Lewis Wallace - page 17

The Elegiant Wire Tracker looks unassuming, but it helped me solve a frustrating problem: identifying the Ethernet cables buried behind the walls of my house. The inexpensive kit consists of a little plastic probe about the size of a Polish sausage and an emitter about the size of an iPhone (only it’s an inch or so thick).

It’s made of blue plastic, so it doesn’t pack that heavyweight “pro” feel, but it seems fairly durable. And if you need to figure out which Ethernet cable goes where, it gets the job done.

It might seem totally impossible in 2020, but upcoming Apple TV+ documentary Boys State makes politics look fun. The first trailer, which Apple released Tuesday, introduces some of the real-life young men who engage in an annual Texas tradition that’s basically summer camp for citizens.

That might sound nerdy and dry, but the first promo spot crackles with energy. It feels almost like a mashup of Election, Dazed and Confused and Napoleon Dynamite (with a little bit of Little America and, hopefully, Meatballs, thrown in to spice things up).

We didn’t get the new Apple hardware we expected during this week’s WWDC keynote, but we did get a whole bunch of hot new software. Get our take on upcoming updates to Apple’s biggest platforms — macOS Big Sur, iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7 and more — in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.

Don’t miss our roundup of all the cool “hidden” iOS 14 features that Apple couldn’t squeeze into its slick virtual keynote. We’ll also toss in the rest of our coverage of this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, plus some handy how-tos and reviews. Read it all in the free mag (which you can download from the App Store) or in the links below.

Safari users soon will be able to securely log into websites using Face ID and Touch ID. The new feature, which Apple is rolling out in iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and macOS Big Sur, should take away one of the most irritating things about using the web — remembering, and then typing in, user names and complicated passwords.

On websites that support the feature, users can opt in to use Apple’s biometric ID systems, making that irritating login dance a thing of the past.

The next Mac operating system, called macOS Big Sur, will bring the biggest design overhaul in nearly two decades, Apple said Monday. In addition to the massive visual upgrades, MacOS Big Sur will usher in huge changes to the Messages, Maps and the Safari web browser.

Apple unveiled the massive changes coming to macOS on Monday during the company’s keynote kicking off this year’s online-only Worldwide Developers Conference.

“This year, we’re taking the macOS experience you love even further,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior VP of software engineering, as he launched into a deep dive into changes coming soon to Mac.

Are you as psyched for WWDC 2020 as we are? The cover story of this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine tells you what to expect from next week’s big keynote. (Spoiler alert: Sounds like some new hardware in addition to the mandatory look at upcoming software.)

Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll find the latest Apple news and leaks, plus how-tos for your Apple devices. Finally, don’t miss our reviews and recommendations — including a look at new documentary Dads, the latest disappointment from Apple TV+.

Grab your copy of the free iOS mag today (or hit the links below for the stories.)

As if Twitter wasn’t noisy enough, it soon will let certain users post audio tweets. The new feature, which Twitter is testing exclusively on iOS devices, will let users talk for up to 140 seconds.

Twitter says the voice tweets will “add a more human touch” to the service.

If you’re looking to shake up your cocktail game, try putting these two ingredients in the mix: John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum and Scrappy’s Firewater Tincture.

The first is a syrupy liqueur from Barbados that’s typically used in Tiki drinks. The second is a devilishly hot habanero tincture. They’re both key ingredients in a fantastic cocktail called the Spicy Dead Lady.

Giving HealthKit an iCloud injection would make Apple’s health-tracking framework much more powerful. Will this be the year Apple takes HealthKit to the next level?

Find out why it should be, in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. You can download it now from the iOS App Store. Grab it now and get the week’s top Apple news, including some juicy new bits about what’s coming next from Cupertino’s product pipeline.

P.S. Don’t miss the big Father’s Day Sale in the Cult of Mac Store.

Adding a single character to a URL can let you bypass some websites’ metered paywalls and watch YouTube videos without having to endure those annoying ads.

The simple hack — typing a “dot” immediately after the “.com” in a site’s URL — doesn’t work on every single website out there. But it does give you an advertisement-free pass to many of them.

Apple laid out its plans for “the biggest WWDC to date” in a press release Wednesday, detailing exactly how the first online-only developers conference will go down.

With live streams available on Apple’s website, YouTube and other platforms, everyone can watch the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote on June 22. During the highly anticipated event, Cupertino’s execs will showcase what the future holds for iPhone, Mac and other Apple devices.

Hey, big spender. Act fast and you can snag a refurbished 28-core Mac Pro — for just $43,859.

It’s totally tricked out, so it’s the most expensive Mac Pro currently in Apple’s refurb store. Grab your credit card, and it can be sitting on your desk by Wednesday!

