be very surprised by how Apple-like it looks, given its pedigree.
I’ve spent most of my working life slumped in an office chair. Don’t get me wrong: I move around quite a lot. I start upright, and by the end of the day, I’m almost horizontal.
We all know this is very bad, but luckily help is at hand … from my AirPods!
One piece of software I consider indispensable for keeping my Mac running clean, quick and clear is CleanMyMac X by MacPaw.
CleanMyMac X packs more than 30 tools for keeping your Mac in tip-top condition, but is especially useful for clearing disc space, freeing up RAM, and deleting malware and adware. The latest version has a new, unlimited seven-day free trial, and Cult of Mac readers can get an exclusive 10% discount.
Apple is about to launch a cool new watch face for the Apple Watch Ultra called “Modular Ultra.” If you’re looking for more variety, check out the 50 best Apple Watch faces to find the perfect look for your device.
The new face does a lot: It allows up to eight complications, including the customizable bezel that can show water depth, elevation or seconds. I think it looks super-cool. And just wait until you see the night mode.
If you saw the new watch face during the Apple Watch Ultra 2 segment of Apple’s “Wonderlust” event Tuesday and want it right now, you’re in luck: It works with the original Apple Watch Ultra and is already available in the latest watchOS 10 beta.
Here’s how to download, install and customize it.
Interface designer Bas Ording is one of those little-known Apple employees who has had a huge influence on our digital lives. Ording is the brains behind the “rubber band” effect — the iconic touchscreen animation that convinced Steve Jobs to build the iPhone. During a 15-year career at Apple, Ording was responsible for a big chunk of Apple’s computing interfaces — from macOS to iOS.
You can read about his career in Unsung Apple Hero, a Cult of Mac e-book detailing his career at Apple. Just sign up for Cult of Mac Today, our free daily newsletter, or Weekender, our weekly email, and we’ll email you a copy.
The easiest and cheapest way to add Apple’s CarPlay to any vehicle is with a cheap Amazon Fire tablet and a USB CarPlay dongle.
You don’t need to buy an expensive new car stereo, nor spend the weekend ripping out your dash and fiddling with wiring. Adding a Fire tablet is very plug-and-play, and instantly makes a big difference. It cost me less than $100 and gave my old pre-Bluetooth stereo a new breath of life. Now I have a big, beautiful, 8-inch screen for maps and directions.
However, it took me a while to find the right combination of gear. Plus, you should consider a few things before taking the plunge with this DIY wireless CarPlay hack.
People might be squawking about the $3,499 price tag of Apple’s new Vision Pro headset, but let’s put things in perspective. When Apple introduced the Macintosh — the first computer with a graphical user interface — it cost an eye-watering $7,400 in today’s dollars.
The Apple II — the first truly “personal computer’ — proved even more expensive. In 1977, an Apple II with maxed-out memory (a whopping 48KB of RAM, yes kilobytes) cost the equivalent of $14,400.
All that makes the $3,499 price tag of Apple’s new Vision Pro VR headset seem like a relative bargain. It packs insane 4K OLED screens to mesmerize your eyes, an outside screen that shows your face while wearing it, and an array of sensors to capture your hand movements, facial expressions and more.
If Apple is right, and the headset represents the dawn of a new era of 3D spatial computing, then 3,500 bucks isn’t so much to be at the cutting edge. New technology is always pricey … and it could have been even worse. Given the amount of new tech involved, and the high price of nearly a decade of development, the Vision Pro could have been even more expensive. It’s no $10,000 Apple Watch Edition!
Apple’s transition to its own silicon is finally complete with the launch of a new Mac Pro, which combines Apple’s powerful M2 Ultra chip with PCIe expansion.
The new Mac Pro features the “most powerful chip ever created for a personal computer,” and is up to 3x faster than the previous-generation Intel-based model.
The Mac Studio just got its first update, and it’s a screamer.
The desktop machine now comes with Apple’s new M2 Ultra chip — the “most powerful chip ever created for a personal computer,” according to Apple.
The new chip, based on Apple silicon, triples the performance of the previous M1 machine.
I’ve written six nonfiction books about Apple, and every time during the writing process, I’d grind to a halt because I had no idea how to organize all the material I’d gathered.
So I’d do what every writer has done since time immemorial: I’d take reams and reams of notes, cut them up into small pieces, and then tape them together in an order that made some kind of sense. The trouble is, it rarely did!
Little did I know, there’s a much easier way: Scrivener.
The Safari browser turns 20 years old today, and I remember excitedly firing it up for the first time.
When Steve Jobs introduced Safari at Macworld 2003, he described the brand-new browser as a speed demon and way easier to use than competitors.
“Buckle up,” he said with a smile. “We have done our own browser and it’s hot … it’s sweet.”
A few weeks later, I deleted it in disgust. Safari wasn’t sweet. It sucked!
★★★★★
Out of the box, the new iPhone 14 Pro looks almost identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 13 Pro, with its frosted glass back, shiny steel band and triple-lens rear camera.
But switch it on, and you immediately see an obvious difference — the new Dynamic Island, a fun, interactive UI element that alone is almost worth the upgrade. But what cinches it is the new 48MP camera sensor, which takes absolutely fantastic pictures.
Rumors that Apple is discontinuing its partnership with Hermès appear to be completely wrong.
Among the flurry of announcements during Wednesday morning’s ‘Far Out’ event was news that the French fashion house is introducing two fancy new Apple Watch bands, plus a new watch face that celebrates the house’s equestrian roots.
Apple just unveiled the Watch Series 8 with a focus on women’s health, including a body temperature sensor that can help with advanced cycle tracking.
The new watch, available to pre-order today and shipping September 16, also features car crash detection, a new low-power mode, international roaming and new faces and bands.
Pricing starts at $399 for GPS, and $499 for cellular.
It looks like Humane’s upcoming iPhone-killer will be a laser-projection system after all, based on a cryptic teaser video that dropped Friday.
Humane is a San Francisco startup staffed with a glittering roster of ex-Apple talent, many of whom were instrumental in developing the original iPhone.
The company hasn’t yet announced its first product, but patents hint Humane is working on a smart, screenless device that projects information onto the environment around the user.
Now that Jony Ive and Apple have finally severed ties completely, it’s time for Cupertino’s current Industrial Design team to get the recognition it deserves.
Ive’s old Industrial Design team at Apple has been doing stellar work in his absence, but without getting the full credit. As long as Ive was still an Apple consultant, the credit was muddied: Was this Ive’s work or someone else’s?