Cult of Mac’s Ian Fuchs says new features in iPadOS 14 make the Apple Pencil an indispensable tool — even for people who aren’t artists.
That’s the cover story in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for that story, plus the latest Apple news, leaks, how-tos and reviews. (In case you hadn’t noticed, Apple’s battle with Fortnite dev Epic Games is getting nasty.)
Hey there, all you tab hoarders: Google Chrome just gave you a handy tool to bring some order to the nightmare lurking at the top of your web browser. A new Chrome feature lets you group tabs together with custom names to tame the chaos.
Unfortunately, it’s not completely obvious how to get in on the tab-grouping action. Here’s how to make it work for you.
Level Home’s second HomeKit-compatible smart lock lets you use your fingertip as a key. But you won’t even really need that finger tap to open your door. The new lock, called the Level Touch, offers a variety of entry methods — including fully automatic (triggered by your smartphone’s Bluetooth connection when you arrive home).
“With Level Touch, keys are optional,” the company said in a press release Tuesday unveiling the new device. “You can enter and exit in any way that is most convenient for you, with the touch of a finger, using your voice or even an included programmable keycard. All of this while maintaining the highest level of residential security of any smart lock to date.”
In an order issued Monday night, a U.S. district judge blocked Apple from revoking Epic Games’ developer accounts as the legal battle between the two companies moves toward trial.
The move protects Unreal Engine, Epic’s software suite that is widely used by other game developers, from becoming collateral damage in the high-profile legal battle.
You can get a comprehensive overview of all your HomeKit cams with Eve’s latest app update. And if you spot neighbors doing something fishy on your property, you can use Jury to settle the dispute virtually rather than taking them to court (or throwing fists like a barbarian).
Those are just two of the featured apps in our roundup of the week’s best new apps and updates.
Apple’s brain-melting march beyond a $2 trillion market cap might be just the start. Find out how high AAPL stock might go (and why all this success might have Apple fans tired of winning).
Plus, we’ve got more Apple rumors, this time concerning a potential cheaper Apple Watch and more! And Epic Games unleashes yet another creative salvo in its battle royale with Apple. (Surprise, surprise — Cupertino fires back in court.)
You can read all these stories, plus plenty of Apple how-tos and product reviews, in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now!
This Logitech Powered charger is a fantastic way to top off your iPhone. Its unique design lets you slide your phone in vertically or horizontally, so you can watch videos, take FaceTime calls or do whatever it is you do while you juice up your device.
As Cult of Mac wrote in its review when the product launched, this snow-white stunner does away with one of the most annoying problems associated with wireless charging. And if you act fast, you can get this high-end charger for less than $20.
Ted Lasso, the Apple TV+ comedy about a clueless American football coach who lands a job in Britain leading a team that plays that other kind of football, will come back for a second season, Apple said Wednesday.
Jason Sudeikas plays the lead in the show, which debuted on Apple TV+ last week. We’re only three episodes in to season 1, but so far, it looks like a winner. (Don’t take my word for it. Read the Cult of Mac review: Ted Lasso’s heart is too big to bench.)
When Apple Watch Series 6 arrives — early next month, if history and this week’s leak are any indication — what new features will it bring?
As usual, Cupertino’s pretty locked down. But we hope we’ll get some or all of the bells and whistles in this week’s cover story: What do you add to the smartwatch that has everything? It’s our wish list for Apple Watch Series 6.
Read it in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine or get the links below. (There’s plenty of other Apple news, reviews and how-tos in it as well.).
Apple will hold an iPhone 12 event the week of October 12, with the device shipping a week later, according to up-and-coming leaker Jon Prosser. The iPhone 12 Pro would land the following month, he said.
Without citing a source (obviously), he tweeted his “new, adjusted Apple dates” Wednesday afternoon.
Apple released updates for iOS, iPadOS and macOS on Wednesday that fix a variety of small problems. These aren’t big changes, but if you’ve got one of the problems outlined in the release notes, they should prove quite welcome indeed.
Here’s how Apple describes today’s updates — iOS 13.6.1 (and the iPad equivalent) and macOS Catalina 10.15.6 supplemental update:
This standup setup is definitely ready for its close-up. Artfully outfitted by Fujifilm North America salesman Brandon Remler, it sports a pair of laptops. But the real focus falls on Remler’s array of cameras, both film and digital.
“I do primarily use digital,” Remler told Cult of Mac in an email. “I did film for 20 years and it has a great feel and experience. Now moved on to Fujifilm GFX system. Gfx100 or Gfx50 — as well as our other Fujifilm x series (have one of everything so it’s not fair ;-).”
The next Goodfellas or Taxi Driver might be an Apple Original. Cupertino signed Martin Scorcese’s Sikelia Productions to a first-look deal that will see him direct and produce films and TV shows for Apple TV+.
It’s the latest high-profile pact signed by Apple execs as they seek to corner the market on the world’s most talented visual creators. The company continues to hustle, buying big-name properties and signing directors, actors, producers and other top Hollywood talent to exclusive deals.
Apple previously signed multiyear deals with Ridley Scott, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alfonso Cuarón, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Idris Elba. Snagging Scorsese adds another top-shelf visual storyteller to the mix.
Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac launched Tuesday, bringing new features and performance enhancements that mean the virtualization software delivers the “ultimate Windows-on-Mac experience,” the company said.
The update also preps the popular software for the upcoming release of macOS Big Sur. That required a major effort from Parallels’ engineers.