Which iMac design stands as the best ever? Apple has unleashed some pretty radical revisions to its all-in-one computer over the years, and we ranked them all.

Find out which iMac came out on top in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. You can download it now from the iOS App Store. It’s stuffed with the latest Apple news, reviews and how-tos (plus some cool new Apple concepts). Or you can read the week’s top stories in the link roundups below.

Jon Prosser is the hot new Apple reporter on the scene. On Twitter and his Front Page Tech channel on YouTube, he delivers Apple scoops with a healthy side helping of humor. So, is Prosser the new Mark Gurman?

Read our take in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. As always, the free iOS mag is filled with Apple news, reviews and how-tos.

When Apple released iOS 13.5 this week, it paved the way for privacy-focused contact-tracing apps to fight COVID-19. However, these apps don’t yet exist. And, despite some panicked reports online, your iPhone isn’t going to start snooping on you as soon as you upgrade your operating system.

We set out to clear up some misconceptions about how this whole contact-tracing thing is going to work. You can read all about it in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.

Elsewhere in the free iOS mag, you’ll get the scoop on our podcast interview with Jon Prosser, the Apple leaker who’s making headlines. Plus, the usual Apple news, reviews and how-tos. Download it now and get to reading, or get the stories in the links below.

Twitter is expanding testing of a new feature that lets users specify exactly who can reply to their tweets. The new conversation settings, which Twitter said Wednesday it is rolling out to a small percentage of users, lets people limit replies to people they follow or to certain individuals.

It’s Twitter’s latest attempt to tame toxic conversations on the free-wheeling platform. (As you might expect, not everyone is thrilled with the concept.)

You don’t need to jailbreak your iPhone or iPad to play classic Nintendo games on them these days. It’s easier than ever to get your game on — find out in how in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.

This week’s issue also includes plenty of other tips and how-tos to help you get the most out of your Apple devices. Plus, you’ll get some juicy Apple news and rumors, including a report on a total Newton nerdfest attended by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak himself.

If you thought life during COVID-19 lockdown seems awful, trust me — it’s got nothing on Gilead. That’s the fictional setting of The Handmaid’s Tale, a riveting dystopian TV show that’s racked up awards for Hulu since its 2017 debut on the streaming service.

I’ve burned my way through the first season, and I can’t take my eyes off this terrifying vision of a perverted future.

We got a pair of welcome new diversions this week: Hugely popular racing game Forza Street finally roared onto iOS, and a great Lego Star Wars title got a long-overdue update.

But we also got more-serious new apps and updates. New political app Moxy gives you information and tools to keep you engaged in current events. And a couple of essential iOS productivity tools got some handy new features.

Get all the details in our weekly roundup of the best new and updated apps.

If your favorite apps don’t yet support Dark Mode, there’s a good reason. Making their apps work with Dark Mode can be a total pain in the butt for devs.

Get an inside look at the travails of adding this popular feature in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for that story, plus the rest of the week’s top Apple news, reviews and how-tos. (There’s plenty on the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, too.)

Apple’s never going to bring the Mac Pro’s cheese-grater design to iPhone, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get a laugh out of the idea. A cheeky new iPhone 12 XDR Pro concept video shows just how ridiculous that would look.

It’s short, it’s sweet … and it’s the craziest iPhone concept we’ve seen in a while.

A new “invisible” HomeKit-compatible lock means you won’t need to sacrifice fancy door hardware to get smart lock functionality. Level Lock replaces your existing deadbolt’s guts, hiding seamlessly inside your door.

It’s an innovative approach to smart lock design. That’s not too surprising, though, considering Level Home was founded by a couple of ex-Apple employees.

We love the new Magic Keyboard, which adds a trackpad and lets an iPad Pro float almost magically. Read the full Magic Keyboard review and find out everything we like (and a couple things that could be better).

In this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine, you’ll also find an essay on all the ways a 2008 MacBook proves better than a modern Apple laptop. And a bit of trash talk about lazy new Apple TV+ comedy Trying.

Plus, we’ve got even more reviews, the week’s top Apple news, and a bunch of great how-tos and pro tips. Download the free iOS mag now or get the links below.

The reviews are in: The 2020 iPhone SE is a wallet-friendly speed machine with features that make it totally tempting. You can almost hear new owners squealing with delight as their preorders arrive.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 faces delays due to the worldwide COVID-19 shutdown. Get those stories and more in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download the app now for a smooth read on your iOS device of choice. Or hit the links below for the week’s top Apple news, reviews and how-tos.

With screaming-fast internals, key flagship-level features and a budget price tag, the new iPhone SE ticks all the boxes in these uncertain times. Apple cut a few smart corners to make the magic happen.

Read all about the 2020 iPhone SE in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Grab yours today and get to reading. (Alternatively, hit the links below for the week’s top Apple news, reviews and how-tos.)