After wrapping our “50 Essential iOS Apps” series, we sorted the winners to make it easier for you to download the best of the best. (Plus, we added Cult of Mac readers’ picks for must-have alternatives.)
You’ll find that list and much more in this week’s issue of our magazine. It’s free and it looks great on an iPad or iPhone. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes now. Or read on for this week’s top stories.
If you ever watched schlocky ’70s sci-fi show The Six Million Dollar Man, you probably remember the opening sequence, during which a faceless narrator describes building a man who is “better than he was before. Better … stronger … faster.”
With the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, Apple’s engineers achieved just that type of incredible transformation. They fabricated phones that look “normal,” like last year’s iPhone X. But, just like the shadowy geniuses who built the bionic man, Apple indeed made the iPhone X better, stronger and faster — thanks in large part to the A12 Bionic chip that powers the new phones’ most advanced functions. (Other hardware and software upgrades help, too.)
Just like Col. Steve Austin, the ace astronaut who got $6 million worth of bionic implants after a devastating crash, the iPhone X received massive internal upgrades to morph into the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. While it looks like the same old (excellent) device, it’s actually far more fantastic and futuristic.
It’s a total bionic blast!
Best Buy is celebrating Labor Day weekend with some stellar discounts on Apple’s latest devices. You can save $50 on HomePod, $75 on Apple Watch Series 3, and up to $700 on Macs. Today’s Deals & Steals roundup also includes offers on other Apple devices.
Plus, you can protect your home with an impressive smart security camera for under $75, and pick up a pair of smart bulbs that won’t break the bank.
Like a cute iMac G3 blossoming into a “simply breathtaking” iMac G4, Ultimate Ears’ Boom and Megaboom speakers just morphed into something even more wonderful.
Sporting an updated design and loads of advanced features — including a new Magic Button that puts Apple Music playlists at your fingertips — the best Bluetooth speakers around just got even better. And, surprisingly, they also got cheaper!
To create its new vertical mouse, Logitech borrowed from its expertise creating peripherals for players of first-person shooters. The goal? A kill shot aimed straight at the ugly heart of repetitive strain injuries.
The result of the company’s efforts is the Logitech MX Vertical. The ergonomic mouse, unveiled today, offers appealing features in a strangely beautiful design that looks something like a seashell.
Having a wireless charging pad on my nightstand means never having to fish around in the dark for a Lightning cable plugged into the wall. However, there’s a tradeoff: Switching to wireless charging also means I’ve awakened to a nearly drained iPhone more often than ever before.
Well, help is on the way for this admittedly first-world problem. The new Logitech Powered Wireless Charger eliminates the main drawback I’ve found when it comes to charging my iPhone wirelessly.
Sadly, most Apple Watch charging stands look like utter crap. For a device beloved by Apple fans — some of the most design-savvy people on the planet — the Apple Watch accessories selection seems strangely miserable.
Some Apple Watch chargers look like old-school joysticks. Others look like Amish craftwork or the kind of 1980s rack you might see in a department store, loaded with ugly shirts nobody wants.
In today’s edition of Deals & Steals, we show you where you can get a brand-new iMac for a phenomenal savings. And, in a similarly enticing Apple deal, you can save $14 on the rarely discounted AirPods.
On top of that, we dug up deals on a new GoPro Hero 4 action cam, an LED monitor and a pair of comfortable gaming headphones — all for insane prices!
Just how much aluminum and glass can you take? If you’re a longtime Apple fan but you’re getting bored with your devices’ sleek surfaces, wood could be the answer.
In particular, wrapping your iPhone in a wooden case from Rustek might cure you of your aluminum ennui. With eye-catching graphics made of laser-cut wood veneers, these cases look really different.
Amazon Prime Day 2018 is here, and Cult of Mac is showcasing the best Prime Day deals for Apple fans. The annual sale kicks off at noon Pacific today, but some deals are already live.
Here are the best ones we’ve found so far.
Apple’s Sport band is the basic bro of Apple Watch straps. If you want something a little more rugged — and a lot less forgettable — strap on a Tire Tread Sport band from Carterjett. These sturdy silicone bands come in brilliant colors, with extra-large sizes and surprisingly small price tags.
They’re a perfect option for revving up your Apple Watch collection.
In the latest sign that Cupertino is serious about video, Apple signed media superstar Oprah Winfrey to a multi-year deal. Cupertino’s growing original content team will work with the “Queen of All Media” to whip up original shows.