“We had to re-engineer all of the (kernel extensions) that we would need from scratch to work with the new macOS kext that’s integrated into the product,” said John Uppendahl, Parallels’ VP of global communications, during an online briefing about the software. “And to give you context, that alone took 25 man-years of engineering work.”
We’re all going to miss Phil Schiller now that he’s stepped down from his role as Apple’s marketing chief. He was a close friend of Steve Jobs, and he played a major role in Cupertino for decades.
To be clear, he’s not leaving Apple entirely. Instead, he became an Apple Fellow (and he’ll run the App Store and Apple Events). Still, it’s a big change for Cupertino. In tribute to an Apple OG, let’s take a trip down memory lane and relive Phil Schiller’s greatest hits.
That post is just one of the good reads you’ll find in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now and get all the week’s top Apple news, reviews and how-tos in an easy-to-read package.
For law teacher Craig Smith, working from home meant improvising. And the inexpensive but effective DIY setup he concocted throws together a couple of strange Apple bedfellows: He uses a vintage PowerBook G4 to elevate his main computer, an 11-inch iPad Pro.
“I needed a little more room to spread out and not feel claustrophobic,” Smith told Cult of Mac. “So, I moved my setup to the dining room table that seats six, as I have little need these days to use it as a spot to actually dine.”
That’s when he got creative with ergonomics and pressed his vintage PowerBook into service as an iPad stand.
If you put your fitness goals on the back burner due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s time to turn up the heat. And if you own an Apple Watch, the wonderful wearable is your ultimate post-lockdown fitness pal.
These tips will help you get back in shape, post-lockdown, with a little help from your friend. Find out how in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now to read on your iOS device, or follow the links below to read this week’s top Apple news, how-tos and reviews in your browser.
This week, you’ll get the scoop on another surprisingly good Apple earnings call. Plus, a full rundown of Tim Cook’s relatively painless appearance during a congressional antitrust hearing.
The 2020 iPhones likely won’t arrive until October at the earliest, Apple said during Thursday’s earnings call.
“Last year we started selling new iPhones in late September,” said Apple CFO Luca Maestri. “This year, we project supply to be available a few weeks later.”
Apple’s board of directors has approved a four-to-one stock split, the company said Thursday. AAPL stock, which closed Thursday at $384.76, should go for around $100 a share when the split occurs in late August.
The news, revealed in Apple’s blowout Q3 2020 earnings report, means investors with one share at close of business on Aug. 24 will be given three additional shares trading at one-fourth the price. It’s basically a psychological move that makes Apple stock seem more affordable.
Apple CEO Tim Cook defended App Store business practices and said his company treats all software developers equally as he faced questioning Wednesday in front of the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee.
Cook said it’s in Apple’s best interest to treat devs fairly. The company wants the best and brightest to write iOS apps, he said, because killer software proves essential for a company engaged in a “street fight for market share in the smartphone business.”
Dimpy Bhalotia’s captivating pictures racked up big wins at this week’s prestigious iPhone Photography Awards. Find out how she does it — and how you can take better pictures with your iPhone — in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. The free iOS mag was built for reading on your iPad or iPhone.
Grab it now and get your weekend reading squared away. We filled it with how-tos for all your Apple gear and reviews of things like new podcast Apple News Today. Plus, you’ll get your fill of Apple news (like Cupertino’s big commitment to go 100% carbon neutral).
Download it now. Or hit the links below to read the stories in your browser.
Facebook Messenger’s new App Lock feature lets you add an extra layer of security to the popular chat app. iPhone and iPad users can switch on Face ID or Touch ID so they never need to worry about anybody seeing their messages.
The previously rumored feature, which Facebook rolled out for iOS devices Wednesday, is easy to enable. Plus, you can tweak a setting to make sure App Lock works ideally for you. Here’s all you need to do to turn on Face ID or Touch ID for Facebook Messenger.
Apple News Today, the breezy new podcast showcasing the day’s top news stories, sounds perfectly peppy and polished. Maybe too perfectly polished, in fact — you won’t find a single rough edge on this slickly produced daily news report, which Apple unleashed last week with iOS 13.6. You will endure no energized, partisan rants, either. These straight-down-the-middle reports won’t get your blood boiling while you make your morning coffee or tea. If you’re tired of partisanship, this is the antidote.
What you will find in the weekday audio show is steady promotion of the Apple News app, and of Apple News+, the company’s reportedly struggling subscription news service. This upbeat and earnest free daily news briefing basically functions as a Trojan horse for getting in the ears of potential Apple News+ subscribers.
If you’ve always dreamed of running a Windows or Mac operating system on iPhone or iPad, this is your lucky day. We’ve got how-tos that show you how to run Windows XP or Mac OS X on an iOS device. It turns out it’s not that difficult — and it doesn’t require a jailbreak!
If you’re not up for a weekend project like that, don’t worry. We’ve got plenty of other good reading in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now and enjoy all the week’s top stories on your iPad or iPhone.
It’s got plenty of Apple news, including info on iOS 13.6 and the other software updates Apple released this week.
Apple released iOS 13.6 Wednesday, boosting its Apple News offering and bringing other new features to iPhone and iPad.
As expected, the company added audio versions of key stories from Apple News+, the paid version of its news aggregation service. Apple also added a new daily audio show called Apple News Today, which is available in the free version of the Apple News app.
In addition, the company beefed up its list of organizations pumping news content into the service. However, the Apple News audio features will only be available to U.S. users, the company said.