Apple news, analysis and opinion, plus general tech news | Cult of Mac

Apple’s new Personal Voice feature rings clear in ‘The Lost Voice’ video

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Tristram Ingham 'The Lost Voice' video
Disability advocate Tristram Ingham prepares to record Apple’s “The Lost Voice" video.
Photo: Apple

The new Personal Voice feature in iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma can restore a person’s voice even after they lose it for any reason.

Apple demonstrated that quite well Thursday in an article and video featuring a disability advocate suffering facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).

Tiny fan makes MacBook Air perform like MacBook Pro

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Frore Systems AirJet cooling chip fits MacBook Air
A Frore Systems cooling chip can boost MacBook Air performance.
Photo: Frore Systems

MacBook Air performs well without a MacBook Pro’s cooling fan, but now a tiny cooling chip can bridge the difference between the two laptops, according to a new report.

The thin membrane-based AirJet chip fits in Apple’s lightest laptop and boosts its performance when needed. Too bad you can’t just buy it and install it.

Today in Apple history: Fans queue up as Apple opens Tokyo store, its first outside US

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Apple's store in Tokyo's swanky Ginza shopping district.
Apple's first non-U.S. Apple Store was located in Tokyo.
Photo: Héctor García/Kirai CC

November 30: Today in Apple history: Apple opens first store outside U.S. in Tokyo's trendy Ginza shopping district November 30, 2003: Apple expands its retail chain outside the United States for the first time, opening an Apple Store in Tokyo’s trendy Ginza shopping district.

On opening day, thousands of Apple fans — possibly the biggest queue in Apple history — line up around the block in the rain to gain early access to the store, which offers five full floors of Apple product goodness.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs does not show up for the opening of the 73rd Apple Store. However, shoppers hear a welcoming speech from Eiko Harada, president of Apple Japan.

AirPods Pro 2 drop back to Black Friday price after 24% discount

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AirPods Pro 2 in hand with case opened
Here's another chance at getting the AirPods Pro 2 at their Black Friday price.
Source: Unsplash

Amazon is once again running an insane deal on the AirPods Pro 2, dropping them to their Black Friday price. You can get the earbuds for $189.99, a whopping $59 off their $249 MSRP.

With no AirPods Pro successor coming anytime soon, Apple’s 2nd gen earbuds are the best earphones you can get for your iPhone.

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New deal means fully American-made Apple silicon chips

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TSMC chip wafer
Chip wafers can't simply be plugged into a computer. They must be packaged first.
Photo: TSMC

Apple silicon processors that TSMC makes at its Arizona plant will be packaged by Amkor at a nearby facility. This will save them from having to be shipped to Taiwan before going into iPhone, Mac, etc.

“Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing, and we’ll continue to expand our investment here in the United States,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO. “Apple silicon has unlocked new levels of performance for our users, enabling them to do things they could never do before, and we are thrilled that Apple silicon will soon be produced and packaged in Arizona.”

Try one of Elago’s stylish steel bands for Apple Watch

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Elago's new stainless steel bands for Apple Watch come in three colors.
Elago's new stainless steel bands for Apple Watch come in three colors.
Photo: Elago

There are few things more classic than a stainless steel watch band. It’s durable yet stylish, rugged yet elegant, and appropriate for work or play. You can wear it with a T-shirt or a tuxedo. And that goes for your grandfather’s Rolex as much as it goes for your Apple Watch.

Lucky for you, Elago’s stainless steel watch bands for Apple Watch in three colors to the Cult of Mac Store. And they’re affordable, too.

These apps and games won the 2023 App Store Awards

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Apple Store Awards 2023
These are the App Store Award winners of 2023.
Photo: Apple

Apple has announced the 2023 App Store Awards winner after highlighting the 37 finalists earlier this month. The iPhone App of the Year went to AllTrails, while Prêt-à-Makeup won the iPad App of the Year.

Photomator was crowned as the Mac App of the Year. Unsurprisingly, generative AI was the Trend of the Year, with App Store Editors highlighting some apps that used it to deliver an innovative app experience.

Robert De Niro jabs Apple over deleted anti-Trump comments

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Robert De Niro, 2023 Gotham Awards
De Niro wasn't happy Apple deleted his anti-Trump comments.
Photo: Gotham Film & Media Institute, YouTube

Actor Robert De Niro slammed Apple this week over anti-Donald Trump comments deleted from his speech at the Gotham Awards Monday evening.

The legendary actor noticed the commentary missing from the teleprompter as he began to introduce the Gotham Historical Icon and Creator Tribute to Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon, produced by Apple (and starring De Niro). So he took out his smartphone and read them anyway.