Even someone who doesn’t suffer from a Jony Ive-style obsession with slimness wants an iPhone case with style. The Sena Racer — a leather iPhone X case with a rad racing stripe running up its back — adds bulk for sure. But its pleasantly puffy profile throws off a vintage ’70s vibe that looks killer and feels good in your hand.
It offers protection, sure. But, more importantly, it makes your iPhone stand out in a sea of svelte sameness.
Whether they are rebuilding vintage motorcycles or crafting Apple Watch bands, the folks at E3 Supply Co. do everything by hand. It’s not that they can’t afford fancy robots to get the job done — the small team of three prefers to do things this way.
Whether working from their shop in Brooklyn, New York, or from the mini leather workshop in the back of their customized 1977 Toyota Chinook, they do things the old-fashioned way. And now Cult of Mac is thrilled to offer E3 Supply’s handcrafted leather Apple Watch bands in our Watch Store.
PicoBrew’s new Pico U, which the company calls “the world’s first universal craft beverage brewing appliance,” does more than brew great beer. The “U” stands for “universal,” because the Pico U also makes kombucha, horchata and milk-based drinks, as well as tea and single-serving coffee.
It’s also small enough to fit on a kitchen countertop — and costs far less than its predecessors. Pico U offers so many brewing options, at a price that’s so attainable, that Donald Brewer, PicoBrew’s VP of sales, calls it the “Instant Pot for brewed beverages.”
When it comes to fashion, it’s hard to beat basic black. However, sometimes you want a little something extra — a color and design that adds subtle interest without going over the top. The Clessant Gold Barenia Apple Watch band joins its black counterpart and does the trick, thanks to fine off-white stitching that looks almost like racing stripes.
The AirPods case is a tiny miracle that looks like a dental floss container. Maybe you like that white plastic design, but to me it looks a little clinical. Not to mention the fact that when my wife inevitably gets a pair of AirPods, we’re going to be constantly confused about which little white charging case is hers and which is mine.
Who needs the bickering? For just under $20, you can wrap your lily-white case in a colorful silicone shell called a PodPocket that will eliminate all confusion in multi-AirPods abodes. That’s exactly what PodPockets do, but that’s not all they do. They also help keep your AirPods safe and sound.
Logitech’s new speaker system adds a new dimension to gaming: color. LEDs hidden in the front and back of the speaker bathe your desktop and the wall behind your computer in light.
That’s fine for making your room look like a disco palace while listening to music. But it’s really designed to make video games more immersive.
This crocodile Apple Watch strap is a total crock. But in a good way! Made of Italian calfskin leather but stamped to look like crocodile skin, this beefy Apple Watch band looks exotic but costs a fraction of what a real reptile hide would set you back.
Plus, this President’s Day Weekend only, save 20 percent on the Crocodilus in our Watch Store.
An apparent bug has left some HomePod owners unable to get their new Apple smart speakers up and running. Complaints about a mysterious “Setup Failed -6722” error message surfaced soon after HomePod launched last Friday.
While many Apple Watch bands put fashion front and center, the Nomad Sport Strap embraces the wearable’s exercise potential. This wide, black silicone strap makes the Apple Watch look less like a smartwatch and more like a hard-core fitness tracker.
High-quality audio is the signature feature of Apple’s new HomePod. Apple execs brush off “Siri so stupid” concerns by emphasizing the sound quality of the device.
So the big question is: Will the HomePod be love at first listen? I just unwrapped one of the new Apple smart speakers, and my ears now have a little bit of a crush on HomePod.
iDevices’ new HomeKit-compatible smart switch will do much more than just control your lights. With sensors, a speaker and Amazon’s Alexa baked in, the Instinct packs four different functions into a standard light switch.
You can use Alexa voice commands to play music or control your lights. Or, if you’ve got your iPhone or Apple Watch at hand, you trigger HomeKit activities with Siri.
Sometimes Siri isn’t around to help you manage your smart home. The new Elgato Eve Button puts your HomeKit-enabled devices and scenes at your fingertips when you don’t have your smartphone at the ready.
The new HomeKit controller also means guests or kids can easily turn on the lights, lock the doors or whatever else needs doing — all with a quick press on the Eve Button.
If you want a HomeKit-compatible electrical outlet, but don’t want an ugly wall wart jutting out of your conventional plug, you’re about to get a new option. The ConnectSense Smart In-Wall Outlet will work like other smart plugs. But it looks like the ordinary power outlets hardwired into your walls.
